discussion German PAK40 anti tank gun emplacement diorama 1:35 (Winter)

[pjgtech]

Just a small diorama/vignette for my current build, a Tamiya 1:35 German WWII Pak40 anti tank gun with figures.

So my idea for the dio is a simple small base, with the gun emplacement in some cover, partially hidden, either behind some shrubbery, bushes, maybe a fallen tree? at the edge of a field/paddock overlooking enemy territory or at some sort of checkpoint.

The base will be a fairly plain grass field, maybe some muddy areas.

The kit comes with three figures, a commander, a loader and an aimer, but I may add one or maybe two other figures. The kit also comes with one large ammo case and some shells (used and unused), so I may add just a few little extra details, accessories to the scene too.

I may well use this small diorama as a test for snow/ice, as I am thinking of doing a winter diorama for my upcoming Tamiya GB (German Half Track in 1:48 scale) and having never done a winter scene before, this one will be a good guinea pig for me.

Base so far and intended materials for snow, etc....

 

[pjgtech]

The base had a coat of pva to start..... then I cut some grooves, ridges, dips, etc into the base using a hot wire cutter.
Added some AK mud paste to give some texture.
I tend to build up the textures and colours in layers, so this is just the first of many.
I may tweak the topography a bit as I go, maybe add a bump here, level out a bit there, etc.


The figures are nearly finished, started adding some details and highlights, belts, final flesh tones, boots, etc.
Finer details, eg: shoulder epilettes, collar badges done using AK paint pens which are great for very small bits of painting.

 

[pjgtech]

Added some more mud paste, a lighter tone and after couple of hours, gave it all a mist coat of a darkish brown.


Heres where the gun will be placed, figures will be arranged around it. I am thinking a large fallen tree trunk, moss laden or similar, across the front of the gun, I have deliberately made a long depression there ready....
A couple of the larger holes/depressions will be frozen water, puddles, hence my current quest for thin sheet ice....


Final ground cover will be a mix of mud, grass, ground cover, remnants of a muddy field thats been trampled on, then given a suitable winter coat, snow, ice, frost, etc.....

 

[pjgtech]

Some progress made.... Snagged a couple of twigs from the garden, which will be the defensive position behind which the gun is placed.
The largest twig was bit plain, so have added a stump/branch to it, and filled it, it will need sanding down and then painting.
Couple of other smaller twigs as smaller trunks.
Heres the proposed layout.


Close up of the "logs/ trunks"....


Added some pva/water mix, then added the static grass a mix of light and dark green. I had not shaken off the excess at this point.


Then added some small rocks, etc, stuck down with pva, to add a bit of interest, these will be painted up later.


Used my Ammo water gel to add water to the three little puddles, which will later have the "ice" added on top. Its white now, but once set it should go clear. I should have probably added these before adding the static grass, as this made smoothing them out a bit more difficult....

Lastly I added some moss to the tree trunks, a mix of green and yellow. The trees will be touched up with paint too.

 

[pjgtech]

Bit more gardening done, starting to come together. Couple of the trunks now glued in place, more tufts of grass and small bits of foilage added, more moss like veg added. Some of the rocks painted and some paint added to the logs, but I think I will add a few more shades as we go... and they will need highlighting later.

The Ammo water gel (to the three puddles) has not gone clear (yet) but, still very white, but I seem to remember it did take at least 24 hours last time I used it, so hopefully it will go clearer with bit more time. If not they will get covered with either snow or ice or both.

 

[Jim R]

That is looking very good.

 

[pjgtech]

The water gel (Ammo Vignette) has not set! Not sure why? I think I put a mud paste down on the base which gives a sort of crackle effect and did not seal it before applying the water gel over the top, thats the only reason I can think of as to why it has not set. Ho hum, you live and learn.
So, I have taken the executive decision to remove the water gel, which left holes/dips, which I then gave a coat of dark earth.
I have decided the puddle in the coner just the other side of the main logs will now have a couple of rocks in it, leaving the other two puddles, which I will be adding ice particles to, but not sure yet if I'll add any further water effect under the ice.

 

[pjgtech]

Schoolboy error (yes another one)!
I have billed this little dio as a "winter" scheme, however, I have just noticed that the figures are all in short sleeves, Doh!
I don't have any winter figures that are suitable for this scale, So I may use different german figures from my stash in the final dio setting, that are at least wearing full uniform, jackets, etc not with sleeves rolled up.
But, just so that I can use the original figures, here is the dio, now completed, just not with its "winter" coat on yet.
Final diorame (Summer / spring) pics, (winter ones to follow)....

 

[pjgtech]

And on with the winter scheme......
First thing to do is add a buff mist coat over the whole base, to knock back the summer/spring "green" and dark brown look to a more autumnal/winter muted, grey, buff look.
So we are going from this....


To this.....


Then we added a mist coat of flat white to simulate some frost / cold weather.....



Then we also gave the gun a mist coat of flat white, again to simulate frost/cold, but I understand they (the Germans) did add a flat white coat to armour as a camouflage colour in winter.....


So we are now looking like this.... I had also added a bit more white to the plants that are sticking out, eg: clumps of grass, etc, to add an extra highlight.....


Next up is the rather scary step, adding the snow!
In total I have four different products to try, a sort of snow slush, thick paste, a white snow pigment powder, a snow "sparkle" ice crystal product, and some scenery type snow to sprinkle on top.
I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for it.....

 

[Jim R]

Very good indeed.

 

[Stefee]

Excellent.

 

[pjgtech]

More Winteryness now added....
Products used....


The AK wargames Terrain Snow, which is a sort of thick slush paste, tried just one corner first, seemed to go on ok, its a sort of thick paste, so you can move it around, squish it, pile it up, etc....


Proceeded to add it to the whole base, did not want to go overboard too much.... added just a couple of ice slithers to the two puddles.


Then dusted the base with some snow pigment powder and some snow sparkles.... again trying not to overdue it....


Then added the gun and did some slight weathering on the wheels as they would have some snow/mud slush on them, also added some mud paint to the wheel tracks and the area around the gun that would be walked on, and finally addded some very small amounts of snow to the gun and wheels....

 

[Valeron]

Looks bloody freezing there. Good effects

 

[minitnkr]

It may be my old eyes but the piece appears out of battery (in full recoil or malfunctioned). Gardening looking good, I've never had the guts to try snow.

 

[pjgtech]

It may be my old eyes but the piece appears out of battery (in full recoil or malfunctioned). Gardening looking good, I've never had the guts to try snow.

Erm, dunno what that means? as far as I know theres no options but to build it the way it is, do you mean its not ready to be loaded at that point?

 

[pjgtech]

Calling this one done.
As this kit was an experiment for me to try a winter/snow diorama, I'm quite happy with how it turned out, not perfect I know, but better than I thought it would look! so.....
As mentioned above, ignore the fact they all have rolled up sleeves, obviously they are a sturdy bunch who don't feel the cold, Lol!
Some final pics before I put up a completed thread.... Cheers