Going over the top

This is my small tribute to the men who fought during the 'Great War'.  A small diorama from Masterbox includes 5 figures and a section of trench.

I scratch-built a few pieces such as crates, barbed wire and stakes and some tiny tin cups!

The mud is mixed up using earth from the garden and carefully added to the model.

I raided the spares box for a few pieces like the petrol/water tins.

An enamel poppy lapel badge was added to the front of the diorama.

All the painting was realised with acrylics, a medium which I am not to comfortable with, but using this piece as an experiment I am now happier using - especially on figures!

Barbed wire was made from very thin electrical wire twisted up like the real thing. Beware of it though as it snags fingers just like the real-thing!

The finished diorama was fixed to a suitable frame....

....which was cut down to fit the footprint of the base....

....and a custom-made case was knocked up from wood strip and perspex to protect the finished project.

'Down on the range'

A quick project to dust off the cobwebs the Revell - Series lll - 109 LWB Land Rover. A very simple kit which despite being a very old kit builds into a fair replica of the real thing. The diorama was born out of a near disaster and represents a vehicle on a British Army firing range in the 1980's.

I didn't bother with any updates save for the wheels and tires that correct the over simplified ones supplied with the kit - these were from Accurate Armour as was the figure.

I scratch-built the Clansman radio mounts on the front fenders using the Land Rover rover wheel hubs, plastic rod and a couple of jerrycan filler caps - not 100% accurate but near enough for me.

The figure is from Accurate Armour and is excellent. It represents a soldier during the 1980's and I really like the '58 pattern webbing and sterling sub-machine gun.

Aerials were added from brass wire.

Weeds in the grass were added from carved sprue.

The figure is simple but effective telling the story of the diorama. The casting and detail on this figure is absolutely brilliant. The British Army DPM material was copied from photos found on the internet.

"Sorry guys - this is a restricted area!"

The sign is a print out from an image found the internet.

This project narrowly avoided the bin as when the varnish went on it blushed badly giving the model misty finish - but as modelling is the art of successfully covering up your mistakes several washes and some dusty khaki mist coats gave it the finish I was looking for.

As I didn't want to spend weeks painting - wear and tear was kept to a minimum and subtle weathering was added with pastels.

As imitation is the greatest form of flattery - I would like to thank Pete Smith - petesmodelworld.blogspot.co.uk and apologise unashamedly for stealing your display method - but would like to say your models are my greatest source of inspiration.

A suitable frame was bought and simple groundwork added.

At the last minute - I cut the wheels off and turned them slightly to add a bit more interest. Headlights came from little-lenses.

A simple 'union flag' enamel badge was added to the frame - and this quick project was finished.