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Konstantin M. Simonow

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Martin Antonenko, Oct 12, 2021.

  1. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    1. Day, October 12, 2021

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    It starts again - although I have postponed my originally planned Cossack project ersu etinam.

    Instead, this colleague from "Medieval Forge" is now on my desk ...:

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    This photo should have been the model ...:

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    The sculpt by Nikita Ablejew is absolutely fantastic!

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    How Nik even manages to sculpt the Soviet stars on the tiny collar buttons (they are no bigger than the heads of a pin!) Is a mystery to me!

    As far as the casting and the equipment of the kit are concerned, we are dealing with an "all-round carefree package"!

    Everything is there - of course, alternatively the Furashka (peaked cap) or the "Pilotka" (little boat) ...:

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    However, for me a figure without anything to sculpt by myself is not a figure!

    So I'm going to remodel the bust!

    First of all, the Gymnatiorka field blouse M 1943 ...

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    ... will become one of the 1940 model - without shoulder pieces, but with a turn-down collar, on which I also want to make the badges of rank ...:

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    The reason: I already have enough Russians and Soviets with "pogony" (shoulder pieces) in my collection!

    The second reason:

    Our friend looks a bit too "Bad Pitt-like" to me ...:

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    So I'm going to remodel the face too!

    I have a portrait of the well-known writer Konstantin Mihailowitsch Simonow in mind ...

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    ... who was on the road on behalf of the Political Headquarters as a so-called "front correspondent" on behalf of pretty much every well-known Soviet newspaper ...:

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    Like many of his fellow writers, Simonov spent almost the entire war at the front from day one ...:

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    The next picture shows him during the fighting in defense of the city of Odessa in the summer of 1941 while questioning two captured Romanian soldiers ...:

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    I will have to take the PPS 43 on his back from him - this weapon does not fit in time!

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    I'm still thinking about a "Instead" - maybe a PPSh 41 ...?

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    After the war, Simonov published several books based on his notes at the time - I can only recommend them!

    Of course I will also devote myself to the details - Simonov wore two awards ...
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    ... which I will do too.

    And finally as a cherry on the cake:

    Instead of the binoculars he wil get a Soviet camera of the brand "Zorki", which I want to make myself ...:

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    Tomorrow it will start!

    Cheers
    dfmoss, Marcin Morawski, Jed and 13 others like this.
  2. Dr Bison Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Germany
    ...and knowing your work here on PF, it will be a functional miniature camera, down to the roll film inside showing actual wartime photos...

    Karl
    Jed, housecarl, Henk and 6 others like this.
  3. Airkid A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    I'm on this and will not be going away!(y)

    Phil
    Jed, Nap, Oda and 1 other person like this.
  4. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Yep - and with functional flashlight...:ROFLMAO:
    Jed, housecarl, Airkid and 3 others like this.
  5. Oda A Fixture

    As usual for Martin,an exquisite presentation/documentation and certainly an appetite wetter for the rest of us.Will follow with the utmost interest.

    Oda.
    Jed and Martin Rohmann like this.
  6. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Me too ....great to have you doing the SBS , references as always are carefully chosen

    Making a camera .......blimey !

    Following with much interest

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    Jed, Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  7. Steve Brodie PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Cant see any images :-(
  8. Panzer22 Active Member

    Country:
    Netherlands
    I will definitely follow this one, good luck Martin !
  9. clrsgt A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    An excellent bust by itself and a super conversion idea. Will be following your progress closely.
    Jed, Nap, Oda and 1 other person like this.
  10. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    2nd Day, October 13, 2021


    I've just sanded off the pogony (shoulder pieces)!

    What makes this step very difficult:

    On the one hand, it was important to me to preserve as much of the harness as possible, which I have to rebuild later anyway.

    Second, a new shoulder line has to be defined, which was distorted by the pogony.

    And thirdly, I worked out a new fold of folds in the shoulder and upper arm area from the solid ...:

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    Tomorrow we go on with the high collar of the Gymnastiorka, which has to go too.


    Cheers
    dfmoss, Jed, Scott Sheltz and 3 others like this.
  11. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Martin

    Your a brave man doing the adjustments to a already great sculpt ......all those straps would scare me !

    Thank goodness for your skill with putty

    Happy reworking

    Look forward to the collar

    Nap
    Jed, Oda and clrsgt like this.
  12. clrsgt A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    You have more nerve and certainly more ability than I have to take on reworking the shoulders and the collar.
    Jed, Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  13. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    3. Day, Oktober 14, 2021


    The next step: The stand-up collar of the Gymnastiorka has to go - and the button placket is being redesigned!

    I am really sorry about the beautifully sculpted buttons by Nik - but in 1941 Konstantin Simonow wore the commander's version of the Gymnastiorka M 1935, as it was issued between 1935 and 1937 ...

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    ... and this model had a concealed button placket ...:

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    Oh yes, a word about the rank designations: After the civil war, the terms "officer" and "general", which had been hated from the time of the tsars, were abolished in the Red Army, instead they spoke of "commanders" and "commanders".

    Only after the victory at Stalingrad in 1943, when the traditional Russian uniform - with shoulder pieces and stand-up collar - was reintroduced, did they return to the old denominations of rank ...

    This is what our friend looks like now ...:

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    The fit sample of the neck also shows: I worked carefully ...:

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    Cheers
  14. Airkid A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    I wanna see how you convert Brad Pitt into Konstantin Simonov! :eek: I have every confidence in you!

    Phil
    Martin Rohmann, Nap and sd0324 like this.
  15. sd0324 PlanetFigure Supporter


    Nobody does Communists like Martin can! He'll make Brad a Hero of the People.



    Steve
    Oda, Airkid, Martin Rohmann and 2 others like this.
  16. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Nice putty work so far Martín ......fair play to you going for this change

    References as always good as is the text information

    Look forward to more and seeing "Brad" disappear

    Happy benchtine

    Nap
    Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  17. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    4. Day, Oktober 15, 2021


    After the demolition, the reconstruction begins!

    The first belt is restored.

    First of all, I wrapped our friend properly - and only left the strap free, which we are talking about today ...:

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    Then the gap on the shoulder was closed with "Milliput", or rather made new ...:

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    Next, I treated myself to a little extra that I would have done without any modification:

    This grut is the rifle's shoulder strap. And it doesn't matter whether it is the "Pistolet-Pulemjot Schpagina" (PPSh 41) or the "Pistolet-pulemjot Sudajewa obrasza" (PPS 43), the Soviet-made belts were made of a very rough sisal fabric .. .:

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    They were far more practical than the previously popular leather straps because they were easy to clean - and they didn't need any maintenance, such as greasing the leather straps!

    In the later course of the war, these belts changed their appearance - they looked like American models:

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    That is, they not only looked like them, they were American because they were mass-produced and delivered to the Soviet allies as part of military aid ...:

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    The US models were extremely popular with the troops because they were softer and more comfortable to wear!

    When the Red Army had to defend itself against the onslaught of Hitler's amee in the summer of 1941, that was still in the future.

    So with "Jo Sonja's Structural Paste"...

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    ... I sculpted a belt of Soviet provenance in which the cross ribs of the fabric dominated (which prevented the belt from slipping off the shoulder!) And which also looks "used" ...:

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    So much for today.

    Cheers
  18. Airkid A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    My Sudayev de-ac had an early strap, and the mag pouches had leather buttons as I recall. They were made of very rough grey-green denim canvas edged with red-brown leatherette. Functionality was the watchword!
    Nice work so far Martin - must get some more beer and popcorn!:LOL:

    Phil
  19. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Martin

    Let the rebuild begin ....interesting to learn about the strap used ...good stuff for the texture as well

    Thanks for update

    Sitting comfortably here ......

    Over to you

    Nap
    Oda likes this.
  20. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    5. Day, Oktober 16, 2021


    Shoulder strap and button placket restored.

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    I have also added the characteristic double seam visible below to the button placket ...:

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    Cheers
    Osebor, dfmoss, Scott Sheltz and 2 others like this.

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