I can only echo everyone else so far. Looking mighty fine brother. Love the medic dude!
Interesting about the electric tape. I must try it as your assesment of the PE and lead foil is spot on.
Everything you've added looks nice and "weighty",which I love.
For once,I will have to disagree with Romain. I have seen plenty of pics with MG gunners having the bipod opened like that.
Looking forward to the next update already man.Also nice to see the portion of the ammo belt without the rounds,nice touch sir.
J

Right then Fellas,
The build is done! On to the pics....













All I need now Lads, is for you to shout up if you see something. It's getting primer tomorrow, so it's the last chance to point out any part where I've made a B******* of it!
Rip it apart, Guys!
All the best,
Gary

Hi Gary,

I didn't expect any less from you!! The figure is a real beauty!
The right arm I was always so worried about turned out perfect!
The ammo belt over the torso looks so realistic....I'm jealous!!!

The only thing I would change is the zone around the neck. The head looks like having been severed from somewhere and put on top of the man. I would make the scarf a tad larger (bulkier) as it was probably wool and not RAF pilot silk

Apart from that....this jewel now demands a perfect painting!!

Good luck then!!

Congratulations Sir!! You are a mightily talented man for sure!!

Cheers

Romain

More fantastic work Gary- the pose has really come together beautifully and it looks very natural. I do agree with Romain about the neck and the scarf- I think the scarf could do with a bit more bulk as it looks quite limp and the way it tapers up toward the neck area kind of makes the neck look a bit too thin when viewed from the front.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing some paint on this- best of luck with it!

Overall fantastic looking piece brother! I have to agree about the neck. Maybe loose a bit of length? He does have his chest pumped out with pride or whatever but the head is still a bit high?
Another teeny thing that bothers this old pathetic para is the ammo belt. It has a very nice drape and I would like to know how you got it to conform? But what bothers me is belts usually "bend" around stuff with the pointy ends at the inner part of the bend. Makes sense as that is the logical way for a belt to curve? Putting a belt around your neck is a pretty tight curve for an ammo belt and that is what drew my eye off the otherwise spectacular sculpting job you did.
J

OK Lads, It's now primed and ready for painting...The more knowledgeable among you may now realise it's time to buy shares in the oven cleaner companies
Your very sound advice has been taken, Gents. The scarf has had a bit of work done and I think, looks a lot better.
See what you think?









No idea when I'm going to get time to paint it though. I just found out, I've only got 4 days off before Christmas!
Jerry, the method of bending the ammo belt is in fact, yours! Boiling water, then fitting it a bit at a time, helped along by a spot of CA glue every couple of mm. As for the pointy bits facing inwards, it does make more sense but I've seen them carried both ways. Call it artistic license
Speaking of which.. Can't believe nobody noticed the skull.....
Last, but not least, Antony Ryan (Anto992) sent me a VERY interesting pic...



A Bonesack in summer oak leaf? Now it's getting interesting...! Thanks for that one Antony
All the best Gents,
Gary

First bonesack I have ever seen like that,which makes me kind of skeptical. It also looks pretty clean and new. Authenticity??
Of course,I will never be surprised by what comes up about German WWII stuff. It could have been custom made like a lot of officers did.
J

To be honest Jerry, I do get the feeling it's a fantasy item or something turned out in a Chinese workshop a few years ago but, you never know....
Gary

Hi Gary,

of course we noticed the skull, but I wasn't sure what to make of it!

The figure looks just great now!! Biiig congrats to you Sir!!

Regarding the Knochensack.....I don't know how to put it into words....it simply does not look authentic to me...the pockets, the buttons.....I just don't feel the authenticity!

Nevertheless, the camo looks good!

Can't wait to see the figure painted up!

Good luck with that!

Cheers

Romain

Aha, sir, I did indeed notice the skull, nice touch I'm taking notes as to the bending of the ammo belts, God knows it'll be useful down the road! Looking forward to seeing the paint go on this guy

-Conor

Hi Gary
I've been following this build and it is great.
However any chance that you could go into a little more detail on how you have done the ripped trousers?

I've tried and failed miserably.

Cheers


Chris

Looking excellent Ross- I have to ask though, what is the skull for??

Yeah,I know,but then again,just to muddy the waters,I've seen a pic of German tankers wearing luftwaffe flight uniforms!!
The only way to be sure is to see this bonesack in person and fing a WaPruf stamp somewhere on it. Something of that nature anyway.
J

Yep, I know what you mean Jerry. I've seen quite a few pics of 'tailor-made' items, especially in Italian camo. As for the oak leaf bonesack... Remember what I said a few posts back about the FJ helmet with the runes...
Hi Chris, nice to have you along for this one. Thanks for the interest. Now... About the tears? Theres really not much to it. I find it's better if you carve away a little bit of the plastic underneath where you want the tear to be, then rough it up a bit with a diamond file so the putty will stick. Apply the putty and smooth it out so that it looks like the part you just carved away (stay with me on this one...). After about 30 minutes, wet the putty and, using a sharp blade (I use a Swann-Morton #11) cut a right angle into the putty down to the plastic underneath. Very carefully, peel back the triangle of putty and with a fine wet brush shape the tear. Don't forget to undercut the area around the tear. Remember, you are trying to simulate cloth here. shape and smooth out the 'torn' piece with the wet brush. If it goes slightly out of shape, let the putty dry and shape it with the blade and a needle file. Practice will make perfect, my friend!
Where was I... Oh, the skull! Remember 'Artistic licence'. Now, some of you may already know I can do some quirky stuff. Anyone remember 'Götterdämmerung' Probably my finest hour!



All the best Lads,
Gary

Hi mate!

that "Götterdämmerung" vignette looks terrific! Could you perhaps rustle up some more pics for us???

The only thing I would doubt a little is the dead guy rotten down to the very bones (bleached!!). The defense of Berlin did probably not last long enough!? I'm not a CSI agent, but it takes a corpse quite some time to decompose so thoroughly!

Cheers

Romain

Hi Romain,


It's that old 'Artistic licence' again,buddy
As for more pics, try https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/199615#1670042 or http://rossgarysconversion.blogspot.co.uk/p/gotterdammerung.html
All the best,
Gary

Thanks for the pics m8!! You just made my day!!!

What a beauty! Composition, colour harmony, story, it's all there!!

As far as I'm concerned, you can have artistic licence as much as you want, as long as the result is that fantastic!!

Superb show!!

Cheers

Romain

OK lads, Finally done. Here's a few pics...











Hope you like it..

Btw, the didn't work out..But, it wiil be back.....
All the best,
Gary

Just a quick question. Is Green stuff made by citadel? I just googled it and came up with several different options including liquid green stuff and blue and yellow style of milliput?

Thanks

Ps love your work. It's inspired me to have a crack at this type of modelling

Niiiiiice!!!!
And I still love your colour palette!!

Well done Sir!! Great show!!

Cheers

Romain

That turned out even better than I thought it would. And I thought it would look awesome! So I suppose that makes it awesomerer?
Lovely colors,very rich tones and great cammo. Nicely done sir,you finished yours just a few days after mine!
J

Very nice job there Gary, will keep referring back to this one I'm sure.

Why is there a grenade tied to the jerry can?

Gary,

I don`t have to contribute very much but still want to let you know that your work, especially your craftmanship regarding the new sculpted parts are very inspiring. It looks absolutely believable to me and ist very well done. Respect. The painting is also absolutely beautiful.

@Christopher: Simply because a handgrenade, an old jerrycan and some litres of gasoline in it make a very powerful weapon if thrown on the rear deck of a tank. Nothing else than a bigger version of a molotov-cocktail.

Best Regards

Dennis

Its brilliant to see this figure with paint on it. I really admire your color work Ross and the way you do the camouflage- you get the tones spot-on. The dirt going up his trousers is a nice touch aswell- it ties him into the groundwork very nicely. The groundwork itself compliments the figure too- its a very natural setting. Stellar work Ross- thanks for sharing it with us.