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Bored Landsturm 1915

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Dan Morton, Aug 9, 2008.

  1. Dan Morton A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    I started this one several months ago, but after having quite a lot of difficulty with the 1888 Mauser rifle, finally this vignette is complete. Actually, not quite, I still have some rifle buckles to do and a thorough cleaning.

    This figure is a German Landsturm in 1915 on sentry duty in a quiet part of the front. He's bored, thinking about home. Maybe he's musing about the local beer garden, his little farm and wondering whether his frau is managing to get the crops harvested.

    Unless I've given John something impossible to cast (!!!!), this will be the third The Old Contemptibles kit.

    As you can see, you can build it with one of two head-and-hat choices, either the Landsturm M1861 schako or the M1813 Landsturm oilcloth visor cap. In 1915, the Landsturm were mostly issued with obsolete equipment and uniforms. The Litewka coat he is wearing is the 1903 version. As I mentioned, he's armed with an 1888 Mauser rifle, but he also has a wicked-looking Pionierfaschinenmesser (I hope I'm not butchering the German!) bayonet, one side of which is a blade and the other is a sawtooth. The bayonet can be slide-mounted on and off the rifle. Unlike most bayonets, which fit below the rifle barrel, this one fit sideways and below the barrel. There is one ammunition container, a brotbeutel bag and a water bottle (canteen), a trench head-breaker - wooden with embedded metal studs, and a "potato-masher" grenade.

    In the trench observation wall, there is an armored metal plate with an observation slit, a piece of cloth used to cover the slit when not in use, and - two apples he picked and brought with him from his last rest period in the rear. Unfortunately for our hero, one of the apples has a little worm in it. :)

    I know you probably can't see all this in the photos. Sorry!

    As soon as John McNenney has this one cast, our good friend Ulrich Biroth will be painting the box art.

    Hope you like it!

    All the best,
    Dan

    Attached Files:

  2. tonydawe A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    Hi Dan,

    He looks great mate. The body has a natural slump to it, like he's half standing/ half leaning against the wall. Just one question- is he looking straight forward and slightly downwards, it's difficult to tell from your pics? He looks like he's looking straight ahead in the first pic, and in the second pic his head seems to be slightly lower and he's staring down at the ground. Could be just the photos or my eyes.

    I like all the bits and pieces of trench-life you've added to the scene. It looks very realistic. The Mauser looks good too.

    Congratulations Dan, a first class job. I'm looking forward to seeing this one painted up.

    Cheers
  3. alamac Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Australia
    G'Day Dan.
    i like the way you think, and the thought you put into this one the body language is perfect, mate, i really like it ,well done and i certainly look forward to seeing this painted.
    Alan
  4. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Hi Dan

    It looks great and I had many interested things to paint I think. One important question: Is it a german or french worm? That will be important to paint the right cockade in him. :D
    If I find him. :p

    All the best

    Ulrich
  5. Dan Morton A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Tony, Alan and Ulrich - Many thanks guys! Tony - While as a sentry, he's supposed to be looking thru the view slit all the time, his mind has wandered and he's actually meant to be looking "inward" if you will. That's a bit difficult to convey (for me) in a sculpture, but anyways, that's the idea. And the worm - he's a citizen of the great nation, "Nematodia" and their flag and cocade is brown on brown on brown. They were officially neutral during the Great War. :)

    All the best,
    Dan
  6. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Ok. Dan.

    No problem: Brown on brown on brown.

    Ulrich
  7. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    And here the first photos from the painted Landsturmmann.

    Hope you like it. I had much fun to paint that figure


    Ulrich

    Attached Files:

  8. amcairns A Fixture

    Country:
    New_Zealand
    Dan,
    With some colour on the dio,its really brought to life.The details add interest to the scene too.Well done.
    Andy

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