Hi guys,
After messing around with my large canal dio i needed a little bit of light relief.What better way than start on another dio!
Towards the end of November 1917, allied troops were successfully winning the Third Battle of Ypres.Many of my fellow country men lost their lives in this battle, one German officer being quoted as saying about the bravery of the New Zealand troops:
"if the British army had the same mind set as the New Zealanders, then the war would be won tomorrow".
I had started on a MkIV from Emhar a while ago and decided to use this in the scene.A nightmare of a kit that will need much pigments and mud to hide the flaws!
Still sourcing some W.W.1 figures as i wish to have at least one New Zealander advancing beside the MKIV, and a German fleeing through the muddy trenches.A possible conversion of ICM's W.W.1 figures is also an option.
The base is a picture frame,insulation foam used as basis for the groundwork.
I decided to try paper mache this time for something different, a little old school maybe..hehe?
Corrugated iron has been retrieved from a cardboard box, and the trench walls formed out of electrical wire.
At this stage the plaster has been sculpted to the base and has had a groundcoat or two.
Further work has to be done to the MKIV so it can be blended with acrylic gel and plaster to the base.
Here's a few W.I.P photo's

























Cheers,Shay

Really stunning! I like the way you've made the side of the trench, plus a nice WIP, you see things come out very clear. BTW: Aren't you a New-Zealander yourself?
Cheers, Captain Mallory

Looks really good so far!

Good looking diorama so far! Love the trench detail. If this is in 1:35 scale you might be able to use Andreas S3 F13. Although it is 54mm it is a great figure and if not directly next to a 1:35 figure should work fine. Here's a shot:



Cheers,
Charles

Nice start Shay,i like the detail you are adding to the scene,the footprints in the mud look great.

steve

Really nice groundwork so far, an excellent scene.

Have been contemplating one of these Emhar beasts for a while but whenever I see the spruces I cringe and run away!

One day!

Those ICM figures are the way to go I reckon unless of course you do go the resin route. Has anyone seen the Emhar figures? Now those will make you cry!

Keep up the good work,

James

Kiwi... do you have an update on this? I am anxious to see how it is coming out. Thanks.

Hi all
This project was put on the back burner for a while..update time!
Here are the figures from The Model Cellar which will be placed on the dio.I can't praise the quality of these figures enough.Their W.W.I selection is great!


I first began detailing the mortar pits, unfortunately the resin from my work that i used ended up cracking everywhere and just about ruined the whole dio.


Not one to give up easily, i started to re do the groundwork.I personally found the ground to smooth and lacking in detail.
I started an experiment with burnt umber paint, fine sand, static grass and acrylic "no more gaps".The type you use in a gun for cracks on walls etc.












The groundwork will be totally painted in burnt umber proceeded by some washes and highlighting.
Cheers,
Shay

Glad you're back on this one! It's looking really good
You recommend the figures from The Model Cellar? Are they resin or metal?
Please keep us posted

Cheers,
Charles

Hi Charles,
Sorry, forgot to mention that their figures are made out of resin.A little flash here on the figures, very crisp in detail.Considering the lack of W.W.I figures out there, these are a little gems!
Cheers,
Shay

What a muddy mess!!! Looks great so far. I'm glad you didn't give up on it.
So did you just mix all the elements together and apply it over what you had? It has really nice texture. Very nice Shay.

What a great job on the mud. I am anxious to see the end result.

Hi guys,
@Bill and Eaglesmack, thanks for your comments over the mud.All i did was squirt the acrylic "no more gaps" into a small bowl, and mixed in burnt umber paint, static grass and fine sand.
I simply applied the to the whole dio with a brush , trying not to fill in any of the footprints and deep recesses .Then with a dry brush i jabbed the whole dio until the mud started to get some fluffy kind of texture.
Instead of going for a wet look on the mud, i'll be trying to achieve mud that is already slightly dried up.
Thanks for looking,
Shay

G'day Shay
Looking good mate!
bummer about the resin, but you did a good job of finding an alternative and covering it up!
Whats the plan for figures?
Cheers

Very nice progress shots. The layout is great, it shows you can pack a lot of material into a small base.
Don't forget the mud on the top of the tank tracks.

Very nice.

Hi guys,
@David.How are ya digger?The figures will be placed moving on the right hand side of the tank.As for the other figures still waiting on the ICM German figures for inside the trench section.
@Scott.Glad you like the progress shots.About packing material into a small base....As i have mentioned above, i'm going to try to add some Germans running for their lives through the trench.Visually hopefully this will break up the angle of the advancing tank and troops, also giving some more intensity to the scene.Barbwire will be added under the belly of the tank and some hanging off the fence pole on the left of the tank.The tracks will also get a good covering of dirt.

Small update.I want to go for a slighty dried look to the earth, so after everything was painted in burnt umber, i went about drybrushing with two colours,Vallejo Buff and Humbrol matt 187.I would like some feedback on whether it looks plausible enough!









Cheers,
Shay

Hi Shay. When you use the brush for acrylic "No More Gap", how do clean your brushes afterwards? Very nice diorama, can't wait to see the finish masterpiece. Thx.

Danny

Amazing work.
A nice pic-by-pic story this post has turned out to be.

Good luck with it

Great diorama so far. The picture blow by blow account of your work is great.

Looking forward to see more.

I'd say the drybrushing looks great, gives that 'wet mud begining to dry' look you were thinking of.

This is really coming along well, I can't wait to see the figures in there all painted up.

Keep us posted on your progress,

Cheers,

James

Looking good! Not many ww1 dios around anymore!

Hi Shay. Really like what you´ve done to the base. As Scott said, theres a lot of details in a small area. The trench looks excellent ... good job with the wattling (sp?).
Im not too sure about the dried dirt colour ... the dark chocolate colour looks the part, but it drying to a sand colour looks "wrong" IMO. I think a more red-brown or earth colour would be appropriate. Cant wait to see the Mk IV weathered and the figures attached!

Hi guys,
Thanks for everyones input over the groundwork.
At the moment nothing major has happened with the dio as i have been waiting for the right figures to turn up.
Below are the the figures i'll be using in the dio.The first two are from The Model Cellar, absolute killer figures, true 1/35.
I'll be adding some form of blanket or cloak over their shoulders to give them some more definition and so they fit in with the the Germans in warmer clothing.


I'd been looking for a suitable figure to place in the trench and after not being too happy with the choices on offering from the ICM W.W.I kit i recently bought, i decided to bastardize!
Here's a generic German in greatcoat, bodyparts are from Mk35,Verlinden,Hornet and Warriors.The shovel is from ICM, i'll probably add some more of their pouches/gear to him.
Oh, and the helmet will be shaped and smoothed out accordingly.
Do you guys think he looks plausible enough for in the scene?I still have to do some filling and sanding.






In the trench :


Cheers,
Shay

Shay,
The German with the trench tool should work with a bunch of effort on your part. He currently is wearing a Zeltban not a great coat. It is another way they utilized the camo tent quarters..as a smock. Personally, I think with the amount of work you are going to have to do, I'd make a rough wire armature of the pose and build the body with putty. You'll probably have to sculpt the boots/gaiters along with the greatcoat portion as WWI was much different from WWII. Hands and pose are about all I'd use from this figure.

Cheers,
Charles

It does seem WW1 figures are a bit thin on the ground.

In my wanderings I came across these, although they are 54mm, don't know if they are going to be out of proportion.

http://www.historexagents.com/shop/hxproductdetail.php?ProductCode=EWHG7

http://www.historexagents.com/shop/hxproductdetail.php?ProductCode=EWHG8

Certainly a conversation with work is not out of the question.

http://en.diorama.ru/gallery/figures/821/

If I find any others I'll post links.

Your diorama reminds me of one the first exhibits you see as you go into the Tank Museum at Bovington, They've built it up much the same and you walk in at German trench level with the tank coming over the trench at you.

Sadly they don't show it here but this is the approach to the display which with its flashing lights and soundtrack is very impressive

http://www.tankmuseum.co.uk/guidedtourtrench.html

Alan