• Modelers Alliance has updated the forum software on our website. We have migrated all post, content and user accounts but we could not migrate the passwords.
    This requires that you manually reset your password.
    Please click here, http://modelersalliance.org/forums/login to go to logon page and use the "Forgot your Password" option.

Golden Oldies, Models and dioramas

bob letterman

Master at Arms
Staff member
Bob Letterman said:
I haven't built a flying thingy for a while, but here are a couple of old ones. First, a picture of me just after moving into a new home in 1976. The planes were crated up and I'm preparing to glue them all back together. This photo was a real embarrassment to me. When I was a cop, my partner and I were always making high profile splashy busts that seemed to somehow make the front pages. The reporters were hanging out with us a lot during that period. One reporter came to the house for a follow up on some bust or another, anyway, he saw these and had to take some pics.

The next day, I opened the newspaper and here was that picture. It was captioned, "Bob Letterman, one of St. Louis' toughest crime fighters plays with toy airplanes when off duty". I had to take crap over that for months!:blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: You can see some of those ancient Tamiya armor kits on the shelf behind!

planes.jpg


This dio was built in 1982. It was called "Nest" and featured in several magazines. It was a French "Castle Farm" as is found along the Normandy coast. It is in 1/24th scale by the British firm Matchbox, at least I think. The searchlight and buildings were from scratch, the figures were all converted from those four Tamiya 1/24 Rommel, etc., and the Tamiya race car figures. I really detailed the engine and cockpit as there were no aftermarket stuff back then. BTW, excuse the photo quality, digital hadn't even been thought of yet!

Nest03.jpg


Nest02.jpg


Nest11.jpg


I used two kits to build this with. I needed to have the replacement engine being uncrated.

Nest01.jpg


I used two Heller kits for the cars, a Mercedes and a BMW sportscar. The 1/24 Opel Blitz was an Italeri release.

Nest04.jpg


Nest05.jpg


Nest06.jpg


Nest08~0.jpg


Nest09.jpg


Nest10.jpg


Nest13~0.jpg



This next one is about a beutepark. The one located in Paris-Nanterre. The Germans would move captured Allied aircraft to the units, put them back into flying condition, then, rotate their pilots through to fly them, discover the strengths and weaknesses. They all had German insignia for obvious reasons! This is in 1/48th scale, the B-17 and C-47 were from Monogram and the Mustang was Hasegawa, I think. The vehicles were Bandai and some Verlinden. The B-17 and the Mustang were one of my very first attempts with resin/PE update sets. Fooling with the PE, I thought to myself, nobody is going to use this stuff! :evil: :evil: :evil: Was I wrong! The figures were mostly kit figures, to be honest, I can't even remember now where I got all of them.

The dio was called "The Liberation of Sheila".

Sheila03.jpg


Sheila05.jpg


Sheila11.jpg


I hand painted the Nose art on both Sheila and the C-47. Sheila was out of my imagination.

Sheila04.jpg


Little Chief Cockeye was another story. Wes2009's father was in the Army Airforce in WW II. He actually painted nose art for the unit he was in. He then took photos up close and I used this one of his for the C-47 nose art. I will leave the explanation of the title to your imagination.

[
Sheila14.jpg


Sheila10.jpg


Sheila06.jpg


Sheila13.jpg


See Bob jr. This passion for flying thingies you have developed? It was inherited!! :D :D :D :D

Bob Sr.
 
A Pair of Cop Cars

Bob Letterman said:
Looking at agentg's police vehicles, I thought I would pop mine on here. I have built quite a few over the years. This one was built in the early 80's.

The first one is a police garage. The California Highway Patrol has just received their first pursuit traffic cruiser. The title is, "What if Chips had a Lamborghini Countach"?

I actually went to a Chips station in San Diego to photograph some reference for this. The idea for the Ford being covered with newspaper in order to repaint the recently repaired rear fenders was a result of the visit.

PoliceDiose~0.jpg


All the figures are the 1/25th Verlinden, some modified and posed to fit the look! I really can't remember where all the accessories came from, but the Lamborghini was Fujimi and the Taurus was AMT.

PoliceDiosg~0.jpg


Here is a shot of the interior and engine after detailing and painting.

PoliceDiosa~0.jpg


The Honda 750 was an ancient kit that I bought off somebody, don't remember the brand, but it was hell to build and make to look like something.

PoliceDiosf~0.jpg


This one is a traffic stop. This time the citizen has a Ferrari. The State patrol has a Camaro pursuit car. The scale is 1/16th. It was photographed on the parking lot of VLS when it was in O'Fallon, Missouri in 1991. I called it "Gas Pedal Stuck". I only worked in uniform for a very short time in my police career. The majority as a detective. But this was the most common excuse I remember getting.

PoliceDioc~0.jpg


As this is a large scale, I took two 120mm figures of a Marine D.I. from Verlinden. Converted one to a state trooper, I sculpted a new hat, police equipment, gun, etc. Then the other one I converted into a "Cool Dude". If you look at the break in the trousers of both figures at the shoes, you can see they began as the same.

PoliceDiosb~0.jpg


The stop sign and street signs are from scratch. If agentg is looking, notice the name of the street. Gravois is a main drag in St. Louis.

PoliceDiosd~0.jpg


Just thought I would show a couple of my car dios.

Bob
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

I still love it, hoping oneday that I can get back to sniffin' some glue. That's nontoxic Tanex type glue for you who have no humor...
 
A Pair of Cop Cars

Old buddy of mine pulled that gas peddle stuck on a SCHP some time ago. He was driving a redneck Dodge Dart all souped up, too look at the car you would believe the throttle stuck!
 
A Pair of Cop Cars

Bob, When I was young, I always had a hot car, souped up, not stolen! :woohoo:

The scenery looks good Johnny, because it is real!! I photographed it outside and placed it where the background and cars would be in perspective!

Thanks guys!

Bob
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

Bob,

After I finish the large one, I will build a plane. Those were built in 1985 and the hanger in 1988. It's time to do another Flying thingy!

Bob
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

bob letterman wrote:
Bob,

After I finish the large one, I will build a plane. Those were built in 1985 and the hanger in 1988. It's time to do another Flying thingy!

Bob

:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy

this will be great.

Anything in mind?
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

Always a joy to watch your work Bob, I never get tired of that. Brings back memories about the time I was just starting to glue plastic, I could watch for hours at your work, and try to make my next project look just like yours, well that never happend :( not even close. But your work was and still is a great inspiration for me!

Erik
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

Bob Robert wrote:
bob letterman wrote:
Bob,

After I finish the large one, I will build a plane. Those were built in 1985 and the hanger in 1988. It's time to do another Flying thingy!

Bob

:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy

this will be great.

Anything in mind?

I,ve always liked WW II Corsairs, or maybe a mustang. I like the larger scales and there is some great 32nd stuff out there!

Bob
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

You know Erik,

I've been doing this since I was four years old! I was fortunate to have two parents with artistic ability. So, mostly it is a little genetic talent and one hell of a lot of experience, when you have been modeling almost 65 years, I suspect that you will go beyond whatever I have ever done. Just make sure you learn at least one new thing a day. Mostly I do that by making mistakes. I still learn and on this site, that's as easy as it gets!

Bob
 
Some Flying thingies for Moon Puppy!

bob letterman wrote:
Bob Robert wrote:
bob letterman wrote:
Bob,

After I finish the large one, I will build a plane. Those were built in 1985 and the hanger in 1988. It's time to do another Flying thingy!

Bob

:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy

this will be great.

Anything in mind?

I,ve always liked WW II Corsairs, or maybe a mustang. I like the larger scales and there is some great 32nd stuff out there!

Bob

Dangit, ain't got a drooling emoticon.

You'll be glad to know that's all I have on the horizon right now. After a couple of 1/48 Classic Airframe kits for a GB at Swanny's (Brewster Buffalo and a A12 Shrike) It's all 1:32 Trumpeter big guy! I got the P47 Razorback, this is going to be an open panel mess. I want to show all the innards off that monster, the ductwork going back to the supercharger, gas tanks, back side of the engine, everything. That's why I'm doing this on the Wildcat to get some practice in.

The other is the 1:32 P51, not sure what kit it is but it's the one with Lil' Pete on the boxart. got the full Big Ed set for it but can't chop this one up, I mean comeon...it's a Mustang! Not sure what subject on that one but that'll turn up soon enough.
 
A Pair of Cop Cars

Bob , great little dio's you got there ( well little compared to your other ones :blink :laugh: ) man i remember watching CHIPS when i was a kid , what a great show

Matt
 
Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

Matt Beattie wrote:
Bob , great little dio's you got there ( well little compared to your other ones :blink :laugh: ) man i remember watching CHIPS when i was a kid , what a great show

Matt

Thanks Matt.

When I did that diorama in 1987 I think, I had been to several shows in Southern California. Being a retired cop, I walked into Chips Hq, and they gave me the red carpet treatment, took me everywhere, I took about a hundred photos of uniforms, vehicles, etc. and had a great many reference shots for the dio! Lots of fun!

Bob
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

In the late eighties, I had built a diorama name Comrades. I had sculpted new heads for the 5 figures and had painted the sculptures.

comrades4.jpg


My partner asked why I hadn't put them in rubber as we could have made a head set and sold them. He was right! So I told him I would make another 4 heads for a 120mm head set. After I finished them, I wanted to make a small diorama to use them. This became the smallest diorama I have ever built. I keep it in a case because all my other dios are free standing and this is too small for that. As a result, I forgot about it.

Rudi Richardson sent me pics of a new dio he is working on with RR tracks running through it. It occurred to me that I should post it here. The title is Souvenirs. Early war, France. It is in 120mm scale. The 2cm flak is a Verlinden product as are the bodies of the three figures. I converted the seated figure from a standing figure.

Souvenirsg.jpg


Souvenirsh.jpg


Souvenirsf.jpg


Souvenirsb.jpg


I like a lot of character in my faces. There isn't anything wrong with this guys left eye, it is the way the light reflected and I'm too lazy to re photograph it!

Souvenirsc.jpg


Souvenirsd.jpg


As this one is an officer, I gave him a "Prussian" forehead, blond hair and glasses.

Souvenirse.jpg


Anyway, just thought I would pop these pics up here.

Bob
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

my favorite decade all around. Thanks for the flashback. Was it you or Lewis Pruneu with the scratchbuilt PaK-40?

Regards,
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

Hey Saul,

Do you mean this one? Pruneau and I were doing a lot of scratchbuilding during the 80s.

comrades12.jpg


comrades3.jpg


If this is the one you are referring to, that was mine in a dio named Comrades!

BTW, that gun started a major flame war that lasted a decade! I'll tell you about it sometime!

Bob
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

Yes, that is the gun. I knew it is part of the diorama you posted. However, since you did not show it, perhaps it was Pruneu's work? Anyway, it is still awesome.

As for the flame war, please do tell!
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

An armor model starting a flame war? Surely you jest.

:laugh: ;) :laugh:

Excellent stuff all around Bob, thanks for sharing these oldies but goodies. I was modeling in the eighties too, and it didn't look anything like this.

:D
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

sharkmouth wrote:
Yes, that is the gun. I knew it is part of the diorama you posted. However, since you did not show it, perhaps it was Pruneu's work? Anyway, it is still awesome.

As for the flame war, please do tell!

Ken Abrams wrote.
An armor model starting a flame war? Surely you jest.

Excellent stuff all around Bob, thanks for sharing these oldies but goodies. I was modeling in the eighties too, and it didn't look anything like this.


OK, Saul and Ken, I'll try to relate this without using names.

At the time, there was an up and coming injection model company in Hong Kong! They had an American distributing company in City of Industry, California. At that point in time, VLS had no peers in the resin production business. VP had began producing 120mm figures in the late 80s. However, there were no 120mm models to go with them. During that time, IPMS St. Louis, (Gateway), hosted the national convention here. Both the owner of the big company in Hong Kong and the manager of the distributing company came to that convention. While there, they visited VLS, (I knew both men very well), When I was giving them a tour, they noticed the scratch built white plastic original in my studio, (posted earlier in this thread), and both assumed it was a coming new release. (It wasn't).

Everybody returned home. A fantastic scratch builder from south Texas and now a very good friend, had built a 120mm Nebelwerfer from scratch for a diorama and it had been published in a VP magazine. They bought it and were the first on the market with a 120mm model. That really irked my partner and he immediately went to market with his own 120mm product, I believe it was a Sturmgeschutz III, patterned by Lewis Pruneau.

From that point forward, the distributor in California and VLS had an ongoing flame war, it was very uncomfortable because VLS was the importer of the Hong Kong company and there was very little conversation between the two. Throughout all those years, we called it "The Marco Polo Wars". Eventually, I learned the battle was strictly between the distributor and VLS, as the manufacturer, even though he owned the distributorship, was unaware. Eventually, I threatened to contact the manufacturer directly, and the distributor backed off.

There you have it. If I mentioned the name of the manufacturer, everybody on this site, and I mean everybody, would recognize it immediately! A very, very famous manufacturer of plastic armor kits.

Some day, I should write a book about all the adventures I had during the VLS years! So many behind the scenes stories!

Bob
 
"Souvenirs", a Diorama from the 80s.

Hi Bob,

Thanks very much for posting these. I find it really interesting that the way I'd envisaged the track materials, construction, etc I'll be using are pretty much what you used - without my even realising it :) I must be on the right track (excuse the pun ;) ).

I just love the hot, flustered look on the SS-Obersturmführer.

At the time, there was an up and coming injection model company in Hong Kong... very, very famous manufacturer of plastic armor kits.

Hmmmm, :hmmm wonder who that might be... :whistle: :laugh:

I'll bet you never let any other manufacturer near your workshop/studio after that. FWIW a similar incident happened to a sculptor friend of mine. He was working on the master of a war elephant when visited by a prominent Spanish miniatures company. Imagine his surprise when they released a not too dissimilar beast shortly after their visit, and while he was still glowing in the aftermath of being visited by a "major" firm. :blink I guess you could say he went from "glowing" to "glowering" ;)

Rudi
 
Back
Top