I've been watching this stuff all weekend. The 507th one was really good. D-Day Lost Evidence is on now and is really good. I like the mix of reenactors and actual footage.

Gary & John,
Oh yeah I'm watching THC!!! I can't wait to watch the lost evidence episode tonight. I will say, though, that I was seriously disappointed with the one depicting the soldier from the Canadian Regina Rifles and the trooper from the 82nd - the name of this program escapes me. Hardly none of the uniforms were close to remotely accurate whatsoever. I also caught A&E's "Ike: 10 days to D-Day." Good movie!

The Discovery Channel is showing some great stuff to, especially a show called DDay: Reflections of Courage, great show.

Pete, your article reads quite well so far. Is this conversion going to be the one we talked about at Catigny last Chicago Show?

Kreston

Kreston,
No, it isn't. But it's definitely giving me the blueprints for doing it I'm still having trouble finding the necessary weapons in 54mm.

Okay, here's some more ...

The project: planning (continued)

Now that enough references have been gathered and the exact timeframe to depict has been chosen, it is time to select a miniature appropriate for my needs. For this project, I chose Michael Roberts, Ltd.’s 54mm 101st. Airborne paratrooper in the Ardennes. This figure was perfect for this project since it is from the exact same unit and timeframe that I’m depicting. Also, the casting and sculpting of this figure is flawless. Having painted this figure before will be of help since I’m already familiar with the kit. (photo 1). Still, some conversion work will be needed, depending on how many existing details don’t go with the precise subject I’m looking for.

Converting the figure
The first part of the figure that would need to be changed are the boots. The 101st. Airborne Division deployed to Bastogne without the appropriate winter clothing, including footgear. The figure depicts a trooper wearing four-buckle snow overshoes, but these did not arrive to the Screaming Eagles’ front-line units until after the Bastogne campaign. For instance, Easy Company 506 PIR did not receive these until February, 1945. Hence, there was no way that Sgt. Guarnere would be wearing these at Bastogne. Jump boots would be necessary for the figure, which would be taken from another airborne figure – Michael Roberts, Ltd. 54mm U. S. paratrooper in Normandy. This figure was the natural choice for its boots since they are from the same manufacturer and sculptor. Thus, there would not be any problems with scale compatibility.

After some careful cutting with a Dremel rotary tool, both boots were ready for the Sgt. Guarnere figure; I was also able to remove the right boot with the combat knife scabbard still attached. The bottom edges of each leg was ground down and the boots were then glued on; bloused trouser legs were then resculpted down onto and slightly over the top edge of the boots. (photo 2 ). The right leg, in particular, required more resculpting so as to accommodate the scabbard strapped to the right shin (photo 3). Fortunately, the right boot’s pose looked natural for the figure, but this was not so with the left boot. The angle at which the left leg is at required the left boot to be cut at the ankle and angled slightly inward, and the toe needed to be bent slightly upward a bit. More resculpting was needed at these joints.

Pete, Very nice sbs thus far. I really like your attention to detail/accuracy.~Gary

Thanks, Gary. I'm currently writing about the arms, modifying the Tommy gun, and the lower back. I should have it up here in about 1 hour or so.

Converting the figure (continued)

With the legs done, it is time to work on the arms. There was little doubt that the bazooka had to go, as well as the gloved hands. SSgt. Guarnere was always armed with the M1 Thompson submachinegun, and this is where I ran into my first obstacle – where to find a 54mm Tommy gun? I couldn’t find a 54mm accessory pack on the market, nor was a 54mm figure with this weapon included easily available. So I posted a request for this piece on a couple of online miniatures discussion forums – planetFigure (www.planetfigure.com) and TnT Miniatures (http://forums.delphiforums.com/tntlinks/start). Fellow miniaturist Leigh Coote from Australia was kind enough to send me two 54mm Tommy guns from Airfix’s 1/32 British 8th. Army multipose kit. The gun, however, needed to be slightly modified since it was the earlier M1928 version (photo 4). All that was needed was to change the location of the bolt mechanism from above to the right side, sand off the Cutts compensator, and remove the flash suppressor. The magazine was also removed so it could be placed in the figure’s left hand.

The originals kit’s hands would need to be replaced since not only are they gloved, but they also don’t go with the pose I’m aiming for. Again, I resorted to another product by Michael Roberts, Ltd. – a set of 54mm hands in different poses. I found a pair that required very little modifying. In order to fit the Tommy gun into the right hand, I removed the pistol grip; this was of little concern since the hand I was using already had a similar pistol grip sculpted into it. I did, however, need to shave down the back of the hand in between the thumb and forefinger, as well as sand down the appropriate spot on the gun’s butt, to get a perfect fit (photo 5). The left hand I was using was sculpted as if it were gripping something, so this was perfect for holding an ammunition magazine. I hollowed out the top and bottom of the left hand bit, and then cut out the part of the magazine that would be gripped by the left hand. This left me with two pieces of the magazine that I would glue into the grip and fill in with a bit of putty (photo 6).

Converting the figure (continued)

Once the hands were complete, I hollowed out the wrists on each arm so that the hands would look convincingly attached to them. However, I needed to grind down the inner right arm a bit so as to accommodate the Tommy gun. Any gaps were filled in with putty and resculpted to blend into the original arm. During this process, I was continuously attaching the arms to the body with blue-tac adhesive so I can make sure they looked natural to the body’s pose (photo 7). I also kept referring back to the original version of the kit so as to keep track of my progress (photo 8).

Here's Photo 8. I still haven't figured out how to post several attachments. Anybody know how?

Converting the figure (continued)

The lower back of the figure would need to be modified so as to accommodate S/Sgt. Guarnere’s field gear. I was able to find out on wildbillguarnere.com that he carried on his web belt (from left to right): canteen, 5-magazine ammo pouch, entrenching tool, pistol holster, first aid pack. For this it was necessary to grind down the lower back portion of the figure and resculpt it so that this gear will look natural and flush with the clothing as it hangs off the web belt. First, I sculpted a 5-magazine ammo pouch in the middle of the lower back, around which I will position the rest of the gear. I chose to flatten the first pouch on the left so it would look empty – afterall, the figure depicts him reloading his Tommy gun. As for the rest of the gear, I would be using the stock pieces that came with the original kit. Once the ammo pouch had cured, I laid down a thin layer of putty on both sides of it and then pressed in and removed the stock pieces. After this, I resculpted folds and seam lines into the areas exposed in between the gear (photo 9).

With all this work done, it was time to proceed to the most challenging part of the project: the face.

To be continued ...

Pete, Very very nice. Though I like sbs on scratchbuilt pieces conversions can sometimes be just as much a task. I rally like all the alterations on the figure to accomodate all the equipment. I'm looking forward to the fun part, the face.~Gary

Gary,
Actually, I finished the face last night (thank God for steel pot helmets!!!). But right now, I need a break from photography and writing. I'll try to get it written up by tonight.

great work, Pete, you are doing him justice

WWII is my fav subject but i can't find figs here

i'm really enjoying this sbs! keep it up

Gracias, Daniel! Ni voy a la mitad del articulo. Todavia me queda escribir sobre la escultura de su cabeza, y luego me queda pintar la miniatura. Termine esta noche la fotografia, y estoy por empezar pintando la figura. Creo que tendre tiempo maniana (como se escriben "enies" y acentos en este foro? ) para poner el texto correspondiendo a la cabeza (que sale de ser la ultima parte de esta conversion).

De nuevo, gracias ...

Petey!
Awesome my friend; well worth the wait! The sbs is incredible, too! Am real eager to see them with thier heads attached...

All the best

Patrick

Glad you like it, Sir! I'll have the "head" written up within the next 24 hours - promise.

And now, off to bed. Hey, I'm on summer break, remember?!

That's a clever adaption of that figure !

Thanks, el Manfredo! Glad to see someone noticed