Normandy, Summer of 1944.

Before making these dioramas of the Normandy countryside of the summer of 1944, I had no idea what the flora or woods looked like there so I use Google Maps street view and visited Normandy around the St. Lo area to find out. Great way to see the area via the internet. Hope you enjoy them.

I love it.  Wish I could make dios that looked as good.

You can, just do what I did by searching the web for 'How to make…' diorama videos or procedures. Most of the scenery I use comes from Woodland Scenics. They also have lots of ‘How to…’ videos on their website. I purchased another parts cabinet just to keep all of my diorama materials in (grass, sand, gravel, rocks, field grass, foliage, etc.). I will be more than happy to help you in any diorama project you may want to start. For trees, look for videos on how to make them using strands of bare small gauge copper wire to form the trunk and branches. Ground scenes (armor, guns, infantry, etc.) are the easiest to start with. Figure painting is a challenge, but I’ve learned a great deal about it over the last few months (how to do faces and body/uniform shades) and I’m no artist. The use of washes is a must for weathering effects and I’ve come to use them regularly. Let me know if I can help.

I like your work,I certainly have not done much in dio's at all,but from a historical standpoint,I don't think that  there were any Early Tiger I's or King Tiger's in Normandy summer of 44.If you don't mind that,then it's all good.

You're right about King Tigers (I just threw that in), but Tiger I's were certainly there. There have been many published stoirs by American and British tankers who fought in Sherman M4's telling about how the Tiger's could destroy them in one shot and our 75mm shells would just bounce off of their 4" armor.

Yes sir,you are correct their were Tigers present,but not the early type,they would be mid+late models w/zimm.

If i'm wrong someone will correct me

Tiger I's? By the summer of 1944 I think you're right. What I liked about that model is that it's the Academy 'see through' model where you can remove the turret and see the turret interior and also remove the main deck and see the power section.

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This is a Russian T-35-85 going across a muddy field. One of my first attempts at mud.

This is a German 88mm gun with a quad 20mm anti-aircraft battery (see above diorama). I would rather have bamboo shoots under the fingernails rather than have to paint figures. They take as much time as the models and are still hell.

A Russian T34-85 in a muddy field.

Hi Chucker. Nice King Tiger. I like the camo. I do concur that figures are a bear, that's why I haven't built any in years. The T-34 is pretty cool too. I like the building too.

You can also post more then one picture in each post. 

very nice interior on that Tiger I

Thanks, but compared to the modelers on this site, I'm just an amateur.

Nice collection of work Chucker! Don't rate yourself too low...you've got some quality work there.

Very nice Chucker,,,  thanks for sharing. Some nice work!

Keep at the figures,,  they get easier with practice and they absolutely add a great deal to a scene.

Bill

Thanks Bill and the rest of you.

Nice builds Chucker and nice to see some new talent.  I believe I read an earlier comment that there were no King Tigers in Normandy, this is not true.  There were 5 KT's with Pz.Kp.(FKL) 316 / Pz Lehr Div. sent to Normandy and they held up in Chateaudun, France to defend the town, all were lost in combat.  They were Porsh KT's at that.

Once again nice work and hope to see more.

Thanks for the head's up. In all of the combat footage I've seen in Normandy over the years, I've not once seen a King Tiger which is why I didn't think they were present. Looks like I've stumbled onto a true German armor historian. Thanks.