Caesar Alexius Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 A while ago I bought Italeri's 1/72 C-130 E/H and after sitting in my stash for around 6 months, I suddenly realised that I could make a diorama out of it. This is my plan - my diorama will be of the Herc that's just landed in a desert at night (meaning I'll rig it with LEDs), inserting some SAS soldiers and vehicles. If I use the kit decals (which I probably will unless someone convinces me otherwise), I'll be building a silver Herc from the 1980s, meaning that any vehicles coming out of the herc will have to be ones that the Australian army used in the 1980s. I've done a bit of research and found that in the 1980s we used modified Land Rovers (at the moment, I'm considering modifying Airfix's 1/76 Land Rover) and M-113s. Haven't really found anything apart from that, so I was wondering if anyone on ACR might be able to help me out. Keep in mind, any vehicle I use will have to be one that a C-130 could realistically carry and offload into a combat zone, in the 1980s of course (so no Bushmasters or ASLAVs). Also, bonus points will be awarded to anyone who can help me with figures. As I've failed to find any 1/72 Australian SAS or 1/72 Australian modern infantry in general (and I highly doubt such figures exist anyway) so I'm looking for a substitute. I'm thinking of using some modern/Cold War American infantry, seeing as the Australian SAS use many of the same weapons that the Americans do. Thanks guys, Alex. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 (edited) www.plasticsoldierreview.com will be an excellent source to start looking for a nice set of figures. HAJO Edited February 2, 2011 by Hajo L. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pixeluser Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hello, you could have a look at http://www.rhmodels.com/index.html They have some nice figures. Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arkhunter2002 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 You might want to look into prieser figures. They have pretty good relaxed poses, plus they are hard plastic which makes them easier to modify. I don't know what weapons the Aussies would have carried, but you can find PE replacements weapons from OKB Grigorov. HTH, Austin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Cameraman Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hi Alex, what you really need is a decrepit old Ford Falcon, that's been scavenged for parts! Regards Reggie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Arkhunter, PE-weapons? Does that look good? I´d be afraid they would be too much 2D... HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Alex, The kit decals are CRAP for a RAAF C-130, they are for a C-130A overall silver scheme that they wore when the aircraft were introduced in the 50s (and they aren't right for that period either). Definitely not from the 80s! C-130Hs wore a camo scheme in the 80s like >>this<<. C-130Es wore a grey/white scheme like this (my model): The Italeri kit represents a C-130E but you could get away with putting C-130H decals on it without the required mods (I won't tell anyone :D) I think I have a spare sheet for the later wrap around green cam scheme if you are interested. PM me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arkhunter2002 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Hajo, I used them in my stryker dio. I used one PE M240 (FN MAG) in my fastroping dio, granted I used resin M4's that I casted for the other figures. I thought they worked out just fine. Plus they are the only option for most of modern weapons, short of scratchbuilding them. Take care, Austin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caesar Alexius Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 "If I use the kit decals (which I probably will unless someone convinces me otherwise)". Well, looks like someone just did convince me. Thanks for those pictures Ray! I think I'll go with the H camo scheme. I figured that if SASR were being deployed on exercise (or real war if somebody decided to invade us in the 1980s), the RAAF would probably send a camo'd herc to insert them instead of a white and grey one. And if the kit represents an E model, well, hopefully the lights and rest of the diorama should distract it's spectators from that fact. Also, thanks for the offer of those decals. I'll PM you about them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caesar Alexius Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 First of all, nice job on those figures! I had a look at OKB Grigorov and after seeing how you've done them, I think I'll go with those. They have some Steyrs with M-203s, so I might get myself some of those. Thanks Austin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 :D, G'day Caesar, If you want to do a dio of a RAAF Herc disgourging SAS troops and vehicles in the desert in a mid 80's setting you'd be better to build an H model in the then current camo as it was 36 Sqn that was the tactical transport unit back then. By the mid 80's, 37 Sqn's E models were decidedly long in the tooth and generally only being used for long range high level strategic transport duties where the gentler handling would make them last a bit longer. I have heard it said that by the time the E models were disposed of the H models had almost as much (or little) fatigue life left as the E models did due to their lower level operations. Initially in the 70s when I was at Richmond the first time both the A and E models were in overall natural metal with the blue cheat line and normal markings. By the time I got back to Richmond in the early 80s the A models were gone to Avalon and the E models had gained an overall grey and white paint scheme. At that time the H models were still in their 2 greens and tan and light aircraft grey underside scheme. During my second posting to Richmond the H models started to get their wrap around camo. HTH. , Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jforster Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I'm not sure at what point SASR (Australians, SAS are British) got M4's. I'm pretty sure they carried M4 carbines in Desert Storm in '91, but not sure about the '80's. Might be worth investigating. Cheers, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wege Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 (edited) I think it was a mix of M16 and SLR variants http://shop.ebay.co.uk/sis.html?_nkw=Carar...1+72+Land+Rover as some other cut-options. Bedford Mk. 4 from airfix I think was used at some point in theatre.. (kuwait.. brit.. dunno who else) http://cs.finescale.com/FSMCS/forums/p/55487/567714.aspx to http://www.rhmodels.com/14.html hope some of this helps? Edited February 6, 2011 by Wege Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blackhawk7 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 (edited) Try here for a bit of info: Link Edit, another with larger pictures (fourth post down) here HTH.. Tom Edited February 8, 2011 by blackhawk7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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