Les White has sent us another set of conversions he has done once again I will let Les explain his work.
Here is a pic of a different kind of conversion.
‘Private Military Contractors with Humvee’
I picked up a nice diecast and plastic Humvee by MAISTO in their ‘Dirt Riders’ range, it was listed as 1/27 scale but when I measured it and checked the manufacturers specifications it comes out a 1/30 scale, which is closer to the size I like. It came already painted and weathered, it just needed a crew.
The 3 man crew are converted from AIP Modern US torsos and TIMPO ‘action pack’ cowboy legs, the heads are commercial metal casting from my spares box.
I thirded the AIP figs, head, torso, legs and removed some equipment pouches from around the waist.
I cut a cowboy in half, removing the detail on the gunbelt but leaving the holster in place.
Once the torso and legs are fitted, pinned and glued, I replaced some of the pouches and added others or tidied them up with ‘green stuff’ putty, using the leg holster as the basis for a more modern looking item made from ‘green stuff’ too. The head was just fitted and glued once the position was chosen, it already had a plug from the neck so only required a hole drilled into the torso.
These are just experimental at the moment as I’m not too happy with the final result but I know what to improve with the next ones. The paint job is just based on pictures from Afghanistan, trying to show the ethnic diversity with the flesh color 🙂
These guys could do some good service as ‘Dino-Hunters’ for Jurassic Park or with some lettering on them ‘Police/Sheriff’ as tactical guys. Maybe with a different paint job would work for US Marshals/FBI types that you see on many TV shows. Even ‘Zombie-hunters’ :))
I am already looking at the AIP Modern Afghan Taliban for other conversions just to utilize the AK47s.
Using mostly AIP bits , maybe some TSSD heads, it should be practical to create Vietnam War types.
Now, these ones are AWESOME!!.Great job; WOW!!!That is a true conversion hard to do work. Also I agree on MAISTO, they are 1.30 scales not 1.27 as they claim to be..
If your “Not too happy with them” what do you want to sell them for??LOL.
Well, now this hits home for me. This has been my line of work in this wonderful War on Terror for the last 10 years. They look scruffy enough. Great custom work. I’ll add this from a ”guy on the ground’s” standpoint. I can’t think of anybody using Hummers on their contracts. We use up-armored SUVs and few contractors ever approach being that uniformed in their dress. Everybody puts on their kit differently and most have their custom rig, so they don’t ever wear what was issued on the contract. The closest to being ‘uniform’ are the DoS contracts and rarely do they ever mix it up with anybody. When they move one of our precious Belt-way Blue Bloods, there’s so much security around them, they hardly ever get hit. The guys doing convoy security for cargo and such, those are the bullet magnets! Anyhow, if you’d like some pics or unsolicited advice, you just need to ask. Again – GREAT work! I feel like our efforts have been ennobled by your crafting!
Hi Greg,
Thanks for your comments 🙂
The original intention was’t really to do accurate representations of PMC, it was really to do a crew suitable to go with the excellent Humvee vehicle.
I looked at pics of Afghanistan, Iraq and various movies to work out the ‘look’.
It became apparent very quickly that the assualt vest and other equipment are very varied. These figs are the first ones I tried but the next ones I will do slightly differently.
I just liked the availability of the modern firearms used by the AIP Modern US troops as there are not many figs on the market. I have some plans for the toros of the Afghan Taliban with the AK47s too :))
When I do a conversion I look at various aspects of the figure, pose, size, equipment, type of plastic and then study it for few days before deciding what to make it into. I have given up on the manufacturers making what I want so converting is the way to go 🙂
The other problem with doing ‘moderns’ is getting vehicles in the correct scale, the Humvee is 1:30 and ‘MAISTO’ made a Wrangler Jeep in the same scale. The problem is that you can’t rely on the manufacturers marking the correct scale on the box. I haven’t seen an up-armoured SUV but there is a chinese company making some nice French Armoured cars in 4 different camo patterns. Plus someone makes a Ford F 150 but I can’t find out the scale, it is the one that many insurgents use to mount a Anti-Aircraft gun on the bed of.
I apprecaite your comments and I will certainly take you up on your offer of more info in the future.
The other use for the figs with the Humvee is as Dinosaur Hunters (think ,Jurrasic park 2 movie) against some nice SCHLIECH brand velociraptors !
Using the same technique I can make some SWAT teams, keeping some of the original helmeted heads and putting markings on the tac vests.
Best Regards,
Les