It's been awhile since i've posted anything new. The idea for the train came from an actual photo. Hope you enjoy it , my photography skills(or lack thereof) not withstanding. Still a few tweeks and additions to go. Comments always welcome.
John

wow! that is brilliant! that train looks amazing. do you have any progress pictures of the train build? and can you post the photo that inspired you?

great work.

neil

Outstanding. A real show stopper.

The train, the figures, the overall layout / composition - NICE.

amazing work, great detail. love the expressions on the figures

Really nice composition. The frame of the project is great, not just the base, but the whole architectural framework of the strong train being religated to ruin, the strong sherman showing life, the various soldiers in strength roles, support roles, and defeated roles.

Really well done. With some good crisp photos this is a shoe in for a feature.

Great work.Anywhere you look , you can spot many small details that enhance the whole project.For instance the blood in the muddy water beside the wounded soldier 's leg.You 're the man.

Hi John,

What an inspiring diorama! I love the use of the blown up train as a backdrop, a real change to the usual damaged house.
Your choice of colours really emphasise the desperation of the scene.
I especially like the added touch of the one German with almost golden hair, he breaks the grey color tones up and draws you to look further at the detail of the figures.
I agree with neil22, get some WIP photo's up on the forum mate!

Cheers,
Shay

Amazing no other words for it what an impressive dioram and what a size too for 1/35 what figures did you use and please post some in progress shots

It's an amazing work, everything fit perfectly and the scene look so real

Send us more shots please

Looks great John,

What an amazing level of detail. The twisted metal, puddles and groundwork, and not to mention the train, is very well done! This must be a huge diorama in real life!

You are a very talented modeller.

Chas

I've watched John build this from the ground up. I remember at the AMPS show in Hubbard, Ohio when he bought the locomotive he said "he had plans", little did I know. I've seen the Photo John used as inspiration and I can tell all of you his Loco is better than the one in the picture! John showed me some in progress shots awhile back and even before the main composition of the diorama was in place and you could tell even then the piece was going to be outstanding.
He brought the diorama with just the train on it to our local show back in May 2008 and it was a big hit with everyone. I know some of the judges wanted to judge it even though it wasn't in the competition it was so good.

Outstanding work on the finished piece my friend and I look forward to seeing it in person again one of these days.

Good luck at the "Big Show" later this year.

Sean

This is defintely a highlight of this year on this forum!
It is exceptional well done, i love this wrecked train. I would really like to see a picture of it before the paint was added to better appreciate what you have done with it.
The story is great to. The soldier with the broken leg! What a wonderful idea. And the pity look of the tank crew! Well done.

Sincere congrats on this dio.

Cheers
Claude

AWESOME... Great Idea here, with wonderful detailing.... milvehfan

Hello John,
Long time. Another well thought out / executed idea on your part. I never get tired of looking at your work.
Cheers,
Charles

Many many thanks for the kind words and comments everyone. I picked up the locomotive at the AMPS show in Hubbard in 2006 knowing that I had the photograph with which I wanted to base the scene on. It's been an on and off again project since then. Spending wayyyyy too much time on the pc admiring other peoples' work and skills! I added more than a few scratchbuilt pieces to the BR52 so that it would replicate the one in the photo. The TAMIYA Sherman was built pretty much ootb. I added a turned aluminum barrel and the usual stowage items. The figures are a mix of DML, WARRIORS, VERLINDEN, and YOSCHI with either WARRIORS or HORNET heads added. On 2 of the wounded Germans I sculpted in the hair and the bandgages. As with all of my figures all straps and bandages are made from thin strips of Aves Apoxie Sculpt. Initially I wanted the entire scene exclusive of the figures to be done in shades of gray, but once I had everything placed on the base and given the first coat of paint it just didn't look right to me. The figures were undercoated in acrylics then painted with oils. I think I used darn near every medium I have, washes, glazes, artist and MIG pigments, to get everything blended in together. Unfortunately I don't have any in progress shots. All in the mind's eye so to speak. I will take more pictures tho and I'll have the dio at the Chicago Show. Once again many thanks to all and I must say it is all of you who give and gave me the ME inspiration with your fine works on display here to keep plugging along at it. Next up and hopefully not quite as long down the road, my Kharkov dio.

A really super job there John,
You should send Scott loads of additional photos for an On Display, or write a feature on building it for the membership to continue enjoy over and over again after this tread dies out.

Beautiful work John! There's a lot of subtle variation in color all throughout the piece and the earth tones brind it all together. I really like the differences in height and the details that are part of the scenery but not lost in it. little things pop out wherever you look. excellent job on the figures as well. I hope this gets a feature

John , stunning modeling , absolutely beautiful work !!!!!!!!
I'm keeping this in my files - sweet !!!!
Glenn

Stumbled across this while slumming the Galleries. Absolutley stunning. Thankyou!
Rick

John-- great work. Your figures are superb.
DJ