Hi everyone. I am very new to modelling and have been thinking about building my first diorama around the Tamiya M10 US Tank Destroyer 1/48 model. The diorama I thought about would be on a 16x12 inch (or thereabout) picture frame base and depict a scene from July 1944 in the town of Saint-Lo in Normandy, France. I thought about having the tank on a gravel or dirt road going past a bomb ruin building in one corner and having grass or perhaps a fence or hedge on the other corner and have perhaps a few military figures. I want to keep it simple.

The only concern I have is the scale. There doesn't seem to be much choice for 1/48 scale figures and scratch building supplies (such as plastickard/brick walls and diorama kits). Figures and diorama sets and accessories seem to be mainly 1/72 or 1/35 scale. Do you think this will be problem?

Also can you recommend a good supplier of terrain/grass/ etc.. scale model scenery. Something like "Scenic Express" but maybe based in the United Kingdom.

Many thanks.

Paul.

Sounds like a good idea!

I think 1/35 should be fine, unless you have space constraints. The vast majority of armor models and figures seem to be in this scale. As for grass and such, Woodland Scenics has some great products. I don't know about their availiability in the UK, though. If you're going to be doing pines, then Bragdon Enterprises has a line of pine boughs that look great when finished. Basically, just look around model railroading and wargaming sites and stores. They should stock something you can use, and if not, point you in the right direction.

HTH

Custom Dioramics has a decent selection of 1/48 scale buildings in resin.
There are a few figure sets from Tamiya, then a lot of old Bandi stuff. Not wonderfully compatible but decent enough.

The size is a bit of a concern for me, 16 x 12 is going to be quite large for a 1/48 scale diorama. Mine below is about 12x12 and (to me) verging on size limits. Just be aware of filling dead space well.

As far as scratching buildings - there are lots available, so if 1/48 is where you want to be and scratching doesn't scare you away no problem. My experience is that the 1/72 scale diorama kit based stuff is very old and 'soft'. I'd stay in 1/48 or jump to 1/35 is you want a wider variety of kits based stuff.
Review of one building
End result

Thanks for your replies

Scott - I see what you mean about the size perhaps being too big. The base shown in your picture is very similar to a picture frame I had in mind, so perhaps I should stick to 12x10 or 12x12 size or smaller.

Many thanks

Hey Paul, welcome! I agree with Scott, that you need to be careful about the size issues. I just finished my first dio, and you don't really get the feel for how much room you are working with until you start building. I Also used a upside down picture frame, but I found it helpful to draw out my idea on the cardboard back, before the picture is taken out. It doesn't have to be done on that either, but drawing your idea to scale will help you see where everything should be, and how much "dead" space is left over. Hope that helps

You don't need to stick with a picture frame base. You can use a sealed piece of scrap wood cut to size and then use some 1/4 round molding/trim to make a custom 'frame' when all is done.

I will moch up a diorama on paper first - with paper cut outs of the AFVs and buildings.
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Here are two examples of the freeform frame

For 1/48th flora&fauna try Games workshop, and if you want, Try their resin counterpart, Forgeworld, both UK based.

Games Workshop

Forge World

Thanks Scott. I'll have a look

I was thinking of building my ruined building out of plaster of paris and etch the correct size bricks out. I also found (somewhere on here - Basemaking for Beginners:Urban Road by Engin Kayral) how to build pavements so I might incorporate that in one corner of my diorama.