Welcome To My Carry Kitbash Page Two.

 

 

Because of the amount of pictures I am having to use for this diorama, I have had to make a second page to show everything that I want to. Also hopefully it will help to load the pages faster, rather than having them all together on one page, which can cause problems for some browsers.

One thing that I have noticed and often wondered about with a lot of modellers, is how they get the groundwork flat on the back of the base. So an idea I have thought about is to fix a balsa wood frame onto the back corner of the base, so that I can build up a rubble pile in the corner. To get the flat edges of the balsa frame level with the paving stones, I had to cut them back slightly so the bottom flat edges are level with the stones. The wood stacked up in the last picture above right, gives you an idea about how high I am hoping to get the rubble pile when I fill it with plaster.

Diorama Base

 

With the frame that I made for the corner I suddenly realised before I stared to add the plaster, is that if I fill the void up completely. This would make that part of the diorama quite heavy, so I built a framework from balsa wood as shown above left. In the next four pictures I have added the plaster to the frame and then added the broken wood and the groundwork.

In the last picture above, I have the figures placed on the base to see how they fit into the diorama, and with getting the feet in the right places. I can then add more of the groundwork onto the cobbles.

With the sides of the frame as shown above, I have a lot of work to do with these in tidying them up. As I have the plaster for the rubble pile sloping down, but it is not until all of this has dried off can I smooth it down to match the balsa wood sides. In the picture above right I have used some extra plaster to smooth the sides off, and bring the slope down level along the sides of the frame. This was then sanded flat using a large sanding stick (the type that the ladies use to sand their fingernails), and because it is flexible I was able to keep it flat to get the sides even. This was painted with a Matt Black acrylic paint, so I got a nice edge between the rubble and the raised sides

 

The bricks on the right were assembled into a small part of a wall, after having an idea passed onto me by Paul. I used some plaster and PVA glue to hold them together, I also placed some of the 'mix' on the edges of the bricks to represent the mortar. This was left aside to dry off, and after that I painted the mortar a Sand colour and gave the whole thing a wash of Brown/Grey acrylic paint to age it. Note: Making sure that I avoided the broken edges of the bricks, which show through as the original clay colour. The broken pieces of wood on top of the bricks that I have used in the diorama, are made from some balsa strips which I roughly snapped to make the course edges. The top flat parts were painted with some Model Master Burnt Umber paint, and the broken edges painted with Model Master US Tan Earth. This gives a nice effect of the outer wood having been painted or treated, and the broken edges showing through as the original wood.

Sideways shelf diving figures

One thing about the pair of figures that has been annoying me since I started this kitbash, is the way that even when I got the pose right, with the weight of them together the ankles on the standing figure gradually weakened and the figures fall down sideways. I tried to tape the joint for the leg and the foot, but gradually the weight still caused this sideways problem.

So to finally try to cure this I cut some thick plastic card into two strips as shown above left, and I taped these either side of the ankle joint. Note: The tape has to be pulled tight so that everything is held secure.

 

In the third picture above I have placed the boot back onto the foot and tied the laces, this is the second attempt I have done with this method. Because with the first one I tried with the strips, I made them too wide so they showed the shape of the strips through the boot sides. So these strips were cut slightly thinner, so they do not show through the boots. In the final picture above I have the figures posed on the base, and they now stand a lot better.

To finally make sure that the figures are able to stand in the position I want them in, I have used an idea I first saw mentioned by Tony Barton. In the pictures above I have cut two pieces of strong wire to about 30mm long with the ends filed to a slight point, I then marked where the centre of heels of the standing figure will be, and I then drilled two holes in the base and fixed the wire into them. I then drilled two holes into the heels of the figure, and then placed them onto the protruding wire. The last picture above shows the figure now standing on it's own on the base.

Update - Equipping the figures

 

The pictures above are of the figures with the belt kit added, with the medic figure I also used a spare pair of medical pouches and webbing support. One of these is shown on the right with a combination of Dragon medical kit, plus some boxes I made up from a sheet Paul sent to me. Along with some US medical parts I bought from One Sixth Scale King on ebay. The medic's helmet is the one from the Albert Ross figure, with some red cross decals I made applied to the sides.

Note: I still have to add the musette bag to the casualty, plus add some metal tab ends to some of the pack straps.

I have also assembled the figures into the poses I want and I have used some diluted PVA glue on the uniforms, because I want to set the folds to make them look realistic as with the medic where he is holding onto the casualty's jacket. I also wanted the medic figure to have a pair of scissors hanging around his neck, but I just could not get them to look right. So I have tied a piece of thread to them with a torch on the end to add some weight, and I then used the PVA glue on the scissors thread so that it now hangs right.

Note: The torch and extra thread will be removed later.

With the base I thought that it looked a little empty as it was, and I came up with the idea for the for the medic to be walking on some of the wooden debris. So I put a small hole in a piece of the painted balsa wood, and then placed it on the metal pegs for the soldiers boots. And onto this I then placed the medic's boots, so it looks like he is now stepping onto the wood. To keep some of the wooden debris and the paper in place on the cobbles, I have used some double sided tape on the bottom of them.

Finishing the base and figures

 

These pictures are of the finished diorama, and for the casualty's injury I have gone for a knee injury which has had to be splinted. As I did not want to get too gory with it, plus it helps to explain why the figure is being carried.

 

Many thanks to Ed (1stlooey) for the help with this kitbash and allowing me to show how he did his body changes.

And to Eduardo (egonzinc) for his very detailed help with how he made his British airborne figure kitbash.

And Paul (.308) for his very helpful assistance with making the base and with the medical boxes.

 

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