Okay guys what do you use to make bedrolls, tarps, sleeping bags, etc...Don't find these things hanging on F14s. I have some ideas, but would like to know what works best for you.

Ahhh...the good ole tissues - soaked with thinned white glue, than rolled, strapped with thread or foil strips, than painted.
You can even pre-color the thinned glue with a drop or two of paint. (acrylics, of course).

Do you do this before or after blowing your nose? (kidding) Do you airbrush or paint them by hand? What if you want a tarp unrolled, covering storage on the back of a tank?

Plastic models plastic tarps. Seriously there are some very fine resin castings available which are finely detailed and save alot of time. Value for money, I like to have many sets that I can mix up for greater realism. I occaisonally throw a few home made jobbies in for effect, but these are generally loose or open items.

Jack

Ron, painting by which ever method is entirely up to you. Both have their limitations and benfits. Can't go wrong either way. I sometimes find it silly to set-up and clean-up the whole AB thing just for a couple of little items. If you have other items that can be AB'ed at the same time, or if going through the AB thing doesn't bother you, go for it.

If you are using one as a tarp, get it wetted with the thinned glue and carefully place it over the area you want covered (with the items you what covered underneath, of course). Let it set-up for a little while. It will stiffen a little. Than you can remove it for painting and trimming to size/shape. When placeing it, don't be afraid to add some folds or wrinkles in it. Let it drape over the items - just like a real one would.

I learned the white kleenex and watered-down glue method from a Shep Paine insert from 1970's Monogram models. I have to admit I am thinking about alternatives to this tried-and-true system. Perhaps some newer materials with more fibers would look more realistic. Of course this would depend on the item in question.

Aren't a lot of the stowage items on modern tanks covered with some kind of water-proofing covers? Just curious. We need some good reference images (read close-ups) of typical modern stowage. Or period stuff too if someone has some good ones.

Jim

Jim;
As modelling has multiple faces, you can use everything, you can use epoxi putty and it works great...
But I like the ole method, I do use the KISS system (Keep It Simple Stupid) the chances to go wrong are fewer than if you try a very complicate method, BUT every time let a window openned for newer ideas and experimentations....you never know when it will become usefull
Keep modelling, and having fun

Well maybe I will try to make some bed rolls and other items out of baby wipes. They are kind of what I was thinking of when I said that. Might make an interesting experiment.

Jim

I posted this elsewhere on the site, but can't remember where. Two part epoxy putty like Aves Apoxy Sculpt, or Magic Sculpt. Roll it out thin on a glass cutting board with some talc or baby powder. Cut your blanket or tarp out of this, let it set for a few minute and then roll it up and tie it off with foil, paper, lead strips, copper or.............. Creases can be worked into it with the tip of a toothpick, or other instrument. You can press the putty onto whatever you are going to put it on, ie,, engine deck, ammo box, bustle rack...and when it dries, it now conforms to that. The powder that is on it prevents it from sticking once dry. I paint all my stuff with an undercoat of black, then OD or whatever color is going to go over it. If I miss a spot with the folloow on color it isn't as noticable with the black undercoat. "Q"

I use a combination of glue soaked tissue and reproductions of commercial resin products. I'm not abot to try and reproduce a rucksack from scratch

Staff_Jim:
What is used on armor of course depends on the period. On my M60A3s back in 82-84 we carried 4-each issue rucksacks on the outside of the bustle rack (they had waterproof bags inside or large baggies from the commissary), in the bustle rack we had four duffle bags, usually upside down, so rain would leak into the top, evertthing inside was in large waterproof bags, My crews use the turret tarp (used to cover the turret in the motorpool) to also cover the bustle rack. Back then the tarps were OD colored canvas, now I believe rubberised tarps are available. We carried our tanker rolls (bedrolls) two per side suspended from the infantry rails on sides of turret. The tanker rolls included the sleeping bag, air mattress (if a soldier was lucky enough not to have been issued a sleeping mat), shelter half poles and pins, and sometimes a change of clothes. This was all rooled up in the shelter half, and if available, inside an issue (green in color) waterproof bag. A custom made, issue strap system (called spaghetti straps, I still have mine) enclosed the roll and allowed it to be suspended from the turret. We carried our four man hex tents (in its cover) on the back deck, where the tents' weight held them in place. Camo net ts, if not employed were carried in their rubberized cases on top of the turret behind and between the cupola and loaders hatch.

So we have a combination of old-style canvas and newer rubberised cloth on more modern US armor.

Sorry for the tome

I almost forgot, I was interrupted by work while typing my tome above, when I can locate my photos of my gypsy band I will attempt to post them

I would probably use either magic sculpt or lead foil, since the epoxy approach has already been covered, I'll try to explain the way to go about it with lead foil. First of all you need the foil, I got mine at hobby lobby, it comes in a tube and I think is intended for like drawing on so that the metal bends out and scribes in the detail (dont make sens huh? ) Anyways, it
comes in different thinknesses, I use medium and soft.
Just cut out the size you need, punch holes in the sides, put copper wire or something similar through the holes and tie it down (just like real life) and make the wrinkles and folds by bending the metal! Just make sure that you are done bending and shaping the metal before you paint it as you will chip the paint if you bend it after painted!

Hope this is understandable, Im kind of in a hurry as Im in class about to have a test

Anders,

Great idea :-) Now I have something to look for at Hobby Lobby. In what section did you find it?

Jeff

Ranger74
Thanks for the great poston stowage. I'm retired AF. We didn't hang personel gear from our jets too often 'cause it kept falling off in flight.
Really, it very helpful to the rest of us when those with experiance share this type of info. It's what a site like this is all about.
Thanks again

Yea and the Air Force doesn't believe in cold rainy days either I guess to many days in the rain and mud cursing the fly boys who didn't show up because of some fog in England!!!!

Ranger,

I', not sure where the crafts section (lol, like there is one! the whole damn place is one)
I'll look up the name of it when I get home and Ill post the name of the producs, that way you can ask for it!!

Ranger,
That's for the info about stowage types, etc. Very informative.

Pics can be emailed to me directly. See email below. There is also a section on image contributions in the "About Us - FAQs" area.

Jim

COL S_J , I'm home tomorrow, I see what I can fine and get them to you.

Jeff

Ok Ranger here we go,
The stuff is called Art Emboss Copper , it runs $6.77 for medium and 5 something for light, the size is 9 1/4" X 12"

Hope this helps you to find it! It comes in a clear plastic tube with black top on it!
Good luck hunting!!

Anders,

As my daughters say: " COOL", Thanks]

the big sheets of tissue that you get at the hobbie shop is the best but, I can't remember the name but it is the tissue that comes in a sheet about 16"x24" . When wet it conforms easy to what ever you want it to and when you wet it with the white glue and water it will affix it self to the peice that you are working on. When painted it looks just like canvas or sleeping bags and just about everything that you need. Make sure you get a heavy tissue though so you can form it they way you want and it will not tear . Wait twentyfour hours to dry and it will be as hard as plastic but with the nice look of material.
I have been messing around with this and making all kinds of stuff and you can do just about anything you want with this . :-)

I'd have to say that just as Staff Jim learned from Shep Paine, so did I. I dip a kleenex in thinned down elmer's glue and roll it. I then place it on the model and redampen i, so it can sit correctly on the model. I usually paint the tarps by hand and and darken the folds with pastels.

I have been trying to collect some pictures of this. I have no military experience so I don't know what to put on or where it should go. I have some good ones in a book I can try and scan and some others I have found on the web. I have got some from desert storm where some tanks, afv's, and hummers are so loaded down you can hardly recognize what they are. maybe a section in the picture gallery for stowage would be nice?

I did a post on Tank Stowage a while back. As the other "riders of steel" can tell you, these things are loaded down, but vital equipment is not obstructed, nor is equipment that you don't want to lose stored where it can be torn or knocked off.