Diorama "Grasshopper in the Field"

Over all I think it's a good build. I can see the pro's and con's on both sides. The one thing that comes to my attention though is this, If this vehicle is sitting around being worked on or repaired by the crew would the tracks not be more rusted than what's shown. I've read many times that if a tank is sitting around then rust gathers quickly on the tracks. Don't mind if I'm wrong just trying to learn.

-Stephen

mmc wrote:

Here we go again I don't want to risk upsetting anyone, but surely it's time to stop all these cheap digs at MM and AI, ok so the dio's are not perfect, so what. If anyone doesn't like what they see, then don't look.......simple as that. Mark

God forbid one of my dio's ever received this harsh of scrutiny!

mmc wrote:

Here we go again I don't want to risk upsetting anyone, but surely it's time to stop all these cheap digs at MM and AI, ok so the dio's are not perfect, so what. If anyone doesn't like what they see, then don't look.......simple as that. Mark

And if you don't like the cheap digs, don't look either... Simple as that...

Simply a difference of opinions...I didn't post anything over-the-top or disrespectful...they weren't digs; they were honest observations---are you his agent or something?

I mentioned that the vehicle was fine as a stand-alone, just didn't work in the dio...

Here we go again

I don't want to risk upsetting anyone, but surely it's time to stop all these cheap digs at MM and AI, ok so the dio's are not perfect, so what.

If anyone doesn't like what they see, then don't look.......simple as that.

Mark

Must have missed something there in my post about saying two guys were taking a break, must have been written in invisible ink  

I was referring to the plausability of varying uniforms and the activity. 

Good value for money that, two dioramas in one still not a bad effort I say.

major nuisance wrote:

HeavyArty wrote: Don't get all excited.  I wouldn't go that far.  Most people are just too polite and full of sunshine to tell you when they don't look great.  I agree with Manny.  The vehicle itself looks good.  The groundwork is so-so, with the lychen blobs and paint brush grass looking pretty bad.  The figures don't interact well either, esp. since two are in summer clothes and the other two have heavy leather jackets on.  The vehicle is floating on the ground as opposed to being a heavy artillery piece pressing into it. Etc., etc., etc....  A.I. is getting better, but still not that great. Some good points there Heavy Arty however with due respect to all, some in shirt sleeves and some in panzer jackets requires some thought and is quite plausible.  Yes the scene is probably contrived only in the sense in that the two in shirt sleeves are together and the same goes for the other two in jackets.  In my experience, in working on AFVs et al it was not uncommon for some crew members to be in one order of dress and another to be in something else.  If one is working up a sweat and another is lazing about personal temperature comes into play.  Example, ysterday when I took the dog for a walk I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and jersey with jeans and some people I saw gardening on my walk were wearing T shirts and shorts and here I was, I thought I was cold.  Different strokes for different folks.  Maybe the scene might've been enhanced by a jacket or two lying about and not grouping similar kinds of dressed figgies together etc.  If a fella was bare chested working on a track in 20 below and everyone else was dressed in heavy clothing, that would be another story

...now save your "it is plausible for 2 guys to be working and 2 guys to be taking a break"" for another thread...those guys are not taking a break; they are taking a  vacation...doesn't work...you could almost cut the dio in half and the two scenes would be totally different... 

HeavyArty wrote:

Don't get all excited.  I wouldn't go that far.  Most people are just too polite and full of sunshine to tell you when they don't look great.  I agree with Manny.  The vehicle itself looks good.  The groundwork is so-so, with the lychen blobs and paint brush grass looking pretty bad.  The figures don't interact well either, esp. since two are in summer clothes and the other two have heavy leather jackets on.  The vehicle is floating on the ground as opposed to being a heavy artillery piece pressing into it. Etc., etc., etc....  A.I. is getting better, but still not that great.

Some good points there Heavy Arty however with due respect to all, some in shirt sleeves and some in panzer jackets requires some thought and is quite plausible.  Yes the scene is probably contrived only in the sense in that the two in shirt sleeves are together and the same goes for the other two in jackets.  In my experience, in working on AFVs et al it was not uncommon for some crew members to be in one order of dress and another to be in something else.  If one is working up a sweat and another is lazing about personal temperature comes into play.  Example, ysterday when I took the dog for a walk I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and jersey with jeans and some people I saw gardening on my walk were wearing T shirts and shorts and here I was, I thought I was cold.  Different strokes for different folks.  Maybe the scene might've been enhanced by a jacket or two lying about and not grouping similar kinds of dressed figgies together etc.  If a fella was bare chested working on a track in 20 below and everyone else was dressed in heavy clothing, that would be another story

Really great piece of artwork.

The only thing that I feel is not right in this wonderful diorama is the shine on the dog.

Dull that puppy up and you will have a master piece!

Great job!

 Regards,

Nick

It doesn't matter that Manstien doesn't like it when a dozen people do like it. The score for this dio is 12:1

Don't get all excited.  I wouldn't go that far.  Most people are just too polite and full of sunshine to tell you when they don't look great.  I agree with Manny.  The vehicle itself looks good.  The groundwork is so-so, with the lychen blobs and paint brush grass looking pretty bad.  The figures don't interact well either, esp. since two are in summer clothes and the other two have heavy leather jackets on.  The vehicle is floating on the ground as opposed to being a heavy artillery piece pressing into it. Etc., etc., etc....  A.I. is getting better, but still not that great.

Actually, I've got to disagree with you Manny, at least about the figures.  I think their layout is pretty representative of what you would actually see:  One guy chatting to another while he repairs something or other, the VC checking out his map to figure out the route for thier next movement, and one guy stuffing his face because that is what military guys do if they are not working, sleeping, or smoking...

You can nitpick about the ground work, with some validity, maybe.  Still, overall, I'd say this is a pretty respectable dio...

I dunno...I don't like it...I'll play devil's advocate...the crew don't match...you have two sweating their nuts off trying to set the rig up in their fatigues, and the other two having a Sunday picnic, reading the Times and eating

...the groundwork is HO Railroad grade quality at best...the grass around the rocks looks like paint-brush bristles painted green and stuck in-between the rocks, with all of the blades the same height, color...just doesn't work for me...the best element in this dio is the actual vehicle...as a stand-alone model it is fine...

I like it alot!!   Best yet from AI!

One thing tough..

Glossy doog? 

That's the only faultie I could pick up! Excellent!

Boomerang wrote:

Wonder what the guy scratching his head is saying? .......'I'll be stuffed if i can work out why this side won't go down!!'.....

He's probably wondering why the other two crewmembers aren't helping...  Either that, or he tried to pick his ear wax...but missed..gross.

Model Maniac wrote:

Many thanks for your kind comments and compliments! I really appreciate them! Karl, it was A.I. who added the dog. Knowing that you love dio with a dog in it, I'll tell him to find more dogs for use in future dio's. ;-)

He is obviously an "enlightened modeler"! .....

  In all honesty, i would have to say that is probably the best yet from the MM & AI Team! Really neat fellas!

  Wonder what the guy scratching his head is saying? .......'I'll be stuffed if i can work out why this side won't go down!!'.....

   Boomer...

PaintsWithBrush wrote:

That's some very nice work. I love that map in the 8th picture. The "alert" stance of the dog gives me the impression that those Germans are in for a surprise. Perhaps someone "stalking" them? Thank you for the post and kudos to Art instructor.

russamys wrote:

Interesting diorama.  You did a great job on the vehicle and figures.  Very realistic shading.  The Grasshopper is such an odd little vehicle.  Creating a removable turret that can be converted to a towed artillery piece seems like a useless bit of overengineering.  Guess that is why the Germans didn't pursue it very far. Russ

First off, Art instructor did wonderful on this model, I would feel proud to have it in my collection.  And its also great to see a dio that isn't savaged for have a somewhat odd mix of figure poses.

Russ, the Germans weren't the only ones who experimented with dismountable SP guns.  The Poles gave it a shot with a small TD based on the C2P/TKS-B chassis; theirs was a 37mm gun tractor with it able to shoot mounted or dismounted, although it didn't really need the special lifting gear that the grasshopper needed. 

Interesting diorama.  You did a great job on the vehicle and figures.  Very realistic shading. 

The Grasshopper is such an odd little vehicle.  Creating a removable turret that can be converted to a towed artillery piece seems like a useless bit of overengineering.  Guess that is why the Germans didn't pursue it very far.

Russ 

Very nice, good to see something a bit different for a change.

Congrats to AI

Mark

I honestly think it's a beautiful little scene! Everything looks nicely done and the setting has a nice, relaxed feel. 

Gotta love a dio with a doog in it!