A bored Landsturm on sentry duty

[Dan Morton]

This is WIP on a one figure vignette, a German Landsturm sentry in a 'Live and Let Live' part of the front. There is a small viewing port in an armored plate which has been built into the trench (often done by both sides). The sentry is leaning against the trench with one hand on the side of his chin, his elbow on the top of the support post, holding a pipe in his other hand. He'll be in a double-breasted (dark blue?) Joppe coat with grey or blue trousers with stripe down the side and boots. As you can see, I've almost finished the head and unique Landsturm hat with oilcloth cover. I would have said finished, except upon taking the photos I noticed a small chunk out of the side of the hat! He'll have two old large leather ammo holders (Anybody know what year those would be?) and he'll be armed with an 1888 Mauser rifle, which I've just started, but not photographed.

Haven't decided yet whether to convert this to one of the Old Contemptible figures or not.

Comments and critique welcome!

All the best,
Dan

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Dan,

I like it, and I think a rat would be a good idea!!

Cheers

 

[billyturnip]

Great idea to depict the older uniform and obsolete equipment worn by the landwehr Dan. Again something different, excellent!
Looks good so far.

Roger

 

[eissteban]

i like it dan

 

[Dan Morton]

Thanks Tony, Roger and Sebastien!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Ulrich]

Hi Dan. As you described it to me in your mail, I found it a very interested idea, but seeing the first steps here now, I must say, that I like it very much.

I try to find something about the Joppe during the next days.

Ulrich

 

[Dan Morton]

Many thanks, Ulrich and glad you like it! For everybody else - offline I asked Ulrich a question about the Joppe tunic. What color were they? Anybody know?

All the best,
Dan

 

[Bluesking]

Super work Dan , a nice unusal subject.

 

[billyturnip]

Pretty sure the joppe in one of the MAA books is dunkelblau.

I'll check and get back.

Roger

 

[Dan Morton]

Stephen - Many thanks. Still a long way to go on this one.

Roger - dunkelblau sounds right!

All the best,
Dan

 

[amcairns]

Looking good Dan

Dan,
The angle of the base looks good,and particularly the figure with whats done so far looks great.The sand bags look like they have the hang.Youve given them the impression of weight .Look forward to more.
Andy

 

[Dan Morton]

I'm very pleased you noticed, Andy. Your fine work and attention to detail always inspire!

All the best,
Dan

 

[blaster]

Very nice vignette

Hi Dan,

This is going to be quite a nice vignette. Colour landwehr costume against the grimy trench scene. May I comment on the anatomy before you model the jacket? I think that the wire for the right hand is potentially too low in relation to the shoulder and you may wish to reconsider repositioning it higher.

Looking fwd to more. Rgds Victor

 

[Dan Morton]

Victor - Thanks for your comment and critique! The position of the whole right arm is wrong. I noticed it in the photos also but didn't see it earlier.

I think I have to take the whole wire lower and reduce the height of the support columns a bit - OR - I could raise the whole figure a few millimeters and lower the arm. The way it is now, if the elbow were resting on top of the support column, the whole arm would be raised too high for comfort - and he is supposed to look comfy.

I'm even more concerned about the look of the hand holding the right side of the chin. I have to put the hand in the right position and then "re-grow" the beard so that the hair comes up thru the fingers.

Both interesting little challenges...stay tuned to see how I do.

All the best,
Dan

 

[Doberdob]

Looks like another excellent vignette Dan. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Primoz

 

[davidmitchell]

Looking good so far excellent groundwork and figure is progressing well.Looking forward to seeing more photos.

David

 

[Barke02]

Hi Dan, I like the ambience of this one. Having the figure off centre works really well, he looks so bored and deep in thought. As for the right arm, perhaps you could lower his forearm and have the pipe held away from his mouth? (see the little scribble). Looking great so far.

All the best,
Jon.

 

[Ulrich]

Dan

Beg your pardon, that I forget to ask before. Do you mean that "Landsturm-Mütze"??

If so, you had to change some things.

And here some photos from the Landsturm. You can see, that they are wearing different uniforms at the same time.

Dated Flandern 1915

dated August 1915 Stuttgart

Ulrich

 

[Dan Morton]

Ulrich - Many thanks for your post! Your second photo attachment isn't visible for some reason. These are my working references for the uniform. The last one, of course, shows a jager type helmet, not a Landsturm mutze, but the rest of the uniform is useful. Yeah, I agree, I probably need to sand the sides of the mutze and re-do it. Thanks!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Dan Morton]

David and Primoz - Many thanks for your comments!

Jonathan - Many thanks for your post! I was out of town last week and missed your sketch. I like the sketch and your idea for the pose a lot, but I have something a little different in mind. In the pose I want to do, the right hand is supporting the chin with the beard kinda coming thru the fingers. One of my brother-in-laws (with an gi-normous beard) is supposed to send me a close-up of that for reference. The left hand is holding a cold pipe languidly - for comfort not in anticipation of actually using it on sentry duty - that would be verboten, of course. His obsolete 1888 rifle is a bit more than arms length away. You get the idea - he's miles away in thought, homesick and anxious about his family and generally 'wool-gathering' about better times. Not a very effective sentry, but then, he's on a part of the front where "...nothing ever happens...".

All the best,
Dan