Dragon 1:35 Tarawa US Marines
These figures have been hanging around my workbench for a long time, I have many projects I would like in their place and am trying to expedite their departure. This set of Marines is rather well done as I've discussed at meetings. The two piece heads are still not my favorite, but I just won't justify the expense of replacing them all with Hornet or Ultracast.
At this point, I am finalizing the uniforms' highlights and shadows, colors too. I am very satisfied with the color and tone for all of the Marine OD colors, except for the flamethrower trooper. I painted his shirt a deeper green and I think it is a little too green for even normal "variation." I have not decided on washing it with subdued tones or just repainting it, something I would like to avoid with that harness. Oh, and the plastic hose for the flamethrower, neither of the supplied ones came within 1cm of where I have the flamethrower pack or gun so... see copper wire proves its versatility again. The plastic had no texture to it anyway.
The camouflaged uniforms are turning out well for my first crack at this pattern. I toned down the Thompson-wielding figure with some washes and will do the same for the laying rifleman once I finish his pattern. I have done only some shadow with Vallejo British Uniform over the base mixed color. Camo will receive color-specific highlights on the big creases and where easily visible.
See closeups, I have started to do some highlighting and outlining with Vallejo black-gray.
Faces and hands are base coated in oil -
unfortunately!They are taking about a day to dry with my fast-drying medium so its not that bad. These faces are turning out ok, I wish they were based in acrylic and then finished with oil like I prefer to do. AND they should have been sealed with clear before blending happened. Oh well...too late now...until I take a chunk out of the oil at least...
The photo-etched Garand and Thompson slings are together, annealing is critical to the successful use of these parts from Dragon. I just use a tea candle and about 4 seconds sufficed. One strap almost ripped. The Mission Models multitool makes the curves pretty easy. I have to justify that $30 stick somehow!
