Welcome To My DAM Russian Airborne Kitbash Page

This kitbash based on the DAM Crimea Paratrooper figure, and on the OSW forum I found a review about the figure. This figure is one of a pair I have, this particular one I bought unboxed from a fellow modeller for a very good price. The other is my original boxed figure.

As usual with me I was considering major changes to the figure, but after re-thinking it I have used it as it came from the box, but with only small changes and additions to it.

Headsculpt

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With this figure I had a particular pose in mind for it, so I had a look through my spares boxes and I decided to see if I could fit a Soldier Story shouting head on the DAM body. As usual with this hobby, I found out that Soldier Story head adapter will not fit into a DAM neck socket. Picture 1. is the original DAM head I removed.

Picture 2. is of some of the various neck connectors that I have, including some special one's that I have bought separately. And I was lucky that I found one of the white aftermarket adapters, which allowed me to connect the Soldier Story head to the DAM body. Picture 3. has the adapter and the alternative Soldier Story head I wanted to use.

In Picture 4. I now have the head on the DAM body, Picture 5. has the inner cloth skeleton on the head, this was carefully taken out of the helmet. So that I could fit this on the head first, and at the same time adjust it so that it is tight on the head. The final picture on the right, has the helmet shell then pressed onto the head to complete it.

I cannot remember who I got the white neck adapters from, but I have found that Shapeways make some different one's. That could be used to do the same as I have done. I have also found a supplier for the strap webbing material that I have here - Webbing Strap. Plus also from the same seller, I found the 1/6 scale plastic fastex buckles - Buckles.

Body

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As mentioned above I have already changed the headsculpt, but for the pose I wanted I have had to also change the hands as well. And again I had a bit of luck, as in Picture 6. I took the DAM wrist connector out of the hand. And then tried to fit it to some spare hands I had left over from a COOMODEL 1/6 Male Body Figure I bought from eBay. I found that the COOMODEL hand had a slightly smaller hole for the wrist connection, so I used my model knife to enlarge the hole slightly. And eventually the DAM wrist connector ball joint fitted tightly, so I could use the hand which then fitted into the DAM wrist socket.

The next idea I had for this figure, in Picture 7. was to add some woollen gloves to the hands. I bought some DiD Grey gloves and carefully fitted them to the hands, and after seeing the reference picture. I have. I tried to repaint the gloves with some Black acrylic paint, but all they did was just become a darker grey colour. So I have left the gloves colour as they are, as they are near to my reference picture.

Clothing

I have used the uniform  and the body armour as it came with the figure, the only alterations that I have done here is to cut the threads that hold the pocket corners in place. So that I could open the top flaps properly, and then in Pictures 9. & 10. I have added some folded tissue into each them to bulk them out.

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Picture 11. is of one of the knee pads, that I have sanded slightly to simulate wear. I did this to the other one, as well as both of the elbow pads.

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I then looked at the boots that the figure came with, although they are good. I could not get them fitted tightly to the foot and ankle, due to the fur type of padding inside the boots. Note: I have repainted them with some Black artists acrylic paint to lose the new look. So I replaced them in Picture 14. with another pair I had in my spares box, I also have re-painted them with Black artists acrylic paint, so that I can lose the new look they had. I replaced the laces with some thinner thread, scraped the paint off of the eyelets, scuffed the toe, plus I also sanded the boot soles slightly to reduce the tread depth.

Equipment

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A small change I have added to the assault vest, is with the addition of a centre plastic fastex buckle. Picture 15. shows a reference picture I found, showing the middle buckle.

Picture 16. is the vest as it came with the figure, with the centre velcro closure that I am going to have to remove. I did this by cutting off the centre parts, but I left the sewn webbing straps on each side in place. Then to make the replacement centre buckle, I have had to search my parts spares box for a strip of webbing material that luckily it was the same colour as the other webbing.

Two halves of the straps were then cut to the width of each side of the vest, and sewn onto the each of them. The right side has the fixed side of the fastex buckle, sewn in place with the molle loops, so that I can fit a pouch each side when I have finished. This side of the buckle has the free end of the strap, so that I can adjust the buckle once it is on the figure. In the picture on the right I have finished the vest, and I just have to now fit it to the figure.

Equipment Assembly

Vest and Pouches

These pictures show how I have assembled the various pouches onto the vest and belt. which also includes some extra small pouches I bought online. And with a little bit of planning I managed to get all of the pouches I wanted on the belt.

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Belt Equipment Fitting

Picture 17. has the large 4 x AK74 magazine pouches in the centre, above and below these I have put on the smaller pouches. I have also put a knife in behind one of the AK74 pouches. The second lower pouch on the right holds the radio. This is a radio and hand microphone I had loose, as a replacement for the one that the figure came with.

The hand microphone is clipped to the vest, with the cable routed between the two larger pouches. I have also painted the radio cable with Model Color Matt medium to dull down the shine. In Picture 18. on the belt I have put the water canteen and pouch, plus the bayonet which was re-painted with some Black artists acrylic paint, again to lose the shine it had.

On the other side of the figure in Picture 19. I wanted to fit a pistol, as the figure never came with one. So I bought a DAM Natalia one loose, and to be different I re-painted the holster, with the Black artists acrylic paint. Next to that I have used a flare pouch holder, which holds three DAM flares.

Backpack

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Picture 20. shows the backpack that came with the figure, I took out the padding from inside it as it looked too square. And instead I used some tissue to get a more rounded bulky look to it. In Picture 21. I fitted a shovel and cover to the back pack, which is based on the reference picture on the right.

The shovel and pouch was another that I made in the same way, as the one that I used with my other fully loaded Russian paratrooper. With this figure this is the first chance that I have had, to show that the Shovel cover can be used for two purposes. Because in Picture 22. I have the same type of pouch cover, being used for both the water bottle as well as the shovel.

Weapons

The main weapon for this figure is the AK-74M assault rifle, used as it came with the figure. But with the addition of the PSO-1 optical sniper sight from the DAM Beslan figure. I also wanted to add a silencer to the rifle, so I bought one loose from the SuperMC Alpha figure.

After taking the flash hider off the DAM rifle, and trying the silencer for size. I found in Picture 22. that the hole for the barrel end is too small, to do a straight connection. So I have had to enlarge it slightly with my model knife, so that it would be a tight fit onto the DAM rifle.

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In Picture 23. I have fitted the silencer, and then I used some liquid poly glue to help hold it in place. Making sure as it dried, that the silencer is straight on the rifle. Picture 24. shows the PSO-1 optical sniper sight fitted to the rifle.

The photo on the right, shows the Hobby Nuts RPG-26 rocket launcher that I bought. Some very good images of a real launcher are here - RPG-26. These helped me to make an adjustable sling, as the model comes with one, but I found that it lacks some detail. I have also given the launcher a drybrush with some Tamiya Green and Gunmetal weathering powders, which has helped to reduce some of the shine on the Green paint.

Assembled Figure

This is the figure after I have given it a drybrush of some Tamiya Light Sand weathering powder, which has helped to bring out the highlights of the uniform and pouches. The bottom edge of the jacket, pocket flaps, trouser leg bottoms, cuffs and the pouch opening straps. Were all given a light brush over with some Tamiya Mud weathering powder to simulate dirt. I also gave the rifle a drybrush with some Tamiya Black and Gunmetal powders.

Reference Material