Update April 14th, "Achtung! Mach schnell"

Wow! great work !

How did you make the tree?

  Dwight, Thanks for the comments. Inka, I thought about my first two grave markers, and believe it would have taken way too long to make them and then just where eould they have found the materials to make them. After surfing the net for more grave markers, I found the marker that you used was the one most used in the field, that is if the crew could find the time to even make one. Thanks for your comments. Chris & Orion, Thanks for the interest in the tree. I made it out of floral wire (very easy to bend). You have to determine how tall a tree that you want, say 10", you then cut around 16 pieces of wire 30" long. Now fold the wire in half over on themselves, you will now have 32 strands of wire 15" long. at the bottom make a loop about 3" long by placing the fold/loop in a vice and twist the loose ends to the length that you want the first branch to start. Take 4 strands and start twisting them to form the first branch, you can also add extra wire in the twisted branch/trunk to make smaller branches. Now continue up the main trunk and make another and then another until you are finished. Remember to trim each branch so that the tree will taper as you build to the top of your tree.

  Cut the bottom loop in the middle and form the root system by twisting the wires again. You can bury the roots under your base to give your tree good support like a real tree.

  To cover the wire skeleton I used tile grout, the powder type that you mix. Use an old paintbrush (maybe 1/2")to apply it to your tree. First hold the tree upside down and apply the grout to the underside, then turn it upright and apply from the top going down. aif you want you had better carve the bark into it before the grout hardens too much. Now allow it to dry.

  Now paint your tree with either oils or acrylics. Alow to dry.

  I used "Scenic Expess' " super trees by following their instuctions, then gluing them to the tree branches. I then used "Woodland Scenic's" glue to spray onto the tree branches (mask the main lower trunk)and then I sprinkled "Woodland Scenic's" fine turf onto the tree. start with less than more, you can always add more. After it dries for a few minutes turn the tree upside down and lightly shake to get the excess off. If you like you can add more, again use restraint.

  Ater this all dries you will want to paint/airbrush your tree. Darker shades for the inner shaded part of the tree and lighter differing shades for the outside of the tree.

  There you have a rather short tutitorial on how to make trees.

                                                                 Good Luck, doc

 The crew of this Recon 234/4 was forced into an engagement, and one of the men was fatally wounded. The driver made good thier egress and traveling at 40-50kph and lost thier adversaries.

 They found a quiet farm field by a creekbed where they deicded to lay thier friend to his final resting place under the shade of a tree. Ever watchful is the Sgt.Maj. scanning the horizon for enemy movement. As the driver is placing the last few stones on thier friends grave, the Sgt. glasses an enemy column to the east, and calls out "Achtung! Mach Schnell" as the gunner rams home a round into the chamber of the Pak40 with a very pissed off look on his face.As the driver turns his head towards the sound of the Sgt's. voice, just for a moment he wonders, When will this all end.

  Here are a few more pic's that I shot this evening.Huxy, here's the empty shovel clamps/rack

  As always, your comments are valued. doc

You know, when I first looked at your diorama, I didn't think it made sense - the crew looking like they are engaging a target while someone is tending to a grave.  But once I read your narrative of the event, it all made sense.  Great job!

Russ

Great effort here, doc!

All the elements look nicely finished, and the composition is great--that's the one thing lacking in so many dio's, but you've got it spot on, here.

The only small critique I would offer is to sprad a little more dirt around that gravesite--digging a hole invariably puts more dirt around your hole than you have portrayed there. I'd just sprinkle some dry, loose dirt over the area where the soldier is kneeling. Let it lie in between the blades of grass,like where he would have transfered it from the pile there to the actual grave. 

 Doog, I appreciate the comments and help. I will add some more dirt where you specified.

 Manny, I also appreciate your comments. Addressing the markings and plate numbers, I have read, and now I do not remember where that in the last months of the war a good number of tanks and especially recon vehicles wore no markings whatsoever as is portrayed in my instruction sheet for the number two painting/decal option for my 234/4 Thanks for the help, I do value your opinion.

   p.s. She did take best of show at a local show today.

                                                                   Thanks, doc

Manny, Chris & Doog, Thanks for the encouragement! Doog, updated pic's for the grave coming soon. It's been a chore to type these last two weeks with a pinched nerve in my shoulder & tendenitis in the elbow.  It has hurt like the dickens to finish the "DIO", but there is a rather large competition in Kansas City, Mo. (Lees Summit) this coming Sat. 4/18 that I have been working toward for the last 8 months. So I just tried to work through the pain. I am going with some other friends for the fun of it, with no expectations.

                                                                        Thanks, doc  

  Doog, Here's the update on the grave pic's, These were taken indoors late last night, bad lighting.

                                                      Thanks for looking, doc

doc-hm3 wrote:

there is a rather large competition in Kansas City, Mo. (Lees Summit) this coming Sat. 4/18 that I have been working toward for the last 8 months.

Really? Where at? I didn't know they had competitions or shows around here. Where do you live, by the way? I live near Kingsville. (near Pleasant Hill, about 50 Mi. SE of KC)
------Kevin

Inka Holmes wrote:

Nice work mate.I love the Life rune:)

actually the life (or birth) rune points up, as seen in the center of the "peace" symbol, when pointing down like in the diorama, that signifies death.

 Beautiful Diorama Doc! A very well deserved award!

  Stikpusher, thanks for the comments. Doog, I appreciate your keen eye for detail and willingness to help. Bodge, Thanks for looking, and your comments.

                                                                          doc

Doc, it was great to see your work up-close and in-person at the KC show!  That was a pretty good show--lots of entries, lots of people and a lot of good competition in nearly all categories.  Again, VERY NICE WORK!