Guys,

I have been working on this project for a loooong time... and looking as now is already JUNE, I think it's time to expose the secret project for the coming Merdeka GB. It will be a 7 figure diorama... NOTE that I'm NOT building the exact shrinking version of our Tugu Negara... but more as a action fighting scene of our boys successfully raided a Communist camp, which of course coincidently poses similar to our Tugu.

Similar as my last "Bukit Kepong" vignette, I'm using the commercial kit from Tamiya 1:20 scale Racing pit crew... (odd scale: figure stands about 85mm)


I will not bored you with the similar detail of steps 1 to 10 as I've done with Bukit Kepong vignette WIP... (The real story is merely my laziness that did not take the detail steps photos as work progress...)

First, I've "choped" off all the arms and legs parts as shown in the picture below. This is because none of the original pose suite the Tugu Negara figure poses.


Next, come the heads. As the Tamiya are sculpted with Europeon faces, which I've to do heavy operation of "Nip and Tuck"... Note I'm also like to display the dio to show the unity of Malaysia multi-races fighting communism. Head A as the injured Malay soldier, Head B will be a Malay officer (Leader holding the Jalur Gemilang), Head C as an Indian comrade holding the Bren Machine Gun, Head D for a Chinese soldier as bayonet charger... Lastly Head E which no modification needed who represent a British Commonwealth soldier (probably an Australian), will pose helping the fallen comrade..... Never forget there were hundreds of these commonwealth soldiers died for our country's freedom.


Looking at our Tugu sculpture, notice all of the soldiers were sculpted wearing "Aussie" style broad brimmed slouch hat??? Which base on my research, our local fighters were wearing those floppy brim canvas jungle hat. So I've cut small circle aluminium sheet and made the floppy brim and larger circle for the Australian straight broad brimmed hslouch hat...


Next, the body posture conversion.... This is the composition of the previously cut parts of the arms and legs which are joint with brass pin then covered with 2 parts epoxy putty.


After the posturing corrected and satisfied, come the "dressing" fun part... moving area by area and pieces by pieces with putties to form the complex folds of the pants. Original detail on the torso (shirt were scrapped off and new detail of pockets and colars were added.


This is the "leader" who will be raising the Jalur Gemilang...


This is the Bren Machine Gunner... note the hand are not fixed yet to align with the weapon later.


Bayonet charger, you can see the brass wire for the coming scratch build arms...


The fallen


The helper


Combination of both figures which is the most hard part for me to achieve... notice the uncover arms and legs to adjust the best posture needed.


Detail of the jungle boots. These are canvas rubber boots base on refernces I've found on the net.


That's all for now.... next WIP will be on weapon and gear (ammo pouches, bayonets, back pack...)


Enjoy and critics are welcome.
CPTan

Aiyoooooo... this gonna be another masterpiece.. will monitor this thread closely.. :D

A historically (or politically) correct rendition of Tugu Negara! Will this be in bronze finish similar to our Tugu Negara? Or would it be a colored version?

It will be a coloured version...

any version will be an eye catching version...

It's got the "WAH" factor...!!!

This gets a double "Wah" from me CP.

Any version with this level of sculpting will be a stunner.

Richard.

Definitely agree with the guys this will be another saliva dripping moment.

Sorry CP not trying to be a rivet counter :P and I know you're not done yet but I just wanted to check with you if the Aussies had similar uniforms to the British? When I was doing some research for my Senoi Praaq the Brits pants had a large cargo pocket on their left leg if I remember correctly. They also had a small pocket to the front and top portion on the right leg. The small pocket is pleated down the middle just like their shirt pocket but the large cargo pocket on the left was not.

For some extra fine detailing you can actually shred the edge of the boonie hat to give it a worn look. Apparently most of the troops especially the SAS, trimmed off most of the edges to get more light reaching their eyes since it was dark under the dense jungle canopy.

CP and BB,
Something like this lah...these from confrontation period...don't know same or not..

Thanx for the nice comment guys...

Beach, I'm not sure about the pocket on the pants.... but I'm very sure they are NOT on our Tugu Negara figures.... Anyway Masterqq posted pictures proof these pocket exist on Aussie jungle fighters...

I supposed our local Malaysian jungle fighters also wore the same type of pants since their weapon and gear were provided by Commonwealth forces, right? Which mean I'll have to add these large cargo pocket (without pleat) on each left side of the figures' pants lar....

CPTan

CP,
the pose between the fallen and the soldier holding him up need to be very well co-ordinated. Real challenge there.

Looking good so far.

wow....i must have been sleeping to miss this thread...
a colored version of our National Monument...

Tauke CPTan, once again this deserved to be put into newspaper..... cant wait to see it finished.... the photography skill is excellent too...i thought i saw a DML box bottom photo la....

I dont care about the pants and pocket...yang penting you managed to get almost things right and complete them all....anyway IMHO the A dude doesnt look like Malay... maybe mix marriage or mat salleh celop... huhuh

disregard my comments la tauke...siapkan aje...hehe

Ooooo at last The King has spoken.... Sil, I know sooner or later you'll haunt me about the Malay face likeness issue... anyway your comment is much appreciated.

Loo, as said, it's the thoughest of all amonst these 5 figures.... BUT I foresee there'll be more challenge coming sculpting the 2 "Dead Enemies" which suppose to be liveless and "sink" into the base (Ground).... But B4 that I'm focusing on weapon making now...


CPTan

You never cease to amaze CP. This is going to be great. After all that work it'll only do this piece justice if colored but on the other hand painting them like statues as they should be will lend instant iconic recognition to the subject. I'd go for the statue look like the 'Nam memorial kit from Lindberg.

decisions, decisions.....
Patrick

Patrick,

As earlier in the resources thread, we have discuss the same issue whether to finish with bronze colour or full coloured version....

Also stated on top on this thread, I've already said I'll NOT make this project into a shrinking version of our Tugu Negara, but will make it an action scene diorama of our heroes successfully raided a communist camp which coincedently poses "quite" similar to our Tugu Negara...

CPTan