Hello all,

Here is the latest installment of my Operation Iraqi Freedom diorama, so far I have:

1) Finished the Pre-Shade and 2 coats of paint on the Bradley. I still have a lot of small parts to add (handles, flagholders, etc) and a ton of stowage to add to the side and turret cargo baskets. Plus I have to finish painting it.

2) The base is about done. I need to clean up the spots on the roadway where the masking tape pulled up some paint, and also touch up some other spots in the ground work.

3) The Sadam Shrine is about done, just need to be weathered a lot. It was made with simple evergreen plastic bits, coated with patching plaster and painted. The picture itself was downloaded from http://www.pacifichistory.net/SADDAMFILE/SADDAMARAMA.HTML, printed out and inserted (I think it looks pretty darn cool)

4) Same with the Highway sign. For the photos I just taped the sign to the posts, as the paint on the bracket for it was still drying. The sign itself was made for me by my father on CorelDRAW with pictures that I had sent him. It was printed on special reflective coated paper and the back is Bare Metal Foil matt aluminum. The sign brackets and posts are Evergreen plastic pieces.

5) I have the brand new Tamiya Hmmwv (thanks Jon at Mission Models!) that I am going to add, specifically it will be a US Special Forces Version (m998, I think), so I still have to chop the rear portion of the cab off and add a new cab rear. I have a few pictures, but most of the USSF Hmmwv's are so loaded with stuff that you can hardly see the vehicle itself (which is part of what makes them so cool, very modern day "Rat Patrol"ish).

Well thats it for now, I hope that you like this project. I was hoping to have it done by tomarrow for a show in Bay City, Michigan. But of course it all took way longer than I had thought, and the Hmmwv was a kind of late addition (and I haven't even started on the figures...)

Any questions or comments please let me know.

Take care and have a safe weekend,
Chris

http://photos.yahoo.com/ctmi911

ctmi911

Man that is setting up to be one sweet dio. Love the way you have it set up. Signs are awesome.

Cheers
HastyP

Excellent little dio Chris. Love the signs and the shrine really is effective. It is already taking great shape. The tarmac is a nice colour as well. It is so clear to the viewer where and when the happening occurs as well. Any plans for a few figures?

Hey Chris, you should think about marketing those road signs, they are truly looking amazing, the dio is looking brilliant, really simple but evocative.I still haven't started on the storage baskets yet, I found a weird photo the other day, if someone could comment on it, I saw a photo of M2A2s with the storage baskets built with round rather than rectangular pieces. Was I deaming? Other question, was the flashing blue light standard fitting on Iraqi Bradleys? This should definitely be a question for you Cris...... Jim

Ctmi

Now that is a really cool dio you have got there dude

The signs the shrines and the whole line up is outstanding
I would definitely want to see more of this (really enthousiastic comment of an ww2 modeler) Great job dude

Chris, neat idea for diorama. The sign and picture of "Wack a mole" himself really brings it to life. I can't wait to see your updated photos after the Bradley is finished. My question for you is can you please tell us how you made the sign and roadway? Awsome work!

Brian

Loved the roadsign. The best I've managed is those little ones you find in Europe telling you 10KM to the next town turn right or left.

LOOKING GOOD,
keep us posted on this

GREAT IS VERY NICE
ROBERTO

Man, is that a piece of art or what! Great idea, super workmanship.
Well done
djj

Wonderful diorama. I love it. It looks to be done Very well.

I noticed the bradley is not positioned yet. Two cents worth of feedback on its positioning. In most of the photos (which were convoy type photos) the vehicles were all dead on in the middle of the road. So if the story is convoy - I'd center it. Also on one of the photos you have the bradley parallel to the base. I would recommend a different position. Positioning anything parallel with the base neutralized any interest in angles.

Ultimately you decide where you like it and go for it.

I like it a lot.

It looks very nice. How did you make the roadway? Cannot wait to see it finished...
Ciao

Great pics!! Looks like you will have a real winner!

Hi Everyone and thank you for all the kind words!

I haven't had much of a chance to work on my dio in the last few days, had to work too much!

What little I have done is to start on all of the gear that is going to go in the bustle racks on the Bradley and in the cargo area of the Hmmwv (and its going to take lots!).

I haven't really decided which way the Bradley is going to face, I think it will be angled just a bit (I remember reading way back not to have anything in right angles, maybe Shepard Paine?, not sure). And there will be a Special Forces Hmmwv facing the opposite direction, like it come from the other way and the two units are meeting up. Not sure if it happened in real life, I just thought the idea was cool.

The road was very simple and I am pleased on how it came out (still needs to be touched up). It is the artists foam board (2 pieces of paper with a foam center, kinda like an Oreo ) Than this was covered with patching plaster, left to dry, then sanded flat. I used super cheapo black acrylic black paint, than masked it with tape and sprayed the white lines on. This was than dusted with different tans from an airbrush.

I will try and get some different signs done and uploaded on my Yahoo pictures site, until than here are some of my reference photos (under...Reference).

Thanks again for the support,
and have a safe weekend.
-Chris

http://photos.yahoo.com/ctmi911