All that is left is to make the track marks behind the tank and secure everthing in place. https://armorama.kitmaker.net/photos/showgallery.php?cat=12887&ppuser=1742

You have really made some super fast progress on this. I like the figure spacing and the layout in general. Couple of thoughts and comments
Why is the gun truck and tank facing the opposite direction? Cover for the convoy?

The tank has a lot of red dirt on it and none of the other vehicles have any, for continuity I would add a bit on the other vehicles.
The road is very clean for a red clay country side. I would add some redish pastel work along with some dark brown.
I personally would like to see some tall grass like weeds all along the hill. (same stuff near the back of the tanker truck). Break up the low bushy stuff and add height to the ground.
I know you have a size limit - the base edge could use a layer of black paint.

Overall this is very impressive. You have done so very much is a short amount of time. Well done.

Thanks for tips Scott. The Brutus is turned in the other direction because they had been called to the rear of the convoy. The cut out in the hill was a place where trucks would stop or turn around. Brutus was in the process of turning when the sapper threw the grenade into to the gun box killing Spc 4 Dahl and wounding the rest of the gun crew. The Play Boys was actually in another convoy and responded to the may day call from Brutus driver. This is the reason that the truck is turned in the opposite direction. The tank and infantry support came up the hill from the field from a small ville just below the roadway. The tank came up threw the wet red clay to assist the convoy. This is the reason for the muddy condition of the tank and not the rest of the vehicles. I do need to add some red and brown pastels to the road and dust the vehicles with it also. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Perfectly told story - will the story accompany the display? Maybe not all the detail about the truck turn around spot, but the brief history of the ambush, that really just nails it down and there is no question in my mind now about it. Service in 'Nam would help me so I know there are others out there that your layout made perfect sense.

This entire Dio is base on fact. I have the after action report from the 8th Group and eyewitness accounts of the actual Ambush. The driver of the Playboys, Walter Deeks along with James Lyles and others who took part in the convoy and fire fight have been helping with the information needed. This Dio is part of the dedication of the new wing which houses all the Vietnam artifacts. We have the actual gun truck the Eve of Destruction on permanent display along with a 1/1 display of a Huey UH1 C making a hot LZ landing. We also have a lot of models of the trucks and paintings and murals depicting everything from the hooch's that we lived in to the surrounding landscapes and roadways. There will be a narrative along with the citation and orders awarding the Congressional Medal of Honor to Larry Dahl. He died in theirs action by jumping on top of the grenade that was thrown into the gun box of the Brutus. By doing this he saved his crew at the cost of his own life.

What did the sapper use to kill the Spc? I would think if it was a grenade there would more damage to the gun box inside Brutus. Just a thought.

Animal I really love the whole diorama, the only thing that sorta bothers me is, is the road kinda a blue color? i think it should have a little more grey/grey black, but everything else looks awesome. but then again thats just me, maybe its just the lighting. but all in all i commend you on a awesome dio. Cheers Kevin

Grizzly! Very nice. How long did it take you do do the whole dio and where did you get the time to do it!

I believe that to handle a big scene like that would not be the easiest thing of the world of dioramas.So far so good i can say . agree with some things said before and to add my personal taste id like much more taller plantation to provide good cover to the guys that embushed , and i also have to agree that a possible grenade in the Brutus must have caused more serious damage to radios and stuff that are around the explosion point. i think that there is big space and thus a lot of improvement is possible to be done. One more point that i noticed is a lil shiny feeling on some of the uniforms not all. maybe some pastel dirtying the uniforms will make this impression better.

Good and fast work Dave , keep on.

Costas

From the photos and eye witness reports the radios were not destroyed and the damage to the vehicle was contained to the floor area. Larry was wearing a flak vest and covered the grenade with his torso. If you have ever seen the aftermath of a blast from a grenade and the impact to the human body you would know what it would look like after. No one is sure if the grenade was a production type or a homemade one(the VC had both and were very good at making them). All I can say is I built this one from the [photos and info supplied to me. I appreciate all the comments and suggestions and welcome them all. They are all very helpful.

Ok that shot is just friggin awesome. Keep it up animal.

Oh I love that shot. That's a real awesome build there Dave there. I wish someday I'd be able to visit that exhibit.