William E. Erdmann, University Park, Illinois
William built a 1/48 scale diorama for LTD Models’ Lavochkin LaGG-3 and peopled it with figures from an ICM World War II Soviet ground crew set. The groundwork is based on Styrofoam and covered in Celluclay and Woodland Scenics static grass; the revetment walls are peeled twigs. “The LaGG-3 was disliked by Soviet pilots because it was heavy and underpowered,” writes William. “In a Russian play on its initials, pilots called (the wood-laminate aircraft) ‘Varnished Guaranteed Coffin.’”