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WIP Marcel Bigeard

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Nap, May 5, 2020.

  1. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Karl

    Thank you again excellent details ......

    New wings all in new position and bigger .......will post some iffy pics soon ....

    I keep looking at the cap badge ....wondering how much bigger it needs to be ?

    Don't think I will do the wind flap ...need more pictures if I do !

    One Question if I may are the sculpted rank too far apart ?

    Thanks again for everything

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
  2. Dr Bison Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Germany
    Hi Nap,

    The beret badge has a diametre of 43 to 45 mm, which would translate into 4.7 to 5 mm in scale 1/9; the jump wings are 78 mm wide and 48 mm high - you do the maths...

    Concerning the rank slides. Yes, I do think they're too far apart, as you can see here on the shoulders of Lt-Col Romain-Desfossés of 6e RPC (right). The metal rank slides were actually not meant for parades etc, but for wear in the field or for barracks duty; Lt-Col Ducasse (left) wears the correct shoulder boards.
    rank slides_2.jpg

    And I've found - in the same fantastic book(s) by messieurs Pivetta and Adam - this photo showing the fourragère TOE with extra loop (and again with full-size medals on a windproof...:oops: )
    fourragère_2.jpeg

    If you do need more photos of the windflap, I'm happy to provide - just to keep you busy with the putty :D

    Cheers
    Karl
    oldtrousers, Borek and Nap like this.
  3. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Karl

    Thanks again ...those measurements are great , the sculpted badge is about a mm out .....

    The rank badges are a lot closer ...so will replace both later

    Always appreciate good references so windflap pics are welcome if your able

    Have you a better picture of 3 BCP fourrage if possible ?

    Here's done very iffy pics of the wings rework ...painting will bring all details out ...it's now larger, more in scale and above the centre button on pocket

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Also I have done a guideline for the beret sections ...

    Cloth version of a later Lt Col rank obviously the one he wears will be silvered and gilded/ brass

    image.jpeg

    Happy benchtime

    Stay safe

    Nap
    Perseas, Chris Oldfield and Borek like this.
  4. Dr Bison Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Germany
    Nap,

    The vestes de saut all had a zip reaching from about the hip up to the top end of the short collar. On the right front panel there were 8 large buttons, with 8 corresponding button holes on the windflap that was sewn onto the left front panel. This windflap is 5.4 cm wide on my veste de saut mle 47/53 (the only difference to the 47/54 model is the „beaver tail“ and the 6 visible press studs for it on the front).
    veste de saut 47-53_b.jpg veste de saut 47-53_c.jpg veste de saut 47-53_d.jpg

    The camouflaged veste de saut mle 47/54 in the photo (and the bust) was modified by a tailor, who removed the wind flap with the button holes and the buttons themselves, and put in a full-length zip instead – probably to make life easier for the lieutenant-colonel, as buttoning up those 8 big buttons every time you put the smock on or took it off was a bit fiddly and time-consuming.
    Paris 1957_b.jpg 1957 - kaki_b.jpg

    So, in order to transform Bigeard’s modified smock into a khaki version in its original state, „all“ you have to do is add the windflap. Looking at all your previous work, this should be easy...

    The new para badge is looking good.
    The fourragère shown in my last post, the one on the windproof jacket of the 3e RPC, is exactly the same as the one depicted on the bust.

    Cheers
    Karl
  5. Borek A Fixture

    Country:
    Czech-Republic
    Wow !!! Fascinating details in this thread, incredible. Lots of knowledge and a lot of material. Very interesting start :) Good luck Nap :)

    Cheers Borek
  6. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Hi Borek

    Hope all is well good to have you posting on this , as you say fascinating details on this and I am grateful to Karl for all

    I took off the cast on rank , rebuilt the epaulettes and am now replacing the rank but closer together as in the pictures

    Happy benchtime

    Stay safe

    Nap

    image.jpeg
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  7. Borek A Fixture

    Country:
    Czech-Republic
    Hi Nap :)

    Yes, I am OK. Last week was exhausting, many negotiations on a new project, so I won't get to work until this afternoon. As for Bigeard's bust, yes, it's an amazing amount of detail, I wish we had the same amount of evidence for the Hundred Years' War :D . I'm looking forward to the next step in this project. Enjoy your work and have a nice day :)

    Stay Safe

    Cheers Borek;)
    Nap likes this.
  8. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Borek

    Good to hear all's well , hope you had success last week

    Your right a lot of details on this period ...we are lucky ...look forward to seeing more from your 100 YW WIP when you can

    I do enjoy adding details ...but nothing much more..never a sculptor like you but love seeing how you and others work in putty ...always learning

    Rank all done ( que Iffyvision pics.....)

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Keep looking at the beret badge .........another challenge possibly ......STOP PRESS ....the sculpted one is 5mm which is virtually spot on...nice one Offo ......putting putty away ...paints out .....LOL

    Happy benchtime

    Stay safe

    Nap
  9. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    The balmy weather of late having kept me away from the bench, I'm very pleased to see this project grow as it does and I'm putting scalpel to the man too. Karl has provided very valuable information and thereby ample proof that it pays to be a rivet counter at times! Wouldn't it be wonderful if gifted sculptors asked for this kind of information on details before having a go at the putty?
    Just like Nap my Bigeard's rank badges will be reworked, same for his 'plaque à vélo' para wings AND the weird ends of his shoulder straps which make a very strange bow never seen on an actual tenue de saut??? Quite an undertaking, but this is what makes figure painting interesting for me and what makes this forum so extremely valuable!
    It's wonderful to have this kind of exchange of information, many thanks to all who contribute!

    Now, at work!
    Pierre
    Nap likes this.
  10. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Pierre

    Great to have you posting ...hope all is okay

    As you say Karl has provided sone great details ...my ranks all sorted ......looked at the rounded ends ...but not done anything ...yet !

    Certainly be interested in what you have planned for those epaulettes or refs of course ! ....

    Wonder where Offo got the refs for the epaulette ends ?

    Reckon I will replace the ribbons at the beret back as well

    As you rightly say exchange of info makes a project really interesting and what PF is all about

    Currently basecoating the Algerian Zouave from Albu Miniatures and a Chasseur d'Afrique from Pilipili Miniatured

    Lt Col Bigeard will be next on my bench though ! ......we must post the 2 versions together when finished !

    Happy bemch time

    Stay safe

    Nap
  11. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    On the crowded bench not much has moved.
    Monsieur Bigeard's rank insignia have been remodeled, as has his para brevet. the weird ends of his shoulder straps are cut off to a straight end and an additional piece of aiguillette has been placed above his medals. Still lots of work on the man: face shadows and highlights, the green base coat of his veste de saut has to be restored and then the real fun can start: the camo!
    Patience my friends!
    P1000853.jpg

    cheers,
    Pierre
    Perseas, Martin64, Jed and 4 others like this.
  12. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Pierre

    Bruno is looking good ...need to level my epaulettes up still and now add the addition aguilette ...as in picture below
    Would love to see how the aguilette looks at the back as well

    Notice in the picture the strings at the beret back as well

    Come on what's the bust on the left with the grenade on the headwear ?

    Happy Benchtime

    Stay safe

    Nap
    image.jpeg
    Perseas and Borek like this.
  13. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    Hi Nap!

    The extra strand of aiguillette is 'simply' the end of the fancy loops our Bruno has added to his impressive presence.

    As for the poor fellow crowding my bench, that's a conversion of a Verlinden French officer bust with a legionnaire's head from Dreamcatcher, long OOP.
    Ver1206023_grande.jpg

    The idea is to represent a legionnaire 1880 in walking out dress in Indochine, to add to my collection of Foreign Legion figures. Needs a few more medals besides his Médaille militaire and then he's good to get some paint.

    Pierre
    Chris Oldfield likes this.
  14. Bournouna Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Bonjour Pierre,

    With your knowledge of French Paratrooper figures, I was hoping if you knew who manufactured this bust of a 2eme REP Foreign Legionnaire ?
    Regards,

    Joel
    legion- 1.jpg legion-21.jpg
  15. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    Bonsoir Joel,

    Je regrette, no I don't know who sculpted or manufactured it. Otherwise I would probably have it in my grey army;)! Reminds me of the Verlinden bust of a 2eme REP lieutenant, but I have never seen this one before, except in your query earlier on this forum. It doesn't look the work of Jean Jacques Lance who made several Legion busts for Dreamcatcher and the like. Any info would be most welcome, as apart from the too long aiguillette it seems OK.

    Best regards,
    Pierre
    Borek and Nap like this.
  16. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Joel

    Thought it might have been an old Warriors bust but not so image.jpeg

    Possibly a conversion from this one ( painted by a guy called Paul ..no other info )

    image.jpeg

    Nap
    KenBoyle and Borek like this.
  17. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    I don't think it is a conversion based on the Verlinden, but it is clearly based on the same illustration by Kevin Lyles in the Osprey title on the Foreign Legion paras (Plate E1).
    I hereby retract my comment about the low dangling ferrule of the aiguillette though, misled by my Belgian army way of thinking and poking fun at any troops sharper dressed than ourselves, which was almost the entire planet back in the 70's!
    But still no clue about this bust, most annoying!

    Pierre
    Borek and Nap like this.
  18. malc PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    Brilliant

    Just goes to show that modern stuff can de just a colourful.... all those ribbons ect.
    Nap likes this.
  19. Bournouna Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Thank you Pierre and Kevin for your response to my query. Hope someone out there, knows the answer so that I can finally get my hands on the best French Paratrooper bust I've ever seen.

    Joel
  20. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi everyone

    Bit of verbal update .....added the additional details on the aguilette and the rear details on it as here image.jpeg

    Need to confirm the colours of the aguilette as well

    Also took away the rounded ends ....which took a chunk of resin out at the shoulder and also the rank on his left ...so out came the putty!

    Been working on the uniform colouring...going for the non camo ....yes I know!! ...easy option ..Nearly finished it ....might lighten it ..though it is slightly more greener in reality !

    pics to follow!!

    Next will probably be the beret ...but those medals are looking at me

    Happy bemchtime

    Stay safe

    Nap
    Perseas and Borek like this.

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