Ww1 dio help

[Guest]

Hi all as it was my birthday today my son bought me these.





He's head of history and casually dropped into the conversation that he was hoping they would be used in a commissioned dio for his school. The dimensions would be 4'×3' approx so will need more models, thing is he knows as much about modelling as I do about armour so I need a lot of help I have a 1/72 tiger moth could I use that in the same period, I'm pretty sure (without checking the stash not sure I have a glouster gladiator biplane in the stash also) not been an armour man the only tanks I have are a cheifton that's 1/35 and I'm pretty sure ww2 although I could use my forced perspective I used in the warspite gets a few scars dio) what other tanks and assorted vehicles would be used in a dio of this size, I have no idea at all, I will need to research the trenches and stuff, also can you tell from the markings on the tank where it was used, I think my son is thinking German trenches is the tank the tight markings for that and is the plane right also (blimey I can see this getting complicated)

[rickoshea52]

Tiger Moths and Gladiators would not be suitable for a WWI diorama. I would also question the figures and the tank being used together see as by the time tanks appeared on the battlefield so had tin helmets.

[Guest]

The planes are OK though ? What about if I take the tank out, or replace the soldiers with later ones (let's face it I'm going to need a lot more models anyway.

[Guest]

The planes are unlikely to have faced each other in combat - EIII earlier than Sopwith Tri as I recall - everything moved so quickly in WW1 aviation. Both sets of figures represent helmets/hats from very early in the war (indeed, may not have been used in combat at all). I seem to remember when the figures first came out, in the 70s, Airfix Magazine recommended replacing the headgear on both sets with the equivalent from a WW2 set - close enough in this scale. I believe tanks were only used on the Western front, so the tank attacking German trenches could work well. Markings were pretty rudimentary, so spares could probably be used to match a contemporary photo, or just cover it in mud - there was enough of it around.


Looking forward to seeing you work your magic on this, Ken!

[Guest]

Hi wow I had to lie down after reading that! You can't have a diorama that size and at 1/72 scale without having at least one or two 'battle buses' on the British side! These were B type buses taken from the streets of London at the start of WW1 and sent to France where they had their windows removed and boarded up and were painted green and used as troop carriers. Lledo make them at 1/76 scale I think which is near enough. You can get them cheap on ebay . They're not kits but diecast models like Matchbox etc. All you would need to do is cover the windows and paint them green. Soldiers also plastered them in graffiti so a tiny brush and some white paint would add a bit of humanity to your display!  I hope you go ahead with the school project and post the progress here.     

[Guest]

Meant to add Keilkraft do this bus in plastic kit form in 1/72 scale. The safety guards under the chassis between the front and rear wheels would have been removed for war use.

[Gern]

Hi Ken.


Emhar do a range of 1/72 armour, artillery and figures for WW1. There's also a company called Strelets which does (or did - not sure if they're still going) some large caliber guns.


Try this site for figures and reviews:

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/PeriodList.aspx?period=11

[Guest]

Dave the tank and the figures will be fine together so will the German Fokker try a trench scene with British infantry following tanks across the battlefield at Cambrai. German troops in their trenches surprised by the speed of the advance.For an example check out my diorama 'Tide of iron'.

[Guest]

The Mk.I male, the British Infantry (I believe) and the Sopwith Tripe are good for the end of 1916. The Pickelhalb (spiked helmet) had been abandoned by Germany for combat roles by the start of 1916, so the helmets would need replacement, possibly other uniform details I don't know of. The Fokker E.III was out of service by mid 1916, so something like an Albatros D.I or D.II would be more suitable.

[james pithouse]

ken what happened to the Airfix D-Day Battlefront Model Kit i brought you last year for you to build that would of helped as well

[Guest]

2nd ww Jim not first.

[Guest]

I have just started a similar project. 1st July Gommecourt 1916. Going to use HAT Canadian infantry as British then various german kits. But going to throw in a lot of maxim machine guns. I intend to highlight the large loss in life. At Gommecourt they had to cross 800 yds. That's 10 meters on a 1/72 scale model.