No Retreat! East Prussia, January 1945

[Guest]

Ron as usual this is a visual treat!

For a snow diorama I usually use white glue, water and bicarbonate of soda and mix it all up then pour it up onto the base for snow and for the foliage you may want to try just sprinkling baby powder or baking soda. hope it helps

Adrian

[Guest]

Figures are coming on a treat Ron, very creative.

[spanner570]

Thank you Graham for your input, it's always good to read your comments.

Adrian, thank you for your tip on making snow, much appreciated.

Oh dear, it's been raining today!! She asked me to do the watering, but him upstairs has done it for me, so....

Here is my finished effort at a bedraggled, but still fighting German soldier.

After carefully sculpting him, I had a brainwave and have covered all my graft with a white poncho thingy! The loose cord is a bit of black sewing cotton.

The MP40 is from my scrap box.

The other 2 figures will have a similar look, I hope!

I will also be getting out the yard brush and slapping a coat of whitewash on the Pak40 (Don't you love doing this?)

I hope this offering meets your approval. Be gentle, it's my first attempt at a chop shop!

I will make a start on the diorama soon. Unless the present Mrs. Ron want's, amongst other things, me to move our bungalow a bit to the left!!

Thanks for looking,

Ron

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[Guest]

Hi Ron i like the figures so far nice job, for snow i've still got a large bottle of that scenic snow left this is what i used on my Russian winter dio. Keep them pics comin lookin forward to the finished article.

scott

[spanner570]

Thanks for taking the time out to comment Scott, I appreciate it. It's always good to read your posts my friend.

Are you going to squeeze in another build for this G.B.?

Ron

[spanner570]

Here is the completed second figure of the trio. I have altered him to try and capture a sort of "What do you want?" pose.

Good cammo, eh? lol

I'll do weapon slings, ect. last job or when I'm in the mood!

I hope it passes muster. Wadda you think?

I will post pictures of the final figure soon...

Thank you for looking.

Ron

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[Guest]

Wonderful Ron!

[spanner570]

Thanks Adrian, glad you like it.

It's coming on steadily. I'll be glad when the figures are done..

Cheers,

Ron

[Guest]

Superb Ron. The figures are great.

Tony..

[Guest]

Have to say Ron that looking at this last figure and your Avatar, all it needs is the glasses, I think you are contemplating the ultimate diorama in which you put yourself in as a leading character. Pure class ;-)

[spanner570]

Hello folks, here is the last of the 3 figures:-

'cos all the world and his wife will be out and about this w/end, I've kept my head doon, sat in the garden and worked on this figure...

I had a bit of a hiccup with this one. His left arm, which in the original pose cradled an A.P. shell, is just right for holding the rifle stock, so I was able to leave that alone, all his other limbs, head, arms and one hand had to be repositioned.

When I started to paint his uniform I noticed his right hand had dropped off...Carpet Monster one, Ron nil. (final score!)

So I have had to redo him with his 'Stump' hidden under his poncho, let's call it a war wound, eh?

I hope you like him.

Next I will white wash the Pak 40..

Thanks for looking in.

Ron

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[yak face]

Excellent progress young ron, the conversion work is lovely. The bloke with the rifle looks absolutely freezing , great atmosphere, and the dio isnt even done yet!! keep it up mate , cheers tony

[Centurion3RTR]

Ron, is he ok sat there. Someone give him a hot cuppa. Nice one matey keep 'um coming.

Have fun, John

[spanner570]

Thanks for taking a gander chaps and for the nice comments. He does look fruzzed over doesn't he?!

Now the figures are more or less done I will whitewash the Pak 40 then I can make a start on the diorama. Don't know what form it will take yet, so I'll crack a can and 'ave a tink!

Ron

[spanner570]

Hello campers, I've put a coat of whitewash on the Pak 40 so that's done now, so I can start to give the diorama my undivided attention!

If anyone is a bit wary of doing a whitewashed vehicle, gun, armour whatever, I have found it best to use a small flat head brush. Try and aim for one around 1/8" across. This is near enough to scale of a real brush I have seen on photos of German soldiers coating tanks in the white stuff, massive things akin to a yard brush. lol!

Try to imagine you have been given a bucket full of whitewash and a brush and being told you have less than 15mins. to paint the gun before the enemy arrives!!!

That is what I do when I paint my models, think panic! Believe me it works...be brave, just slap it on. If you start to fiddle and do every nook and crannie it won't in my opinion, look realistic, just my own slant on it mind!

I know the stuff was sometimes sprayed on, but when in full retreat I reckon there were not many sprayguns and compressors taken back with the army.

In any case, I just don't particularily like the finish achieved using an A.B. it looks (to me) too neat and uniform and this form of cammo was usually done in a hurry and in the field with a brush.

But, as in all aspects of modelling it's down to the individual how he perceives the finished model should look.....

I hope you approve of my interpretation.

Thanks for looking,

Ron

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