Inspiration for my latest and completed diorama came from the first photograph. It shows the early invasion of the German army into Norway with a Panzer I tank along with the bicycle troops. I hope that you enjoy the pictures. I do have some black and white photos as well but did not post them, some of the pictures taken are also Pre installation of the snow.
Construction and detailing of the old tamiya german bicycle kits was certainly a challenge, but the plastic kit spokes and frames were just to bulky and solid. All of the bicycles have the kit headlamp drilled out which were solid and I replaced them all with a clear lens. The kit spokes were all removed and PE spokes and rims were added, scratch built dynamos on the front tires as well as some scratch built break handles were added. Some of the rear baskets were PE and the others were kit provided. All front and rear arms/ forks of the bicycle frames are PE along with the main PE gears and chains that were added. Some scratch built straps were also added to the stowage on the rear baskets
The Panzer also had some PE upgrades as well as replacement tracks by Modelkasten.
Figures are the old Tamiya kit panzergrenadiers with all kit heads removed and replaced with hornet heads. There are also two Stalingrad miniatures. Camouflage wire was added to some of the helmets.
All in all I am very happy with the way that it turned out.
Happy Modeling everyone.
Construction and detailing of the old tamiya german bicycle kits was certainly a challenge, but the plastic kit spokes and frames were just to bulky and solid. All of the bicycles have the kit headlamp drilled out which were solid and I replaced them all with a clear lens. The kit spokes were all removed and PE spokes and rims were added, scratch built dynamos on the front tires as well as some scratch built break handles were added. Some of the rear baskets were PE and the others were kit provided. All front and rear arms/ forks of the bicycle frames are PE along with the main PE gears and chains that were added. Some scratch built straps were also added to the stowage on the rear baskets
The Panzer also had some PE upgrades as well as replacement tracks by Modelkasten.
Figures are the old Tamiya kit panzergrenadiers with all kit heads removed and replaced with hornet heads. There are also two Stalingrad miniatures. Camouflage wire was added to some of the helmets.
All in all I am very happy with the way that it turned out.
Happy Modeling everyone.
