Hello, I am currently putting a list together for models I want to include in a North Africa diorama. My idea is to include a plane, some defensive armor, trucks/half tracks and tents/buildings. Something along the lines of an small airstrip (think beginning of the movie Tobruk). I would like it to be as accurate as possible. I am just having a little problem getting accurate vehicle model number that were in the North African campaign (such as half tracks - there are so many variants of the SD.kfz for example). Also what would be a good plane for the North African desert?
Anyway, thanks for the info. Also kit recommendations would be good (Dragon, AFV, Tamyia).
I would personally go with a Opel or Kubelwagen or maybe a Sdfkz 250 command variant, a good plane would be an ME109 with tropical filter or a Stuka, maybe with a AA emplacement nearby.
In North Africa, I don’ think the Germans would have had a tank at an airfield when it could have been used at the front. But then again, its your diorama so you have artisitc liscense.
Thanks for the ideas… I was thinking more of flak gun with a couple of utility vehicles, some maintinance/gunner personal and a few tents (plus the standard accesories like drums boxes and such). Plus the plane. Hadn’t considered the tank as stated above by ww2modeler.
As a kid I was big into the Desert Fox and had most of the kits for anything North African WWII including an Aurora/Revell? model of Rommels car with skeletons inside it (don’t remember the name of it but it was kool). Also the ‘Desert Rats’ set. I had sand all over the floor from the all the dioramas. Man… to have those today would be amazing!
I just Netflixed a few war docu’s for research material plus both ‘The Desert Fox’ and ‘The Desert Rats’.
I personally like the aforementioned Flak gun/Me109/Opel idea. Getting a Me109 in 1/35 would be impossible huh? Guess maybe you could find some 1/48 or 1/72 flak guns?
Thanks for all the input. I realized to do this in 1:35/1:32 would be a huge base. I may leave out the plane or do it in 1:72 (though I have already got everything except for the plane in 1:35).
Now, a great long base may be exactly what’s needed. To my thinking a 12x48 orad would be just the ticket in 1/72. First off, it would help convey the “openess” of the desert. Secondly, it would be a better match for “real life.” After all, you don’t want to put anti-aircraft artillery next to where you park planes (or repair shops, or supply dumps). That’s because AAA attracts bombs, rockets, machinegun rounds, and the like–none of which are good around planes, trucks, or supply dumps.
Now, my calculator gives me that 48" is 288 1/72 scale feet, a bit under 100 yards. That’s pretty close, militarily speaking. But, you could have a Flak 38 at one end anda Flak 37 at the other. Artisitic license would allow plenty of “stuff” in between (like a ground-looped aircraft, for instance). Just remember to not have too much FOD too close to a runway.
Here’s something to ponder at your workbench–a 3000’ 1/72 runway is 41 “real” feet long (but, what a “model room” that would make ) Oh, an 8000’ 1/144 runway is 55’ or so. (Yes, I’ve thought about this too much.)
Ok… Ok… I think I will do the original idea in 1/72 as CapnMac82 is suggesting, but will wait to do it until after I have used up the 1/35 models I already have collected (2x Flak 40’s by Tamiya, Africa Korps Infantry by Tamiya, Opel w/Flak by Italeri, Sdkfz 11 3 ton halftrak by AFV, Tamiya Tent set w/Slodier, 2x Flak 88 36/37 by Tamiya, Sdkfz 250/3 by Dragon and some others I know I am forgeting). As a matter of fact, I don’t think I even have a 1/72 model!
So I think this will just be a Flak camp (no aircraft) for the 1/35 (maybe 24’ x 24’ but not with all the models I listed). Then I will start collecting 1/72 or get a bigger space. Also when I am done I will take requests for a home for the thing.
How about a Storch for the plane? The old Hasegawa kit is still not too hard to find and if I recall correctly, a newer kit is on the works. It would change your dynamics somewhat, but Rommel was well known for being at the front at all times in his Storch.
That was my first thought, but not as interesting as a ME. But I think its mute until I decide on the base size. Right now something in 1:35 with a base no bigger than 36"x24" is about all I can handle (unless someone wants to give it a home, I’ll make it as big as they want.). Also I am currently working on a South Pacific B-25 diorama in 1:48 (24x24). So this was just to get an idea to use up the German hardware I have in 1:35. Though small vignettes are becoming more of a thought.
Well, with that collection of items, a natural thought is a road convoy.
Or, maybe a convoy past a motorpool/maintenence area. Which would allow for some terrain and features of interest.
Or, you could have a traffic jam with vehicles confronted by something, like blacktop caved-in after sand shifted under it; or a collapsed palm or two. That would let you concentrate a number of vehicles in two rows realisitically. You could let one side of the scene be just the empty verges of the road, to help communicate that desert emptiness (ooh, simple red “minen” sign every scale 10m or so 3-4m off the road edge–there’s some lonely).
Well, with that collection of items, a natural thought is a road convoy.
Or, maybe a convoy past a motorpool/maintenence area. Which would allow for some terrain and features of interest.
Or, you could have a traffic jam with vehicles confronted by something, like blacktop caved-in after sand shifted under it; or a collapsed palm or two. That would let you concentrate a number of vehicles in two rows realisitically. You could let one side of the scene be just the empty verges of the road, to help communicate that desert emptiness (ooh, simple red “minen” sign every scale 10m or so 3-4m off the road edge–there’s some lonely).
You should also look into 1/72 Hasegawa kits. I just ordered German 88mm flak, Kubelwagen with motorcycle, FAMO half track and I’m thinking about doing something similar to what you are going to do. I built these kits before and they are not bad kits and relatively inexpensive. Also, Hasegawa and Airfix produce 1/72 accesories and airfield structures that you can use for your diorama.
Myself and a workmate are talking about building a diorama involving a ME323 (Gigant) unloading a couple of 88mm guns on a north africa airstrip. I got the 1/72 323 from e-bay last week. I think we may have bitten off more than we can chew!
Oh man that idea sounds the coolest I think. It sounds a little simpler too in terms of activity and whats going on and what vehicles to include. Its simply just a huge plane unloading cargo in the desert. I dig it. Ive also always wanted one of those kits.