Hi all

Recently posted these WIP pics in the Commonwealth in Normandy Campaign forum, but wanted some feedback from a wider audience. Figures aren't complete yet, I've still got several British Paras and a couple more wounded Germans, the groundwork also needs a bit more finishing but this is a good representation of how the finished dio will look.

Picked up the Tamiya 251 for £5 and the Italiari Schwimmenwagen for £3! All the buildings, walls, gates etc are scratch built, so I could spend my limited budget on decent figures!

Sorry about the quality of the pics, I've lost my mini tripod and the bulb went in my desklamp!

Thanks for looking

Matt

The quality of your diorama looks excellent, very impressed with the scratchbuilt buildings etc. and the figures are also very well done. Some good bargains on your vehicles I must say! £7 in total is very good - where did u get them from?

Only thing is I can't build up a story line of what's happening here, I take it the AFV's have been attacked by british paras and the scene depicts the aftermath. However, I can't place the injured germans in the overall scene. Maybe a pic with the unfinished figures in their rough places or a quick description would help.

Otherwise excellent work; make sure you post the final diorama pics when its all done!

Wow! Very impressed. That looks really good.
However, I cannot understand the scene. I take it (as Jamesite) that we are looking at the aftermath of the battle?
Keep us posted on the progress of the diorama. It looks very good.

James

Thanks for your comments. I found the kits in a couple of LHS stuffed at the back of shelves and almost forgotten about, I don't build a lot of German armour but I really like the 251 so might treat myself to a Dragon 3 in 1!

The Story of the scene is this: June 12th 1944 and units of the 12th battalion (Yorkshire - of course) the Parchute Regiment plus 22nd Ind Para Coy, the 12th Devonshires and tanks of 13th/18th Hussars attacked and took the town of Breville (an area of essential high ground) after the 5th Black Watch failed to capture it on the 11th of June (although this along with heavy arty and naval barrage throughout the 11th and 12th managed to weaken the German garrison defences).

The scene depicts the aftermath of the initial attack and shows the German vehicles 'softened' up by the Shermans of the Hussars (who have now moved off) and 'finished' off by the Para's, the Para's are searching through the vehicles and interogating the German wounded about further defences, garrison strengths etc before moving on.

Hope that helps, I can't place the other figures in the dio yet as they are attached to bottle tops for painting!

Cheers again

Matt

very realistic dio! Pitty the photos are too dark!

Gday Matt
What a belter mate!
I reall like the tones you have used on your buildings/structures...
Your Germans look a bit crook too! Very realistic poses...
And your scratchbuilding skills are definitely on show here...
More pics are needed to appreciate this better
Cheers
Brad

Thanks for the explanation Matt - you obviously have it all planned out to the letter! Think it's going to build into one damn fine diorama!

Might suggest a bit more damage to the AFV's if the Shermans have been at them though, plus they'd have had a pard time squeezing past them on the road - just a thought.

Go for the Dragon 3 in 1 kit, Ive built one and it's a pleasure, lots of extras like aluminium gun barrel and photo etched parts, plus loads of transfers and even a set of german pioneers. Only thing is that the tracks are pretty fiddly but look excellent when finished.
That reminds me that I should really build mine into a diorama, its gathering dust at the minute!

Good luck in the campaign, you should do well by the looks of things!

James

Cheers Brad

I always appreciate your comments. I guess I'll post more pics as I go along, until its finished and I enter it into the Campaign. I used foamex board 'borrowed' from work for the walls, cutaway sections and inserted milliput rolled into sheets and moulded into brick shapes, I'll definately use this method again its so cheap! LOL




Hi James

There is quite a bit of damage to the side of the 251 but you can't really see it in these pics, its heavy machine gun damage and not AP stuff as the Paras were too close! The road in this scene is actually a kind of back lane connecting two other larger roads running through the town, perhaps I've planned this a bit too much and really need to get out more!

Thanks guys

Matt

lol!
yeah maybe but i'm a firm beliver that you always model a diorama around a firm story in your head!

James

Matt-- great workmanship! Your detail work is most impressive. Well done.