Pegasus Bridge Diorama

1
May 29, 2021
The first pieces out of the box
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May 29, 2021
Bridge constructed, now for some paint.
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June 1, 2021
A bit of paint now added
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June 1, 2021
Time to make a start on the Italeri Horsa Glider
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June 1, 2021
Glider with a bit of paint.
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June 1, 2021
Glider completed with its decals.
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June 1, 2021
Lord Lovat will need a piper, but the box of Airfix British infantry has none. Time to make my own.
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June 2, 2021
Couldn’t resist buying these for a Bank Holiday Monday blitz building session.
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June 2, 2021
A few more extras built to fill the role of the Panzer divisions held back while Hitler sleeps.
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June 2, 2021
Airfix Panzer IV. A nice Vintage Classic to remake, reminding me how much I hate fixing all those little wheels which even today don’t want to sit straight!
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June 2, 2021
Airfix Sd.Kfz.234 Armoured Car. I’ve made this Vintage Classic in the past in the Africa Korps colours suggested by the box art, but luckily it was also to be found in 1944, Normandy.
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June 2, 2021
Airfix Sd.Kfz.222 Armoured Car and part of the Vintage Classic Reconnaissance Set. I used the Eastern Front decals over a Normandy camouflage to complete this kit.
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June 2, 2021
Airfix Volkswagen Kübelwagen. The second part of the Vintage Classic Reconnaissance Set is a must have in any WW2 German scene. Noticeably smaller in its 1:76 scale to that of Italeri’s 1:72 vehicle and no where near as fine a moulding, so I’m going to be placing this Kübelwagen A long way from the other!
14
June 2, 2021
Felt I needed a few motorbikes in the diorama, so splashed out on Italeri’s 1:72 scale German Motorcycles and they didn’t disappoint. Not only do you get 4 motorcycles and 2 sidecars, the ancillary figures are great!
15
June 2, 2021
Here’s the motorbike and sidecar from Italeri’s 1:72 scale German Motorcycle set. The guy with the glasses is one of the ancillary figures. Others I have used around the diorama.
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June 2, 2021
The Panzer Park near Caen. This may not be the final layout but the Panzer Park now has all its players. The Airfix King Tiger and Stug III are from my 2020 D-Day project, so nice to be able to reuse them in this diorama. The figures are from the Italeri Motorcycle and Airfix Reconnaissance sets. I am very impressed with Airfix’s figures which, at least this time, I’m pleased are more 1:72 scale so fit nicely with the Italeri figures. Oh yes there are also a couple of Airfix RAF ground crew thrown in which I thought looked OK as German mechanics / tank crew
17
June 2, 2021
A shot of the Metcalf pillboxes making a rough job of acting as the Pegasus Bridge pillbox. I’ve had these for quite some time so made sense to use them. Also a view of 2 of Italeri’s artillery pieces included in the Pegasus Bridge set. The figures are Airfix German Infantry which I had prepared for an earlier project, so didn’t make use of the Italeri figures.
18
June 2, 2021
Received delivery of these very nice figures this morning from @drumandflag. Just had to have some resistance folk for my Pegasus Bridge diorama - it’s turning into quite an epic now!!

Have painted up 4 that I think will work plus a Aran jumper wearing figure who I’m thinking plus just be the Lord Lovat I’ve been missing! ?
19
June 4, 2021
French Resistance installed ...
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June 4, 2021
An attempt at illustrating sabotaged telephone lines. Photos don't to the attempt justice as there is so little space to get the camera in and they are right on the edge of the diorama
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June 4, 2021
Will have to do ... they at least show the vital part the Resistance played in the lead up to D-Day.
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June 4, 2021
The tank park and a selection of Airfix Panzers
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June 4, 2021
The tank park and a selection of Airfix Panzers
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June 4, 2021
The tank park and a selection of Airfix & Italeri figures
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June 4, 2021
The tank park and a selection of Airfix Panzers
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June 4, 2021
The tank park and an Italeri German motorcycle
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June 4, 2021
Armoured car from the Airfix German Reconnaissance Set
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June 4, 2021
A last minute addition of Cafe Gondree from Warbases
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June 4, 2021
I was not going to add this iconic Pegasus Bridge cafe as it would be facing the wrong way on the diorama with all the windows and detail facing away from the viewer .. but I went for it anyway
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June 4, 2021
View back to the bridge
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June 4, 2021
View back to the bridge
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June 4, 2021
View from the bridge
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June 4, 2021
View back to the French Resistance with two vehicles and a motorcycle from Italeri
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June 4, 2021
View from above the bridge of the cafe
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June 5, 2021
Italeri’s Horsa glider added to the diorama with some excellently moulded figures which are included in the kit. Would have loved to have had the tail removed as they were on some landings ... but no evidence for Pegasus
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June 5, 2021
I had to use metal pins to secure the glider to the ground as it is so so tail heavy!
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June 5, 2021
Created a pond above the glider as we know that there was plenty of water around the bridges
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June 5, 2021
Saddled just a section of canal. Had originally planned to use the space on the right for something else and, with hindsight the cost of additional water would have been prohibitive
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June 5, 2021
Digging and lining the trench was great fun
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama
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June 6, 2021
Pegasus Bridge, the completed diorama

Comments

53 29 May 2021, 15:50

29 May 2021, 19:59

Jonathan Read-Bone
For those loving a diorama I don't think you can get much better than these Italeri kits and this Pegasus Bridge example is amazing. Will share more soon ?

30 May 2021, 04:48

Jay Dubya
Pulling up a seat, with plenty of popcorn. Great start JRB!

1 June 2021, 22:31

Mario Thomas
Very nice, Looking forward for my own Set.BTW where is the Picture of the Project from ?

1 June 2021, 23:16

John Thomas
Very cool

2 June 2021, 01:05

Jonathan Read-Bone
Thanks guys! Jay, glad you mentioned popcorn... this is inspired by one of my favourite films, "The Longest Day", and you can expect to see many themes from this movie unfold between now and the 6th June! Mario, the Picture of the Project is my diorama, or at least how it was looking last week. Thanks John, I hope the finished project lives up to expectation.

2 June 2021, 02:26

Jay Dubya
Happy to share the popcorn, albeit in a COVID safe way!
The story of the Ox&Bucks' attack is absolutely ready to be retold. Perhaps they should make a movie of it, using the Stephen Ambrose book as the base of the script?

2 June 2021, 08:15

Mario Thomas
Can we have a Picture of the complete Diorama.

2 June 2021, 15:38

Jonathan Read-Bone
Mario, definitely .. I'm finalising everything for a 6th June unveiling ?

2 June 2021, 16:43

Dave Flitton
Watching

2 June 2021, 21:13

Guy Rump
Very impressive, looking forward to the final reveal 👍

6 June 2021, 08:14

Marco Gallmann
Your, Diorama is amazing! Wow 👍 I started the Glider kit some years ago, but the project is still on hold. The Pegasus bridge kit is the ultimate addition to the Glider kit. Maybe I will take the Glider project back to the workbench...

6 June 2021, 09:37

Jonathan Read-Bone
Marco, I recommend it wholeheartedly! I quite underestimated the space required thinking I'd be able to use some of my base board for something else, hence the shorter than planned canal. Am however pleased with the results, though if I hadn't been constrained by my self imposed completion date, I could probably continue for a couple more months! ?

6 June 2021, 14:14

Jonathan Read-Bone
Guy .. that's all folks! ?
Here's the video if you really want more ?
Youtube Video

6 June 2021, 14:15

Guy Rump
Great film, great models and great dio 👍

6 June 2021, 16:01

Roger Buzbee
Can I ask what colors you used to paint the bridge? I am currently working on this kit and could use some help. I really appreciate it!

27 May 2022, 15:04

Jonathan Read-Bone
Roger, that's an interesting question as it seems a long time ago now. I need to have a look at what paints I had at the time. The grey superstructure would have definitely been Vallejo's grey primer as I needed something strong to cope with the absorbent wood. I remember building up a couple of colours on the roadway until I was happy with the look but I'd now need to have a closer look at the bridge to remember what I used 😆🤦‍♂️

28 May 2022, 06:26

Neuling
Impressive diorama! 👍

28 May 2022, 08:52

Simon Nagorsnik
Really nice dio!
Looks like a lot of work but you`ve done a really good job with all that stuff- impressive!

28 May 2022, 09:02

Villiers de Vos
A real head turner.

28 May 2022, 19:04

Rui S
Great work 👍

28 May 2022, 21:40

Paul Reddmeister
This is superb - I came here thanks to rabbithole from the Italeri Horsa glider. I also model OO and HO railways so this could fit in as a very nice dio on the layout...Cheers

26 June, 07:18

Jonathan Read-Bone
Paul. That would be a nice project to see 👍

26 June, 16:58

J35J
Great build and dio! Congrats👍🏻

26 June, 17:48

Jonathan Read-Bone
@J35J many thanks!

Sadly after a couple of years sitting out on the table on which it was built (I had never intended at the time to ever move it) time had not been kind to it and so a few months back I safely stored the troops and vehicles for another day and have the bridge with water and the cafe in separate storage boxes awaiting inspiration for another scene.

Fortunately I have the photos and my little video to remember it by 😊

27 June, 08:12

Paul Reddmeister
How did you make the water ie was it glass or ?

27 June, 10:17

Jonathan Read-Bone
@Paul, I used Woodland Scenics Realistic Water .. I believe it took 2 bottles of it. I eventually bought 3 as the initial layer split in drying as I think it was too cold, I then read that it needs to be 20 degrees to get a good finish. I poured it onto a pre painted base, and then added a bit of colour to the last layer as it didn't quite look right. So it was built up in layers.

27 June, 13:41

Paul Reddmeister
Ah good to know - thanks. I know WS stuff isnt cheap from my MR exploits but the quality is good (I have used their riser systems to get to viaducts levels). Will look into it...thanks

28 June, 06:56

coporado
Wow impressive dio, nicely built and composed! What size is the dio? Supposed to be huge even in 72

28 June, 09:02

Jonathan Read-Bone
It was a large one! Unfortunately I had to dismantle it as there was no way to get it out of the loft and I'd stuck it too well to the base board / table to even cut it into pieces!

11 July, 12:00