This diorama is intended to be set in any of the planned forests of the Third Reich. These trees were tall, slender-trunked and well-tended. I used Noch tall fir trees. These were the closest approximation I could find that matched the trees in the pictures of the planned forests. I do not mind using model railway products in my dioramas, although some modellers dislike such things as not being realistic. I use them as representations and so they suit my purposes. I paint the trunks with grimy black and dry brush with Vallejo tracks primer, which is a greyish-brown. I cover the needles with tacky glue and apply Noch pine needle flocking.

The 20mm flak is from Tamiya with RB barrels. The sandbags are from the Tamiya bricks and sandbags set. Hudson & Allen foliage was used, placed over top of the gauze as camo netting. When completed, I will have troops running out of the forest and overrunning the gun emplacement, but haven't decided which nation's troops they will be. The "goulashkanone" is from Hauler and is not intended to be a permanent part of the diorama.

Fine execution. I liked it very much!

This is some of the best natural ground work I have ever seen: Absolutely superb in execution.

The only thing that bothers me is that the Flak gun is a wonderful kit in itself, especially with the RB barrels (which you did all get correctly paralell), and it is in my view an absolute rotten shame to have that camo net over it...

I wonder if it would be concealed in a "useable horizontally" way like this: I would think it would either be fully covered or fully exposed for full 360° ground to air useage: As it is, it looks plausible but not exciting.

With the barrels pointing up and agitated crews around it is the more usual way of depicting this, especially considering the expanse of real estate you used...

Gaston

But, Gaston, having the barrels pointing up defeats the purpose of the setting: the flak gun used as an anti-personnel weapon. So, if you look at the pictures again you will see that the netting helps camouflage the gun and sand bags by having them blend in with the ground cover. I intend to have either Russian or US infantry running out from the trees as a flanking attack, the gun abandoned by its crew.

As a follow up, Gaston, I had difficulty with the barrels. I made a mistake cutting off the kit barrels and so I had to make more of an effort to finesse these when gluing them. I like the look of them in close up. They certainly enhance the effect.

I see what you mean: When the troops are around the way it is displayed will make more sense.

I have a full set of photo-etch gunshield plates and other photo-etch details for mine, as well as the RB barrels: I think when fully exposed being towed on its trailer, or in position waiting for aircrafts, it is quite a spectacular model despite its small size...

This is the one non-vehicle model I have that I look the most forward to building. I know from the P-61's turret that aligning four barrels perfectly is always nighmarish though...

Gaston

Hi

Nice build and workmanship on all the elements.

I do however find the field kitchen there looking a bit of an afterthought. Also why go to the effort of hiding your gun from enemy sight if you are going to have a fully exposed kitchen unit to mark your location, especially if its working and chuffing out smoke from the chimney.

If it was me I'd ditch the kitchen and replace it with an ammo trailer with some netting /branches over it. Flak guns like these needed lots of ammo and trailers specifically for carrying lots of ammo were used.

Alan

Alan, the portable stove was not meant to be a permanent feature, it was more of an added interest feature for the purposes of the pictures. My main purpose in posting these pics is to show those not ordinarily interested in 1/48 what is available and hopefully prompt some to try this scale if they have not already done so. The groundwork was very easy using Noch grass sheets. Just rip out a clump and glue it down.