WIP Bloodied, but unbowed

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Henk

A Fixture
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Messages
1,536
Getting back into it, so without further ado...

This is a nice sculpt by Richard Bailey, inspired by a well known photo taken at Arnhem, of two Paras after the fighting at the bridge ended.
If based the Denisons and the battle dress jacket, and more or less finished the heads, bar a few tweaks (eyes...). Waiting for the base from Richard, so that I can get properly stuck in with the painting.

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Hi Henk

Great to see you back at the bench and swirling those brushes

Good subject ..,is this a actual bust ?

Good start so far , like the wound

Looking forward to seeing more

Following with interest

Happy benchtime

Nap
 
Thank you Kevin, it's good to be active again.

Yes, this is the bust. It's marketed by RDG Miniatures, it's 1/9th scale (and, at £65, good value for the large lump of resin that you get..), and there is also a whopping 300mm full figure, but that one is beyond my budget.
There are some musings, but I'll get to those as I go along.

Glad to see you along.
 
Ok, a little context.

The photo that the sculpt is based on, was taken in the afternoon of September 20 1944, and shows three Sappers from B Troop, 1st Para Squadron, Royal Engineers. The engineers, together with Paras from the 3rd Battalion, had taken a defensive position in the Van Limburg Stirum school on the East side of the bridge. They spend the next three days and three nights fighting a bitter close quarter battle with the Germans, who, when unable to defeat the Paras with infantry attacks, bring forward heavy self propelled artillery and tanks. The Paras are forced to give up their position only after the Germans shelled the building from point black range, and the Paras could no longer control the fire, which threatened to burn the defenders alive.

The Para on the left, is Sapper Charles Grier, and the wounded Para on the right is Sapper Dick Robb.

Sapper Dick Robb was wounded in the face during the first battle on the first night, and again later during the next few days. He resumed his career as an Civil Engineer after the war, and died in 2003, aged 82.
I've not been able to find any info on Sapper Grier yet.
 
Changed the base colour of Sapper Robb's smock, he's wearing a Mk2 smock, as evident by the straight sleeves without the knitted cuffs. I've also lightened the battle dress blouse, and created some shadow and highlights, and hopefully some texture.

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Well, done for today. I've tweaked the battle dress, it needs a bit more lighting up in places, a tweak of the brown too, but it's getting there.
I've started the camouflage on Sapper Robb's smock. Early days, but it's starting to take shape.
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The battle dress colour looks a lot better and good base colour for the Dennison.

Cheers Simon

Thanks Simon. I started with an Olive base colour, but that is more appropriate for the earlier Denisons, which have the knitted cuffs. Later one can be mistaken for early ones, if the common alteration of adding the top of woollen socks to the cuff was made.
 
Played about with the battle dress, excuse the rubbish pictures, this phone camera will not behave itself. But ignoring the shade of brown of the blouse (the phone seems determined to make it look like leather... ), What does it look like now? Is what I'm trying working?

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Thank you Simon, I'm glad you saw the soot and plaster/ash, rather than an attempt at camouflage . It can be difficult to judge something you do objectively. Now I know I'm on the right way.
 
Thank you Simon, I'm glad you saw the soot and plaster/ash, rather than an attempt at camouflage . It can be difficult to judge something you do objectively. Now I know I'm on the right way.

We are our own worst critiques most of the time and I know what you mean, it is as plain as day to the modeller but others may misinterpret it. It looks good mate, looking forward to seeing them finished.

Cheers Simon
 
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH....



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I blame Kev....

I wasn't taken with the sculpted on Pegasus and Regiment patches, because there are non on the blouse that Sapper Robb wears in the photo.
I give this the artistic licence benefit of the doubt, and after all, it's an old photo... But, upon looking for some info on what shoulder patch to paint for the R.E., it appears that many did not have patches on their sleeves at all, or, as in the case of Capt. Eric McKay (who escaped across the Rhine), it looks like he only wears the Pegasus on the blouse he's wearing in the photos, taken at Nijmegen.
So I bit the bullet, and removed them, with a scalpel.

I'm now going to have a lay down in a darkened room.
 
Hi Henk

I'm innocent till proven ......might I suggest you get a primer on the removed areas to highlight where they were and get the sanding pads ready !

I saw them removed thought you were redoing the insignia but as usual with your good research they appear to not be worn

Look forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap
 
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