Hi guys,

This is a diorama I have been working on for a long time now. It depicts the US 29th Infantry Division attacking towards St. Lo supported by the 747th Tank Batallion on 11th July 1944.

It's not finished, there are still several small details to brush up, some missing parts from the Sherman as it got damaged recently, and I also need to cut and stick down a "Final" map on the lower base, but I thought I would put it up to see what the general opinion is.

There will be much more debris on the ground and some other details (including that missing sherman antenna) but for now I am just enjoying what is the most complete diorama I have managed so far !!

The Sherman is a Tasca M4A1 early converted to Mid, figures are from Nemrod. The compass was a gift from my good friend Paul Rains and the map is a copy of a genuine FUSAG situation map from the day the diorama is set.

I owe the arrow design to Paul Rains also, who has been key in supporting me throughout with moral support (aka whip cracking) and helping me to envisage the way this would turn out. Paul's crazy idea for an arrow base led me here...and I thank him for that!

Anyone attending the SMW show in Telford in a couple of weeks can see this on the competition table all being well.











the pics might look a little odd resized - right click on them and copy the URL to see them properly sized.

Thanks for looking ! comments much appreciated

thanks
Jon



Scalemodelmedic Youtube Channel

This is great. The diorama itself is really good, then to top it off the composition on top of the map is super.

I like it alot Jon !! very creative indeed!!

Very, very good! I love it! Great figures as well! Can you tell us more about the construction? Shrubberies, grass etc.?

Cheerio!

Hi Jon,

Glad to see this one getting a viewing 'abroad' .

Outstanding work both in setting and configuration. The detail on the troops, ground work and Sherman is spot on.

You did a brillient re-pair job opn the Sherman after the accident and the whole setting is a joy to look at.

1st of many I hope.

Al

Hi Jon !
Very creative usage of the base and groundwork, my friend . Well done !!! Cheers !
Kenneth .

Jon, impressive dio. I like the look of the difference's in the dirt and foilage. The infantry are outstanding. Great Work.

Robert

Wow! That looks awesome, the layout with the map of Normandy beneath is also great! Really Nice.

Gr.
Wijnand

PS: Maybe some close-ups

hi John

very nice diorama, any chance you could send me some pictures so i can create a On Display feature ?

cheers

Keith

Seems you have made quite a stir my friend. WELL DONE mate! Well done...

The student surpasses teacher... Not, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve! LOL's...

Seriously Jon, it is always good to collaborate with you. I have enjoyed this diorama from the start of concept, to now. It is however, your hard work, not mine. You have done a masterful job, you deserve the praise. Now take it to competition and clean up with it!

Paul

A truly great piece. I'd love to see how you go about making your trees, bushes, etc! Great Job!

Remember watching this very early on when you were just making the hedge row. WOW look where its gone on to .Awesome! Thanks John for showing, would love to see it a Telford, but if we can't make it will you post the finished Dio after, I'm sure you've won something. Thanks Geraint

Unfinished or even if there are a few things wrong , I will say to you, very very good. We are all wondering how you did such a great job with the bushes and by the way....the rest is also great.......Al

Hi Jon
An excellent effort and a great diorama. I must commend you on the differences in textures, groundwork and foliage. A very effective and interesting diorama. Great work.
Regards
Garth

Jon this composition is very cool. I really think the idea of the map and compass adds to the coolness of the diorama. Well done. Very well done thanks for sharing.

Jon, "Finally" we can see the result of your work.

Wath catches my eye immediately is the nice overall green colour. I read all your threads about the plant makings and i know how many effort you have put behind it.
The fianl result was worth the effort!
Groundcolors are superb also.
The break through the hedgegrow is really well done, apart that i am missing a few twigs and branches coming out from under the Shermans tracks. He just passed over them, isn't it?

Very interesting idea from Paul , together with the map, it is some special. In the most positive sense.

I wish you luck in Telford, a medal there is a sure thing.

Cheers
Claude

Hello Jon, congrats, is not easy reproduce propely the nature... and the compostion with the arrow added a plus of interest.
cheers

I think I can say that this is a piece of modelling art. And now I'm getting back to watching your dio again and spotting new details. Thank you and congratulations

Hi guys

thanks very much for all your kind words and interest !

I am glad that this dio has been enjoyed by you all so far, particularly as it has been a real labour of love to put it all together, with many trials and tribulations along the way.

As for relating methods of construction, I really wouldn't know where to start so this is something for me to look at in the future. I guess the main ingredient was patience, obviously you can't get up close and look without seeing the diorama in the flesh but inside the hedges are ivy vines carefully wrapped round the bushes with leaves glued on one at a time by hand. This kind of thing is just a case of investing time and effort, sometimes it was infuriating and I built other models on the way just to keep me sane.

Those interested in the base, the lower base is 12mm MDF which was cut with a jigsaw then sanded. The upper base is cork, which was carefully cut with a coping saw, sanded and when the hedge groundwork began was all blended in carefully wih resin based filler and sanded. I added many coats of gloss black to get the deepest, most reflective finish possible.

Again, thanks for looking !

cheers
Jon

Exellent job on the construction Jon and the idea of having it as a raised part of the map with the arrow striking toward the enemy is very good and makes it more appealing. if i get to Telfors i will be bee lining for this one.

Steve

What a great idea! Just love the lay out with the map. When seeing this kind of dioramas, I allways think to myself "Why didn´t I get this idea?"

Great dio, very original, particularly like the arrow shape of the base that the sherman sits on.

A lot of thougth has gone into this and it shows.

VERY well done.

James

The greens really just pop out right at you. Your time was well spent in the composition and work. It has paid off in great dividens of beauty.

Impressive composition! I really like the base! and both, the Sherman and the groundworks are superb!
Thanks for sharing!

Cheers, mate.

A great job, I love it.
work is not only wonderful vegetation, as well as the composition of the diorama and the presentation.
in short one of those dioramas are not forgotten and their images are used as reference

congratulations

Domi

Hello again everyone

This model is almost finished now. I have just 2 nights out of the next 3 in which to add the final FINAL touches. The show is this weekend and that will be when I am drawing a line under this project and calling it totally finished !

Here is the final batch of photographs from last night after fixing the sherman down and weathering the handling points.

As usual the re-sizing from the site might make them look a little odd. If so, copy and paste the URL into your browser to view full sized pictures.














thanks for all the comments along the way guys. Too late to incorporate anything new, so if I've missed it - too bad for me

cheers
Jon

I see an award in your future. Really nice.

Well it would be nice if you are right there ! However, I am not one to assume so I have an agonising wait to see how it does at the show

Hi
Very nice diorama. Some very well made hedgerows .
Nice suble painting as well. Hope you do well at the show.
might be lucky to see this in the flesh if I get there.
1 small question is this meant to be a tank following another tank through the hedge.
The reason I ask is there is only 1 set of tracks that stop in a straight line & have not turned into the field & If this was the lead Tank then shouldn't it have some of the hedge covering it.

Hello Shaun,

in answer to your question regarding the tank - the diorama is set on the 11th July in the saint Lo sector. At the time the US forces were experimenting with their "hedge busting" doctrine and at the start of the particular offensive phase depicted here were using demolition charges to blow holes in hedges.

The doctrine called for the hole to be blown, with a wave of infantry passing through initially followed by a sherman and further infantry behind. The Sherman would fire WP rounds into the corners of the field (hence the turned turret and scanning commander) to neutralise MG positions and the infantry would eliminate panzerfaust/schreck teams to protect the tank.

The cullin device followed afterwards and allowed tanks to enter the fields without the prior warning of the hedge being blown, but I think the cullin device is a bit "over modelled" so I wanted to show this earlier method in action.

As the map is from the exact day of the diorama it ties in nicely.

Hope you do get to see it and let me know how you felt after seeing it in the flesh.

cheers
Jon