Paratrooper, II.Battalion/Airborne assault Regiment

 

"The Elite from the sky"

The figure shown here represents a member of the 2 Company which took part in the jump and landings east of Maleme Airfield and in western Spilia. After several days the situation is still undecided. With a critical view of the landscape the paratrooper tries to find further stragglers and comrades to join up with and continue the fighting. Cut parachutes served at that time as sun protection or, as seen here, as a dust cloth.

The Figure

The figure is the old Dragon "paratrooper, Monte Cassino 1944" kit which I got in a very bad condition from a friend of mine.

At first I thought nothing could be done to repair this figure but my inclination is to never throw anything away. Therefore I did not let it disappear into the bin and I began to work on it. I should have really made a photo of it in its original state...

Firstly there was the old colour to remove, the head was taken off and put away and the weapon broken off. Then a new weapon, a Verlinden head and a baseplate from the company Dynasty was used.

Painting

The figure was primed with Tamiya acrylic colours and after two hours drying time I painted the webbing and pouches, the trousers and the Bandoliers with Vallejo acrylic colours by brush. The head and hands were painted in oil colour and shaded after drying.

The rifle was likewise painted in oil. For this it was primed in sand color and painted then with oil colours in the tones of Burnt Sienna and Raw Umber without dilution.

The brush strokes going from top to bottom. One can repair any errors that may occur in painting thanks to the long drying time required for oil colour paints. By using this technique the smallest of details can be brought out in the finished work. Mixing proportions should be around 50% Burnt Sienna and 50% Raw umber, depending upon the desired colour.  

paratrooper -Crete ´41

© 2003 Stiera

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