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11-30-2003, 01:47
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OSW Pug Warrior
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 4,532
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Ambitious WWII Triple Nickel Smoke Jumper (outdoor pix added)
EDIT: I've completely replaced all the indoor pix with outdoor ones. And I've added three more items - Smoke Jumper weapons: Hasbro shovel, 21C pickaxe, and ThreeZero carrier for them. Cheers!
Exclusive to OSW is this, my final kitbash for this four day Thanksgiving holiday break: a World War Two 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion "Triple Nickel" Smoke Jumper!
History (trying to be good at this like the excellent Crazy Zouave):
The 555PIB was the U.S.'s first African-American parachute infantry battalion and the first African-American unit to be integrated into the "regular" army shortly after World War II. Due to not reaching full battalion size strength in time for the planned parachute operations, their mission changed to that of paratroop firefighters battling fires in the US Northwest created by incendiary Imperial Japanese balloon bombs. They became nicknamed "Smoke Jumpers" in a project called "Operation Firefly", made secret to prevent panic and possible retaliation against interned Japanese Americans. The Triple Nickels would fight fires & prejudice, walk in the danger of searching for unexploded Japanese ordinance in American forests. After the war, the 555th PIR fathered various units including the all black 2nd Airborne Ranger Company which did a combat jump into Korea when attached to the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (see earlier threads http://www.onesixthwarriors.com/foru...threadid=19263 and http://www.onesixthwarriors.com/foru...threadid=16947). Many Triple Nicklers were integrated into the 82nd, 101st, 11th & 13th Airborne Divisions and is stated that they served in more airborne units, in peace & war, than any other parachute group in history. Many of the fire jumping/fighting techniques tested & developed from Operation Firefly are still in use in the civilian & military smokejumping missions of today.
 
Components
This was a relatively easy kitbash that still ended up with, I think, incredible results. I didn't do any customizing unless you count cutting white twine to simulate the rope. Everthing else is "out of box" gotten loose except for the 21C item noted: 21st Century Toys/America's Finest Modern Smoke Jumper boxed figure provided the awesome smokejumper's helmet ; the WW2 Pathfinder musette bag is also from 21C ; the boots are from Cotswold Collectibles Elite Brigade ; DML provided the T5 parachute assembly & gasmask bag & life preserver ; BBi's Korean War "Wang" pilot figure provided the leather outfit to simulate the dark brown cowhide mentioned in the references ; and of course it had to be BBi's Samuel L. Jackson lookalike fig chosen to play this choice role.
Last edited by romedome : 07-05-2007 at 16:17.
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11-30-2003, 01:51
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OSW Pug Warrior
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northern California
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Triple Nickel Smoke Jumper References:
Last edited by romedome : 07-05-2007 at 16:23.
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11-30-2003, 02:03
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Man on the edge
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Frayed edge of sanity
Posts: 1,637
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outstanding!
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Across his chest in scabbards rest
the rows of throwing knives
whose razor point in challenged tests
have finished many lives
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11-30-2003, 02:08
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Artsy-Fartsy (OSW Staff)
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Join Date: Mar 2003
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11-30-2003, 02:47
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SSG Felder IS my name!!!
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Tschörmani
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You Rock
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Last edited by SSG Felder : 11-30-2003 at 03:00.
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11-30-2003, 09:17
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OSW's Very Own wormie!
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Harlingen, TX
Posts: 718
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Nice! 
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America, Home of the Free, Because of the Brave.
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11-30-2003, 10:16
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OSW Pug Warrior
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Join Date: Mar 2003
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Thanks, folks! This was really fun. Unfortunately, it's forecast for rain here in Elk Grove so don't know if I can do any outdoor shots today. 
SSGF, I need to update it with my latest Afro-American figs but checque out: http://www.romedome.com/company_of_p...brotherz.shtml |
11-30-2003, 10:28
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prolific kitbasher, OSW Librarian
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Join Date: Apr 2003
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Romeo:
Awesome work!
xavier
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11-30-2003, 11:07
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In the bush..........Nam baby!
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Malta, MT
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The history of the Triple Nickles is an exceptional story, and you've done a super job honoring this group of great Americans.
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11-30-2003, 11:27
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OSW Trade Police (Retired)
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Great White North
Posts: 11,768
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Man, I'd never even heard of these guys!
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 Maintiens le Droits
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11-30-2003, 12:13
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OSW Member
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Iraq.
Posts: 1,540
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WOW!! 
My Grandfather, Richard Green, was a member of the Triple Nickle.
He is the HISTORIAN of the Triple Nickle now. look under the web site and you will see him.
Great job Romedome. |
11-30-2003, 13:23
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OSW Pug Warrior
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northern California
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Many thanks!
I appreciate all the nice compliments, fellows.
Deadsel, holy cow! I will have to re-checque out the 5 to the 3rd power website again Cheers!
Last edited by romedome : 11-30-2003 at 17:09.
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11-30-2003, 16:18
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Strange & different
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: A clandestine operational base well-hidden in a Michigan rural area.
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555th Airborne Soldiers
RomeDome--another great subject and execution!
PBS had a special earlier this year, IIRC, about the 555th PIR. Great stuff, and that was the first time "I'd" had neard of these guys. When the call went out for volunteers, some of the senior NCO's took rank cuts to be able to get into the para infantry. Racism was still the order of the day, and a lot of the guys took a whole ration of crap to become paras. And afterwards, once they earned their wings, STILL they took crap from the white officers and EM that had never seen or heard of black soldiers in Airborne!
The great thing that came out of it was troops like the 555th guys wouldn't take too much crap and, and like other black veterans, became part of the Civil Rights movements after the war was over.
My suggestion? Some of you guys have the notion to make up AA troops, like Felder doing 761st and RD doing Triple Nickel. Why not take your time and put together your troops and come next February, 2004, Black History Month, then post all your figs with the history behind each of the guys you 'bash or customize?
'Course, you can do it anytime you want to, but "Black History Month at OSW" seems a "natural," (maybe only a small pun intended!) 
Frankly, for me--I love seeing all the great figs that represent the lesser known troops and organizations from around the military and the world! So, bring it on, Bashers!
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11-30-2003, 16:46
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Intercept,Engage,Destroy
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: To Infinity and Beyond...
Posts: 1,196
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Simply AWESOME, Rome! Matinik!!!
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11-30-2003, 17:00
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(OSW STAFF)
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 1,467
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DAAAAAMMMNNN! Great bash Romedome, awesome subject!
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11-30-2003, 17:33
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Freeze........ BANG! Now your freezed
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Metro Atlanta, GA
Posts: 117
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That is a cool bash. Great photo too.
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11-30-2003, 18:02
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OSW Pug Warrior
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northern California
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Rainy day outdoor photos of the Tri-Fives
Last edited by romedome : 07-05-2007 at 16:26.
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11-30-2003, 18:03
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 221
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This is great a really cool figure and a history lesson. I'm finally at home. Thanks for sharing this.
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11-30-2003, 18:08
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OSW Pug Warrior
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northern California
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Desert Rat 197, thank you for checking this out and thank you for being out there. Welcome home  |
11-30-2003, 20:42
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Official OSW Civil War kitbasher
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 537
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Thanks for the history and a cool figure. I love it when we get the history of the unit. These guys were on the history channel in a show about the Japanese balloon bombs. While the whole story seems crazy today, at the time, setting fire to the Northwest with balloon bombs from Japan was taken very seriously. So seriously that most of the documentation was kept secret for over 40 years. The Defense Dept was especially concerned that the Japanese would use biological agents in their balloons and start a plague in Washington or Oregon.
I can't add much to what's been said about the 555th. They labored against prejudice and the dangers of jumping into heavy forests. They have my respect. Along with the 54th Mass, the 100,000 USCT in the ACW, the Buffalo Soldiers and the Harlem Hellfighters of WWI they are the finest tradition of the US military.
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11-30-2003, 22:36
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OSW Member
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Idaho
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very cool, I liked the background on the history of the figure. Very nice bash of a little know subject!!
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11-30-2003, 23:51
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Stay Classy!
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Disney World
Posts: 270
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This is one of the things that keep me coming back to this site! Not only is that an exceptional bash, but it also tought me about a piece of American history that I was totally un-aware of! Great job!
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12-01-2003, 11:30
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SSG Felder IS my name!!!
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Tschörmani
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Brigadier Greamon:I really like your post reply.
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12-01-2003, 17:51
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Yojimbo no admin
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Join Date: Mar 2003
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RD, it's all been said, you are the man! By your efforts, you've brought these guys the recognition and honor they deserve. I believe they appreciate it, and no doubt more than a few were looking over your shoulder, as you did this. Well done.
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What you do
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12-04-2003, 12:46
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I got you "covered" ! (OSW Staff)
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Midwest(Chicago)
Posts: 5,466
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Sam's a rockin in this bash!!! Awesome use of a history book!! GRRRRRRRRRRRREAAT!!!
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