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Somewhere near Villers Bocage. Now Photobucket-free.


Badder

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UPDATE 3.7.17

 

THIS RFI IS 'UNDER RECONSTRUCTION' THANKS TO PHOTOBUCKET. COMMENTS AND PHOTOS DO NOT NECESSARILY PAIR UP, BUT ALL VIEWERS' COMMENTS AND MY REPLIES REMAIN. HOWEVER, I HAVE DELETED SOME OF MY RAMBLINGS WHICH ARE NO LONGER RELEVANT.

 

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This was my first diorama after a 35yr hiatus in model-making and I was quite pleased with it at the time. I finished it before joining BM and therefore before I realised how 'poor' it was in comparison to the best in BM.

Soon after joining, I decided that I was going to re-build this dio, replacing the figures with those contemporary with the Normandy landings, improving the buildings and replacing the Tiger with one I have yet to build.

So this diorama no longer exists. The building on the right has been removed, as has the entire front edge of the dio.

I will get round to 'up-grading' everything at some point in the future, but I am currently deeply engrossed in constructing my 'ever evolving diorama' and this is going to take me another year at least.

 

 

In the meantime, here's how the dio appeared in its then 'finished' state. Prizes to those who can spot the pair of discarded boots.

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TFL

Badder

Edited by Badder
rearrange photo order
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It may be of interest to note that a MiniArt 2-storey building is nearly the same height as these 3-storey buildings, but I can assure you that mine are more accurate in scale!!!!

 

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TFL

Badder

Edited by Badder
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The tree was made with real twigs, doweled together to form the armature. I experimented with the foliage by using the seeds of nettles. These form in 'strings' and when newly formed the seeds are flattish ovals which form whorls along a central stem. I gathered these by holding a cup under the nettles and snipping them off with scissors. The seed strings themselves do not possess stings, but I would advise wearing gloves, especially in windy conditions! Once gathered, I coated them with PVA glue then draped them over the armature whilst still wet. A hot air blower then sped up the drying process. I went a bit over the top with the density of the foliage, and will thin it out a bit on future trees. I will also try using the Silver Birch tree seed 'separators'.

 

UPDATE..... 3.3.17

Since posting the above post, I have come up with a new method of constructing trees, or more accurately, their foliage. This involves using nylon monofilament fishing line to form branches and twigs, coating them with medium CA and dipping bunches of them into herbs. The resulting trees can be seen in my RFI 'Carry on Regardless', if you wish to take a look.

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

Edited by Badder
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No, they are scratch built from various thicknesses of plastic sheet. I made the main walls by gluing together 2 sheets of plastic 1.5 mm thick. This meant I could recreate 2 layers of brick and, where desired,damage one layer more than another. I cut out apertures for windows and doors and made cornices and lintels, window frames, shop signs etc with thinner sheets. I covered the outside surface with fine grade sandpaper to mimic render or rough plaster and the inner surface with paper to mimic smooth plaster or wallpaper or paint. Any exposed brickwork is carved out using a scalpel, sometimes using a straight edge as a guide, or sometimes freehand. You can scrape back individual bricks to add variation and realism.

The glass is made from clear plastic of the kind used for margarine lids/vacuum-packed products as they are free! The roof tiles were made from strips of plastic, scored with a scalpel then overlaid. I used 'coffee stirring sticks', lollipop sticks and matches for the rafters, beams in the roof construction and fine pieces of split bamboo for the laths that the tiles would be nailed to. The curtains were made from bits of 'J-cloth'. The few pieces of drainpipe were made from sprue and wooden kebab skewers and the piece of guttering from the centre of a biro split down the middle.

It's not possible to see in the photos, but the backs of the buildings have been covered over with black plastic sheet, so that they are boxed in. When looking into the windows, this gives the impression of depth, that the buildings continue back beyond the limit of the diorama. However, I cut some areas of this plastic away where internal doors would be, so that light filters through from the back and silhouettes rubble and debris which has fallen into the rooms.

As for the rubble laying in the street and on the top floor of the building on the left, I built up heaps with Polyfilla and mixed in some real crushed brick and then added model bricks and tiles and wood debris. The bricks and tiles were again carved from the respective thicknesses of plastic using a scalpel. This process is actually quite fast and easy as you only have to score the plastic then bend it to snap it. These, along with bits of 'wood' and 'glass' etc were all glued into place individually, using cyano glue.

The electrical power cables were made from 6lb breaking strain Maxima fishing line.

Edited by Badder
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I'd say your ground work is first class, absolutely excellent and your composition is rather good too.....The overall scene is very pleasing. :thumbsup: .

The Tiger is perhaps a touch dark but nothing to worry about really, however as Ingo points out the uniforms are somewhat inappropriate for the scene you are depicting.....By this stage of the war the German uniform had changed considerably and camo smocks were far more prevelant than jackboots & feldgrau. :nerd:

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Thanks guys. Fortunately the figures aren't permanently fixed in position. I drilled holes in the soles of their feet and inserted thin metal rods made from paper clips and these slide nicely into holes drilled in the diorama base. The tank riders are just balanced in place.... So I can replace them all at some point. The 'model shops' around my way have a very limited selection of kits, so I just made do with the panzer grenadiers. I guess I will have to overcome my Ludditism and learn how to order kits on line.

As for the Cafe Blue sign, I made this using transfers. They were ancient, and actually a bit too big I think. I used much smaller transfers for the 'charcuterie' next door, but then I got access to a printer and printed the new 'Cochon Charcuterie' sign, which is much much better. The next time I get access to a printer, I'll redo the Cafe sign using a more contemporary lettering.

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Thanks guys. Fortunately the figures aren't permanently fixed in position. I drilled holes in the soles of their feet and inserted thin metal rods made from paper clips and these slide nicely into holes drilled in the diorama base. The tank riders are just balanced in place.... So I can replace them all at some point. The 'model shops' around my way have a very limited selection of kits, so I just made do with the panzer grenadiers. I guess I will have to overcome my Ludditism and learn how to order kits on line.

As for the Cafe Blue sign, I made this using transfers. They were ancient, and actually a bit too big I think. I used much smaller transfers for the 'charcuterie' next door, but then I got access to a printer and printed the new 'Cochon Charcuterie' sign, which is much much better. The next time I get access to a printer, I'll redo the Cafe sign using a more contemporary lettering.

If you've never ordered online - beware of Pandora's Box you open with that. The choice is endless, even if you are just looking for figures to replace the current ones (if you want to some day). This is the golden age of modelling...with some side effects as for example stashes as high as the ceiling and the need to live around 200 years to build all the models.

Nevertheless, I recommend it. You'll find excellent Panzergrenadiers for your beautiful diorama.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Steifel? Whats that? "steif" means hard. To be "steif" is a synonym around Berlin for being drunk. :-), To have a "Steifen" means.....

Correct sentence is:

"Haben Sie meine Stiefel gesehen?"

And to mention the boots:

What does the search for Stiefel (boots) have to do with the diorama?

Edited by Mixvs Minimax
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Badder

the diorama work is stunning!, the Tiger is neat. The figures are good, but the weakest point of the whole thing as others have said.

ordering online is a doddle, not sure? You can usually find sprue shots and reviews, or just ask here. Perth Military Modeling site is particularly good for detailed reviews for example.

Don't forget our hallowed sale pages, many a bargain to be had.

as for golden age...of and then some....

A set of maybe better figures? Dragon, Masterbox and other are knocking out sets all the time...

http://www.dragon-models.com/d-m-item.asp?pid=DRA6155

1/35 Kampfgruppe von Luck (Normandy 1944)

C_DRA6155_00.jpg

and/or

Dragon-model-6282-1-font-b-35-b-font-Hoh

or

-font-b-Dragon-b-font-6025-font-b-1-b-fo

etc etc

If you are rich, as these are 15- 20 euro each,

I've just been reading about 3-d printed figures, that are made from scans of real people dressed in appropriate clothes/equipment, to say the results are jaw dropping is an understatement!

thread, explains they are done on 3-D jewellery printer

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=235626

they are being done in various scales, as seems just adjust the printer ratio...keeps the detail in the smaler scale too

72testf_zpsjw6c29cn.jpg

this is the site

http://reedoak.com/#!/Figures-figurines/c/13281234/inview=category13281249&offset=0&sort=normal

no Germans, yet! Had to put this as suddenly makes you aware how the creases in clothes and the stance of figures are so vital...

one last one..this is one of the above 3-D printed painted....

35zg_zpscqkfpchu.jpg

If this is unwanted thread clutter.please say and I'll edit out the pictures... Just thought they might be of interest, as if you had figures as good as the buildings etc.

cheers

T

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Steifel? Whats that? "steif" means hard. To be "steif" is a synonym around Berlin for being drunk. :-), To have a "Steifen" means.....

Correct sentence is:

"Haben Sie meine Stiefel gesehen?"

And to mention the boots:

What does the search for Stiefel (boots) have to do with the diorama?

Thanks for the German grammar lesson. It was back in the 80's when I last spoke or wrote German! lol.

In answer to your question... Here's the scenario...

During the night preceding, the tank entered the village and refueled and re-armed. Then the crew parked up and took turns to grab something to eat, relieve themselves and take the opportunity to stretch their legs. Someone lit a fire in an old fuel drum and they stood around it to keep warm.(outside the Cafe Bleu) No doubt there was a bit of drinking going on. Later the crew retired back to their tank to sleep. The tank's gunner, Karl, took the opportunity to remove his boots and fell asleep first. His feet stank. Annoyed , but for a laugh, Fritz, either the driver or the hull machine-gunner, stole them, tied them together by the laces, jumped out of the tank, ran along the road and threw the boots up over the 'telegraph' wires where they could 'air'. The following morning, they were woken abruptly, and ordered into action against the advancing allied forces. Karl was bootless, had stubbed his toe in the panic, and was not very amused, hence the seemingly silly question during the heat of battle. His boots are there in plain view.

I was inspired to add the boots because it appears to be a custom in certain parts of Britain that kids should throw their new trainers/shoes/boots up over 'telegraph' wires and it is not uncommon to see dozens of pairs hanging about. I just thought it would be a little piece of humour in an otherwise serious setting. I also thought it amusing to position a 'sniper' in amongst a load of fuel drums and to give the cafe bleu the number 69. (and to number the buildings the wrong way for a French street: 67 should be to the right of 69.)

Edited by Badder
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Excellent work on the dio. If that's your first crack at modelling after 35 years I may as well give up.

Dave

I began modelling at the age of 12, after I saw my elder cousin's Tamiya SAS Jeep, and Pink Panther Landrover. The SAS Jeep inspired me, and became my first ever model, and it was a nice little kit for beginners. Mine was nowhere near as good as his, but by my 5th model (Gdrman Sd.Kfz 7/1 (8ton half-track with flakvierling anti-aircraft gun, I think I had caught up with him. However, I became very critical of my own work and most of my models were binned after failed attempts to improve them. A few years later, I discovered heavy metal and girls. My last model was completed at the age of 15 (German Sd.Kfz 222) and is the only one that survives.(in my parent's attic.' It WAS going to appear in a street scene, and I did in fact construct the buildings from plastic card, with smashed windows, doors, interiors, damaged roofs etc... but I gave up on it for reasons already stated.... which is why I ended up making THIS diorama for the Tiger. Of course, I have more time and patience nowadays, but I still remembered my buildings from my youth and so I already had the know how. I have to admit, I am not 100 percent happy with this diorama, and certainly not the tank, or the figures, but hey, it aint bad. Thanks for the advice. comments and likes.

Badder.

Edited by Badder
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