Hi everyone, The snow has fallen and I think my dio is done. Plese have a look at the pics and feel free to pass along any feedback you may have. Here are the pics














Sorry for the amount of photos, I am really happy how the snow has turned out. Please feel freee to point out anything that I need to fix. Oh yeah there are more pics in my gallery too. Cheers Kevin

Great job Kevin. This was well worth the wait! You did a great job on the snow-just enough to tell the story but not too much to cover all of you exellent ground work. Figures look good, tanks look good, just a great dio.

Excellent job bro, your dio is amazing. All the figs look great and i cant wait to see your next project!

Fantastic! I'm glad you just dusted that great groundwork with snow instead of dumping it all over.

Another great effort Kevin. You have a way of creating those multiple lines through you dio which all come together to tell the story. No title or explanation needed, the sign of a master..
But there is one thing I thought, should the Sherman be a bit muddier? The weather conditions where terrible in the Ardennes, and mud was a big problem for all means of transport. I would add some mud to the lower bit of the Sherman, around the wheels and suspension.
I love the guy huddeld in his greatcoat, blowing his hands. You know he's cold and miserable.. :-)

Great job

Henk

Wow! Wonderful job! Very, very good work, Kevin! Congratulations! It's a mighty diorama!
Cheers and good modelling!
Prato

Kevin -

Just totally outstanding! The groundwork (great snow work) needs to be documented and article done. It would help us others out greatly. I was wondering if a "hint" of the snow on figures head gear or packs, etc would add just a touch more to the feel? The vehicles and figures show a great attention to detail and look terrific. A really like that group by the Hetzer trying to warm up, but I'm hoping that nobody from the guys smoking carelessly tosses a match or butt that close to the fueling. This has been more than worth the wait and greatly appreciate your sharing with us. I've learned a great deal. Thanks,

Blade48mrd

Excellent mate.
Figures are great, Vehicles are fantastic, but as usual what get's me with your dioramas is the groundwork, and your ability to replicate nature to a point where it just looks real.
Cheers mate, great job

Kevin,

Very well done, the details are excellent. Do I see one guy smoking and lighting a cigarette for his comrade? The picture with the barbed wire would be an excellent in black and white. Just another wonderful work, simply a modelers eye candy.

Congratulations

Jay

Kevin,
I have my "Black Shirts" hat on right now (My mom is from Schuyler) and I have to tell you that is one of the best dios I have seen in a while.
I love the tall pine trees and would like to know what you used for the branches. One thing that caught my eye was the lack of taper and texture on the tree trunks.
The trees look sort of "stuck" into the ground, if that makes any sense.

Again, I really love the whole diorama and am just pitching out a bit of constructive criticism.

Shaun

As usual, very impressive work Kevin.

Great job Kevin,
I really like the snow and how it looks natural and not just dumped all over the place.
Regards,
Robert

kevin, ocne again a great dio, congrats! the snow and figures are awsome! nice work on the hetzer!

Frank

Great work, Kevin. The first dusting of snow sure is a peaceful start to a terrible fight. You keep turning out these great dioramas and Kalmbach or somebody will want you to do a book................

Patrick

Kevin I am so glad you added the snow it looks awesome as does the whole dio. I agree with Henk you could think about adding a tiny bit of snow to the figures just a light dusting would do it.
Once again great work and looking forward to your next project.

Hey there Kevin thats an awesome diorama as ive said before. I like how everything is busy and there are stories everywhere you look. One nitpick though, where youve put the tracks without snow, i think since theres a first snow, there would just be tampered down snow where there is no snow. Because it would only be like that if there was an object that was "masking" the ground from the falling snow. I would just suggest to sift a little more onto the road so that the track blends in a little. But geesh man thats awesome!
Regards,
Ian

Kevin,

Not much that I could add that hasn't already been said. It's awesome! I think my favorite photo is through the trees.

Man the figures are just great! You do indeed get the impression that it's cold.

Fantastic!

Best Wishes
Steve

Kevin, exellent build can't add much more to whats already been said. Great use of Dragons s.p. guncrew guys, gotta love the 5 o'clock shadow on the one holding the hose. Great figure work all - round. Also like the m.g. 42 dude blowing on his hands. Overall beautiful work!! - Cheyenne

What's that word...
Oh yeah, that was it, WOW. That is amazing! How long did it take you in total?

Wow looks very good!

How did you make the barbed wire??
Looks cool

Good job mate!

Greetz Hilbert

Great job Kevin. Glad you decided to add the snow. Just enough to make the snow suits make sense, but not too much to cover up all that great detail on the groundwork!

Keith

Awesome! My new favorite! Now I NEED some of that Heki grass. :-)

Hi everyone. First I want to thank everyone that has taken the time to look at this thread and my latest work!!! I want to thank those that posted here even more for the wonderful feedback. You have pointed out some thing I had overlooked and now I have corrected what I can. Secondly I would like to address the questions posed here.
Henk, This scene was to depict early in the offensive when it was dry. Yeah sounds weird a dry day in the ardennes offensive lol but I have found some pics where it shows no rain or snow in places early in the offensive. I added the snow by popular demand and also because the white parkas look out of place with out it. I may try to add some mud to the lowers of the sherman there already is mud on the hull I will give it a shot on the suspension too.
Mike, thanks again for the fuel pump it really makes that part of the scene I think. I also took your suggestion and added snow to the tops of packs and some on the helmets too.
Jay yes thats cigarettes. if you look a little to the left you will see another one in a soldiers hand...just follow the smoke
Shaun, Schyuler is not that far from here. Maybe on your next trip we could get together. The branches used for the pine trees are from
www.bragdonent.com
I'm sorry about the taper of the tree trunks, I tapered them just not enough on the bigger of the trees. My cordless dremel just cant handle the load!! Guess its time to get another real dremel. lol Up close the trees don't appear to be just stuck on the ground. I will see if I can get some better pics. If they still do appear that way do you have any suggestions?
Ian I liked your idea..its done!!!
Dave, I started in February but have done most of the work in just the last month.
Hilbert its Verlinden barb wire.. I recommend it, great stuff.
I have also changed the base colors white part to a black color. I started with the white color hoping it added to the overall snowy cold feel but I don't think it looked correct. Again thank you for taking the time to look at this thread and post on my work. All others who have suggestions or thoughts on it please feel free and post. Cheers Kevin

Wow! That's a beatiful dio, Kev. I especially like the scene behind the Sherman, where they are siphoning its fuel off. It's frighteningly realistic.

I was worried about the snow covering that beautiful groundwork but it turned out that you did it so well. There's enough snow to depict a wintery scene while not covering the groundwork. You kept it to a realistic minimum.

Two things though:

1) As what Blade said, you might want to put a little snow on the helmets and the tunics.

2) On the fourth and sixth picture, there are a couple of clear lines on ground devoid of snow, that runs along the length of the road. I'm not sure what are these. Tracks? They're too straight, clean and unrealistic looking as tracks. Or maybe it's another camera guffawoo..

3) Maybe you could also add some American rations and items on the Hetzer vehicles. It would depict what they looted.

Other than those, the diorama is superb! I love it.

Angela

You've definitely come out with another beauty Kevin. Your idea to have a light snowfall is great and adds to the already large number of eye candy to look at. Very nice work on the white parkas as white is always difficult to shadow & highlight.

Just a very tiny observation. Don't suppose you could askew the Sherman a bit more so the rear end sits a bit more into the road. Just thought it might add a bit more dynamics. No big deal as it doesn't detract from what is a fantastic dio.