Way to go Mike. The men will add a lot. Sometimes a little break is needed......

That's looking really good.

Nice simple figure layout Mike. Have you thought about a cloth in the .50 cal figures hand like he is cleaning the gun?

@ Ken, Thanks! This summer was a rough one — ghastly heat, so a sanity break was mandatory. Now with man-cave temperatures beginning to cooperate, it’s great to get back to model building when I can.

@ Paul, Thank you for the kind words!

@ Peter, A Towelie! — Brilliant idea! Thanks! … "If I was on the 50, what would I be doing while the M21 was idling?" 🤔 … That’s it! I’ve been racking my brain over getting a believable position outa that guy from the very beginning — styrene limbs and shavings scattered about the workbench like spent casings, and sweating the thought of over-handling the M21 while dry-fitting. On the other hand, the seated guy fit like a glove. 🥊

In the meantime, it’s "Exit stage right" to the ’JEEPS!’ Campaign in order to work on the companion vehicle.

Cheers!🍺
—mike

A scenario change-up for the standing figure manning the "fifty." ... Sorry Peter, no "Towelie." The figure has been almost completely reworked from before (see page 2), i.e., arms, legs, a different Hornet Head (chewing), two hands, and the figure has been moved forward of the gun pedestal. Now his left hand is grasping the "fifty's" barrel, and his right arm is outstretched with a friendly offering for the new guy.

“So, you don’t smoke, eh kid? … How ‘bout a chaw?”


In addition, the seated figure has a scratch-built helmet liner made from Evergreen Styrene. Chin-straps will be added later.



Dry-fitting the standing figure's stance (left hand-to-gun-to-right arm over bar) was very trying to say the least! Now, if all goes well, the gun-barrel should slide right into place after final painting.

Figures have been primed with Vallejo Grey Primer (73.601).

Hope you like it so far!

Cheers!🍺
—mike

Nice work Mike , very believable poses , looks great !!!

Don't forget to add a spittoon!

Nice comfortable layout Mike, looks more natural 'for chaw'

Only thing is, my Mother in law used to be an antique dealer and the old round chewing tobacco tins she had were quite tall, not flat. The flat ones were rectangular.

Looks good , keep us posted

@ Cheyanne and Lou, Thanks for the nice comments!


@ Peter, Thanks! ... The world is Sarge's spittoon.🤨 💦 Lol! ... And thank your Mother in law for keeping me TC (tobacco correct). And now you've given me this vision of her huckin' into a spittoon that I just can't shake! ... 🤭 🤫 Don't tell her! Lol!

After a closer look on the web, now I'm seeing these tall rectangular tins that I kinda' like 🤔 — maybe something like this? ...

Disclaimer: I am ignorant ... therefore I post.🤯

Cheers!🍺
—mike

Chewing tobacco is different to smoking tobacco. It comes in a slab which was usually wax paper wrapped at the time. The tins were counter top containers used in stores, holding several slabs and you bought them singularly, hence they were tall containers so you could slide the slab upward. Often the manufacturer supplied bags to put the product in, and that was their advertising.

No reason a whole tin could not be purchased and sent to your 'loved one' though.

Google 'Tiger chewing tobacco tins'. That is one of the oldest brands from the USA and you will get many hits - I believe the holding company still makes cigarettes. Another was Red Man which started in 1904.

The flat round tins were more often used for shredded tobacco, known more readily as 'snuff'.

Oh apart from being a wealth of knowledge on old stuff, my M-I-L is a smoker, not a chewer....so you can let the image go.....

I added the key word "pocket" to my search, which led me to lots more of the smaller portable tins. I really like the variety of colors — should provide some interesting contrast to the OD. Thanks again!

Haaawk ... pe-tuiey! 🤣
—mike

Hey Peter,

How's this rough proportion for a flat, rectangular Red Man or a Tiger tobacco tin? Please consult the MILWMBO, if you must.


TIA,
—mike

Looks pretty good to me. I doubt anyone out there will know enough or get a micrometre close enough to ping you

Here is a link to one. 3 inches x 3 inches x 1/2 inch
https://www.claudiasbargains.com/vintage-piper-heidsieck-chewing-tobacco-metal-tin-with-hinged-lid.html

and another probably closer to what you have but a bit longer
6 x 3 x 2
http://www.icollector.com/Tiger-Tobacco-Chewing-Tobacco-Tin_i11127464

Then

https://www.claudiasbargains.com/vintage-half-and-half-buckingham-cut-plug-smoking-tobacco-tin-patent-1930.html

and there is no reason that he could not have used a pocket tobacco tin to put the chaw in. They were a little smaller but deeper like what you have done.

Whatever floats your boat

Aha! Hard dimensions and angled views — now that’s something I can deal with. 📐

Thanks, Peter!🍺
—mike

Hi guys,

Thought I'd share a small update with a couple of additional figures — the two standing outside of the M21 are from the Dragon (6271) 'US 1st Army At Remagen 1945' set. Hornet Heads have been selected, and I've started under-cutting some of the details — putty and primer to follow.


And here are the two guys jibber-jabberin' at the rear of the M21.


Cheers to all!🎄
—mike

Remagen huh yeah I can see them saying

"... and dids you see da movie where dey rolls up in dat Chaffee - fancy dem dunderheads callin dem Shermies....?


I have actually been on what remains of the Ludendorff bridge and looked at the remains on the otherside of the Rhine. It has a small museum in the section on one side. Closed the day I was there......

You have the wrong half track for those figures

Hey Peter, Au contraire: You have the wrong bridge for my half-track — not at "Remagen," although I would love to visit there.

The box art info. is merely for product reference, i.e. Dragon's (6271) 'US 1st Army At Remagen 1945' is one of several figure sets undergoing knife & putty treatment on my workbench at this time.

The general scenario I'm shooting for: Some sort of Autumn, Europe, a forest road, a couple of vehicles, soldiers taking a break, while some officers point-out locations on a map laid out on the hood of a Jeep ("pointing"... pretty boring, huh?) — nothing set in stone just yet.

Since my fact checker is currently out to lunch, historical accuracy will be very l o o s e l y based in WWII. Just plunk a Hollywood director's cap on me, and 🎬 ... scene! ... cameras! ... action! ...

Holiday Cheers!🍺
—mike

Hi guys,

Here's another figure in his very rough state. Huge chunks of styrene were hacked-off of the BAR gunner's legs — shavings flying everywhere! I'm going for a relaxed crossed-legged look, as this guy will be leaning-up against a tree. And like the GI seated in the M21's fighting compartment, his helmet will also get the inner-liner detail treatment.


Cheers!🍺
—mike

Hi Mike - wow! This is a great project all around - really like the look of the halftrack and figures are moving along! Looking forward to your next post -

Cheers - and happy new year!

Nick

Hi Nick! Thanks for looking in, buddy!

BTW: Here's the companion vehicle for the project. For now, you'll need to imagine a map unfolded over the GPW's hood.



Happy Holiday Cheers!🍺

—mike

In the previous episode, I carved-off so much plastic from the BAR gunner, that he resembled a skinny supermodel instead of a “super model.”🤮 Lol! Thus, it was ordained, I would need to go into putty mode. At this stage, copious amounts of Apoxie Sculpt were applied, removed, reapplied, repositioned several times until I settled upon the following result.

Before and after raiding the C-Rations! 🥄

Still no “super model,” but at least he’s able to hold up the tree now!🌲

Cheers!🍺
—mike

Hi Mike, enjoying your knife work.

Hi Ken,
Thanks for dropping by. ... Glad you like it so far!

Cheers!🍺
—mike

The invisible man!!!

The figure reminds of the old joke - What do you say to a three eyed, one legged hitchhiker with no arms?

Aye, Aye, Aye, you look armless , hop in....

This looking to be a big dio in the making Mike

Mike this is looking great , the fig. morphing's cool !!