Firstly, few words about the plot of this small diorama involving more than 130 figs (none of the poses is repeated) and where I tried gathering more scenes in the same place (some of them inspired by reference images). The description is quite long, but maybe if you enjoy the images, then you will return and spend few minutes on this explanation.
Finishing it took me a lot of time, not only the content, that it was done during the last years, but also the photo sessions…I also tried to reduce the number of photos incorporating in the same photo more linked images.
The action takes place somewhere near an Eastern Front forest in a 1944 late autumn warm day. The area, including of course and the house, was previously taken by Germans (bullets in walls, broken windows attesting the fights) but quite soon Red Army is going to strike back.
The area was secured by Wehrmacht but they start preparing to retreat, being changed with Waffen SS who are going to cover the retreat of their comrades. In the area also passes another Wehrmacht column meeting with another with horses. The latter waits the pedestrian column to pass in order to get in line.
For the moment enemy is quite far, over the forest. Waffen SS troops try to increase the camouflage of the movements done by Germans, firing Nebel (smoke) projectiles with the mortars.
A Waffen SS patrol is returning from the mission of searching the area, entering in the yard through the back gate.
A Wehrmacht mortar group is lined-up by an officer who gives them some instructions before starting to retreat. There are also few Wehrmacht soldiers gathered in various places while other individual Wehrmacht and Waffen SS are set in different locations on the diorama.
Except the group firing mortars and the one coming from patrol, there are also two groups of Waffen SS soldiers, one representing a radio team and other depicting soldiers spotting the area. Both these last two groups and those of Wehrmacht (the one in Zeltbahns near the fence, the group where one soldier holds a shovel on the arm as well as the two figs in front of this group, the two riders, the cart and its driver) are all trying to copy reference images. In addition, other individual soldiers on the diorama are inspired by images shot in the period.
Some may wonder about the head of the horse pulling the cart, but this one is a mix of breeds, a not so well-treated horse (quite skinny) and more important, is a so-called “painted horse” having in this case only and only the head in another colour. The situation is quite often encountered in East Europe and for example, a similar pattern may be found on some Appaloosas or other painted horses-Tovero pattern. Through this I wanted to depict a not so often encountered horse, but also matching the reference image from where is inspired together with its cart and driver.
Nevertheless, the central point of diorama is the marching column, grouping 60 solders and some of them are also converted to match with real soldiers appearing in photos shot in that time. I hope you will like how they hold weapons and gear, I tried depicting as many styles I could.
At the end, after Wehrmacht retreats, Waffen SS units will remain a little more and then they will do the same. It is just a small scene that often took place on the Eastern Front…
There are a huge number of modifications inside this scene where I used products from Pegasus Hobbies, Preiser, Warriors, Revell, Hasegawa. The large majority of figures are Preiser and for acquiring a better picture what means an 1/72 figure, I also posted an image showing the process of putting together such a figure. Almost all figs on the diorama had to pass through a similar process.
Almost all figures are multi-part and plenty of them were converted and not assembled after guidelines. Many figs are based on real soldiers appearing in reference images and were heavily converted for matching those soldiers. In addition, scratch-built items like weapon straps, sticks for carrying ammo or cables were scratch-built. Except the horse in front of the column, the rest were also converted in the same purpose, for matching the real ones from photos of the period. The roof of house is scratch-built for depicting reed and I added glass at windows and bullet holes in the walls and some windows. The cart is completely scratch-built. Likewise, fences, WC, barbecue, trees and other things are scratch-built. The fallen tree trunks are Hasegawa. Plenty of scratch-building was done for both radios in order to look close to a Torn. Fug. d2. One of them is Preiser (the radio) and the other Pegasus Hobbies-used here as battery). For the ground work I add products of various manufacturers, Noch, Faller and a Polish small manufacturer (these were the best, but I cannot remember its name).
I hope you will enjoy this small scene and comments are highly welcome….
Cristian Florescu
CONVERTED POSES AND GROUPS AFTER REFERENCE IMAGES
RADIO TEAM
WAFFEN SS PATROL
WAFFEN SS MORTAR GROUP IN ACTION (LAUNCHING SMOKE PROJECTILES)
WH MORTAR GROUP LINED UP
WH COLUMN MARCHING
PUTTING TOGETHER SOME FIGS
A REFERENCE IMAGE AND ITS 1/72 REPLICA
FEW BLACK AND WHITE IMGS
