P4Patti

Hello again, still in the land of the living

Howard Hughes was certainly a unique character and would be a great aviator pilot figure. I've recently downloaded a new face modelling program which seems to work a little quicker, the other was frustratingly slow to use. Now it will take a bit of time to really learn how to work it but I'm hoping it will enable me to eventually create the heads quicker as there are so many I'd like to do.

We re-modelled both Tom and Eric's faces, then cut, molded and cast them and also made the body smaller (less bulky) which meant I had to re make the uniforms but it was worth it and I'll post pics soon. We also did a Ben Affleck look alike bust from the "Pearl Harbour" movie but as yet that has only been cut in wax and not moulded and cast.

The day job gets in the way and the weather has been unusually unusual which really mucks us up - we grow basil.

cheers
PAtti

JL1

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Bob Hoover?

geezeraviation

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Kermit Weeeks?

BobH

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Patti, good to see your still at it!.. You have lots of famous pilots to chose from. Very cool... I'll be a cumstomer when your pilots become available in a 1/5 and 1/6 scale

at-6 texan

Yess! Patti and for this which i estimate this legendary aviator

let me know when is ready the puppet so I can start the transaction ... thanks and see soon

P4Patti

I've finally got some photos of the new improved versions of Tom and Eric - Tom now with his ear muffs on as he said he used to fly and his goggles hanging around his neck.

We've been working on making Richard which turned out to be a lot harder than first thought. Maybe it's because I know him too well and could easily pick if it wasn't right. After about 10 attempts of cutting him and also having hick ups in the machining we've finally got a working head/shoulders and moulded and cast it. I've started painting him up so hopefully will have some pics with photo for comparison up very soon. There's another "victim" in the pipeline too and Brad's pics will be up soon as well for all to judge how much of a likeness there is to his photo. I know he's just dying to have his photos up for the world to see

I've downloaded some pics of Kermit Weeks for future use - he has a great face doesn't he?

Can anyone help me out with the correct uniform for a Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot? Was it like the pic below with the shirt, tie and long battle dress jacket under the bomber jacket or did they wear the flight suit (overalls) under the bomber jacket? I'd really appreciate being pointed in the right direction for photos or you could post here. I need to make a pattern for the uniform but first need to know exactly what it was.

The 1/5th scale body plug is being cut hopefully tomorrow and then we'll make a mould of it. We just need some 1/5th size heads to go on that then. Brad's will be the first.

cheers
Patti

Brad330l

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Patti, firstly I must say "thank you for allowing me to be your first guinea pig" and secondly sorry for not getting back to you earlier with the question you asked me about the uniforms. (Bloody shutdowns at work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I do believe if you can think of a uniform combination then it was probably worn through the BoB. The regs were actually quite relaxed during this time for one reason or another (moral maybe??)
Here are some uniforms. I will post links only just in case of copyright.

http://www.stby.com/Geneseo2004/Gen047.jpg
http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/World_War_2.html
http://www.rathbonemuseum.com/GB/RAF...illsonFull.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/m...7-_649421a.jpg
http://www.iwm.org.uk/upload/package...s/HU_55431.jpg
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/e...inf-3-1689.jpg
http://www.donny.co.uk/Doncaster/eca...trians/203.jpg
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...er_long203.jpg

I think Richard's uniform would be very close to what would have been worn when it was quite cold during the BoB. As you can see from the above links the uniforms were varied. And there would be more.
Great work on the new pilots Patti. Where do I send Money!!

Cheers,

Brad

at-6 texan

Hi Patti i hope to can help you....today i find this video what show how were dressed as RAF pilots.you can see from 1.52 minute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ogx...eature=related

P4Patti

Thanks for the links and videos guys. As you say Brad, it seems that there wasn't just one pure uniform but what I'm seeing most is the short battle jacket with the shirt and tie under that. Depending on the temperature there was also the fur lined leather bomber jacket and of course the may west over the top layer of clothing.

One more question Brad - hands or gloves? Or both? To plug onto the end of the arm. Hold onto your money for the moment, let's wait til there's something produced or the pressure's really on

That picture I posted with the uniform wasn't Richard btw, but I did get Richard mostly painted last night and here he is. Obviously not finished, I still have more painting on the hat to do and some more minor airbrushing on the face. The eyes are a little over sized but don't you think the resemblence to the Thunderbird Virgil is there?

I really need to make some more uniforms, I'm way over the same look of that khaki so looking forward to making the spitfire outift. Hey, how good would Richard look in a blue lycra suit with a pale yellow sash? Are you sure you wouldn't like to be dressed in a Thunderbird suit Brad?

Patti

BobH

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Patti, I'm thinking that at 20k plus feet its pretty cold even in summer. I'd put gloves on the pilot.

arryauster

Hiya Patti - just to throw my tuppence worth in - I've attached (hopefully) the poster of the day, depicting Battle of Britain Pilots - I hope it helps - it does show the proper flying helmet used at the time with the domed earpieces - if it doesn't appear then I'll PM it to you.
[img][/img]

arryauster

Here's some more pics of RAF types in uniform and flying gear, that I found in my files - they're from a book about a Spitfire Pilot (Douggie Gilbert) that I published over here a few years ago.

Brad330l

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Patti, definitly hands and gloves as the pictures show pilots were pictured with both. Gloves for flying, hands for posing.
Please,,,, no lycra.[X(]

Cheers,

Brad

langerl

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Hello Patti,
I was very pleased to discover your efforts at making high quality 1/5, 1/4, and 1/3rd scale pilots. Your work is refreshingly SCALE; none of yours look like puppets or marionettes. As you are no doubt aware of the lovely scale offerings from BBI or Dragon miniatures "action figures", Ihope you also intend to manufacture scale flight gear along with your excellent pilot figures. Ifyou can manage both scalelooking pilots and flightgear, in other than (larger than the 1/6) scales provided by BBI or Dragon, I'm very sure the World will beat a path to your door. AndI will be among those first in line!

I hope you will find a way to begin offering your pilot figures to us in the U.S. (we're not all lucky enoughto live in Oz). Keep up the GREATwork!

Regards,
Lynn

PS: I could really use some late war 1/4 scale RAF and Luftwaffe figures. People are starting to ask why all my pilots are the sameAces of Iron guy....

at-6 texan

Hi langerl wellcome...but you will get in line!

P4Patti

We've just got back from a trip to Brisbane where we picked up our 8 week old Staffy pup. I know, I know, as if we didn't have enough to do anyway [:@] We're in for a couple of weeks of settling in and possible interrupted sleep but she's SOOOO cute

Thanks for the pics 'Arry, they're great. I'm going to start with the short jacket, I can add to the wardrobe later.

Brad, you're just lucky I don't have too much time on my hands or there'd be a blue lycra suit as well

Lynn, there wouldn't be a problem sending pilots to the US once I get organised. Your Aces of Iron pilot and your model are both wonderfully painted btw. I wonder if you would be interested in, or even prefer a fully moulded, but unposeable, bust rather than the full body, poseable, fabric clothed pilot figure? It would be a cheaper option and obviously for that reason more popular with some. The real clothing option could be offered as a kit of cut out pattern pieces and instructions and the head, hands and boots unpainted. They just plug onto the soft poseable body. I know I need to do both in the long run.

cheers
Patti

BobH

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Patti, I have some of the BBI figures and some others as well. The cloth uniforms look good ..sorta! The problem come from the fact that its impossible to scale down the weave of the material. Molded uniforms would be just fine in my opinion. Yes more work for us but they can look excellent as evidence of the Aces of Iron pilots.

P4Patti

Hi Bob

I know what you mean. The 1/6th figures clothing often does look bulky and doesn't really sit and fold naturally. We're finding however that in the larger scales, by using appropriately fine fabric it does look quite convincing. The first uniforms I made I used sheeting which was quite coarse but gave me the chance to hack it up and test the pattern out. They are the first pics posted. Since then I've used a fine weave poly cotton and the difference is enormous. I guess the challenge is to find the right stuff but as you say there'd be plenty of people who would be happy to paint the clothing as well.

More hours in a day needed.

cheers
Patti

langerl

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Hi Patti,
Yes, I would be interested in any detailed 1/4 scale or larger full body pilot figures that are of the quality of the Aces of Iron figures. I have no problem with painting them or assembling them if they are as detailed and accurately equipped as the Aces figures. Lyle Wagner's Premium Bomber / Fighter pilots are looking better and better. His bomber crews are now manning my 1/8th scale 78# B-17. They're modular, fully posable and dead accurate in their equipment kit. His sculpting is first rate and getting better.

By all means, I'd welcome paintable, detailed pilot models but, I personally have limited need for bust only models. Rather than grafting other (less detailed) pilot bodies to nice bust figures, (as I do for the Aces pilots) I would much prefer a full body pilot. Then, if I need less figure to fit a less than full cockpit, I can cut off what I don't need / won't fit.


Keep up the good work. I'll be waiting for you.... (I'll need an Erich Hartmann in a while for a PCM / Meister Scale premium 109 I'm working up).

Regards,
Lynn

Brad330l

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Patti, have you got a weight estimate for the 1/5th scale pilots as yet?
I'm just wondering if the seat I have made in my Spitty will be strong enough.
Are you going to use the lighter gauge wire for the bodies?

How are the uniform coming along? How is your new puppy?

So many questions so little typing skill.

Cheers,

Brad

P4Patti

Hello all

I've just come up for some air after having my head buried in ZBrush - a digital scultping program. Amazingingly powerful tool, check it out on youtube. I'm about as good at it as you are at typing Brad! But have finally had a break through with both Richard and I working on a method of achieving a likeness from photos for the last few weeks using a combination of 3 different programs. ZBrush is amazing and as I get my head around it and play more, the more fun I'm having and even managed to put a skull cap onto your head yesterday Brad, the start of one anyway. It's great for creating the detail like folds in clothing, creases and wrinkles on the face and just so much more. How many of those wrinkles would you like? The trick will be to cut one and see how much of the detail comes out and if it needs to be accentuated more or less in the 3D mesh.

But there's progress. The first 1/5 scale body was cut and moulded but because it was cut from a fairly thin block the mould warped a bit so it's now being recut as I type. I can't give you a weight yet sorry Brad but by next weekend we should have the mould made and the first 1/5 body out of that with a weight. I can tell you that the all up weight of the finished 1/4 scale pilot including boots, clothes, full arms etc weighs 230g and the 1/5 looks substantially smaller all round so will be obviously less. I'm not going to use the thinner wire, it is too flimsy and the weight difference is so small it 's not worth it.

I've got a basic pattern for the clothing but I need the body on hand to do alterations and fittings, measure the inside leg etc The life jacket needs some working on and the RAF version is different from the US one. The RAF one is like a modern day ski vest that you put on like a jacket and ties up the front where as the US one pulls over the head and ties behind, if I'm correct.

There's just so much trial and error with it all that it seems like nothing much is happening but for every finished part there'd be at least a dozen disasters or part disasters Makes it all the sweeter when it finally comes together tho.

The puppy sucks up time and energy - but she's worth it From 5.30am it's like a tornado in the house and definitely no rest for anyone, let alone the wicked.

cheers
Patti

BobH

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Patti, glad you are working through the problems. That sounds like a wonderful program you have. How is the cutting done? Is it via a CNC machine?

Brad330l

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Wow, that part really is amazing!!![X(]
What a programme. Oh my Patti,,, what are you going to make me into?????????? Keep at it.

Please keep up the 'How To' posts as well. This is great stuff.

Cheers,

Brad

tunakuts3d

Hi Patti, 1st off I would like to say you are on to something here that will or could definatley fill a need that scale fanactics will be happy to see.Your pilots look fantastic! 2nd, I haven't seen any pics yet of the new 4 legged "pup" hope you will take the time and post those soon. While I am quite aways off from needing pilot figures , I can say your's are the best I have seen and would be interested in a luftwaffe Stuka pilot and a gunner figure's in 1/5 scale.please add me to the waiting list. I am just getting started on a Ju87 D3 and am looking to line up all my "ducks" and I think your pilots would be just "ducky' for my bird.
Keep up the great work!
Paul S.

P4Patti

Hi All

A rainy day today so it was great and we got so much done - hope it rains tomorrow too . Last night we made the mould for the 1/5 body so today we were able to produce our first 1/5 body. We also cut the first trial of Brad and being so much smaller than the 1/4 it was quite quick and turned out really well. Yes it is a cnc machine which is used for the cutting Bob, Richard designed and built it after starting with a much smaller kit about 5 years ago. The block for the heads is mounted into the 4th axis for rotary cutting.

I made a mould from Brad's cut head and cast him as well today then VERY roughly squirted a bit of colour onto him just to see the shape better. All in all a great success for the first one. I know you'd be dying to see it Brad but it's gone back to the drawing board to have a couple of minor alterations. The skull cap wasn't quite right so needed some additional sculpting. The second one is cutting right now. I was able to put the head onto the body and weigh it and it came out less than I'd thought at 130g (4.5oz?). You just have to add hands, boots and clothes which wouldn't come to much.

I wasn't going to post pics until it's finished because we've found that most people we show the raw shape to either on the computer or just freshly cut can't see the resemblence until it's painted. But I just went and took this one of it cutting as it's coming out so well and couldn't resist sharing. You'll have to use some imagination in the meantime. When it's finished I'll post Brad's mug shots as well. Something to look forward to eh Brad? Will also post the succession of cut to cast and finished as well.

I've done the type C cap with the straight sided ear pieces. Looks a bit like Princess Leia from Star Wars You asked what I was going to turn you into with ZBrush - how about a princess? Would look good in boots
Once the cutting is finished the detail can be added to the skull cap - straps, buckles etc. But it's getting there.

And since you twisted my arm Paul, I have added a couple of pics of the real princess. She's bigger now but wont sit still long enough for me to take pics and when she's sleeping we make the most of it to get things done without being chewed

Now that I have a body I'll have to get back into the sewing mode and make some Spitty gear. The 1/5 is smaller than I've been used to - spoilt doing 1/4 scale. Some of the 1/6 clothing from Dragon type models fits and may be an option for some if it's obtainable. Can't get the life jacket over those Princess Leia ear muffs tho.

cheers
Patti