Hello Everyone,
I am new to dioramas, especially in 1/35th scale, this will be my first of this scale. I am planning on using a Humvee (Tamiya), an M113A2 ACP (Tamiya), some 'Screaming Eagles' (Dragon), some MIG Jersey Barriers and possibly some Verlinden Advancing Soldiers.
Here are some overall shots of the kits I am using:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
Now on to the ktis:
The Italeri Modern Battlefield Accessories, it has already been used for two Abrams so there sould be enough stuff:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rogers.loobes.lewis2/IraqRoadBlockDiorama?feat=embedwebsite">Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
Heres the M113A2 ACP:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
This was included in the kit, but is originally from the Tamiya Modern Accessories kit:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
Now here is the M1025 Humvee:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
Here are Dragons Screaming Eagles:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
There is some slight flash on the weapons:
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
From Iraq Road Block Diorama
Construction should begin tommorrow
Cheers

Loobes

It's a great start but remember it's not historical correct. You're figures and Humvee depict the 1991 Gulf war. By that time the US didn't have roadblocks in Iraq. Only in the latest 2003-now Iraqi war. So I think you should change your figures. Also giving the Humvee other decals and a modern uparmoring set (this isn't neccessarily for a diorama in the beginning of the war) would make it more realistic.

I'm not trying to keep you off this diorama, but to help you. Like I said, your idea is nice and you have a nice plan. So try eveolving this and it will come out nice.

Lars

Hi Lars,
I am aware of what you have mentoned but i am not going for a diorma that is 100% Historically Correct, its more about can I pull off a 1/35 diorama.
By the way, what figures would you suggest?
Cheers

Loobes

Oh so. If you don't mind it's not correct there's only one thing you'll need to change.

Try painting the uniforms not in the color on the box but in this one.



I'm pretty curious how it's gonna look, as I'm myself am making an OIF diorama.

Lars

Hi Lars,
Thanks for the pictures, any ideas on how i can add Flack Jackets (is that what there called)?
Cheers

Loobes

Can you post a photo of flack jackets. Because I don't know what these are.

Lars

lewis why dont you have a road block with an m13 parked up on the side of the road with some verlinden figures walking towards the road blcok

great idea welcome to dioramas

I think the road block is plausible. Some units still used older equiptment and vehicles. As for the up-armor question I would just say it's an '03 OIF operation during the invasion or just after. Half of my friends (Marines, not Army so it could be different) spear-headed Task Force Tarawa in soft-skinned Hmmvees as combat engineers. Just add some Hillbilly armor, as in steel plates ripped from junk yards. If you use the correct cammo scheme I think it can be pulled off. I am sure Gino and the other guys that were actually there are going to see this thread soon, then you will be well off because they know there stuff!

-Mike

Hi everone,
Lars: I haven't got any pictures at present, i am sorry
James: I haven't decided on a lay out yet, that will come later on!
Mike: Have you got any pictures of the up-armour?
By the way, which camo scheme should i use on the Humvee and M113A2?
Thanks for your comments

Loobes

just a desert sand colour

You could use sand or NATO tri-color for the vehicles.
As for the armor:

This pic is from: LINK
The link offers some good reference pics of staging before OIF in Kuwait.

-Mike

OK then,
The vehicles will be sand and i will be using green putty for the flack jackets.
Mike, where does that armour go exactly of the humvee
Thanks for your help
M11A2 will be started tommorrow

Loobes

Basically they welded it to what they could in order to protect the crew cabs. I believe they welded them to medal doors, or in the soft skin versions made new doors (not too hard to do to be honest, did it for my jeep (not armored of course...)). My friend Brad showed me a picture a while ago of his Hmmvee during the invasion. They put sand bags and armor plates wherever they could fit them.

-Mike

Do you mean body armor with flack jackets?

Lars

Why not to google flack jacket?


Yes, it is body armor.

In 2004-05 we had a partial Armor kit that consisted of doors and a panel behind the driver and passenger the remaining armor we installed we added the following with no two being the same

1. steel plate in drivers and passengers foot wells.
2. steel plate bolted underside of drives and passengers foot wells
3. Steel plate in bed of HUMVee with pintal mount
4. Steel plates over tire wells and side walls of tire wells
5. steel plates down both sides of troop seats side walls
6. then we added sand bags to the cargo bed

the truck were very heavy when we were done

in referrance to the HMWWVs, as I posted in one of the other 3 threads on Iraqi road block dios.... Seems like all of you are building basically the same thing.

"Up until late '03 or early '04, unarmored M1025s were used in Iraq. At that time, IEDs started becoming a problem and home-made armor out of sheet steel started to be added to help protect against them. By mid-'04, factory-made armor kist were being added and M1114 UpArmored HMMWVs started becoming more common. Since then, the armor has become more and more and now we are replacing most armored HMMWVs w/MRAPS."

Here is what a typical check point/road block layout would look like.



For figures, Dragon's Modern Marines come with IBA (Interceptor Body Armor) vests and are in good poses. Trumpeter has some ok OIF figures in IBAs, but they are not as good as Dragon's. There are lots of them in resin too, but they will cost you quite a bit more. You can also take the Trumpeter or Dragon IBA-clad torsos and swap them out with older Dragon sets and have lots of available poses.

Hello,
Thanks for all the help, the diorama will be OIF, so do i need to uparmour my humvee.
Gino, i have tried to get the dragon figures, but i cant seem to find them instock anywhere that i like using, if anyone has a set that i can buy, PM me please. I really apreciate that lay out Gino, is the checkpoint with troops a building/shed type thing?
Now for a quick update:
I have started the M113A2 ACP, the hatch of the back will be open
For now i have only done the wheels because the airbrush clogged up
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP
From Iraq Road Block Diorama - M113A2 ACP
The washes were still wet when these photos were taken so they wont be that shiny
Cheers

Loobes

the rear idler wheel shouldnt have a black rim it has no rubber on it, its one single cast piece

the wheels need to have some of the exes wash away they look too gloses it should be just around the nuts lol

Hi James,
The rubber was a fault on my part, i have a very unsteady hand. As for the washes, they have been toned down, this you will see in the next step, which i have done but havent taken pictures of yet.
Work wil continue tommorrow
Cheers

Loobes

Lewis--what James meant is that there should be no rubber at all on the idler wheel. It should be completely sand-colored.

sorry little buddie i should of explained abit more but f u need any help let me know or anyone just ask there all really friendly

Oh,
Sorry for misunderstanding, I will have to re-paint it tommorrow
Cheers

Loobes

By the way, does anyone have any pictures of the interior of an M113A2, what colour is it, because i have just painted it sand?!
Cheers

Loobes

its like a sea green someones got a post of the colour il try and find it =]

if your doing an A2 keep the external fue tanks off they didnt use them