Wow! Those trees are a good example how great artistic expression, seen in your work, is more moving than mere inane naturalistic detail.

Thanks Kurt,for the kind words and for checking in again.
J

Thanks for looking in again buddy. I always look forward to your eloquence.
J

Final piece of this endless puzzle is about 95% done. Here he is.....HEEEYY!!! Die Amis kompt!





And...in situ...



What did I miss? Other than a bit more putty work at the wrist join. Painting kind of sucks,I know but it's the best my eyes will give me now.
J

Great show m8!! Figure looks really good now, and he actually sits on the Krad!!!!

The only thing I miss is.....more pictures!!!!!!! Please

Congratulations my friend!!

Cheers

Romain

Rock solid fit on the bike, Jerry!

That guy looks perfect sitting there - heavy and fatigued, wet and muddy. He looks like he's had just about all the fun he can stand in the Ardennes...

Very nice!

Aha! I had high expectations for the motorcycle and rider from his meager beginnings and you surpassed them. Like Mike said he looks like he's had all the fun he could handle. I love how worn out he looks, you always read about how worn out and mentally and physically drained these guys were, but it's not often that you'll see a figure that actually looks like it, especially in this scale. Obviously, this is one of them. Like everyone else said, he sits perfectly on it as well.

Great stuff sir.

-Conor

what he said!

Great to see the rider back on the bike- as the other guys have said the fit of him on the bike is millimetre perfect and natural. The tired, jaded and dirty look both in the face and uniform really add character.

Romain,Mike Conor,Karl,
Always nice when the "whole crew" chimes in with encouraging words. I can't take the credit for the way the guy sits as all I did was twist his torso and move thing around a bit but hey!! I'll take the compliment for sure on this dreary day.
You guys really and truely rock. All I have to do now is affix the remaining guys to the base and voila! Then get out that dreaded camera and try to get some decent pics.
Thanks again and Merry Christmas,Froeliche Weinachten,Feliz Navidad,Joy Noel,Bono Natali to all of you!

A worn out,cold and dirty medic,probably suffering from a cold,trudges up to the N33 at the enterence to the Chateux Froid Cour in Belgium near dusk on 21Dec1944. He has been caring for the German and American wounded sheltered in the cold damp cellers there following the severe battle for the capture of Stoumont the previous few days.


This evening a messenger arrives.....



Bringing orders from the Kampfgruppe commander to evacuate all walking wounded,Germand and American,plus all POWs from the chateux,back to LeGlieze. The main road has been cut by the Americans from the 2/119Inf under Maj McCown but they have been driven off suffering a few casualties and prisoners,including the Major.

The walking wounded include crew members from several Panthers knocked out in the previous days battles suffering from burns and open wounds. One of the senior NCOs assigned to organize the pull out helps the wounded catch a lift on a SdKfz251/11 that is retrieving wire from the command post on it's way back to LeGlieze.



A thoroughly worn out wounded tanker gets a hand up from an old hare that has been with LSSAH long enough to retain his cammo hat from the Kursk era,as the older vet takes a break from reeling in the commo wire.



A wounded panzergrenadier from the III/2SS PzGrenRgt looks on as he nurses his injured arm and blinks away blood from a nasty head wound. An older nachrichten guy drafted from the Luftwaffe prior to the offensive also looks on taking a break from his duties of getting the wire from the trees.

Truly the work of a master! The background, the story, vehicles that have the operational look and not like they sat for thirty years on the scrap pile, and the characters! Everything is perfect. Absolutely breathtaking!

The senior Hauptscharfuhrer has a lot more on his mind so urges the panzermann on with a gentle"Aber Zack Zack Junge!!" because this NCO is like all NCOs and has little patience! But the tanker,with burns on hands and face,is happy to catch the ride.





HEEY!! Schnell!!! Die Amis komm.


Back underway to LeGlieze



Later that night,the hard fought over town of Stoumont was evacuated by Gepanzerte gruppe Peiper and the pocket that they found themselves trapped in shrank down to the towns of LeGlieze and Cheneux. My brothers from the 504PIR took care of Cheneux.


So before Christmas and before the snow covered up the sins all that was left on the N33 highway outside the chateux was.....





Wishing everyone that has looked in here a magical Christmas time and try to remember the tired,dirty,cold,hungry,scared men that participated in these real events now almost this exact day 69 years ago.
SALUTE!!

What a great Christmas present, Jerry! Thank you.

And you delivered it right on time...

The only thing I can say is... More pictures, my friend!

Great work and composition with the figures. Everyone has a place, a purpose, and interaction with all the others.

Thanks again for taking the time to carefully document the details. I know it was a long time in coming together, but you've sure hit this one out of the ball park!

Merry Christmas, my ol' friend!

Florin!!! High praise coming from you for sure. You also have a Merry Christmas my friend.
Mike! Thanks and yes,long time'a comin' fer sure. Thanks for staying with it for the whole sheebang. I will try to get some better pics in a bit. Holiday chores are upon me though right now.
Have a blessed day.
J

NiiiiCE!, Outstanding job Jerry, Its really cool to see all the different pieces together after seeing them one at a time - to assemble a well done scene, Impressive!
Have a Merry Christmas,
- John

Thanks for the kind words John and the same to you and yours,
J

Jerry, you have made a superb present! Thanks a bunch m8!!

With all the elements united in the same scene, the diorama makes perfect sense and is now visible in its full splendour!!

Well worth waiting for it!!

Congrats m8! Well done!!!

Cheers

Romain

Perfect timing! I was hoping this would serve as a nice Christmas gift to everyone. The fact that you finished this just as all of the events took place is perfect. Any comment I could leave would just rehash the ones from earlier in the blog. It's all come together perfectly though, down to the last detail. Love the storytelling was of presenting the finished project... I feel like I've had a history lesson throughout the whole blog. An interesting one though

Excellent finish, sir, you've surpassed any expectation I might have had. As always, great stuff.

Merry Christmas

-Conor

Hello Jerry ,

that's what makes a beautiful diorama so special ! The good story!

Congrats !

Thanks for sharing!

Greets Kurt

Romain-Thanks as always for the kind words and I wish you have a Merry Christmas and a HEALTHY new year buddy. Thanks for all the tidbits of advice during this endless build.


Conor,
Thanks for staying the course through this deal. Means a lot to me. Merry and Happy to you and yours,

Kurt,
Very nice of you to say. I think it's better when you know the rest of the story. Merry Christmas,
J

It is really fantastic to see this all finally coming together at the time the events actually happend all those years ago. You have weaved an expert story in 1/35 and it has been a joy to see all the component parts being done and then slowly brought together. To see them all now in their rightful places and photographed in that order with the story is just the icing on the cake. An absoloute winter stunner Jerry.

Merry Christmas mate!

Thank you my Irish brother from another mother.
I am impressed by your persevearence in staying with me the whole way.
Merry Christmas to you as well and may your new year be filled with models!
J

Great scene Jerry. I enjoyed watching your figures progress, but I have to say, I like the natural and realistic ground work the best here. Overall, its a top effort.