I have a plan - which I have been working on getting on tracks for some time, but so far I haven’t found time in the calendar to execute the plan.

I have always been fascinated with the Battle for Berlin, Its one of history’s most epic battle, not because the outcome wasn´t pretty much given, but more because of the absurdity, futility and the desperation characterizing this battle.

Hitler and his headquarter degrading more and more into madness, a suffering population, desperate defenders knowing the outcome but still fighting fearing the revenge of the opponent, the Russians intent on bringing down there opponent and paying back for the years of devastation of the motherland and last and most unreal, the still loyal party soldiers painting slogans like “Am ende steht der sieg” and “Berlin bleibt Deutsch” – did they really believe what they where painting ?

Anyway – the diorama will feature more levels, it will include a subway entrance, a collapsed house, a semi collapsed house with intact basement, street scene littered with rubble and debris, advancing Russian troops and hiding/surrendering Germans.

Naturally the slogan „Am Ende steht der Sieg“ will find its way into a building wall.

I am not really planning on any vehicles, maybe a deserted nebelwerfer or a burnt out saloon car from Bronco, but time will tell if there’s room for it.

Layout will be done in Styrofoam board – easy to work with, and kind of “free” as it is trash from the wife´s frequent visits to Ikea ….

I am currently playing with the layout – pictures will follow shortly!

Cheers/Jan

Hi Jan ,

What you are working on sounds like a ambitous project, I wish you well with it , If you have not done so allready have a look at the film "Downfall" Untergang in German It is full of scenes that will act as an insperation.

I like your idea of people crowding in to a basement , I might be interesting to have a combination of military and civilian figures and maybe a child all sheltering from a bombardment, dipicting the horrors of urban warfare.

Hope this helps.

Jerry

Sound ambitious! Looking forward to your progress!




Haha! I do the same! Too bad the appartment is now fully equipped...

Cheerio and good luck!
Stef

.."With a Type XXI popping out the underground station" eh?
Oh dear, it's going to be a looong one
my best wishes!

Hi, that sounds interesting!
I also now have some styrofoam-boards at home and think about what to build. ;-)

greetings...
Soeren

Looking forward to this epic Dio, Like you I have an absloute fascination with Berlin and the battle. I went to Berlin some years back; Its awsome.

Good luck.

Thanks for the support!


- I might just include some water, just to make you happy and keep in style

I will pick among the following figuresets:

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=2242

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=1066

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=4575

Jan, Dragons new Russian set is brilliant, The Soviet Black sea commando Crimea 1944 6457 They would be good for the dio.

Thanks Martyn - I hope to get by with stuff im my stash, but its sure a nice set!

Initial layout - it needs much more space between the entrance and the buildings:

Looks good so far!
This gives me some inspiration. But for my plans I prefer "complete" buildings, not damaged or ruined.
Perhaps I can find good photos for that.

greetings...
Soeren

Hi Jan

Looking very nice. I really like the compact layout and the difference in height.

Keep the updates coming

Happy modeling
Ole

Great start on the base Jan, looking forward to more.

Nice idea. I'm sure it will turrn out as a beautifull dio as well! ! !
Keep it going/coming

Excellent idea looking froward to seeing your methods for war torn urban settings, May i suggest Dragons volksturm???
and even Dragons luftwaffe feld divsion in normandy set. and a mix of services as flak crew were used a heer artillrey and later on infantry as time and manpower ran out.



Cheers,
Mat

Thanks for all the suggestions on figures - theres undoubtly alot of relavant sets to be used, but I allready have a large stash of figures that I am hoping to reduce with this build - problem is that I often only use one or two figures from each set, and i cant bring myself to trow out the boxes before they are empty - resulting in a large stash of allmost empty boxes ...

Anyway - since the U-Bahn entrance will be partly covered its a must that this area is done first. Im more or less satisfied with the general lyout - so I can turn my attention the this part.

First i need to give the styrofoam a even surface to give the walls and floor the right finish - usually tiles and some ornamentation was seen in the subways - and due to being underground it was protected against stray bullets and artilleryshells - i am considering doing a shellhole in the roof if i can make it suit the storyline - it will give some light down and ad some visual interest.

Surplus and cheep materials used - its allmost a sport doing a diorama on a budget

Nice progress Jan, the steps look great.

Mathew you doing very nice job! it will be interesting to see it when it finished.
P.S:Rammstein forever!

Im sure he´s doing fine, he certainly is helpfull suggesting usefull figures - but I think you just might re-read the tread - by the way - I like Rammstein too

Anyway - a bit of progress on the subway wall - having added some tiles and other plaster work as separate pieces its time to even out the work a bit - I use a ready mixed woodfiller, its more expencive than "mix it yourself" but its allways ready to use and you dont end up with mixing too much.

I spread it out with a artist spatula:


Make sure to get into all the corners!


And finish with a damp brush to even it out and bring out the lines in the tiles. Not too much water as we are working on paper and carboard!

I could have used something that i could have scribed the lines in, but I find this way produces a more uneven and natural finish.



Cheers/Jan

Nice work, Jan. I am enjoying this build so far. Very inspirational to say the least.

That looks very good!

I also have some of the cardboard and styrofoam sheets at home, but it´s a shame for me and my poor feeling to scratchbuild things.

Looking forward to see the next pictures!

greetings...
Soeren

Thanks Billy!




Well Soeren, its go ahead ad try it - since its surplus materials the only expence is your time invested - and it just might turn out great - thats the way I started out, and nothing beats the fealing of having build your own unique diorama!

Heres a bit progress, first i have finished the stairs and the other wall and plastered it. after a reasonable dryingtime i have primed it with a ordinary waterbased black paint for wood - find a cheep one at your local "home depot". I have to finish the underground section before i can seal it up and begin on the surfaces pavement and road.

One thing i find detracts from a otherwise fine diorama is a slobby finish on the frame or border of the diorama - i this case its important to get a good transition between the walls in the underground and the outside of the diorama.

To get a even surface to work on - I have glued on some thin carbord to hide the uneaven styrofoam and to provide a good base for adding the woodplating. I have to do this before i can paint and finish the underground walls so that it gets a good fit.

Since its a mix of black and white its hard to see the carbord - but its there

Hi Jan,

Seems like another wonderful little creation you are working on. Will it be a part of your model- tsunami for Esbjerg??

Best regards
Morten

Looks like a great start!
Are you planning to go for a subway setting like on this photo?

Ha!, theres only a week Morten - I can be fast, but not with something this size




Yes, I have the same photo and have even made a little print of the sign

The Russians won´t be moving down the stairs - yet - in my "shot".

Cheers/Jan

That ambush set from dragon is HILARIOUS:

Hi Jan!

When I first saw your message I told myself ''hmm that build log is gonna be cool, interesting subject....I'll look at it for sure''
But wooooh, when I saw the first pictures i was shocked!
It looks like we're building almost the same dio!

I took a picture today to prove my point!
here it goes
and another one

For my project i decided to show the street side instead of the building side, but we both cut in that subway staircase! I'm pretty amazed by this!

Well, I didnt consider starting a build log for my diorama cause I work waaaay too slowly and that would not be captivating enough.....but now I just can't, my project would look like a total rip off of yours Even though I began working on that thing in July! hehe.

And yep, we've been inspired by the same picture of the russian scouts going down the stairs.


Keep up your nice work! I'll be looking forward at it.

Philippe

Well Joris, its for sure not the best generation 2 set from dragon - but it was on sale (wonder why) and I figured that the price was fair for just the weapons and the equipment - I plan on using the one with the pistol and the one with the panzerfaust, the rest of them ends up in the spares box as the definately looks goofy and have wierd poses....

Hi Philippe - aint that something !! - by all means, get a blog going, you are off to a great start - I like your layout (naturally ) but i would love to see your progress and technique on your build!

I like the grate at the bottom of the stairs, allso that you devided the stairs into 2 sections, something that I decided against as I wanted the undergrund section bigger that yours and i was running out of space

I like your wreck too, I am considering beating a Bronco salon car up and use that.

So, feel free to do a blog, I for one would love seeing your progress!

I have begun doing the sides for the diorama - I use thin woodfinery glued on. It takes some good nerves as the moist in the glue makes the bulge when wet, but put under a bit of pressure it all straithens out. - it looks funny but it works ....

My bad, no hijacking intended,
it is comming along nicely Jan and I'm learning new things (wood filler technique), all that weight on the diorama side... i hope theres no bowing.

PS: phillip, great minds think alike look forward to seeing a few more pics of your work.

Cheers
Mat

Nice updates, lots of details in the posts. It's coming along well.

Hi Jan great progress. It is going to be one great dio!

P.S It is my favourite subject as well.