As some of you know I’m working on a Flak 37 and am going to put it on a base. I have the contours of the base all done and such. Before I go putting the groundwork on it and such, I am curious. Would the Germans have cleared the grass out of the way before setting up the 88mm? Or would they have just plopped it down on the grass?
I did away with the sandbag idea, and instead replaced it with a berm of sorts. I want to make it look like a natural formation rather then one created. So that hill at least will be covered with grass. Just trying to think about the rest of it. If there is gonna be dirt, then I want to color the ground cover and embed some of the dirt into the colored spackle I’m gonna put down.
Basically I want the dirt and the grass, I just wanted to know whether or not to push stuff to the side as if it had been dozed, or to blend the grass in like a natural grass line. I’ll try and post some pics tomorrow of what I have so far.
I decided to get the pics up tonight. So I don’t know if it’s “dug in” or not, but this is the position of the cruciform on the base. The dirt color may or may not remain the same, but it can be airbrushed and drybrushed to change it’s color. The tan area’s will end up being airbrushed green, and then grass will be laid in and make a gentle transision into the dirt, as if it were a natural line.
BTW Redleg? That was a PERFECT answer. It was concise, and to the point, and gave me EXACTLY what I needed to know, to get this project underway. TYVM.
T26 thanks for the link. I’ll read it as soon as I get back from the hobby shop. I need a couple of bottles of paint.
Ok I have to admit, I don’t know what is meant by dug in, in this particular case. It will NOT be mounted to the bogies, if that’s what y’all are askin.
Digging in is a more long term or prepared position as opposed to just emplaced where it is set up on level ground.
Simple “digging in” could be sand bags as a parapit around the emplacement. If it were more permenent, it could be dug out with timbers for walls, ammo storage areas etc.
You may run the gambit in WWII. The emplacments on the FEBA would just be on level ground…say defending a feild HQ. Emplacements closer to Germany would be more prepared and permenent.
Maybe I’ll add some sandbag or timber/snadbag walls on there. Since the main idea is that at least in front of the gun the crew is using a natural rise in the ground to help shield the gun at least somewhat.
After viewing your base WIP pics I’m not so sure the answer is as simple as it might appear…if this is a “permanent” emplacement vs a temporary “drop and shoot” situation the grass may have been worn away over time from the foot-traffic, etc. of the crew, etc. servicing the gun…
The more I think about it the more I think I’m just gonna do it as a drop n shoot. Like a 2-3 day think. Which helps to explain why there will be water cans around, along witha few other items, and why the “pads” are sunken into the ground a bit. Perhaps I will write a backstory, to help explain things. Maybe it was supposed to be a 24 hour drop or something but ended up being stuck there for like 4 days or something. This is a nice kit, but I’m relaly rather disappointed with the figs. The fit is poor, the poses are mediocre, and the detail is poor and soft. The boots especially, look like those old early to mid 80’s “moon boots.” Since the figs are only a minor supporting role(and I don’t have the money to go buy really good figs), I’m not really gonna sweat it much. I’ll paint them up, do some basic shading, and call them good.
As for the base it’s actually turning out better then I’d hoped. I’m considering adding some water in the recesses left by the tank treads at the corner of the base. Wouldn’t be too hard to do, and would add some visual interest.
The main reason I think I’m gonna do it as a drop and shoot however is the fact, the base is really too small to dig it in. Maybe I’ll do another one in the future, and dig it in, with some nice figs and such.
