I've been modelling (very badly) for the past few years, and over this time i have built up a small collection of kits, all 1/35. I bought all of the kits but never got round to building them. I plan on going back to them but really have no idea as to what to do with them. I want to do a few small or medium sized dioramas but have had no luck finding any inspiration. Anyone got any ideas? I've got:

Tamiya M4A3 Sherman 105mm Howitzer

Tamiya Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.D

Italieri Tiger I Ausf.E/H1

Tamiya 88mm Gun Flak 36/37

Tamiya U.S. Army Assault Infantry Set

Tamiya German Front-Line Infantrymen

Dragon Kampfgruppe Von Luck Normandy 1944

Dragon German Combat Unit Normandy 1944

Dragon U.S. Army Airborne Normandy 1944

Dragon Fallen Comrade (Aachen 1944)

Dragon U.S. Army Anti-Tank Team

I also have a plusmodel German House

It usually easier to start with a small dio or vignette. Not a hard and fast rule though. If nothing else they're faster to construct.

Looking at your kits some of them can be standalones like some of the Dragon Normandy era figures. This will probably be the best place to start. For example your Dragon airborne kit can be put against a tall hedge common to Normandy.

Pitting opposing forces especially vehicles is a bit more tricky given the scale and will require a lot of empty faces to fill. Figures from opposing forces are easier if placed in an urban setting and you may even be able to squeeze a vehicle in and around the damaged buildings.

Hi,

As for an idea, how about a "Last man standing" dio.
As far as i remember the "Fallen Comrade" set has one fighting/watching figure. Place the set behind a partly destructred wall, the guy with the rifle with the back to the wall, looking just over the edge to the charging, superior ennemy , composed by so many of your US figures as you like.

Not that really helps your lack of inspiration, but you should change the way you plan.
First you need to plan your dio/vignette, than buy accordingly !

Cheers
Claude

From the sound of the kits you have Normandy would be a good place to set the dio, from this i'd pick a vehicle and add a suitable set of figures to create a scene, it could be possible to include 2 AFV's if one was destroyed for example, otherwise i'd suggest having an advancing vehicle with supporting infantry, or a knocked out vehicle with infantry using it as cover. Another idea could be to have the US anti-tank team hiding ready to ambush the Tiger or the 251.

Id suggest not going for a super-dio including everything! Or having figures from oposing sides in the same scene as it is hard to portray them realisticly in a dio.

Hope this helps,

James

Gday Elliot
Why not do a little www research on things such as Kampfgruppe Von Luck, and M4A3 (105)s and establish their time frames and maybe some exploits which can get the minds eye and the creative juices flowing in unison?
All else I can suggest in addition to this is to plan plan plan... They don't have to be big dioramas. I generally do smaller ones with more focus on a 'tight' linking of elements; therefore not much conflict showing both warring parties across a field for example, but rather just the one, reacting to an 'un-viewable' enemy.
Hope this helps, and get stuck in!
Cheers
Brad

Thanks for all of your help and ideas, they are much appreciated. Claude, next time i will definitely follow that path but I was about twelve when i bought the kits, in a fit of 'ooooh a tank' or 'oooh hes injured I'll make a huge battle'. Now I've aged and matured a bit, so has my attitude to plaaning and building dios (listen to me, I'm only sixteen!). I'm now much more interested in telling a story, which in essence is what building a good dio is all about. I'll definitely do my research on the kits I have and try to plan maybe six or seven smaller dios or vignettes. I'll get planning now and start building when all of my exams are done. A whole summer, just me, and my models. I'm looking forward to it alreday.
Cheers
Elliott