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CMOT
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 12:58 AM UTC
Bill Cross shows the arrival of the most-important supply item for a group of Marines out in the paddies of Vietnam: cases of beer.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
bprice1974
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 01:29 AM UTC
Another nice work. Thanks for sharing it with us.
jrutman
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 01:56 AM UTC
Ahhhh...so THAT'S what you've been up to! Great concept and nice personal backgroung. Looks really good as you've thought of a lot of details and that red dirt looks the biz.
bill_c
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 02:25 AM UTC
Thanks, guys. It's always better to have a personal feel for your subjects. The figures are less interesting than I'd hoped, but I'm not at Jerry's level of figure construction by a long shot.
Armorsmith
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 02:46 AM UTC
Love it. Captures the moment very nicely.
obg153
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 03:12 AM UTC
This scene looks like it just came out of one of those videos you mentioned. Beautiful results!!
JPTRR
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RAILROAD MODELING
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 06:25 AM UTC
Too modern for my tastes yet I think this is an wonderful diorama! The mud washing down the sides, the balance of colors with shadow and highlights and fleshtones, the poses and compositions - I hope you make another dio soon, Bill.
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 08:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks, guys. It's always better to have a personal feel for your subjects. The figures are less interesting than I'd hoped, but I'm not at Jerry's level of figure construction by a long shot.



Hi, Bill! VERY NICELY DONE!!! What did you use as your "Marine Green" on your vehicles? I like the TESTORS Model Master II Enamels 2025 "Marine Corps Green (FS34052) which I use as a base color; I then custom-mix for variations in subsequent steps of airbrushing my USMC subject vehicles...

Your thoughts?
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 08:28 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks, guys. It's always better to have a personal feel for your subjects. The figures are less interesting than I'd hoped, but I'm not at Jerry's level of figure construction by a long shot.



As fa as the figures are concerned, they still convey your subject matter rather nicely, IMO. Just a thought- BRAVO 6, VERLINDEN and some other A/M resin figure manufacturers make some really nice USMC and US Army figures in "casual" poses as Vietnam War subjects, which would easily adapt to your very nice dio...
Hederstierna
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 08:48 PM UTC
Hi Bill
Wow, this looks excellent. Very nice to see one of those vehicles actually built. It's rather large and has some huge flat surficeses, which are very difficult to paint, but you've done a great job, congrats.
So, now it must be time for that Type VII submarine
Jacob
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Posted: Friday, January 08, 2016 - 10:56 PM UTC
Very nice build and the soil color is spot on. I was the crew chief on a How-6, the 105mm gun version, with the 1st Armored Amphibian Company.
bilbobee
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 12:01 AM UTC
THANKS...bill , JOB WELL DONE..
callmehobbes
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 01:19 AM UTC
The paint work is spot on.
Stickframe
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 05:36 AM UTC
Hi Bill - very nice work. I agree with others, your paintwork is excellent - while each color is distinct, you did a terrific job of tying them all together. Thanks for posting it as a feature!

Nick
bill_c
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 11:33 PM UTC
Thank you all for your kind comments. I used someone's "Marine Green" (it may be Vallejo whose paints I adore, but also could be MM). I usually use MIG's Allied Green pigments on any green subject to help fade and flatten areas in the sun. Also really adore Vallejo's Resin Matt. The Brave 6 VN figures are very good, but none of them seemed "right" for a vehicle on patrol, however I did contemplate using them. Don't think the Verlinden figures I have seen are up to today's sculpture standards, but others' mileage may vary. The soil color is 99% attributable to LOTS of MIG Vietnam pigment.

And Jacob that Type IX is in my to-do box as soon as I can figure out what the baffles above the saddle tanks look like.
kurnuy
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Posted: Monday, January 11, 2016 - 01:37 AM UTC
Hi Bill ,

many congrats for the beautiful scenery and models you've made .

Cheers

Kurt
bill_c
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Posted: Monday, January 11, 2016 - 01:54 AM UTC
Thanks, Kurt, having a great time building them.
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Monday, January 11, 2016 - 10:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you all for your kind comments. I used someone's "Marine Green" (it may be Vallejo whose paints I adore, but also could be MM). I usually use MIG's Allied Green pigments on any green subject to help fade and flatten areas in the sun. Also really adore Vallejo's Resin Matt. The Brave 6 VN figures are very good, but none of them seemed "right" for a vehicle on patrol, however I did contemplate using them. Don't think the Verlinden figures I have seen are up to today's sculpture standards, but others' mileage may vary. The soil color is 99% attributable to LOTS of MIG Vietnam pigment.

And Jacob that Type IX is in my to-do box as soon as I can figure out what the baffles above the saddle tanks look like.



OH, yeah! MIG Products are all "Top-Line"! I use 'em, too! Especially the pigments! As far as the Verlinden Figures are concerned, yes, they are a bit dated as far as the casting goes. Of course, they've been around since the 1970s, so perhaps the molds are getting a bit soft... CMK also makes some nice Vietnam-era resin figurines, as well as WWII and Modern stuff...

Now, as to your U-Boot- You might try some of the photographic works of Lothar Guenther Buchheim, the author of "DAS BOOT", for some reference material. I believe there are several PE and multi-media Update sets available from various manufacturers. What scale is it? I have a buddy in France who is an avid ship builder. He may be able to come up with a few leads, which I would be happy to pass along to you...

BTW- Buchheim was a German War Correspondent and Photographer who actually DID go out on U-Boot cruises during the war. I thought that the "DAS BOOT" book was better and more graphic than the movie- you could almost smell the odors of the men, the moldy food and the Diesel fumes, and also the "blue language" the crew spoke in, than what the movie could convey with just an "R" rating...

I still have a 1/144 REVELL Type VII (?) in my Nephew David's attic that I need to dig out and complete, someday. It'll go nice next to my REVELL 1/144 USS Fletcher-Class DD (1942). I used EDUARD's 1/144 BIGED "Fletcher Class" Super-Duper" PE set to spruce the kit up a bit...
5thMech
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Posted: Monday, January 11, 2016 - 11:06 PM UTC
Bill, GREAT job as a tribute to your Dad (may he rest in peace and may a grateful nation recognize him for his service and sacrifice X3)and, indeed, all Marines!

I thought we of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at the top end of the supply lines in Quang Tri were the only ones punished by drinking Carling Black Label! That stuff was rank and, if even you could get it cold, it didn't matter! I got such a kick out of seeing the Carling cases in your diorama.

The troops using tracked vehicles always preferred to ride on top rather than inside. The stifling heat notwithstanding, it was better to get blown OFF the roof than to be blown up INSIDE the track should you encounter a 500 lb bomb being used as a land mine!

One thing to keep in mind for future projects using sandbags in Vietnam dioramas. The sandbags were made of a material that I'll call "artificial burlap." They had a shiny, plastic looking appearance when new and were a sage green color with a black drawstring to cinch them closed. When, like everything else in RVN, they became infused with the ever-present red dust and dirt, they always maintained a certain amount of the green color unless totally faded out by ultraviolet sunlight. They normally did not take on a khaki or burlap color like the sandbags used in WWII and Korea.

The Dragon kit of the Mule is available once again. Hobbylinc in Georgia lists it though available for pre-order. Also, I believe Glencoe made a 1/15th kit of the Mule many moons ago if you'd like to fashion individual, little cans of Carling Black Label to go with it!

Keep up the good work! I thoroughly enjoyed your diorama and thank you for sharing it with us Armorama visitors.
bill_c
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Posted: Monday, January 11, 2016 - 11:14 PM UTC
Dennis, it's the 1/72nd scale RoG kit. I have the pressure hull and saddle tanks done, but can't find any reference photos of the baffles in the drain holes. Trust me, I have ALL the PE sets, LOL.

5th, Man, thanks for the 411. A buddy of mine clued me in today about riding on top vs. getting blown up inside. I always heard it was because those babies got roasty-toasty in the heat. I did not have a color guide for the sandbags, and will begin the process of correcting them with some green wash. Thanks ever so much. I remember my dad drinking Black Label back in the days when you needed a beer can opener. Almost like a rotary phone now.
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 03:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Dennis, it's the 1/72nd scale RoG kit. I have the pressure hull and saddle tanks done, but can't find any reference photos of the baffles in the drain holes. Trust me, I have ALL the PE sets, LOL.

5th, Man, thanks for the 411. A buddy of mine clued me in today about riding on top vs. getting blown up inside. I always heard it was because those babies got roasty-toasty in the heat. I did not have a color guide for the sandbags, and will begin the process of correcting them with some green wash. Thanks ever so much. I remember my dad drinking Black Label back in the days when you needed a beer can opener. Almost like a rotary phone now.



Hi, Bill! Oh, yeah! Manual Can Openers!

OK, all "seriousness" aside... I'd like to recommend a book to you, if you haven't already read it- It's "PRAYING FOR SLACK", by Robert E. Peavey, who was a US Marine Corps Tank Commander in Vietnam. It's a good read, and pretty insightful. Get the hardcover edition- the photos are in color...
jrutman
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Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 07:37 PM UTC
Most guys had a "beer can opener" on their dog tag chain--IE the famous"P-38"!! I still have mine from basic training in 1977 on my key chain and it still works fine!
J
5thMech
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Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 10:07 PM UTC
Bill, the interior of every track was normally an oven unless during the monsoon season. They would make Colonel Nicholson's visit to the "punishment hut" in "The Bridge on the River Kwai" look like an air conditioned suite at the Ritz! The roof riding was a survival method rather than seeking a dose of blast furnace hot air blowing red dust all over you!

Watch those insults about us old guys. I remember drinking beer from cans opened with a "church key!" I also remember the first (or one of the first) self-opening beer containers. It was a brown glass 12oz squat bottle of Rheingold (New York brewer) called the Chug-a-Mug. It had an easy opening, thin aluminum cap with a tab that peeled back to open the bottle. Very clever for ancient times!
bill_c
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Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2016 - 05:47 AM UTC
"Church keys," right I remember that!

I'll look for Praying for Slack on Amazon and see what comes up. Thanks for the suggestion!
Mark
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Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2016 - 11:18 PM UTC
Hi Bill,
Congrats on this one!
Really like your choice of subject and both vehicles are really well done! Colors, weathering, dust, figures it all seems to work.
I have to admit: I would have thought a LVTP5 next to a mule would make a too big of a difference in size of the vehicles (hope this makes sense) BUT seeing your dio; it doesn't!

Very well done! I hope your next work will be Nam again

best regards,
Mark
 _GOTOTOP