Secure the Front! (Russian Diorama)
Comments
Chris McLainIt keeps getting bigger and bigger, but I'm making progress! I've now shaped foam and am ready to start on groundwork for the base. The houses are constructed and have received their basic paint job, and the blue-green truck is finished (as you can see in the most recent photo). There's lots of work with figures still to do, but it's starting to feel like the end is in sight!
Patrick HagelsteinBeautiful! Very detailed! One thing though.... Isn't the ZiL-157 truck a post-war design?
Bob HallYes it was, but in the description on his project, he had addressed that some of the vehicles were not of the time period.The ZIL didn't enter service until the late 50's.
Chris McLainYeah, I bought all these kits (as well as some others that didn't make it into the dio) at a sort of fire-sale event some 10 or more years ago and didn't do any research on what exactly I should purchase beforehand. I was just looking for Russian stuff from the mid-20th century and assumed all this would have been at Kursk. Then last year, when I started the project, I discovered none of it was right and just decided to do something generic. So consider it a "what if" if it makes you feel better! I had fun, and that's what's important to me!
Bob HallRegardless Chris, Looks Awesome ! Just call it an "Alt History" Dio and then no one can critique your awesome job !
Patrick HagelsteinWell, I can only concur with Bob, it truly looks awesome!!! And you mentioned something called......fun?..... 😉 Isn't that what this hobby should all be about? 🙂 Again, great job! 👍
Album info
I was inspired by David L. Robins' historical novel, "Last Citadel" about the battle of Kursk.
The original concept for this project was a snapshot of the Russian defense preparations on the steppe. I found some reference photos of civilians digging entrenchments/tank traps and bought a number of old, discounted, 1:72 scale armor kits, as well as a large photo frame for the base. All of this went into the stash, untouched for years.
When I finally got around to building the kits I'd purchased, I realized only one or two of the vehicles and none of the tanks were correct for the battle of Kursk, and I also discovered they are terrible kits--very bad fits and not all that accurate in some respects.
Nevertheless, I soldiered on and changed the concept of the diorama. This was a good learning experience, and despite the quality of the kits, I'm pleased with the result.
