Welcome To My Modern Equipment Alterations Page Four

KGB Gas Mask  Helmet Damage  DiD Shovel & DAM Cover

KGB Gas Mask

I wanted to use a KGB Hobby gas mask on one of my figures, but when I tried to fit the plastic web it comes with onto the figure's head. I found that it bulked out the helmet that I also wanted to fit on the head. All because the plastic web material is too thick, especially when I fold the straps back through the mask and under the helmet. The plastic material is also too thick and stiff to wrap around the back of the figure's head.

Gas Mask Straps

So I had to look for an alternative thinner material to replace the plastic web in Picture 1. The only material I had here was some Black leather material. I laid the plastic web onto the leather, so that I could use a pencil to trace out the shape. The leather was then carefully cut out, and then trimmed to shape with a very sharp model knife. The leather web was then painted on the sides, front and back with some Black acrylic paint, to both dull down the leather shine and get it to match on all over.

Note: I did think of using some thinner plastic sheet material, but I still had the problem of it not moulding around the rear of the figure's head. So that is where the idea for the leather material in Picture 2. came in, and once it was painted it would look like the real rubber material. Plus when the straps are carefully tightened around the head to hold the mask in place on the face, the leather material moulded to the back of the head. So with the straps now being softer than the original plastic web, I can now get the helmet to fit better onto the head over the gas mask.

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Headsculpt

The headsculpt I have used here is a DiD Hermann Hanke head, which helps to fit the gas mask better as it is bald. I tried other heads, but I found a lot of the problems I was having, was because of the hair line which caused the mask to sit wrong.

Replacement Gas Mask Straps

In Picture 2. the leather web straps have been test fitted onto the mask and the head, and as I wanted the softer strap material now moulds around the head better. Which also helps the mask to sit better on the figure's face.

DAM Alpha helmet

Another problem I found I had with trying to fit a mixture of a DAM helmet, a KGB Hobby gas mask together onto a DiD head. In Picture 3. I have test fitted the helmet inner web to the head. This is when I found that the helmet chin straps would not connect together, so I have had to cut through the stitching on one side of the chin strap adjuster in Picture 4. Which I have extended slightly and then sewn back together again, so that when all of the pieces are assembled the straps can be connected.

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The pictures below show how I have now fitted the helmet shell onto the head, this took a little bit of fiddling about to get it to sit level at the front. As I found that the side padding on the helmet web sticks out more on one side, so this was just pushed back under the shell to balance it up. And with the adjusted straps, I can now connect the clips together. The visor can also be folded down to cover the eye glass on the gas mask.

Reference Images

Riot Helmet Damage

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With the helmet I have used above with the gas mask, in Picture 5. it just looked too new. I have taken off the glass visor and then put the helmet into a bag with some screws and gave it a good shake. But I found that I did not mark the helmet enough for me, so in Picture 6. I have used a 3mm drill bit to randomly stab at the helmet, which has left the marks as shown. This has now scratched the paint and given it a more worn look.

To help to bring out the scratches better in Picture 7. I rubbed my finger in some Tamiya Silver weathering powder and rubbed it into the scratches. I then moistened my other finger to remove some of the Silver powder when I rubbed the helmet again. I then used the Tamiya Green weathering powder, to lose the new and shiny look the helmet had and to add an overall flat matt effect. Finally I gave some of the visor edges a drybrush of some Silver acrylic paint to simulate wear.

DiD Shovel & DAM Cover

This section is about how I have adapted a DiD German wood & metal shovel, so that it can fit into the DAM flora cover. The idea for this came about from some research I did about the shovel cover, as I was told that I can either be used as a shovel cover. Or it can be used to hold a water bottle.

In the picture on the right, it shows the shovel fitted to the back of the soldier onto what looks similar to the webbing straps on the rear of the DAM PKP Gunner assault vest.

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In Picture 8. above I have just cut the shovel blade down, so that it can fit into the cloth cover. I have not gone for 100% accuracy on the blade shape, because to me once it is in the cover it won't be seen. The shovel blade has been repainted to cover the shiny Brass colour of the metal, with some Black acrylic artists paint. And when dry I gave it a drybrush of some Tamiya Gunmetal weathering powders. The wooden handle was sanded to lose the colour, so it went back to the plain wood. I then gave it a paint of some Model Color Brown acrylic paint, and as it dried I wiped some of it off with a tissue to help bring out the grain. In Picture 9. I have put the shovel into the cover

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In Picture 10. I am fitting the shovel and pouch onto the back of a figure that I am working on, there are two straps on the rear of the cover. Which have to be fitted over and under the molle straps on the assault vest and the cover. With the top of the shovel handle in Picture 11. held in place, under a molle strap at the top of the vest. In Picture 12. I have put a water bottle into another cover, to show how it can be also used for this purpose.