Hayes Wauford | 29 Mar 2020 6:55 a.m. PST |
Here are my first 28mm USMC for Vietnam. Overall pleased with the result. Thanks to Deadhead for getting me over the hump on brybrushing the helmet covers! Thanks to Bismark/Sam for all the historical knowledge! I am excited to do more now that I think I have the colors down, etc. These are all from Full Metal Miniatures. Hopefully these all show up "right side up." Had some rotation issues.
|
deadhead | 29 Mar 2020 7:35 a.m. PST |
No doubt here, your helmet covers beat mine. The whole effect is now lighter, yet more vivid, than the green of the utilities. Perfect, best I have seen I only got the photographer (Catherine Leroy) and the stretcher party from this company. They are a great match for Gringos40 size-wise, but I had no idea the rest of the range could look this good. Helmets worried some, but a bit of filing fixes that I found The M60 team kneeling and the sniper duo….brilliant work |
d88mm1940 | 29 Mar 2020 7:50 a.m. PST |
I like them! Very nice overall. If I may point out a couple of things. I don't think a sniper would have a pack of Marlboro's in his helmet. It would defeat camouflage principals. It looks like the sculpt has it there, but a sniper would only have something greenish or brownish. Your painting of it looks good, though. Also, 'soul brothers' and Vietnamese preferred menthol cigarettes, either Salems or Kools, so an emerald green color instead of red (although red looks better on these small scale figures). These are just comments, not criticisms. I really like these paint jobs. cheers |
GamesPoet | 29 Mar 2020 7:54 a.m. PST |
Very much enjoyed seeing these, congrats on such a good looking bunch of figures, excellent! I'll be checking out Full Metal Miniatures, they should pay you for such good advertising for them. ; ) |
Hayes Wauford | 29 Mar 2020 7:59 a.m. PST |
Thanks a lot guys! d88mm1940- thanks for the feedback. The sculpt is based on a team sitting in the street in Hue, so not really camoflaged. I agree completely with the assessment but took some artistic license for fun. Regarding the brand I found lots of photos of Marlboros, plus it was easier to paint and identify. I live in Winston-Salem, NC so Salem is near and dear to use here. Maybe the next batch! |
Raynman | 29 Mar 2020 8:10 a.m. PST |
|
Legion 4 | 29 Mar 2020 8:17 a.m. PST |
|
deadhead | 29 Mar 2020 9:12 a.m. PST |
The thing is that fags in the helmet band just look so good and totally iconic. In an earlier post the experts told us that a cigarette pack would not survive five minutes in the VN climate and that they were issued a case to enclose a pack. The sniper had something in his helmet band for sure. He is Joe Cool though….what photography and posing (definitely posed, this is not in harm's way)….try applying the Golden Triangle to this;
I have the Gringos40 version of these two, but could be tempted++ I agree that Full Metal Miniatures should be delighted with these. Sounds like a new start up, facing challenges to stock up, but good luck to them and I found great service for my small order. Catherine Leroy (the photographer) is simply incredible |
Irish Marine | 29 Mar 2020 9:27 a.m. PST |
I love that photo, so much to see in it. The Marine has fixed bayonet plus if you look close enough he has to twenty round mags taped to together for a total of 40 rounds. I don't think it's posed, why would you think it is? |
d88mm1940 | 29 Mar 2020 9:38 a.m. PST |
I might think that it is posed. The spotter is in the open and has a cigarette in his right hand. Also, they could be away from the action and just sizing it up before going forward. The photographer happened to catch them at this moment. |
Hayes Wauford | 29 Mar 2020 9:58 a.m. PST |
Looks like the scope caps in his helmet band! |
deadhead | 29 Mar 2020 10:19 a.m. PST |
Nathaniel Victor over there has snipers too…not as good maybe, but still. The spotter is totally exposed, not crazy about the sniper's cover either. The onlookers are just target practice. Plus…where is the photographer????? He (she?) is out in the street, back to the enemy! Terrific photo, great composition, but staged (I think…). |
Hayes Wauford | 29 Mar 2020 10:42 a.m. PST |
|
deadhead | 29 Mar 2020 1:14 p.m. PST |
That is a terrific find. I checked out everything I could learn on Olson for my Dong Ba Tower diorama, but did not come across this. I found much discussion about the identity of the Marine on the tank, sadly suggesting he did not survive after all, but little, other than the photos, about the Tower assault. For me, this is a great source. Many thanks. |
Hayes Wauford | 29 Mar 2020 1:38 p.m. PST |
There is a Stars and Strips YouTube about the wounded Marine on the tank. He's still alive and is interviewed! Google USMC Hue YouTube Stars and Stripes. Happy Vietnam Veterans Day to those out there! |
Hayes Wauford | 29 Mar 2020 2:13 p.m. PST |
RE the sniper picture: 1. The bayet on the M16 in the background and mags taped together- you don't see this often- brutal city fighting 2. The guy in the background with something covered up? MG? Another sniper? Looks like belted ammo across the top of the covered item 3. Bipod on the spotter's M16- I haven't seen many photos of this either but per most TOEs it shows a squad automatic rifleman with bipod M16 NOT M60. Per Force on Force OB for USMC |
Irish Marine | 29 Mar 2020 3:05 p.m. PST |
Back in the 80's when we got the M-16A2 (really great rifle) the Armory kept the bi-pods. |
Choctaw | 29 Mar 2020 7:14 p.m. PST |
Just because he is looking through his scope doesn't mean he is intending to shoot or even has a target. We have no idea what they are watching. The sniper doesn't even have his finger on the trigger. |
Skarper | 29 Mar 2020 10:32 p.m. PST |
This photo looks posed. There are very very few photos taken in action compared to ones like this. It stands to reason – combat was brief and highly dangerous. Even if the photographer was in it they would usually miss their chance or get a rather poor photograph. There are SOME photos taken under fire of course. Just many thousand times as many of troops in the combat area but not under fire. |
deadhead | 30 Mar 2020 1:55 a.m. PST |
It is a great photo and, if staged, that work is so much better than anything the opposition ever produced. I keep seeing on Pinterest titles like "Incredible photos taken by NVA photographers" and simply cannot believe that they showed so little talent….I cannot think of one memorable image from those born in the North to die in the South. Great analysis of the photo content. The bipod? Gringos40 do one,
but it is so unusual to see, as with the fixed bayonet. I hope Hayes (I keep wanting to call him "Purple") will forgive us hijacking the topic. At least we are keeping it top! How I wish the Marine on the tank was true. Both Don Mc Cullin and Olson got pics but the corpsman is convinced his patient did not survive. Howden's recent book did the research suggesting he was found alive and well, but huge doubt about accuracy. I will post as a separate thread. I have hijacked this enough. TMP link I will again just say what terrific work showing us a range that is curiously being overlooked and mixes with Gringos well (if even slightly larger or rather stockier, not taller) |
Skarper | 30 Mar 2020 3:17 a.m. PST |
While there are plenty of excellent photos of PAVN/NLF troops most are posed – I don't remember any that look like they were taken in the heat of the action. However – there are far more photos from the other side and their work has been much more widely published. I don't think it's an issue of talent really. It must have been much harder to get to the front line with a camera and get back alive. No hopping on a chopper and getting back for dinner…. |
Bismarck | 30 Mar 2020 8:33 a.m. PST |
You definitely did them justice, Hayes! Look forward to seeing them in action! |
Legion 4 | 30 Mar 2020 8:38 a.m. PST |
|