Hi all,

In this thread I'll keep you up to date on my progress for the Commonwealth in Normandy campaign.

My goal for this campaign is to make use of kits I already had (so I didn't had to buy new ones and save money) on a rather large diorama (about 70x40cm - large for me). The vehicles had to show a nice variation of British vehicles during the operations near Caen in Normandy '44.

I picked the following kits:

- Academy M3A1 Stuart
- Zvevda M3 Scout car
- Tamiya/Dragon/Resicast Sherman Crab
- Tamiya Daimler Dingo
- Italeri Jeep
- Tamiya Universal Carrier

Some of them were already half build. I asked our campaign leader if I could finish and include them in my diorama and that was ok.

I'm still looking for the best lay-out of my diorama. The idea is to show British recon forces of the 7th Armoured Division taking a break while waiting for a Sherman Crab to pass to deal with minefields up ahead.

By now I've done the following things:

- M3 Scout Car finished
- Universal Carrier build, primed and pre-shaded.
- Sherman Crab painted in it's base colour
- M3A1 Stuart interior finished (including painting and weathering)
- Jeep and Dingo finished

Pictures of the progress so far:

M3 Scout Car:













I'll try to make better pics soon as the colours don't really match with the real model now

Stuart interior:









Next I will finish the Stuarts' exterior and paint it together with the Universal Carrier. Then I'll probably finish the Stuart, Universal Carrier and Sherman Crab together (decals, weathering etc)

More pics will follow

Martin

Hello Martin

It's been a while. Nice start already. I really like the way you made those british nettig. But Wasn't it possible to weave the nettig?? I can explain it better in dutch. But the long small ropes are weaved through the square wholes of the net if I am not mistaken.

I hope you understand what I mean otherwise send me an PM in dutch

Cheers And keep up the good work

I understand what you mean and yes, it's not 100% correct but I don't really mind. It was the first time trying this sort of camouflage net anyway and I don't have too much time so I didn't want to make it too hard for myself. I'm very happy with these results actually

Martin

Hi Martin.
Both your scout car and stuart are looking good. Impressive size ... you mentioned a lot of vehicles ...what about figures? Getting scared yet :-) :-) ?



I think it looks great. Both the open and rolled versions look great, and this could be a very useful stowage item. I agree with what RoelGeutjens says, but it definately gives the impression of British netting. How did you achieve this look? What did you use for the netting and the weave? Cheers.

Hi,

Well it's quite easy to make the camouflage netting. First I made a canvas cover with tissue and white glue + water. Then I applied bandage, also with white glue + water.

The ropes/weaves or whatever you call them are also from tissue. I just used cissors to make strips of tissue and applied them with white glue + water in the desired shape.

After that I just painted it. The net was drybrushed with olive drab and the strips were painted with various shades of green.

Hope my explanation makes sense

Who knows a good walkaround of the M3A1 Stuart? I don't want to go real deep in details but I do want to make the Acadamy Stuart at least look like an M3A1.

The only thing I know so far is that I need to remove the rivets on the sides of the tank (right?)

Any other major things that I can change without too much work/trouble?

Martin

Well I found pics of what I believe is a late-production Stuart, so I based my Stuart on those pics. I removed the rivets on the side of the vehicle and changed the sponson machinegun covers. I also added stowage etc. The jerrycan rack on the right fender is based on a picture of a Stuart III in NW Europe 1944.

Pics will follow

Martin

Hi Martin
You're off to a great start with the two vehicles. I also like your work on the camo-netting.
One thing though: The jerrycans on the scout car. I think they look odd and wrong. Will you replace them, or?

Good luck with the project.

Simon

Hi,

I see what you mean. It's not the best detailled jerrycan ever. Still it doesn't look "too odd" for me. Replacing it now, after already finishing the vehicle, is something I do not like to do so I think I'll just leave it like this. It's ok for me!

Thanks for your reply!

Martin

Hi all,

Little update:

- Stuart sprayed with Vallejo black primer
- Jeep and Dingo will be repainted/improved
- Diorama lay-out decided

Martin

Gday Martin
The M3 Scout car has turned out well!
The camo netting is quite effective, and I have to say it is strange (in a good way) seeing the Jerboa insignia on the rear... Im so used to seeing US insignia!
One small gripe if I may~ The rolled tarp on the front looks bonzer, but the rear one in comparison looks what it is~ a lump of plastic... Is it possible to use the rear one as reference in making another of your own?
Would look far more realistic, in my book...
Cheers
Brad

Not sure wat bonzer means but as I wasn't really satisfied with the one in front myself I guess it's something like bad

The one on the back is from Tamiya and actually I don't think it's that bad. The pic doesn't show it like it really looks. The one on the front is home made and not really what I had in mind. But hey, if you don't try, you never know...

I'll leave it like this. As I said before, I don't like changing too much on a model after I've finished it. But comments are really welcome as I can only learn from it and use it on my next model!

Thanks,
Martin

Droevig over dat!
Bonzer actually means really good etc.
So basically we are in total disagreeance regarding the respective tarps...
The front one looks good to me, and the rear would be better IMO if you made it yourself and folded it similar to the existing one...

LOL ok. Well I think my attempt wasn't that succesfull and I like the one at the rear :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Glad you like it though :-)

Next time I'll try different material to make the tarp and use the one on the back as example. Let's see how that will turn out.

Martin

Hi all,

Update: my M3A1 and Universal Carrier are painted in their base colour!

Now I'll add decals and paint details. Then another gloss coat and weathering!

















Hope you like it! I'm happy with the results so far!

Martin

Another update:

Daimler Dingo. Universal Carrier and Stuart have decals! The Stuart belongs to the 22nd armoured brigade, 7th armoured division, the Carrier belongs to the 3rd Canadian infantry division and the Dingo carriers markings for the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, 7th Armoured Division.

Some pics:









Martin

Hoi Martin,
The vehicles are coming along nicely and it looks like you've been putting quite a few hours into the modelling bench !What will be the setting for the dio,and how many figs will you use?By the scope of the vehicles you've built it seems like it's going to be a big one!
Greetz,Shay

Hi,

The diorama will show troops of the British 7th armoured division and the 3rd Canadian infantry division waiting for a Sherman Crab of the 79th armoured division to pass. The Crab will deal with minefields up ahead so a part of the soldiers can take a brake while others set up a perimiter to secure their position.

The diorama will include:

- Sherman Crab
- M3A1 Stuart
- M3A1 Scout Car
- Daimler Dingo Scout Car
- Jeep
- Universal Carrier

Number of figures is not sure yet. So far I've got around 15 figures. I think the diorama will have around 20 figures when finished.

Vehicles are almost done now so I can start with the diroama.

Going to work on the crew for the Universal Carrier now

Martin

Now painting some figures for my Universal Carrier. So far I've ot a driver, gunner and passenger. I also have got the torso, arms and head for an radio operator but I can't find his legs

Oh well I don't like painting figures anyway, but I think you need them to get your diorama 'aive'. I will try to keep 'em to a minimum though.

Martin