Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Loving it!

Thanks guys, I really want to try and wrap this diorama up by this week.

It just means sitting down and slogging through the infantry and tank crew.

I managed to get quite alot done last night on the infantry, most of it boring and unexciting parts like finishing off the basic colours etc. At least now however I can move onto the next stages like detailing and highlights etc, they are getting there slowly.

Fingers crossed this will be over soon and I'm already looking forward to the next project!

Excellent work. Seems like there's always something worth seeing when I look in on this topic.

Its great to see all the pieces coming together. excellent.

Great stuff can't wait to see the finished article what's next though?

Thanks guys, Llama you'd be suprised. Aside from finishing the painting on the figures, It's all the little subtle things. For example I've just attached two figures to their final places on the base as well as the tank, there was blending them into the diorama using a wet mud mixture from acrylic resin, making little icy puddles in the ground, making sheets of broken ice (using the superglue method). All kinds of little finishing touches.

At the moment the main goal is finishing completely the painting on all the infantry and the two tankers, this is coming along now compared to the recent WIP shots. I painted in the eyes on them and some details yesterday.

Once thats done I need to decide on the final positions and places for all the infantry on the ground and attach and blend them into the base. Then attach the tank riders and driver to the Tank.

I've also got to add the Soviet Flag to the turret. Still it will be done very soon and is nearly finsihed!

Can't wait for the finished product as the time and effort you've given to small details is great.

Give us a good coverage of the finished product, will you?

Dude, the freaky thing is that Im still building my 1:35 scale model of the same tank!!!!! Thought about converting it for 40k, but the dam thing is just to good looking to harm!!!!

Oh and keep up the good work!!!

Metsuri - Don't worry I will get lots of pictures from various angles, taken nicely as well I hope with a cool background image.

Ricekake87 - Thanks! My next project is another 1:48 diorama but I'd definately like to try a 1:35 project soon. Dragon do some great 1:35 T34 kits. Would love to see some photos of your work! 1:35 figures are fantastic, such a diverse range and much better than 1:48 figures.

Well it's finally finished!

While I'm uploading all the finished pics heres a little taster of one of the finished Tank riders:



More to come very soon.

The finished article:

"Brave Soldiers of the Red Army surge on to victory, the invader is repulsed and the Fascist's face their downfall! Praise be to Comrade Stalin! Glory to the motherland!"

I love it! All the models look quite naturally posed! Great work Gundam-Mecha! Great!!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep up the great work

Superb.

Fantastic stuff!

While looking through the finished pictures I really had a sense of the cold they must be feeling and a chill went down my spine.

Now that's some great modeling!

Cheers
Dave

Very nice.

OMG that looks great, good work.

Thanks guys for all the comments, ideas, feedback, and constructive criticism you've all given me during this project. Getting a chance to share this project with you all and have your feedback shape and develop my ideas has been really fantastic and very much appreciated.

It certainly has been a labour of love, and the man hours put into the diorama really have been mind boggling! The effort really paid off though and I'm really pleased with the end result.

It really was worth it, and its been fantastic to see all the different elements come together.

At the start of the project I really wanted this Diorama to tell a story and set a powerful scene, and Dave from what you've just said it really did work out well. I'm really happy that the winter feeling has come across in these photos!

Now I can start my next WW2 Diorama, the Battle of Kursk 1943, a summer scene set before the start of one of the most decisive engagements on the Eastern Front...

Time to get the modelling saw out again!

P.S - I get to keep the next one for myself!

So have you presented the diorama to your relative yet?

Not yet, I'll be handing this over when I visit Minsk in July.

It's a surprise present, so I'll be sure to take some photos when it's handed over to get the reaction!

Congratulations on this work of art Gundam, it looks great!

I hope you can make a picture of the smile on the face of your father in law when you hand it over.

Bravo,bravo!
Really looks the part

Thanks guys. Actually knowing that it will be a gift really made the whole project much more satisfying. I'll be sure Kagar to take a photo of his reaction, he was an Army man himself, so I'm sure he will appreciate it.

Thanks Adrian, if you like this be sure to check out my next blog.

Lovely - the sepia pic looks good. When I first opened it I had to do a double take as I first thought it was a reference pic!

LOL - thinking "it's good that he's found a reference pic that's in a similar campaign to what he's shooting for!"

Well the end result surely was worth the wait, it is simply stunning. The flag is great touch as it brings some warmth into the cold scene and looking at the troopers on wouldn't guess you had such difficulties with them. They blend into the whole seamlessly.

When I look at this I'm thinking about taking some time off the army painting to work on scene and turning it into a photo of lost time. Thanks for sharing G-M.

Tall mantim - Thanks! I'm glad the photo gave a realistic effect! Haha

Metsuri - I'm glad you like the finished article, in the end I was quite happy with the figures. Some were a real pleasure to paint, while some were a bit of a challenge. I think in the end though they worked out very well and made me work harder at the face painting and really give the subject a lot more thought.

I ended up using alot of methods that I don't usually use which is definately a good thing.

I hope you decide to go for a scene and I'd love to see a blog on that!

Wow thats an amazing project you have got me into planning and building one similar but i would do British tank because they are my fave.

Thanks Lanky, theres more WW2 stuff to come on my Kursk Diorama that I'm working on currently.

British Tanks are great, I love the Cromwell and the Churchill Mk3 Heavy Tanks.

There are also some great resin 1:48 British figures out on the market too!

I see you are quite the modeler in your own right. A marvelous diorama. I was hard pressed to determine that sepia image wasn't an actual combat photo.

Excellent work,

Blackadder

Thanks Blackadder, I'm glad you liked the Dio.

I'm hoping to make my Kursk one even better and build up on the skills I started here. This was one of the first times I tried scale model techniques on a kit and it was a really fun and interesting learning experience.