Diorama "Soviet Anti-Tank Team"

MM,

Ground work and the tank look good.  However, you have two anti-tank gunners in prone position right below the muzzle of the Tank's main gun.  In real life, soldiers will not be near the muzzle of big bore guns like that because the blast itself can kill people.  Also, you have another team of anti tank gun crews running for the position and another team already in position to fire, but the tank commander looks like he is reading something.  It seems to me it is bit go odd that you have 2 other set of crews showing sense of urgency and yet another just not showing any urgency what so ever.

 

Why would you bother training a 14.5 mm rifle on a target when you have a 100 or 122 mm gun emplaced?

ajlafleche wrote:

Why would you bother training a 14.5 mm rifle on a target when you have a 100 or 122 mm gun emplaced?

My exact thoughts when I saw it too.  Also, the road wheels could use some weathering.  At least a little dust so they match the dirty tracks.  Looks like he is back to his dirty tracks; clean running gear style again.  Looks like he painted them black for rubber too.  There is no rubber on the road wheels, they are all steel.

I like the tree.

I see a common issue with a lot of your dios (IMO): you tend to group things together that don't make a whole lot of sense...you have one of the most potent Russian tanks in the field...backing up two anti-tank rifle teams, which were primarily used in the defensive mode, and by the time the JS II was fielded, very rare, as the Russians were on the offensive and the rifles were all but useless against German armor...

...the two rifle teams IMO would have made a nice vignette of their own, and the tank maybe should have been a separate dio...

I see a common issue with a lot of your dios (IMO): you tend to group things together that don't make a whole lot of sense...

I couldn't agree more.  Just wanted to point out that we are wasting our time on this as usual.   Model Maniac has nothing more to do with building them than buying the kits and supplying them to his "professional builders."  He is simply a collector and he won't tell them they are not the greatest and that they need to improve upon them either.  He thinks they are all perfect and we are just too picky.  They are the standard, mediocre dios and models we have come to expect from his posts.  Yet, we still comment on them.

I would agree with most of the above comments and would include that the tank commander reading a map while this potential action is underway is a bit off. The other figures indicate almost immediate action and the commander has the map opened up!?

Mike T. 

The JS-2 looks decent, but I think the uniforms could use more highliting/shading.  Any idea what AI used for the tree? The tree looks great.

Very true....but everyone must admit that it's always very amusing. I get a kick off reading these model maniac threads.

 jay 

sofasurfer wrote:

Very true....but everyone must admit that it's always very amusing. I get a kick off reading these model maniac threads.  jay

I agree... I'd rather build my own models than listen to people (helpfully) criticize mine. Build to please yourself...

 

Thanks for all your comments, guys! I see nothing wrong with this diorama setting, everything is possible.
Being a philosopher, I have a problem for every solution. I also have a solution for every problem you may have.

In this dio, the first AT team just took a position while another team is looking for another position. There's no immediate action, they just watch out for the enemy that may come from the west side. The tank commander made a brief stop to look at the map before going down south.

Ian, I know what AI used for the tree. Its trunk is the roots of a plant named "Saab Sua" (tiger stink) which rural people use as brooms. He just put them up-side-down, so trunk became root and roots became branches, then he attached artificial leaves (I bought from a hobby shop for him) to the tree. It looks as natural as can be because it's a natural thing.

In this dio, the first AT team just took a position while another team is looking for another position. There's no immediate action, they just watch out for the enemy that may come from the west side. The tank commander made a brief stop to look at the map before going down south.

You have to love when someone who has no clue at all about how a military operates comes up with pure B.S. like above.  You just don't get it.  We are telling you this is not the way that AT teams operate.  Some of us actually do have a clue about these type of things. 

Thanks for all your comments, guys! I see nothing wrong with this diorama setting, everything is possible.

Which means, "The dio is great and couldn't be wrong.  My Professional Builders built it."  Your same attitude as always.   If you are clueless, it is better to just not answer.  It just makes you look foolish.

Model Maniac wrote:

Thanks for all your comments, guys! I see nothing wrong with this diorama setting, everything is possible. Being a philosopher, I have a problem for every solution. I also have a solution for every problem you may have. In this dio, the first AT team just took a position while another team is looking for another position. There's no immediate action, they just watch out for the enemy that may come from the west side. The tank commander made a brief stop to look at the map before going down south. Model Maniac, I don't mean to be disrespectable, but I beg the differ.  Many people in this forum are trained in combined arms tactics and I personally spent enough time in the field as an infantryman and working with armor units and anti-tank units, you'll never see an anti tank team or the armor vehicle taking position in the same spot.  I led an infantry plt and I had attachment of weapons squad (anti-tank) and armor vehicles, which I was responsible for their placements and movements.  I'd never place my anti-tank team right under the muzzle of a MBT's gun.  At the same time, I'd not allow a tank to idle on a spot where my concealed anti-tank gun crews are because that tank is way big of a target (if that tank gets hit, then you'll also lose your AT Gun too). If there is no immediate action, then there is no reason for your figures to look like they are shooting at something and others are running as if their lives depend on it (unless they drank contaminated water and they are having severe diarrhea attack).  Again, I wouldn't exhaust my soldiers unless there is an immediate threat to my environment.  Like you said, everything is possible, but the scenario that you just described for this diorama is hardly ever likely to happen (tactically speaking).   If the tank is heading to the south, then most likely the gun would be pointing towards to the direction that it is traveling.  Otherwise, it is suggesting that there is a threat/potential threat from that direction or the tank has made the stop for longer than just a brief moment.  I hope you don't take this comment in a wrong way, but you posted your work and your comments and this is simply a response from me.  I'm not trying to project myself as being an expert or being perfect.  Most of the work of AI/TUK are excellent, but with small changes, those work can be even better.  But then again, if you are happy with what you have, so be it.  Ian, I know what AI used for the tree. Its trunk is the roots of a plant named "Saab Sua" (tiger stink) which rural people use as brooms. He just put them up-side-down, so trunk became root and roots became branches, then he attached artificial leaves (I bought from a hobby shop for him) to the tree. It looks as natural as can be because it's a natural thing. Tree looks excellent!  Thanks for the information on how AI made the tree.  This is something I never tried and looking forward to do it for myself in near future.

I enjoy MM's dioramas and the comments they provoke as a learning exercise for myself.  I look at the pics and figure that I think could be improved,then check what the guys I respect have to say. 

Like MM I don't have any personal military experience, so the kind of tactical criticism his sponsored work provokes is very helpful to me, too. 

The whole idea of this forum is to learn and share, and I do, even from Model Maniac and the the heat he seems to generate!  I'm glad he hasn't been scared off by the sometimes harsh criticism he receives. 

 

At risk for another faceplant, but here goes:

The obvious difference in firepower between the rifle and the tank gun is distracting. Distraction is a bad thing in a diorama.

IMO the base is way too small for the subject. As has been noted, units in combat are usually pretty far away from each other, by increments of 100's of yards, which is not conducive to models, but a ratio of 10 to 1 is generally acceptable.

The rifle team by themselves is a good subject. Nice figures, lots of movement.

The JS-2 by itself is a good subject if a little more is added to it; see the Doog.

But together, like a recent dio of a 251, there's too much going on. A better subject might have been the tank has paused;the rifle platoon is pointing over the way to where the bad guys are... but all of the figures are engaged.

Dios don't have to "tell a story", but they have to be coherent.

Bill (Museum graphic designer).

 

    migarand wrote:
Tree looks excellent!  Thanks for the information on how AI made the tree.  This is something I never tried and looking forward to do it for myself in near future.

    Brumbles wrote:    
The whole idea of this forum is to learn and share, and I do, even from Model Maniac and the the heat he seems to generate!  I'm glad he hasn't been scared off by the sometimes harsh criticism he receives.

Thanks for your comments, m1garand and Brumbles!

Brumbles, there are many reasons I keep posting here despite repetitive hostile comments made by some people. Firstly because those people are few, they're minority group. Secondly I wrote earlier that Art Instructor (AI)'s works have far more admirers than nay-sayers, and that my mission will continue uninterrupted. People asked me not to be discouraged by those outrageous comments. I am unshaken and stay put.

When was the last time (or any time at all) that you read positive comments for me or AI made by Dirty Arty? Probably never! His typical comments are very predictable. He don't bother to begin with "Not bad, but....", but will just find faults and point the flaws right away... this is not correct, that is not accurate, so on and so forth. One of these days I'll just ask him to see the latest Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.C Rivetted Version:



and ask him whether it has the correct number of rivettes!

Dirty Arty has a bad habit to keep on yelling and telling people that I'm not the builder of the models that I posted, which is a fact most people already knew. For I have never claimed any of AI's works to be my own. On the contrary, I put the name of the builder in EACH and EVERY thread that I posted. Credits are always given where they are due, so what's wrong with that?

AI, in his capacity as a full time modeler - one of the most prolific modelers in the world - has full right to show his labor of love to the world. But since he's not capable of English communication and has to work full time for a living, he just can't post them himself. I've been posting for him, propagating his work and name as if I am his nominee. I relay comments and feedbacks to him. What's wrong with that?

If you had a dream, say, to own a military model museum and to live in it: http://www.falconbbs.com/model38j.htm

there's no other way you can make it come true. You'll have to do what I have done, i.e. find helpers and builders. If you build all models by yourself, how many do you think you can build in your lifetime? 200-300 or 500 kits? That's nowhere near my 2,000+ built kits. But I'm not alone.
On 21 October,there was a modelers meeting (5th time) held by MSOT (Modelers' Society of Thailand) at RTAF Museum, Don Muang, Bangkok. Hundreds of modelers joined the event, many came from the provinces. There was no contest, no competition, just showoffs of built models. One of the "Big Three Collectors" named SSY brought his collection of M4 Sherman - 45 tanks total in all possible variants. Another big collector named Narupol brought his arsenal of Russian warcrafts - several dozens of warplanes, submarines and tanks. I myself brought just 5 German armors - Panzerjagerwagen, Bruckenleger IVb, Sturmtiger (AFV CLUB's), Flakpanzer IA (Tri Star's) and Marder III (Dragon's). Others brought their own builds, so much that table space on which to place them almost ran out. Nobody asked the three of us why we don't build them ourselves. They know it's the best interest of everybody that we all have capable builders to build them for us. People gave dozens of kits to be "Lucky Draw" prizes for those who brought in the models for show, and I was lucky enough to win a free AV-8B 1:48 (Revell's). Four people approached and asked to buy it from me, I know all of them and sold to the first one who approached at friendship price. In the event there were also some 10 booths selling models and accessories with up to 40% discount and I bought 11 new kits. The atmosphere was fun and friendly, it's something that I hope to see on this site and in all model fairs worldwide. There's no need for contest or competition. They bring only dispute, jeolousy and enmity. MSOT has done a good job in bringing together like-minded persons. The 5 armors that I brought for show with my name as submitter and AI name as builder stood out among the rest. They were well received and well photographed. A modeler whom I met there asked to visit my museum and I said OK, another applied a day later via a local webboard and I said OK too. My house has become modelers' destination. Apart from numerous Thai modelers, I have had visitors from Singapore, Malaysia and Russia. My extensive collection is not only bewildering but also aspiring. My interest covers all - warplanes, waships, armors, figures and dio's - anything military. It's also a boon to modelers worldwide, they have the chance to see what the finished kits look like before acquiring one. Most of the time, I'm the first to show pictures of newly-released kit. The last one was the German Bruckenleger IVb which was well received:
/forums/841478/ShowPost.aspx

Responses like that are something refreshing and encouraging! It's like a different world from this Diorama Forum! No matter what, AI's works speak for themselves.

I've contributed so much to the modeling world - kit producers, local hobby shops, on-line stores, full time and part time modelers. I help fellow modelers to find kits they want by ordering them from Eastern European producers. I support this site through my constant and frequent posts and my magazine membership. Everybody seems to benefit from my model mania. I just can't understand why someone would have something against me or AI. As for the quality of AI's works, I am the one who have the final say and I say OK. Nobody else can build this good, this fast and at this price. AI has only to please me.

I welcome all comments, suggestions and criticism, privided that they are given in a friendly, creative and civilized fashion. I thank all who gave us positive comments and feedbacks. As for abrasive, outrageous and insulting comments, shame on them! I'll just ignore them!

Thanks for your thoughts MM, but I think you can't sort out which comments you do or don't like, other than if you feel personally offended.

I've looked at two of AI's dioramas so far, and in my opinion they just are not good. I'm not going to trot out my credentials as a designer, so please don't respond in kind on behalf of AI. I'm just trying to be objective.

The biggest and most obvious problem is design sensibilty. The next is authenticity. Working from photos has never failed me, but the two dios I'm thinking of defy my ability to see the scene in real life.

I also think the craftsmanship is medium. Certainly better than mine, but I haven't built 2000 kits either. Thats a nice 251, by my book. The simpler the better.

If it were your work, like if it were mine, and the posts were one's own best efforts, my reaction would be more favorable.

Bondoman

MM, you don't get a lot of support here because, as Doog has pointed out, you don't give others support. You pop in with AI's latest pedestrian build, often with glaring modeling errors, not rivet counting, such as the kit with the inverted .50, silvered and crooked decals, fogged windscreens. AI isn't learning from the advice. Maybe you have him on such a short time line, he doesn't have time to learn, just churn out the builds.

You went to a modeling expo and had a good time. Great. But what's that got to do with the discussion at hand? You sold a kit you won in a raffle. So? Are we supposed to be impressed? Might have been if you said you'd gioven it to a kid to help him get started in the hobby.

You want to impress with the 251...from the one picture I see the following basic issues:

The MG 34 should be a gun metal color with black butt stock and the muzzle should be drilled out

The rear MG has a dimple on the butt stock where it was cut from the sprue and the end of the butt stock appears not to be painted

There is silvering on the data decal

The paint is chipped and worn but the seat looks pristine and the tools look like they just came out of the hardware store

The tracks appear to be painted stark black

Seams are inconsistently joined, getting narrower and wider

It's a 6 foot model...looks good from 6 feet away but when you get up close, it's pretty weak. Using AMPS judging criteria, it might get 5 out of 10 points on  a good day.

Very classy, now you have stooped to name calling.  Just shows how mature you really are.  You never cease to amaze me.  Also, if you count the number of negative responses you have received over the last couple postings, you will see your theory that you get more positive than negative comments is not correct.  As usual, you ignore the truth and only see what you want to see.  Couldn't agree more with AJ's response above as well.

i could give an opinion of it, but everyone talks about an IS-2 and AT teams, while i see pics of ships and subs...

Model Maniac wrote:

migarand wrote: Tree looks excellent!  Thanks for the information on how AI made the tree.  This is something I never tried and looking forward to do it for myself in near future.     Brumbles wrote:     The whole idea of this forum is to learn and share, and I do, even from Model Maniac and the the heat he seems to generate!  I'm glad he hasn't been scared off by the sometimes harsh criticism he receives. Thanks for your comments, m1garand and Brumbles! Brumbles, there are many reasons I keep posting here despite repetitive hostile comments made by some people. Firstly because those people are few, they're minority group. Secondly I wrote earlier that Art Instructor (AI)'s works have far more admirers than nay-sayers, and that my mission will continue uninterrupted. People asked me not to be discouraged by those outrageous comments. I am unshaken and stay put. When was the last time (or any time at all) that you read positive comments for me or AI made by Dirty Arty? Probably never! His typical comments are very predictable. He don't bother to begin with "Not bad, but....", but will just find faults and point the flaws right away... this is not correct, that is not accurate, so on and so forth. One of these days I'll just ask him to see the latest Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.C Rivetted Version: and ask him whether it has the correct number of rivettes! Dirty Arty has a bad habit to keep on yelling and telling people that I'm not the builder of the models that I posted, which is a fact most people already knew. For I have never claimed any of AI's works to be my own. On the contrary, I put the name of the builder in EACH and EVERY thread that I posted. Credits are always given where they are due, so what's wrong with that? AI, in his capacity as a full time modeler - one of the most prolific modelers in the world - has full right to show his labor of love to the world. But since he's not capable of English communication and has to work full time for a living, he just can't post them himself. I've been posting for him, propagating his work and name as if I am his nominee. I relay comments and feedbacks to him. What's wrong with that? If you had a dream, say, to own a military model museum and to live in it: http://www.falconbbs.com/model38j.htm there's no other way you can make it come true. You'll have to do what I have done, i.e. find helpers and builders. If you build all models by yourself, how many do you think you can build in your lifetime? 200-300 or 500 kits? That's nowhere near my 2,000+ built kits. But I'm not alone. On 21 October,there was a modelers meeting (5th time) held by MSOT (Modelers' Society of Thailand) at RTAF Museum, Don Muang, Bangkok. Hundreds of modelers joined the event, many came from the provinces. There was no contest, no competition, just showoffs of built models. One of the "Big Three Collectors" named SSY brought his collection of M4 Sherman - 45 tanks total in all possible variants. Another big collector named Narupol brought his arsenal of Russian warcrafts - several dozens of warplanes, submarines and tanks. I myself brought just 5 German armors - Panzerjagerwagen, Bruckenleger IVb, Sturmtiger (AFV CLUB's), Flakpanzer IA (Tri Star's) and Marder III (Dragon's). Others brought their own builds, so much that table space on which to place them almost ran out. Nobody asked the three of us why we don't build them ourselves. They know it's the best interest of everybody that we all have capable builders to build them for us. People gave dozens of kits to be "Lucky Draw" prizes for those who brought in the models for show, and I was lucky enough to win a free AV-8B 1:48 (Revell's). Four people approached and asked to buy it from me, I know all of them and sold to the first one who approached at friendship price. In the event there were also some 10 booths selling models and accessories with up to 40% discount and I bought 11 new kits. The atmosphere was fun and friendly, it's something that I hope to see on this site and in all model fairs worldwide. There's no need for contest or competition. They bring only dispute, jeolousy and enmity. MSOT has done a good job in bringing together like-minded persons. The 5 armors that I brought for show with my name as submitter and AI name as builder stood out among the rest. They were well received and well photographed. A modeler whom I met there asked to visit my museum and I said OK, another applied a day later via a local webboard and I said OK too. My house has become modelers' destination. Apart from numerous Thai modelers, I have had visitors from Singapore, Malaysia and Russia. My extensive collection is not only bewildering but also aspiring. My interest covers all - warplanes, waships, armors, figures and dio's - anything military. It's also a boon to modelers worldwide, they have the chance to see what the finished kits look like before acquiring one. Most of the time, I'm the first to show pictures of newly-released kit. The last one was the German Bruckenleger IVb which was well received: /forums/841478/ShowPost.aspx Responses like that are something refreshing and encouraging! It's like a different world from this Diorama Forum! No matter what, AI's works speak for themselves. I've contributed so much to the modeling world - kit producers, local hobby shops, on-line stores, full time and part time modelers. I help fellow modelers to find kits they want by ordering them from Eastern European producers. I support this site through my constant and frequent posts and my magazine membership. Everybody seems to benefit from my model mania. I just can't understand why someone would have something against me or AI. As for the quality of AI's works, I am the one who have the final say and I say OK. Nobody else can build this good, this fast and at this price. AI has only to please me. I welcome all comments, suggestions and criticism, privided that they are given in a friendly, creative and civilized fashion. I thank all who gave us positive comments and feedbacks. As for abrasive, outrageous and insulting comments, shame on them! I'll just ignore them!

WTF

Can't we all just be friends ?  Lets all join hands & sing Kumbeah... 

Regards,  Rick 

Kumbeah? If you pronounce that Koooom-bye-ahhhh, I know what song your talking about. If you don't say it like that, I have no clue. Ditto what someone else said, the very first post shows pictures of ships and subs but we're talking tanks and figures?!

Sorry Ben... I know the song but don't have a clue how to spell it .  You're right though, the Post now features ships which makes the discussion even more wierd than it already was.

Regards,  Rick

 

Chuckle...I was wondering what the deal was with the boats.

I guess Navy ships can be used as a rather effective Anti-Tank team, as long as the rounds are on target...

rjkplasticmod wrote:

Sorry Ben... I know the song but don't have a clue how to spell it .  Regards,  Rick

Me neither, I just know the song I remember seeing this post for the first time, and there actually was a JS-2 and some figures. I don't get the Model Maniac guy. Who is Art Instructor? The way I understand it is "Art instructor" builds these models and this guy presents them?

rjkplasticmod wrote:

Sorry Ben... I know the song but don't have a clue how to spell it .  You're right though, the Post now features ships which makes the discussion even more wierd than it already was. Regards,  Rick

K-U-M-B-A-Y-A my friend, Kumbaya!