Liberation, Italy 1944

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Tim

It great following this build.

Really like the Carrier - really good attention to detail, a superb little model. The way you prepared your Tuscan earth reminded me of the old joke: Waiter, this coffee tastes like mud, what do expect it was only ground this morning!

Sorry, I'll shut up and just enjoy your work

Peter

[grumpa]

Great work so far Tim:thumb2:

Jim

[Guest]

Brilliant build, nothing more to say, brilliant...
Mike

[TIM FORSTER]

Thanks gents.

After a couple of weeks busy elsewhere I have managed to get back to Italy, 1944.

First of all the sunflowers have spread - a little like Triffids!

I wasn't happy with the colour of the leaves which, despite airbrushing them with various shades of green, still looked too bluish-green (the colour of the original card showing through). Also, looking at photos I took in Tuscany a couple of years back, I noticed how much variation in colour there could be (although these look half-dead).





After a bit of work with Vallejo acrylics they started to look much more life-like.

Next I turned my attentions to my bella donna on the balcony.

This is another excellent Mk 35 Editions figure (originally French) called 'Woman cutting a bunch of grapes'.



In order to make her pose more suitable I had to change the position of her right arm to rest on the balcony, remove the knife, twist the left wrist and remove the bunch of grapes (so that she would hold a bottle). I also replaced her head with one from Hornet so that I could give her a more interesting hairstyle. Ironically, I am pretty sure that the original sculptor used the same head (which is a bit cheeky). The hair was sculpted from Tamiya Quick Type epoxy putty which was then detailed with a scalpel blade. I'm not exactly confident that it's an Italian hairstyle of the 1940s era - but let's just pretend she had just got out of the bath to greet the liberating Allies!




The billowing shape hanging from the balcony (a white sheet to indicate surrender) was also made from the same putty. This replaced a much rougher effort which I had made earlier from Magicsculp (see the first photo in this post). Although the Tamiya putty is very sticky (you need to use a lot of talcum powder to stop it sticking) it is absolutely the right thing to make thin sheets, clothing, etc. After a few minutes drying time it can be manipulated very easily to obtain realistic folds - as if blowing in a light breeze.

[Guest]

I can almost feel the breeze, well done !

[scottie3158]

Tim,
That's a great bit of figure conversion and the sheet looks very natural.

[Mini Me]

I agree with Scottie, they it looks very natural indeed.
Cheers Rick H.

[rtfoe]

Tim,
Nice conversion and invisible breeze.

Cheers,
Richard

[Steve Jones]

Stunning conversion Tim. I like it a lot. I am so glad you are continually improving and adding to this build. I hope it never stops. Wonderful work

[TIM FORSTER]

The cast assemble...

Here are my figures assembled. It's all looking a bit ghoulish with the sombre colour palette and some of them with detached hands and heads.

So far they have received a dark base coat, a basic highlight and a basic flesh tone and highlight - all applied with the airbrush.

[scottie3158]

Tim,
That is a cracking cast of figures. I can't believe they are done with an airbrush.

[Mini Me]

Love the headless guy having a drink...Miss Boobs is looking good also!:tongue-out: I can't wait to see how all this turns out.
Cheers, Rick H.

[minitnkr]

Outstanding finishes. PaulE

[Steve Jones]

Stunning figure work Tim. Dont know how you do it mate:astonished:

[TIM FORSTER]

Well, despite my 'army' of figures on display in my last post, I decided that one more was needed.

Since my two German vehicles were abandoned, it seemed a shame not to have any figures in the Carrier. Figures in vehicles help to give a sense of purpose and scale. Plus, someone pointed out to me a while ago that parking a vehicle so that it blocked a bridge - and thus the route of advance - would not be very good military practice!

So I decided to add a driver. Of course, it would have been better if I had thought of this before finishing the Carrier. So I had to cheat a bit.



The basic figure is from the MiniArt British Jeep Crew set. These are actually 8th Army troops in shorts and knee socks. The figure was modified by raising his left arm as if to give a nonchalant wave. As you can see, he also lost half of one of his legs. This was to help him fit - plus, you simply cannot see this leg once he is in the Carrier. Because he was a little slumped, I made him sit up with a little putty around his middle. Like the added long trousers, this wasn't done with too much care because it can hardly be seen once he is in place. The head is a beautiful piece of casting from Alpine - with an added cigarette drooping from his lips. Oh yes, and there's the obligatory watch from Aber.

Them, with not a little trepidation, I started to paint the figure. This is only the third figure I have painted since I downed tools as a 16 year old (so that's 34 years ago!) so it was a bit of a (re)learning experience. It's all done with Vallejo acrylics for the flesh and Lifecolour for the uniforms. As I had hoped, once he was behind the wheel of the Carrier, I felt he didn't look so bad...






The idea is that he will be waving to the priest who is standing in the doorway of the church - the priest will not look amused!