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"Not Happy About Getting a Haircut" Vietnam 1967

Discussion in 'Completed Figures' started by Jungle James O'Leary, May 13, 2022.

  1. Jungle James O'Leary PlanetFigure Supporter

    It has been a long time since I have posted anything on this site. This is my latest diorama which I completed last weekend. The diorama depicts Soldiers from 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized), 9th Infantry Division during a rare standdown at Camp Bearcat, Vietnam in 1967. The guys are relaxing and some are finding a bit of amusement in the misery of an unlucky Soldier who caught the First Sergeant's eye sporting hair longer than allowed by regulation. He was hoping to grow his hair out a bit so he wouldn't stand out once he got out of the Army upon his return to the world, but the First Sergeant killed that plan and this young Soldier is not happy about it.

    Something I should point out is that you may notice that there are no weapons present. At Camp Bearcat, since it was one of the larger bases, it was policy that weapons were not carried within the basecamp unless if you were on duty that required them, the base was under attack, or if you were departing for or returning from operations/missions outside the wire. Since these Grunts are on standdown, their weapons are secured with the rest of their gear. This may have be a precautionary measure instituted by higher headquarters to prevent the likelyhood of drunken shooting incidents.

    The figures consist of two that are original sculpts by me, four conversions of Bravo 6 figures, and a conversion of a Royal Models figure. They were painted with acrylics. The bunker depicts one of the types used for protection from rocket and mortar attacks which is based on photos of the bunker that was located behind my dad's tent. The bunker facade was created by gluing some pieces of balsa wood to a part of the base that I had cut out from the block of wood forming the base for this purpose. Once the doorway was in place, I made the door flap out of thinly rolled Magic Sculpt, painted it once dry, then started stacking sandbags. The sandbags are made from Magic Sculpt and were textured with the cross thatched pattern of the tightening knob on my hobby knife.

    20220508_200918.jpg 20220508_200139.jpg 20220508_200857.jpg 20220508_200752.jpg 20220508_200725.jpg 20220508_200653.jpg 20220508_200611.jpg 20220508_200543.jpg 20220508_200515.jpg 20220508_200436.jpg 20220508_200314.jpg 20220508_200251.jpg 20220508_200202.jpg

    Overall, this was a pretty fun diorama to build.

    Thanks for looking.
    Cheers,
    James
  2. MoboSchreuder A Fixture

    Excellent work

    Mobo
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  3. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi James

    That's a great diorama, love what you've done with the figures, like the story behind it ...sure it happened many times !

    Lovely interaction and overall presentation, like the cool box and the reclining figure and of course the mass of hair on the ground , his face says it all

    Why not think about entering in the class of your choice in our Figure of the Month (FOTM) , here are the links for each class

    https://www.planetfigure.com/thread...-may-2022-standard-class-ends-31-5-22.427406/

    https://www.planetfigure.com/thread...-2022-intermediate-class-ends-31-5-22.427407/

    https://www.planetfigure.com/thread...-may-2022-advanced-class-ends-31-5-22.427408/

    There is also the Vignette & Diorama comp to enter

    https://www.planetfigure.com/thread...night-31-12-22-voting-from-1-31-01-23.414984/

    Good to see your benchtime

    Look forward to the next from you

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  4. MCPWilk A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Very droll!

    Mike
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  5. Edorta A Fixture

    Country:
    Spain
  6. Dr Bison Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Germany
    What a nice change: a peaceful military diorama! Love your idea and the execution.
    Karl
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  7. Mirofsoft A Fixture

    Country:
    Belgium
    Good, I like that very much " At rest "
    But they forgot something :
    This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
    My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
    Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will ...
    My rifle and I know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit ...
    My rifle is human, even as I [am human], because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will ...
    Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.
    So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  8. Jungle James O'Leary PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thank you for the positive responses and warm welcome.

    Mirofsoft,
    In regards to the lack of weapons in this scene, it was common practice and policy in the 9th Infantry Division at Bearcat in 1967 that units on standdown and those not actively engaged in duties requiring weapons keep them secured when not in active use. It may seem insane to do that in the middle of a war, but it was done there and at several other large bases in Vietnam depending on the tactical situation and command policies at that base. I served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and usually had at least a pistol on me at all times with a few exceptions like when I visited the ancient ruins at Ur, going back and forth from mid-tour R&R, and the three weeks I spent at Tallil Air Base enroute back to the States at the end of my first tour.

    Most of my figures and dioramas of Vietnam War subjects depict actual people, units, and events. During the planning and building process I am in contact with some of those individuals getting feedback on the details. In the case of this diorama, I was originally going to include M16s against the wall of the bunker but was informed otherwise.

    Again, thanks for looking and it appears that this is one project that seems to be well received.

    Cheers,
    James
    Babelfish, Nap, Mirofsoft and 3 others like this.
  9. Ferris A Fixture

    Excellent! Great attention to detail and historical accuracy, love it.

    Adrian
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  10. Mike - The Kiwi A Fixture

    Country:
    New_Zealand
    Hi James
    Really admire your project here.
    It has sense of authenticity many of us would admire.
    This can be seen in many details from chilly Bin to can opener.
    All figure personality & character helps us understand their stories.
    Of particular is the sandbagging which is some of most authentic I’ve seen. Lots of work in laying these out, sagging & arrayed in a natural way from many years of personal research. ;-)
    Please do share more of your work for us to learn from.
    MikeTheKiwi
    Jungle James O'Leary and Nap like this.
  11. Steve Brodie PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
  12. Steve Ski PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-States
    Beautiful work, James, as always! Good to see you back on here.

    Cheers, Ski.
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  13. Jungle James O'Leary PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thanks, Ski! It is good to be back and hopefully I will be able to create more figures and dioramas now that I am getting back into the groove.
    Nap likes this.
  14. Jungle James O'Leary PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thanks, Mike.

    Hopefully I can get some better photos taken of some of my work from the past year or so in order to post more on this site.
    Mike - The Kiwi and Nap like this.
  15. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Look forward to that Jungle

    Happy benchtime and posting

    Nap
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.
  16. marios1 Active Member

    Hi James, i am very happy to see again your fantastic dioramas on the web.........this your new is another fantastic viet nam story.......your figures are simply fantastic and are incredible the Hornet heads you choice.......the painting style is incredible always.
    Now same questions; the two us figures that you sculpted (if i remeber well a pair of years ago you began to sculpt figures for a new figures american brand....they became commercial then???? Where we can buy them, eventually???

    The royal model figure has great increase, sculpting him the pocket for uniform, and i appreciate so much the way in which you sculpt the mattress (or is Bravo6 one??)

    In which way you try to paint the boots in so usured way? Can you explain me???

    I hope to see again your figures work like you did in the past on various site, showing us step by step pictures of yourworking on figures, resculpting, painting and posing on a dio idea!!!!

    Congratulations you are a big example of modeller.......and its fine the way in which you tell your figures story...indeed......

    Thanks for sharing.

    Mario from Italy.
  17. Jungle James O'Leary PlanetFigure Supporter

    Hello, Mario.

    It is good to see you here and I am glad you like this latest diorama.

    In response to your question about the figures I sculpted and whether or not they are commercially available, the original company that was going to produce my figures ended up not working out. It is a long story that I prefer not to talk about publicly. Slowly my figures were returned to me, but some of them were missing their arms, so I had to make new ones. The first one I got back was of the guy popping open a beer and that guy was returned intact. I decided to forget about producing that guy because I wanted to paint him and place him in a diorama. It took longer to get the other figures returned to me from the other partner of the business. The figure of the guy with his hand in his pocket is being produced by Custom Dioramics and is scheduled to be released at the IPMS Nationals in the US in July along with a figure adjusting track tension on a M113 and an older figure I sculpted when I was in Afghanistan of a wounded Viet Cong.

    In regards to the question about the painting of the boots, I start off with flat black as the base color of the leather and olive drab for the canvas. The canvas portions are shaded and highlighted like clothing. The leather parts of the boots are highlighted with a mixture of flat black and sunny skin tone. For the scuff Mark's I sometimes use sunny skin tone, but recently I have been using leather brown and tan.

    Thanks for your kind words about my work.

    Cheers,
    James
    Babelfish and Nap like this.
  18. marios1 Active Member

    Hi James, thanks for your answer, i hope to see soon your nam sculpted figure under Custom Dioramic label to buy a pair of it, am sorry for your trouble with the first firm interested in your fine sculpted figures.

    I will follow your new figures building to add to your other dio with m113 that you show us here in Planet figures.

    Congratulations.

    Mario from Italy.
    Jungle James O'Leary likes this.

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