Hi Carl,

Mate,I have had a few moments where I've wanted to throw this figure against the wall, but I'm now quite pleased with how its turned out. That which does not kill you only makes you stronger, eh?

I want to pose the figure as if he's part of 42 Commando during the Big Yomp, taking a break while climbing the side of Mt Kent on East Falkland on 31 May 1982.

Lots of wind blown grass clumps and rocks at his feet. I need to dirty him up a lot but I'll do that once he's attached to the base and the ground work colours are finalised.

Exellent result Tony and full marks for persavearing with it mate as others would have put him asside by now, especially after the barrel broke just to top it all.
Looking forward to seeing him on his basework which should really show him off.

Lovely work Tony,all the best,

Steve

Thanks so much Steve,

I want to finish this project properly and try to do it to the best of my limited ability.

Thanks for your constant encouragement and assistance.

I'll post some groundwork pics in a day or two.

Hope this helps mate.

Steve

Basic groundwork

Hi guys,

Here's the basic groundwork design and layout. As in the photo Steve supplied (cheers mate), I've tried to show the low grass tussock vegetation and rocky terrain of the Falkland Islands. I'll add a sprinkling of snow to finish it off.

The figure is just positioned on the base for the shots at this stage. I still have to finish painting the rifle and weather the figure with mud splashes and dirt before I fix him to the base.

Wow mate that is some stunning groundwork you have produced and it compliments the figure beautifully. One of the things i heard moaned about the most about the falklands by mates who served there was them elephant tuff grass`s, they said the terrain was really hard going advancing wise due to them as they made you stumble a lot trying to cross them.

Cracking work mate and by far the best falklands figure i have seen done, just a shame hes a Marine and not a Para

All the best mate

Steve

Great. I have been watching the progress with the figure and it was amazing but the groundwork pushed your figure to a whole new level. The patches of show are going to make the whole setting perfect.

Absolutely fantastic work mate,
Mario

Tony, fantastic groundwork, after all the set backs and alterations you've made so far, I think the majority of us would of taken the easy route and just put him on a flat base with a few tufts of grass . Glad you didn't , as the different levels really compliment the figures stance.

Cheers Ken

Cheers Carl, it's starting to come together now mate. Thanks for your continued encouragement.

Thanks Steve, I wouldn't have been able to get this far without your help and encouragement. I'd love to do a Falklands para one day.

Thanks Mario, I appreciate your comments. Hopefully when the groundwork is done and the weathering is complete he'll look nice and cold and exhausted.

Cheers Ken. I'd always planned to pose this figure on a slope, I just couldn't find a base the right size and shape to put him on. A quick trip down to my local hardware store and $5 for a pine kitchen utensil box a bit of cutting and shaping with the dremel and problem solved. Thanks again for your encouragement.

Excellent work, Tony

Tony:

Wow, this is a beautiful presentation. And you've really worked hard to get
all that equip. put together realistically. During the Falklands War I was at
The Miami Herald, and we covered the period quite extensively. I did a lot
of situation maps for the daily paper and looked at lots of photographs of the
terrain on those islands.

You have really captured the look and feel of it, and you should be justly
proud of a most impressive figure, and the base/terrain is equally impressive.
I try to remember the world "ISN'T" flat, but designing bases that way are
more difficult and take more time. But obviously, you have the discipline.

Very impressive,

Jaybird

On a side note.. when the Falklands war took place i couldnt get my head round why Britain sent troops so far away for a small island which no one had heard of and mercifully defended as if it were a couple of miles of our coast.
Just last week i got my answer in a newspaper, seems that a massive ammount of oil has been located in the local waters around the islands, maybe Maggie Thatcher was aware of this possibility back then and astute enough to know the country would need this oil one day.
There is always an unseen motive behind all wars

Steve

very nice work Tony!

enjoyed watching your progress on this and as said the groundwork is a nice compliment to the figure!

Mark

Great work tony,what sort of era would this figure be from,the reason i ask is there dosent seem to be many royal marine comando figures available,my brother in law is currently serving with 42 commando in norway and i would like to complete a figure for him in the future but i wanted a figure representing the present day,do you know of any manufacturers that produce current day royal marines?

Once again great painting and modeling.

Hi! Tony.
Great work and Great ground work.
I think wonderful presentation.
The feel of a material of the camouflage coat of a figure and the backpack is wonderful.
The facial expression is also nice.
I congratulate completion.

Mitsutaka

Thanks Rick, sometimes I confuse discipline with stubborness, but either way I have too many half-finished figures in boxes to leave this one unfinished. It's too clean at the moment, so my next step will be to dirty him up a lot.

Hi Steve, I thought the Falklands war was all about Maggie getting re-elected. We're too cynical to believe it was simply because the Argies invaded sovereign British territory, aren't we?

Cheers Mark, it's starting to look like I imagined it when I bought this kit at Euro. Still lots of fiddly bits to do, but at least I can see the finishing line from here.

Hi Brian, this figure is from the 1980's, specifically the 1982 Falklands War. The Imperial Gallery produces this particular figure and I'm sure if you check out their website you'll find a range of post-WW2 British figures that will appeal to you.

Hi Mitsutaka, I greatly appreciate your comments my friend. I haven't finished yet, there's still much to do, but I'm happy you like my progress.

Excellent work mate on everything. Maybe see it in the flesh one day. Hardy

Almost Finished Now

Hi Hardy, thanks for your comments mate. I hope you'll get to see this in the flesh one day too.

Apart from the rifle sling (which I will add last) the figure and the groundwork are now almost completed.

I still think he's still a bit too clean, particularly around the boots and gaiters, but I'm pretty happy with the groundwork now and wont add any more grass. Since I last posted pics, I've added some spots of snow and about 50% more clumps of grass and some water effects to create a slushy feel to the ground.

I've also added some black camoflague to his face, using pastel chalk, which from all the pics I've seen was SOP for Marine's in the Falklands. It does obscure the face a bit, but it definitely makes him look more "hard core".

Hope you guys enjoyed these pics as much as I enjoyed bringing them to you.

Tony,
May I congratulate you on a superb step by step presentation in assembling and painting the Marine, Falklands. The colours and the techniques you describe are nearly exactly the same as I used except that I used Humbrol enamels. I think it is important not to carry camouflage patterns over seams and pockets etc. I am sorry that you have experienced problems with the bergen but looking at my figure, the bergen is fitted higher on the back so that the bum pouches fit in the middle of the figure's belt. As regards the design of the bergen, if you look at your photographs carefully you will see that the frame of the bergen extends underneath the sleeping bag. This bergen is the marine arctic bergen which differs from the Para bergen. The para bergen's frame extends directly beneath the main body of the bergen and also there is an external pouch on the body of the para bergen as shown in the photogtaphs sent. Your conversion looks really good but I would suggest that for accuracy that you sculpt an external pouch on the main body of the bergen.
Once again, I can only apologise for the trouble you have experienced with the bergen but would also reiterate what a fantastic looking figure this is. If I can be of any help in relation to information or accessories, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Rob Hardwick
Imperial Gallery
www.hardwick85.freeserve.co.uk