WIP Critique 1/16 The officer & his doberman

[bigtodd]

WOW !!!!!! I prefer this head to the one with a hat.

Your work is very inspiring. I hope to paint one of your figures in the future.

Thank you for sharing.

Todd

 

[1969]

Excellent work so far Kaz, this would prove popular as a commercial release.
bare head looks very good, I prefer it to the other version with the cap.

Steve

 

[Lew J]

The capless head is great I think it softens him a touch.

Lew J.

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

Hello Kaz, I like your other head option, but still prefer the one with the cap. The dog looks to be in an alert position, as on patrol with the officer. I found a couple of photos that resemble your sculpt of the dog. Maybe they will come in handy. Also a few officers with their dogs. The Germans, and many other countries, used many different breeds of working dogs to perform all types of duties, it depended on how they were trained. I hope this pair, or something similar, done by you, becomes commercially available in the future. Regards, SG

 

[JasonB]

The Terrier in place of the Doberman would be hilarious!

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

I would buy the dog right now for my USMC dog handler to replace my less stellar effort. Wouldn't want to do one sitting would ya?
Excellent

That looks GREAT!! I love it!
I didn't know that 120mm USMC figure, so I checked out the Michael Roberts website just now. I see you converted head and left shoulder and arm in right position.
I want to do USMC w/ dogs in the future project too!

I like your vignette with Marine and dog Jason, and am glad to here Kaz will do a version in the future also. Master Box does Marine dog handlers in 1/35th. Jason's version reminded me of them. Regards, SG

 

[kaz6120]

I'm glad you like the optional head, guys! and thanks a lot for the great reference pics, SG! I like the dog wearing a officer cap!

here's bit more updates on hair, and re-suclpting belt hackles.


and, to make this figure cast-ready, I decided to get rid of all of Tamiya parts, including MP40.
I don't have a skill to engineering MP40 better than Tamiya and I don't want to re-invent the wheel, I decided to sculpt my own version of weapon, MP35, which is not much produced in this scale. MP28 sounds nice too, not sure yet which I will choose, but just giving it a try.

 

[JasonB]

Personally I have never understood peoples opposition to "off the shelf" equipment being used by sculptors, since the final product is pretty much going to look the same across the board, unlike a head, uniform or body parts which are unique and integral to the overall figure. Using a Tamiya MP-40 or canteen doesn't cause someone to buy your figure instead of theirs, its an accoutrement not a recast of their figure. Honestly, using existing equipment is so widespread that I doubt most people could tell one canteen, breadbag, MP-40, etc... from another. Just my opinion, though, I know others disagree.
That being said, the MP-35 is a nice change of pace and the only thing similar I have seen is the MP-18 in the old Kirin WWI Trench Raider kit.

 

[Blue Thunder]

Kazufumi, this miniature is becoming immensely great! you have a winner in your hands!

Please, I hope I can transmit this correctly through a screen: I didn't want to type earlier, because such a brilliant creation you were making for yourself didn't deserve no "outside noise", but since you have decided to change the weapon, please allow me to explain: While at war you can just see just about every exception and quite few rules, there is something to consider: The weapon and the hound don't match. With this, I mean a submachine gun is not a weapon of choice when you take a dog with you. A hound gives you a considerable range advantage, and machine guns are close combat weapons. It's not just in hunting or sport shooting, in the field the same happens: a submachine gun is severely short aimed, effective by fire rate at close quarters but defective as a precision weapon.

Furthermore, it's not the first weapon you see used by an officer: It lacks gallantry, and this is to be considered too due to the nature of the pose.

Please, but really please: The nature of the pose is outstanding. The way animal and man are interacting together too. But interpreting the figure, everything in it transmits peaceful time of a gentleman sporting his dear hound.

Of course, photographs of officers and machine guns exist and abound and also at the front extreme situations that go against all rules exist too. But ... and all this text before just to try to avoid a flame war for what I am about to suggest: Please Kazufumi, if I were you, I would sincerely consider something noble such as a Walther Gewehr 43 and, for example, also fitted with the amazing Gewehr-Zielfernrohr 4-fach. With proper training (and quite intense, shall I say), this is the kind of weapon that clearly increases the advantage of a well trained hound in the field.


Please Kaz, the model is yours and you are the owner of all decisions. This is a merely suggestion and nothing else! The sole thing I know is that your model is an amazing achievement! And my truest congratulations for it!

 

[Martin64]

and, to make this figure cast-ready, I decided to get rid of all of Tamiya parts, including MP40.
I don't have a skill to engineering MP40 better than Tamiya and I don't want to re-invent the wheel, I decided to sculpt my own version of weapon, MP35, which is not much produced in this scale. MP28 sounds nice too, not sure yet which I will choose, but just giving it a try.
View attachment 131020

Hi Kaz,
just for info - I know that the sadly gone S&T miniatures had permission from Tamiya to use their 120mm-equipment parts. Tamiya seems to be very generous in this regard.

Don`t change anything about your figure - it looks great!
Cheers, Martin

 

[CAT of BORDO]

Hola Kaz !
Amazing and Original with " schirmmütze alter art" ; mien favorite german cap !
Oh , Kazu, I want one copy !!!!

 

[CAT of BORDO]

Oh, Mein favorite german cap....

 

[kaz6120]

Thanks JasonB, Blue Thunder, Martin, and CAT of BORDO for such a nice comments.
I'm bit surprised by receiving many responses and reactions on my work which I just started sculpting without any serious thoughts. I didn't think someone want a copy, not even think about making into commercialized.

JasonB, I don't like re-inventing the wheel, I understand your thoughts, and in some way I agree and in some way I disagree. I agree on using commercial parts as a boost up parts to create my own version, but disagree on using it as it is even same looking canteen. LOL. I want to show respect on time and efforts of its creators.

Martin, thanks for the info on S&T and Tamiya. I didn't know that. I have S&T's 1/16 MP40, and the size and shape is exactly (perfectly) the same, but I can see tiny details-up were added.
I don't know behind the story so this is just my thoughts that Tamiya regarded it as a modified and brushed up version (which is not exactly the same any more), so they allowed to use it. again, just my thoughts.

Please Kazufumi, if I were you, I would sincerely consider something noble such as a Walther Gewehr 43 and, for example, also fitted with the amazing Gewehr-Zielfernrohr 4-fach.

Thanks a lot for your comment & suggestion Blue Thunder, I admit it was my lack of knowledge of submachine gun useage, I just thought it looks cool and MP40 is in my junk box.

Do you have any good references of Walther Gewehr 43? (with or without officer and dogs) I couldn't find any pics of officer with Gewehr 43.
I mean, I want to know if it is used by officers.

 

[Martin64]

Martin, thanks for the info on S&T and Tamiya. I didn't know that. I have S&T's 1/16 MP40, and the size and shape is exactly (perfectly) the same, but I can see tiny details-up were added.
I don't know behind the story so this is just my thoughts that Tamiya regarded it as a modified and brushed up version (which is not exactly the same any more), so they allowed to use it. again, just my thoughts.

Hi Kaz,
one of the former sculptors for the S&T line - C. Bail - is one of my close friends. When he was starting to produce figures for their line he was asked to use Tamiya weapons (unchanged btw) because S&T had official permission to use them.
As you are a countryman of Mr Tamiya-San I think that negotiations should be easy and - I hope - successful.
If you are serious about doing copies of this figure please let me know!
All the best!
Martin

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

Hello Kaz, I like your idea to go with the MP-35. I also believe, since your Officer w/Dog is such a unique and different subject, it makes sense to me to go with a totally different weapon as well. Besides, the ammo pouch for the MP-35 would be easier to sculpt.

Regards, SG

 

[Blue Thunder]

Hi Kazufumi! Forgive me this delay, this week is being professionally a mess! Kaz, you did the right thing - the model looks fantastically cool, you used what you had at hand and that's the way to do it! Go ahead, please!

I didn't dig photographs either, but please these are suggestions - you can put any weapon of your choice - a weapon is a weapon - it is a tool. The one I mentioned, suits better (in my personal view of course) the scene, to take full advantage of the hound, and it is too a magnificent second shot weapon. As it is a late 1943 onwards weapon, for the early years a classic Karabiner 98k would perform equally well, but strictly for an accurate first round.

A hound is a fantastic asset in the field - let me try to say this way - it gives you a direction to aim. These animals have, let me use this expression, a "super power" we don't have. In the wild, you can be alone and have no idea where to aim, but these animals focus you millimetrically in the right trail: and where they point, rest sure there is your target. And they don't fail.

As a bottom line, in hunting the same happens. You see, the way I see your composition it really reminds me also a hunting scene, for example in the peaceful Tirol. So, if this miniature becomes available (and I highly expect it!) I would also suggest a classic Merkel sidelock shotgun. And this would be, I think, a very first!

Weapons apart, please develop your work! It's outstandingly well made!

 

[Rompy]

this is getting very exciting ! keep going Kaz

 

[kaz6120]

Thanks Martin, SG, Blue Thunder, and Rompy.

one of the former sculptors for the S&T line - C. Bail - is one of my close friends. When he was starting to produce figures for their line he was asked to use Tamiya weapons (unchanged btw) because S&T had official permission to use them.
As you are a countryman of Mr Tamiya-San I think that negotiations should be easy and - I hope - successful.
If you are serious about doing copies of this figure please let me know!

Thanks a lot for the info, Martin. Negotiation failed. I wrote email and sent pics of my work and they didn't allow me to use MP40 or any other equipments. Even it is a small amount of private copies to my friends.
I wrote about S&T products, but they said there's no record about it, they don't know about it. With or without it, it's can't be the reason I can negotiate with them on using a part of their products in my own production.
That's OK, I didn't expect them say yes from the start, so no problem. (As I'm a Japanese, I know typical Japanese companies way, way of business, and its culture)
Thank you very much again.

Thanks a lot Rompy, for your warm & encouraging comment!

and, Thanks a lot SG and Blue Thunder, I considered 2 of your opinions, and as I already have started building MP35, I didn't want to stop it. I understand what Blue Thunder's opinion, but G43 doesn't fit my image of "German officer with gun".
And...as MP35 is "Machine Pistol" and it can be used single or automatic, so I think it is no problem. If I can make it in commercial then people can convert whatever weapon they want in his hand.

OK, here's the progress...

 

[dinovision79]

Hi Kaz,

great project! The stand looks good and that's one of the best dogs around already!
Also, thanks for sharing all the info on it, I really enjoy to read details on the process, other's comments and the flexibility you show. Hope it will be commercial in the end!

Cheers
Denes

 

[Lew J]

The MP-35 looks very nice, hope to see this cast up in the near future. Looking forward to more original sculpts from you especially with the addition of rarer weapons and accessories.

Lew J.