Converting a Flak Gunner to a Stug Gunner

My entry for Historicus Forma's Sculpt-Along 2010 campaign isn't a full figure sculpt: unfortunately I don't have the time and I had a figure I was about to start converting for a current project.

I'm currently working on a Stug III Ausf B for a group build on Tanks and Things and need a figure to fill the gunner's seat. The gunner's hatches will be closed, and the figure will most likely hardly be visible and when so only from the rear. So why bother? Well it's simple: what if someone looks inside?

In the old days, when modellers were modellers and plastic was scared, instead of spending hours, days, weeks, months complaining about the lack of the perfectly posed figure which one modeller would only ever need once, modellers would convert existing figures to suit their needs. So, taking it old school, that's what I'll be doing with this build.

I needed a seated figure, slightly hunched. No dramas, I had the DML 2cm Flak Crew stuck away in the depths of a wardrobe, which includes a gunner. Problem: the figure has a few 'issues'.

• The pose: the pose seems stiff (like he should be lying in Ducky's morgue), the legs are outstretched (the overzealous trouser folds exaggerate that point) and he's leaning back in the flak gun's seat.
• Attire: Oops, he's a Luftwaffe ground trooper, and we need a Panzer/SPG dude - for the uninformed the uniforms are different.

So the proposed changes are:

• Legs: chop off the knees, open the groin (he looks like he's clenching), file down the folds. Resculpt the knees and trouser folds. Change the trousers to Panzer trousers by blousing them at the ankle. Convert boots to short ammo style boots.
• Torso: shorten torso (partially because the boy is too tall for the AFV), angle forward at hips and stomach. Lean and twist slightly to side. Convert flieggerblusse to Panzer jacket.
• Arms: not sure on postions yet, but drill out sleeves and repostion hands.
• Head: Off with it! Head angled up. I'll use a Tamiya head which has sufficient detail, is angled to the left and wears a field cap which is more fitting for the inside of an AFV. The Tamiya head is noticably smaller though - if the figure is out of the vehicle - inside it shouldn't be obvious given viewing angles.

The green lines below represent the current positions, the red the intended.

I'll state up front at this point in time that I have many real life things going on the moment, so this conversion may take a while to be done. That said please check back often.

Also, this is the biggest conversion I've undertaken, so bear with me - good thing it'll be stuck inside the AFV, right?

Sertorian Legionary: Groundwork done

Well, this really is rather embarrasing. Yes, I really am still busy with this figure...

Actually, in a previous post I jokingly commented on making monthly updates to this thread. Quite unintentionally that was a month ago. Anyways, here's the progress over the last month or so...

I'm pretty much done with the groundwork. I'm not really too happy with the grass, as I think it needs more highlights and shadows. But... the missus took a look and gave me the "hands of the groundwork now!" command. If she's happy with it then best safer not to argue.





It's really just the sleeves of the tunic that have been finished off. Again, not crazy about them, but... The cloak has been BC'ed with VC822, and then had a wash with Citadel Black Ink. Oh, and I discovered how much I really hate the Citadel pots: when I bumped the black ink pot over on my workbench! Anyway, no use crying over spilt paint.




I'm going to have to get a move on with this figure - I really don't have much time left...

A forgotten Sertorian Legionary update

This is actually an update from a few weeks ago. I posted it on HF but somehow forgot to post it here.

• Face has now been finished off. Not 100% happy with it personally, but the missus likes it so I guess it'll do.

• Scarf has been finished off with a wash followed by a series of highlights followed by a glaze.

• Helmet's done.. don't ask me how, quite honestly I can't remember... I sort of followed Daniello's method substituting a few items for others I had...

• Plume... Hmm, worked on this today. Started off with a BC of VC822 plus a dash of black, followed with a heavy wash of Citadel Black Ink. Then DB'ed the BC, followed by a couple more lighter coats. Finished off with another wash of Black Ink. Suspect the ink has toned the highlights down too much though... might have another pass with the highlight...

• Mail has been treated with a wash of Lamp Black and Burnt Umber oils.

 

And yes, that really is clingwrap ("seran wrap"?) around the figure. Picked up the tip from Mike Butler over at Medrom. Prevents finger oils from contacting the figure and rubbing off the paint.

The mail was allowed to dry overnight, and was then treated to a Tamiya Smoke wash. I'm don't work with Tamiya acrylics too often, so I thought I'd better give a chance to dry properly overnight - probably overkill...

The groundwork as also been treated to a series of dry-brushings. To be honest I can't remember the colours, so it's probably not a good idea to ask me...

Climbing back on the horse

As you might have noticed, possibly due largely to the fact that I have yet to actually make my first editorial on HF, I've not had much time for modelling these past few weeks. This is mostly due to getting the house ready for sale. That is now done and our house is on the market, but now my brother-in-law has arrived from the UK for a surprise visit. It’s been almost 4 years since we last saw him so it’s good to have him around. Oh, and to top it off, I have been sent back to JPMorgan – this time I have not been spared the pains of OneDesk and I have virtually no ‘net access. Despite all these goings on, I have managed to steal a few minutes here and there, for real modelling mind you, not the virtual kind - i.e. reviews, editorials, or even simply surfing the model sites.
But I digress so slightly. I'm back on the Sertorial Legionary horse after rushing and taking a fall. No matter though.
- The figure was stripped down, and primer applied again.
- I took on the face again, and although not really satisfied with it, I guess it's passable.
- The neck scarf has again been blocked in and the first highlight put on - next will be a wash and then a series of highlights.
- The helmet is being painted using Danilo Cartacci's bronze technique. This time I used Tamiya clear orange instead of mixing my own orange using Citadel inks.
- I've blocked in the hair as well as the plume.
This is were it's at:

I'd say more soon... but we'll see - history has proven otherwise... ;-)
p.s. since taking these pictures last week I have since attempted the eyes and done the final shadows and highlights to the face.

Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste

The medieval Persian Sufi poet Saadi (1184 - 1291) said it best: "Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste." This was certainly true when it came to attempting to paint the Sertorian Legionary for The Missus in a single day. But let me start at the beginning - or rather just after my last post.
Provided you read my previous post, you will know that I decided late in the day to paint a 54mm historical figure for The Missus' birthday in basically a week. To recap, by last Tuesday night I had basically cleaned up the figure, primed it and started basecoating the skin and neckscarf - this was revealed in my previos post.
What was not revealed, largely due to continuing work after posting, was the preparation of the base for the groundwork (see the next 2 pics below).
I started by gluing the vendor supplied groundwork down onto the base, which was scavenged from an old football (soccer) trophy. After positioning and epoxying some stones on the side to imply a rock face, I placed masking tape around the sides where I wouldn't want spillage (be it glue, putty, sand or paint) later.
Next I would be building up a slightly sloping ground with plastic ceramic clay, but I first wanted to give the clay something to hold onto. Probably unnecessary, but I decided to do it anyways. I drilled a series of 1mm holes into the wood base, and cyno'ed short pieces pieces of brass wire into place. This would also give me an idea of the contours I was planning.
I let that set overnight, and the following day proceed to build up the groundwork with the plastic ceramic clay, placing the odd rock here and there. While the clay was still setting I also pressed some fine sand into place so that I could get an idea of of what it would look like later.

While I was quite knackered toward the latter part of the week, I didn't want to lose the momentum I had built at the start of the project. So I decided to continue working at the groundwork. Using Woodland Scenics terrain glue (basically watered down white glue) I glued down some GW sand and stone mix for texture and then covered that with a fine sand I had collected from the garden a few months prior.
The two sides of the base that would not be the main focus, the left and rear, were coated with a textured sandstone acrylic paint which I bought from a arts and crafts store. Once all of this was dry I removed the masking tape. You can see the result of this in the next 3 photographs. Please bear in mind that I haven't autolevelled these photos so the lighting isn't that great...


Okay, so up until now Saadi's quote isn't really appropriate becuase everything is more or less going to plan... the base is looking good, the figure is ready for painting and I've organised with the outlaws to spend the day with The Missus and keep her out my hair while I try this "speed painting" thing. But then Saturday happened...
After shipping the lassie off I finally sat down to paint at about 9 AM. To be honest I have no idea where I went wrong. Sure, I tried a new fleshtone mixture, and a different method of painting bronze. I can only attribute the (quite frankly) shit finish due to 1) my haste in painting and 2) a lack of practice of acrylic painting throught the year. So... a long story short, due to my haste, I will now be stripping the figure down and starting again.
Thank goodness The Missus isn't too phased - she's just chuffed at the prospect of getting a figure that has been specially painted for her. That and her main present was an iPod! LOL

First figure for 2008 underway

At the last minute this past weekend, in true "Rudi fashion", I decided that I would paint a figure especially for The Missus' birthday. So what's the big deal you say? The big deal is simply that her birthday is on Monday 21 January, and I normally take weeks - okay, okay, months - to finish a single figure. So for me this is a real case of speed modelling. That said, if I finish it: cool. If not: no worries, I have other gifts for her. But... I really do want to finish it for her.

So what's the figure already? El Viejo Dragón Miniaturas’ CG130 Roman Legionary, Sertorian Army, North Hispania, 74BC Why this figure? Not reason other than that when looking through my box of review samples she said she liked this particular figure the most. Don't think I need a better reason.

With every figure I undertake I like to try at least one new technique. And, since my copy of Danillo Cartacci's Painting Miniatures arrived last week, I've decided to try 2 of his metal techniques, namely bronze and mail. These should be interesting to try.

Another new technique I'll be trying to painting a Meditteranean skintone. I picked up a list of different fleshtone "recipes" off CMON a few months ago, and have been itching to try them.

Enough about what I want to do, and onto the job at hand...

I started the cleanup and polishing the helmet and mail coat last week Thursday at "Model Thingie".The helmet and mail were then masked using Humbrols Maskol (gawd the stuff reeks!) before priming the figure with Tamiya Light Grey Surface primer.



Started painting last night. Flesh basecoated using AV Cork Brown. Not that it's visible from this photo, but the neck scarf has been basecoated with GW Scab Red.



And that's pretty much how far the figure still is tonight. I started working on the groundwork tonight as I am a bit too tired to paint a 54mm face. At this point Monday is speeding towards me and I have no idea if I'll recover enough time to finish the piece. Maybe, just maybe, I can steal a few more hours during the week. I'll have to chat to the in-laws and get them in on the conspiracy to get her out the house on Saturday for a few hours. As it is I still need to charge and load her pressie - and nope, I ain't telling nobody what I bought her ;-) :-p

Ci