ChuckD

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Chuck, believe me I can understand. I always feel the need to place a human figure next to my models for the proportions and to contextualize them, with airplanes I limit myself, but with land vehicles I start from a base of four figures, risking every time getting carried away, and obviously I always try to customize them or adapt them to what I want.
I'm reasonably sure that a male and a female figure exist as a product that can be assembled to be used as a basis for self-made figurines, but now I can't find the references, sorry.
in any case, in my (little) experience it is enormously simpler to adapt pre-existing parts than to create them from scratch, this is an art form that goes far beyond modeling, IMHO. in this sense the Airfix sets (I think there are 8 in total) provide a large quantity of useful parts to create something of your own. Personally, if I don't find parts that already fit, I insert sections of tin wire in place of the joints, especially shoulders and elbows, and then I fill only the missing parts with putty.
I don't want to invade this space, in case I ask the administrators to remove this post, but I would like to post some photos to explain myself better:

 

 
finally, I confess that that series of photos, plus others of similar scenarios with Corsairs parked on compressed coral have always fascinated me terribly, I can't wait to see your completed one!
cheers, Paolo

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Thank you, all.  Much appreciated.  @mc65, I wasn't aware of that Airfix set and will look into it.  Figures add so much to a model and are almost a necessity for any diorama.  However, it gets really frustrating trying to find ones that will fit the scenes in my head, so that's why I started sculpting a few things here and there.  The problem for me is compounded by the fact that I tend to do a lot of Pacific settings which makes it that much harder to find figures that both physically fit and are clad in theater-correct attire.  Take, for example, the figure I had to use for our intrepid pilot, Lt. Ray.  The figure is designed for the ETO and thus, if you're really looking, you'll see he's wearing heavier gear than what would be found in the SW Pacific theater.  
 
So, sadly, I'm left to either eschew perfection and accept a little artistic license, or sculpt the entire figure, clothes, headgear, harnesses, straps, equipment, and all from scratch.  Maybe some day I'll have the wherewithal to do that, but not yet, so sanity dictates I choose the former option and not the latter.  I offer my sincerest apologies to those who are offended by my lack of accuracy.
 
What I'd love - and might push me to start sculpting more - is a posable mannequin in 1/32 scale that I could use as the base frame for the figure.  I've tried doing a base frame from wire before and it went poorly.  So, if any of you out there have any leads for something like that, I'm all ears.
 
Anyway, I spent a little time at the bench today getting the arms done for the crew chief.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  Tomorrow, I'll add pockets, arm patches, and take a swipe at the collar.  This is my first time using Green Stuff vs ApoxieSculpt or Magic Sculpt.  I am enjoying working with it as it is stickier (thus it doesn't slough off the wire frame if I push too hard) and it's a harder material once mixed, meaning that I can push hard while sculpting and already-completed details aren't destroyed elsewhere.  As with any epoxy putty though, the build process is agonizingly long as it typically has to cure for many hours before you can progress to the next section.











 
 

Chuck, 
exceptional work, as always!
only by seeing the latest photos did I understand that you intend to sculpt the mechanic on the wing practically from scratch.
it's almost certainly late for this, but have you considered the Airfix multi-pose figures in 1/32?
here a review of them: https://www.starshipmodeler.com/other/oo_airfix.htm
for these jobs they are an excellent base from which to start. considering he's shirtless I'd also take a look at the 25pdr Tamiya crew, item 35046/MM146. Just my 2c: I'm terrible at sculpting, so I tend to put together existing pieces.
cheers, Paolo

Great entertainment Chuck, and given that it's only taken a month to get to this point, a great lesson in how fast one can build! The amazing thing is that you have added all that extra detail, and are now creating bespoke figures for the chosen scene. I think palm trees are a definite possibility... 

This is fine work the work on the figures is ever so impressive, way beyond me.
 
Cheers
 
Dennis

Good job.

I’m enjoying following along with you Chuck!

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Sweet merciful God, please don't connect that to the Internet. 

Hi, all.  Back with an update after making good progress today.  
 
First, our gallant protagonist has been roughed in.  Surprisingly, the Black Dog resin figure fit the scene pretty well.  I will only have to do some minor shaping and filling behind the left shoulder to clean him up.  I'll need to fix his fingers as they broke when I tried to straighten them a bit, but that shouldn't be too big of a problem.


 
I'm going to have to deviate from the source photo just a bit here as the parachute is going to cause a bit of an issue.  In the reference photo, I believe Lt. Ray had his parachute pack on the seat pan with the straps splayed out the cockpit and down the side of the fuselage.  On the figure set, the parachute pack (not attached) is integral to the figure and all the associate straps and harnesses are already molded onto the figure.  I don't think I've got it in me to remove all the molded detail then sculpt in other detail that would inevitably be needed after such a task.  So, in our version of history, Lt. Ray will be entering the a/c with his pack on his rear.  Artistic license, etc, etc, etc.


 
When I got to looking at the second figure - the one that I need to sculpt from the waist up - I realized he was standing on the section of wing outboard of the fold line.  So, I needed to build the wings.  After that, I was so close to being done, I decided to finish it up.  So, aside from some clear bits, antennae, a pitot tube, and the Anyz Model canopy rail, the build is more or less done.  All the gear stuff is dry fit, including the doors.  Same for the prop.  



 
As others have said, this is a wonderful kit.  The engineering on it is just superb and it really went together well.  The only fit issues I have are near the top of the cowling, so, I'll need to do a little filling there.  But, outside of that, it was a good clean build and I'm glad I've got another in the stash.    That's not to say I missed any opportunities to shoot myself in the foot... I forgot to add the little clear windows on the leading edges for the gun cams and such.  I didn't realize it until I'd almost closed up the small panels on the top of the wing above them.  Fortunately, by reaching into the small panel on the top of the wing, I was able to finagle the two clear pieces in place without too much trouble.  Story of my life.
 
Anyhoo, I hope to make some progress on the figures and the base now.  The build work will be halted until those have been addressed.  Again, I don't want to paint and finish the airplane, as I just know I will run out of steam if I save the figures for last.
 
 

Hi, all.  Back with a small update.  Progress has been kinda slow this week as I've been busy with work, stuff with my kiddo, and I've been under the weather.  I think for the diorama, I'm not going to attach the a/c to the base.  The odds of the dio traveling outside my model room (before it makes its final trip to the dumpster after I'm cold and in the dirt) is near zero, so it shouldn't much matter if the plane and base are detachable.  With that in mind, I'm taking some time to detail things on the under side of the plane that would never be seen if attached to the base.  
 
The Corsair has quite a bit of plumbing running through the wheel wells, so I tried to simulate that here.  I also opened the lightening holes on the bottom of the spar to run plumbing in there.  I'm still searching for photos of the gear bay forward of the spar though.  There has to be plumbing in there for the main hydraulic actuator and other sundries.  So far, all the sources I've found have come up dry.  I've got amazing photos of the bay aft of the spar (thank you again, @Dana Bell!), but the search continues for a good look forward of the spar.
 
I had to add the door actuators so that I could plumb them properly without the doors being in place.  Fortunately, the doors can be added after the fact with no issue.  The only downside is that, until the gear is slotted in place, they become load bearing when the assembly is placed right side up.  You can already see that the actuator on the right has started to weaken.

 

 

 
 
It's amazing how helpful it is to use lead wire.  It's so much more friendly to use than even soft copper or brass.
 
Anyway, that's it for now.  Next up will be a similar treatment to the other wheel well, then assembling the main gear.  On the plus side, I just learned that my new company closes down over the holidays, so I get an unexpected paid week off between the holidays!  With nothing else planned, that should allow for some pretty decent progress to wind out the year.

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
 
 

Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
 
Anyway, good progress today.  
 
After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

 
This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

 
Back:

 
Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

 
The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

 
I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



 
While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

 

 
Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
 
I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.