Hi everyone,

even in modeling Your family can give You lots of ideas. One rainy sunday when I was moving around on a dio-base CMK´s beetle, Tamiya´s tent-set and two arab figures from Hellers "tabour-group", searching for an original Afrikakorps-story to tell, my little sun of 8 Years said to me: "Papi, the men with the donkey have to sell carpets to the soldier!." Yessss!! Of course. That was Papi´s inspiration. So I spent about two weeks of enthusiastic building, discussing each step with my child, who enjoyed how his idea became "true". So here is the result:

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/rgellings/lst?&.dir=/Africa&.src=ph&.view=t

Hi Ralph,

That is a fine looking dio you have made, I like those cactuses the most.

Keep that child of yours in your workspace if he comes up with those neat ideas

Fine groundwork also, had to see twice to convince me it was not real
#:-)

Nice lookin' dio and tell the little one, "good idea!"

Great, great, great!
This is just what I like: a very well done little scene when the rumble of war is paused for a while, with a humorous twist!
How did you do the tent?

Technically this dio is tip top!



Toni

Hi Toni,

makes me glad, that You liked it. The tent is just out of the box. The tows are made from heated-sprue, just 8 pieces in length and 2 pieces on the headsides. Airbrushed in sand-color with dark shades and dusty clouds, especially near the ground, and that´s it. In the inner part I placed tissue-made, grey painted blankets. I highly recomend this nice little Tamiya-set.

Very nice work. The ground work is very convincing, especially the cactus. Hope the little one gives you another shot of great inspiration!

Rick Cooper

Ralf,

very, very nice dio. Tell us more about how you did the cactuses and the palms...out of a box or home made ?? Looking very realistic !!

Compliments all tbe way !!

Hi Ralf,

I like it and mainly I love that hill with the cactus. How did you do that ?

A salute to the litle guy for his idea.

All on the Africa-dio is home-made.
The sort of cactus it shows grows frecuently in the deserts of the mediterranean area and is called "opuntia". It fits also with other desert dio´s (IDF, "desert storm or Afganistan).
You can make it very easy Yourself.

All You need is white, soft and light modeling clay, they sell in every local hobby-store (milliput would work also).
Roll out the clay into flat sheets (about 1/2 mm), then cut with a knife the shapes of the cactus "leafs". As a helping rule: The cactus-blades have to be just a bit taller then a figuere´s hand.

After drying You can glue Your "cactus-kit" together with white-glue. Now I have uploaded for You a photo that shows very well the structure of an "opuntia"-cactus (follow the link above and click "kaktus").

When the plants have dried You can glue them on the diorama-surface. If all has dried Your cactus-field is ready to paint. I used acrylics and painted them carefully with a soft brush one by one. The color mix: White, Green, Yellow and a tip of black.
Don´t forget to plant static yellowish gras between the cactus.
To build those cactus You don´t need especial skills except a bit of patience. But You´ll enjoy the results ...

Ralf,

please read your personal message box here at Armorma.

cheers

Eric

Great Work!!!!!!!

Matt

Nice job on catus now the picture one those are real right? They grow all over this state and boy they can put a hole in a tire with those thorns.

Ralf , That is an awsome story and an even better dio ,,Great job to you and yours
I'm not waving ,I'm saluting over and over again.