Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Land => Topic started by: Frank3k on January 27, 2014, 10:38:59 AM
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I have a couple of the ICM 1/35 Soviet Motorized Infantry (1979-1988) (http://www.icm.com.ua/catalogue/figures/64-soviet-motorized-infantry-1979-1988.html) figure sets, so I thought I'd start one to practice my figure painting. Here's the box top:
(http://thetoyhq.com/shop/images/l_ICM35331.jpg)
The figures are really well molded. They have prominent seams and some flash, but they're easily removed. The faces are very well sculpted (as good as some resin heads), although the expressions are somewhat neutral. I have a set of New World Miniatures resin heads that have pretty animated expressions and some Verlinden 1/35 hands, so the project expanded into a "lets practice figure surgery as well".
I picked the guy writing in a book. Drilled a bigger hole in his neck, chopped off the hands and put him back together. Here's the resulting "Rivet Counter":
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/figures/sarge1.jpg)
I think the "meat" parts (head and hands) came out OK. I switched to Testors Acryl light skin as a base skin color, because I kept rubbing off the Vallejo skin paint when I applied a wash. I used various Vallejo flesh paints over the Testors.
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/figures/sarge2.jpg)
The uniform was a bit of a fail; it looked great after I applied some Tamiya weathering powders, but I had the great idea of sealing it all up with some clear flat, to which I added a drop of sand color. This was a mistake, since it dulled the finish badly. I tried to salvage what I could. It's good enough.
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/figures/sarge3.jpg)
While technically a Soviet soldier from the late 70's, I think this guy is generic enough to fit in a wide range of scenarios that require a snarky, sarcastic rivet counter. I can't believe I started this yesterday afternoon. It was a pretty quick build for me. Next up is the guy who looks like he's hailing a taxi.
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Ten times better than me, that's for sure!
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Awesome redo. He looks 1000% better.
I love that set, I think it shows why the Soviet Union was utterly unprepared to wage a conflict. You've got guys writing stuff up, pouring buckets, waving...not one of them looks remotely ready to fight.
:)
Alvis 3.1
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"Meat Parts" .......... I did have a little trouble concentrating after that ..........
But I agree. they look good as does the overall figure. I see what you mean about the generic look to it too, it could almost pass as a cold war US tanker .... just, with a few minor tweaks.
I think it shows why the Soviet Union was utterly unprepared to wage a conflict. You've got guys writing stuff up, pouring buckets, waving...not one of them looks remotely ready to fight.
;D
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Thanks for the comments, guys. Alvis, I agree - these guys look like they're waiting for the bus to take them to a picnic or to the always popular Mujahedin Bingo & Casino. It would be funny if ICM based this set on a picture from that conflict; one of their modern tank crew sets is based on a photograph.
One of the New World Miniature heads looks like Bruce Willis. I think I'll use that for the guy hailing a taxi.
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Awesome redo. He looks 1000% better.
I love that set, I think it shows why the Soviet Union was utterly unprepared to wage a conflict. You've got guys writing stuff up, pouring buckets, waving...not one of them looks remotely ready to fight.
:)
Alvis 3.1
Totally agree with Alvis. 8)
However, this isn't the only figure set that looks totally unprepared for war.
About 99% of the British/Commonwealth figures I've seen are not involved in fighting. Especially the 6th Parachute Division in Arnhem for some reason. Yeah, OK, they were basically wiped out but there was a reason the two SS Armoured Divisions they dropped on called it "Der Hexenkessel".
You sometimes get the impression, browsing through the figures sections of online stores, that the British didn't actually fight during WW2, that they just strolled aimlessly through the landscape while everyone else was battling furiously around them.
I, personally, find that somewhat annoying & disrespectful to the many British & Commonwealth soldiers who fought hard & were maimed or killed in WW2.
>:(
Guy
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You sometimes get the impression, browsing through the figures sections of online stores, that the British didn't actually fight during WW2, that they just strolled aimlessly through the landscape while everyone else was battling furiously around them.
You forgot drinking tea. It seems everyone has to do the (same) standing tanker drinking tea. I want crew fig (from many nations) that look like the 1/72nd ones from AB miniatures (sson to be produced by Eureka in Oz I might add). THEY look like they're in vehicles crewing em, not all bartering for cheese.
Dragon did do some combat brits though Guy, admittidly older figs now, not snazzy Gen 2 stuff. They do skirmishing NE European infantry and 2? sets of paras all doing combatty type stuff.
Brent
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Frank, terrific work in my opinion.
Replacement heads alway make a difference with injection figures.
I have this set as well, and quite frankly love them. To set off a scene of a modern vehicle they offer a lot of possibilities
Plus you are correct, they are so generic they can be used in almost any situation.
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Frank, terrific work in my opinion.
Thanks Brian - I always look to your figure painting as an inspiration.
Miniart has a few set of British/Commonwealth/Allied figures in action - not just hanging out.
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You forgot drinking tea. It seems everyone has to do the (same) standing tanker drinking tea.
My Uncle, who was a tank troop commander at Kohima, always said that's what got them through the various tight spots they were in.
'If all else fails, have a brew' was his motto. :)
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In my CAV/APC days every time we stopped the drivers job was to get a brew going
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You caught that Rivet Counter evil-eye to a T, Frank!
Well done, sir!
Brian da Basher
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:-* :-* :-*
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Here's the guy hailing a Taxi, or waving at his buddies, from the same ICM set:
"Have fun at the front!"
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/figures/taxi1.jpg)
"You forgot your hat!"
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/figures/taxi2.jpg)
"Well, OK, I'll hold on to it"
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/figures/taxi3.jpg)
The head is from New World Miniatures. It looks a bit like Bruce Willis, or Vin Diesel or Michael, the big oaf from "Hot Fuzz" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Fuzz):
Yarp! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoSVlSy8Ci0#ws)
I think the uniform came out a bit better. The hat is just held in place with Museum Wax. I'm working on some pouches, an AK-47 (or a G-36) a holster and whatever bag he's carrying on the boxtop.
I'm not sure if I'll do the other two figures (the guy with poor trigger discipline, carrying a bulletproof vest and bucket boy). I just finished "Roadside Picnic" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadside_Picnic) (the inspiration for both "Stalker" the movie and "S.T.A.L.K.E.R" the video game) and I'm tempted to turn one of them (or a different figure) into a stalker.
Thanks for looking!
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<...> I just finished "Roadside Picnic" ([url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadside_Picnic[/url]) (the inspiration for both "Stalker" the movie and "S.T.A.L.K.E.R" the video game) and I'm tempted to turn one of them (or a different figure) into a stalker.
Great book, great film, great games :) Yay for more S.T.A.L.K.E.R. figures! :)
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Give this one a rag and have him polishing a tank ........
Nice job though, and despite the joke it's quite a usefull fig.