The Ambush-Pak 37 diorama (pics)

Hi guys,

Pak 37 crew laying an ambush to ruin somebodies day.

Tamiya's pak 37. I originally had intended for this to be a simple stand alone model. I was going to display it in a setting akin to that famous picture you see of the pak in the middle of the road on a small causeway and they are shootng at a russian tank. Too bad things never work out the way you want them to. So it ended up in a diorama. I was jonesing to do one anyway I suppose.

Base is mdf and then the inside of the building was built up with another piece of mdf. The stairs are the same, just run over a table saw to make the steps, sanded to show some wear and tear.
Building is scratchbuilt from 1/4" luan, covered with spackle then textured. This was sealed and then everything else was built up and painted from there. The flooring is a sheet of balsa wood that was scored and then stained. The upperfloor is built up as planks over joists. The door is a frame and panel construction just like a real one and hinges and door handles were made.
The rubble is plaster poured into a shallow pan to a depth, equal to the width of the wall. Once dry it was textured on both sides with a spatulas and wire brush. When fully dried and cured the whole thing was hit with a hammer and viola! Rubble. Save everything, even the dust and use it. Other parts are bricks formed and then placed, bits of broken wood and wire to represent, wire and plumbing. The broken glass is sugar water cooked and then broken. Larger shards are vu-graph sheets or film positives for those in the graphics industry.

The gun is OOB and weathered with pastel chalks and paint.
Figures are stock with vary minute conversions on some. The rifle straps and slings are tape painted to look like leather.

Thanks, as always your comments are appreciated and any helpful tips quickly used.

Mike