Author Topic: Playmo Swabby  (Read 29073 times)

Offline Jimbo

  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1396
  • Gender: Male
Playmo Swabby
« on: July 03, 2008, 00:50:46 »
Ahoy Playmofriends, seafarers and landlubbers alike.

I have been "putting" around the last few days trying to
make a modern U.S. Sailor.

This is how the little salt turned out.

The base figure was the snowboarder.  I raised the inseam a bit and removed the
cargo pockets.  The collar/flap was made from the snowboarder's hood.  I
used a belt sander to remove anything that didn't look like a sailor collar, then fine tuned
it with jewelers files and sandpaper.  The necktie (with a regulation knot :yup:)
was made from thin ribbon, superglued for firmness, and painted black.

The sailor hat, (dixie cup) was made from card stock, and painted with Krylon
spray paint.  The uniform was also sprayed with the same stuff.

He is standing on a genuine piece of the deck from the Battleship USS North Carolina.
(Son in law and Daughter sent it to me when they moved to North Carolina.)

Oh yeah, the swab,(mop) was made from yarn and a Playmobil flag staff from an
old knight set.

Anchors Aweigh!
Jimbo
« Last Edit: July 05, 2008, 13:38:47 by Customizer »

Offline Richard

  • Retired Playmobil
  • Wargamer
  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 4965
  • Gender: Male
    • Garden Wargaming
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2008, 03:04:05 »


Well done, Jimbo ...  :wow: ...  :wow: ...  :wow:

Sure brings back lots of memories (especially shore leave and midnight liberty) ...  :klickywink:

Are you getting a flight crew ready for a Playmobil sea plane?

The dixie cup looks great. I can see the whites very easily becoming dungarees and a chambray shirt.

Let's see Pacific or Caribbean?

I vote Caribbean ...  :klickygrin:

Here's a photo of a couple of swab jockeys down here in St. Thomas in the 1950s. That's Fort Christian in the background (on the right). Back in the 1950s, it was used as a police station by the VIPD and the Navy SPs.

Thanks for sharing, Jim. I really love your customs!

All the best,
Richard

see attachment



Offline Timotheos

  • Visitor
  • Playmo Addict
  • ****
  • Posts: 958
  • Gender: Male
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2008, 04:01:13 »
The custom looks good, Jimbo.

To Richard: you were in the navy?

-Tim

Offline Richard

  • Retired Playmobil
  • Wargamer
  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 4965
  • Gender: Male
    • Garden Wargaming
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2008, 04:20:12 »


Hello, Timmy ...


To Richard: you were in the navy?



Jimbo was in the US Navy. He was an aircrewman and flew in a naval patrol craft in the 1960s.

I was in the US Coast Guard and flew SAR in a flyingboat out of San Juan, Puerto Rico in the 1950s.



Offline Sylvia

  • Administrator
  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 2733
  • Gender: Female
    • Just For Kl!cks
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2008, 08:22:32 »

Wow! He's perfect! :love:

The bell-bottom trousers look fabulous!
Very clever adaptation of the snowboarder figure! 8-)


Offline Martin Milner

  • Eugene, Oregon, USA
  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 2754
  • Gender: Male
    • An Englishman in Eugene
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2008, 11:45:31 »
Very nice custom Jimbo!

I've been reading a lot of Naval stuff recently, and am in the middle of reading The Cruel Sea.

This figure looks just the part. Very clever use and adjustment of the baggy trousers. I'd like to see these on more figures, not just skateborders and clowns that I've seen so far.

Offline playmofire

  • Klicky Firemeister
  • Playmo Guru
  • ******
  • Posts: 10936
  • Gender: Male
    • Copt Hewick Volunteer Fire Brigade - probably the world's smallest fire brigade!
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2008, 13:13:35 »
A great custom, Jimbo, and thank you, too, for the detail on how you made him.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline Richard

  • Retired Playmobil
  • Wargamer
  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 4965
  • Gender: Male
    • Garden Wargaming
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2008, 13:27:21 »


Jimbo, your swabby is so appropriate for the Fourth of July ... I posted a LINK at GW-PC.

Thanks again for a really great custom!

All the best,
Richard

Offline cachalote

  • x
  • Playmo Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1896
  • Gender: Male
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2008, 13:59:17 »
plato said there are 3 kind of men, the ones who are alive, the ones that are dead and the ones that go out to sea.
your sailor belongs with no doubt to the last category.
great custom jimbo.
:yup:
    honni soit qui mal y pense

Offline macgayver

  • MrPainterElf
  • Playmo Addict
  • ****
  • Posts: 839
  • Gender: Male
  • www.macgayverplaymobil.be
    • Macgayverplaymobil
Re: Playmo Swabby
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2008, 06:31:11 »
well done , nice custom , very original
One picture say's more then a thousand words ;)