Schrage
Oktober Guard

Appearances - GI Joe 6, 7, Yearbook 2, 4, Special Missions 1, 4, 26

Parts Used - Free Fall head, 1985 Dusty torso, Monkeywrench arms, 1983 Snow Job waist, Sneak Peek legs

"Well," I remarked to my wife as I was putting the finishing touches on this figure, "I've been working on this figure longer than I've known you."   It's true.  I think I started picking out parts for him sometime in late 1995 or early 1996.  I met her in the fall of 1996.  I finished him in mid-2002.   Why the hay did it take so long to finish him?  Unlike most of the other Oktober Guard members, there really aren't any parts to fit Schrage, especially the torso and head.  So, I kept putting off finishing him until one day I decided my sculpting skills had become good enough I could finish him.  Let me tell you, it took a lot of practice sculpting on Star Wars figures to get this one done right.  The hat wasn't too hard... Free Fall was chosen because of his bland expression (an idea stolen from Eugene Son).  The Dusty torso was reworked to have straps that go down to the waist rather than across the mid-torso.  I not only sculpted the new straps, but sculpted over the old straps so they are invisible.  I also had to sculpt the gun to his torso as well.  I also used some Sculpey to make the belt buckle.  The gloves needed some sanding to remove the spikes or whatever they are, and a Dremel was brought in to remove the pockets from Sneak Peek's legs.  Oh, let's not forget the sculpted star on his hat.  And, after all the painting, including those tiny red stars, I'm still not done.  If anyone out there knows where I can get a gun similar or identical to the one he uses, a 7.62mm RPD light machine gun, please please let me know.  Anyhoo, I'm very happy with how he turned out.  Well worth the six year wait.  Now, if only I can get done with those other 3 figures I've been sitting on for 6 years -- Cool Breeze, Sparks, and General Flagg...

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