M-44 Waffen SS figure - All Done!!

[BiggTim]

Jerry Rutman's cool dios inspired me to try something new, so broke out an old figure kit I had in the stash and started it. 

 

I've never done a figure like this, even though I used to make custom action figures., but those weren't supposed to look realistic. I took a stab at painting M-44 (dot 44, pea dot) German camo on part of an old action figure, so here it is. Please tell me what you think, and constructive criticism is very welcome!

 

Thanks,

 

Tim

Edited May 6, 2020 by BiggTim

[Guest]

I think it looks good Tim. Maybe darker background colors ?.........Harv

[LSP_K2]

Very cool. I would liked to have finished mine, but it got lost during a move. Scheme looks good to me.

[ClumsyDude]

Looks pretty good to me Tim. I reckon it'd work on a figure at that scale.

 

Jim

[Troy Molitor]

Well done Tim. Looks great to me...

[BiggTim]

The one thing I definitely don't like is the shape and size of the dots. The real M-44 camo dots are not really round, but maybe at that scale it's ok. They are also more consistent in size than I am able to replicate. Here is what I used as a guide, though they left out the brown base, and I think the black color was actually "black-green", but I'm no expert.

 

http://www.artizandesigns.com/guides/new/painters%20guide%201944%20German%20Erbsenmuster.gif

Edited February 20, 2017 by BiggTim

[LSP_K2]

Here's a pretty good site for 44 dot particulars.

[BiggTim]

Yep, that's the one I was using. Great site, learned a lot!

[JRutman]

I would say the size of the dots is right but also add that you need more contrast between and betwixt the colors. The darkest color was in fact dark dark green. There were variations in exact color between the factories in all 4 colors used but if you get more contrast then all of your work will stand out much more.

Plus,keep in mind that you will loose even more contrast when you add the shaded areas and highlights? As an aside,be advised that there is a very cool PE set in this scale available from Alliance.

J

J

[BiggTim]

Thanks, Jerry. I think you guys are right about the contrast. It had more when I first painted it, but I rubbed some brown chalk into it to test what effect shading would have on it. Obviously, it muted it a little too much. I did use dark green, but it's so dull now that you can't tell. I'm going to take your advice and go for more contrast on the final product.

 

I didn't know about that PE set, I will take a look for it. I've been doing my homework and planning to add some straps and stuff with some foil or paper.

 

On another note, what do you guys think about insignia? My references show that most, if not all, of these tunics had the SS eagle on the left upper sleeve. Was it on the right arm, too? It seems that there were usually no collar tabs or rank insignia, but eve that varies a bit.

 

As for helmet, did they have flashes on the sides? I have the right decals for all of this already from my action figure days, but I could use some input. Thanks,

 

Tim

[LSP_K2]

 As an aside,be advised that there is a very cool PE set in this scale available from Alliance.

 

J

 

Looks like there are several 1:16 sets available from them. I had no idea. Thanks, Jerry.

[JRutman]

Thanks, Jerry. I think you guys are right about the contrast. It had more when I first painted it, but I rubbed some brown chalk into it to test what effect shading would have on it. Obviously, it muted it a little too much. I did use dark green, but it's so dull now that you can't tell. I'm going to take your advice and go for more contrast on the final product.

 

I didn't know about that PE set, I will take a look for it. I've been doing my homework and planning to add some straps and stuff with some foil or paper.

 

On another note, what do you guys think about insignia? My references show that most, if not all, of these tunics had the SS eagle on the left upper sleeve. Was it on the right arm, too? It seems that there were usually no collar tabs or rank insignia, but eve that varies a bit.

 

As for helmet, did they have flashes on the sides? I have the right decals for all of this already from my action figure days, but I could use some input. Thanks,

 

Tim

The eagle on the left arm only and it was actually kind of rare. Even more rare were the collar tabs being work. It would be more common to see this jacket worn over the wool jacket and the collar of the wool one pulled outside the pea dot,specially for NCOs. In the BoB the WSS troops were not issued winter combat suits (although this myth continues in the modelers world) so I have seen pics of guys wearing the wool jacket with the 44 jacket overtop and then the cammo smock over top of that !   BY 1944 the decals were also rarely seen any more on helmets. They were seen yes,but not often. The helmet covers also became more rare.

J

Edited February 21, 2017 by JRutman

[LSP_K2]

Speaking of 1:16 scale (why do you folks insist on doing this to me?), I'm now hunting down the Merit sFH 18 150mm howitzer for a "down the road" purchase.

[Planesimple81]

Looks good. How long did it take just to cover that piece?

[Joe66]

I think it looks pretty darn good...one thing to comsider, is age and wear-n-tear..... I once had a set of woodland camo bdu's that had gotten so faded....( the light green was looking almost a very light biege, the brown looked light tan, the black was almost a med. purple) ...that when I wore them one time in the field, a superior told me to DX them as they were unservicible...lol.

 

Also, when new and clean, the pattern is quite distinct, but after a week in the mud, digging foxholes, filling sandbags and whatnot, they looked pretty muted ! Dirt, time, sun exposure and repeated washings have that effect on things.

 

-Joe