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Dioramas
Do you love dioramas & vignettes? We sure do.
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A D-Day diorama: Normandy here we come
Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 06, 2020 - 10:18 PM UTC
Yesterday was the 76th commemoration of D-Day.
In honor of the men who fought and died for our freedom in Europe, I started collecting their uniforms a few years ago.
Recently, my brothers started scale modeling and I thought it would be a great idea to make some dioramas that portray the actions that took place on D-Day.

The first diorama will be called ‘Normandy here we come’ and will show the paratroopers gearing up and boarding their planes.
This topic will show how I’ll build it.
Any feedback on my models and diorama is welcome.

The first thing I’m gonna build is the C-47 Honeybunn III.
This plane flew on D-Day and carried paratroopers from the 101st airborne division (377th Prcht FA Bn / Supply / Det. 326th AB Med Co, chalk number 52)
The kit is from Italeri in scale 1:72.











G-man69
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: October 17, 2017
KitMaker: 944 posts
Armorama: 928 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 06, 2020 - 11:03 PM UTC
Hi Tim,

No comments at this stage, but looking forward to seeing your build progress, .

Cheers, ,

G
Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 07, 2020 - 12:19 AM UTC
It took a while to figure out how to post pictures, but I found it.
I came across this original picture of the Honey Bunn III.



With the help of the extensive collection of the Imperial War Museum, I was able to found 2 more pictures of the same plane.

© IWM FRE 11750


© IWM FRE 11748


Furthermore, I bought the Vallejo Air War colors for the USAAF and did a test to see which colors I'm going to use for the outside. l'll be using 016 as the main color, with 316 for the darker part of the tail and 051 for the bottom.



I've to wait on a few more items that I purchased, like metal etched belts, cockpit details etc. for the interior, but after that I can start building.
Vierville
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Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: April 05, 2014
KitMaker: 384 posts
Armorama: 372 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 07, 2020 - 03:54 AM UTC
Good for you for building something to honour those who fought!

Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - 05:50 AM UTC
The extra items have arrived, let’s start building the coming days/ weeks!

Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Friday, June 19, 2020 - 09:10 PM UTC
Progress so far.
I painted everything in basic colors, drybrushed it with aluminium color and added a dark wash over it, which I slightly whiped off afterwards.
It gives it a more worn look instead of a factory fresh look.
The plane arrived in 1943 in England and excersiced a lot for its first operation: D-Day



For the next part of my process, I'll add the photo etched details for the cockpit and the belts for the benches and chairs.
I'm also thinking of adding maps on the table and maybe some more details for the radio area. I also have to place the door to the loading area back, as I took it out, because I want it to be opened.

Dioramartin
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New South Wales, Australia
Joined: May 04, 2016
KitMaker: 1,476 posts
Armorama: 1,463 posts
Posted: Friday, June 19, 2020 - 09:55 PM UTC
Hi Tim

Gee what is it with Tims? I think we’ll have to take numbers to differentiate ourselves, I’ll claim Tim-1 (because I thought of it first!) so you must be Tim-5 I think?!

Excellent concept especially if this becomes a series of dioramas. I understand why you’re starting with 1:72 scale (the Dakota) and I’d love it if you could devise a second scene with a stream of paratroopers exiting (from ? 5,000 ft ?) in semi-darkness with flak exploding all around – now there’s a photographic challenge. But if you had plans to make further dioramas on the ground I’d suggest moving to 1:35 scale mainly because I think the range of figure/vehicle options is far greater than 1:72 scale. Good luck with Honey Bunn 3!
210cav
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Virginia, United States
Joined: February 05, 2002
KitMaker: 6,149 posts
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Posted: Friday, June 19, 2020 - 10:02 PM UTC
Your jump altitude is about 1250 feet (actual). This is the current training jump altitude in the US Army. The guys in Normandy probably were at 500 feet, my two cents subject to discussion
Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 08:25 PM UTC
I finally had some time to finish the interior.
It turned out like I wanted it to be.





With this in place, I thought it would be nice if I add a member of the crew inside, opening the door towards the cockpit.
So next step will be a 1:72 figure conversion...
Golikell
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: October 25, 2002
KitMaker: 1,757 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 09:43 PM UTC
Looking good!
Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 11:38 PM UTC
Tim,
Superb job on the interior so far.

The photos seem to depict the bird in pre-Normandy livery since there are no invasion stripes. Do you have a feel for whether those were simply added to the existing markings, or if anything was painted over (e.g.: nose art, meatballs, etc.) to make the plane less observable?

Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 11:57 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Tim,
Superb job on the interior so far.

The photos seem to depict the bird in pre-Normandy livery since there are no invasion stripes. Do you have a feel for whether those were simply added to the existing markings, or if anything was painted over (e.g.: nose art, meatballs, etc.) to make the plane less observable?



I disagree, as the photos are from late 1944/ early 1945.
You can see the remains of the invasion stripes very lightly on where they are supposed to be.
D-Day was the 1st mission for the 436th, so there wouldn't even be a mission history on the plane.
The only markings I'm going to put on it are the Honeybunn III sign, registration numbers and full invasion stripes, as the full stripes were ordered to be painted on for D-Day.
Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, July 01, 2020 - 11:34 PM UTC
I'll take your word for it, Tim, since you have clearly done your homework. I'm not sure I can see the stripes in these photos, but your originals are probably clearer.

18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Friday, July 03, 2020 - 01:36 AM UTC
I"m certainly interested in your build, and any other D-Day builds you may be doing. I too have been collecting items over the years - the M1942 paratrooper uniform, homemade Hawkins mine, brown Corcorans... I even have a T-10 parachute and a reserve, although it is of the current top opening variety.

As for your build, I think you're doing a wonderful job so far. In case you were not aware, the para pack racks underneath the plane are available in 1/72 on Shapeways.


https://www.shapeways.com/product/8NRVXBFXV/c-47-1-72-parapack-rack
Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Friday, July 03, 2020 - 08:58 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I"m certainly interested in your build, and any other D-Day builds you may be doing. I too have been collecting items over the years - the M1942 paratrooper uniform, homemade Hawkins mine, brown Corcorans... I even have a T-10 parachute and a reserve, although it is of the current top opening variety.

As for your build, I think you're doing a wonderful job so far. In case you were not aware, the para pack racks underneath the plane are available in 1/72 on Shapeways.


https://www.shapeways.com/product/8NRVXBFXV/c-47-1-72-parapack-rack


Thank you, I ordered the parapacks.
Do you know if the containers themselves are also available in 1:72?

And I'd love to see some pictures of your collection!
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
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Posted: Saturday, July 04, 2020 - 06:42 AM UTC
I have seen the British airborne containers, but not the Parapacks themselves. I have taken several still shots from some D-Day video of them - they're somewhat squarish in profile. Easily made with putty and some straps. I'll see if I can dredge up photos. They are definitely not on this current machine.

Send me your email address and I'll send you some photos of my D-Day collection.
Normandy1944
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Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
Joined: June 05, 2020
KitMaker: 10 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Friday, July 10, 2020 - 10:41 PM UTC
The crew member is ready with its conversions, so it only needs to be painted.
I was looking at original D-Day pictures and saw that the back of a C-47 was stowed with parapacks and dropping containers, so I need to sculpt these and add them.
After that, the interior is finally completely done.

In the meantime, I started with the wings

18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2020 - 12:22 AM UTC
I'm glad to see your progress and that the larger air intakes were available in the Italeri kit. I was not aware it had the larger ones as well. That's good news as Honey Bunn III had the larger intakes.
I chose not to point that out earlier as you'd already chosen your kit and it would not have been helpful, but now all appears well.

cheyenne
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 05, 2005
KitMaker: 2,185 posts
Armorama: 1,813 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 19, 2020 - 09:39 PM UTC
Wow , yet another Tim , ...... Anyway , beautiful work , sorry I missed this .
I always give special extra credit to those that build zoomies .
In my mind planes and ships soooooo much more difficult to model and model beautifully .
Which you're doing ......
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