Hi guys,
Too many projects on the bench.I have a bad habit of jumping from one to the other.
I've decided to get this one done.
Another North Africa.The idea is the British lost and finding an quickly abandoned garage.The Germans leaving the motorcycle and gun.
Comments are well welcome.
Advise is better before finishing.Sorry ,forgot to add he bike.Will send later.

Tom

Hi Tom - wow! You are prolific 😄 another nice build! The ground plane looks great - nice even distribution of decrepitude! In fact, the whole build looks nice!

Cheers
Nick

Hi Tom, Ditto … wow! Nice concept, building, vehicles, figures and groundwork as always. Kind of reminds me of the Humphrey Bogart movie 'Sahara.'

I really like the perspective and lighting in the second photo ... and the two marks on the backdrop almost look like a vulture circling someone in the distance!

Please share what you did for the desert groundwork.

Keep ‘em coming!

—mike

Nicely done desert scene! I really like the "old feel" to the garage, like its' been there since the first war. Pretty sure you scratched it(?), so what did you use for a layout??

Yes! Nice work! Please tell us more about that tree? Very convincing.

Humphrey Bogarde , the ww2 movies in the dessert . That's what I was reminded of .

I agree,it's got a nice "feel' to it. Nice use of color.

Thanks guys,
Still work to do.The building is all out of pink insulation foam and balsa.Rubble is foam bits and kitty litter(need to add more).The trees I make from artificial plant leaves with a wire center.Cut to shape and then a ton of scissor snips.Trunks are usually what I can find outside and Dremel holes to attach the leaves.
For the desert sand,I used to use the sand you could find in public ashtrays.It was the best.Try and find any these days.Nothing really worked well until I tried this Scenic Sand I found at Michaels when my daughter was much younger.
Waterproof,so it doesn't turn to mud.Has a slight glitter to it so needs to be airbrushed.
I want to add more to the roof.Inside I have been looking for a very old set I had once from I think Italeri of a field workshop.Suggestions very welcome.
Anyway here's the missing bike and Scenic Sand if anyone is looking.Probably available in any big box craft store.One bag will last a very long time.

Tom

Aesthetically, it's a fantastic build. However, the Grant crew appear to be wearing US tanker's crash helmets with built in radio headphones, which were very uncommon in UK units. British troops favored external headphones and berets or sidecaps, depending on the unit regulations.
Also I've never seen a Grant with the counterweighted barrel for the elevation stabilizer.

Could this be one? ... scroll down to second image.

I think they're British tanker helmets, the same used by dispatch riders. From a distance they look like the US type. I don't recall seeing them used in North Africa though.

They are British helmets with separate headphones.
Better photos in the future.

Tom

nice scratch work buddy !
it's obvious you're have'n fun .

Thanks Chris,
Yes I am.
I'll never forget Shep saying he quit because it wasn't.
Still taking good advice from people on here.
I removed one guy from the tank and will replace with another figure. The commander, I think I can change to a beret?
Small work. Back to the scene!
Added tank tracks today and have to paint.
Still can't find the field workshop kit
.

Tom

Hi Tom

Nice work. Just one nit-picking remark : the lettering of the "garage" sign looks too "modern" to me....

Here are two examples that should fit the bill, IMHO :



H.P.

It is a very nice scene. Congrats.
One minor flaw: Look at the photos from the inside. The wooden beams should run the other way - paralell to the door. Those almost touching the door vane are hanging, not resting on anything. Also, the line of beam heads in the façade does not correspond with those on the inside - - - I guess it is an artistic license. Those beam heads should appear on the side walls.
Good work anyway.

Hi guys,
Very small update. Added the track marks and a bit of pigment.
Added a little to the roof. Going to add left over netting up there. Adding the missing tanker to climbing the stairs to see what the Dingo Commander is up to. I want to add a light to the inside and maybe a block and tackle.
Honestly didn't think of the ceiling beams.Frenchy,the sign is Verlinden French commercial signs and there is very little difference. But thank you.

Tom

Hi Tom,

Beautiful build, made with losts of dedication, I guess.
Remembering various visits to African workshops I kindly would advise to darken the floor. Even today oil was poored in the bottom and batteries knocked to pieces next to the enterance to recover metals. So, in the 1940ies it may have not been better!

Looking forward to see more.

P.

Thanks Paul,
Great idea and very easy to do.

Tom

Hi guys,
Small update.
Added a little to the roof.
Light to the inside and oil stains.
Don't know why I didn't think of it earlier,but I almost never complete an engine for anything because I rarely show an open hood,but keep the parts.So I used a lot of them around the garage.An old vehicle back seat outside.Working on getting the stuffing popping out.
I have one more LHS that is good and I should get the field workshop this week.Use a bit of that ,finish the figures and it should be done.
Thinking of adding a little vine to the back wall ???

Tom

Hi Tom - nice work! Your "dusty motors co" is coming right along! Adding the old parts adds to the scene - looking good

Nick

Another small update.
Added a few small things.Decided not to leave small tools around ,as the Germans would have probably taken as much as possible.
Added the Indian trooper because the tanker in the turret would be looking at nothing without the guy I moved to the stairs and another tanker would be too many.Changing the commander totally.
Lots of touching up and weathering still to do,but getting close to the end I think.
Great weather here this week,so I'll get some better outside photos.

Tom

Sorry,there were a couple more.

Tom

Hi all,
Obviously everyone's bored with this.
Just posting some outdoor shots of what I think is the done dio.

Tom

Not bored at all Tom. The outside shots look fantastic ... nice finish!

—mike