Anti aircraft diorama (bit of a long thread)

[Paul]

A ww2 german truck with a 37mm flak gun will form the main focus to my build, this will be incorporated into a diorama including a searchlight, a full crew for the flak at rest eating and drinking, I will have the flak hunin it ready to fire state with one guy searching the skies with binos while the rest are taking it a bit easier. I plan having a small led light n the searchlight powered by a battery which should hopefully look ok when lit. All this will be on a 18" x 10" mdf base. Seting wise I'm not 100% sure of yet, either inner city or countryside, more than likely,the latter using polystyrene shaped to give an undulating uneven surface. I've yet to get my flak gun I'm going to emodels on Wednesday and will post pics as and when i have it. . I started on the search light today. Box and spruce shots. The search light itself with the pe louves attached. The cradle and search light completed and with a mask covering the innards Of the search light i had sprayed with alclad polished aluminium. Primed in Vallejo dark yellow primer. Then given light coat of tamiya xf60 dark yellow Took the mask off and everything,inside,is fine. The trailer is is next then some green Camo

[Paul]

Right got the trailor buid today primed and ready for some tamiya dark yellow. Ps,I did polish those,rough parts before priming. A searchlight like this would have been powered by a maschinensatz 85volt generator, I found this source of pics of the generator used, and set to scratch building it. http://vorbild.ipmsdeutschland.de/Zeich ... V_8kW.html Using plastic are and some artistic licence I got to it. I used the plans from the link above. And with my iPad in front of me I could enlarge it to life size which made it easier. Materials ready to get started I also got to use my new scale ruler, with marking for metres, cm , inches and ft it's a great tool. Progress so far.

[Paul]

Right more progress today. I got the front of the generator sorted adding doors like i did on the back only having the main control panel open, I will add the control panel itself later. I also added a crank handle ( from fuse wire) with holders (using round plastic tubing and some scrap pe) and also added the crank handle hole. I also added and couple of handles too. I'm happy with how it's turned out, I haven't scratch built anything for years and it think it's a reasonable representation of the generator in the links above. Some wheels from my spares box were added. This was then primed in Vallejo grey primer and then sprayed in tamiya German grey. Ive sprayed the generator I grey as I'm going to get a Krupp that would have carried this and towed the search light, I've only seen krupps in grey so not sure what colour that will be but I think the gen will be staying grey either way. The trailor has been sprayed dark yellow and the bits I missed on the light have been filled and touched up. And here's a group shot of them together, still loads to do, wiring to add etc.

[Paul]

Cheers bob. Ok I built up to control panel using various odds and ends I found including some old pe, some brads and a few bits plastic pipe and fuse wire. I modelled it as I saw fit as I would never get the amount of dials and switches I there as the proper one shows i then painted it and later it'll get a wash to dull the colours, plus weathering and chipping. I found a couple of prices of pe that made excellent arms to hold up the control panel door I added the cable to the reel using the type of rubber hose you get in kits. Amusing some fine mesh and a 15mm fibre washer I added the vent to the other side.

[Paul]

Another update, sorry guys. After some research I decided to respray the light and trailor in german grey to match the generator and forthcoming krupp. I also sanded the front lens to fit snugly, the instructions tell you to place it in front of the pe louves but this would made spraying it a nightmare. I then set to lighting this baby up. I found and old novelty torch and stole the led and batteries. I drilled a 3mm hole in the base and then into the rear of the light, this positioned the light were I wantd it and also hit the wires. I have a switch for when it's in it's final position othe diorama.

[Paul]

Right I started of today by adding some highlights and shadows using lightend and darkened tamiya German grey. I then added A pin wash using Vallejo acrylic black wash I then used a blue filter to blend it all together. I then set to chipping the light and trailor I wanted to depict a well used look to the light and especially so the trailer as IMO I reckon they would have been battered. Honest opinions would be appreciated about the chipping. Next step will be pigments.

[Paul]

Right today I set to weathering the generator, again going for that will used and battered look, I think this would recieved being loaded in and out of the back of the Krupp. I used Vallejo model,colour 150 German cam black brown for the chipping applying it where I think it would have received the most wear. I then gave it a black flory model wash amd allowed this to accumulate in the corners and panel lines. Then using mig industrial dust and Europe dirt I added pigments graduating from the bottom up and held this with thinner, as you can see the pigments are a bit to prominent in places,so I need to blend these once dry. I'm off to emodels tomorrow and while there I'll be getting mig oil and pigments in panzer grey and they should help blend all this together. Gotta love the nail varnish. I've also resprayed the searchlight and top of the cradle, I'm going to chip it a bit lighter this time, but am leaving the trailor and base of the light cradle as is.

[Paul]

Cheers bob I'll leave it be then. Got started on the Krupp today so I'll start With th box and sprue shots. I believe this is a new tooled kit. It comes with a full sprue of weapons and accessories. As well as some figures which have good detail. Construction was easy all the parts are crisp and well made with no flash. Everything went together well, although you do have to make sure to read the instructions properly or some parts can end up in the wrong position. Everything attachd that I want attached for spraying, ive left offf all the tools for now. Some good wood effects on the paneling on the rear. And shown with trailor and generator is place, the genny is a tight fit, looks like I measured it well. On the diorama itself the trailor and genny won't be attached to the Krupp but I wanted to see them together. I didn't glue the cab and cargo bed to the chassis so I could remove it and spray it easier as well as weather the chassis later. It was given a coat of Vallejo grey primer And the tyres sprayed in tamiya xf85 dark rubber, gives a good effect for tyres. Just need to spray the centres German grey.

[Paul]

Ok,i started today by adding white and black primer In the highlights and shadows, it was then given a coat of xf63 German grey allowing the highs and shadows to show through, I then lightened then xf63 and applied more highlights and again darkened the xf63 to allow the shadows to show more. After allowing it to dry I then gave it a filter coat using Sin industries blue for panzer grey this blended it all together. 6

[Paul]

Today I started today by giving the whole truck a coat of satiin varnish i thn moved on to the chipping, using Vallejo models colour German cam black brown I set to work, using a 0000 brush and the sponge method 2 hours work produced this. Its not finshed just yet i still have to do the wheel arches on the rear.I think it looks ok but as usual any comments are appreciated. After these pics were taken I applied another dark wash to the panel lines etc as they were a bit lame from, yesterday. I've also removed the wooden boards from the side of the cargo section and have painted them a wood colour, I will then spray it with ak interactive heavy chipping solution and then spray it German grey again, once worn away this should give a good impression of boards that have been driven on etc, I'll get some pics later. Got some more bits and bobs for this build this morning. Although model hobbies missed out my 1/35 rats

[Paul]

Got a little bit more done tonight. Using ak interactive heavy chipping solution I sprayed and chipped the wooden panels that hang form the rear of the vehicle, these panels would have been used for on loose ground for grip at the wheels so as I see it they would have shown some wear. The panel was painted in panzer aces new wood, and once dried two coats of the chipping solution were sprayed on and once dried German grey sprayed on top once dry a wetted brush removes as little or as much of the top coat as needed, works just like the hairspray technique only without all the smell and hassle of decanting Fromm spray can to airbrush. I then faded the paintwork using some of migs oils, these are great quality and blend really easy, I used white, panzer grey, the tri tone Camo one and dark rust. These were dabbed on then blended using white spririt, this leaves behind a nice faded effect. I also painted the other parts of the seat covers.

[Paul]

A bit more progress today. In all the ares that would attract mud and dust etc a light spray with tamiya dark earth, to simulate a base covering of dust. I then mixed a number of Mig earth piments and the fixer these were applied along the chassis, the rear suspension and under all the wheel arches as this was drying I flicked on some industrial dirt and concrete pigments, hopefully giving the impression of dried mud ie the vehicle had been off road at some time but had been othe city for a while too. Great to make a mess once in a while, not great to blow your nose lat and find half a bottle of Europe earth up there I then applied some industrial dirt to the lower section of the body and set them with thinner. The wheels were next, they were given a dusting of mig concrete and industrial dirt, this was then set with thinner and blended once dry, I then filled the treads of the tyres with flory concrete wash on the road wheels a d mud on the spare wheels. The spare wheels were designed to spin freely prevents the vehicle from bottoming out on harsh terrain so I guess they would have remnants of mud others treads. I'm not too sure about the Concrete wash tyes though I think I need to dull them a little.

[Paul]

Ok the Krupp is finished. I spent the day dusting the windscreen, painting the tools and rusting the exhaust up. I razor sawed the rear doors in half and glued them in a half open pose I also added some more wash to the cargo deck and added some more pigments to the rear of the vehicle. Looking at the pics as I post them I think it some point I'll remove the fake windscreen washers and scratch build some of my own so it looks better.

[Paul]

Cheers guys. Got the trailor and searchlight weathered today using the same techniques I used on the Krupp, again I weathered this like it had been in muddy conditions at some point before coming into the inner city.

[Paul]

Right on the the main attraction, my first trumpeter armor kit and it looks superb.







The tracks look like fun



Some nice photo etch, and rubber tyres for the front wheels.





Nice to get a full colour picture too.



A great set of instructions too. 39 pages long too.

[Paul]

Right first bit of progress on this. Its certainly a more complex kit than the Krupp with a lot more detail. Where I'm up to so far, no much to comment on except I never knew off winch system on the chassis, very clever. Oh and after having another look at those tracks I decided to purchase a set of friul tracks for it and while I was at it an aber gun barrel too

[Paul]

Things have moved on considerably in the past couple of days, the halftrack is altogether now bar tools etc. a lot of work in the chassis that you can't even see but hey, I decided to leave out the engine and didn't paint the interior as they are both unseen. The cab armor was right pain in the ass to fit, requiring some filler plus the bottom of the door shuts had snapped off so I had t make new ones with plasticard strips. I've primed it in Vallejo red brown primer as with all the angles I thought it easier to see where I had and hadn't sprayed plus Its not a million miles away from the red oxide primer that would have been used on this.

[Paul]

Ok last night and today's progress. Of the ammo trailer built and primered Got the halftrack sprayed in extracrylics dunkelgelb and I'm happy with the shade. I assembled all the road wheels, all 32 of them and sprayed them in tamiya dark rubber and then using a circle template sprayed them in tamiya dark yellow (not as thin as xtracrylics and doesn't go under the template). I've left them removable for now for ease when weathering. I also got the trailor sprayed too. At the beginning of this thread I said I woul be using a base 18"x12" well seeing as this is 12" in length I think that's out the window.: Next up wa the Camo pattern, I didn't like the one on the box art so just winged it and did my own. Using xtracrylics olive grin and rot brown again I'm happy with the colours.

[Paul]

Cheers guys I got a couple if things in the post today. The replacement aber barrel for the 37mm gun. And my set of friul tracks for the halftrack. The aber barrel And I the set to work with the tracks. What you get for your £25 2 replacement sprocket wheels 120 links 120 track pads A length of brass wire And some instructions The three components of the tracks First off each link needs the hole for the wire opening with a 0.5mm drill bit. You don't go all the way through though as this gives the wire something to stick too. The the brass wire is inserted into the hole through both parts of the track, I dipped the end of the wire in superglue to hold it in place. This is then snipped off with wire snips. One completed section of 16 links The pads then need gluing in place, they have a lug shown by the cocktail sticks which with some superglue locats in the hole on the track. 2 and a half hours later with a sore finger and half the tracks are done : I won't know the complete length of the tracks till I get the wheels done etc so I'm doing them in sections for now.

[Paul]

Cheers again guys. Got the little buggers done, 4.5 hours in total and my index finger is killing me. 53 links on each track leaving 25 spare some of which I'll put to use later. Sprockets where a fantastic fit on to the kit parts. Also applied the tritone filter to the Camo, leaving a nice faded finish behind.

[Paul]

Got some more bits for the build today.including some bricks, dust/rubble and some jerry cans, buckets and fuel drums, a tow chain and some 37mm ammo. The set of lion roar brass turned ammo for the flak gun which gives a couple of mags of ammo,and some spent casings too. And a verlinden tow chain too. Ok on to the 37mm gun. I got my aber barrel installed a perfect fit once the factory hole was opened up a tad with a 0.5mm drill bit. A much better looking barrel than the supplied one. This was then superglued on place and primed in aclad grey primer. And then given several coats of alclad gunmetal. I've still. Got to dry brush it and apply some pigments. The gun platform was then built, and i dry fitted it all. Then primed in Vallejo grey primer. I then gave it several coats of xtracrylix dunkelgelb, and then the olive grun and rot brown Camo applied.

[Paul]

Ok it's been a few days since I've done some modelling as my girlfriend took some time off work. Using Vallejo acrylic washes I applied a pin wash tot he vehicle and wheels. I started on the chipping too, trying to give the halftrack the same look of heavy use as the krupp. Using a 000 brush and some sponge and Vallejo German cam black brown I got to work. It looks overdone but as with the Krupp a lot of it is lost in the washes and pigment weathering so it'll be fine. Only done a small section of it and there's a fair bit to do too so just a short update for now.

[Paul]

Been busy this past work sorting though all the modelling stuff I bought on eBay and time that should have been spent modelling has been spent sorting that instead. Got back to it today, firstly by applying a couple more coats of the sin industries tritone Camo filter. I then set to work with another fading effect using oils, I did say I wanted a heavily used vehicle. I used Mig oils, buff, white, brown and navy blue. I did apply them a little too thick, but it doesn't matter. Using the white spirit I then stampede oils until a very thin coat was left, once dry this left before a nice cloudy faded look. Next up some streaks, using tamiya enamel flat brown I applied it in vertical streaks using a thin brush. This was again stumped and dragged downwards with white spirit leaving a very faint colour of the paint leaving a rain marks effect. Next up rust effects illmhave to use oils rather than paint as believe it or not with all the paint I have I don't have a rust enamel colour.

[Paul]

Right on to the rust streaks, I only added about half a dozen using mig oils and some white spirit. I dabbed the oil colours (dark and light rust) in the position I wanted then using a flat brush and some white spirit stumped the oils in a downwards motion thinning at the bottom as I went. Since these pics were taken I did stump them a little more. I then sprayed the entire chassis in tamiya earth and using the same paint I sprayed a very light coat around the bottom edges of the vehicle giving a dust effect. I then added dried mud the chassis using vallejo pigments and mig fixer. I also added some Mig pigments (concrete, industrial dust and Europe dust) mixed together and applied with white spirit to the wheels, once dry I cleaned it to give a dusty effect. Then mixing plaster of Paris, water and Mig mud pigments I made a wet mixture and using a dollop on a brush blasted it on using an airbrush. Again giving the impression of dried mud. I also added a some oils stains using mig oils and grease stains to the centre of some of the wheels, some of them will be stumped back with white sprit tomorrow. As I've said I'm trying to give the impression of vehicles that have been of road at some point but have been in the city for some time, so dried mud but dusty. I got the wheels on temporally and tried the friul tracks on and added the links as needed, I've got two pics one with a lot of sag and one without, I prefer the one with sag, but am worried its too much? Opinions about the tracks would be appreciated. Edit after looking at various Images online it'll be the 2nd image with a lot of sag, but I need to adjust the angle of th road wheels to suit.

[Paul]

Today's progress. Got the tracks mounted to a peice of crafting sponge using cocktail sticks and primed the tracks using alclad grey primer. I then sprayed them using tamiya earth. I believe the sponge material is a heat embossable so you can make your own stamps, but for me it's perfect as its nice and stiff, ideal for holding things on sticks and for spaying heavy tracks. After this had dried I mixed some mig track brown pigment with white spirit and covered the entire track with it. When this had dried I added some industrial dust pigment in the same way and later some rust pigments to give a few differing colours. Once dry I set to work with some wet and dry and a sanded the tracks to show the metal Finish through. I also painted the tracks pads in Vallejo panzer ace dark rubber. Sadly I didn't get any pics of is process, doh! I then had the tricky job of getting the tracks and drive sprockets on the halftrack in one go. I attached part of the track the sprocket and holding it all and using superglue stick it on I then fed the tracks through to the idler wheels and flipped it all over and connected the track pin. I also attached the front road wheels and added some grey dust to the lower half of the bodywork and to the wheels. Here they are, they move every time I lift the tank so won't be in final position till it's on the diorama, but you get the idea.

[Paul]

Right a question for the start today, I've got some of the friul tracks left and IMO surely these carried,spare tracks section/links around with them? There's nowhere to hang any so I was thinking of putting a small section together of say 2x 3 links and placing them in between the front wheel arch and engine side cover, what do you think. Or on the bonnet, in between the crank handle and spade? Today I started on the tow chain. I primed it using aclad grey primer and then sprayed it in alclad steel. I tried using mig rust wash but it wash too thin and just dripped straight off. So needing a thicker wash I used flory models rust wash and it worked perfect. I then applied 3 different tones of rust pigments and using thinner blended them on. Once the pigments were dry I sprayed a thinned coat of tamiya xf 1. Next I painted the rear bench in panzer aces new wood, then with two coats of AK heavy chipping fluid followed by panzer aces old wood I then removed some of the old wood oaint using water. Then adding various pigment this was then glued in place behind the cab. I put many different pigments on the rear cargo deck and again using thinner blended them, after which I dropped on some dark mud and European earth. I also painted the spade and crank handle as well as attaching the width indicators and wing mirror. I hung the tow chain over the front armor panel. Mixing some mud pigments with some plaster of Paris and water I used a brush and airbrush to flick mud up the rear of the halftrack and along the sides of the vehicle. I also added some earth tone pigments to the side steps leading into the cab. The pigment are still wet behind the cab and well need blending once dry

[Paul]

I will get this diorama finished one day

[Lee]

Remember seeing this on FM. I thought it was awesome then and it's still awesome now. Can't wait to see it finished bud.....

[Paul]

Remember seeing this on FM. I thought it was awesome then and it's still awesome now. Can't wait to see it finished bud.....

Cheers mate, it would have gotten finished if they hasn't screwed up the dates on the group build leaving too little time to get it finished, I threw my toys out the pram over it and shelved all.

It will get completed one day soon.

[coladito1]

Wow!! That is amazing Paul!!

[schweinhund227]

I am at lost for words !
which doesn't happens often ! LOL

Wicked job on that... just mind blowing !

[UKscalemodeller]

Crazy talent there.

I'd feel ashamed to post a build on here next to that thing!

Epic work.

[Steve]

Looks amazing Paul

[Paul]

Thanks guys your comments are appreciated.

[gosselin2112]

That's a mighty project. I'm already feeling overwhelmed. Have fun! Keep modelling!

[HamilkarBarkas]

this is a mighty project, keep us updated the weathering on the halftrack looks amazing.

[Paul]

this is a mighty project, keep us updated the weathering on the halftrack looks amazing.

Thanks guys, yes Micheal I will get on with it some time this year, there's too much effort in it all to leave it as it is

[HamilkarBarkas]

I will get on with it some time this year, there's too much effort in it all to leave it as it is

i know how this feels i tend to finish a project pretty much as soon as possible, there is always the danger of loosing interest and having plenty of unfinished stuff around the workbench.

[Fredrik64]

Superb work

[Modelpro72]

WOW

That is an amazing bit of work. Following this with extreme interest.

Well done fella

Lenny

[ww2hispanomodels]

it looks impressive!! All the work you've done is perfect!

[Paul]

it looks impressive!! All the work you've done is perfect!

Cheers fellas

[JDMMODELS]

Awesome, awesome, awesome!! Master builder at work there.

[Nige99]

These models look better in the flesh, so to speak!! Paul done a awesome job on all of them. Just waiting to see them in a Dio so hurry up and get back into it mate.

[muskegman]

That is really fantastic, an inspiration to all of us. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

[Nige201980]

Wow making want to go out and get one of those tank thingys with a gun and stuff.

[Aaron]

Wow, Fantastic work and top work with the scratch building.
I had to chuckle to myself because you thank an invisible guy called bob lol.

[T3hGuppy]

Amazing skills nice to see this coming together.

[hansolo]

You are the GOD of weathering!
Awesome work on the scratch build!
and Awesome work on the better than life weathering!!
I still have so much to learn.

Great stuff!!

cheers

[Paul]

You are the GOD of weathering!
Awesome work on the scratch build!
and Awesome work on the better than life weathering!!
I still have so much to learn.

Great stuff!!

cheers

Cheers han