discussion Small scale WW2 dioramas

[Andy Belsey]

Hi All I have taken a leaf out of Andy B's book and have been working on a few 1/285 scale Ww2 dioramas: peter

Have you found the book helpful Peter? I’m glad that it’s inspired you do do these.
Andy

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Andy

yes the book was a help, as are the articles which were published in Mil Mod.

i agree they are addictive, although they can take a surpising amount of time - still a lot less than 1/35!

peter

 

[Peter Gillson]

Here is my D-Day diorama.

it shows a Sherman DD taking the surrender of a German soldier coming out of PZIV Tobruk pit, with a single British soldier advancing. The reason i used the Sherman DD rather than an ordinary Sherman was that using a DD would clearly set it as Normandy, an ordinary sherman coud have been anywhere, even North Adrica!

i know the barbed wire is out of scale, but it is the thinest wire I have.

i now have the body of a Pziv to use - perhaps I may try and convert it into a bergpanzer.

Peter

 

[Mini Me]

Very nice result Peter. :thumb2: Rick H.

 

[adt70hk]

Nicely done!!

 

[Peter Gillson]

Cheers guys - I really do need a better magnifying glass.

Peter

 

[Andy Belsey]

Cheers guys - I really do need a better magnifying glass.

Peter

Invest in an optiviser. They are what most of the top modellers rely on these days as we get older and our eyes are not as sharp as they were.
They aren’t very expensive too, although I suspect that many are cheap copies from China of an original design? Anyway, I rely on them nowadays for small work and I know that Mike the Kiwi does too. You can wear prescription glasses as well as optiviser.
Andy

 

[Tim Marlow]

Peter, have a look here.
https://www.theloupestore.co.uk/Headband-Loupes/
It was orig posted by someone on here, but I forget who. Great site! Proper optivisors are made by Donegans I think.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Thanks for the link and thoughts about an optivisor. i bought one a few years ago but could not get on with it. I will have to dig it out and give it another go.

Here is a photo of the base of my next dio:

View attachment 438304
as you can see it is twice as long as my other dioramas which are 5cm x 5cm. The reason being that this 'reptile' will be the centerpiece of the diorama:

View attachment 438305

the idea, and challenge is to have a burst of flames from the Crocodile to the bunker in the corner. Not sure how I am going to do it - putty or perhaps

John - here is a photo of one with Vallejo paint for scale:

View attachment 438306
Peter

 

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
I can well imagine these micro dios becoming addictive. Wonderful stuff. Even at 1/35 I need my optivisor.
Jim

 

[Tim Marlow]

That croc is a beautiful casting Peter. Did it need much clean up or was it as good as that when it came?

 

[Peter Gillson]

Tim - the only casting line was one around the sides if the turret. It took about 10 minutes to clean up.

Peter

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi guys

I've painted the base ...

View attachment 438416

... and fixed the Crocodile in place, now only the 'flames' to do.

View attachment 438415

i say 'only' but I haven't decided how to make them. Fortunately they are not flames more a burning liquid so it has a solidity about it.

View attachment 438417
peter

 

[adt70hk]

Coming on nicely Peter.

Andrew

 

[minitnkr]

Another beauty.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Guys

a busy weekend has seen me finish my latest mini dio - a crocodile! Here are some photos:


thd flames, or rather the jet of flaammable liquid was mde using cotton wooll soaked in diluted PVA wood glue formed over a very thin length of wire.

Peter

 

[Tim Marlow]

Nice job Peter. Might be worth a “calibration” picture to show how small these actually are.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Nice job Peter. Might be worth a “calibration” picture to show how small these actually are.

Hi Tim. Here you go - the crocodile alongside a 1/10 bust and vellejo paint.

Peter

 

[Mini Me]

Amazing!!

 

[Allen Dewire]

Outstanding work Peter, truly outstanding!!! I never realized how small 1/285 scale really was until I met Andy Belsey at the Euro in 2016. He happened to have one of his 1/285 dios with him. We had a wonderful chat and I took a picture of his fantastic work. I hope you don't mind if I post it here,



The best thing was, it included the famous Andy Belsey fingers in the photo too!!!! Incredible dio Peter and you have my total respect for your work in this scale. I know optivisor lenses don't go high enough for me to even attempt trying something this small...........

Prost
Allen (almost Ret.)