555th PIB, Smoke Jumper W2

[STALL STUFF]

I saw the helmet and wanted to post my version that has been sitting on my shelf for over a year and has gone through many changes.

Not a lot of credit is given to the 555th PIB other then being the first Black Parachute Infantry Battalion in W. W. II. These guys (unit) was dedicated to fighting the fires that were set by the Japanese fire balloons and were very instrumental in developing techniques for jumping into fires and how to put them out that are still used today.

They would later be rolled in to the 82nd ABN Div with elements later forming the 2nd Ranger Company (All Black) during the Korean War.

[TurboProp]

Awesome job Man and a wonderful subject...Great stuff!

[Craig659]

Cool figure. Is that the old 21C uniform or is Dragon's? Looks great. Also, how did you do the helmet? Nice job!

[Iron_Mike]

Fantastic figure and great job on the helmet, looks superb! Wonderful job
-mike-

[e5sargemac]

I saw the helmet post yesterday and couldn't wait to see the end result. Well-worth the wait!!

[zebraten]

That's really great.

[amerikaner06]

great figure just one observation: the mussette bag would be the other way so that when the trooper stripped off the parachute he could just take it and throw it over his head and be ready to go.

-Jeff

[Irish029]

Great job. Great subject

Jon
irish029

[Tatuued1]

Very nicely done. The helmet that you did turned out really well and the bash is awesome.

[cablecommander]

that is a great figure. After seeing this one and the helmet that Johkaz did, I think I might have to do one now.

[chuck wyatt]

Great work! and I learned something new!

[ShiGuangYu]

First saw,look very strong～～

[tang]

Nice one!

[STALL STUFF]

Originally Posted by Craig659

Cool figure. Is that the old 21C uniform or is Dragon's? Looks great. Also, how did you do the helmet? Nice job!

First off I cannot take credit for the helmet. It is a 21C helmet from their smoke jumper figure. So, Johkaz, great work on your helmet.

The next thing is this is a DML (Jacket) and BBi (trousers) uniform. I tried to weather it but need to go back to the drawing board. Perhaps even change the head. However, thanks for your nice words.

[STALL STUFF]

Originally Posted by Tatuued1

Very nicely done. The helmet that you did turned out really well and the bash is awesome.

I cannot take credit for the helmet. It is a 21C helmet from their modern smoke jumper figure. You need to give the credit to Johkaz for the great work he did on his helmet, which is different all together from my project.

I was just astute enough some years when 21C came out with the smoke jumper set to see the helmet and think of it in terms of the 555th. I still have the gray smoke jumper uniform that came with the set. I made this figure two or three years ago. I have changed the head sculpt several times and I am still looking for a cool head to use. Max does not really work for me. So, I will post a new head soon as I find one.

[STALL STUFF]

Originally Posted by amerikaner06

great figure just one observation: the mussette bag would be the other way so that when the trooper stripped off the parachute he could just take it and throw it over his head and be ready to go.

-Jeff

No Jeff you are wrong here. I have the pictures from which the figure was made. The 555th did not use web gear in forest fire fighting like normal Airborne infantry. So, the Mussette bag was not put in the reverse position so it could be thrown over their head and shoulders after they laded and drop their chutes.

[prvtnoclass]

Amazing work, Love it!!!

[USMC Maggot]

Damn, this fig is to kool.

[lucas]

Very original. The helmet perfect.

[Rogue Trooper]

Very cool looking fig.

[rangerg282]

Great looking Smoke Jumper,Danny and youself did justise to the "Triple Nickle", 555TH PIB. Awesome all the way around!!! AIRBORNE ALLTHE WAY!!!

[W@sh]

Amazing !!!

[Johkaz]

Hi,

Wow this is an amazing kitbash with very nice attention to the details.
Especially where the rope is held.
And i agree about the musette bag, because there is nothing to clip it to apart from the parachute harness.

Excellent work.

Gary

[mgbb]

Great custom!

[amerikaner06]

Originally Posted by STALL STUFF

No Jeff you are wrong here. I have the pictures from which the figure was made. The 555th did not use web gear in forest fire fighting like normal Airborne infantry. So, the Mussette bag was not put in the reverse position so it could be thrown over their head and shoulders after they laded and drop their chutes.

hey, i learned. menat no offense by it mate.

[Johkaz]

Hi,

After looking at this great kitbash, i have realised that i have made a mistake with the helmet i have made.
As i don't have the clips on the visor on mine.

Gary

[STALL STUFF]

Originally Posted by Johkaz

Hi,

After looking at this great kitbash, i have realised that i have made a mistake with the helmet i have made.
As i don't have the clips on the visor on mine.

Gary

Well Gary,

You are not alone. If you take a close look at the helmet these guys are wearing you will notice that they are the old style football helmets (1940s) not the newer one we have used. We need to push out/extend the ear section of the helmet a bit to make it correct. I need to collect more pictures of the helmets used back then to make the mod to my helmet. As for the clips, easy fix that you can make from cloth with an attaching point make from styrene plastic.

[Johkaz]

Hi,

Many thanks for the reply.
And now that you have mentioned it, the helmets in the picture look like the old leather type not the plastic type we have used here.
I have found some images of the old helmets in the links below.

http://www.leatherfootballhelmet.com/

http://pasttimesports.biz/football.html

From Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...ootball_helmet
And from that page:

The plastic football helmet came in 1939. It was invented and patented by Gerry E. Morgan and other employees of the John T. Riddell Company in Chicago, a sporting goods provider. The single molded plastic shell was stronger, lighter, longer lasting, and didn't rot the way leather does when damp. Colors could also be baked into the plastic so the paint jobs would be longer lasting. In 1940 Riddell also developed the first chin strap to rest on the chin instead of the neck and the first plastic face mask.

There were problems however. The plastic helmets were brittle when hit head on. And the bar hole that was drilled for the face mask tended to pop loose. Because of this Riddell was in trouble and so was the plastic helmet.

Riddell's plastic helmet was a little flat on top at first but it changed to its tear-drop shape, which allowed a blow to slide to one side or the other rather than be met head-on. Its web suspension could be raised or lowered to fit the head of a player.

Better plastics, rounder designs, and air filled padding saved the plastic helmet and by 1949 the leather helmet was extinct.

But i am wondering if the leather helmets would have been strong enough, to support the face visor?
As i believe that it was in the late 1940's, that the footballers started to experiment with the plastic type of helmet we have used.
Although i may be wrong on this point as i am based in the UK, so i have no real knowledge on the development of the US football helmet.

Thanks.

Gary

[STALL STUFF]

Gary you are right, they used the plastic ones to support the face mask. Here is a good picture of CPT Mayes wearing the football helmet from 1943/44. It looks to be plastic and has no face mask. This is the same type helmet US Army Test Battalion wore during the 40s. So, I am thinking just a modification is need on a plastic helmet to be correct.



I will see what else I can find and keep you posted.

[Johkaz]

Hi,

I am wondering if a helmet liner might be easier to use?
Because looking at it, it seems to be very close in shape to one?

Sorry scrub what i have just said....
As i have just seen the ear pieces on the side.



Gary