Hi all!

I am trying to come up with a layout for a new diorama. I have a WC-54 Ambulance, Willy's Jeep w/ canvas top up, several standing/walking US officers, and misc accessories. Obviously this is a US focused idea, I just need some help with possible layout ideas. I also have a 2.5 ton truck and walking German POWs, but I was holding off on using them unless one of you can implement them into a scene. I want this to be focused late 1944(September)-early 1945(February). I scratch build many of the figures I use so feel free to just throw out ideas and I'll see what I can put together. I would love any and all ideas so let's see what you all have!!

Thank you all in advance!

Mike ,

I will give you an answer you don't ask for, but anyway, that's me

In my opinion the layout planning of a diorama is an essential part of diorama making. For me it is very rewarding to see the first sketches evolve to a scene bit by bit.

What you should at least do is do some sketches yourself, play around wih different layouts, have fun..
When after so many try's you are still not happy with what you have in front of you, submit a sketch here and ask for advice based on that.

Greets
Claude

Mike,

With the vehicles you mention and the time frame, I would see a scene with the ambulance in the center picking up wounded from a recent skirmish (maybe the Jeep that hit a mine ar was ambushed?) and GIs walking past on the way to take the next town. I imagine this in around January 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge.

I agree with Claude, you should play with the scene until you get the right feel and can put a frame around it.

Cheers!
Stefan

Ola Mike

I agree with Claude. Building a diorama should not be something we think up for you... It should be something from your own imagination or from a particular photo you like and then built by you. That is why it is so nice to make dioramas because it is completely your idea and design. A very personal thing.
I usually sketch out my own diorama's after photo's I see in books or online and in a lot of cases it simply comes from my imagination. Usually when I have an idea of what I want to create I take a piece of paper and create some simple shapes that are roughly the dimensions of the vehicle(s), building(s) I intend to use. Together with some old figs from the scrapbox and move them around a bit on the piece of paper. And as soon as I have, what in my mind would be the best composition, I draw a square around it and that will be the layout I will start with. That does by no means mean that that will be the definitive result. Sometimes during construction I find out that turning a vehicle a few degrees works much better for the story and accessories get moved around all the time.

If you like a little challenge diorama-wise you might want to check out my little campaign called the Postcard Challenge which is specifically designed to start re-thinking your methods to build a diorama. And the designstage is just as important as the endresult.

I agree with Robert about making your own choices for this dio but since you asked! How about having the ambulance getting a flat tire fixed and work the jeep,officers and POWs around that?
J

First off, your time frame from late September '44 to February '45 takes you from late summer to mid-winter. Winter of '45 was supposed to have been VERY cold. Your troops won't like it if they are not dressed for the cold. Maybe you should narrow down your time frame to suit the dress of your figures, ie; photos from late summer/early fall (fighting in Lorraine for instance) show US troops still wearing the same uniforms from Normandy, and German troops/prisoners wearing a mix of regular uniforms, greatcoats unbuttoned, ponchos. US troops, during the BOB wore either the Melton coat over their old uniforms, or the newer M43 uniform over a lot of under garments.