Royal Engineers - 1972: Mine Detecting

Back in the 1960s one of the Tommy Gunn accessory sets was a mine detector, including a sound box, headphones and some mines.  Unlike the original Action Man (ex GI Joe) one of the same period this was a non-working item... it was also reasonably accurate, being based on the then-current No4C Mine Detector.  Unlike earlier models this did not require a backpack... just the sound box with battery compartment that was worn on a belt.
(Action Man produced a wartime Royal Engineer set with a mine detector, but this was non-functional.)

This is the real 4C detector (photo from ima-usa.com)

The handle is telescopic and extends to roughly 4 feet, although the effective length is possibly only three feet since the arm-rest and handle take up a fair bit of the length.

The device was used by strapping the forearm into the arm rest at the end of the device and then using the folding handle to move the detector from side to side as the operator swept for buried mines.

The Tommy Gunn device wasn't that far off.  Simplified of course, but you can see what it's meant to be.

Sadly the area from the grip back snapped off, making it less than sturdy, so I have decided to rebuild the device and make it more accurate at the same time.

The figure who will be carrying the detector is this chap...

I may remove the kidney pouches, but it depends on where I want to depict him.  As far as the figure himself is concerned I couldn't really be happier... he turned out really well.  Well, he could do with some leather boots, but until New Line see fit to start producing their DMS boots again I have to modify Dragon PVC ones.

A parts breakdown:

Head:          Dragon in Dreams
Body:          Unbranded male
Hands:         Hot Toys

Shirt:            Dragon (Khaki)
Trousers:      Barrack Sergeant
Smock:        Barrack Sergeant
Boots:          Dragon (modified)
Puttees:        Dragon
Beret:           Banjoman (with Tony Barton Royal Engineers metal badge)
Face Veil:     Dragon
Webbing:      Barrack Sergeant

It's worrying how many of these figure projects of mine are being inspired by old Tommy Gunn sets.  Don't be surprised if an MP or a UN peace-keeper creeps into the mix.

(August 2017 edit: while the detector is on the back burner for now the figure has since been re-assigned).