Hello there.

Since I've received as a gift from a friend a Tamiya 1/35 Jagdpanther (late), I'm thinking of putting up a diorama.

I would like to put the tank in this base:

http://miniart-models.com/index.htm?/1-35_Dioramas.htm

http://findmodelkit.com/sites/default/files/36019.jpg

So the tank should go in the back looking forward and going to his right slightly. Since I'm not buying the interior and I wont do it by scratch, I'll close all hatches, the tank will be in stand by for combat "mode". Than I'd like to add a German patrol of 4-5 guys that walks 10-15 m in front of the tank looking and scanning the perimeter.

Last but not least, I had an idea to make things more interesting I'd like to add some Americans ready for ambush, 2-3 could be positioned in the 1.st floor of the first house and another team in the second floor of the another house with an anti tank weapon, so they are waiting for the tank to pass to get a clear shot on the back. The other team should ambush the walking patrol.


So my questions are:

1: is this a ok composition and idea? logic or not?
2: which antitank weapon should the USA soldier have? Or would it be realistic to give them a founded/stolen panzerfaust since this is a fast planned ambush (carpe diem like they say)
3: Can you tell me some good figures that would fill the roles I've described. So some walking German patrol, and some Americans in crouched position, sneaking and peaking behind the windows.

Hope to hear some suggestions bye

Well, first of all, the late Jagdpanther would not have seen action in Normandy. So a better scene like the one you are thinking about would be better for the Battle of the Bulge or afterwards (Nordwind, the Ruhr, etc.).

Also, if the infantry are doing their job they should be clearing buildings of enemy (American) troops that could take out the Jagdpanther at close range. Not to say such things didn't happen, but it would be tough.

I've tried to compose many dioramas like this and it's always hard to pull it off.

Ok, so the american ambush idea will be lost I guess. But still remain the question about the base and the figures.

This is labeled like a Normandy intersection, could't this pass like a Belgium part of a town? Or the architecture style was so different? If yes, what diorama base would you choose? (something pre-done).

I read that Jagdpanther were used in small numbers even in the Normandy conflict, but in the Ardennes it was used much more.

Sandro I have this MiniArt diorama which I am funnily enough going to use for an early Jagdpanther in use with the LAH as they were in action in Normandy in 1944 a short time after D-Day. I would suggest perhaps a Sherman with supporting infantry entering the shattered remains.

Another option is to alter the Jagdpanther to an earlier model which is not that difficult as the changes are minimal I believe. Things like the double viewing slots and the V shaped rain guard which should not overly tax you.

Can you provide me with some photos or links for the changes, and what scheme should then be the Jadg. two colors or?

EDIT: i found myself a list of changes, the most obvious are the barrel, engine covers and mufflers, but there are plenty of other small differences such as tools position and so on. So I'd like to stick with the late Jagd and maybe change the diorama base, coz I have the Jagdpanther already in my hand, that is a done deal, I cannot change that

Thanks

Sandro before you give up ask if anyone can help out with the required pieces as most are spares in Dragon kit offerings.

In addition to some physical differences in the layout of tools, roof stuff, gun barrel, mantlet, etc., you'll also have the chore of doing zimmerit on it, since there wouldn't be any Jagdpanthers in Normandy without it.

Also, no Jagdpanthers fought against Americans in Normandy, only against the Brits, so that would be another strike against your original idea.

Rob

My tuppence, the dio base looks way too small to have opposing forces on the one base. Just have the patrol scouting the houses and the armour in the street.

If you do want an enemy presence you could put some enemy casualties, a dead guy in the road or perhaps an injured fellow being captured by the soldiers.

Make the patrol SS (I think the Jag's were with the 12SS HJ in Normandy) and the enemy British and you have the historical accuracy covered.

Nope,sorry. The Jagdpanthers used in Normandy were in a seperate regular army Abt and not part of the Hitlerjungend. But if you want to use the kit that you have of the late version,that vehicle was used in a unit that was attached to Hitlerjugend in the Ardennes as the 12th SS did not have enough tanks to fill up it's 2nd Abt.
I would just go with the vehicle and a few grenadiers in front checking around the corner of the building for Amis because in the Ardennes,the 12th SS did fight us Americans.

J

So. An early Jagdpanther is excluded because of the changes and mainly coz of the zimmermit, since I'd like to try some new texture techniques.

So to sum up.

Facts:

Jagdpanthers was in Normandy but only a few.
That few was an early build, with zimmermit.
The base is too small and unlogic to place some more active americans.


More questions:

The base is labeled as a Normandy intersection but can is pass for another European intersection. So I could position the whole story in Belgium let's say, I think that the buildings are similar.

Hello Sandro,

No problem to use thsi setting for Belgium !
One can say Building form the north of europe like Holland, Belgium or Germany have specificities, like half timbered house, but during WW2, there was already normalisation in Buildings, so yes you can use it for Belgium for sure.

If you want viewers to specifically attribute the scene to Belgium you can add commercial posters typical to the Ardennes. Verliden at the time released a good sheet on that subject. Or just spread some french fries and bottle of beers on the ground, it will work either

If you chose Belgium, then don't forget the snow and the ice, and this winter 44 was particularly cold.

Julien

Hm, so I would have to to a winterwash on the Jagdpanther, and a loooot of snow on the ground since the Battle of Bulge was going on from dec to jan. It's not possible to do a very worned winterwash or not at all, and a ground that shows snow but also some mud and melted snow?

There must have been mud early - mid december, at the beginning of the fight, or afterward when many tanks passed through the same road, but the mahority of pictures I know from the battle of the Bulge show quite a lot of snow.
As far as white wash for the jagd is concerned, I'm not a specialist (BTW wow the previous post was astonishing with the level of level on so specific facts..), but as fas as I remeber from my osprey book, there were three tones jadg in action during the bulge.
Best,
Julien

thanks for the reply. So if the plan stays the same, "let it snow!"

Figures? What German fig should I use?

And I was thinking about putting 2 dead British/American soldiers on a side.
The idea was that one got hit by a grenade, mortar and lost an art, than a medic rush to the rescue begun the bandage but got hit by rifle fire, so I would have 2 dead. This would add "a story" to the diorama, and also could bring the crude reality of the war. What do you think?

Here is something else to make things more complicated. It did not snow during the Ardennes offensive for the first few days. If you look at the famous battle films from the Germans taken during the opening days,there is no snow on the ground and no whitewash on the vehicles either. So that should make it easier for you.
None of the vehicles in 1SS Panzer had whitewash on them when they were captured after Christmas'44.
J

here's a prototype of what I would do to one of the soldier, but the painting was done only with reds I have home. I have to find more suitable colors.

what do you think?

If you really want to depict casualties/ fatalities, make sure you keep the blood and gore to a minimum. Otherwise people might be put off, and overlook the rest of the diorama.
Keep the colors used for wounds dull, so no bright reds.

You could add a commander to the Jagdpanther to add some life. Maybey with just his head sticking out of the hatch.
Some german infantry around the vehicle and maybey one or two on the engine deck.

For images of uniforms, see:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196606
This figure set would work, minus the soldier leaning forward and holding a rifle:
http://www.scale-world.nl/e-store/products/126/558/
This set could also work:
http://www.scale-world.nl/e-store/products/126/561/
The figures are actual heer, but the differences are minimal.
Paint the jackets in "erbsenmuster". (Do a Google search for images.)

Enjoy your project.

Marc