Full Metal Jacket

12. May 202012. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, 28mm Wargaming, Empress, Empress miniatures, full metal jacket, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Paul Hicks, US Marines, Vietnam war

Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 war film directed, co-written, and produced by Stanley Kubrick and starring Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio and Adam Baldwin. The screenplay by Kubrick, Michael Herr, and Gustav Hasford was based on Hasford’s novel The Short-Timers (1979). The storyline follows a platoon of U.S. Marines through their boot camp training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, primarily focusing on two privates, Joker and Pyle, who struggle under their abusive drill instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, and the experiences of two of the platoon’s Marines in Vietnamese cities of Da Nang and Huế during the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War.^[5] The film’s title refers to the full metal jacket bullet used by military servicemen. The film was released in the United States on June 26, 1987 ( Wikipedia).

Empress Miniatures released a set of special character miniatures in their Vietnam War range based on the main characters of the movie. Sculpted by Paul Hicks. Here is the first miniature of the set I painted Gunnery Sergeant Hartman:

NVA Regular

11. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, 28mm Wargaming, Empress, Empress miniatures, North Vietnamese Army, NVA, Paul Hicks, Vietnam war

Here is the next NVA Regular.

Kneeling M60 gunner

8. May 202011. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, 28mm Wargaming, Empress, Empress miniatures, M60, Paul Hicks, pig, Vietnam war

The last miniature in this batch. A kneeling M60 gunner. A joy to paint.

Next up Full Metal Jacket ( the movie) characters.

Lt Col. Ernest C. Cheatham ,”Ernie”

7. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, 28mm Wargaming, Empress, Empress miniatures, Lt Col. Ernest C. Cheatham, Paul Hicks, US Marines, Vietnam war, wargaming

Lt Col. Ernest C. Cheatham (July 27, 1929 – June 14, 2014) who served as the CO of the 2nd Battalion 5th Marine regiment during the battle for Hue in Vietnam. Was a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War, a recipient of the Navy Cross, and American football defensive tackle who played for the Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

An Empress Miniature figure sculpted by Paul Hicks.

Last member of 2nd platoon 1st section

6. May 20206. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, 28mm Wargaming, Empress, Empress miniatures, NVA, NVA section, Paul Hicks, Vietnam war, wargaming

this is the last missing soldier of the above mentioned unit . This one is painted in black (Viet Cong sponsored) fatigues . He is wearing a traditional Vietnamese scarf.

The complete section:

M60 gunner standing up

5. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, Empress, Empress miniatures, M60, Paul Hicks, pig, US Marines, Vietnam war

here is the next Marine , this time a M60 gunner standing upright shooting. Would this be possible without supporting the gun on a wall etc for support?

Charge

4. May 2020 thomasriepe 28mm, 28mm figure, Empress, Empress miniatures, North Vietnamese Army, NVA, Paul Hicks, Vietnam war

A North Vietnamese soldier charging. Empress Miniature sculpted by Paul Hicks.

Obituary for Andy Zeck

2. May 20202. May 2020 thomasriepe Andy Zeck, Lead Adventure Forum, Obituary for Andy Zeck, Steve Dean forum, Suetonius Paullinus

With great sadness I have to inform you that Andy Zeck aka “Suetonius Paullinus” passed away on 19th April 2020. I am not sure if I am the right one to write an Obituary for him but I will do so anyway. We met quite regularly in London at the Salute conventions in the last 10 years and I loved to take to him about our shared hobby, family and other interests. He was one of the fellow members of the old “Steve Dean forum” and on “Lead Adventure forum”. I admire his painting style which is really stunning. What can I say more….

Best is to let his figures speak to us once more. Here are pictures I saved for later inspiration from different sources. i hope it is alright to show them here.