Hello All,
I have not been a member of FSM very long, but have enjoyed scrolling through the build and the vast knowledge the site has to offer. I have been build models on and off for a while and in the last couple of years I became more involved. I started a project a short time ago and decided to share. With a collection of family photos I came across, several of my grandfather from WWII, a am making an attempt to recreate one in particular.(1st below)
I am starting the thread here after a couple of postings on another site. I will be running into A LOT of questions on diorama....certainly after what I have seen here, I will be able to hopefully pry some of the vast knowledge from within.
I will play catch-up rather quickly. Thank you for stopping by.
A soldier in War
I begin my thread today as sort of a tribute to my Grandfather. Sadly he passed away the beginning of August. Briefly, he was one of 13 brothers and sisters. There were seven brothers, Six all fought in WWII and one in Korea along with the husbands of the sisters as well. They ALL made it back. Sometimes the stories of the war would flow and other times it seems like the burden of war was to great to express in words and tears would just flow. Last month while talking with my Uncle Jimmy, a member of the 1st Army engineers that stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day, he began talking about the war. I have learned when this generation is willing to talk, you let them go. Well he talked for over an hour, with story after story. At one point he began to cry, looking over at me and then saying "I'm sorry" (for crying)....I sternly looked at him and exclaimed, " don't ever, apologize to me for crying...after what you all have seen and been through, an apology is never needed"!
Great story about the brothers published in the local paper on Veteran's Day: http://www.telegram.com/article/20091111/NEWS/911110420/1116
Two things before I get on to the build: 1 - It matters not what country they may come from, they were loved by someone and viewed as a hero by them and their country. 2 - Listen to as many stories while you can, because once they pass, the untold stories pass too.
The Build:
While looking through some old photo (of my Grandfather) I came across the 1st photo below. And with a little investigation, the plane turns out to be, to what I am told, a FW 190 (F or G). I love this picture! And after seeing some great diorama builds here, I have decided to give a Static Tribute an attempt.
I will attempt to come close to recreating the photo. I still have another box of photos to sort through. There is actually 2 angles shot of this plane that I have found so far. I walked down the aircraft isle today whilst picking up some brass rod, and it just jumped into my hands....at least that is what I will tell the wife when she asks, "ANOTHER MODEL!!!!!!".
Most of the kit will most likely end up in the debris field around the plane as well as some "creative license" used in placement. I am really looking forward to this build as it will also make a nice break here and there from the U-69. The kit is from Eduard and the scale is 1/48. One hurtle that needs to be over come, will be making the 1/48 version of my grandfather....I have some time here.
As for the kit, Eduard Fw 190F-8, is 186mm long & the wing span is 210mm. The kit has 325 parts, 2 photo etch sheets, 2 decal sheets. for the money ($29 USD) Eduard certainly makes a nice kit. I am tempted to make the kit OTB and not the mangled, dismembered wreck in the photo. ( Maybe if I sneak out later, they will have another one???). A little bit a scratch and a lot of help along the way (YOU GUYS), I think I will get through it.
Since starting the project I have decided against using the Edurard's Kit. Once I opened it and riffled through it, it is an exceptional kit. I decided to purchase a second kit (of lesser value) in the belief that most of the kit itself would be destroyed and mangled. I will be making the Eduard kit soon, just not for this project.
Found this Accurate Models Kit for around $20 and it will do nicely. Ironically Accurate Models I have heard uses Eduard models in their processes.
The Base: 3/4" plywood and polyisocynate (roofing insulation)
More to come...
Cheers!
Regards,
T
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
~John McCrae