Hi everyone

After 9 years posting my progress on Diorama Clervaux on Armorama, enjoying a few hundred thousand views on my topics, getting very motivating comments from all over the world and even leading to real world acquaintances, I would like to make an official "I am done" post.

It all started with this card board mock-up of the castle


and just a couple of weeks ago ended with this 6 square meter big diorama


The photo was taken by Robert Blokker on the SMC expo in October and circulated already a lot on FB, so some of you might have seen it already. Compared to the overall pictures in the book there is the addition of the 140x 20 cm small piece in the front of the river and to the right of the bridge.
Another view from the side


Let's add a picture of the setup of the modules and yep , that's me.



And this picture shows a bit what I had the pleasure to experience wherever I attended a show with the dio

The dio is somewhere in between the crowd

Here is a link to a Youtube video made during the expo and published by "Panzerpicture". It's 6 shaking minutes long, but he captured every single detail and some might appreciate the overall views offered by the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5yFOBL7zE

I will of course not finish without recalling you that Christmas is not to far and I have books about the diorama to sell. Please check the details on my website.
The book is not only available directly from me, but also throughout the world (including Amazon vendors in the States and a couple of shops in Australia). Just google "Capturing Clervaux -the final hour")

Thanks for following this thread and see you soon for something new (started already and first posts made nmy Blog)

Greets from Luxembourg

Claude

Hi Claude ,

thanks for sharing your great and very interesting project ! And again a lot of congratulations for the amazing work you've done !

I have respect for your Master skills and i hope someday i'll be aible to shake hands with you!

Cheers ,

Kurt

Hi Claude,

From small beginnings to a masterpiece. It's had to believe that it all started 9 years ago, but I've followed each development with interest and excitement. Truly excellent and skilled work, you have the patience of a saint.

Good luck with the book sales, have you found a permanent home for the diorama?

All the very best, one day I hope to see this up close and personal.

Cheers

Al

Amazing journey Claude. I can remember when it all started and have been following since. I have always loved this project, and picked up your own initial book release and picked up the new book a few weeks ago in Malmö. 9 years ... worth every second.

Moien Claude,

thanks for posting these latest pictures of the odyssey ...and above all, the first of them all!! Bits of cardboard on the floor....who would have thought back then what dimensions this project might reach!!!

Even to me that second picture looks awesome...and I've seen the dio in the flesh!

Claude, you have well earned your seat in the Olympus, with the Gods!!

And whoever hasn't ordered the books yet should hurry! They are worth every cent!!!

Now I only hope this beautiful thing finally gets the right place it deserves...in the Clervaux castle museum!!

Cheers

Romain

Following this build has been a joy. I can't think of any modelling endeavour that compares to this. Thank you so much for inspiring modellers like me to push themselves to try and achieve more. If anyone out there hasn't seen the books, you are missing a treat. I'm feeling a bit sad that this part of the modelling world has come to an end. Have a few days off Claude, you've earned them. Look forward to see what you do next.

Nice to see this up at the top of the page again! It's like seeing an old friend after a bit of time.
I can only repeat what everyone else has said and what I have said during your build logs-AWESOME!!!
As impressive as everything in this dio is I am still flabbergasted by the willow tree and the big fir tree. Holy cow.
J

Fantastic! Can't begin to imagine just how much went into making that- even though I can go and see it all on the site. Remarkable work of art, well deserved crowds there.

You're gonna have a helluva time outdoing this one

-Conor

Now all you gotta do is add a dozen vehicles and about a hundred figures!

Claude, have thoroughly enjoyed watching this huge diorama take shape and wish I could see it in person. Hope it lives on in a great setting.

Hello there,

I was lucky enough to see this for real in Veldhoven last month and have a short chat.... one of many, I'm sure.
Anyway, it is a truly amazing piece of work.
Not only your commitment but also your skill and willingness to share techniques etc with others have been a source of inspiration for me and I reckon quite a lot more.

Looking forward to your next project....

Cheers,

Sean

Superb work Claude. I've been following it from the start and the finished result is nothing short of incredible. What's next...lol

Congratulations on it's completion. That is one piece of outstanding work. Like others have said, I have been following this for a long time. It's truly an inspiration!!!

Claude I truly believe that this is overwhelmingly the best diorama ever constructed by man. Museum quality on an absolutely massive scale! The attention to details, and the never ending myriad of technically precise construction boggles my mind.

I hope, as probably dozens of others here, that I will have an opportunity to see this masterpiece in person some day.

The Clervaux Museum seems like a natural place for a permanent place of rest for this tiny model...

Well done sir!

Dave

Hey Claude,In many replies to your work as it went along I must be repetative once more. Outstanding craftmanship. It was a long journey but along the way you showed me many things and I learned alot from you. The main being persistance in our endevores. If the thought is worth trying, then keep at it till it works. Many times I have wanted to trash a dio/vign that was not coming to fruitation, but, you tought me that keeping at it not only stimulates the brain to think up new ways to try and enhances my abilities as a modeler, but that the end result is worth it. It is sad in it's own way to know that this journey you shared with me personaly has ended, but on a happy note, a new one will come along on the horizon soon enough. A hearty congradulations on the complition of this splended work of art which hopefuly will find a worthy home so that many more people will be able to be as astounded by it as I am. bob d.

Hi Claude,

So that's it then, ey? Well, it's been a grand journey and a job exceptionally well done. Congratulations once again!

I still hope to see this in person one day. Do you have a permanent home for it yet? Maybe Clervaux castle?

Any plans for the next project?

Best
Stefan

Hi Claude,

Great job. This is modelling !
First planning and research, then art, technical and pratical skills and a lot of patience. But now you have a great piece and you can be proud of it.

Thanks for posting !

Wow, what should I say, thanks everyone. I think I will print out all this comments and keep them in sight for the rest of my modelling life.

Yes, I found a home for the diorama, it will be part of the renovated military museum inside the Clervaux castle. We will take one room from the adjacent miniature museum (all the castles in Luxembourg in 1/100), find a new places for the dioramas in there and make a connection (physical and themewise) between both museums with my dio. Here is a picture of the future location taken during a visit last december. Nice, isn't it?


It will probably take a couple of years before it will be completed.

For Jerry, because you like the trees so much, here are two more pictures from the setup for the expo,



I will do a proper post about my next build in a couple of days.

Thanks a lot

Claude

Claude,

A masterpiece! When I looked up Master Modeler in the dictionary, the definition was a portrait of you!

What a fun 9 years it has been.

Hi Claude
you can be very proud of your work, wich I consider a real gem, an artistic Opera!
By the way I bough recently your books, they are also very inspiring for us modellers, I hope to see your fantastic diorama live sooner or later, will you consider a tour around Europe!

Best regards!
Alessandro

Hi Claude,

quote

Yes, I found a home for the diorama, it will be part of the renovated military museum inside the Clervaux castle. We will take one room from the adjacent miniature museum (all the castles in Luxembourg in 1/100), find a new places for the dioramas in there and make a connection (physical and themewise) between both museums with my dio. Here is a picture of the future location taken during a visit last december. Nice, isn't it?

unquote

Glad to know that you found a great place to keep your work safe and even you can add more pieces in the future

Best regards
Giovanni

Comte Claude,
First ,thanks for posting those two trees,as I think they are the stars of the Claude show. Yes yes,the rest is unbelievable good as well but those trees......wow.
Second,nice museum brother!! This is the most fitting place I can think of for your opus magnum. I love the huge window cut-out in the walls for cannon. I ate lunch in a giant cut-out like that in a Rhine castle once. That museum is a place I would like to visit as I also have a fondness for medieval buildings!
Great work,

J

Thanks a lot to you all!

Greets
Claude

Hi Guys,

Let me give you the follow up regarding the exposition during the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in this thread instead in the new Wet Kiss thread where it did not belong.
I show you a couple of pictures, just for fun.
Here again, help was needed to unload the truck.
You see very well what happens when during scale modeling you loose sight of your dimensions! LOL




Voilà, after 90 minutes, the installation was done

during the night, my dio was very well guarded with machine gun and Panzerfaust


LOL, in fact some guys of the organisation team slepped in this room and watched also over the firearms.
Some leftovers

I took the opportunity of this beautiful room to make some additional pictures of the dio




plus a new one from the front, to see on my homepage.

Visitor numbers started slow, some reenactors had the time to get a look

In the afternoon, the audience grew and overall I was satisfied.
The visitors where mostly citizens of Clervaux and around, and had a lot of questins regarding my choice of houses. I got some history lessons from them, but I had a few for most people also, the towers mostly where unknown to them.
Unfortunately I mised most of the action outside, so here a just a couple of snapshots

An ambulance Dodge manouevring through the castles outer gate at the end of the day

A guy from the organisation team firing up the Kettenkrad to get it under shelter for the night

An interested crowd, one among them my wife.


Due to there thight schedule, the veterans unfortunately did not have time to visit me.
I did not bring back home the diorama. It stays in that room now for a couple of months until the final spot inside the castle is decided.

So, I am very near to the final destination, only another 50 meters to cover, before the whole adventure comes to an defintif end. A positive one.

Thanks for looking and hmmmm, it's still time to order the book soemwhere to get it in time for Christmas.

Greets

Claude
(cleaning up at home and restarting "Wet Kiss" during the next days)

A very fitting end to your build log for sure!! And the dio couldn't get a better destination.
J