My latest work. Ive had these two jumbo shermans built for about 4 years and have always wanted to add them to a diorama. Both are Tamiya with super detail kits added. One has the Verlinden engine and compartment.The dodge ambulance is from Italeri. Converted it into a maint. truck. The back interior is scratch built with a removable top. The Tire chains are scratch built.The mud is done with celuclay and watered down white glue. Very hard to work with but I like how it turned out. I wanted to make the water splashing but the epoxy resin set up faster than it was supposed too and there wasnt anything I could do. All figures are Verlinden. I also wanted to put American helments on the graves but couldnt find any in my junk box.For some reason I feel this diorama is not complete. But for the life of me I cant figure out what it needs. If anybody has any suggestions please let me know. There was alot of junk in the creek bed but when I did the muddying affect it covered most of it up. Its not my best work but its not too bad either thanks for letting me post. Mike Hubble

Wow,that's a lot of work! great job you did there and it reminds me that I still don't have a Dodge in my collection!! That's gonna be my next build, thanks for sharing these pics. I think this dio is still "workeble" so you can ad more figures or other equipment if you like, it's complete if YOU think it's complete.
I like it!

Vegetation. Maybe you could add a few more vegetation, some medium grass, grass clumps too. IMHO, the ground looks plain except for the difference in ground color...

Cheers

I like the removable roof on the tool truck

Vegitation - grasses and weeds are good to add.

Once all is said and done I'd like you to submit this as an On Display feature. If you have 'build' notes and photos a full build feature would be ok too.

Thanks for the compliments. It does need more vegetation. Maybe some mid size bushes. Looks like another trip to the hobby shop this week. With all 3 models built a few years ago Im going to have to see if I took any pics of the builds in progress. When I get sometime this coming weekend Ill see what I can write up about the build. Again thanks for the compliments and suggestions.

I think the diorama could use some height to it as well as veggies. Add a tree or a telephone pole to it, and youll be good to go.

Nice murky water. I like all the activity and tools.
A tree would be a nice touch.
Could I borrow the air compressor? :-) :-)

Love the water, Muddy Waters Excellent dio. Vehicles and figures look really good. Groundwork looks good as well. As mentioned by other, a little vegitation would be a good idea.

i like the scene! it's nice to have different elements in the dio that each have their own story. i like the water, and the muck.... have the tank crews been off the tanks at all? if so there should be a few muddy footy prints on the surface when they have climbed back up.
i am a little confused about the positioning of the tanks- the one partially submerged looks as if it is coming out of the water, and the other one seems to be going in the same direction, but the tracks aren't on the right side if that's the case. tell me what's supposed to be going on here so i understand

This is a very nice scene. You put some effort in it. Congrats..
I agree with the vegetation adding ideas. Maybe you can make some drybrushing on the mud to break the monotony of the same color.
Thanks for sharing, it is really a nice diorama

Very nice dio! I love the mud effects you put all over the place; they look very realistic! I also like the truck and the tank's load! it gives a very realistic and busy like effect to the scene! As for the figures, they look very good too! Very good weathering work overall! Congratulations!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

thanks for all the great suggestions and compliments. The reason the muddy tracks are in front of the sherman is because it backed into the small maint. area to be worked on. I like the idea of muddy footprints on the tank, great idea. The sherman coming out of the water is just passing by. I had intended to have the water splashing but the opoxy resin set up alot faster than it was supposed too and there wasnt anything I could do.

Individually, the parts look pretty good, but I think what might be troubling you and why you asked for help is there is no central focus. As was mentioned, you have three stories but there's really nothing to visually tie them together. The figures are all looking in different places, and the parked driver is completely detached from everything else by looking away. Unless he's trying to start the engine, there's no reason for him to be in there and the position of hte two guys on the reatr deack doesn't imply they are fiddling with the motor. The graves kind of retract from the scene as well. I looks off to have graves in an area that;s being used as a repair spot. The area appears to be secure, no on'es holding weapons or apparently on guard duty, so it seems two casualties would have been kept for graves registration and removal. Also the ground is saturated, the truck is a couple inches deep into a grassy surface yet the guys boots look mostly clean. Digging even a shallow grave in this soil would have been like shoveling water.

i wouldnt agree with the parked driver comment being detached... there is a pic showing the driver from behind, and he appears to be conversing with the guy standing with the bottle.
there are a lot of little details - even with the critiques, this is a really nice scene. if you didnt have the graves there as al suggested... what would you do with that corner?

I think hes right about the graves. I might have to do something different to that corner. Im not sure if hes talking about the driver of the truck or the sherman. These models were done a few years ago and the figures were done then. If you look close at the sherman driver hes looking over a map trying to figure out where he is. Thanks for the critiques and ideas. Keep them coming, Ive already got some good ideas so far. Thanks again.

Love it!! the depth of the water and there is a lot to look at. it isnot just a once over. You have to look at it and all the little stuff is the important stuff. Great job!

I finally got around to adding a few details. Most coming from suggestions I got here. Thanks for all the suggestions and compliments. I feel like its more complete now. I added more foilage, I scratch built a stand for an oil drum, scratch built a chain hoist, and scratch built a pallet. The chain hoist stand is from Italeri.

I like the new maintainence area replacing the graves.

I went over the pictures three times so far and each time i discovered another detail!!You paid extra attention to every little thing.REALLY impresive work(the water is just PERFECT!!)the second version is nicer.I don't think you need to add anything else to it.if you still feel the need to have a central focus don't do it with items do it with an apropriate title!problem solved.congrats michael

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Both Verlinden and Archer make uniform insignias in 1/35 scale. I found that putting 'stripes' and division patches on my troops really brings them to life. You seem to have all of the other finishing touches mastered. Excellent detail work.

Great work there, water effects and mud outstanding. Figures are well done and postioned to add to the overall effect of the situation nicely.

Very nicely done. The water is superb! Excellent gound work and the populous isn't bad either.
I agree with some of the other members that what you lack is focus. IMHO I would put a figure standing at the table. This is what the eye is automticaly drawn to. With a figure there, the Shermans and maintenance truck will provide a nice background.