ColinRF

Not right now Frank. I am out of town right now but will try to take one next weekend. Colin

Hi John - the paint is mostly Vallejo with a lot of water based inks. If you look at my vbench there is a WIP on this with more detail. Yes I do my own nameplates using he method that was discussed last week here http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/printing-name-plates.58296/#post-590350 Cheers Colin

Thanks Paul. Almost better. Back at work and able to get some painting in here and the there. I was lucky. Colin

Moving along. Colin

About 2 weeks lapsed time but I was off sick so it went fast than usual. Thanks Colin

Some in progess shots of my latest 1/6 scale bust - Pat Cleburne, one of the best Confederate commanders, who was killed in action at Franklin in 1864. He is finished except for the Austrian knot decoration on his left sleeve. I will post more when sculpting and painting is done. Colin

He was too shiny so I gave him a dose of dull coat. This is better. Colin

This is a post-war affidavit signed by Oberstleutnant Werner Schrader's wife, Cornelia (or as he called her "Nela"). The document was sworn by Schrader's wife in 1955. In common with other survivors of the Widerstand, Cornelia was applying for a civil death certificate, a prerequisite to getting a pension. Adenauer had only then reinstated pension rights to survivors of the July plot. Cornelia Schrader was custodian of several confidential documents secreted at Gross Denkte by her husband Werner on behalf of the resistance, including a complete copy of Admiral Canaris' personal diary. After Schrader's July 28, 1944 suicide, Cornelia burned these documents to protect Canaris and others - a major loss to the historical record. To no avail as another full copy was found in a safe at OKH HQ in Zossen in April 1945. That second discovery led directly to the executions of the members of the Canaris group. This copy was burned by the SS in the last days of the war. Cornelia is representative of the lesser known wives of the major resisters who shared in the risks of their husbands' conspiratorial activities. Declaration My husband, Lieutenant-colonel Werner Schrader, born 7.3.1895 in Rottorf, Helmstadt district, deceased on 28.7.1944 in the headquarters of the supreme command of the army, at that time in the Zossen, by suicide (shot in the head). Death took place in connection with the political events 20th of July 1944. In connection with his death, a certificate of death was issued to me. Immediately after death his corpse was seized. The death room was sealed, the married dwelling at Berlin W 62, Keithstrasse 12 was also sealed. All possessions were confiscated by the state. I did not see the corpse and I also did not participate in a funeral. The Gestapo forbade me to provide facts concerning the death of my husband officially or in private. Written reports of the authorities which concerned the estate carried the label "secret state matter" and a reference that it concerned a "state secret", infringement of which was punished according to the legal regulations for high and state treason. I have these facts by collecting original documents by hand at the compensation authority in Brunswick. For this reason a civil recording of his death was omitted. I swear that these facts are the absolute truth. Wolfenbuettel, Dr. Heinr. Jasper Str. 76 30 December 1955 CORNELIA SCHRADER (nee KRACKE) Mrs. Cornelia Schrader (nee Kracke)

Thanks Frank

Thanks gents - this is a scratch-built item that I sculpted. The piece is painted in Vallejo, Golden and Liquiutex acrylics with some use of Liquitex and Citadel inks. See http://www.planetfigure.com/members/crf.2243/#vbench for links to how it was sculpted and painted as well as other work. Cheers Colin

Hre is my completed original 1/6 scale portrait of Admiral Canaris, head of German military intelligence (the Abwehr) and major participant in the resistance against the Nazis. He was arrested immediately after July 20, 1944 and was executed at Flossenburg April 9, 1945. He holds one of his two cherished wire haired dachsunds - Kasper. Colin

Man with bleeding foot plays game where they hit a ball with a stick. Needless to say I don't get it. I also don't get why a Christmas card signed by Princess Di sells for more than a battlefield order signed by Napoleon. The world is cracked. Colin

Thanks - there are not too many von Boeselager signatures around but Remer sold his like candy after the war. He is dead common. Colin

Thanks again for the interest. This is cool. I posted my bust in the arts section of Great War Forum and one of the expert Tynesider members came back with this....he's even holding brown leather gloves!!!! Spooky as I doubt the sculptor accessed this photo.. "Hi, Actually it is not a bad likeness to the actual bombing Officer of 2/TI. The war diary records that on the 10th of February 1916 Second Lt Pantin and 15 OR's rejoined the battalion from a bombing course. Second Lt Pantin is seated second right on the ground No 37 on the photo, the moustache is very close, don't know if he smoked a pipe. He was wounded 1/7/16 promoted Lt 2/7/16, Captain 21/8/17 transferred to Royal Air Force. Hope this is of use to you. regards John" I cannot over-emphasise how valuable GWF is to anyone wth an interest in the Great War. Colin

Here is my completed Stormtroopers Exclusive Series 1/9 bust of a Lieutenant and battalion bombing officer of the 2nd Tyneside Irish (25th Service Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers) on July 1, 1916 – the First Day of the Somme. This unit was brigaded with three other Tyneside Irish battalions as part of the 34th Division, which suffered enormously on July 1. The bust is called “Zero Hour,” signifying 7:30 AM, the time when about 60,000 British infantry left their trenches and went over the top to start the worst single day in British military history. The Tynesiders left their trenches almost a mile behind the British front line and had to advance a great distance towards their objectives at La Boisselle and Contalmaison. They were forced to advance at the walk in the open and under constant German MG fire. A famous photo of the attack shows men marching with sloped arms and in some cases smoking. The model’s watch hands have been painted to show the time as 7:30. That fits the look on the officer's face, a mix of tension and a fear. Colin

Thanks....its not as hard as it looks. Just muck in, have an idea what you want it to look like and join an encouraging site like planetfigure where you will get lots of encouragement and advice :-) Colin

Will let you know what happens Colin

Great idea but I don't think I possess that much nerve. Also I don't want to upset him in a public place by showing my portrait of him looking less than happy with life in 1994. I'll probably just shake his paw if I get a chance. Colin

Thanks Frank - BTW I am attending a speaking event with General Dallaire in Toronto in mid-May. Hoping to meet him. Colin

Nice! And love your Willie McBride signature too. Colin

Obit for Clarita von Trott zu Solz. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/clarita-von-trott-activist-whose-husband-was-executed-for-plotting-to-assassinate-hitler-8583564.html With the passing of Clarita von Trott zu Solz, the wife of Adam von Trott, the last living link with the German Resistance and the July Plot has gone. RIP Colin

I'll have to think on that Mervyn. I don't complete many given the numebr of hours that go inot each and they tend to get scooped by my wife and 5 kids as hierlooms. I think I need formal Board of Directors' approval to sell anyting, let alone donate it. :-) Thanks for the kind comments. Colin

Hi Chris - Haven't really done commission work....at least not to date. I have sold completed pieces to collectors and have had offers on not for sale pieces. Also I have done pieces as gifts for friends, so never say never. If anyone has something in mind, flip me a note and we will see what we can do. Cheers Colin

Great. Don visits here. Should I expect a lawsuit? Just kidding.....I just painted it Don! Point of clarificaiton - except for the boots no dry brushing was done here. Each layer of highlighting and shading is a thinned layer of acrylic paint of appropriate hue....plus glazes of acrylic inks. Takes a long time. Glad you like it. Cheers Colin

Thanks Larry