1/48 Tamiya Panzer IV and Stug III with AFV Club 251/1 C. Figures are Dartmoor and Warriors.

I used a picture frame, and filled it with the sidewalk weed preventer, "polymeric sand." Painted the ground with oils and added snow-coat in patches (dragging it to connect like a spider web or like a running water stream). Models painted with Tamiya, then hairspray immediately followed by white paint that dried about 30 seconds before removing patches for worn whitewash.

Hi,

This looks very nice. Not a lot of 1/48 dios out there. The mud is very convincing as are the two panzers.
My only complaint is the cleanliness of the 251 and the white uniforms.
If you do something about that, it's nearly perfect!

Cheers
Claude

Construction is solid, base painting is really good, and the figures are nicely done.
The weathering could use a bit of work to really make this diorama shine. The mud give the impression of very loose mud. This would get kicked up really quickly by such heavy tanks and mud would be everywhere. They would also leave deep ruts behind them.

The use of non-standard ground work is very creative. Can't wait to see more dioramas from you.

Wow, nice diorama! Hoe did you make that epic mud?

M4A2Sherman

Great to see some 1:48 stuff on the forum!

I have a real soft spot for 1:48 armour... these looks fantastic!

Hey this is a cracking dio. Appart from the clean suits and vehicles my only other comment would be to stack a few more Jerry cans in the halftrack and some small arms ammo boxes and food rations to give the scene more of a look of impromtu replenishment.

Maybe even one more figure in the halftrack as if stooping down, moving the most needed stuff from the front to the back for the guys to come back and fetch.

Love the vehicles.

All the very best for 2010

Nige

Thanks everyone for the compliments and helpful suggestions.

Maybe I can add a few rain/dirt streaks and mud splatters to the halftrack and a little dirt pigment/ mud splatter to the figs.

I used my same sidewalk weed preventer "polymeric sand" that hardens solid in a day or two with simply spraying water on it. While it was still moist I fitted the vehicles and figures and churned the mud around the track areas. Also before completely dry, I used snow-cote to soak-in/mix-in with the mud (painted with oils). After dry, I added more snow-coat over the damp areas for the snow patches.

I've used the polymeric sand with all my dios so far (desert, woods, snow, whatever) and it works good for a dio beginner like me and your wife will be happy how there's no weeds in your driveway

I agree with others, great to see 1/48 scale done well, all that's missing is filth !
If there's one thing you can count on with tank treads, dirt and water/ snow is mud being everywhere and on everything- vehichles, uniforms, everything.
Nice job.

Yo Greg,

Very nice dio...very realistic groundwork, the winterfeeling is in the dio...!!

Greetz Nico

Really good diorama! The weathering on the Stug and Panzer IV is spectacular, but I must agree with Claude: the SdKfz. is too clean compared to the rest of the vehicles. Beyond that, it's fantastic!

zaltar

Hi and thanks again. I'm in the process of doing a Plan of Correction and I'll post again in the next 1-2 weeks