Matt P

THis is my attempt at the excellent Tamiya Panzerkampfwagen IV Asf G early production kit. Superb value at around £35 and includes the tank + 6 figures and a motorcycle (used already elsewhere by me!). Usual Tamiya brilliant fit etc, although on the fence with their link and length tracks that just make painting a bit more difficult. Depicted in an eastern front autumn just as the Rasputitsa season starts (season of mud), I have shown it with an early grey turret and later camo chassis to show it was put together from parts in a field workshop to get it back in the fight. It may be historically incorrect by I liked the idea). I also added most of the extra stowage supplied by Tamiya designed for their other variants, as well as a large oil drum and unditching log with field made brackets. Figures are as supplied by Tamiya and unusually didn't feel the need to swap heads for a change!

The last radio message sent by the survivors of Col John Frost's paras at the north end of Arnhem Bridge, just before they surrendered on 20th September 1944. This small diorama consists of a mixture of Miniart, Dragon and Tamiya figures. The Miniart ones were disappointingly poor and softly moulded, only saved by being supplied with resin heads(although still not as good as Hornet). The guy being searched had to have a hand transplant as the originals were like spades! Luckily I had a couple of Alpine ones in the spares box. The seated figure is an amalgam of bits from the box with a green stuff putty blanket. Road is made from individually cast and laid plaster cobbles, which took a while but I think looks better than moulded roads. Zen modelling at its best. Discarded webbing is made from masking tape and spares from the Miniart box. All comments welcome as usual

Brilliant job! I really like the two different paint schemes. Was it common to have repaired tanks in different paint or even primer? Thinking of maybe painting a panzer iv in similar fashion now.

Just finished this small diorama and am very pleased with the result. Tried some new techniques and scratch built everything except the figures for the first time. Depicts a group of weary and disconsolate German infantry trudging past the ruins of yet another burnt out Russian farm in winter of 1942. The NCO takes a peek into the 'privy' but decides not to bother using it! Figures are mostly Masterbox, with 2 Dragon figures added. Heads have been swapped on most of them for Hornet items (One is from Bodi I think). Some of the original heads included collars etc so needed to make new ones for using the Hornet heads. new collars & 'Private Pike's' scarf (the last guy in line) are from green stuff putty. First time I had used this so pretty happy with the results. House was built from kebab sticks, foam and lolly (craft) sticks. Privy and fence are from plasticard. Pine tree is from wire ad moss, and other tree is just a twig from the garden. Snow is made from a mixture of lightweight filler, acrylic modelling paste and baby powder for the roof dusting. Hope you like and all comments welcome

the biggest problem you may face with large amounts of resin is heat when curing. Probably best to do multiple thin layers and wait for each to cure before adding the next. Air bubbles are another problem with large resin moulds but can lessened by careful stirring and applying heat to the area to get rid of air bubbles. My wife uses a lot of resin for art projects and the best we have found is made by Mouldd in UK. As for the surface waves, I've never tried this but there are quite a few products around from the likes of AK and Vallejo for surface waves etc. good luck and go for it!

I wouldn't limit yourself to any one type of building product, but try experimenting with all sorts of stuff you may have laying around but wouldn't normally think of. I use foam, plasticard, foam board, lolly sticks, kebab sticks, corrugated cardboard and whatever else I have around that I have kept because it may come in useful one day! The one below uses foam for the lower section stonework, kebab sticks for the log cabin part, lolly sticks for the upper woodwork, plasticard for the roof tiles and bits of stick from the garden for the log pile.

You could try Reedoak figures https://reedoak.com/#!/US-Navy/c/130995282 These are 3d printed and I have used their 1/35 figures before. Quality is very good. You would have to modify the US Navy figures but may find something suitable

Thank you for your kind and much appreciated comments 👍

Posted this in the dio section but thought it might sit well here. Bronco Half track and basic base was finished months ago but looked too bare for my liking, so recently added the figures in the truck (Miniart with Hornet heads) and some extras from the spares box. The standing figure and the figure climbing from the cab are an amalgam of Tamiya, Miniart, Masterbox and Hornet bits. The motorcycle is what's left of an aborted attempt at a Tommy's War bike from a long while back. depicted broken down on a muddy Ardennes track in 1944 during the battle of the bulge.

Or maybe the new title should be ' Don't just bloody sit there, get out and walk!!) The basic vehicle and base was 'finished' months ago and sat on the shelf. I posted it here and decided not to add any more figures or detail but just couldn't get over how plain it looked, was not happy with the finished result and just wouldn't let it lie. Hence......eventually I decided to add some more, in the form of the Miniart tank riders with some Hornet heads, along with a few background bits and bobs from the spares box, kebab stick posts and fuse wire barbed wire. I am much happier with the result now, although am still tempted to add a couple more figures.....Watch this space

Brings back memories :). If I remember correctly (not always guaranteed these days!), these green Lightnings with that tail flash ended up being placed at the runway threshold at RAF Laarbruch as 'decoys' in the late 70s' (77 ish). Never quite sure who they were meant to fool though.

Hmmm now you do have a point there

Thanks guys, that pretty much decided it. No more figures 👍

Thanks Keith 👍

Bought this Bronco SD.Kfz.6 at the Darlington Sword & Lance show, from the bring and buy stall, so got a good deal on it. However it has proved to be a real POA to build, and not suited particularly to ageing fat fingers! It must be the fiddliest most frustrating kit I have yet attempted (and I have attempted a few). However I eventually got it over the line and pretty much finished, added a couple of 'Frankenstein' figures made up of various arms/heads/bodies from the spares box, and stuck it on a small base. And there it sat on the shelf for a few months.......However I can't help thinking it looks unfinished (I know it needs more weathering) so can't decide whether to add more figures or not. Maybe the new set of Miniart winter tank riders due out this month? What do you think? Was thinking of adding these maybe?.............

It'll polish out with a bit of T-cut and elbow grease 😱

'And no rockets in my pockets!'

Very well done 👍. It certainly looks exactly like the old range at RAF Newton for sure. All it needs are a couple of rock apes firing wildly at the wall!

'No Petrol - No Hope' - Towards the end of WWII German troops suffered almost as much from lack of fuel and ammo as from damage from allied troops. This resulted in crews destroying their own vehicles, despite being perfectly serviceable. This diorama is meant to show just that, as a Sturmtiger arrives at what they hope would be a fuel depot, only to find it abandoned and empty, destroying any hope of continuing with their tank. The Sturmtiger is from AFV Club, figures are all Tamiya (some with Hornet heads and swapped arms) and cobbled street part of base a leftover from a Miniart building. Crater filled with resin and oil paint. The rest painted using a variety of acrylics and AK Crusted Rust set for barrels etc. All comments welcome

Superb!!👍👍

very nice, but more pics please

I always bin the stock plastic figures and buy pj productions resin ones. Much more detailed so look better once painted. 1/48 is difficult to get detail so don't try to do eyes etc. Just a thin line of black is enough. Vallejo matt varnish is great but better sprayed than brushed.

Thank you I am thinking of something at the end of the war when most of the 18 completed Sturmtigers apparently had to be abandoned or destroyed by their own crews due to lack of fuel and/or ammunition, rather than destroyed by allied fire.

Excellent work 👍👍

Pretty much finished apart from some minor weathering once in place on the diorama. This is the AFV Club Sturmtiger built OOB except for Atak resin zimerit and non standard (Dragon?) vinyl tracks, as it came from ebay with these in the box. Easy build and fits well together but no interior except for gun breach. The 'turret is not attached to the chassis but will be once the base is done (hence the small gap in the first picture) Airbrush painted freehand with Tamiya acrylics and AK + MIG weathering products. It will eventually be part of a larger diorama.