I'm a bit out of my depth here, (I mainly build aircraft and ships) hence the question.

I'm building a M3A1 as used at Guadacanal by the US marines and would like to add a tank crewman/commander but I don't know what figures / uniform is suitable. So can anyone offer guidance for a correct figure please?

Hey Luciano. Marine tankers had a one piece coveral made of herring bone twill, same material as the troopers wore. So if you are puting a comander in the turrent hatch, any of DML's marine figures from the Guadalcannal set could be frankistiened together as the upper torso would be the body showing. Just make sure that the shirt has only one chest pocket on the left side and has the Marine emblem stamped in black on it. Colors will vary as hard sunlight and salt water made then fade drasticly and the climate and terrain would shread them up very fast also. A good color to base coat with, my prefferance is Vallejo paints, olive green #70.967 followed by thr air brush color pale olive #71.095. Then a dry brush of pastel green #70.885. If you have acces to the book War In The Pacific, by Bernard C. Nalty and released by Oklahoma press, it has photos of original uniforms and equipment for the Marines and Japanesse Infanty. These photos are of new issue so you can base coat and weather from there out to your satisfaction. Hope this helps you. Good luck with your dio. Basicly all I do any more is South Pacific Marines and Japanesse dios. I really like doing thick jungle breaking out to clear areas. Right now I am engaged in a Tarawa bunker with the Marines finally over running the position. Quite the endevore as the dio is only 4 x 6 inchs and the bunker includes 19 figures. Got my painting cut out for me for a while.

Bob thank you for the information. My intention is to just add two figures the tank being the main focus, I'm using a common base size for all my armour which includes modern Challenger II and Merkava so the little M3 will be a little lost on it's base. I'll be adding just a little ground work, a crewman and a BAR gunner walking alongside, I may add another marine once I get it all together.

The DML set has a walking Marine carrying a Bar which should fit the bill well. If you don't have a set, you can find it on their site. Kit #6379. If the TC is going to be out of the turet completly then the 2 piece herring bone issue would be acceptable as supplies were none existant at the begining and the Marines used what ever was available. If you decide to go that route and can't get a set let me know as I have 3 and would be willing to contribute a set to your senerio. If you need any more info let me know as I have been researching the South Pacific for quite awhile and have a good selection of referance available at hand.

Bob I've seen THIS from Master box which I thought could work although there is not a BAR gunner in the set.

Hey Luciano,I just finished a Guam jungle dio with that set. I think the DML set would work better. It would be harder to put a TC in the turrent with this set I belive. This set has all kinds of pack straps and extra bandolier straps that would be needed to scrap away and the DML set has a figure with no straps and one with a lightly raised ammo bandolier which would be very easy to scrap off. And it does have the walking Marine with a BAR. He also has a nicely detailed rip in the right knee. This set is in my opinion the best Guadalcannal Marines I have seen to date and I would highly recomend for you to check the set out. If you go with the M.B. set you could convert any with a BAR and BAR ammo pouches from the scrap/extra bin. If you don't have the spares to convert them if you go M.B. I can send you what you would need.

The closest you will probably get is the Miniart set 35126 US Tank crew. I believe Warriors and Verlinden also offered resin USMC tankers
http://models.primeportal.net/?p=1239
Al

Al, you are right for the TC but the only 2 that would fit for Marines on Guadalcannal would be the 2 sitting, the middle one has the correct issue uniform, 1 pocket on the left side and the last sitting figure on the right. Only have to scrape off the button on the pocket. Either would make good TC's for the Cannal campaign. I totaly forgot about this set.

Al & Bob thanks for your input, I'll go on the hunt for the Miniart tank crew set and that Master box set, I may decide to do away with the BAR gunner and just have a couple of the marines walking along behind the tank.

Hey Luciano, PM me your address and I'll send you the walking Marine BAR figure for free. Will be my tiny contrubution to your dio. It would fit with the MB set of walking Marines. bob d.

Bob, thank you for your kind offer however knowing the postage costs from the US across the pond I think it will cost a small fortune. In the mean time however I have ordered this figure from Evolution minitures.