Here is a blast from my past. I did these in the early to mid 90s. I was messing around with cotton hair even back then.
The para is a self portrait from the 80s.

Oh wow!!

those beards are amazing!! Especially the cavalry soldier..!! Simply stunning!!

You put this into b/w and apply the necessary filters..and you have an original picture from the ACW period!

I'm just curious.....are those pouches on the paratrooper upside down or not..!???!

Cheers

Romain

That was some awesome work you did back in the 90's with your experiments with the hair. It looks quite realistic. I might have to give it a try.

I really like your self portrait. Brings back some memories. You did an excellent job recreating all of the straps and buckles and stuff in 1/35th scale. Awesome!

Romain, US Paratroopers have a release system to drop their combat equipment away from their body prior to landing. The release system is hooked up in a way that our rucksacks are upside down. Jerry's depiction is spot on.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
James

Thanks guys,for the nice remarks.
Yes,believe me when I say this was accurate as far as the para gear is concerned. I was a qualified Jumpmaster and that stuff was so pounded into our thick sculls that we knew it in our sleep. Anyone that's been there will remember "squat..hold"!!!
Five Points of Performance,Five Points of Contact,all that good stuff.
J

Jerry,

Thanks for sharing some of your earlier works. I love this stuff!

—mike

Good stuff, Jerry. Though I have to say you're a bit odd for wanting to jump out of a perfectly good airplane....

Wow, I know I'm echoing everyone else but all of these are great. As much as I love the self portrait, that cavalry soldier is just amazing. Love the beard.

-Conor

Jer, I think I recall that para figgy from our days in Fayette-Nam.

Good times, my friend!

"Put your hands on your head, tilt your head to the rear..."

James, Jerry

thanks for the info! Believe me I never doubted your expertise on the matter!
Was just curious coming from a different system.

Doesn't change anything on the perfect beards though!

Cheers

Romain

Hi Jerry,

The Civil War chaps are excellent, super beards and I see you had the horses main perfected a long time ago.

It's a sad but interesting period of US history and would be a colourful one to model.

Thanks for sharing.

Al

I hear that a lot but I always am quick to reply that having been on many an AirForce plane I can safely say that many of them are not perfectly good and I was happy to be wearing two parachutes!
J

Thanks all,for looking in and for the excellent comments and kind words.
Nice to take a trip down memory lane once in a while.
Pre-jump check for all the old troopers out there. Is your rucksack and weapons case properly rigged? Place your ID card in your upturned helmet and pull your dogtags out for as I pass down the stick for a manifest check!!! AJM,check their equipment rigging and report deficiences. Airborne?? All the way. Troopers,after I inspect your IDs move out to the jump platform area for the safety briefing and then practice PLFs.
J
J