Not a Moment to Lose… Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes, December 1944

[PaulinKendal]

I do love this! I've watched the 'Nightshift' building videos a good few times, so it's great to see those techniques being tried out, replicated and adapted so effectively - Bravo!

[Guest]

No problem Jakko! That's where the drainpipes are going...

Ah, yes, OK — in that case I can see why you didn’t bother filling the gaps

[Strenko J]

Brilliant stone work!

[Mickc1440]

Just had a catch up with this build Tim and it’s superb, I was going to add on so many levels but who needs puns

[TIM FORSTER]

Windows and Doors

Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement guys!





As with the shed, I decided to use plastic card rather than wood for most of my actual woodwork. The plastic was scored with a razor saw to create the effect of wood grain and hinges, handles, etc added from some photoetch sets (including an old Verlinden offering). To ensure that the nail holes all lined up, I drew the outline of the internal wooden supports before adding these with the twist of the tip of a sharp hobby knife.

The card templates that I had used to cut out my foam walls also came in handy here because I could also use them as a guide to draw and then cut out the window and door frames.

Because I am not planning any visible interior (and to make life easier) I created an oversize backing piece for each with an internal lip so that the windows and doors could simply be dropped into each aperture.

The exception was the large pair of barn doors. To avoid warping I added two reinforcing struts to the rear face made from thick rectangular tubing. The smaller inner door was bent slightly inwards to give some depth. Bolts were then added from a Meng set and a ring handle from the spares box.





Because I had kept everything separate from the building they were much easier to paint. I started with an over-spray of black.

When I created my first dioramas as a teenager back in the 80s I decided to paint all my doors and windows in a simple wood shade. Looking back, I think I was tricked by all the black and white photos I had seen of the Second World War into believing that there was no colour in those days…

Now I know that the past was often more colourful than the present, woodwork (at least on houses) is almost always painted and people tend to choose what ever colour they like (or at least what is available). This farmhouse was someone’s home, after all.

Because it is a colour that almost never occurs in nature - or on military vehicles - for most of the woodwork I chose a fairly vivid blue colour to add contrast to what will eventually surround the building: blacks and browns (for the terrain), some green (for the vegetation) and, of course, yellows, browns and greens for the vehicles. However, to create another contrast with the more work-orientated parts of the structure, I did go for a wood shade for the lower front door and window.

All of this was brush painted with Vallejo acrylics, including highlights and weathering, then treated with various washes to add depth. There will be more weathering once the house is in place and surrounded by terrain…





For the barn doors, I initially went for a wood effect, using an opaque application of various acrylics. Here you can also see how effective the wood grain effect can be when scored into plastic card using a razor saw.



However, when I temporarily put the barn doors in place I decided that they looked more ‘artistic’ than realistic. I was also reminded me of my teenage dioramas. So I decided to go for the classic hairspray technique, spraying the doors with a layer of the stuff before over-spraying with various shades of red brown and then rubbing away with cotton buds and toothpicks to create a ‘distressed’ look. This was then followed with washes to add depth.



I then added the glazing to the windows from clear plastic sheet. This was cut roughly to size and attached using little dabs of super glue to the reverse of the frames.

The final touch (at least for now) was to add part of a Belgian advertising sign (from Reality in Scale) to give the effect of a boarded-up window. Because this is red, it adds a a nice companion to the barn doors.



You can also see the stone and bricks now that the acrylic filler is in place. I have also started to add some washes to add depth.



So with all this done, I could, at last, fix the farm house in place (the roof is still detachable) and move on to the actual diorama. Happy days!

[Neil Merryweather]

Wow that's worth a 'Dog's' by itself!

[rtfoe]

You can say that again Neil. It's a :thumb2: from me.

Cheers,
Wabble

[Tworrs]

Absolutely brilliant work Tim. That last pic looks so realistic, I want to move in.

[adt70hk]

Now that is quite simply stunning Tim......I will now find a corner to crawl up in and consider the futility of my modelling existence. :crying:

Simply outstanding.

ATB

Andrew

[Andy T]

A-maz-ing!

[Stefee]

That is so good that when I showed the wife she asked me where it was and was it for sale

[dave]

Looking great, living in Belgium and regularly walking in the Ardennes it has the feel of many of the buildings you see.

[Airborne01]

Veeeery nice indeed!
Steve

[PaulinKendal]

That's beautiful!

[Jim R]

A huge amount of thought, patience and skill has produced a superb looking building..