This has been a fantastic build and I'm enjoying your posts tremendously. The netting on your helmet couldn't look more realistic. Wonderful job. Now I'm looking forward to your groundwork.

You should do something like based on the sign and counter sign issue from the Bulge, something like "the answer is always Texas Leaguer" or the Jitter bug..... Not sure if I am making sense, since it a German who got caught in an American uniform.

I like this idea! I totally get what you're saying. So, to simplify, maybe:

"Wrong Answer, Jerry!"

"Chicago Cubs: Wrong Answer!"

Perfect!! Thanks man,
J

Finally started on the groundwork today.

Finalizing composition and placement of all major elements. I drill holes in the base to accept the pins installed in each of the figures:



To ensure my figure placement is accurate, I place "blank" pins in the holes, but first coat them with vaseline to make sure they come out easily once the groundwork has set.



Here's my preferred groundwork materials: Durham's Water Putty. It dries rock hard, has very limited shrinking, but is still easily carved and shaped once fully cured. I also add some small ballast, sawdust, and real dirt for added texture.



I mix the dry ingredients together first. (Kinda like baking!)



Then I add water, but I first add some Raw Umber acrylic paint to the water. This will impart a brown color throughout the Water Putty once cured. I’ll still paint the groundwork with my airbrush later, but this “baked in” color is added insurance should the groundwork chip or flake later on.



Mixing the colored water and dry putty mix:



I decided to add a bit more Raw Umber straight into the mix to darken it up further.



Spreading the putty begins:



I switch to a putty knife to help even things out and clean the excess from the sides.



For added interest in some of the negative space, I add a stump from Armand Bayardi.



Using some spare M8 wheels, I make an impression tool using some styrene rod measured out to the right width, and make some ruts in the wet putty. I’ll let the putty set up for about an hour, and go back over it again.



Finally, I add some larger stones/rocks.



I’ll let this set up over night, then start adding some base color, dirt, grass, and other ground material. Cheers for now….

Very nice groundwork! Almost everyone does dioramas differently so it's really cool to see how different people get these effects. I'm looking forward to the next update!

Interesting method. I would never have thought about the pre-placement of the pins for the figgies!! Cool idea.
J

Ah yes ... keeping things interesting!

—mike

Aright, time to work the details on the paratrooper going through Jerry's things. First up, making some dog tags. Plan was to just use some really thin gauge wire. Then I decided to crimp it a little bit to add some texture to imply the "ball" chain appearance.



Then, using some Hammered Finish spray paint, I painted the chain. During this process, I realized that the paint started to collect in the crimps I made earlier. So I sprayed a rather heavy coat of it to create some ball-like accumulations.



Here's a better shot:



So, a happy accident reveals a new technique! I dry brushed the "chain" with silver paint, added some small rectangles from scrap PE, and voila, scale dog tags!



Last pic also shows a new photographic style I'm attempting for showcasing each of the figures individually. Stay tuned for a summary photo expose on each figure I produced.

Happy Easter... and happy modeling!

Get out the macro lens ... Jeff's in da' house! Cool dog tag technique!

That's just incredible. Such small touches like that are what's making this great.

[quote]


That is Awesome!! I got that from the movie Battleground (1949)

OK cool!!
Photography-brilliant!
Painting,coming along nicely for sure. No surprise there.
The dogtag idea though,that is very special indeed.
Not sure about the rifle sling though. Maybe it got pushed in from handling right above the bandolier? The slings' construction is so fantastic though.
J

Good catch Jerry! Will fix that for sure.

Hi Jeff

Sorry for this question, perhaps I needed to ask this earlier: For the whip antenna, how do you (or what is your technique) for tying down the actual (Adler's Nest in this case) whip antenna for the "curved" look? Is it stiff wire and extra PE? Hope this makes sense. Anyway you could illustrate that or show close-up pics of the materials used?

I have the Adler's Nest sets you mentioned and you're right, they are pretty amazing. Expensive, but worthwhile.

Also, once the antenna sections are assembled, should I paint them in different colors, too?

Thanks!
-Felix

Hi Felix,

Sorry for the delayed response. I'm actually working the antenna tie downs now. The actual tie downs looked like this:



Image source: http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=192983

Since the tie down material was rope, I've used fine thread, but to get the stiffness required to ensure the tie down appears "taught," I coated the thread with white glue, and as it dried, I added some tension to the thread so it dried straight. (I'll post some pictures of this process once I'm back at the bench :-)

For the end that attaches to the antenna, I've used a scrap piece of PE that resembles the clips in the ref pic. The other end will be tied off on the rear deck lift ring.

As for the antenna color, the actual masts should be dark gray (scale black) or perhaps OD. (I've mostly seen the black/gray in ref pics.) Where it gets colorful is on the connection points. They were color coded in reality (see my earlier ref pic post). White (where it connects to the base) to blue to red to yellow to green.

The nice thing about the Adler's Nest antennae is since they really are miniaturized versions of the real deal, you can get a nice realistic bend to them. And remember, a realistic bend is not a perfectly smooth arc. If you look at ref pics, the antennae are bent all about. But, be careful to not "over" bend the Adler's brass. While they are very finely milled, the brass can get soft and break if you "tweak" it too much. (Yes, that's right, I learned the hard way.)

Anyway, more SBS pics after I return from my long weekend with the family!

Cheers. -Jeff

Felix, forgot to mention, for the insulators on the tie downs (something almost always forgotten by most modelers) I will use some styrene rod stock. -Jeff

Jeff - wow, great information. I really appreciate it. And thanks for the heads-up about not over bending the Adler brass.

I'm looking forward to seeing additional step-by-step pics of the aforementioned process.

Again, thanks for the tips and pictures, too.

-Felix

Evening gents, been slowly plugging away at final details and the groundwork. Here's a few teaser shots of the groundwork in progress:









I still need to add a few more layers of leaves and ground debris. Then a very subtle layer of snow in selective areas just to add the extra feel of coldness.

Should be pulling it all together in the next week. Oh, I did finalize the title of vignette and designed a plaque for engraving:



That's it for now. Cheers. -Jeff

Jeff, Love the M8, the figures, the base, and the groundwork … and gotta’ love that title!!!

—mike

Jeff this is really, really good.

I'm looking forward to those picture of the base with sprinklings of snow.

Lovely work.

Quick teaser of completed M8, ready for final fig installation. Getting close....

Wow, these came out truly incredible! This build log has been immensely informative as well! Can't wait for the next update!

Mighty fine looking vehicle!!! No fair about just teaser pics though!
J

Cracking looking dio.