Hello All,

This small dio is not yet finished (still needs a figure - WIP), but I would like to share it for comments. My second real dio in 20 years. It was a lot of trial and error, not always with the desired result. The scene : Russia, July 1942, in the proximity of Voronej near the river Don. An abandoned communication Sd Kfz 250/3 of the division Grossdeutschland…

Source of inspiration (near Voronej) :


Overview:








Example of an oil mark in water in real life :


My sort of attempt:


Engine compartment:


Radio equipment and home made ear phone:



Deeper water















I hope you like it
Johan

looks good the only thing i see that dosent look so good is the oil and the sides of the water they look kinda fake. Other then that it looks great.

Tim

Thanks Tim
I can easily correct things.. the oil can disappear easily .. what do you mean with the sides of the water ?

thanks for your help
Johan

Now this is what I call a quagmire. What a great job. I have been in this type of swamp where the water looks almost poisonous. I like the rust colored mud and darkness to it. It looks realistic to me as I have said, I've been in a swamp exaclty like this.

Now did you just stick the finished model into the wet plaster and scoop out around it to add the realistic water?

Thanks S.B.

I took a piece of cardboard, cut out the shape of the vehicle and glued it all to the base. Then I carefully shaped the mud around it, part by part to have some control over it all. The vehicle was positionned in an angle before I started with the plaster.

I did some changes in the mean time. The oil is gone and the amount of water a bit reduced and the sides of the water corrected as well. It is still the ugly swamp it was before, but I like it much more now. Dark mud, turning into a red when dry. Now I need to do some painting and will post some more pics.

all the best
Johan

Hi all

Here is an update. I'm afraid seem to have lost the previous pictures and I hope the moderator can remove those here.
The figure is painted now, except for his iron cross. The water is redone at the sides, footprints are in the mud, more colors overall and washes, and some smaller thinsg. What do you think ?

best wishes

Johan

Thats a great little dio well done!

It really tells a story and I think the figure suits the scene well, has that look of desperation, yet acceptance that the thing just aint coming out!
The half track is really nicely done, is it a Tamiya kit?
Also nice are the reeds, and water, though I think the mud looks a little 'thick' in places, it could do with being 'roughed up' a little more and not quite so smooth.
My only other niggle would be that the figure seems to be a panzer crewman by his uniform, which wouldnt really be applicable to a crew member of the half track. I could be wrong, otherwise perhaps he has just stopped to have a look, or his tank has been given the task of pulling it out!

A great dio all the same,

James

I second all the above.

Great little dio. My only little issue is the weapons. I would think that the first thing the crew would do, was to remove the weapons from the lost vehicle to avoid them falling into the hands of the enemy.

Hi all

thanks for the feedback. The kit is a Tamiya one indeed. The figure in a panzer officer from Verlinden. The idea was that during the advance the Sd Kfz 250/3 got stuck in the mud and is actually waiting for repair (engine problem) and to be pulled out of the mud. The enemy is far away as the division captured the city Voronej and the Russians they retreated. (therefore I left the weapons). The tank officer is not related to the vehicle of course, but is a casual observer .... its just a story or my imagination of course ... but your comments about the person and weapons are valid.

I'm making the mud a bit more shiny with some semi gloss varnish to give it a more wet appearance.

best wishes
Johan

Hi all

the latest situation , overall a bit more wet mud



best wishes
Johan

It looks wonderful

Tim

Looks really good. The mud and water effects are spot on.