Something like this. By the way, for those on a budget, the diamond treadplate can be replicated with plastic banding material. It has the correct pattern and is the right size.

A little research will get you far, and Google is your friend.



The color is called Seafoam Green. It is a very light green. Tamiya Sky is a good match, as is Humbrol Sky Type S (don't know who thinks the sky is green???), or Testors Model Master Pale Green with a few drops of white added.

Also, on the roadwheels, sprocket, and idler, the lug nuts and center caps should also be sand, not steel as you have them.

Hello,
Time for an update, wheels and tracks have been finsihed and attached, Interior has been painted (i am aware that it is a bit dark), and work have begun on the top.
I have corrected the idler wheels
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP 1
The Exterior is sand coloured in real life but has come out grey on the camera
Cheers

Loobes

Lewis--nice job so far. Just a couple of things you should correct. You placed the tow cable on the rear ramp upside down (the towing eyes should point up instead of down). That should be easy to correct. You should also check the alignment of the rear ramp, it looks a little crooked when open (maybe you haven't glued it yet?). The tracks look ok (hard to tell, since the pictures are a bit fuzzy, but you may want to consider dusting them up a bit, particularly the rubber tread blocks. I assume you haven't finished the tracks, as both of them have one major gap each. Take care to mate them up properly (I know it can be hard--I used the same tracks you did on my bucket) so there are no gaps and the links around the idler and sprocket go around in a tight curve.

Its coming along. The rear hinges and door handle should not be black though. They are sand just like the rest of the hull. The lug nuts and wheel center caps on the road wheels should be sand too, not steel. The interior of the rear hatch, and all hatches should be sand as well. Its really better to build the whole model, with the exception of road wheels, track, tools, and anything else that doesn't get painted the hull color, then spray the completed model. Now you will have to scrape paint and repaint, hope it matches, etc. when you go to add all the little pieces. Model glue will not stick to paint.

Hi everyone, this will be my last post until next weekend (Back to school )
Right, here is the top panel and body work detail
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
Here is it finished, except baggage
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 2
Now, i'm not the best figure painter , but i gave it my best shot
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP Figures
The figures have 4 colour jackets, black, Olive Drab, Brown, Sand
The Vehicle is painted in sand and weathered in a light wash
Cheers

Loobes

your photos are really dark lewis take them during the day where you get natural sunlight out side your photos will look grea then =]

No too bad. The tools should not be silver though. Look at tools in your garage. They will be either similar, with a metal shovel or ax head, wooden handle, ect., or they are often painted overall dark green or black for inspection. The mounting brackets and tie downs will still be sand though since they are part of the hull. The smoke launchers are too far inboard. They should not overlap the swim vane at all. The swim vane opens up and swings down to access the engine. Right now, it can't do that since the smoke launchers are in the way. You also need to scrape off or sand down the seam lines on your parts. What is the red on the figure's collar? He's not wearing a bandana, why try to paint one on when its not there? Also, look at camo patterns, they are not blobs, but a wavy pattern of squiggles. Take your time and use a small brush and you will get them much better. Also, check out some of the camo painting tutorials here and at the Historicus Forma figure site for more help on figures.

Hi guys,
Sorry about the lack of pictures but the stowage is on and the humvee is well under way! Pictures coming soon

Cheers

Loobes

Lewis next time you take your photo's take them in direct light like out side it will improve them an auwful lote!

Hi guys,
As promised, pictures of the finsihed APC! Men arent on it because i have run out of sand colour an will paint with humvee crew
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
Now for pics of humvee in progrees, bear in mind no weathering has been done as of yet!
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
From Iraq Roadblock Diorama Update
Sorry about the poor qualitiy of the pictures
Cheers

Loobes

Take your photos in natural light or get your self some bright lights it will really improve your picture quaility

Can't tell much from the poor pics. I do see a lot of paint slop. The scrape marks (?) on the side of the M113 look bad too. Colors on the exhuast and other underside parts of the HMMWV are off too.

Hi guys,
Sorry about being sidetracked by a Chinook. The diorama is pretty much finished, but there was a huge space, however, the space was conveniently sized to be able to fit a Dragon M1A2 SEP into it, well i bet you can guess what i did.........
Pictures coming soon
Cheers

Loobes

Lewis when you take your pitures of your diroama do it outside or in direct sunlight!

dont do really close up shot do a variety of high and low camera shots to show the whole diroama

Thanks James,
I know my photos were bad, but that was partly due to the fact that i couldnt take photos of my models in my usual are. I hope my pictures complement my diorama and my SEP.
Cheers

Loobes

Herre comes one of the last few updates:
Humvee is finished, i my self am not too happy with it, but still i go on:
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
From M1025 Arnament Carrier DMOM
Progress on the SEP will be slow but here is a quick update:
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEPFrom M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
From M1A2 SEP
Update tomorrow
Cheers

Loobes

A lot of work to do Lewis... Looking forward to the end piece!

The HMMWV isn't too bad. A little much on the mud splatters. The underside is pretty bad still, just keep it on its wheels and it should be good.

The DCU uniforms have 3 colors to them, sand, khaki-green, and brown. Like so:


For the time period when unarmored M1025s were used, the initial invasion in MAR-APR '03, the IBA body armor should be woodland camo as well.


It looks as though you have the HMMWV marked in the 3ID markings. 3ID didn't have any M1A2 SEPs. We had all M1A1s. Also, 3ID and 4ID units would not have worked together. You also have the M113 in 3ID markings.

If you are looking to have an M1A2 SEP with an unarmored M1025, the unit should be 4ID. They were the only M1A2 SEP unit that was here while unarmored M1025s were still in use. 4ID was in country from late APR '03 until APR '04. By late '03, IEDs became an issue and the vehicles started having either home-made armor plate applied, or ASK (Armor Survivability Kits) were added. So the kit decals would be your best bet.


Also, don't take such close up pictures. They don't really show anything and just end up blurry.

Thanks Gino, i will be using the kit decals, apart from the barrel name, which will be different, using the Echelon Barrel names set!
Thanks guys
Cheers

Loobes

Ok, so much for accuracy then.

If you have to have a tank in your dio, you should get either the Tamiya M1A1/A2 kit (build it as the 3ID M1A1), or the Dragon M1A1 AIM kit. Both come with 3ID markings from the invasion that would work with your M1025 and M113. The Tamiya one even has the same unit markings for 3-69 AR as the M113 does.