WIP French Colonial Para, Indo China 1953/4

[Airkid]

Excellent progress. Really admire the knowledge you guys have for you subjects.

Thanks Graham, I appreciate that. Subject knowledge is essential as far as I'm concerned. I like to get as much background as I can before I start anything serious. It's sometimes nice just to go with the box-art but I prefer to put my own interpretation on things based on research. This is just such a project, and I have a personal link to the figure (see photo above)

Phil

 

[Airkid]

Hi all

Some days you spend a few minutes and get some quality stuff done, others you spend two hours and achieve next to nothing. Today was one of the latter
I had intended to paint and fit the musette bag - fit being the operative word here - it doesn't, well not without some judicious carving on the rear face. These bags varied in colour depending on manufacturer, but were generally a dark greenish grey with the seams bound in russet leather. Straps were either leather or pale olive coloured webbing and metalwork was parkerised black.
Once painted I gave it an overspray of matt varnish and when dry, offered it up to the location on his left hip. I was going to pin it but because it was possible to see daylight through it when the chest strap was aligned, I opted to stick it on with a thin patch of Greenstuff. I reinforced the strap joins with superglue and when it has cured, I'll tidy that up. While I was at it, I painted the sleeve turnbacks in the reverse camo as previously mentioned. So here we are:


Tomorrow's session will deal with the sac a dos TAP which I have undercoated. I will need to do a bit more research and look at British and American versions, as this may well represent something surplus, supplied to the French. That will leave the bidon, which looks like a British 1944 pattern (commonly used) and the weapon(s). See you next time

Phil

 

[Airkid]

Afternoon all

After a lot of flicking through reference last evening I came up with nowt on the rucksack, so I decided I'd paint it how I thought it should look. I used the colour of the Sac a dos TAP for the main carcass and brown leather for the straps and binding. Buckles would probably be black enamel so that's what I did. There is a folded groundsheet under the flap. By this date, the camouflaged version was in use - virtually identical to the German Zeltbahn it was water resistant and made in a reversible olive green/camouflage pattern of a design only used for these. There's not much showing but I painted what is visible. Finally there is a rifle sling across the top of the pack for the "spare" carbine. These were leather and early ones were brown, later versions in a buff colour. Here's the rucksack finished - just needs some minor tidying:


I'll fit it tomorrow. I will also deal with the bidon, which looks a bit generic on closer inspection. There are also a couple of loose grenades which I guess are supposed to hang on the suspenders in true Audie Murphy fashion. I won't bother with them.
Slowly creeping towards the end of this one, which should be finished by the end of the week (he said)

Phil

 

[Nap]

Hi Phil

Catching up a but on this .....your going through a bit with this ...it's a good job you really like this period and good at camo !!

Nice work on the back pack , interesting about the groundsheet ...more camo albeit a smaller amount !

Great research from you on all items

Look forward to seeing more from you

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Graham]

The little rucksack is a great looking model in its own right

 

[Airkid]

The little rucksack is a great looking model in its own right

Thanks Graham. I've painted figures quicker. I'm getting fed up with it now - just want it done, but I won't cut any corners. I've got a French Napoleonic Tambour Major in the queue, plus a couple of Ken's flats including Beauty and the Beast, as you suggested. I see now why you said it needed a black background!

Phil

 

[Graham]

Thanks Graham. I've painted figures quicker. I'm getting fed up with it now - just want it done, but I won't cut any corners. I've got a French Napoleonic Tambour Major in the queue, plus a couple of Ken's flats including Beauty and the Beast, as you suggested. I see now why you said it needed a black background!

Phil

I think the Beauty and the Beast is very cleverly done and saves a lot of black paint

 

[mil-mart]

Phil great research and amazing work on the Camo, following.

 

[Viking Bob]

Phil,
Just caught up, nice work so far and nice work on the rucksack,

 

[Airkid]

Graham, Ken and Bob - many thanks chaps. More done today - apart from the base I reckon tomorrow will see it finished, but don't quote me on that

Phil

 

[Banjer]

Fabulous Phil. You put real effort into your work.

Bill

 

[Airkid]

Fabulous Phil. You put real effort into your work.

Bill

Thanks Bill, I appreciate that mate

Phil

 

[Airkid]

Evening all!

Todays efforts were comparatively simple. I painted and fitted the bidon - this has been sculpted to represent a generic US type but the "ear flaps" that hold the flask in place are too short. The flask appears to have a cap resembling the British 1944 pattern, which is quite possible, as there was a degree of mix 'n match around bidons and their carriers. So I painted it to resemble the French copy of the US one, with a bright steel cap to represent the '44 pattern flask. A white patch was painted on the base of the carrier - this is a left-over from WW1 where all bidons had their owner's name/number written on.
The bidon and rucksack were then fitted to the figure using rapid epoxy. This helped to fill the irregularities in the fit. I also epoxied the head in place, and here's where it is at the moment:


I also painted the hands but they are poorly formed and a bit on the large side. I still need to finish the join on the musette strap and paint it in. I also have the rifles to do. This what they look like:


They represent the MAS36 CR39, a cut-down version for paras of the standard infantry MAS36, some 8" shorter in the barrel and fitted with a cast aluminium folding stock, which rotated forward to rest under the action for the jump. As few were made, surviving examples are extremely rare and command a high price to collectors. I own and shoot a MAS 36 and it is a rugged, accurate rifle with a peculiar swept-forward bold handle.
I shall probably use the base supplied for the time being as I don't have anything in stock that will fit. I'll pick one up on my next base order.

As there isn't much left to do now, I'm going to call this WIP closed and I will post the final result in Completed Figures shortly. I'm grateful for all your kind and positive comments, which have helped me enormously in getting on with this, when at times I was inclined to shelve it.

Phil

 

[Graham]

Look forward to the finished pictures, been an interesting build.

 

[Airkid]

Look forward to the finished pictures, been an interesting build.

I'll say! Not for the faint hearted. Gonna chill out with one of Ken's next

Phil

 

[Dr Bison]

I'll say! Not for the faint hearted.

Oh dear, I've got him (and 2 more of Andy's creations) in my GA - and I am faint of heart... What now?
But, seriously: You've done a cracking job, sir!

Cheers
Karl

 

[Airkid]

Oh dear, I've got him (and 2 more of Andy's creations) in my GA - and I am faint of heart... What now?
But, seriously: You've done a cracking job, sir!

Cheers
Karl

Thank you Karl. Don't shelve them, but make sure you check everything for fit and finish before you start. With perseverance they will come out OK.

Phil

 

[Nap]

Hi Phil

Now we are really talking .......helmeted and equipped up ....really brings it together

Good point about the hands you mention , same on busts I have done as well

Look forward to the weapons being added and the completed pictures

This SBS has been interesting to follow so all credit to you for all the information you included

Look forward to what you paint next

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[KenBoyle]

Fantastic work on a challenging project Phil!

Cheers,
Ken

 

[Airkid]

Fantastic work on a challenging project Phil!

Cheers,
Ken

Thank you Ken - something more straightforward (I hope) next methinks!

Phil