Since you're going to have to scratch the corpsman's gear, this link might be helpful:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/635-usn-corpsman-bags/

Also, if you can get your hands on it, Historex makes a set of surgical instruments, clamps, etc. you might find useful. You can also feel free to pick my brain about the doc as well.

thanks Doc, that's a lot of useful information right there in that link. I was watching the Corpsmen closely in the documentary film "with the Marines at Tarawa" on youtube. They seemed to have very identifiable markings on their bare steel M1 Helmets, I'm wondering if their doctrine was changed in later campaigns to get them to look just like the Marines they were supporting, as Japanese snipers started prioritising them as targets.

I've seen those, too. I haven't seen those markings in pictures of later operations so I think you would be safe to attribute that to a lesson learned.

ok, with the figures still loose on the diorama so I can take each individual out for further improvement and extra details, time now to make a start on the radio.

overhead view..


making a start on the radio gear, the Radio set is covered with it's canvas bag made from tissue soaked in diluted white glue, when it's dry I'll add the zips and carry straps.


the USN Corpsman's medico bag has had two buckles and pe straps added either side of the flap, shoulder strap from brass frame.
when it's hardened off I can paint the stencils on it.

Marine A in an excellent fire position, shooting through cover rather than silhouetting himself over it. This close up makes me realise I want to drill out that BAR muzzle end, or at lease file it even. But that's what digital photography has done to modelling, highlighted our mistakes to the world.

John, I was wondering about scratch building a stretcher and placing it in the Corpsman's free hand, would Corpsmen have carried stretchers into combat or was that task assigned solely to stretcher bearers?

considering rifle and carbine slings, here's my own carbine, actually a firing single shot straight pull AIA with a WW2 Winchester stock, from my shooting days, long past. reading the Creig Riesch book on the M1 .30 Carbine the men on Tarawa would have had the tan slings, as the olive green one's came in mid 43.

While I wouldn't dismiss the possibility that they might have carried a folding litter entirely, the litters were (still are actually) a part of the equipment set for the Battalion Aid Station. A platoon corpsman with a grunt unit would in most cases rather carry extra medical supplies and water. The Marines all carried ponchos which made good improvised litters. You wouldn't be wrong if you were to show a partially opened poncho by the casualty.

Nice work on the TBY, knowing that it's scratchbuilt makes it even more impressive. I like the fact that you're striving for accuracy, and the placement of the BAR gunner was well thought out as well. Strong work!

Dave, the wire going to the radio ops headphones is a bit thick with it being string or cotton. What I use is 5amp fuse wire. Cut a long piece, fold double and twist it to the required length. It's thin and with it being twisted it does look like the cables on radios. You can pick it up from Wilko dirt cheap. Comes on a card with 15 and 32 amp which are useful as well for conduit in armoured vehicles or pack frames. Recently I bought a roll of each size off ebay for about £3 each which is effectively a lifetime supply. If you can't get any PM me and I'll send you a few feet of the 5amp as I've got a 40m roll of it so I've got quite a bit lol. Because it's soft metal it holds it's shape but is really easily bent around figures etc. Not something many people think to use but I swear by it.

some Brilliant hits and tips going on in this thread. I read with the old breed by Eugene "Sledgehammer" Sledge, there's a scene in it on Pelilou, I think, where the Doc was giving first aid and a clumbsy Marine using his Kabar knife cutting the web straps off the casualty caught the Doc's jaw, the Doc shrugged it off but it must have hurt. Tough fella, so one of the first I.A.s was to cut off the webbing rather than contorting the casualty getting him free, makes perfect sense.

with Karl's hint about using household fuse wire instead of the overscale cotton, I drilled out the headphones and and made the send switch and drilled it right through to go on the wire. Also practised drilling out gun barrels.

Very cool dio; I am also a student of the Tarawa battle and never cease to be amazed by the courage, tenacity, and sheer grit that won that fight; I once knew a lady whose brother was killed there on the final day of the battle; he's buried at the Pacific War cemetery in Hawaii ("Punchbowl"); your dio truly honors the brave men who served in WW2

Thanks for your comment and your support there Brian. My Radio man, every time I think I'm nearly there, a blow up enlargement photo like this shows me all the glaring faults.


doing some searching on M1 rifle slings, they always seem to use the sling swivel furthest away from the muzzle.


making one in brass, hanging down in a loop

my casualty, he'll be ok, just got the wind knocked out of him, anyway, this young lad is in good hands with a USN Corpsman in attendance. I need to find a picture of the type of chin strap used in 1943, seems they had them done up on Tarawa and unclipped on later invasions.

Nice work so far! You should consider painting on some hair on some of the figures, especially the last. Otherwise it gives them that "display dummy look". Also, I think you should do something about the shoesoles like adding some structure, sand from beach etc, sole detail etc..

CHeers!

Thanks for those ideas Nick. With Christmas fast approaching, the visits from family, popping corks and vast roast Turkey to be consumed, I'm calling a temporary halt to these proceedings. Placing the glass dome over it to keep out dust and incoming corks, not glued down at this stage, just resting...


I'm placing it up out of the way, and will continue with some minor detail improvements next year.

Looks great. I'll be on the lookout for updates after the holidays.

Dave that looks great considering you had no plans to build it haha. What paint did you use for their uniforms so I can make a note of it. I've got a load of USMC and Japs I bought to do a Pacific dio at some point and the colour you've used looks spot on for USMC fatigues. It may even spur me onto doing something with the Airfix figures I bought on a whim and then didn't really do anything with.

Dave
This is looking very good, I can almost hear the bullets whizzing by their heads, I look forward to seeing it complete.
Regards
Doug

Karl, I used a combination of the lifecolour US OD set, I find their paints go on well if the surface is prepared with primer.

I purchased a ultrasonic cleaner to clean my wife's jewellery, and we like to go beachcombing in the summer so it'll come in handy to clean up some of our smaller finds, I tried it out on my airbrush.
The airbrush was working fine, so it wasn't clogged. But a five minute clean in this sonic device, all the paint in the corners balled up and came out in a lump held in my tweezers. Very handy item.

A splendid diorama