Here is the second piece for my "Shopping in Long Thanh" diorama and vignette series, the first being my "Buying Baguettes and Banh Mi" diorama that I posted last month.

This vignette depicts a Soldier from 3d Platoon, B Company, 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized), 9th Infantry Division negotiating the price of pineapple on a stick with the Vietnamese girl selling them. While the majority of the platoon had taken a short halt at the village of Long Thanh on their way back to Camp Bearcat to buy some souvenirs and for 1LT Brice Barnes to buy some baguettes, a few guys had to remain with the platoon's M113s, or tracks as they called them. The Soldiers who remained with the tracks were approached by entrepreneurial youngsters selling pineapple of a stick, cold Cokes, watches, sunglasses, hand held mirrors and small trinkets. This particular Soldier was approached by the girl selling pineapple treats.

The GI is a conversion of a Bravo 6 figure with a Hornet head and new right arm. The Vietnamese girl is from Paracel Miniatures. The "wedgie" of the M113 was made from a portion of the right side of the hull that had been cut out of an Italeri M113 kit. The rail to the side skirt which had been removed is from AFV club. The tracks are from ModelKasten. The bundle of empty sandbags strapped to the top was made from Magic Sculpt textured with grid pattern on the tightening knob on my hobby knife. The strap is made from lead foil.

Everything was painted with acrylics. This vignette is 1/35 scale.



Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James

Excellent work

Mobo

Great work again. Nice subject and again great storytelling in compliance with your other vignettes.
I really like the way you use shade and contrast. That makes it a very graphic and recognizable style of paint and layout.

greets,
RJ

Your attention to detail in both story telling & scenic elements is inspiring James. Really enjoy learning these little stories clearly & carefully told in miniature.

Especially liking detail on young GI, uniform looks lived in & cute little girl with her pineapple sticks is a special character we rarely see in modelling.
Thanks for sharing.

Do you have photos to help as reference or are these from anecdotes shared down?

MikeTheKiwi

Thank you for the comments. I find these more peaceful scenes more fun to make.

Cheers,
James

Thanks, Mike.

I am glad that you enjoy seeing my work.

The stories that these dioramas and vignettes tell are mostly from stories my Vietnam Veteran friends or my dad, who was also a Vietnam Vet, have told me. My dad had taken thousands of 35mm slides while he was in Vietnam and several of my friends have changed many of their photos to digital photos, so those are helpful references. I also try to match up their stories with my own experiences in Central and South America, Iraq, and Afghanistan so I can think back about the atmosphere and try to convey the interpersonal interaction between figures in a natural looking manner.

Cheers,
James

Sounds like whole process is therapeutic for you James.
We are blessed to have you sharing these gentle slices of life on active duty rather than more martial scenes we see.
I can relate to you also channeling of your own service as well.
Please keep helping us learn a little more about this history.
MikeTheKiwi

Classic work, James, excellent!

Great creation James! Well done.

Cheers
Ken