Hi all,
I kept away for this site so long...sorry I didn't update here...

Today I would like to post the dio project I already completed since Oct/Nov 10 but I didn't have a chance to post here, apologize.

And please suggest if any point is required to add more detail or any point which wrong, then I can improve or make those correct.



The way I will post as part by part also including the step "how to".

Please feel free to have comments...welcome.

Num

Wow, impressive! loving this to the point I want more pics please? Btw, what's holding your Helo in the air? It's not apparent from the angle of the photo. Awesome work mate.

Thanks James, which angle you want to see? Incase if need to take more picture again, so sad, this dio was broken in some parts especially the srtyker...my wife drop heavy stuff on it..

Regarding to what you asked for the hodling material for the Helicopter. I used strong iron strand held from the bottom of the base through the house up to the top then cover it by resin.

I started with the Black Hawk first, I did with cockpit, interior then I leave it and let’s my younger brother helped me to built the Stryker and Humvee as what I said, 1 day each he completed to build. Let me post all pictures again because last time post, the links were broken.

Let’s go back for the story and background to start this dio. The inspiration from the many movies I’d seen recently including with my wife, now she love to see US Army uniform (because I asked for help form her to help me research info for this dio, the automatically, a lot of info consumed thus make her love US Army). She influenced me to make Black Hawk helicopter and Humvee, especially the recent one launched “Bronco M1114” which we couldn’t not wait and the price is expensive. That was why I bought “Tamiya M1025” instead.

OK, let’s come back to the conversation. This project I name “A Day in Iraq 2003”, similar as the film name, isn’t it? The name I also put in Arabic which I translated by Google translate, if any mistake apologize. And the story we supposed for this dio as below.
In the story during Iraq invasion by US during 2003.



Also the designed which I was show before a bit changed at the building. This was helped from my wife, she downloaded Google Sketch up and she said this program is very useful and fantastic.
Figures and model we used.



This project I built Stryker/Humvee/Black Hawk all in the same time with help from my younger brother for the vehicles and did the base/building at last.

Part I : Making the base & building

I put the plywood underneath the base and at sides of the base.


Foam plate/modeling plaster inside as layer purpose for a better gravity.



You can see, this project completed by helped form everyone in the family, my son was helping me using forcept take the brush hair out from the base while I was shovel the base.

Part II : Making the building
The building were mold from plaster Lafarge Prestia plasters, modeling grade. At the wall outside fit with the Air conditioner compressor which I made from some part of my son’s military tank. (I exchanged the Masked Rider figures with him for his permission.)



At front of the building, I designed for the garage that was why the slide door was made.



Interior, I made the texture at the wall while mold plaster.




The wall inside attached with posters, made them old by scratched and glossy brown paint at the posters bolder.




 
Paint the floor.



After all were paint, put them together and tight with UHU glue.

Part III : Making the Stryker
This part actually I post before but as what I said, the links were broken, the web host was crash. Here I post them back again.







Part IV : Making a Humvee
It was helped by my younger brother to built this incredible Humvee within one night.

Part V : Making the Black Hawk
So, this the most difficult part for this dio, the Black Hawk helicopter. Again, my wife was helping me for researches.
Thanks for the website we got this reference picture for inside the helicopter’s floor.



I used the white sticker paper, cut and attach on the layer one by one.



Chairs, inside.






Black Hawk hi-light for me is the cockpit. I didn’t have any idea to make it, also I preferred for the reference from the website again but sorry I couldn’t remember for the source. (Apologize for the picture owner.)



Because of its size is too small and difficult to paint it, so, this is my best I did.




Pilot’s chair, as what I saw in website seems like soft cover.



For the Black Hawk I made, I'm not expert for this, please suggest.

Thank you.

It looks pretty good overall. The Blackhawk looks decent, it does have some silvering of the decals along the tailboom though. Also, are there pilots and crewmen in it, I can't tell from the pics?

The only issue I see is the Stryker. It is good that it was damaged sinc eit is out of place. You may want to replace it with another HMMWV or a Bradley. There were no Strykers in Iraq during the initial invasion in March-April '03. The first Strykers were deployed to Iraq in November of '03. The Strykers were from the 25th ID out of Ft Lewis, Washington. Also, all Strykers that have been in Iraq have the SLAT Armour package added to them as well. None have been in Iraq without it.

I would also remove the tree in the forground. It looks as though it is in the middle of the road. It doesn't look right to me.

Other than the Stryker, it looks pretty good.

This is simply amazing by all accounts. Your scratch building is beautifully done. I really like this scene you have put together. A master piece.

Hi, Gino. Nice to see you again, I'm very glad.
Thanks a lot for your comments, I respected because I'd just realize from you for the particular period of the Iraq invasion, there was no stryker involved.
I didn't exactly knew for that because I'd just check for info. So, uncertainties info I got and interprete may not correctly.

Again, thanks Gino.....all comment is useful for me for make this more better improvement because now my wife broken the stryker.

Thanks, Charles.

Naronkorn, your diorama and modeling skills are very good and I really like this fantastic diorama. To me everything looks great, however I did notice one thing that may have been overlooked. It is up to you to change it or not. What I noticed is that the palm trees are hanging natural and not all wind blown back away from the helicopter blades. The rain water on the roof is also a little slack for having a helo flying just a few feet above it. Thank you for sharing this terrific dio..............Al

WOW!!!! Absolutely impressive! I like how you built the buildings from scratch. do you mind if I use some of your techniques?

Hi Alfred, thanks a lot for your comment. I’m also concerned at that time I make this dio. The palm trees was pushed the leaves down but they couldn’t much as I expected. On the top of the building if having slack rain water (as what you mean?) I think that’s a good idea, I will try.
Also, this dio was already completed, let me change later from info gather here..

Now I got comment with the Stryker from Gino. I got palm trees more blown back and slack rain water from you, Alfred. Thanks again.

Zheng, thanks. I’m welcome for the techniques here. Please feel free to take.

Num

Sorry Charles, I forgot you....Thanks for visit and comment.

All, let me back to what dio I did...note that...this dio is not WIP....it was complete.

Part VI : Making the Palm trees
The palm trees I made simply in this dio, chopstick wrapped by floral tape all over. The technique I used is similar as the way to make the coconut tree.




Took handicraft cray cover on the top of the chopstick then made the cross lines on it.



I made palm leaves from chicken feathers, spread them out the features take water+glue mixing on it (glue which using with the decal). This part my wife was helping me to made these.





Then sprayed them, I noted that palm trees displayed underneath the Black Hawk. So, their leaves should push down from the wind force. To get better for the palm trees themselves, I made the pot (please correct me, I don’t have any idea how to call.)




Next part......Part VII : Making accessories will be continued. Hope you enjoy.

Now that is an awesome idea. Who would have thought that chicken feather palm fronds would look so good. Did you paint them or was the chicken already bright green............ . There are chickens in my neighborhood. They are no longer safe................... .....................Al

็Hi, num. Look great for your palm tree step of making that. Clever about make this handmade palm tree. Still follow yours work and love this project as ever I told you.

sawadee kap bro,

this was superb build... despite the history incorrectness issue, this is still a superb build.... and it's a family project as well,,, i could agree with Gino that u may replace the stryker or perhaps replace the title

and the palm leaves should be blown by the helo rotor...u may just adjust the leaves...(if u could)

the chicken feathers leaf is something new maybe to all of us here.... thanks for sharing the method....this is by far the simplest palm tree method i ever saw...

one things that i think all of us need is a few more photos of the finished diorama..one photo is not really justified the good in-progress photos that you have shown... so why not we have at last 10 shots of the finished dio,,,,


outstanding work mate!

Awesome way to make palm fronds. They look like the real thing! The best technique I have is to use green paper! Great idea, I am sure I will use it, if it isn't copyrighted!

This is great, a very informative post-build log. If you have more pictures taken during the build I'm sure many people, including myself, would love to see them.

Chicken Feathers! Genius
Dead set, going to have to give that a go next time i'm making palms!

Hi Al, the idea for chicken feature came from me but my wife, she was helping me to prepared the features. The feature original in brown and I sprayed later. (Shall I tell your neighbor to take away their chickens from you, Al?)

P’Jeap, thanks for visit this post, you palm trees are also look great.

Zaidi MD, thanks. As what I mentioned before I respected what Gino comment and even from you guys here…I will try to change and improve in some points. The palm tree I did try by pushed the leafs down but I couldn’t…
I’m glad that you love this technique for the palm trees.
For the photo, I have a lot but I didn’t post them yet….they are in draft.

Zheng, sure…nothing here I made is copy right. Please feel free to take it.

Jeremy, thanks. Unfortunately, the picture when I was during doing dio..I took few because I always ask for help from my wife…she always.#!$$@^%#@!&%#&!(^#**^&@^)( me…

Dave, sure…imply to your technique next time.

Num....

Again...please feel free to comment

Beautiful diorama, Num. Too bad it broke before you could take more pictures.

Excellent trick with the palm trees. I will copy that.

Thanks for sharing

Unfortunately, changing the title won't be correct either. All and I mean all, Strykers deployed to Iraq have the SLAT armor installed. So it would still be inaccurate. Also, by the time the Strykers were deployed, the insurgency and road-side IEDs were in full swing. The HMMWV would need to be uparmored with either an ASK (Armor Survivability Kit) or home-made plate armor. Unarmored HMMWVs didn't last long once the IEDs started in the summer of '03.