Congrats Tim! Dio is just very pleasing to the eyes.
For images hosting site, go to Imgur, guess you had that tip before. It is so very easy to handle. Works with Control Right Command like in the old days.
Create an account. From front page you'll see your name. When you click it, drop down shows Images. Click that and start to upload from laptop or desktop, select the image and it will show up. Click on the image so it comes up front. Control Right and select Copy Image. In Armorama you paste over http://put.url.here/image.file
That's it.
Hope it works for you.

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

Congratulations!🏆 And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

I concur with Robert. You’ll be much happier posting from imgur. ... Speaking of which, I highly recommend submitting your beautiful work as an Armorama Photo Feature.

Cheers!🍺
—mike

Well done Tim, a superb effort & a real gem. What’s for an encore?

Thanks everyone!

I have taken up the suggestion of Imgur, so here goes.

This is not the final incarnation of this diorama, but it has at least reached a point (after 3 years) where I feel that the vision I started out with has at last become a reality.

If truth be told, I was actually quite surprised at how easily it all came together at the last minute...



















If this works, rest assured that I will be posting more images soon!

Yep,that's a stunner alright! I keep noticing all kinds of neat litlle details.
J

Congrats Tim !! , nicely done .

Thanks Jerry, Cheyenne.

As I say, I'm not quite finished here.

Feeling that there was a bit of a gap in the middle of the diorama I had already decided that something else was needed... something small.

Well, to even up the Allies v German vehicle count, what better than a motorbike? The Bronco Triumph certainly fits the bill.

This is where I entered the World of Pain that Jerry has recently encountered. Like most Bronco kits, this has exquisite detail - but it comes at a price to your sanity. The good news? Because you have two bikes in the box, if you mess up one part then you have another to replace it. The bad news? It's quite an expensive motorcycle!

The wheels are the greatest challenge. The kit comes with a clever mould to give the photoetch spokes their correct concave shape. The only problem is that it doesn't really work as intended. It was only after my first set of wheels ended in disaster that I worked out how to do it - use the open part of the mould and then press the spokes into shape using the rubber end of a pencil.

Anyway, here it is taking shape.



In comparison, the figure is a joy. This beautiful sculpture is from Sovereign Wolf called 'British dispatch rider' and based on a photo of Bernard 'Des' Desmares of the 56th London Division in Italy 1943. He's even made to fit the Bronco bike. So perfect!

Looks good! That is a very nice figgy.
I had no issue with the shaping of the PE spokes but rather with the joining together of the 2 tire halves. I couldn't get rid of the gap in the middle. So I used the "Wheel O Matic" wheels. Much easier.
J

I can't believe that it's been more than 3 months since my last post in this thread.

Well of course Summer intervened (including a trip to Japan) and then work hit...

Anyway, my build on the motorcycle is now complete. (I know even less about bikes than cars! Tanks are a different matter...)

I added some goggles, a holster and lanyard to the rider. To continue the liberation theme I also gave him some suitable booty for the back of the bike...

Now it's just the paint to go on and he will join everyone else on the diorama in time for Scale Model World (IPMS) at Telford in November.

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You’ve done a great job with the bike & figure Tim, although looking at the photo something seems out of scale - the handlebars appear to be roughly level with Desmares’ belt whereas they’re way lower in the kit. Either that or the figure’s a tad too big? Whatever it should look dandy when you’ve painted it all

Love the scoot Tim , beautiful job on the Trumpy !!!
Hey man , some people are just not mechanically inclined . As for myself , I happen to be an excellent mechanic , why just the other day I put an old entire rear end in a recliner ......

Thanks guys.

I can honestly say that I have NEVER had to build anything that had quite so many parts fitted into such a small area..!

Tim, don't worry about the handlebars - I suspect it's partly the angle at which the photos are taken, plus the effect of scale, but either way I'm very happy with the way this chap looks on his bike.

Anyway, painting and weathering is almost complete on the Triumph. I went for 'Light Mud' finish (Vallejo Khaki with a little added white), since this was commonly used in Italy from 1943. It makes a welcome change form Olive Drab.

The wine crate, by the way, came from a MiniArt kit. I have some green clear plastic bottles to fill it up. The small sack was just an after-thought to use up some Tamiya putty I had left left-over.

I'm very happy with the way this little beauty has turned out.

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That is for sure a cool ride. Very nice work.

Cheers, euh Chanti

Thanks Rob.

A couple of shots of the rider. This was a bit of a rush job compared to my previous figures.

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As before, the uniform and equipment was painted using the excellent Lifecolor British Uniform set and the flesh painted with Vallejo acrylics. To help shade and define both I used washes from Citadel.

I chose to reposition the right forearm and replace the hand with one from Hornet so that he was holding onto the handle of the bike. The watch (from Aber) provides an easy disguise for the join at the wrist. However, despite using a wire to join the forearm to the elbow, I have had endless problems getting it to stay attached. In the end I used some Tamiya putty to provide another disguise - a bandage. This has still to be painted.

The figure and bike are now crying out for some dust...

Tim, I just finished reading the whole story (misssed this somehow?) and find your dio a joy to behold. It tells a story like a dio should. Wherever you look, something is going on, or went on. Great stuff. Should you still find the need for another (pair of) figure(s), maybe this is one for you:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/model-victoria-4054-woman-with-children--205211
It is from Victoria model, an Italian brand.
The oldest of the children is bottomless, but when I made it for my own dio, I gave him shorts and shoes:




It might suit you dio just fine...

Erwin, thanks so much for your kind words.

I see you're from the Netherlands. I would have loved to have brought this to Scale Model Challenge, but I left it a bit late this year. Maybe next year...

Those figures look very interesting - although it's odd that the boy has no trousers! I think I have all the people I need for this project, but I shall be sure to look them out for the next one.

The brown shirt guy looks very intimidating - something to do with the way he is standing (almost ape-like?)

Hi Tim,
Love your work and I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished. However the second road wheel from the rear on the Stug appears to be floating above the track. Something you might want to take a look at.
Regards,Bob

Hi Tim,

My pleasure. I love the way you build up your dio. I basically try to do the same: try to create one or multiple stories. I did the same with my station (for more pictures: http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/280411&page=1
The guy with the brown shirt is a Hitler Jugend figure from MiniArt. The story I imagined for him is the following: A local police NCO asks a civilian for his Ausweiss. While the man in question fumbles with his case to retrieve the requested document, being encouraged by the NCO and his dog, the HJ bloke is being alerted by the commotion and prepares himself to assist if needed.

Next year, there won't be a SMC, but the World Model Expo will be held at the same venue. If you'll take it there I certainly have a peek, and would love to meet you too.

Yeah, I found the bottomless thing also odd, therefore I gave him shorts and shoes. Yet, with your dio, it might just work: coming outside, to greet the liberators/occupants, the woman is trailed by the boy, who is only now noticed by the mother. This is exact the reason why the grumpy look on her face.

That bike looks awesome man! The rider as well. Very very well sculpted guy right there.
J

Beautiful paint up Tim , very cool !!!

Erwin, that sure is an amazing diorama - and so much packed into the space! THe stema engine makes any tank seem small...

I suppose you were coming at it from the starting point of the railway and the station and the story and people came next. It's much the same for me: the Stug was a focal point and everything grew up around it. And for me everything else is at least as important - perhaps more so.

Anyway, thanks for sharing - and thanks again for your warm comments. I will try and make the show next year. It would be wonderful to meet...

Thanks Jerry and Cheyenne.

The Triumph and rider are now complete and on the diorama - I hope to share some pics of them in situ tomorrow.

Meanwhile, here are rider and machine in (I hope) perfect harmony...

Bob, thanks for you kind words. And well spotted! In fact, the wheels are still free-moving on their axles and this shot must have been taken when one of them had 'drifted'. Rest assured she is back on the tracks again!

Tim, thank you for your kind words. Such an locomotive indeed takes up a lot of space, and is a real eye-catcher. The figures next to it, really give a indication of it's size

Indeed the dio was build around both items. In due time, more and more figures came available, so the stories were spun in my brain accordingly. There is a whopping 40 of them, excluding the dog, cat and a swallow

I love the way your motorbike has turned out, specially with the liberated vino

Yes,looks the biz. Love the personal touches like the stowage and the tattoo.
J