Liberation, Italy 1944

[Mickc1440]

This really is an amazing piece Tim, its been a pleasure to follow its development.

[Steve Jones]

You were also in Tankette with your well deserved competition win. Looking forward to seeing you and the dio in Telford in November

[stillp]

Thanks Pete. Hope to see you there.

I'm looking forward to my first time in the competition - having seen my sons enter over previous years.

I missed my mention in the Airfix mag - must look out for it. Was it the September or October issue?

I won't be there Tim, I don't like Telford!
It was the October edition - I was given a free copy when I went to the IPMS Brampton show on Sunday. OAP entry 50p, and a free magazine worth £4.70! Not bad! You only get a single sentence "This year's 'Best of Show' was won deservedly by Tim Forster with his stunning1/35 'Liberation, Italy 1944' diorama; full competition results are available at www.mafva.org "

Pete

[TIM FORSTER]

Thanks guys (and Peter especially for taking the touble to transcribe the entry from Airfix Magazine).

Here are a few more shots of progress made on my motorbike.




Painting and weathering is almost complete on the Triumph. I went for 'Light Mud' finish (Vallejo Khaki with a little added white), since this was commonly used in Italy from 1943. It makes a welcome change form Olive Drab.



The figure is just showing his undercoat, although I have added a wash to the face to help bring out the detail, especially around the eyes. More layers of paint coming... I must say, I'm really taken with this guy!

[scottie3158]

Lovely work mate.

[Mini Me]

I'm with Scottie, Looks the bomb!

[Steven000]

Very nice :thumb2: :thumb2:

[Neil Merryweather]

Top job, Tim. I didn't think you could improve that model but this will surely do it. Can't wait to see them in place :thumb2:

[TIM FORSTER]

Thanks folks.

Well, my Triumph and rider are finished - just some pastel weathering to be added to make him nice and dusty. The dust you see so far is actually a wash from WIlder.

I'm happy with the way he sits on the bike, but deciding to change to right arm so that he holds onto the handle bars was not as easy as I had imagined. Just when everything seemed finished, the arm broke off at the elbow. So I cheated a bit by adding a bandage from Tamiya putty - this guy has clearly taken a spill in search for liberated booze!

The green bottles added to the MiniArt bottle carrier are from Accurate Armour. Although clear plastic, once I put them in place the shadow from the box gave them the illusion of being full. The foil tops are simply brass paint.

So this weekend he is going onto the diorama. I then have one more figure to add, a little water in the culvert and then I'm ready to take this to Telford!

[scottie3158]

Tim he looks superb. Nice use of a bandage if I tried to modify a figure there would be so much bandage he would look like a mummy.

[Mini Me]

Top work Tim and good luck at Telford. Rick H.

[rtfoe]

Very nicely bandaged Tim, good luck at Telfords.

Cheers,
Richard

[Steve Jones]

It was great to see this build in the flesh at Telford last weekend. It looks even better close up. Congratulations on winning the Silver medal. The Gold winner was top quality work as well but I personnaly thought that you just edged it with your attention to detail. Have you any plans for anothe mammoth project?

[TIM FORSTER]

Hi Steve,

Thanks so much for your kind words.

I was more than happy with SIlver, believe me. And I have absolutely no hard feelings towards the Gold winner. It's all very subjective after all...

In fact, I met the gentleman concerned - Signore Corrado Bragonzi - as I placed my diorama on the Competition table. He told me that he had been following my build on another website with interest. It also turned out that he had entered a Sicily dio a few years ago (a scene with British troops fighting their way up a ruined street with a knocked out Italian tank at the bottom) that I had greatly admired at the time - and I told him that it had been part of the inspiration for my project. Later on I was able to shake his hand and congratulate him on his win.

As for my next 'monster' project... well, it won't be as big as this one, I can assure you! Three years is just too long a time. I'm not sure I will have anything ready for next year, but my next projects are already underway. Without wanting to give too much away: one is set in the Malayan Campaign in late 40 / early 41; the other in the Ardennes. Both will feature Allied / Axis vehicles and figures...

So watch this space!

[Guest]

Hello Tim,
Congratulations on the Silver at Telford, it was a medal that was well deserved having had a good look at your model when you exhibited it at the MAFVA nationals. Go for a hat trick, and take it down to what used to be Euro-Militaire at Folkstone.
Again, well done and superb modelling.
Mike.