Seeing all of the experience and such that is gathered in these hallowed walls. Wouldn't it be a great idea to set up and complete a project online!!??!!

I can build models, but I lack the expertise in the history/vehicle history/detail areas. Isn't there some big juicy competition coming up?? For my own sake, keep everything on the East coast and I'll try to show up.

I was involved in a project like this when I was on with Compuserve and it was a blast!!

What does "the great all" think??

Brian,
Sounds like a cool idea to me. There is the IPMS nationals in Norfolk this year. May?

What would we do for a diorama. How would you divide up a project like that? models, basework, figures?

Jim

Very interesting idea, count me in. :-)

What we did was to make up a sketch of a scenerio and then divided up the work untill everybody had what they wanted and could handle.

I guess the main starting point is to pick the era. Then based upon the era, a location is picked and a scenerio is made. One of the local guys, local meaning local to the contest, got the job of making the base and the finishing touchs. Tthen the rest brought or sent there contribution/s and they were blending into the diorama. Viola!

The project I mentioned earlier blitzed my car motor though. I had gotten 3/4 way through with my contribution and my motor froze (very cold winter and bad antifreeze don't go well together) and zapped the funds to both go and contribute. I hope this isn't a bad omen, but I hope this doesn't happen again

I have no ideas as what to do? I usually come up with ideas, but never have any ideas as how to solve them... Is WWII over done? A Desertstorm scenerio? I basically only have done older armor, it would be fun to do something more current.

Norfolk sounds fine, but when in May?

Just wanted to say all of you who weren't in on the chat last night missed out!!

An idea was kicked around and I thought I might present it here. How bout' making a diorama of how Somalia _should_ have been. Ken (Kencelot) and I agreed that the Apache should have been there! (if I remember correctly)

Next friday in the chat session ask Rob (Sabot) what he thought should have been there...

Thoughts?

A Mech Heavy Team should have been there.

A "Team" is a company-sized element that has a platoon of another type of unit cross-attached. A normal tank or mechanized infantry company has 3 platoons of 4 M1s or M2s and a headquarters section of 2 more M1s or M2s for the company commander and executive officer.

A Mech Heavy Team means that the infantry company "gives up" an M2 platoon and picks up an M1 platoon (Tank Heavy Team would be based on a tank company and it would pick up a mech platoon). This would have given the relief force 10 M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles with the accompanying infantrymen in the back and 4 M1A1 Abrams tanks. The 63 ton tanks would have been able to push/crush any roadblocks out of the way for the relief force. The dismounts would be able to provide close in support to the tanks (keep pesky RPGs from scratching the paint), and the TOWs, 25mm and 120mm plus the 7.62 and .50 cal machine guns with almost limitless ammo would have made mincemeat of the enemy.

A good dio would be an M1A1 pushing through a roadblock, maybe crushing a burned out vehicle with one of the command Bradleys behind it and several dismounted infantrymen running around the scene shooting anything that moves.

Knew you could come up with something, Rob, and fill in the accurate elements. Sounds good, so, could an AH 64 be attached to this scene poviding air support?

I'm sure we can count on seeing many different dios of the Battle of Mogadishu post-BHD. I haven't seen the movie yet but from reading the historical accounts I think one good one would be based around the crash site of Super Six Four. This is part of the timeline on History Channel:

"4:40 p.m. - Black Hawk Super Six Four is hit by a rocket-launched grenade and goes down several minutes later, making a flat landing approximately one mile from the target area. Somalis begin to rush toward this second crash site. A second emergency vehicle convoy is dispatched from the base to assist the downed helicopter. Two Little Birds and one Black Hawk attempt to defend the downed craft from the air.

4:55 p.m. - Snipers Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon rope down to the second helicopter crash site to defend the crew against the Somali mob.

5:40 p.m. - Somali mobs overtake the crash site of Super Six Four. All occupants except pilot Michael Durant are killed.

Monday, October 4, 1993
1:55 a.m. - The Convoy, facing heavy fire along the way, reaches the Ranger Force and the site of the first downed Black Hawk. A small portion of the giant convoy veers off to the site of Super Six Four, the second crashed helicopter, but no trace of the crew or snipers defending it are found."


So...it certainly isn't a happy moment (not that any of it was). But it seems like you could do a lot with the whole "last stand" look and it could be somewhat of a memorial for those brave men who made the ultimate sacrafice.

Jim

Nothing has been said that several dios couldn't be made! All of these suggestions could be incorporated some how.

Rob and Jim can you sketch a crude drawing about what you envision in each of your dios. And put it somewhere in the site?

Yes...this is AWESOME!!!!!

This is what modeling is for!!!

I can do that. I will need to do a little more research though. I need to know what the area was like, buildings, etc.

Jim

Howdy Jim,

Watch the History Channel on Monday night at, I beleive 2100 hours EST. I'm pretty sure I saw
an ad for it just last night. Can someone verify that? Kencelot? Sabot?

And, regarding your dio. Having read the book, and seen the movie (last night.) Even though
it wouldn't include any armour (unfortunately for the participants), a dio showing the 'gallantry
above and beyond the call of duty' of Medal Of Honor recipients Randy Shughart & Gary Gordon
defending the Super Six Four's crash site and fallen comrades would be the very BEST that
we could do...

my two cents.

Oorah!!

TreadHead

oops...just double-checked, it's January 21st at 2100 hours EST.

Can I help too. I have alot of ecperience with the mech team the Sabot was talking abot since I was with a mech unit with the 24th INF DIV (MECH). I also work on the Bradley. Also, I just pruchased the new 1/35 Apachies from IMEX. I also have several modern figures and vehicles taht I havnt built yet. Check out my Somalia dio on this sight. Although teh movie didnt come out yet and I had already read the book, the dio is supposed to represent that time without showing our brave soldiers fallen. I think a "what if" dio at that time would be great.

By the way, the movie was AWSOME!!!!!! I'm not ashamed to admit it, it was a tear jerker, especialy for a patriotic vet like me.

NEVER FORGET!
AND FOR THOSE BRAVE GUYS WHO FOUGHT SO HARD - "RANGER LEAD THE WAY, OOH- YA"

Epi and everyone else,

Of course you can be in on the fun!! This is for everybody that wants to join in!!

The more combined experience and effort put into this the more fun it is. Especially if everybody goes to the event the dio is made for. Well not really made for, but general "goal" in mind.

Sounds anyway like there are at least two dios in the making...

Hi all
Normally concentrate on the second world war but if you all need a hand then just give us a shout!
Be interesting to see what state the contribution would turn up like after Airmail!!!!!!!!
UK post ain't what it used to be
Regards

Marek,

That's why your supposed to bring it with you - so you can have it in your lap the whole 7 hour flight!!

I think everybody was waiting for me to catch up to BHD, but now I've seen it (many thanx Kencelot!!!)

After seeing the History Channel show I have a lot of ideas!!

IPMS Nationals in Virginia Beach is July 31-Aug3.