mbthejester Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 Tools and tracks added and did some chipping, looking at some photos, and looking at the ground they were in, I am thinking chipping would be quite prominent, bocage and woods would definitely cause chips and scratches, stony ground with rubbish thrown up etc. Cheers for looking Mark 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share Posted June 23, 2020 Started to add mud, not much more to add without going too mad mostly dried on with some wet/damp areas Tried to replicate splashes from driving through muddy puddles and from other passing vehicles, I remember just how plastered in crud our vehicles used to get in Germany and how what seemed like a little mud could go a very long way. cheers Mark 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 Hi Everyone Bit more done and working out diorama positions 🤔 threw plastic lump away, and replaced with some rods, tiny buckles and straps, made eyes ache lol little finger for comparison very pleased with result periscopes were a pain to get in Ammo boot prints all over rear deck some will get covered with stores though Idea for layout cheers for looking, comments welcome cheers Mark 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Hi, Great job with the rods and straps, it the small details that make the difference. Mud looks good too, btw. My only caveat is the composition, hope you don't mind me saying but it looks a bit cramped, the position of the two vehicles doesn't seam to sit right. To my eye at least and what do I know...? Could you turn the Comet so its running parallel-ish with the tracks, maybe pointing in the opposite direction to the Firefly? The Comet would look great displayed coming off the tracks but without the Firefly in such close proximity. All the best Darryl 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 Hi Daryl cheers for your reply much appreciated, pleased the mud works ok, never having gone this far before I was sweating buckets as I was flicking and blowing it on, straps were very fiddly but so much better than the moulded plastic lump, Comments on composition are very welcome, I am trying to portray a couple of vehicles at rest harboured up, a few photos I have seen do show wagons this close up at rest crews dismounted, The Comet is straddling a large lump of moulded concrete which looks awful with Comet balancing over it, I did think about building that area up and have Comet running parallel to tracks, will have another play with layout, got a couple of ideas to put into it but that all depends on the figures, which will be another first never bothered with them in the past. Cheers Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Hi Mark, I'm not doubting the realism at all, just the aesthetics of the composition. And as for figures, I've a number of builds 99% completed just waiting for the dreaded figures... Try assembling the figures and position them to get a feel for it? Good luck Darryl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3talpig Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Done a grand job on the Firefly....but may i be bold and just a little cheeky your diorama idea is sound ....but a little cramped, might be an idea to extend the base were the Sherman sit's by two inches...i notice your base is made from casting plaster, this stuff is a doddle to work with....if you place that on a wooden base something nice and flat with a border of some description and make sure it's two inches bigger than you need then buy some of this...... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PLASTER-OF-PARIS-Fine-Casting-Plaster-Plus/300956461458?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Then create with some of cuts of thin wood or plastic a two inch extension mix the above stuff so it's runny but with body and place the extension on the end of your plaster base and pour in the plaster you will be able to texture it as it starts to set and even add track marks from the Sherman if you lay clingfilm over the wet plaster push the tank in and leave it to set...(the cling film will stop the plaster from sticking to the tracks) Warning though...don't mix this stuff to thick or you will have about six seconds to do anything with it ....yes it really can dry that fast. Just a thought Keep up the great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 Cheers Chaps, Daryl hope I did not come across ungrateful your points are very valid, looking at it, I think they would be fine level ish in a more woodland scene that close but ........... I am going to put it on a base .. M3talpig now you have solved it for me, never thought of that, I am planning a base with a surround so it looks like it sits in it so extending is the way, I am planning on some patches of grass here and there to suit the siding, couple of wet patches of mud but rest dry. cheers both you have given me a great direction to steer 👍👍👍 thanks Mark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Hi Mark, no worrys at all, M3s idea sounds good, he knows far better than I do! Might even pinch the Plaster of Paris idea myself! Keep us posted on how the plaster works out, any idea on quantities? No idea how far it goes! Cheers Darryl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3talpig Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) I hope i'm not overstepping my bounds here and that you don't think i'm being in any way a know it all, i just thought this might be of use....with that said here goes..... This is how i start my scene process, with a view and a plan, it's easy to make corrections before you are hip deep in figures, tanks and plaster. First rule for a scene is ...work to the size of your vehicles not to the size of your base. Second...... lay your scene so the tallest objects are to the rear and your smaller subjects moving to the foreground Third..... try to keep things so there are no parallel lines in the layout other than things that essentially have to be that way.... (for instance the building in relation to the pavement, the pavement in relation to the tram lines) As you can see above (1) is the building the tallest structure in this layout, it is set to the rear and to the left and set at an angle to the sides of the base. (2) is the Tank set to the right and as it is smaller than the building set slightly forward of the building is also set to a slightly different angle to the building. (3) is the jeep, again smaller than the Tank is the smallest of the three subjects and so is set forward of the three and again not set to the same angle as the building (F) is the figures....the one by the Jeep is set forward of the jeep as he is smaller and set so that his head and or pose is pointing towards the Tank. The figures in the Tank are set so that there pose and or heads are pointing towards the figure at the Jeep (this helps to tie the whole scene together as does the relation of the vehicles to one another..in this case the Jeep is pointing towards the main subject the Tank. The whole layout pulls the viewer's eye from the front of the scene through to the back of the scene and the layout of things like jerry cans oil drums and other diorama extras can assist with this, carefully placed they can all help to draw the viewer's eye around the scene so that nothing is missed You will also notice that the scene is big enough to accommodate the subjects but not big enough that you have huge sections that are empty. There are times when these rules can be broken without damaging your scene and nothing i've written here is set in stone (or plaster) but it is a good rule of thumb and when you look at dioramas built by some of the best modelers in the world you will see these rules in practice. I hope this is of some help too you and will help with your layout....i will be following with great interest. Steve P.S. If you want to see how this scene is coming along and if it helps with your layout my thread is here...... Edited July 6, 2020 by M3talpig 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3talpig Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 8 hours ago, Jasper dog said: Keep us posted on how the plaster works out, any idea on quantities? No idea how far it goes! Well Darryl i bought a kilo bag and i would estimate that i have used 500 grams of that on my diorama including the revision to the base....i have enough left to do another similar sized scene ....not bad for a total outlay of about £10 including the wood for the base. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 13 hours ago, M3talpig said: Well Darryl i bought a kilo bag and i would estimate that i have used 500 grams of that on my diorama including the revision to the base....i have enough left to do another similar sized scene ....not bad for a total outlay of about £10 including the wood for the base. That's very tempting, you do make it look easy btw, but I'm sure it's worth a pop... Cheers 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3talpig Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 23 minutes ago, Jasper dog said: you do make it look easy btw It's very forgiving material to work with Darryl.....for instance while doing the main building i carved to much plaster out of the window area ...this had two effects it broke the wall in two and one window was now sitting lower than it should ....now with resin or plastic this would have been a headache of filling and glueing and then finishing everything to look clean ...with the plaster the fix was really simple , with the break you put the two pieces together carve a v shape groove down the crack and use a really thin mix of plaster and a pipette and simply run the liquid down the groove it sets almost on contact ....gap filled and smooth with a stanley blade, use the same technique for building up areas that you removed to much plaster from. As i said really forgiving. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted July 7, 2020 Author Share Posted July 7, 2020 Love what your doing, so much planning, I think mine will be much more unplanned and chaotic, just like real life 🤔👍 started the base rails came out ok not sure about the track ballast though got the ballast idea from an industrial siding but not sure I like it, might be better when grass and debris added, going to extend the base as suggest 2kg of plaster ordered, guess I will have to move over to the diorama section soon. any thoughts ideas definitely welcome 👍 cheers Mark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3talpig Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 7 hours ago, mbthejester said: got the ballast idea from an industrial siding but not sure I like it, might be better when grass and debris added, going to extend the base as suggest 2kg of plaster ordered, guess I will have to move over to the diorama section soon. any thoughts ideas definitely welcome 👍 well i would say judging by the rust on top of those rails you might want to add some overgrowth...as there clearly lines that are not in use or very little and so nature would have had a free hand ...... do like the fact you remembered to do the mortar between the bricks something i always forget to do.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Just a couple of points about the ballast and the rails. Ballast would never be higher than the actual sleepers and would probably be small pieces, and not big lumps. Unless the track hasn't been used for many years, the running surfaces would be brighter than the sides. And yes, undergrowth. Even well used tracks have some weeds growing around it. HTH's. John. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Cheers chaps, definitely portraying a line unused for some time will brighten a little where tracks have contacted, and have various shades and lengths of grass to add, will have a think about ballast as I am not sure about it myself, have some extras to dump randomly such as brick and debris, old wood and corrugated sheet, I picked up the Tamiya German DR set, may add a wrecked motorcycle, under Comet tracks possibly, so many ideas popping in head. cheers Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Hi all, Started the base again, threw first away except for ends to widen new one, Comet & Firefly pretty much finished except stowage so holding off till all three parts can come together to blend in, hope that makes sense, started a WIP in diorama section only used half a mug of the plaster to fill gaps from extending, really easy to use mixed a little at a time, now for the grass again where it all went wrong before lol cheers Mark 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Mate Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Love the boot prints! Cat litter would make good ballast - if it's too big, just crush it up a little. ...for next time obviously, yours is looking pretty good now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Very cool, will hop over to Dioramas to watch this one progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alloydog Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 On 14/06/2020 at 13:36, mbthejester said: Tools and tracks added and did some chipping, looking at some photos, and looking at the ground they were in, I am thinking chipping would be quite prominent, bocage and woods would definitely cause chips and scratches, stony ground with rubbish thrown up etc. Cheers for looking Mark I've stolen these pictures to use as reference for my 1/72nd scale Plastic Soldier Company Fireflys :D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Nice to see this back, good luck Darryl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 Nice setting. Just one little point. The rail lines wouldn't have been rusty on the top surface, unless the tracks had been unused for many years. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 A few more little points, if I may. Not trying to be critical but rather to make sure that this model and diorama ends up being as fantastic as it deserves to be and is well on the way to being. Except when newly-laid, railway tracks developed a black greasy strip down the centre of the ballast and sleepers from lubricating oil and grease thrown off by the mechanism underneath the locomotives Same for steam, diesel and electric traction. Ballast is looking better now. It has to be reasonably small and uniform or it won't compact and hold the sleepers in place. Clean (no dust or fines) chunks in the 40-50mm size range would be usual and Limestone seems to have been preferred. The wall at the right front of the picture is probably a little too close to the track, even for a backwater rural branch line. To be that rusty the rails wouldn't have been used for years. Like armour plate, rail steel alloy contained elements such as manganese for wear resistance which naturally inhibited the formation of rust. Having all-steel tracks, the Cromwell would have left bright marks - or at least scuffed off the rust - where it crossed the rails. The middle spare link in the glacis rack has lost one end of one pin along the way and the pins in the lower one have become bent by the tow cable. The pins were a single piece of 11/8" rod, rarely snapped and were very hard to bend, so both ends or no ends would be present and would be straight. A spare link might have the pin protruding further from one side than the other as they were held in place by the end connectors but when new were a friction fit into the links. While you painstakingly and excellently added the straps for the cleaning rods you've missed them for the shovel handle and pick head! You also have the "houseboat" brackets on the glacis (and inside front fenders but cut down?) but not down the hull sides: it was all or none with those except where the hull side ones were removed to make way for applique plates. And the glacis ones are too far inboard. A bit late to do much about those now. M4A4 were not fitted with the periscope protectors, except for some of the refurbished ex-US ones supplied in 1944 - which the RFM configuration is incorrect for. The co-driver's forward periscope cover is crooked, which is not impossible with crew members clambering on it as the hinges were quite flimsy. Both co-driver's perscopes were removed on Fireflies because of the ammunition bin, although the covers remained. Every M4 kit manufacturer who produces 3-piece FDAs has the same problem with separating the "humps" and leaving a join line that must be filled. Asuka represented the bolt flanges in 2 halves, giving the necessary join line - although the parts are a little too uniform and smooth and need the outer edges filing and carving a little to make them uneven. Dragon and RFM use a single piece moulding, where the moulding line will not represent the join as it is raised rather than recessed. There are some resin replacement 3-piece FDAs available. No-one represents the missing drain holes in the curved splash protectors round the fuel fillers and the ventilators because of the moulding difficulty. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbthejester Posted September 26, 2020 Author Share Posted September 26, 2020 Hi all thanks for the great feedback, so much to learn from you all, the track ballast is all part of base casting, the first base I tried adding some and ended up binning it, wall is a tad close, it originally sat on a piece of concrete? But I cut that off, the concrete was still close to the track though I have a plan, a buffer for end of line. tracks are unused since ????? But will scour tops where tracks have gone over, again I have a plan 👍 dirt and grime etc will be added to tracks, early days been working on the crater I have made, hoping you will like it, will check the links on glacis, ones on rear deck are just sitting there probably wont stay, as for tools, yes I did leave them lol, the rods I did from metal etc, the tools I was loathe to try and trim etc for fear of my skill letting me down, I could not find aftermarket parts that were clean, Houseboat brackets, they were a pain, fitted as per instructions and then decided against as not many photos showed them, so chopped them off 🤣 I could not find any detail photos of them so just followed instructions. I looked at the flange castings etc, someone kindly mentioned them a while back, again I was not sure about my skill, have a reference photo of a Firefly with hessian hanging down at front which will cover nicely, plus stowage front and rear I have yet to start, the actual flanges are separate items to fit in the kit, and had a seam, due to my lack of knowledge on the Fitefly I sanded them off, what an idiot ! so late in day, but would it look better with the periscope guards removed? presume this is all of them ? the fuel drain holes I was not aware of, if I can ID location I can add those with some fuel stains yet to do, create natural runs too 👍 so much to do and lots of little bits, but I’m getting there slowly, lots going on at mo with other things unfortunately. Cheers everyone comments are truly appreciated Stay Safe Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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