Hi,

This diorama is titled "Reinforcements Have Arrived." As the title clearly states, a group of soldiers and a Sherman comes to Bastogne to reinforce the 101st Airborne in holding up a perimeter.

This is my first entry in a campaign and my second dio.

The Sherman is a detailed Tamiya kit. The figures are a mix of Dragon and Verlinden (courtesy of Blade48mrd). Accessories came from Academy and from the spare box. The ruined mansion is a "pirated" copy. All other things are scratchbuilt (i.e. the floor, the electrical post, the cobblestone road, etc.) Snow is made from baking soda.

Here are some pics.





















Angela

A few more pictures, more on details:





















Angela

Drats! This is my third post on my own thread!

The sandbags are made out of Chicklets chewing gum, the electrical post made out of barbecue stick and popsicle sticks, the vinyl floor is made from an old piece of real vinyl, the wooden floor is made out of chopsticks and popsicle sticks, window frames are from popsicle sticks, window "glass" are from the transparent cover of a plastic toy, the table is from a doll house, wallpaper is made of stationery, the gutter was made out of a plastic drinking straw from Coffee Club and the statue is a pawn of an old chess set.

I made this dio practicing the theory of SYMBOLISM. Hopefully, it would be something like this:

1) The GI surrounded by propaganda posters symbolizes the GIs being encircled in Bastogne.
2) The lack of winter uniform symbolizes the miserable conditions of cold in that area. True, the GI's in Bastogne AND the ones reinforcing them have lack of winter gear.
3) The slanting picture frame of Hitler symbolizes his toppling reign of power.
4) The boots on the foreground symbolizes the ferocity of the battle of the Bulge. I'm not sure if it can be clearly seen in the pics. If not, please tell me so I could take a better pic.

I watched Band of Brothers for reference several times and I noticed that the snow in Bastogne is really thick and deep. But doing so would hide the rubble and the groundwork. So, I exercised artistic license and added just enough snow to instill the feeling of coldness while allowing the details to be shown clearly enough.

The same holds true with the amount of rubble. Too much would overwhelm the dio so I placed just enough to instill the feeling of devastation while letting the action dominate.

But the real reason why I posted back is I forgot my usual:

Your comments and criticisms are always welcome.

Thank you. I had fun doing this diorama and participating in "Ardennes Offensive."

Angela

Great dio!

Your attention to details is amazing, the posters are a nice touch.

Another great diorama Angela.. I realy like the amount of rubble and devastion you have created, it realy looks like the proverbial 'bomb has gone off'..
Chewing gum for the sandbags, .prizeless..a good tip.
Maybe a little bit more snow, as the snow was quite thick in Bastogne, but as that would cover up the beautiful rubble and detail, I think it's just right.

Well done for finishiing on time, I'm trying to get my Jagdpanther done tonight and tommorow, as I'm in the office at work, and if I don't have to go out on the road, I should have a change to just finish in time

Cheers
Henk

Hello there Angela. To first start of, id like to say I really really like this diorama. I noticed that the straps on the stowage on the turret arent painted, but that may be the lighting? I also think that the guy holding the map and pointing is an awesome figure, you did a great job on him. Now that I said that, may I just add that all of your figures are really well painted. If you could wrinkle that poster in the first pic a little more I think it would look somewhat like a real poster that was just slapped on there. But thats an extreme nitpick Overall, this dio ill give it an 8.5, i think its really good. So keep up the good work and definatly keep us posted!

Thank you. The straps on the stowage are painted. The paint is Olive Drab, just like the rest of the bags. I got advice of that from usarmymodels.com. Some bags, especially the late ones, don't have khaki straps.

The creep holding the map is a verlinden figure as well as the tank commander. That's courtesy of Blade48mrd.

Hmmm....it's a little bit difficult to wrinkle the picture as it is already glued. I'm not sure if I'm right but based on my observation on campaign posters pasted on fences in my country, usually posters that are posted on the wall are just....well...."slap-pasted" on the wall. The wrinkly ones are those that fall off and trampled. Posters that are pasted on the wall may be torn off but not wrinkly....

But don't worry, I'll try your suggestion. I think there's still space on the ruins that can accommodate one more poster.

Thanks for the compliment and advice.

Angela

Angela,

That's a cool dio... actualy, it's icy!

And the Sherman, is that the one with you scratchbuilt so many things on? Great work on the details, like the wooden hold for the sandbags and the stasch in the back. The symbolizing did work well IMHO, it gave it the atmosphere you wanted.

That mansion did come out great (followed the threads of the painting) and the floor was worth the time you had to put into, didn't it?

Perhaps a bit more snow, like a thin blanket. It will accent the rubble in a nice way (just try a small piece. But actually you came pretty close with it now, it was not that thick in the village itself:


The one nitpick I can think of are the pamflets and posters. I know you used them to symbolise, but it's a bit overdone (unless this was a NS Party building or a German HQ, with I doubt if there was one in Bastogne during the occupation). So drop a few, and it's a perfect dio for as far I can say.
I like the slanting picture frame vey much!

PAUL

How about defacing the posters? Big ugly glasses and stupid teeth? Stuff like that?

Well... I don't think Defacing the postrers like that would be too good... It make the scene look like it was supposed to be funny. Angela is trying to tell a story here, but if the posters were to be scribbled on, then The message wouldn't be so good... er... Something like that....

ANYWAYS.... That's an awesome Dio, Angela. 2 Nitpicks though... The posters look too tidy and undamaged compared to the building. Maybe give the posters a thin wash of dark brown and maybe tear 'em up a little, like add bullet holes and ripping them a bit. But i wouldn't reccomend ripping them in half or anything.

Hello,

Thank you for the comments and nitpicks guys.

Well, I was thinking exactly on the lines of whodinni....what if this building was a secret Nazi thingy in Bastogne? Or maybe someone in this establishment is a Nazi fan? Or foced by Nazis or something? Abandoned by Nazis, perhaps? It may be far fetched or accurate but...well...who knows? Hehehe....

The thing that I was trying to imply here is the symbolism. The accuracy is something that I risked; knowing that France and Belgium was "in the line of Germany's fire" makes it sensible that there must be a Nazi establishment or something on that place.

But as what I said, it was a risk. If the idea is too far off or too inaccurate, please tell me. I have a few US propaganda posters here. I can glue them over the German ones. What do you think?

The posters were given a wash of burnt umber to make them look older. Dunno yet how to tear them realistically. I washed them after I took the pics. Unfortunately, my digicam ran out of power to take a new shot of the posters.

Hi 007. About the tank, yep, that's the one I superdetailed. It looked kinda nice when I painted it up. More snow? Hmm...I'll try but wouldn't it cover the details?

Notice the half of the door where there's a sniper in the prone position? The first set of pics that I showed that it doesn't have snow. But in the second set, there is already snow. Hehehe....that snowed door was done after I took the first picture. And I realized a lesson: If there is something wrong with the picture, there's something wrong with the dio.

For Shonen_Red: Ralph, this is my entry for the campaign and this dio is finished. For the meantime, I can't do any additions that the guys have suggested here because it's on display in the hobby shop for a month.

Angela

Wow outstanding Dio. I like the little Hitler photo. Got a scan of it? You should watch Band of Brothers, i think you ll start making a 101st dio with the same theme.

Angela, You have an oustanding diorama here. The Sherman just out and out rocks in my opinion!! You also have done a fantasic job on the rubble and building. I like your use of symbolism its something we dont see enough of in dioramas. Only a couple things i would add or change with this. The posters as everyone said are to "tidy" dirty them up and add a few tears here and there on them. And the chess piece looks too much like one. i made a birdbath using a pawn on my first dio and it still reminds me and others of a chess piece. I suggest, since its meant to be a statue that has fallen that you make it look broken in half and possibly you can break a corner off the base. Ecellent work and I look forward to reading about this dio and seeing how these chicklet sandbags are made in a feature Cheers Kevin

I have a few US propaganda posters here. I can glue them over the German ones.

No, keep them, It's needed for the symbolism and look great, just a few too much, that's all IMHO.

More snow? Hmm...I'll try but wouldn't it cover the details?

Look at Eric's (043) dio "Road to Bastogne '45". The details can remain, even with a lot of the 'white stuff'.
The trick for your ground coverage is to sprayglue it and let the snow fall only from above on it (try to avoid blowing under things); just try it once (perhaps on a little try-out dio), you'll like the results, I'm sure!

So your dio is on display in the LHS? Mmmm... just a bit far for me to visit that shop and give it a good look... :-)

Paul

Hi Angie,

first of all, it is a nice diorama taken from history.
But what do you mean by pirated mansion ruin?? Who pirated it??
I can see that you dio is 'busy' with stuff that i love to see for example the photo of Hitler ...what a symbolic way to tell a story. Where do you get the picture??
The box on the streets was a nice touch also
Good work sister. YOu dont plan to write article on this one??

cheers

Thank you for the comments and suggestions, people. I will work on your suggestions but the dio is still in my local hobby shop for display. I'm gonna get it back after one month and do what you suggested.

Silantra, I sent a PM for you regarding your question.

The Hitler picture is from a propaganda poster set that Engin Kayral (Graywolf) sent me. Thanks Engin.

Yes, I'll be doing a feature/on display on this. I'll just have to write the article and prepare some pics.

As usual, more comments, criticisms and violent reactions are welcome.

Angela

I admire people who make these large dioramas. I myself have the patience of a 2 year old.

One thing though as another person have mentioned. The posters are a bit much. Good addition though.

Good work ma'am.

Hi Angela, Damn good job you have there girl and yeah we are indeed two people with one thought, I like your Sherman and all figures are great but the one i like most is the GI with the bazooka your snow is also well done were did you made that from?
Overall good job i like it
greetz ERIC

Hi there!
Good job. I like the amount of snow. Its a city, a lot of boots and tracks have been moving through the snow, so I think the amount is just right. As you may have found out, the posters should be more dirty or "worn". Perfect amount of rubble and equipment to.

Just one thing: The tank commander - isn't he in a quite dangerous spot? I think the guys round the tank and inside the building are hiding, and crawling trying to avoid enemy fire, the tank commander looks like a sitting duck. Just a little criticism - but its like a needle in a haystack. I really like the dio. Keep it up

Simon

Hi Angela. Wow!! what a great dio. Great details and lots to look at. Your snow looks great and the Sherman turned out really well. If I have one little nit-pik it's that some of the figures look a little glossy to me. I usually give mine a little dusting with pastels or a shot of dullcoat. Just a friendly observation. It could be the lighting in the shots making them look shiney. Keep up the great work.

Don

An awesome dio! It's very well built and very well painted and weathered! The figures are well distributed and placed in the exact spots! the groundwork is fantstic! As well for the vehicle and the building! They all merge together very nicely to give us an icy picture of the Ardennes/Bastogne scenario! Congratulations!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

Hello,

Hello 043 (feels like I'm addressing a secret agent), that bazooka guy is also one of my fave. The snow is an AM product that is even more expensive than the dio. Hehehe...It's just Baking Soda sprayed with hairspray.

Hello Simon, well, in a real situation, he will be really screwed. However, considering the pose of the figure, if I place him back, it would not provide the impact that "the enemy is over there" since he is pointing somewhere. Also, if you look at the tank commander, he is also pointing at the same direction. Both commanders are pointing at the same direction, giving emphasis as to where the implied enemy. Placing them side by side strongly conveys that the two are really communicating. Also, the "protection" is emphasized by placing the GI at the side of the ruins, which would give the implication of cover. This implication is suggested by the way the Sherman's gun is pointing, which is at an 45 degree angle. Looking from that viewpoint, the commander is somewhat protected from the building. Actually, it's just a matter of "lining up" and "letting the eye travel along the lines" to provide the implications.

Hello waterboy, it's actually both the lighting and the lack of dullcoat. I'll spray more dullcoat on it, as you suggested.

Thank you for the observations, comments and criticisms, people. I really value them because they are a way for me to improve. I'll try to do some of your suggestions after a month, after the dio has finished its display "contract" in my LHS.

Angela

Angela
I always enjoy looking at your work.
Everybodies alreay nit-piked and complimented you on the things I saw . So.. as usual a great job.
I just started work on a dio. Hope it turns out as well as yours did.
Jerry

Hi Angela

I really like your Ardennes dio. It feels cold looking at it. Great work and your latest dio is even better. I hope my Sturmtiger in the Ardennes is half as good. I will try the baking soda nad hairspray trick.

Warmest regards

Fordboy

Very nice and beautiful diorama...everything fits perfectly well. A write-up on how you built the beautiful dio definitely a must .

Hmm....considering that the setting is in winter, I'm just curious why most if not all of the GIs are not wearing any winter clothing? It's probably just the start of winter?

Overall....outstanding....

Cheers