ARNHEM: Major General R E URQUHART'S HIDE OUT HOUSE Zwarteweg 14

[Richi72]

Hello all,

so here is my Market garden setup.

Story: On 17th September 1944,

Retreating down some narrow alleyways, with the Germans close by, General Roy Urquhart and his two companions were called into the back of No 14 Zwarteweg Arnhem, and shown into the attic. Germans were now all round, with a Stug III assault gun in the street out front. Trapped, they would remain here pretty much useless until "released" by men of 2nd South Staffs on the morning of 19th September.

I am gone try and build the situation that General Roy Urquhart was in on the 17th of September 1944 shortly before he could hide in the attic.

The idea is a part of the Zwarteweg with the Stug III and the corner were the General spotted the Germans. The length of the diorama will be around 80cm and the width about 30cm or 40cm.

For the building I am gone use depron and balsawood. Some British Para’s and German Wehrmacht figurines and a Stug III

I don’t know if this is right, but I have been drawing the Building I want to build, I think this is the same as buying the model but not build it

So here are a couple of reference pictures I used.

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The Drawing i made for my own refrence

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The street view

there were the tree is standing that’s the corner were the General spotted the Germans

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And the House itself No.14

models need to be bought to fit the diorama so i will show these in a later stage if thats ok

Happy NEW YEAR to all of you

Cheers Richi

[Alan 45]

Now this is one I will be keeping an eye on

[rickoshea52]

You don't mention the scale you will use Richi. Artitec do Dutch houses and armour in HO (1:87) scale, you can just about get away with this as 1:72/6.

[Richi72]

Sorry about that, my failureops:, well it is going to be in 1/35 scale

Cheers Richi

[Guest]

Looking forward to following this build.

Tom

[Guest]

Will following this one!!

Oh my God, 80x30....that's I call a big diorama!!! I wish to see the final result, because I personally find the idea very interesting.

Good luck!

Polux

[The Migrant]

Looks like an ambitious project Richi, I'll be following this with interest. Do you have period photos of the building? I could be wrong but some of the features in the current photo, notably the dormer extensions and the style of doors/windows, look to be quite contemporary.

[Richi72]

Hi Mike,

well the dormer extensions I am not shore about that style, I must agree there. Windows and doors are from the period, I looked at some old pictures of the surrounding houses because I couldn't find pictures of the same street in 1944 and there they used this kind of windows and doors, even found pictures from 1902 that had windows and doors this style so there I am pretty sure, but the dormer that's what's bothering me.

But I got a monkey up my sleeve Mike, I am gone call a little museum in the area of Arnhem that I have visited lots of times, and there are volunteer's working there that are from the same time and were active for the underground. So I hope they could point me in the right direction, if this is not going to work, I probable make the windows on the dormer smaller and then go for the right optic.

This is the museum I was talking about not a big one but a very personal one.

http://www.arnhemsoorlogsmuseum.com/

I will let u know what I find out.

Cheers Richi

[Richi72]

Hi Mike,

well I found us the answer to the question.

Found a drama documentary called ‘’ Theirs is the Glory’’ from 1946

Story: Using the original locations of the battle, the film featured veterans who were actual participants in the battle. Weaving original footage from the battle with re-enactments shot on location at Oosterbeek and Arnhem, the film was shot a year after the battle had ravaged the Dutch streets.

So I think this is as most accurate I can come in case of the dormer extensions and the style of doors/windows.

As seen in the following pictures some windows and dormer extensions are pretty much the same 2 of those pictures are directly from the documentary so they are 1946

And the last one I found in the www.

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These 2 are frome the documentary

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this one is from the www

So the building style existed in 1945 the question remaining is was the dormer extension a feature of the Zwarteweg buildings that is the question now.

Cheers Richi

[spanner570]

One big project Richie, I have every confidence you can nail it.....

I would hazzard a guess there were dormers on the Zwarteweg buildings.....They are a common feature in dutch buildings.

However, if it were me, I wouldn't get too worried about it, and just model a big hole in the roof. Then you could argue there was or wasn't a dormer there....sorted!

[Richi72]

Thanks Ron, for the confidence, your absolutely right about the dormers on Dutch buildings more then 90% have those.

I will put them on the Zwarteweg building to, if it is not historically correct it is movie correct ''A' bridge to far''

cant wait to start the build, never done such a large piece.

Cheers Richi

[Alan 45]

This is a great piece of history and I for one will be watching with great interest

[The Migrant]

I stand corrected on the dormers; nicely researched Richi. Looking forward to your progress on this, do you have all the figures/armour kits already?

[eddiesolo]

A very ambitious build make no mistake, with your skills it should look superb.

Si

[Richi72]

do you have all the figures/armour kits already?

No not yet Mike, but I got some time to look for suitable candidates and look at my stack of models.

Building the house would take about 4 to 5 month's I think, then I have the rest of the year for figurines and armour.

Cheers Richi