After having a senior moment ordering the wrong size glass panes for a dome for my Matilda desert Diorama, I was struck by the small size of the dome 14cm by 14 cm. I've always wanted to do a tight Infantry Diorama and this could be the moment.


having some mini logs left over from a spell of gardening an idea jumped into my head...


I knew I had a box of mixed figures in the loft stash, Airfix multipose GI's and U.S. Marines, they are very different as they should be, but there is enough left overs here to make a go of it.

Don't often work in 32nd scale, so here's my chance to finish off a box of spare figures and make some use of the wrong dome.

the steeply shelving base made from car body filler, prior to the top layer of sand, the sand will level off the angle of the drop to form a gently shelving beach.


the first figure is the only one who will be standing up in the diorama, everyone else will be kneeling or prone. Lets refer to him as Marine A.


I've made a splintered shell hole in the wall just to the right height to allow the Bazooka muzzle to protrude. Taking a calculated risk exposing himself,to take out the enemy machine gun position to give his mates a chance to get over the sea wall.

the heads of the Marine figures are not bad, enough detail there. But the necks of the marine heads won't fit the GI torso, that have close cropped necks and neckerchiefs.


the Marines and GIs have been trown into the same box and left on the attick shelf for over a decade,

three weapons were damaged, two BAR and a single M1 Garand. so to prevent further breakages the weapons were placed into a matchbox

So far so good.

Only one thing, there were no bazookas used at Tarawa. The division rated the then new M1 bazooka, but they were not received in time for the landing.

G

Airfix have correctly given the Marine figures loose trouser bottoms to allow sea water to flush through during the landing, the ETO GI's have high leg boots, but I'm sure they should have leggings.

well you learn something new every day, guess the Bazooka will have to become a BAR.

The boots are right for the period uniform. They're wearing the M1943 uniform which was issued from Autumn 1944 to the end of the war.
The main problem however is they have the appearance of Corcorran boots which were specifically for paratroopers. Ordinary infantry wore a high boot with two buckle fastening tabs not dissimilar to British gaiters but actually part of the boot.This obviously poses a different problem. Paratroop trousers had a cargo paocket on each thigh which these figures lack so either way you can't build these OOB and have them correctly dressed. The way round it is to either add thigh pockets to the combat trousers to represent paratropps or alternatively modify the boots so they have the two ankle straps as US leg infantry. Either way you won't be able to use the US infantry figures as USMC.

I bought a few boxes of the same figures years ago with the intention of doing a small dio then did my research (I know, wrong way round)finding that they were both wrong. The USMC figures would have been wearing the canvas leggings as you mention and either the P1941 or camouflaged P1942 combat jacket. Instead they're all wearing a shirt tucked into their trousers, no leggings on any of them and some wearing paratroop boots. Also I'm not sure that the USMC used the Grease Gun during WW2. I've only seen pics of them using them in Korea. The only SMG I've seen pics of them using is the Thompson (and the Reising which they binned due to it being rubbish) which unfortunately isn't in either set but is in the 8th Army set which doesn't make a lot of sense really considering it was far more common than the M3 in US use. I hope that's given you a better idea of the problems with the figures. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

thanks Karl, I'll stick with M1 Carbines Garand M1 and this BAR.

Determined looking fella, nothing like a bit of on the spot re- training, he'll catch up with his M1 Rocket launcher in time for Okinawa. A bit of scraping and filling and he'll be good for some colour.

five of the men, minus the changes to uniforms equipment & weapons so far, just working out positions and poses at the moment. I'm trying to portray the situation right after they've landed at the sea wall and are getting pinned down by the heavy firepower of the defences of Tarawa

so far nice job

Nice work so far, Dave.

I have these figures but have never done anything with them. Very interested to see what yours look like.

Really like your concept here. Lots of tension and drama to be portrayed in a small space.

I hate to come across as nit picky but I would suggest that the logs should probably look like they came from coconut trees which was about all that were available on the island.

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses,

USMC WWII "Boondockers" or field shoes.



Boondockers and leggings.



G

I was thinking the same ting...

To me it has all the takings of a comic book square from Commando or Warlord.

An M3 Grease gun was good enough for Union Jack Jackson!

thanks for all the comments guys. Lots more work to do still.
so, sand mixed with diluted white glue smoothed over to get the levels I need.


making the figures fit in with the sand levels before it dries, the sand will dry lighter in colour. Here the figure on the right is having a heated discussion about Comms breakdown with the radio operator.

the USN Corpsman is reaching for the casualties hand as he discusses the Platoon Sgt's intention of getting him under cover of the sea wall.

the weapons to be used in the Diorama.


the weapons on the reject pile as either not yet in service or bent.


the USN Corpsman would wear a bare steel helmet, just as well as I've only six with helmet cam covers

making a start converting the uniforms...

So are you going to have the Radio Operator using a SCR536 handheld unit or the backpack SCR300? As you're working in 1.32 scale I'm betting both will have to be scratchbuilt?

probably the hand-held one as it'll be simpler to make. The shirts tucked into trousers as mentioned earlier, conversion to jackets, the bottoms are easy enough, but the tops are baggier than the shirts.

Great start on this project, I'm always a fan of Tarawa builds, especially those with a Corpsman included! One thing to keep in mind, the docs in Marine units do everything they can to blend in with the Marines. Being that one guy who doesn't look like all the others tends to make for a shorter life.

Not to be a fly in the ointment, but the Marines did not have hand held comm gear on Tarawa, at the company level they had the TBY radio which was a man pack radio. The Marines didn't receive the backpack and hand held sets until the Marianas landings in 1944. I don't know of any TBY sets in 1/35 or 1/32 scale.

There are good pictures of the set up here:
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/48607-usmc-tby-radios/

Doc, thanks for the link, nice stuff think I will join

John, many thanks, a great reference site, just what I need to create the radio equipment for this dio. At 1/32 scale it's unusual in that it gives me quite large small arms to super detail, but as a minus, specialist gear needs to be scratchbuilt. As far as including the USN Corpseman in the mix, you can be sure I will reproduce him true to their nature, caring for those they went into action with.

still a long way off completion, plenty of detail painting still to do, including better accuracy on the helmet cover cam. The Radio still to make, medic kit, BAR pouches...