tonydawe
A Fixture
Hi Guys
This is a WIP report on Master In Miniatures brilliant 150mm Australian Infantry figure, set on the Kokoda Trail in New Guinea, 1943.
The figure represents a member of the 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Forces), recently arrived in New Guinea from the desert campaigns against Rommel's Afrija Korps across North Africa, to defend Australia from attack by the unbeaten Japanese infantry.
The figure is carrying a 303 rifle with the 17 inch bayonet, although there is the option to show him carrying the Australian-made Owen submachine gun, which proved highly effective in jungle conditions.
AIF troops were all volunteers, but by 1943 the AIF had become a highly trained and battle hardened force, having served in the British 8th Army and earned honour as The Rats of Tobruk. The arrival of these fresh AIF troops in New Guinea in 1943 came just as the tiny, ill-equipped and disease ridden troops of the local Australian and New Guinea militia units were on the verge of collapse, and Japanese troops were within site of the capital Port Morseby
.
In many ways, the Kokoda campaign represents one of the most important turning points in the War in the Pacific. Kokoda was the first significant military defeat suffered by the Japanese Army in the war and marks the southernmost extent of Japanese occupation in the Pacific. Before Kokoda the Japanese Army didn't suffer a defeat; after Kokoda they didn't have another victory.
While travelling on the troop ships from North Africa, Aussie troops dyed their khaki drill desert uniforms "jungle green" in anticipation of being sent directly to the jungles of New Guinea. The green dyes they used were not very effective, and as a result most of the dyed uniforms quickly reverted back to khaki, or became a muddy grey colour. This means there is a huge diversity in the colours of soldiers uniforms.
This figure wears US-style jungle canvas gaiters, which were favoured by Australian's over their shorter ankle gaiters. Aussie troops quite often "liberated" large quantities of these items (and a lot of other stuff ) from their US allies to supplement their own euqipment, which was mostly British in origin.
This brilliant figure was sculpted by Phil Walden from Masters in Minitaure. It is painted (roughly) in both acrylics and oils, but I intend to strip off all the paint and start again from scratch.
Missing from this figure is a walking stick, a machete and the obligatory chipped white enamel tea mug. All will be added when this figure goes in for its new paint job, and I finally get around to making the groundwork for the base.
Five members of my family fought in the bloody New Guinea camapign, including my grandfather and grandmother; two of them didn't return. I have dedicated his figure to them, and hope to enter it into WE08 next year (if I can get it ready in time).
Cheers
This is a WIP report on Master In Miniatures brilliant 150mm Australian Infantry figure, set on the Kokoda Trail in New Guinea, 1943.
The figure represents a member of the 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Forces), recently arrived in New Guinea from the desert campaigns against Rommel's Afrija Korps across North Africa, to defend Australia from attack by the unbeaten Japanese infantry.
The figure is carrying a 303 rifle with the 17 inch bayonet, although there is the option to show him carrying the Australian-made Owen submachine gun, which proved highly effective in jungle conditions.
AIF troops were all volunteers, but by 1943 the AIF had become a highly trained and battle hardened force, having served in the British 8th Army and earned honour as The Rats of Tobruk. The arrival of these fresh AIF troops in New Guinea in 1943 came just as the tiny, ill-equipped and disease ridden troops of the local Australian and New Guinea militia units were on the verge of collapse, and Japanese troops were within site of the capital Port Morseby
. In many ways, the Kokoda campaign represents one of the most important turning points in the War in the Pacific. Kokoda was the first significant military defeat suffered by the Japanese Army in the war and marks the southernmost extent of Japanese occupation in the Pacific. Before Kokoda the Japanese Army didn't suffer a defeat; after Kokoda they didn't have another victory.
While travelling on the troop ships from North Africa, Aussie troops dyed their khaki drill desert uniforms "jungle green" in anticipation of being sent directly to the jungles of New Guinea. The green dyes they used were not very effective, and as a result most of the dyed uniforms quickly reverted back to khaki, or became a muddy grey colour. This means there is a huge diversity in the colours of soldiers uniforms.
This figure wears US-style jungle canvas gaiters, which were favoured by Australian's over their shorter ankle gaiters. Aussie troops quite often "liberated" large quantities of these items (and a lot of other stuff
) from their US allies to supplement their own euqipment, which was mostly British in origin.This brilliant figure was sculpted by Phil Walden from Masters in Minitaure. It is painted (roughly) in both acrylics and oils, but I intend to strip off all the paint and start again from scratch.
Missing from this figure is a walking stick, a machete and the obligatory chipped white enamel tea mug. All will be added when this figure goes in for its new paint job, and I finally get around to making the groundwork for the base.
Five members of my family fought in the bloody New Guinea camapign, including my grandfather and grandmother; two of them didn't return. I have dedicated his figure to them, and hope to enter it into WE08 next year (if I can get it ready in time).
Cheers
