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1/32 Airfix Paratrooper officer


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An image seared into my memory since childhood

 

824c1d67f70a3691712b449414286ea6.jpg

 

Another old Airfix figure,  this is one of the original polythene figures,  legendary for being a non stick surface for paint.  

Note, the last time these figures were issued they were mould in K-resin, a type of styrene, which behaves like a normal kit, scrapeable seam lines and paint sticks.

 

Various methods have been suggested,  PVA being one method.   The other problem with the polythene is to clean up mould lines requires careful trimming with a new blade, scraping just rips up the surface.

This is thinned Mr Surfacer,  I found it could be thinned with IPA (Isopropyl alcohol)  though I did a quick coat first, as this shows up the mould lines,  trimmed, and recoated.

This works well on the K-resin figures as well, and gives a good base for paint.

 

Blu tackin the figure onto a Tamiya paint pot makes a good handle. 

 

49822923891_036642b403_b.jpg50621224 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

I have been using the book WW2 Tommy in Colour, which is fascinating for the detail.   I also searched up images of Denison smocks.

This is after the basic colours have been blocked in,  all Vallejo Model Color. 

 

The webbing was a mix, after a couple of previous colours  did not give the effect i was looking for.  

the jacket base was Khaki plus white., the red brown and green which I thinned with glaze medium, giving a washed out look shown in the book.  where it looked as if the base fabric was painted in the two colours, which overlapped in places,  then the base was thinned with glaze medium, and washed over., which gives blends the camo colours.  I also aimed to show the way the material was patterned,  and you get changes on seam lines and pockets.

 

49822389488_c42aa60065_b.jpg50621225 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

I did a mix for the beret, but then found another red that looked good for the para maroon 

the pics in the book of the Denison smock showed that the disruptive pattern overlapped and made a new colour, which I tried to replicate, which can be seen on the back here.

49823238772_88bf309e48_b.jpg50621226 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

I re did the boots after the this,  

49822386428_39f24d48f0_b.jpg50621227 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

after some more detail painting, I used Burnt Umber oil paint, thinned with lighter fuel,  as a wash, and applied near neat, and then adjusted with a brush in clean lighter fuel, yo can wash it off, leaving a fine filter layer.... this can go on a while. 

I did the eyebrows and eye dots with neat oil, the brush damp with LF. 

49823235152_0e09f76020_b.jpg50621229 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

49822916721_4e45da6221_b.jpg50621230 by losethekibble, on Flickr

in direct sun coming through the window.   As you can see the oil has left the surface glossy.   

 

I'l edit in paint colours used later.

 

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compressing an age of faffing around down.

 

After the oil wash and detail, i brushed with the base shades. added oil as i thought needed.  One item no in the pics, but I got a little strip of plastci, witgh seven tiny paint pots, with a flip down lid, from some childrens set. I have search for these,   as I was able to keep tiny amounts of the mixes I made.  I had used them when using Humbrol stater pots, which are paint to open and close for tiny amounts, the Vallejo dropper bottles are easy to shake,and squeeze out a tiny amount, but only if using a unmixed colour.

 

retrieved my flesh colours,  worked on the face,  did a black wash on the dark grey binoculars, and dry brushed some Tamiya Titan gold to simulate worn back to brass on edges.

the sten got a a graphite rub, re did the dark grey, didn't like it, did it black, oil wash, and then a dry brush of oily steel.

 

Pics below awaiting matt coat, but 95% done. 

 

49823233612_3325b6f063_b.jpg50621231 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

49822381373_a723fb3c32_b.jpg50621232 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

A base was made out of a bit of 50x50 timber, i couldn't find the prepared, so I used a bit of tanalised, and then painted it black.

the figure base was 1.6 mm, so found some 0.8 cardboard, doubled that up, and cut out a base shape, superglued to base, and then painted with PVA, and sawdust from base cutting spinkled on.  Figured that supeglue would be a bit too brittle, so tacked in place with SG, and using my trusty 'needle in a pin vice' pushed a couple of hols, and then pinned down with some fin 1cm woodwork pins, the two lumls just visible, as I'd done a coat of mr surfacer.

The when  dry, pva, more saw dust.  I'd realsied that the lees than optimal Humbrol stater pots are fine for groundwork,  added some grass green 80, and mixed in some 26 light earth.  Hadn't done the section round figure base,  so found that I could use the absrobency of the sawdust and cardboard, and mixed PVA and water sucked unto a fine syringe, and added drop by drop. I was able to blend in the base, and then use very dilute Humbrol, which was sucked up by the still absorbent and flaking off saw dust

 

This was later 'fixed' with diluted matt varnish again dropped on the green mottled sawdust.  I was trying to be carful to not get it on the figure, and it worked very well, as carefully added drops soaked in. 

 

I though I did more photos, but I was so wrapped up in the problem solving and fine details (like the para badge, black background and then silver and white mix in vague wings shape) and even looking uo what colours the officer pips should be, turns out the background should be maroon, like the beret, not that they are visible in the pics...

 

Did some pics this late afternoon.   The added sawdust 'grass' can be seen. 

 

49823421127_9b5aa50c81_h.jpgpara crop 50621236 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

RFI here.

 

Far more work than I expected, but overall I'm pleased.

 

Face not great,  but it was part done, and then I was able to get some decent eyebrows and eye dots... and the had to paint around that.   

 

There was A LOT of wash, touch up, wash,  add detail done.  Wish I'd done it one the K-resin one now,  but I been very handy for doing the smock, and a different set of skills to doing a tank or a plane.  

 

If you ever did these Airfix figures in your youth, but were frustrated by the plastic,  look for a set of the K-Resin ones (they are the red box era 14 figures type) they can be got cheaply, and most are very well sculpted.  

If you are more enterprising, they can be now be modified, or have parts added or swapped with the Airfix Multipose sets if you have any of those. 

 

Sure, there are many other figure options available from Masterbox and Mini art,  but having spent many years in my childhood painting and playing with these, I find them as iconic as Roy Cross box art, and unlike some 'classics'  as the basic sculpting and detail are excellent,  pick the right figure it can scrub up into something beyond nostalgia.

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Thanks for showing the process, the figure looks great, I've been tempted to clean up and paint some plastic soldiers that aren't common or available as hard styrene model kits. Thinking of the Emhar WW1 sets and the newer Chintoys Napoleonic and American Civil war figures.

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On 27/04/2020 at 14:41, Ted said:

I've been tempted to clean up and paint some plastic soldiers that aren't common or available as hard styrene model kits. Thinking of the Emhar WW1 sets and the newer Chintoys Napoleonic and American Civil war figures.

Well worth trying if you can't get the figures or poses elsewhere, and at least these type of figures are usually cheap enough so it's not like messing up an expensive resin or white metal one.   

The Mr Surfacer really helps,  but if it will still chip off,  at some point I had to redo the left hand as the paint went off the finger....

 

If you do post up a WIP or finished one, give me a notification, I'd like to see it.

 

If you like unusual figures,  check out some of the figures made by these 

http://www.replastic.com

 

they do some ACW figures

http://www.replastic.com/catalogue/acw/

 

and Napoleonic 

http://www.replastic.com/catalogue/napoleonic/

 

They are in my town, and I know one of the owners.   I took my daughter along and he moulded her a figure.   The wall in the workshop is under the main high street, and he said it has been dated to the 12th century, but it' s really near the castle,  but a lot round here is pretty old....

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That is a beautiful workshop, from the website photos. Very cool business to have in your own town.

 

I like their mounted greatcoat figure.

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

That's a cracking finish on a figure that's pure nostalgia for me.  :coolio:

 

A heated needle or blade can be effective in removing flash from vinyl figures, or if you want to go a bit further, this is an interesting option:

 

http://umpapas.blogspot.com/2015/09/converting-and-sculpting-plastic.html

 

 

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Great result..   Struggled for many an hour painting those figures.  I found painting them matt white first as a base worked pretty good.  Cleaning the flash up though a pain new Swan 11 scalpel worked well.

I'll put a few Waterloo Arfix up my dad did back in the 70s for your persual shortly.

Only 28 to go...😂

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  • 1 year later...

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