DiD Adolf Galland Luftwaffe Pilot

[FlyAndFight]

Thanks for those pics, Asta. More excited to get mine, hopefully soon. (no word from Timewalker yet.)

 

[Asta]

Thanks for those pics, Asta. More excited to get mine, hopefully soon. (no word from Timewalker yet.)

The photos didn't look so bad shrunk down on the tablet this morning.

The new camera should be arriving today, and Galland can be its first test subject.

 

[Asta]

One thing that was bothering me with the fully kitted figure was the top strap for the oxygen mask.

DID's video shows it connecting to the helmet outside the goggles. Intuitively it felt wrong, and visually it looked awkward. It'd also be annoying for the wearer to have it constantly in their eyeline.

Looking through Osprey's Luftwaffe Air and Ground Crew 1939-45 I spotted this photo showing the strap under the goggles:

The figure looks better with it done that way.

 

[Asta]

By George, I think we got it!

The Canon 2000D DSLR (aka T7) arrived a little while ago, and I've been having a play. The plethora of settings is a bit confusing and at first I thought I was going to need a macro lens because all the shots were out of focus. However, after making some adjustments based on what I've been reading, the 'Close-up' option combined with manual focus managed to capture some pleasing photos.

I think the flash went off with all of them. The lens is the stock 18-55mm.

This one showed the need for selecting a smaller aperture, as the depth of field was too shallow to get the guys in the back in focus:

 

[Asta]

I'm starting to figure it out.

The 'Close-up' setting is only good for capturing a single figure or figures in the same row, since aperture is set automatically.

In 'Manual' mode I was finally able to get the back row in focus:

Photography might just have become fun.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Great looking pics, Asta! That camera does make a difference.

 

[Asta]

Great looking pics, Asta! That camera does make a difference.

Thanks!

I'm really pleased with it. I kept the old camera on life support for years because getting a new one was a complete leap into the dark. When it finally died there was no option but to make the leap.

This one has so many possible options but I've settled on Manual with the settings that have so far worked best for both single and groups of 1/6 figures.

I think the auto focus works pretty well but manually zooming and focusing seems to have the edge.

One big plus with this one is that the flash doesn't wash out detail as it mostly did with the vintage Kodak. Shooting Mars' '66 Joker up close was a good test of that improvement.

Photography finally became fun rather than frustrating. It always used to be difficult capturing what I could see with my own eyes, so figures often looked rough.

However, the satin finish that DID use on their sculpts, which is applied more heavily on some, as with Stauffenberg, still showed up with the flash. It makes them appear sweaty, though Stauffenberg probably was while he was priming the bomb!

 

[Asta]

DID are slow uploading their unboxing videos nowadays:

 

[FlyAndFight]

The tailoring is simply phenomenal.

DiD also stresses the use of "real" leather, throughout. The details on the accessories are also amazing. (I'm running out of superlatives...)

 

[Asta]

The tailoring is simply phenomenal.

DiD also stresses the use of "real" leather, throughout. The details on the accessories are also amazing. (I'm running out of superlatives...)

The tailoring is good, though I had trouble getting his left collar on the flight blouse to lay flat.

One thing they could improve on are the little black plastic poppers on the trouser pockets. They're very fiddly to fasten, and the first one tends to undo while struggling with the second. I'm afraid to touch the pockets since they're liable to come undone.

Magnets would've been a much simpler solution.

After watching the video I went through the process again in order to take the flare pistol out of the front pocket and put it into the proper one on the side. Either way you can't avoid opening the front pocket because the pistol lanyard attaches to a hook inside it.

 

[FlyAndFight]

I hope mine ships soon, Asta. I'm looking forward to setting seeing it in hand.

 

[FlyAndFight]

By the way, I posted in DiD's YouTube video above, asking them if there will be a P-40 cockpit for their recently announced "Rafe" USAAF figure.


@FlyAndFight: "Phenomenal release. Can't wait to display him alongside his Bf-109 cockpit."

DID Video: "BF109 cockpit will be available around September or October in Asia and October or November in Europe and the US."

@FlyAndFight: "Will there be a P-40 cockpit for the "Rafe" USAAF pilot figure?"

@DIDVideoPage: "@FlyAndFight Thank you for your suggestion. We will consider."


Here's hoping that they consider to do so!

 

[Chambea1114]

By the way, I posted in DiD's YouTube video above, asking them if there will be a P-40 cockpit for their recently announced "Rafe" USAAF figure.


@FlyAndFight: "Phenomenal release. Can't wait to display him alongside his Bf-109 cockpit."

DID Video: "BF109 cockpit will be available around September or October in Asia and October or November in Europe and the US."

@FlyAndFight: "Will there be a P-40 cockpit for the "Rafe" USAAF pilot figure?"

@DIDVideoPage: "@FlyAndFight Thank you for your suggestion. We will consider."


Here's hoping that they consider to do so!

They always give the same copy paste reply to requests in all their media.

Monkey depot posted this in the listing for the figure "Let us know if you would like DiD to make a US Cockpit and we will forward over the comments and suggestions to them. Head over to our Instagram page @monkeydepot and let us know"

 

[FlyAndFight]

Oh well... I do have a feeling that they'll do it if the Bf-109 cockpits sell well.

 

[FlyAndFight]

My Galland figure has finally shipped. The delay was my fault, as I had marked it as to be held for free shipping.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Galland landed today. Took a quick peak and it is another winning figure from DiD. I am now looking forward even more to the Bf-109 cockpit diorama.

 

[Asta]

I used a DID blank sculpt on my second Galland because it saved a painted head.

However, I've never been entirely happy with him. A pilot with his oxygen mask on and goggles down tends to look like he should be inside an aircraft rather than outside.

It's been bugging me for a while, so while I've been updating some figures I swapped the blank for a VTS Ray Stevenson Punisher head. Seeing a face gives him a character, and holding the oxygen mask at least gives him something to do.