Modifying Plastic Figures
Although the plastic figures described here happen to be 1/72 scale and of a different theme ,the following applies to any scale or subject matter.These type figures are available in many modes of dress and action and with a little imagination and creative re-designing can be adapted to just about any dioramic storyline.These figures happen to be Revell but there are many suppliers of figures on the internet.to be cont..............

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These are some of the 1/72 figures I used on my HMS Victory diorama.I was lucky in this case, to find figures of the Napoleonic era, that required mostly the removal of plastic to convert them into what I wanted.
Some I just changed the uniform from infantry to marines,while others I radically changed from officiers into able seaman.I used three different sets of figures to crew my ship.When shopping around for figures try to see beyond the obvious and look more for body and hand and feet positions that could be used "as is" or could be slightly modified for your purposes.
I understand that the plastic used by different manufactures can vary quite a lot in consistancy.I found that with these Revell figures that you could cut them very cleanly with a #11 blade but they are hard to work with any kind of rotary tools.I don't know if the same is true for all plastic figures,here you will have to experiment a little as my knowledge in the area is limited to only one brand.I have had more experience with resin figures and rotary tools, which are very easy to work on with burrs.
These plastic figures are quite nice and have a lot of detail for such a small scale.They require very little clean up and flash can easily be removed by cutting it off or scrapping with the edge of the xacto blade.
The mods that I show here are about as radical as I have done to a standard figure without actually moving, replacing ,or mix and matching body parts.Here I was looking for hand and body positions that could be modifed into figures that were hauling on ropes.These guys are obviously "factory rejects" for one reason of another but they give you an idea of the process.
I also used some "mounted on horse "figures from the American civil war era for some of the seated figures.Other seated figures were from wagons and they would make great sailors hauling on oars or a seated figure for aircraft cockpits.More on this later......

Are those After and before sets of the figures?

Hi Guys! my confuser has been U/S for the last week or so.Hope you didn't think that you would get rid of me that easy!!!!!!!! Cheers! John.

1/72 figs
Here are a few painted factory rejects.They were painted in bright acrylics as I wanted to give a little life to a rather dull wood and brass ship diorama.I undercoated them with thinned down white gesso ,put pins in their feet and glued them with superthin superglue.
The bottom row of seated figs are from a Revell civil war series and with a few mods could make excellent pilots.
The bottom right figure has some white epoxy paste added to it ,ready to be carved off.(I must have changed my mind for some reason.)

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WAY to much tieing for me!! whoa! but an awsome build.

I must say, it's overwhelming to imagine what goes into building a sailing ship such as this. It looks like an insane amount of work! Awesome!!!

Gary

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