120mm WW2 New Guinea 'Last Blue Sea'

[fanai]

This is my version of the wonderfiure I got to purchase from OZmod of Phil Walden's figure - cut of the tin lid and used the hat from the older face and added som hair and cut off the straps from the helmet and I wanted to show you the work on the base befoe I undercoat and stary painting Hope you like him ( and no he doesn't have a ciggie Phil)

Ian

ps will not be as good as John's being shown on this site but I will try - possibly doing 'blue' shirt for difference

 

[housecarl]

Looking good Ian, can't wait to see some paint on him.
Cheers,
Carl.

 

[tonydawe]

Good start Ian.

I'm not sure about the "blue" shirt though mate. When the Diggers were preparing for deployment to New Guniea they died their khaki drill shirts and shorts various shades of green, however the green dyes tended to fade after a couple of days hard slog in the tropical humidity. Some of the shirts ended up looking grey, with the combination of sweat, mud and jungle rot, but I don't think blue is the right colour choice.

 

[davidmitchell]

Look forward to seeing this one painted Ian.

Cheers David

 

[fanai]

Thanks Tony - yes I thought as such but have always seen in Osprey and anther book the NG vets in blue gray shirts and loved the contrast - I thought it was not "historic" but loved it with the heringbone pattern Trousers - have just undercoated him and will start on his Bren and face tonight

Also thanks for the encouragement guys - hope to have 'im ready for QMHE 22nd of August with my Para bust
Ian

 

[PHIL WALDEN]

Nice wee change lan, l will follow progress with interest...Mate reckon that you should explain the title, l was reading the passage in the book last night while hunting down some pigeon text.....

..Phil..

 

[fanai]

Here is the work I have done during the weekend - Yes I know the shirt is grey but ased and is based on the grey flanell shirts that were worn by worker in areas like foundaries at time and were found by aussies to be comfortable in tropical NG
and besides I like the colour - need to lighten the trousers as I am after the herngbone look still very much a work in progress at least only 1/4 done with shirt and trousers.
Face is close to finishing just some scaring/blood on chin eyes no finished yet (no Phil I have not done your 'yellow' eyes)
Gun just need the wood to be finished then weathered but overal am happy with result

as to the tittle - it is from the book "The Last Blue Sea " and is referrence to the men hoping to get out of the mountains and see the ocean - I forget the name of the auther but I will get Phil to add any details as he has the book

Ian

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Ian,

Well done mate, it's coming along nicely. Just one tip. I'd make the webbing and ammo pouches darker in colour (closer to the colour of the hat and the canvas gaiters).

 

[fanai]

Tony I haven't yet started on the webbing but I like that idea - was actually going to use several colours for webbing - with each kit a different shade and pos the water bottle webbing a washed out ochre colour to give him that real hotchpotch look -
Thanks for feedback - another eye always helps
Ian

 

[tonydawe]

Happy to help Ian. Given the terrain and the climate these blokes fought in, you would expect their webbing and unfiroms to be filthy and covered in built-up mud and dirt. After a month or two in the humid, fetid jungle without a change of clothes, even the herringbone pants and canvas gaiters would literally rot and disintergrate on their bodies

 

[PHIL WALDEN]

Morning folks..,
the title of Ian's figure may need to be explained especially for the folk not into the war in Papua New Guinea.. WWll...
The Japanese held the coastline and the sea, therefore,the army(AUST)approached by land, over the Owen Stanleys, the Kupers over the Finisterres there was no other way.
Black and razor-backed,wet and rotting in choking jungle buried in fogs and clouds the ranges rose to the sky, while under foot mud and putrefaction and never the sun.
This was the tracks of Kokoda,Missim,and tracks without names and always, at the end they came down to the sea, and when one had fought the enemy there and killed him, then one reached the sea,so that to do this became an unbearable yearning and the sea, the symbol.
For then a man was free again, granted an extension on life,until the next range and the next sea and perhaps another extension on life it was cool, sparkling and a deep blue. It was cleansed of all evil, and when one reached it, there was no more war.
For this was the last blue sea....

This from David Forrest's book "The Last Blue Sea".. l hope this will give folk a wee insight in to what lan is after and what war in our part of the world came down to..

..phil..

 

[fanai]

Thanks for that Phil - Acctually did this book from David as my yr 10 assessment book and the whole opressive feel of the Kokoda and Missin tracks

Have now done eyes and hair and done the front weapon pouches and waterbottle - still working on arms and bandalier hope to finish by tonight and work on the backpack then the american legings and the boots
Ian

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Ian,

The blue/ grey shirt is still bothering me mate. The diggers wore khaki drill shirts and pants in New Guinea. When the shirts and pants were dyed green prior to embarkation they weren't colour-fast, and the dyed colours faded very quickly back to the original khaki drill colour. Even the first issue jungle greens worn by Aussies in New Guinea faded very quickly to a light green colour after a few weeks. They certainly wouldn't have faded to blue/ grey.

Herringbone trousers weren't issued to Australian troops until later in the war, and certainly not during the main phase of combat ops in New Guinea 1942-43. To my knowledge, flannel shirts were never part of official issue uniforms to Australian soldiers during WW2.

I'm not nagging mate, just trying to ensure accuracy.

 

[fanai]

Tony mate this is from people my dad spoke when got back that they wore a grey flannel shirt (for comfort) as well - just a idea and I accept your feedback bt he will be with a lot of others that i have seen already painted and the idea hil and I read about wet/ dry rotting clothing is what I am after - still have 2 weeks to talk to Phil - may still go back to a very washed out shirt and realy dirty up his daks (aussie for trousers for those NOT australian)
Well here he is -(well almost -seen some little ajustments after taking photos) a bit more moss and wet greenery to go on base and and some more work on scratches for the arms

Ian

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Ian,

I accept your point about the flannel shirts (must have been non-standard issue), and looking at your latest pics the shirt colour looks pretty good. In fact the whole figure looks really good. I'm looking forward to seeing the final pics.

 

[fanai]

Yes I agree with you there as I KNOW you know your stuff Tony - so I was a bit hesitant to take your expertise on. but as you can understand there will be about 6 of these on the Table at QMHE and I wanted him to be 'different' from all the others -hence the work at changing the hat to the young face- call it artistic licence there and mate I am always open to advice as it also helps others who are looking on
Thanks again Tony
am just letting the figure sit for a few days to just feel what more to do
Ian

 

[amcairns]

Ian,
Am not an expert on Aussie uniforms but can understand some mix and match.He looks just fine.
Andy

 

[fanai]

he is finished

ready for Q.M.H.E this week end - not Euro but with Aussie distances the only show I attend
Australian Bren Gunner 1943 somewhere in New Guinea.
Young, fatigued, covered in scratches, hoping he doesnot die around the next corner

He was painted in vallejo,GW acrylics and the new GW washes with raw umber wash in oils on the gun and pants ,boots and packs
(the red on his chin is deliberate from his no 2 hiting him with a branchas he walked the track)

Ian

 

[sirhogr]

Well Ian I'm just like Andy, and i agree with him! It looks fine!

 

[1969]

nice work Ian mate i like where you are going with this one.

Steve