The WW1 dio I have been working on for the Tank Museum

[Hanger2]

As you probably know I am a member of the Tank Museum Volunteer Modellers and the TM asked the group if we could build a WW1 dio for their coming exhibition commemorating the Centenary of the start of the First World War next year.
After a lot of discussion between the TM management and us modellers we decided to model a part of the Battle of Passchendaele known as the Cockcroft Action from 19th August 1917. This was by all accounts one of the few successful tank actions of the war.

The base size we were restricted to was 1m x 2m so we had to do this in 1/72 scale, we used an MDF baseboard built up with polystyrene to get the various land heights for the raised roadways and the starting slope of the Passchendaele Ridge, this was then covered in wall filler and the shell holes added, ruined buildings, road surface, shell torn trees and German field artillery position added, then when dry the groundwork was painted, then dry-brushed and the shell holes filled with Woodland scenics Realistic Water. Embar MkIV Females and one Male were then fixed into place as were the the British Infantry. The German Infantry and Field Guns were already in place in the buildings and prebuilt Field Gun area.

The building Crew, left to right Me, Barry, Sue, Richard and Mike.



This is a period aerial shot of a WW1 shell holed battlefield which we were trying to copy



Now some pics of the build, we had a group build of the tanks then Barry took them home and sprayed them, I then weathered them. I made and painted all the buildings and the German Field Artillery enplacement, a group painting session on the figures, Richard pruned some brushes at home and smashed the ends with a hammer to get the splintered effect, there was a group shell hole making session as we were applying the filler, likewise when filling the holes with water.













I have taken some of the pics in black and white to try and make it look like the period pics one see's in books.













Sadly my pics don't do the dio justice, it looks so much better "In the Flesh". Last Wednesday it was finished now we have to wait for it to be fitted in to it's module in the exhibition when it is started after Christmas ready for the Grand Opening in April. Hope you all like it and it would be nice to see some of you there to be able to view it properly.

Geoff

[Paul]

Wow that's an amazing dio, just shows the horrific place it must have been

[DC87]

Amazing work, love how the landscape or lack of is just as important as the figures and tanks.

[longlance67]

stunning work, really captured that surface of the moon look perfectly


great work


Shane

[Hanger2]

Thanks Guys, it certainly must have been horrific to fight there, or be left out there being wounded.

Geoff

[JayCub]

Super looking diorama Geoff, but could you make it smaller to fit in my bedroom, must have been horrendous for the soldiers in the trenches, i couldn't imagine any of it, but thank you for sharing the work you and your team have done.
Tom

[muskegman]

Great job Geoff, yourself and the other volunteers did a wonderful job. That place certainly looks like a real hell hole. I think as we move further and further away from the Great War it is so important to remind the younger generations what a terrible war it was. All that loss of life and total destruction. Yourself and the volunteers seem to have captured a piece of that in your diorama.

Well done

Mark

[Hanger2]

Many thanks for your comments and I will pass them on to the team next time I see them.

What we have done will be fitted into an enclosed case and will be only viewed from one side through replica MkIV tank drivers hatch windows so hopefully it should look quite lifelike.

Geoff

[Radzy]

Geoff, this is gigantic... gargantual job you all did with this diorama!

That is really ... out of scale, tons of details, this terrain really looks photo-liike...

Job very well done, buddy.
Congratulations to whole crew for your effort!

Cheers,
Radek

[HobbyModeller]

Awesome dio!! Completely awesome!!!!

[oldgit]

Great work but can I ask a question, whats the difference between a male and female wwi tank?

[Hanger2]

Thanks alot Guys.

oldgit, the armament was different, females only had machine guns but the male also had a 6 pounder gun in place of one of a machine gun either side.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_IV_tank

[Rob]

Brilliant, just brilliant!

[Hanger2]

Many thanks Rob

[oldgit]

Thanks for the explanation!!

[AchtungPanzer]

Wow ! From me 5 stars for this project

[Hanger2]

Your welcome OG

Thanks very much from the team, AP

Geoff

[Daishi12]

Congratulations on the superb work, certainly shows the intensity of the bombardment that was experienced during WW1.

[Nige201980]

that is totally amazing mate every little detail is just WOW cant think of anything better but WOW

[HWGuderian23]

Ah ... Passendale (in Germany better known as "(3.) Flandernschlacht"! It's distinguishable right away (not a stone was left standing except for the main road). The main road was the only distinguishing characteristic which was left over after the battle. It's unbelievable.
Very interesting project and an outstanding work mate .

[Hanger2]

Many thanks Markus

[Coen]

Outstanding work guys!
To be able to do that as a living.... Oh boy am I envious.
Well done, a great representation fellas.

[Hanger2]

Thanks Coen, it is a great place to model but it is not our living we are just volunteers who are all retired, well the ones making this dio are, so we manage to get there during the week when the school hols and half terms are on.

Geoff

[Coen]

Then the museum is very lucky to have such skilled craftsmen willing to donate their time.

[Hanger2]

Thanks Coen, I will pass on yours and others comments on to the team.

Geoff

[RobertA]

Stunning work!!

[Hanger2]

Thanks Robert

[arss]

Wow, amazing work! I am speechless!

[Hanger2]

Thank you arss, pleased you like it

Geoff

[ROBOPAUL]

This is amazing. I will put it on my to see list when I come to tankfest this year.

[KalebB]

Awesome dio mate, I truly tip my hat to you.

[Hanger2]

Thanks Paul, The TMV modellers group will be inside with our models during the 2 days of TankFest, I shall be there for one of the days, don't know which yet, but come along and say hello, we don't bite.

Geoff

[Hanger2]

Thanks a lot Kaleb, pleased you like it.

Geoff

[thechildmodeller]

Great dio im working on my own ww1 dio at the moment if mine turns out half as good as yours I'll think it was a job well done

[Hanger2]

Many thanks, just have fun doing it.

Geoff

[stratosf1]

Stunning and most impressive work. Well done! Really got me excited about my own dio plans. Keep it up

[Hanger2]

Many thanks Stratos and welcome to ISM.

Geoff