Hi folks,

I made a couple of disgarded jackets for the mortar pit, a ground sheet for one of the caves and added a head to the barrow boy. Hopefully get his putties on this evening and any fills necessary.













Cheers

Al

A bit more work on the two conversions.





Al

Hi Alan,

Nice work on those conversions, I have the same set to us as WW2 German Pow's are they any good?


Paul

Hp Paul,

The plastic is quite soft and there are the usual seem lines to deal with but the detail is fairly good. No reaon why they won't make decent enough prisoners. I have a similar thought.

Cheers

Al

Hi Al,
Your trenches are coming along wonderfully well, and the figures are exceptional, but please give the poor lad with the wheelbarrow a plank to roll it on, or he'll be hub deep in the mud in no time.
Cheers,
Dick

Progress is wonderful, subject is fantastic and my hat off to you for such a fine composite of model , art and history. I look forward to seeing it progress and visit your post often. Your post inspires response which lends us all an education in the Great War. Thank you

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the feedback - I haven't forgotten about the planks.

Hi David,

Thanks for the kind comments and I'm glad your enjoying it so far, still aways to go yet. but it's coming along.

Cheers guys.

Al

Hi Alan,

Great work as ever, its coming along well.The chap with the wheelbarrow is very well done.

Garth

Hi Garth,

Many thanks, nothing more achieved since the disgarded jackets, slow week on the modelling front.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Unfortunately my visit to the Land Warfare Museum didn't produce any more sueful pics. The lighting is just not good enough and you can't get up close and personal to some of the displays.

I couldn't see any kind of fitting/wheel in around the central section so I'll probably jusy leave the mortar as built. The only addition I could see is that the spikes go both ways wheras the kit has enough for one side.

These are the shots I did get.



















That said it is alwasy an interesting walkabout, there is a Sexton 25pdr that I'd like to climb all over, but it's in the most hopeless place for any decent pics.

Cheers

Al

Great work there, I think its puttees though !!!!
Agree about the lighting and access at Duxford, but the staff are v/helpful, especially the "older" variety.
Got into the Dorchester to photograph the drivers cab area last year and the Morris with Compressor. This time got up to the carrier to check some dimensions re the sprocket.

If they're not too busy, and in the right frame of mind, they will help all they can.

George.

Hi George,

Well spotted and thanks.

Yes, a weekday visit when it is quieter is probably what is required.

Cheers

Al

Hi foks,

Got some work started today. Cut some timbers for the top of the store, added some palning from the Tunnel and started to add some more wire.







Al

This just keeps getting better and better dude! Love the duck boards and steps.
J

Hi J,

Many thanks. Added some AA straights to the wire, very nice wire but tends to snap and the lengths are quite short.








Cheers

Al

Hi Al,
Your diorama is progressing wonderfully well.
I recently acquired a copy ofWar Underground by Alexander Barrie, a fascinating account of tunneling beneath the battlefields of Flanders and the Somme. Lots of good photos including some inside the tunnels. In the photos, the men working underground look pretty grubby, and the officers aren't much different.
Many tunnels started from a trench or shell crater but a short distance in, a vertical shaft was sunk, sometimes as deep as a hundred feet, from which the actual tunnel was driven. The point of all this is that much of the excavated dirt was hoisted up in bags which looked like over-length sandbags, so you might consider piling a few of them on your barrow in place of the loose dirt.
One of the photos in Barrie's book is of a wonderful 1911 chocolate and black Rolls Royce used by John Norton Griffiths MP who was the chief promoter of the tunneling program. I wish that Rolls were available as a model kit.
Cheers
Dick

Hi Dick,

Thanks for the info. I have some figures to convert for inside the tunnel. A deep shaft tunnel would make another excellent project so I will keep that in mind.

This offering was a change of design to add some interest to what otherwise would have been a bland side to the dio.

Might get a little more done on Sturday if time permits.

Cheers

Al

Alan: looking great!! Your dio is peaking my interest in WWI, a subject I haven't investigated much as of yet.

Happy Modeling, -zon

Hi Zon,

Thanks. There are terrific possibilities for modeller builders for this era. If some new quality 1/35 scale armour was to come along then it would probably generate more interest and more figs and artillery options.

There are some good resin options around but they are not affordable by many and not great in quanity/choice.

Glad you're enjoying it so far.

Cheers

Al

Alan, I'm checking in from time to time and it is always a marvel to watch. keep it up.

Phil.

Hi Phil,

Many thanks, work is a bit slow at the moment on the modelling front, been busy on other things.

Glad you're enjoying it though.

Cheers

Al

Looking great Alan. Very realistic. I love the attention to detail.

Hi Darren,

Many thanks. Nothing added this week, been caught up in the Olympics action.

Cheers

Al

Alan,

I just wanted to thank you for this diorama.

I was born and grew up in the Somme. My "grand-grand-parents" were at war and my whole family was also there at this time.

Thanks a lot for this topic and thanks a lot to Tommies.

Especially today, as a 88th French soldier died in Afghanistan.