I would like to post my current build and also hear from you folks out there. I started this little project soon after the coalition forces toppled over the Sadam statue in Iraq. I finished the base and the statue at that time. I have finally made the time to build the M88a1 to complete the dio. What I dont know about this scene is which M88 was used to pull down the statue, so I decided to go with AFV Club's M88A1. I do know that both the old and newer M88's where used in Iraq. Anyway my plan is to place a marine climbing up the boom and have a crowd assembled around the vehicle. Problem is, I haven't researched what figures are available that would work in this scene, so I will have to get busy with that. If I have to scratch build any figures it will be a first for me, so the challange begins! Any questions or ideas welcome.

Thanks,
Steve

I like it! And what a classic moment to depict as well. Coming out nice, dont forget to post some pictures when youre finished!

It looks good, the actual scene used an M88A2, but yours will look just fine.

really cool idea

Here's a link to a pic of the scene:
http://rationalrevolution.net/images/Saddam_statue.jpg

It looks like a M88A2 Hercules instead of a regular M88.

Realmodel makes a conversion set.

http://www.realmodel.cz/shop/index.php?kategorie=163

fixed it

http://rationalrevolution.net/images/Saddam_statue.jpg

Hi Steve,

Don't forget the shoes!!!

Certainly be a talking point.

Cheers

Al

Great work Steve.
This one will be intersting to see finished. I guess you have a lot of Marines, journalists and civilian spectators to paint, or...?

Erik

Looks great. Can not wait to see the end product. But you have a lot of figures to build in there. Have fun with that.

Was Saddam from a kit or scratch-built?

Looks like a good start. As stated already, the actual vehicle was a USMC M88A2. For figures, Verlinden and Warriors make a bunch of different Arab civilians. Verlinden makes a civilian TV news crew as well. Here is the same scene done by a guy over at FSM.

Furdos Square dio.

Good luck and keep us posted.





The Saddam statue is also a Verlinden piece.

Keep in mind that there was a little "battle damage" to the base. I remember watching the footage and seeing a massive man with a sledge hammer beating the crap out of the base hoping to break through it. Most of the damage was confined to the front. I also thought some of the base was a tile or had etched lines in it, but I don't remember throughly.

This is very original (even with the guy in Gino's link) and a really cool idea and executed great thus far. Keep up the good work.

Jeff

Looks like the beginnings of a very nice diorama.

You may find that kitbashing the Marine may be the only way to get a proper climbing pose. I think if you mix the Trumpeter OIF 101st Airborne, some Warriors figures, and Dragon's OIF Marines you will have all the parts you need for the climber and other Marines in the scene. Good luck with all the figures!

This is certainly a very nice idea to a dio!

Keep us posted and please take alot of photos of it. Keith may be hounding you for a build feature soon.

Thanks to all for the comments and support folks. I should receive the Eduard etch set in a couple of days to finish up with the M88. I thought I could get-r-done without it, and almost made it until one of the pesky brush guards broke into oblivian. I first opted to scratch build the one guard, but as fate would have it, my wife kept proding me about what I wanted for my B-Day! So to get her off my back, I went over to Squadron and ordered the pe set along with a few magazines I'm behind on. Man! what we guys have to go thru to please our women. As far as the figures go, I'll have to do alot of looking around to get what I need. Hopefully I will gather up all that very soon.

I'll keep you posted,
Steve

What's really needed is the guy in the red undershirt with the sledge hammer standing nearby. He was trying to 'chop' the statue down at the base and then the Marines showed up. You need to put him in the dio too. I have been planning to do the same dio one day and that's the final touch in my mind (what's left of it).

Keep us posted on this one as it's the piece of history that many care not to remember and lady about. However some haven't.