That's one nasty looking snake. I hate snakes!

Great job in a very recognizable O'Leary style!! You used the c-rats exactly the way I intended them!

best regards,

Mark

Thanks for all of the positive comments. I am glad y'all like the diorama.

Mario, the in-progress pics of the figure conversions must be on the computer at home. I won't be back there for a week or so.

Cheers,
James

Hello James,

Ah aha, here comes the diorama.
Excellent stuff you have here. I found the natural elements VERY convincing ! You put just what was needed to replicate what was left of a forest/jungle. The interaction between the figures is top notch, and I like a lot the wedgie idea.
Hat off mister O' Leary

Julien

Thanks Julien,

It's about time I finish a project, huh?:)

I'm glad you like it and I am also glad that the wedgie of the M113 turned out well. I was skeptical when I first cut it apart. I didn't want a complete M113 as the details that I would be putting into it would distract from the main part of the figures interacting to the situation with the snake.

Cheers,
James

Common James, you're prolific ! On this dio there is as many figures as I've done in the past 5 years...
I just bought the Sat Cong Mission (Vietnam War) of Andrea, and I couldn't find valuable references on it. I'm now doubting it's historically correct. I'll need your expertise in the near future on this one !

All the very best,
Julien

James, my congratulations! Luckily I was a witness of birth this amazing job, step by step! It`s genuine James` style - fresh idea, extraordinary scenario, attention to details and good pinch of humor. Also I`d like to note how James demonstrates unlimited possibilities for figures conversion. Sometimes I can`t recognized what figures he used as base. It`s great and right way of modelling!

Julien, no problem with helping you with that.

Vladi,
Thanks for the comments. Coming from such a talented sculptor and modeler like you, they mean alot.

Cheers,
James

Wow! awesome work! Geat diorama and fantastic painting skills on the figures.

Thanks for sharing

hi James...ok i ll wait that you came back home to see your fantastic work in progress figures pictures,dont worry!!!
About groundwork, here in Italy, we use DAS "terracotta" that has the color of nam earth about...i dont know if you have in Usa...!
About boonie hat, i prefer, obviously, the BRAVO6 ones, but i think that they are a bit little for new HORNET heads but are perfect for the the older ones...for this i speak of Dragon ones worse of Bravo6 ones but bigger!!For same heads you could use the ones of NEW WORLD MINIATURES green beret (now they are reprodece from U.MODEL in France), and the other hat of HOBBY FAN mechanics kit they are fine too!!!
A pair of questions: the fantastic rto man is the green beret colonel of BRAVO6...isnt it? In which way you realized the radio antenna? Which kind of helmets do you use: Bravo6 or Hobby fan???

Congratulations again ,i ll wait your figures pictures,thanks.

Mario.

Hi Vladi: on which figures are you working now??? There will be same other infantry in the jungle or in action or at easy /at rest? Congratulation for your eli pilot!!!

Mario from Italy.

Very interesting subject and well-executed.

Thank you all for your positive comments. This diorama recently earned gold at the Lone Star Figure Show. I was kind of surprised as lately my works have been earning silver awards. It is an honor to be awarded gold for this piece honoring Soldiers of 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized).

Cheers,
James

My grandson did very well at the Lone Star Figure Show as well. His dioramas earned him a silver award in the Junior Modeler's category. I am very proud of him.

I felt that his accomplishment deserved a separate post. He is the future of our hobby and art form.

Cheers,
James

James, Congratulations to you and your grandson, well done!!

Congratulations James
i was lucky enough to watch this built from the beggining when the first figure converted
can wait for the next one.....
keep up the good work

Congrats James,
It is always neat to see your works coming together in person. Great job on the dio as well as the Gold medal. ALso pass contratulations on the the yyoung'un. He is showing real talent, with his composition and enthusiam for the hobby.

What is next?? Perhaps a M48A3 with crew???

John

Thanks, Walley, George, and John!

I am happy that the piece that the judges chose to judge was this one as they were only selecting one piece to judge per entrant's display in each category. Alot more effort was put into this diorama than any others that I had ever done.

There were a lot of very nice figures and vignettes on display. The vendor area was small as some of the vendors had cancelled out due to weather elsewhere I guess. It was a very fun show, got to see some of my figure modelling buddies, and met some new ones. My grandson had fun and also made out like a bandit between winning a bunch of raffle items and what I got him in the vendor area. What I liked about the show is the amount of people who sought out my grandson and the other kids in the show and offered them encouragement to continue in the hobby.

Cheers,
James

[/quote]

What is next?? Perhaps a M48A3 with crew???

John[/quote]

I thought it was going to be Riverine guys. I don't have a M48A3:)

Seriously, though. I have a few figures I am converting for someone, then I can work on other stuff. I am also going to be doing a project for the 2/47th Infantry (M) reunion in 2016.

Thanks again for letting me use those dozer tracks. They really helped bring out the image of a Rome Plowed area.

Cheers,
James

Which division was the 47th Inf Regt in? At various times during my leg days I was with the
8th
11th
12th
28th
39th and the
504 PIR and 325 AIR

Hi James. i am happy for you with this award you have had, many congratulation indeed to your son too ,i hope he follow your truck.....eh eh eh!!!
Dont forgot to show us your pictures of your figures before you put tham on diorama ( as you did usually with your works...)its fine to see in which fantastic way you cut and saw your figures trasforming them in new total figures!!!!

I remember same of your trasformation for a dynamic diorama with an ambush of viet cong to us gi i n the jungle....what happened to that interesting project???

Many congratulations from a your really fanatic !!!!

Mario from Italy.

They were in China during the Boxer Rebellion days, then with the 4th Infantry Division during WWI. They then served with the 9th Infantry Division during WWII and Vietnam. Currently they are a basic training battalion at Fort Benning. Hopefully the young Soldiers getting their first taste of Army life are being told the proud history of the regiment. It is a good way to start your time in the military.

When you were in the 39th, were they part of the 9th Division when they were motorized?

When I was stationed in Alaska I was in C Co, 17th IN. When I first got there, we were part of 6th ID then we reflagged to the 172d LIB (Sep) which is what was in Alaska when my dad was stationed there in the 70's. I'm currently still assigned to 3-144 IN although I am here at Fort Sill's WTU.

Hello Mario,

Thanks, I will pass on your congratulations.

I am busy tonight, but I will try to get those pictures posted tomorrow or Wednesday, at least the ones I do have.

Those figures you speak of are on the back burner until I get around to doing that scene. My workbench is full of figures that I have started and haven't finished. Bravo 6 puts out so many excellent figures that sometimes they sidetrack me from a current project because I want to build something with a more recent release.

Cheers,
James

I was in the 1/39 from 77 to 80 and we were in the 2nd Bde,8th ID in Baumholder Germany.
Interestingly my Bde Cmdr in Baumholder was later my Corp Cmdr during Desert Storm. XVIII th Abn Corp
J

Hi James...dont forget to show me the picturesof your working progress figures of this diorama..i am very courios to see them...then, i read tthat you have your workbench full of bravo6 figures trasformed fo rvarious future project or trasformation for same one....whu you dont show us them too??? I am sure they are very exciting for nam figures fanatic!!!!

Many congratulations as usually i did!!!!

Mario.

Hello Mario,

I will post some of the in-progress photos of the figures used for this diorama when I get home from work tonight. As for the others, I will save those for later as right now I do not have the time to photograph them. Perhaps some other time.

Cheers,
James