Marilyn Monroe USO Tour of Korea, 1954, X-Plus, 1/8

[Matt Bacon]

X Plus snap together (well, very firm push really) kit... Apologies for the large size of the pictures, but it's the portrait format!

The skin is all AK 3rd generation acrylics, the uniform mostly Citadel including their contrast paints, and the jacket is Vallejo acrylics. Her hair was far and away the most difficult part, and I'm indebted to Hobby Cheating's Vince Venturella for the "Blonde Hair" tutorial that helped me take it on, and to a fellow Classic British Kit modeller and good friend for introducing me to him. There's a decent amount of reference material with some rare colour snapshots online for what she looked like at the time, and handily you can buy a replica of the blue flying jacket to details of that are easy to come by.

The one "gotcha," right at the end, was that I had to take out 3/4" from the vertical upright at the front to get the handrail to sit where it needs to for her hand to be able to hold it. Fortunately it's easy to do it just below the top elbow fitting so that it's not obvious. I don't know how they missed that.

best,

M.

Edited March 24 by Matt Bacon

[Mike 1017]

Great piece of USO History. I remember seeing some Bob Hopes USO Tours.

[Spruslayer]

Excellent work. I'm currently working on that kit and whole heartedly agree the hair is difficult to get right. My version is not a snap Tite but is going together well except that i couldn't get the blond hair color right

[Matt Bacon]

48 minutes ago, Spruslayer said:

i couldn't get the blond hair color right

This is the tutorial that I was sent:

I found it very helpful…

best,

M.

Edited March 25 by Matt Bacon

[Model Guy]

To bad the uso didn't have a air grate back then but it still looks nice. Good job@

[Spruslayer]

43 minutes ago, Model Guy said:

To bad the uso didn't have a air grate back then but it still looks nice. Good job@

I have to plead uninformed, what is a air grate?

[Matt Bacon]

I’m guessing he means the iconic shot from “The Seven Year Itch” where Marilyn is wearing a white dress and standing on a subway ventilation grate and the air from a passing train blows her skirt up all around her… 😜

best,

M.

Edited March 26 by Matt Bacon
Really should know which film it was, shouldn’t I?

[Model Guy]

3 hours ago, Matt Bacon said:

I’m guessing he means the iconic shot from “Bus Stop” where Marilyn is wearing a white dress and standing on a subway ventilation grate and the air from a passing train blows her skirt up all around her… 😜

best,

M.

Dido!

[TonyK]

Great job! Always in awe of people who do figures so well. Lots of detail and talent to make it look right.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Very nice job.  

I wondered what this kit would look like built by a regular human and not extensively retouched in the photos.

[PappyD340]

Very nice!