Howdy All. Have been thinking rather hard lately about building some modern armour for a change. There is such a great selection available, but it seems most of us want to build WW II armour instead. Funny thing too, during my recent research into the modern armour undertaking, I noticed an interesting thing, (maybe I'm mistaken ). The majority of the modern armour kits are cheaper (in general) than the WW II kits. This is true for all model manufacturers...interesting.

Anyway, here's my question; Taking advantage of the incredible source of expertise present on this web site.
What do you think would be a great subject matter for a modern armour diorama??

Desert Storm? Kosovo? Isreal? Just would love to hear everyone's input for modern armour diorama ideas.
:-) :-) :-) :-)

Mnay thanx in advance.
Tread

Hey there Treadhead. I have one for you. How's about a "Cold War", Check point Charlie diorama with an M60A3. That would look nice. Just a thought. I'm one of those WW2 builders, but do like the old M60's. Let me know what you think. Thanks pal. Chris (Tiger 1) Carney. :-)

Nice idea Chris, I like the M60's too. Easy, being an 'old Marine' I've seen my share. Just wish I'd had the time (or forethought) to have taken pic's.
Good food for thought.

Tread

I've been thinkin' along the lines of a Leopard or a Merkava dio. Just tryin to generate ideas and stir up the juices of our wonderfully talented members...wink,wink, nudge, nudge, say no more.....

Tread.

I'm also pretty much into WW2 armor, but that Merkava is an incredibly cool looking tank. It looks futuristic, almost like something you'd see in Star Wars, or something like that. I may have to try one.

Yeah, I personally like the lines of the Merkava. I'd like to say I'd design something like that myself. It does have a rather futuristic turret. It's also supposed to be 'invincible' too. Although I just heard that recently one of them was actually destroyed. Tried to find a write up on the incident, be couldn't find anything other than a news byte.
Yeah, the Merkava would be nice. I really like the early Leopards also, especially the 1A1A1A's. Wouldn't know what kind of dio to build around it tho'.

Tread.

Thx for the input

I've been trying to stay away from the actual tanks I rode on. I tend to get AMS and want to get it right down to the last detail. I have been collecting up kits for my retirement project, building each of my tanks and HMMWVs in the proper markings.

I guess that's why I like the Leopards, modern, but unfamiliar to me personally. (so I don't have to put every little nut & bolt in place). I'm not really a Leo fan, per se, it's just that some of the kits of those tanks are just so darn good. Well engineered, good fit, excellent detail. I did build an Italeri Leo 2 for a friend (he had started it badly) and I did not think much of the kit so I did a quick build on it then bought the Heller kit to build for him. Likewise the Heller version, not a fun kit. I slammed it together and gave both back to my friend.

I couldn't understand why Italeri has an outstanding Leo I kit but a lousy Leo 2 and Tamiya has a lousy Leo I but a superb Leo 2A5. The only reason I got the Tamiya kit was because I won it. I was surprised that it was a very nice kit.

Has anyone done the Tamiya Japanese Type 90 tank? I saw it in use in Godzilla 2000 (without effect of course, models mixed with live action stock footage). Another kit that is on clearance at the local shop. I see 3 versions of the Type 90, with and without mine roller and one with the crew loading ammo.

To answer your question about a dio: I like the thought of a Leo having to patrol former Yugoslavian territory to keep them from killing one another. After spending decades keeping their country safe, it's nice to see them (FRG) stepping up to the plate to keep Europe at peace.

BTW, I do have pictures of my whacking the Wall, it was 12 years ago Monday that I was there (26th birthday).

Remember the M60A3TTS used by the Berlin Brigade were all over forest green, for some reason, not NATO standard. They turned in the M60A3s right after we did in the summer of 1989.

Thanx for the response Rob. Appreciate the advice on the proper choice of Leo's (Tamiya vs. Italeri). Guess I'll stick with the Italeri Leo 1 or the Tamiya Leo 2 to help keep me out of trouble.
Love the idea of the Yugoslavia dio idea also, but never having been to THAT particular part of the world in my travels I'm afraid I'd wind up with atmosphere that looks like Somalia or something
Impressed to hear you were at 'the Wall'. Why don't you post some of those pictures, I'm sure we would all appreciate them. Also, Happy Anniversary!

Tread.

P.S. BTW, any dio ideas involving the Merkava?

Rob - I've done the JGSDF Type 90 with the Mine Rollers. Awesome kit! Incredibly simple to put together - excepting the mine rollers themselves - but all-in-all, a beauty. I also recommend the JGSDF Type 74 - I did the winter version - and it too is a fantastically simple but detailed kit. The JGSDF Type 61 is cool too. If you're looking for a change of pace, Tamiya really does domestic armor subjects well right out of the box.

Gunnie

To be honest, I hate to even think about the stuff that goes on in that small part of the Mediterranean Sea. I just have a feeling that that place is going to be the same when the second coming occurs. Later Merks only go up against urban fighters, if there's an earlier mark, then maybe against a T-62 or T-55 that has been defeated.

Tread,

I live in Croatia, one of the former republics of Yugoslavia, so perhaps I can help you with whatever you want to know about this part of the world...

Mario M.

Howdy Maki,

Thanx for the reply. It's just that I don't know what the architecture looks like, how hilly is it, is it mainly like Europe in general, that kind of stuff. A web site that has local pictures (not travel or tourist stuff) real local stuff would be nice. I remember soooome, of the CNN shots from years ago and it kinda looked like Europe to me. Sound right?

Thanks again in advance.

Tread

Hi Tread,

Well, it is Europe...
The countryside is (or was) beautifull, very simmilar to other central European countries. Urban architecture is just like any other urban setting in Europe.
I know that sometimes you can get the impression that people here live in the middle-ages (and that is mostly our own fault ), but it is not the case at all...

Mario M.

Hey Maki, didn't mean to come across as insulting (just re-read my previous post and it still doesn't sound like that ) Being from Europe myself I also know that it IS Europe (was born in Preston, England) What I was looking for was some firm example to base the dio on, kinda like my Salerno piece. I used a collection of photos of that Italian town in 1944 and based the dio off of that particular neighborhood and went from there. I guess I'm looking for the same kind of resource material.

Tread.

BTW, there's nothing wrong with the middle ages, I believe my home country played a decent sized role in the whole middle ages ' thing' .

Tread, don't worry, no insult taken... I'm sorry if it sounded like that.
If you tell me what would you like to represent in your diorama I could help you. I have some info I gathered myself (mostly about operations in Croatia), but I also have some books about war in the Balkans... so I can help you with the pics, too.

Mario M.

Hi Treadhead!
Just adding a little more spice on your juice!
I built a couple of Merkavas (I & II), and it was really fun, I've been thinking about building a dio, but I forget the idea since my figure painting skills aren't good enough for me!
But the dio ideas for israeli subjects are endeless, since they're fighting since theyr early born as a free nation, so you just have to chose and go ahead!
HTH

Rob--the boys in the Berlin Brigade loved to polish (yes polish) the tanks. They left them overall green to facilitate the polish. Glossy tanks looked better on parades. As I recall, they were the first guys to get the M-1 in Europe. It was a great parade outfit that would have lasted half a nano second if the Russians decided to go west.
DJ

They were the last. They still had M60A3TTSs in May-June 1989, they rolled onto the gunnery ranges right after my unit (5-77 AR) did. We went to M1A1s in June 1989 and after about a month per company for NETT, the Berlin Brigade picked up their M1A1s as we rolled out of Vilseck. About 11 months later we turned in the brand new M1A1s for M1A1 Heavy Commons. About the time we finished rollover, Germany was being reunited, Kuwait was being invaded and a big chunk of USAREUR was powering down for inactivation. I think the Berlin Brigade was all gone by the end of 1990.

Rob--I differ to your superior knowledge on the subject. I believe the Army claimed that the largest tank company in the Army was in Berlin. It had 40 tanks and commanded by a major. I do not recall the letter designator (F Company?), but I think the regiment was the 40th Armor. Do you recall?
DJ

I'll dig out my old OBC book that laid out all the active armor and cav units in the Army. The book tried to lay out the CARS (Combat Arms Regimental System) so soldiers could bounce between an OCONUS and CONUS assignment and remain in the same regiment. Gulf War and the drawdown canned that idea quickly
The 40th AD sounds right, but I'll check before I commit to an answer.

Thanks Paulo for the input. Appreciate it. I was hoping to get more IDEAS along the Modern Armour lines, trying to ellicit a deeper response from the ranks that we could all draw from. Maybe it's MY shortcoming, but WW II is full of ideas for dioramas, many of them already, and repeadtedly built and displayed at model shows. I guess I was hoping to generate a more modern armour example of, say, a deep desert Afrika Korp refueling stop by Von Luck, or an Eastern Front 'kinda' confrontation between Whittman and ????.
My fault. The all-around experience of the generally assembled members that have gathered here at this site was too rich a well to not draw from.

Tread.

One of the main problems in modern armored warfare is that engagements take place at 3000m (roughly 2 miles) and when two modern tanks meet, one ends up as little more than a hull with a turret popped off. There have been very few tank battles since Desert Storm, and the lack of modern soft skinned vehicles make a refuel/resupply dio difficult for any nation but the US (HEMTTs and 5 tons are available). There is a new Revell of Germany Man truck, but it's a cargo truck. I don't believe there is a modern UK support vehicle available in injection plastic. I have an M978 HEMTT fueler that I plan on doing a ROM (refuel on the move) site dio (during my retirement years). It will be my first sergeant's HMMWV, my M1A1, the fueler and the maintenance M113A2 being refueled.

I always wanted to do a dio of an M1A1 riding by a T-62 that was on the losing end of a gun fight. I believe I saw one done in the now defunct Military Modeler magazine.

Many thx Rob. As always, your input is both appreciated and 'spot-on'. I guess I've been a little self-indulgent here. I've had it in my craw lately to build a modern armour piece (Leopard/Merkava/etc) and just wanted to 'include' it in something a little less static than a 6" x 9" wooden 'Hobby Lobby' base.
Orrrrrr, maybe I (my evil twin of course) was thinking of creating a dio that is different enough from all the other WW II dio's where I might have a fighting chance at competing with the modeling likes of people like Gunnie.....
Fat chance huh?

Tread.

Treadhead--do you have any photos of your models avaialble for us to view?
DJ