Rehashing Hurtgen forest diorama

[rtfoe]

With little or no time for a new diorama, I have decided to rehash an old diorama which has never been entered in the Penang MALCOM competition. Some of you may have seen it before when I posted some finished dioramas in the past.
There's quite a lot to spruce up all-round including the figures and tanks. Ground work needs muddying a little or churned by the tracks. Decals are peeling and need to be redone.
The other option is to continue with the Church archway Dio which also has quite a bit to do as well...
As for the Hurtgen forest I have started on preparing more trees and debarked some hedge stems from the garden...
I'm picking the straighter ones and probably adding three to four more trees.

Cheers,
Wabble

[scottie3158]

Wabble,
I must admit I had forgotten all about the church scene. Really glad you have dug it out again.

[Jim R]

Like Scottie I don't remember the church archway Dio.

[HAWKERHUNTER]

The first picture of the finished diorama is brilliant. I am following with interest and from a modeller with limited skills I would be grateful for as much info, as you go along, on how you are building these scenes up please., Thanks.

[rtfoe]

Wabble,
I must admit I had forgotten all about the church scene. Really glad you have dug it out again.

Hi Scottie, I may have dug it out but it's just an option. I'm gonna go for the Hurtgen Dio except I was looking at the battle map and nowhere was Patton's 3rd Army in the Hurtgen. He was way to the south. Hodges 1st Army was involved with the Hurtgen campaign up North.
I have changed everything to the Ardennes campaign which basically is where the battle of the bulge was fought. If everything starts to go pear shaped the I have the Church scene to fall back on.

Cheers,
Wabble

[rtfoe]

Like Scottie I don't remember the church archway Dio.

Seems like ages ago that I worked on the church scene way before my hall bladder operation halted it, Jim.

Cheers,
Wabble

[rtfoe]

The first picture of the finished diorama is brilliant. I am following with interest and from a modeller with limited skills I would be grateful for as much info, as you go along, on how you are building these scenes up please., Thanks.

Thanks Steve, I'll be doing the usual WIP as I go along so nothing much will be missed. Feel free to ask any questions on the process and hope my explanations can be of help.

Cheers,
Wabble

[rtfoe]

The sticks are still drying so I roumaged my spare parts box and found the old figures from a flood ruined diorama I did hundreds of years ago. One looks at them and you'll see why. Lots of puttying for scarfs, bandolias and leggings to beef them up to winter gear. I'll add wool caps and scarfs to cover their ears so I won't replace the heads. Repainting is going to be fun.

Cheers,
Wabble

[Jim R]

Always good to see how you produce your stunning dios. Lots of useful tips to pick up along the way.

[Tim Marlow]

Be good to see this come together. Always love the attention to detail you manage ?. Cat has to be a tabby, by the way….

[rtfoe]

Always good to see how you produce your stunning dios. Lots of useful tips to pick up along the way.

Hi Jim, just hoping there won't be any major hiccups along the way. This is a pretty big Dio to fill.

Cheers,
Wabble

[rtfoe]

Be good to see this come together. Always love the attention to detail you manage ?. Cat has to be a tabby, by the way….

Hi Tim, that is if I were doing the church Dio but yes a tabby cat it will be.

Cheers,
Wabble

[rtfoe]

Hi, spent a few hours drilling attachment holes on the pine tree trunks, five around and spaced one cm per level. Six trunks altogether. I will be attaching the branches with CA.
Close up...the polystyrene block will hold the trees up when in WIP. Each level is drilled between the previous holes...don't know if the real tree branches grow this way as my artificial Christmas tree is set that way.

I've had enough of drilling for the day.

Cheers,
Wabble

[Jim R]

Interesting. Using an artificial Christmas tree as reference is a new one on me.

[rtfoe]

The one that the family had was so real looking when we put it up. Bought from NAAFI when my dad was still in the armed forces.

[scottie3158]

Looks good mate.

[rtfoe]

Looks good mate.

Thanks Scottie, started putting up the branches. There's a patch in the middle that I haven't covered.
Took me awhile to get into rhythm. Will have to remove the bottom set as they're facing the wrong direction.

Cheers,
Wabble

[minitnkr]

7th Armored was in Hurtgen towards the end.