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Battleof Long Tan -Naked Army 315mm

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by tonydawe, Apr 30, 2008.

  1. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Battle of Long Tan -Naked Army 315mm

    Hi guys,

    Here are the first pics of my latest project.

    This is my first conversion done to a Naked Army figure.:eek: :eek: :eek: I've cut the head off the stock figure with my dremel tool and replaced it with another head (from the Libya 1941 figure) because this face was similing and had more character potential.:p :p

    I have also cut the bush hat off the original figure and will stick it back on the new head (which was wearing a steel helmet). I've also thinned the edges of the bush hat and gouged some chunks out of it to make it look more battered and distressed.:)

    Both the new head and the hat are held on with blu tack to give you some idea of what the finished figure should look like.:cool:

    This is the fifth Naked Army figure in 315mm polyresin that I have started work on, but the first to be converted. If this figure goes well, it probably wont be the last.;) ;) ;)

    The figure depicts a Private from D Company 6 RAR who together with less than 100 fellow diggers, held back wave after wave of relentless attacks from a Brigade force of 5,000 North Vietnamese regulars at a rubber plantation called Long Tan in Phouc Tuy Province South Vietnamn August 1966.

    Following the battle, 18 Australian's were killed and 21 had been wounded. Over 245 dead NVA soldiers were counted, although the number would almost certainly have been much higher given the NVA's practice of retreiving their dead from the battlefield by dragging them by canvas loops attached at their ankles. The official estimate of NVA killed was over 1,000.

    D Coy 6 RAR was awarded a US Presidential Unit Citation for its bravery at this Battle, and the site of the battle itself is one of the few places in Vietnam where the Vietnamese government have allowed a war memorial to be set up to honour foreign soldiers in their country.

    Cheers

    Attached Files:

  2. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    The new head is a great improvement, Tony.

    Spike.
  3. vergilius New Member

    Country:
    Belgium
    great head !!
  4. Guy A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    I like the change you made Tony.
  5. busso_boy New Member

    Country:
    Australia
    love the conversion, i'm playing around with this figure myself, but the only change i made was fashioning a cigger out of a peice of brass wire and some tissue paper to put in his right hand

    sorry about the grainy photo,its a quick snap from my mobile phone

    i'll get around to posting a real pic when he is finally finished

    Attached Files:

  6. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi guys,

    Thanks for your comments.

    "Great head" Vergilius???? Here in Oz, that has a very different and unexpectedly funny meaning.

    I like your pic Ian, he's coming along nicely. I'm sure the pics will look better once you have your camera.

    Cheers
  7. eissteban Active Member

    Country:
    France
    well well Tony,

    good start for another good subject
  8. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Long Tan Memorial

    Hi Seb,

    Thanks for your comments.:) :)

    Here are a couple of pics that provide some of the inspiration and historical background to this figure.

    Cheers

    Attached Files:

  9. Mark S Guest

    Tony,you give good conversion,mate.The alternative head will give the piece an entirely different temper.Nice work.
    These lastest pics obviously show the Long Tan memorial, but what's the story behind the medals?
  10. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi Mark,

    These are a typical set of medals awarded to Australian servicemen who fought in the Vietnam War.

    From left to right they are; The General Service Medal with Vietnam clasp, Vietnam Service Medal, National Service Medal and the Vietnamese National Medal.

    Cheers
  11. jasmils Active Member

    Country:
    Australia
    Medals

    G'day Tony,
    The first one is the "Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975" with Vietnam Clasp.
    Then the "Vietnam Campaign Medal".

    Cheers Jason
  12. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Thanks Jason,

    I knew I'd get them mixed up.:eek: :eek: :eek:

    Could you confirm if this attached pic is the correct version of the US Presidential Unit Citation, awarded to D Coy 6 RAR at Long Tan??:confused: :confused:

    Cheers

    Attached Files:

  13. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Airbrush base coat

    Hi guys,

    Got my airbrush out tonight and gave my Long Tan digger a squirt of acrylic Russian green base coat. :cool:

    Airbrush saves a lot of time, and creates soft transitions between shadow and highlight.:) :)

    Cheers

    Attached Files:

  14. busso_boy New Member

    Country:
    Australia
    slightly off note here Tony, but are you getting those adverts on TV over your way for a 12" bronze copy of the statue on the ANZAC bridge. it says a $500 deposit will secure your copy............considering the lack of detail in it it makes the highly detailed Naked Army bronzes at $179 seem like a steal


    but back to your figure, i see your reference material in the background of the picture......wouldn't he look great with an Owen gun (or F1 or whatever it was called by then) in his arm instead of the SLR

    keep up the great work.
  15. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi Ian,

    No, we don't get that advertisement here in WA, must be a Sydney thing mate. Are you now selling Naked Army figures for A$179???? What that's good value!!

    Mate, I've just done an Australian soldier carrying an Owen Gun, so I'm in no hurry to do another just yet.

    The SLR is perfectly appropriately for this figure, although he could do with some M60 link wrapped around him. The SLR is the early version with the wooden carry handle and triangular stock grip used in Vietnam until 1968.

    I'll have another go with the airbrush over the weekend and post some more pics once I start the brushwork.

    Cheers
  16. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Tony,
    You are doing again some nice figure. The conversion is very good.
    Using the airbrush is possible in this great size.
    You must consider to do it on a 54 mm..... Looking forward to that...:D:D:D

    Marc.
  17. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi Marc,

    I've only ever used my airbrush on AFV's before.:eek:

    Last time I painted a Naked Army figure by hand, it took five or six coats to get a smooth even finish on the base coat and it took several days. :mad: I've never considered using an airbrush for a 54mm figure (except for priming;) ) but I guess anything's possible.;) ;) ;)

    With the airbrush I did in 30 minutes took me in 3 days by brush.:D :D :D

    Last night I air brushed a Grey Black dark shadow colour over the base coat on all the main shadow areas (there's a lot of them in this scale!! :eek: ) and I've dry brushed a Yellow Green highlight colour down the shoulders and arms.:)

    The seam where the new head will be fixed to the neck will be partially hidden by a length of scrim netting, which was usually worn on patrol, hung around the neck and collar.:cool:

    The webbing will be painted a dark yellow/ khaki colour, with pouches, water bottles and bum pack painted in various shades repesenting both US and British made items of kit.

    I'll leave the flesh tones until later. I'm searching for a photo of one of the members of D Coy6 RAR who survived the Battle of Long Tan who resembles the face of this figure.

    I'll post some more pics later tonight (its Friday night here and I'm staying up late) and show some more reference pics.

    Cheers
  18. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi Guys,

    Here are the latest pics as promised.:eek:

    Base colour (American Green) on shirt and trousers.

    Basic dry brushing over major highlight areas on shirt and trousers done (Base colour plus white plus Yellow Green).

    Base colour ( Dark Yellow) on webbing straps and harness.

    Cheers

    Attached Files:

  19. jasmils Active Member

    Country:
    Australia
    Looking good

    G'day Tony, I have been trying to convice Alan Mac to use an air brush for a while now. Maybe after he has seen yours he might reconsider.

    Yep that is the correct US citation (Swimming Pool) for D Company 6 RAR.
    And it now also needs the ADM ("Australian Defence Medal" or better known as the "Thanks for Coming Medal"or "Short Timers Award or "The Redfern Medal, not quite the Parrmatta Medal;) ) added to it.

    Cheers Jason
  20. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi Jason,

    Thanks mate. It will certainly save him some time and effort if he does decide to use an airbrush for the base coating.

    Cheers

    Cheers

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