Para, 6eme BPC, Op "Hirondelle", Long Son, July 1953

[Airkid]

I have finally put this one to bed after a chewy couple of weeks sessions getting it to this point. You can view the WIP here:WIP - French Colonial Para, Indo China 1953/4 | planetFigure | Miniatures

Figure from AC Models, sculpted by Andrew Cairns
Painted in Vallejo and Scalecolour Acrylics, with GW washes
Base by Pete's Bases. Groundwork is kit base built over with Miliput, dusted with pastels and static grass.

Operation "Hirondelle" was a parachute drop by Bigeard's 6th Colonial Paras into Lang Son area to find and destroy Viet Minh arms and food caches. It was successful in its aim. Here's how our man turned out. Comments and critique most welcome.

Thanks for looking in!
Phil

 

[Graham]

Turned out really well Phil

 

[Steve Ski]

Looks great from here! Are you going to finish the rifle stock?

 

[Peter Day]

Lovely work Phil.

 

[Airkid]

Looks great from here! Are you going to finish the rifle stock?

 

[Airkid]

Graham, Ski, Peter - many thanks chaps.

Ski - I agree, it does look like it's not been painted in the photo

Phil

 

[MoboSchreuder]

Very nice work and painted

Mobo

 

[Airkid]

Much appreciated Mobo!

Phil

 

[Marcin Morawski]

Camouflage and leather boots look very good.

 

[Airkid]

Camouflage and leather boots look very good.

Thanks Marcin - I keep thinking I ought to have a go at something in Tiger Stripe or WSS camo. I've got Young's Russian Female Sniper which could get a camo make-over, either Amoeba or that really complicated leaf pattern. Not this week though

Phil

 

[Wayneb]

Looks great from here! Are you going to finish the rifle stock?

Excellent work Phil...........Nice feel of movement on this guy.......I think I would have asked the same thing regarding the rifle stock.

Wayne

 

[1969]

You did well with this one Phil, nice result.
Steve

 

[Airkid]

You did well with this one Phil, nice result.
Steve

Thanks Steve. It ended up rather better than I expected TBH.

Phil

 

[Viking Bob]

Excellent Phil, nice result.

 

[Nap]

Hi Phil

I think you should be well pleased , it fought you all the way ..but you did the camo really ŵell , nice weathering on it as well

Ref weapon ...was the stock metal ?

Thanks for sharing

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Babelfish]

Looks good Phil. Well done for sticking at it, your perseverance has paid off.

- Steve

 

[Chris Oldfield]

That's excellent Phil, well worth the amount of effort you put into it. I know this wasn't an easy project for you at times, but the subject was so unique that I'm glad to see you persevered with it.
Beautifully painted figure, definitely gets a Gold from this callsign!

 

[Airkid]

Kev, Steve & Chris - thanks for the kind comments guys. Although Andy Cairns does some interesting and different subjects, I think I'll take a rain check on doing any others for the time being.

Kev - yes, the CR39 stock is cast aluminium. The carbine is 8" shorter than the standard MAS36. The stock folds forward under the fore-end, making it a compact package for paratroops to carry. Normally stowed across the top of the reserve 'chute, just ideal for smacking you on the jaw in a rough landing!

Phil

 

[Robert Jan de Wit]

Great job!
I like the camouflage combination.
I used it once on a 1:35 conversion of a Indochina legionaire.

greets RJ

 

[Airkid]

Great job!
I like the camouflage combination.
I used it once on a 1:35 conversion of a Indochina legionaire.

greets RJ

Many thanks Robert. Most of the French Metropolitan and Legion Para units used a combination of surplus camo clothing. This one was perhaps the best known but I've seen pictures of Legionnaires in WSS and Splinter camo too. The '47/52 pattern camo suits were only just becoming available at the end of 1953 and a lot of paras at DBP didn't get them.

Phil