Suggestions for North Africa Diorama

I would personally go with a Opel or Kubelwagen or maybe a Sdfkz 250 command variant, a good plane would be an ME109 with tropical filter or a Stuka, maybe with a AA emplacement nearby.

David

the doog wrote:

Gotta have a Pz IV ausf F in there for the tank...

I might be wrong but.............

In North Africa, I don' think the Germans would have had a tank at an airfield when it could have been used at the front. But then again, its your diorama so you have artisitc liscense.

David

Thanks for the ideas... I was thinking more of flak gun with a couple of utility vehicles, some maintinance/gunner personal and a few tents (plus the standard accesories like drums boxes and such). Plus the plane. Hadn't considered the tank as stated above by ww2modeler.

As a kid I was big into the Desert Fox and had most of the kits for anything North African WWII including an Aurora/Revell? model of Rommels car with skeletons inside it (don't remember the name of it but it was kool). Also the 'Desert Rats' set. I had sand all over the floor from the all the dioramas. Man.... to have those today would be amazing!

I just Netflixed a few war docu's for research material plus both 'The Desert Fox' and 'The Desert Rats'.

Thanks again for the input.

Kevin

I personally like the aforementioned Flak gun/Me109/Opel idea. Getting a Me109 in 1/35 would be impossible huh? Guess maybe you could find some 1/48 or 1/72 flak guns?

SST

   I think you could get away with using a 1/32 scale Me109....

   Boomer...

Thanks for all the input. I realized to do this in 1:35/1:32 would be a huge base. I may leave out the plane or do it in 1:72 (though I have already got everything except for the plane in 1:35).

Thanks again,

Kevin

GlueItGood wrote:

Thanks for all the input. I realized to do this in 1:35/1:32 would be a huge base. I may leave out the plane or do it in 1:72 (though I have already got everything except for the plane in 1:35).

Now, a great long base may be exactly what's needed.  To my thinking a 12x48 orad would be just the ticket in 1/72.  First off, it would help convey the "openess" of the desert.  Secondly, it would be a better match for "real life."  After all, you don't want to put anti-aircraft artillery next to where you park planes (or repair shops, or supply dumps).  That's because AAA attracts bombs, rockets, machinegun rounds, and the like--none of which are good around planes, trucks, or supply dumps.

Now, my calculator gives me that 48" is 288 1/72 scale feet, a bit under 100 yards.  That's pretty close, militarily speaking.  But, you could have a Flak 38 at one end anda Flak 37 at the other.  Artisitic license would allow plenty of "stuff" in between (like a ground-looped aircraft, for instance).  Just remember to not have too much FOD too close to a runway.

Here's something to ponder at your workbench--a 3000' 1/72 runway is 41 "real" feet long (but, what a "model room" that would make <gleam in eye>)   Oh, an 8000' 1/144 runway is 55' or so.  (Yes, I've thought about this too much.)

Ok.. Ok... I think I will do the original idea in 1/72 as CapnMac82 is suggesting, but will wait to do it until after I have used up the 1/35 models I already have collected (2x Flak 40's by Tamiya, Africa Korps Infantry by Tamiya, Opel w/Flak by Italeri, Sdkfz 11 3 ton halftrak by AFV, Tamiya Tent set w/Slodier, 2x Flak 88 36/37 by Tamiya, Sdkfz 250/3 by Dragon and some others I know I am forgeting). As a matter of fact, I don't think I even have a 1/72 model!

So I think this will just be a Flak camp (no aircraft) for the 1/35 (maybe 24' x 24' but not with all the models I listed). Then I will start collecting 1/72 or get a bigger space. Also when I am done I will take requests for a home for the thing.

Thanks again,

Kevin

That was my first thought, but not as interesting as a ME. But I think its mute until I decide on the base size. Right now something in 1:35 with a base no bigger than 36"x24" is about all I can handle (unless someone wants to give it a home, I'll make it as big as they want.). Also I am currently working on a South Pacific B-25 diorama in 1:48 (24x24). So this was just to get an idea to use up the German hardware I have in 1:35. Though small vignettes are becoming more of a thought.

Kevin

GlueItGood wrote:

So this was just to get an idea to use up the German hardware I have in 1:35. Though small vignettes are becoming more of a thought.

Well, with that collection of items, a natural thought is a road convoy. 

Or, maybe a convoy past a motorpool/maintenence area.  Which would allow for some terrain and features of interest.

Or, you could have a traffic jam with vehicles confronted by something, like blacktop caved-in after sand shifted under it; or a collapsed palm or two.  That would let you concentrate a number of vehicles in two rows realisitically.  You could let one side of the scene be just the empty verges of the road, to help communicate that desert emptiness (ooh, simple red "minen" sign every scale 10m or so 3-4m off the road edge--there's some lonely).

GlueItGood wrote:

So this was just to get an idea to use up the German hardware I have in 1:35. Though small vignettes are becoming more of a thought.

Well, with that collection of items, a natural thought is a road convoy. 

Or, maybe a convoy past a motorpool/maintenence area.  Which would allow for some terrain and features of interest.

Or, you could have a traffic jam with vehicles confronted by something, like blacktop caved-in after sand shifted under it; or a collapsed palm or two.  That would let you concentrate a number of vehicles in two rows realisitically.  You could let one side of the scene be just the empty verges of the road, to help communicate that desert emptiness (ooh, simple red "minen" sign every scale 10m or so 3-4m off the road edge--there's some lonely).

Kevin,

You should also look into 1/72 Hasegawa kits.  I just ordered German 88mm flak, Kubelwagen with motorcycle, FAMO half track and I'm thinking about doing something similar to what you are going to do.  I built these kits before and they are not bad kits and relatively inexpensive.  Also, Hasegawa and Airfix produce 1/72 accesories and airfield structures that you can use for your diorama.

Good luck!

alfaspud wrote:

Myself and a workmate are talking about building a diorama involving a ME323 (Gigant) unloading a couple of 88mm guns on a north africa airstrip. I got the 1/72 323 from e-bay last week. I think we may have bitten off more than we can chew!

That sounds awsome. Wish I had thought of it. I am still stuck in the 1:35 as it all the models I have.

But for the next round of model buying I think I will start in the 1:72.

Kevin

GlueItGood wrote:

Ok.. Ok... I think I will do the original idea in 1/72 as CapnMac82 is suggesting, but will wait to do it until after I have used up the 1/35 models I already have collected (2x Flak 40's by Tamiya, Africa Korps Infantry by Tamiya, Opel w/Flak by Italeri, Sdkfz 11 3 ton halftrak by AFV, Tamiya Tent set w/Slodier, 2x Flak 88 36/37 by Tamiya, Sdkfz 250/3 by Dragon and some others I know I am forgeting). As a matter of fact, I don't think I even have a 1/72 model! So I think this will just be a Flak camp (no aircraft) for the 1/35 (maybe 24' x 24' but not with all the models I listed). Then I will start collecting 1/72 or get a bigger space. Also when I am done I will take requests for a home for the thing. Thanks again, Kevin

Think logistics! That is where you are likely to have a hodge podge of vehicles in close proximity. Troops transferring supplies, POL, ammo from a larger truck to smaller vehicles. Or picking it up from its initital arrival at a distribution point.

My current idea is a anti tank camp. I have a couple of Pak40, a couple of Flak 36, a SdKfz 11 and a SdKfz 7. Throw in a Opel Mauler with Pak37 for anti aircraft (am building it right now) a few tents, jerry cans and fuel drums and a machine gun nest. Though I like the idea of a Spitfire straffing... I would like to use that for a Rommel diorama of when he was shot (car on the side of the road and the Spitfire climbing away after the fact).

Once I have a few of the vehicles built my ideas will come together.

Kevin

Rommel being strafed by a Spitfire was during Normandy in 1944. In North Africa Hurricanes and Tomahawks/Kittyhawks were the primary ground attack fighters of the RAF.

Your idea of an AT camp has good vehicle possibilities. Transferring of ammo from trucks to teh guns prime mover. 

Here is a pic of the engine for the Opel Mauler I am building. Comments welcome.

Since it came with an engine I couldnt help detailing it. I will have the hood open on one side and a mechanic working on it. Thats about the only thing I have for certain.

Kevin