No Retreat! East Prussia, January 1945

[spanner570]

As there is still a bit of time left for this G.B., and our mate Graham sez it's O.K. to do a second build, I'm going to do a mini diorama around this Pak 40 anti tank gun.

In January 1945, the massive Russian offensive moving westward towards Berlin was unstoppable.

Having sworn allegiance to the Fatherland, soldiers were forbidden to retreat... this gun crew were no exception, caught in the East Prussian Pocket, their fate sealed, they quietly await the advance of the Red Army.

I will do a diorama stage build 'cos it will be in my favourite stuff...snow!

Thanks,

Ron

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[Guest]

Oooo, look forward to this one Ron. Cannot get enough of your dioramas.... err, any chance you can build mine seeing as you have time on your hands lol.

[Guest]

Like the sound of it Ron iam still tackleing the first one never mind a second.

scott

[spanner570]

Thanks boys, I'm glad to be back with things that go bang in the snow!

Progress so far:-

Had a good run at the Pak 40 as it's thingying down non stop at the mo'. The two photos of the Pak show it in raw plastic ready for cleaning/painting (the wheels will go on last)

I haven't shown a stage build as our mate 'back breaker' did one for his excellent Pak only recently.

The other photo shows the gun crew in an action pose, which isn't quite what I want. Also they are in shirt sleeves..Jan. '45, I think not!

So, having studied Paul's (Trickey66) great modelling of his figures, although never having done such things before, I thought 'Why not, give it a go, nothing ventured....' If it fails I can always bury the evidence under some snow!

I will post more pictures as work progresses.

Cheers,

Ron

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[Guest]

straight in with another one!!! your a modelling machine Ron, lol.

[Centurion3RTR]

Was looking at this kit last weekend, and can i say stop giving us ideas with "snow" i'm hankering to do another snow dio lol. Looking good Ron, can't wait to see them figures all painted too.

Have fun, John

[spanner570]

A bit more progress to show you folks...

The Tamiya 1/35 Pak 40 is finished 'sept for the snow cammo. I have brush painted it with German Grey Matt Humbrol Enamel. I did think of doing it in Dk. Yellow, but in the last stages of the war, dk. grey was being re used due to a paint shortage in the Factories. I weathered it with a well turped brown/red semi-wash.

I have been having great fun with the 1/35 figures. The poses are not what I want so I have started to alter them.

The original ones have high boots, short tunics and their sleeves rolled up.(Jan.'45!) So they have to look 'winterised' and because they are in retreat, bedraggled, scruffy and weary.

I was going to alter them using Pauls (tricky66) method using wire, but my skill level is not up to it, so I resorted to cutting all the limbs off at the joints then sanding them to a fit in the position I required, gluing together and filling.

Finally I wanted the figures in long winter smocks and trousers over their boots, all looking a bit tatty. This I have tried to do using model filler, similar to car body filler.

but finer.

The one in the photos is the commander, who didn't require too much surgery, but enough to get some idea of what I was doing, and is my first ever attempt at butchery!! The remaining figures will require much more...

Just had a look at the bloke's trousers and I reckon they need lengthening a bit!

I will post the finished figure soon.

What do you think?

Ron

Edit:- I have just noticed ('cos I found it on a sprue) a glaring omission...First one to post the answer gets a goldfish in a bag!!!

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[Guest]

Looking good Ron. Very brave taking on the figure manipulation, no way would I attempt it with my 1:48 figures

[Guest]

Very nice work Ron

Is it the breech block cover?

Stuart

[spanner570]

Thanks for the encouragement fellas,

Sorry Stuart, no goldfish this time!!

Ron

[Guest]

Has to be the spade on the front, or is it the bucket?????

[Gern]

Oh poo!

Isn't your missing object the spade that's fixed to the lower front shield?

Gern

PS If I'm right, being of a naturally generous nature, you could donate the prize to a local charity. I'm not sure it would survive the British Post!

PPS Graham beat me to it!

[spanner570]

Graham get's the fish!!

Sorry Dave, just beaten to it.

Just as well 'cos I would have to use the fish's scales to weigh it. Then you would probably want it sending to your plaice, COD!!

Gents, I will now get all my coats on!

Ron

[Guest]

Fish very nice, had it for my tea. Glad you got it to my PLAICE so quick, I would have been GUTTED if I had not won, don't want to CARP on about it but I am HOOKED on this thread, you are really putting your SOLE into it, really FLOATS my boat.

Now, if only I hadn't sold my coat to buy my last kit........

[spanner570]

Bit of an update Carrie and boys...

I have fitted the forgotten shovel to the Pak 40.

To my shame I have been breaking my Cardinal model making rule 'Dont Fiddle!' I have been faffing around with the first figure so, after lengthening his trousers and sleeves, I am calling the re-sculpting on him done.

I have also done a second figure. This was a toughy 'cos I needed him in a "Whats up?" sort of pose, so I had to remove all his limbs, elbows, hands, even his head! Bless him..Bit daft perhaps, but I got carried away with the saw! lol. Like the first figure, I have re modelled his trousers to hide his jackboots and hidden his rolled up sleeves. He also has a balaclava round his chops.

With both figures I have tried to make their uniforms a bit tatty and scruffy.

One more figure to go, thank goodness!

Any advise to improve these, as it's my first go at this sort of thing?

Thanks,

Ron

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