Diorama “SWS with Demolition Team” using Italeri’s SWS with Demolition Team “Goliath” - by “Art Instructor”
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Hello,
Firstly,i don’t know alot about armour but the Famo seems very well painted and weathered.The groundwork looks nicely done as do the figures.However…i will be sounding like a broken record to you,but the poses from the figures to me just don’t seem to fit in the scene together at all.
Firstly,by trying to figure out what is going in the scene i assume that the soldiers are waiting on the Goliath to reach the enemy target.I doubt whether the soldiers would be standing in the open in front of the Famo,they would be more likely tucked behind it taking cover,as the figure to the far right suggests.It seems that particular figure has already pushed down on the detonator which seems strange as the Goliath hasn’t even left the area at all.I know which side of the Famo i’d be sticking to!!
The purpose of the Goliath was used to be sent off to hide under or nearby unsuspecting Armour, of into trenches and detonated from a safe distance.This is why i can’t understand what the figure with the landmine seems to be doing,like he’s about to run off hell bent and plant the mine somewhere by the enemy…kind of defies the purpose of having the Goliath?
The poses of the rest of the figures are confusing,a guy positioned on the floor which makes me think he’s taking cover from the enemy,while the second figure from the left appears to be out in the open about to gun down anything in front of him.These poses present a conflict with the figure by the drivers door who seems to me just too relaxed for this scene.
I myself am a newbie when it comes to Diorama making,and i don’t wish to take anything away from the work that your guys do and jump on the bandwagon,but to me they need to think alittle more of the way they present the “story” in their dioramas.
If there is one thing i’ve learnt in the art of diorama making it’s planning.Planning which armour or figures to use,their poses and how they should be placed in the scene together to portray a storyline which the viewer can quickly pick up on.To me i see a well painted Famo and figures who don’t fit together properly in the scene together all.
Please take this as constructive criticism,as this is what the purpose of a forum is for. Maybe Art Instructor should post his W.I.P pictures here in the forums as i’m sure some guidance by fellow modellors would be benefitial to him for fresh ideas and you the paying collector!!
Cheers,Kiwi
nice weathering on that truck and goliath. I’ve been eyeing this kit. Thought about picking it up one day and making a Utah Beach dio (they hid them in the dunes there but never used em).
Looks good. Like the ground work too. One little thing, though: That right tire is sticking off the ground a bit. Just stick a little rubble under it and it’ll look natural.
Jason
Yup, placement of the soldiers and equipment doesn’t make sense for the situation. A little research on what the vehicles and equipment were used for would go a long way.
I had Goliath some 30 years ago so I can’t be completely sure, but I think the box the kneeling guy is attending to may be the remote control for the Goliath. A quick Google search turned up the folowing:
2) Specifications.
| Length | . . . . . | 5 feet 3 inches. |
|---|---|---|
| Height | . . . . . | 2 feet. |
| Width | . . . . . | 2 feet 10 inches. |
| Total weight | . . . . . | 800 pounds (approximately). |
| Weight of explosive charge | . . . . . | 200 pounds (approximately). |
(3) Operation. The Goliath is transported to the front line on a two-wheeled trailer. After it has been unloaded from the trailer and started toward its target it is controlled through the three-core cable, about 2,000 feet long, which unwinds from the rear and is connected to the operator’s control panel. In the electrically driven type, this control is direct to the motors which drive each track individually. In the gasoline-driven model, the control operates magnetic clutches which control the tracks. There is no provision for reversing the vehicle. The charge is fired by a dry cell battery in the control unit. Firing is initiated by throwing a switch on the control panel; the firing circuit runs through the two outer wires in the three-core cable. The Goliath is expendable and is destroyed when its demolition charge is set off.
Of course, this creates an additional problem for the dio in the missing trailer. The weight makes it an item that would not have been carried in the Famo witihout some sort of device to offload it. And I, too, must concur with the others who find the randomness of the figure poses problematic to any apparent story line.
The same mistakes seem to appear in every diorama done by Art Instructor. There are two people who look alert and as if they’re looking for something to shoot, one who looks liek he actually is shooting something, and two more people who’s poses make it look like there is nothing to worry about at all. The terrain and paint job on the figures is very nice though.
Well, I still like the groundwork and rubble. The little rust chips on the front of the halftrack look nice too. Nice weathering.
Jason
Many thanks for your kind comments and compliments on the dio. This dio was made out of the box - just one box from Italeri. The figures and the Goliath are old Esci’s which Italeri included in the box of SWS. It might have been a hard work for A.I. to figure out how to put them together in one scene.There may be some discrepancy from reality or possibility like some have pointed out, but I’m not serious. This is just a piece of my collection and I’m not competing with anyone.