Airfix 1/32 Commandos

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These 1/32 Commandos are next up on my bench.

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Before painting, seams were smoothed, and each figure was mounted on a cocktail stick to allow painting without handling the piece.

They were then primed with Vallejo Acrylic 74604 German Dark Yellow RAL7028 Polyurethane Surface Primer

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For comparison, the 1/76 figures are from the first mould of that set. A second tool was made in 1978 and appear to include these 1970 1/32 poses. That 1/76 tool was lost and the first mould was resurrected.

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Here I have painted the skin tones.

I then used a wash over the skin, followed by Vallejo Model Color 70984 140 Flat Brown for the hair and Revell Aqua 36109 Anthracite Matt for the the boots.

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When I paint figures, I try to avoid block colouring, hence my use of multiple skin tones. Likewise with uniforms. Cloth or material may be made in a uniform colour, but exposure to the elements, washing, and general degradation through wear will result in variations among a sample of men. Some of these variations may be very subtle, but they exist. Our eyes and brain say they’re the same, but close observation reveals the changes in tints and shades. I try to subtly replicate this by use of more than one colour and/or by using washes to bind or blend the colours.

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The painting is done.

Vallejo Model Color 70864 178 Natural Steel = canteen cap, knife blade

Vallejo Model Color 70801 174 Brass = buckles, buttons

Vallejo Model Color 70888 92 Olive Grey = woollen cap comforter

Vallejo Model Color 70975 89 Military Green = woollen cap comforter

Vallejo Model Color 70984 140 Flat Brown = British Lee Enfield .303 in. rifle No. 1 Mk III stock, British Bren light machinegun Mk I butt

Vallejo Model Color 70983 143 Flat Earth = U.S. Thompson sub-machine-gun stock

Revell Aqua 36302 Black Silk Matt = binoculars

Vallejo Model Color 70920 85 German Uniform = grenade

Vallejo Model Color 70863 179 Gunmetal Grey = British Lee Enfield .303 in. rifle No. 1 Mk III fittings, British Sten 9mm carbine, U.S. Thompson sub-machine-gun fittings, British Bren light machinegun Mk I fittings

Green = base

I then experimented with different washes.

Vallejo Game Wash Dipping Formula 73300 Sepia Shade

Vallejo Game Color 73201 Black Wash

Vallejo Game Color 73202 Pale Grey Wash

Vallejo Game Color 73203 Umber Wash

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I put the final touches to the Commandos.  I added weathering powders, and to finish the figures off, PVA was spread on the bases, and they were dipped into various ground scatters.

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My (part) set, bought second hand, many damaged, based on:

The ARMED FORCES Of WORLD WAR II ISBN 0-85613-296-9 - Illustration 263 Private, British Commandos, 1942.

Light raiding order, as worn on the Boulogne raid. A woollen cap comforter, battledress, 1937 pattern web equipment, inflatable lifebelt, toggle rope for scaling cliffs, and instead of ‘ammunition’ boots wears plimsolls. US M1928 A1 ‘Thompson’ sub-machine gun.

[paul71]

these have come out well ratch, its interesting how you use different washes on them ( i didnt have any to use on the raf set i did so its still some thing I've not tried yet)

[Ratch]

Thanks Paul, a bit of experimentation sometimes reveals an unexpected result. I wasn't bothered about a perfect finish on these as they are an old and damaged set, which led to the trial of washes.