Diorama Construction - Opel Blitz/flak38

[lufttiger]

No Prob RB, i gotcha, i'm working on a new one now that i feel the same way about. I hope to post some pics tomarrow.

[razorboy]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

No Prob RB, i gotcha, i'm working on a new one now that i feel the same way about. I hope to post some pics tomarrow.

I know how it is, when it's on, it's on. Wanna get it done and see what she looks like! Couldn't tell you how many dioramas I've thrown together in a matter of a few hours just so I could - see them done. Trying hard not to do that on this one.

Here's where I'm at :
Got my wall done -

Got my basic layout with stone wall completed and in place but not yet affixed to the base. Crew is where I'm pretty sure I'll keep them, Blitz position subject to change (I think I put about 7 miles on her today just moving her around on the base, trying to find that "sweet spot") -


Still needs something with a little height to balance it properly. Perhaps a telephone pole with the wires down..... ?
razorboy

[Geek44]

Looks excellent Dave. The wall is amazing mate. Do you ever end up substituting something 'high' to balance it out with something 'heavy' to do the same thing? A kettenrad would be a good (if not neccessarily appropriate) example.

[razorboy]

Originally Posted by Geek44

Looks excellent Dave. The wall is amazing mate. Do you ever end up substituting something 'high' to balance it out with something 'heavy' to do the same thing? A kettenrad would be a good (if not neccessarily appropriate) example.

Hmmmm, something heavy. Hadn't considered that but I do see where that would work too. Perhaps a boulder.....
Thanks Geek

[lufttiger]

The wall looks great, just like it should for the desert.

[Geek44]

Originally Posted by razorboy

Hmmmm, something heavy. Hadn't considered that but I do see where that would work too. Perhaps a boulder.....
Thanks Geek

Yeah mate...just puttin' the idea 'out there' so to speak.
The same kind of thing applies to composition in art (like modelling isn't art). It's also something I find fascinating. I haven't built a diorama for literally decades now. I know that the ones I enjoy seeing the most are often ones that are different or original. Even a great model in a 'same same' diorama doesn't thrill me as much as a less finished model in an original dio. I also like the 'less is more' approach at times too. Thinking about it now, I wonder if there's a kind of constraint of possibility because of the available figures. I think figures are generally ordinary as far as poses go. Not many transcend their 'store mannequin-ism' unless they're altered by the modeller. But that's another can of worms.

[razorboy]

I hear you Geek, I've almost always modified my figures in the past just so they wouldn't look like everyone else's. Don't think I'll do that with these though as I haven't seen any of these built before. With the old Tamiya figures a fella had to modify them just to keep them from looking like the other 14,356 finished sets of 'em out there.

Thanks,
Dave

[Geek44]

That's exactly the 14,356 sets I'm talking about too. Man...I haven't painted or constructed a figure for years and my early efforts...so naive. Since then, I've read and seen so much good stuff. I have a specific diorama in mind too...pics in a mag I have. The guy has depicted a crew bailing out of an Elefant at Kursk. His crew all have their tunics unbuttoned and there are two guys kinda 'mid air' but anchored to the vehicle, looking like they're jumping off. Their tunics are flying out the back and it really gives the impression of movement and dynamism. There's also a dropped anti-tank rifle. A largely superfluous weapon by then...and I like that. I love the lameness...weird I know. I have a couple of sets of figures...one is Verlinden 'Cold Germans' which look like the mannequins that MADE the mannequins. One guy is looking stupidly at his bandaged hand and the other guy is carrying a box of mines for some reason. The other set is a pair of 'German Tank Crew' by Alpine. They're a US brand and the figures are exquisite...resin and waaay beyond my current abilities.

[Tom Houlihan]

Originally Posted by Geek44

...and there are two guys kinda 'mid air' but anchored to the vehicle, looking like they're jumping off. Their tunics are flying out the back and it really gives the impression of movement and dynamism.

I did a WWIII dio a few years ago, around a Bradley. I had one guy jumping off the back of it. I drilled a hole through his palm up into his forearm, and put a piece of heavy wire in it. I then drilled a hole in the vehicle. When all was ready, I superglued the wire sticking out of his palm into the vehicle. The wire was completely hidden.

There were elements of that dio that I liked, but that guy made it. To me anyway, that one element was just outstanding!!

[razorboy]

I agree, movement in a diorama is very cool, I don't do it even though I should, I always feel like there should be dust flying or something if there is movement...Shep Payne handled that by "Palm Glueing" figures to that 251 as they jumped over the side and blowing cigarette smoke onto the scene prior to snapping the pic.....looked reasonable, but I ain't Shep Payne, don't know that I could pull it off. Might try anyway....... someday.

I'd like to see that Elefant dio. Nick, you should go for it.

rb