Well its been busy on my bench.... Scratch building detail for the interior of the 251, then working on the figures. Tamiyas figures were to 'blundt' at the writsts. So, I removed the hands and drilled out the cuffs and will 'surgically' replace the hands. This gives me freedom to reposition them more naturally.
I've gotten the layout to my liking. Kencali's streets and sidewalks are helping out a lot. I've scratch build what will be a garden wall across from the building. I used sculpy clay for that.
The building was a lot of fun to do. I used woodland scenics hydrocal plaster, easy stuff to use. I built a balsa wood frame for the mold and attached it to a large ceramic floor tile using masking tape. I used a floor tile that had some great texture to it, nice little detail and then some larger ripples in it. Super easy to make a big wall 'blank'. Then I just measured for windows and doors and cut them out.

LOTS left to do. The basic plan is to destroy about 35-45% of the building into rubble all around.
Picture quality isn't great - but I wanted to get some images up and spark some discussion.





Thoughts comments - let'em go.....

hey slodder

great stuff - looks like being a very interesting diorama - whats the building made out of?
and are you going to have alot of debris across the street ?- from fotos ive seen, the paras seem to skit about amongst the rubble and ruins, sticking low in a similar fashion to the way you have posed them. i like the fact youre using a halftrack - upon thinking i wish i had used one in my arnhem dio instead of the panther. from the fotos ive seen of the halftracks from the arnhem battles they seem pretty beat up - what r u going to do with yours?

looking good

alpha

Scott, another well thought out concept here in the making.

You mentioned the Kencali's streets and sidewalks in your post --- can you describe this please??? How is it to work with? It's all preformed, colored, etc??? Thanks.


Steve

Thanks for the encouragement, it's always good to hear.

Alpha - the walls of the building are plaster. Woodland scenics Hydorcal, easy stuff to work with. Just add water, stir and pour. Wait 12 - 24 hours and start forming. Be prepared for a lot of dust when sanding though. The stuff comes in 1/2 gallon container for $8.50 USD. Lasts for quite a while depending on the project(s). This is what I used in my Cold Stare project and for my wall in The Fall (see my gallery).
The half track is going to be the dark yellow base coat with multi color scheme over the top (right now I don't have my research in front of me).
Any photo references you have would be Awsome! Either a link or a book reference, I'll take whatever.

WeWillHold - the street sections are nice. I recently did a review of them (here https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/262) Flexible latex makes the layout phase very easy. Take a look at the photos and you can see where I have folded the front edge of the street over the edge of the base. This makes it easy to 'play with' the layout and not 'commit' to any particular one until you're sure you like it. It cut easily and accepts paints, washes and pastels very well. In my diorama I have two Kencali pieces, the main piece is the Town Corner (the piece of the left). The side walk on the right (near the garden wall) is the second piece. It comes preformed in a latex sheet(s). The preform depends on which sheet you get. But all the bricks and or sidewalks are premolded. It is the dark gray color you see. You just have to cut it to shape add backing to raise the sidewalk (cardboard) and paint it if you want to. I have painted other pieces and it goes well. It's Good stuff to work with.

Thanks again guys.

I thought I was seeing things, or my flat screen was playing up!!
I think it is an excellent idea for a diorama and it looks good so far

Sam

Scott,

nice planning... From the looks of it, it will be a quite large dio.... what's the size ?

I love the action from the figures running across the street.....reminds me of A Bridge Too Far when Anthony "Frost" Hopkins came out of the house to run across the street.....that scene made the real John Frost go nuts....he didn't like the way Anthony Hopkins acted that running scene....he gave him advice on how soldiers would run across such a street and Anthony did it "the Frost way" in the end.....

Love the progress !!

Thanks guys
Eagle - the 'working base' is 15.5" x 11". I'm going to then add a .5" decorative trim on the outside edge all the way around.
It's coming along pretty well. I was pleased with the plaster blanks I poured. Lots of potential in that method.
I'm going to try to get some 'low level' photos when all is said and done. Hopefully it will add to the 'drama' of the scene. Very "Frostesc"

looking real good Scott love the action poses. can't wait to see it finished

I t looks very interesting even in this time of building. the latex stuff is nice and the building made also nicely . So work more , we re waiting to see !!!!

hey scott dont know if you got my link for 251's so here it is again:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/3515/251/index.htm

give it a go its quite a large index, for alot of 251 variants so let me know what u think
hope its helpful

alpha

Scott,
Nice layout. When you poured your blanks for your building did they need any reinforce it using Hydrocal? What do you need to adhere Kencali's streets and sidewalks? (I did not read your review) I like the halftrack idea; I want to see it yours painted before I finish mine (Dragon 250/1 “NUE”).

Minuteman
The wall blanks are 1cm thick and they have been pretty solid. My goal is to 'destroy' a good portion of them so I didn't want to use any reenforcement at all. I would have made a small frame out of hobby wire if I were to use it.
To secure the streets I am going to first add a thin backing to the sidewalk section made out of sheet styrene to give it some support. Then I am going to use Tacky Glue - its a thicker white glue I got at Michaels.
The 251 is going to get a base dark yellow next. Honestly that probably won't happen until January - still lots to do on the building. I will definitely post images though as I go!