" British 1st Airborne Holland " The real subject of this build is the four British Paratroopers, as they are moving past a Panzerkampfwagon IV ausf. J ( Tamiya kit 1/35 scale, with Eduard photo-etch, & individual styrene track links from Academy) which tends to take center-stage, with a backdrop of a ruined Gothic Church (From Verlinden) , set on 2 sheets of Verlinden Resin Coblestones, painstakenly cut and joined into 1 roadway.
The Paratroopers:
1st-all 4 of these guys are top shelf resin figures-Three from Verlinden & 1 from Platoon(the Stengun man)--he is really somthing OOTB. Verlinden #1756 Red Devils British Paras WWII was an a,amazing set-I mean the box painting is OK-but the sculpting was way better than I thought I was getting!!(If you ask me I like my painting better, but they didnt ask me,lol. I changed the arm position a little on the kneeling chap, and added alot of accessories (he came with none) The other guy just needed a new Lee,(from a DML kit) as the supplied one was kinda melted looking, also a nice sling for his rifle(I redid those slings many times to get just the right look, while I had reference close!) The Bren gunner(from Verlinden too) was the biggest mess I've run into in my short career. The casting was just a confusing mess, and in some ways Im lucky for what I got, but I took alot of time, replaced the gunbarrel, sights, handle, bipod, and filled ,and sanded the devil out of the torso fittings and somehow I got a 1st class hero out of it! All four were carefully built, patched, and near fully equiped to start before painting. Tamiya TS-3 Dark yellow was used as a primer/basecoat(its the perfect undercoat for fleshtones,and the wool trousers, and most of the equipment webbing. Using the airbrush is recommended to avoid fouling details, but, if you are really careful, the rattlecan is better as a primer for the Tamiya acrylics I like to use. That spray paint is just the tuffest thing in models. So after its cured a day or two, I begin to layer on flesh tones, and base coats. I try to get everything basecoated before I try any shading tones or effects. All this is done with the tamiya acylics, but you should note that for me, Artist acylics are very useful too(though not as flat looking)I also use Floquil Solvent-based paints as well as good old Testors Enamels. Weathering is done with pigment powders from Mig Productions & Doc O'brians. These same paint sets were used to finish the street and ruins as well.
The PanzerWreck:
Battle damage was played up a bit I think(not quite Hollywood) but I may say, a little extra graphic. That Tamiya suspension does Not have any articulation possible, you may know--I had to cut it apart and epoxy & pin everything as I thought I wanted it to sit on the ruble I hadn't built yet! It is just that sort of imagining I love doing, though, at the time I must admit it was a bit of a bugaboo.
The Church :
Is nicely cast hydrocal plaster made in the U.S.A. by Verlinden Productions #2122, Church Corner 1/35 scale (about $35) It comes in about 12 pieces(mine had broken into about 15, but no matter) I did of course take all manner of weapon to those walls,( short of my hatchet and chainsaw) to enhance the shelling damage and also free up enough stones to form most of the rubble piles--so I cut apart the bricks as I tore down pieces, mostly with my 5"Excel pull out saw(worked amazing) and detailed the damage with scriber & files. The Iron-bound wooden door was entirely scratchbuilt from strip styrene over foamcore, and fitted with a brasswire handle. Broken window glass was made from some frosted vinyl sheet, cut and cracks drawn on with a good 'ole #11 blade.
The German Commander:
Did not fair too well, and this is clear once one focuses on the coppala. I wanted the burned German to be clear, and partialy out of the turret, yet subtle enough that it wasn't the first thing seen when viewing the Dio. I am most proud of this(figure)as it is entirely scratchbuilt from different gauge brass wire soldered together(my 1st go at this)and covered in resin, paint & pigments, to a good effect I believe.
A coule of (X-tra) figures from masterbox(scaled too small) didn't make the cut :
Well, there it is.. in far too much detail I imagine.....Kelly Shaw tells me this should be seen in FSM but hasn't been given a slot yet as of now. In any case, I'm happy with my 4th ever Diorama, hope you dig it.