Hi The Pit,

Thanks for dropping in. Haven't made much progress I'm afraid. Been off ill with a bad flu and hadn't the motivation to get on with things for the last few weeks.

I have started some MiniArt furniture for the rear of the building though and today was the first time for a few week I felt motivated to make a start again.

Glad you're enjoying the build, it's for the Urban Warfare Campaign so I'll need to get a move on as that only has a couple of months to end date.

The Belgian Army figures are a nice change as is the BEF period. Not much choice for Belgian Street signs though so an AM opportunity their if anyone is looking in.

I really like the early war period, the vehicles have a nice mix of old and new thinking and hats off to Graham and the Crew at Resicast for introducing a broader choice of subjects to model.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Well the clock is ticking for the end of the Urban Warefare Campaign and I very much doubt I'll get finished in time but I have added some railings around the graveyard, a bench for folks to sit on and just installed part of the second floor.

None of the furniture I have really fits with the inside of the building so I may just add a chair, one or two pictures and some more rubble.







I have cut down the MiniArt Doors that might work as shutters in the windows!?



Al

Hi folks,

a bit more work on the window/shutters!

I added some hinges, bolts and fixings to the shutter and some handles and hinges to the large window. Not sure if these are in keeping with the building but they look reasonable OK to me?











Al

Alan, I wasn't sure when I first looked at the doors but when you added the extra details and mounted them they actually look spot-on. I've seen long shutters of a similar style and they look the part. Way to imrpovise!

Hi Karl,

Wasn't to sure myself but I think they will work OK. Got some paint on this evening so an update tomorrow. Thanks for the feedback. They were big spaces to fill.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Added a bit of paint to the 'windows' soem gold inside the railing circles and a bit of work on a piece of furniure for the upper floor. Started on the frames for the upper windows.











Al

Hi Allan, I have been following your build here and like your ad-hoc shutters very much. They look right at place the way they are. Looking at them made me realize I forgot to put door handles on my big doors on my own build, I will have to make a list of deficiencies so I don't forget such an important part next time. As for your build I see no deficiencies whatsoever. Great build!

A word of note for your furniture. You mentioned you thought it did not fit the space well, or something to that effect? What I know from real life experience is that unless you can afford custom built pieces of furniture
then often it would not quite "fit" a room perfectly, especially where windows are concerned. I have had to "squeeze" a piece or two of furniture into more than one room in my days. I personally think it looks okay how it is placed.

Take it easy,

Dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks for looking in and the kind comments. Glad you're enjoying the build. Still aways to go yet. Fitted the upper windows this evening and if they pass inspection I'll weather both in a little more. Some pics tomorrow.

With the furniture it's lack of floor space in the building, I can get a set of drawers upstairs and maybe a small chair or two below. Still some more bricks and debris may work just as well, and maybe half a broken table or something.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

These are the upper windows I added, again made from adapted MiniArt parts.







Al

Love the weathering on the window/shutter frames. What did you use for the glass?

Great idea for the shutters. Did you use blister packs(not sure what the correct term is in the UK) for the windows?

HI Karl and Matt,

Thanks for looking in. I just used some clear plastic packaging that some scenic stuff came in for the glass. Just cut off a piece and then cut it into various shapes.

Added a door and the timber supports I made earlier. Some bricks and rubble added upstaires too.

Cheers

Al

Alan: Looking great. I particularly like the smoked out treatment and the windows/glass. One of these days I'll have to come visit you and you can give me a painting lesson.

Happy Modelling, -zon

Hi Zon,

Thanks for the feedback. On the painting it is a constant learning experiment which mostly but not always works reasonably well.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

To try and give you a better idea of where I'm hoping to take this I've added a few vehicles to check for space and possible layout.

One thing that always strikes me about Dunkirk and the BEF expedition in 1940 is the large amount of people and things that get pushed together into small spaces. Troops guns and equipment going one way and the civilian population heading in the other direction trying to get out of harms way and in the latter stages everybody heading away from the advancing German Army.

I want to try and capture some of that organsied chaos and fear in this build.

The actual vehicles I'm hoping to add are the early Bren Carrier, Scout Carrier and a Vickers VI B Light Tank. It's possible I could end up using 2 rather than 3 vehicles but until I get them build I won't know for sure.

I've used a couple of Mk II carriers and a Stuart to give me some idea of what might fit.

I've had this concept in my mind for many years but it is only recently the right type of vehicles and figures have started to become available.









and exhausted/resting troops



To add further confusion I could add some of these chaps I built for one of the figure campaigns, using some on the 1st floor of the building and the others making their way through the retreating civilians!



My other though is whether or not I need to add any additional street furniture, a street lamp. telegraph pole or road sign(s).

Thoughts welcome.

Al

Superb work on the base and buildings so far. I would suggest some more rubble,as that is almost always underdone in dios. Collapsed buildings make quite a bit of it. Although yours seems to be an older ruin with some clean up already done.
I like the idea of organized chaos,
J

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for looking in. Yes, some more rubble and glass yet to be added.

Cheers

Al

A bit miore work.









Al

Alan, things are definetly coming on well. I like the soldiers gear you've added around the guys in the house- I reckon a tea-pot and some cups wouldn't go amiss though!

I think adding those other figures making their way throught the civilians is a nice idea. I reckon that there might be too little space for three vehicles- perhaps the second one angling into the road next to the railings would give you more space to work with?

Great work Alan. I've really enjoyed watching this coming together. I prefer the really crowded scene with the civilians going one way and the army going the other though like Karl I reckon three vehicles is pushing it- maybe an abandoned cart piled high with cases etc




Kart real soldieres don't use tea pots

Looks great, Alan. A lot of cool details and small stories within the diorama.

Looking forward to see more

Hi Karl,Pat and Jasper,

Thanks for the feedback guys. There are options to vary the vehicles. I'll build the Vickers Tank first and that will give a clearer idea. Alternatives could be a Tilly, MC or bicycle and as Pat mentioned a cart of some sort.

Three may be two many, but I'll work on the combination.

The first offering will be to complete the Urban Warfare Campaign in time and the rest can get added as I get them done.

Cheers

Al

Very nice work Alan, love the colors overall.

Just now i sayed to myself, hmm , he could have opened slightly one drawer of the cupboard for more realism.
Such little details are very appreciated by the viewer IMO. This little remark does of course not take away the overall positive impression of the work.

Oh, forgot one, ...how is the tripod (and later the men) getting on the uper floor? I understand that the access could be outside the border of the dio, but then it would be better to add a plank or two just up to the border of the dio to leave no big empty space between the beams.

What's next on the building menu? :-)

Claude

!

Hi Claude,

Thanks for the feedback. I haven't forgotten the additional small rubble, just not added yet. On the upper floor it's in the experimental stage, just trying out a few bits to see what might work best.

The open drawer might be a good idea and some more small scattered household items.

Cheers

Al