I am new here(Joined sometime back but this is my first post). Hope I am work worthy enuff to post here. Started modelling again for a year now. I created a small diorama reflecting US army operations in Iraq based on reported news.
The Dragon figures came from 3 different 1/35 sets: US Airbourne, US Army and US marines. I used the same colour combo for all to make them look uniform as from 1 same unit.
The humvee was from Academy I got many years back.
The mosque was scratched build using foamboard and balsa. Need some crit on my work so I can learn something from experts here. Thanks [8D]
I’m no expert but I think it looks awesome! The only thing I really noticed was the guy with the radio on his back and the guy to his left seem to have older versions of the M-16, not sure those are used in Iraq, but I could be wrong. Other than that I think it looks great! The shoes at the door of the mosque are a touch I wouldn’t have thought of!
Overall, a well laid out and thought out scene. The figures you used really don’t have current uniforms, gear or weapons. They would be more accurate for late Desert Storm. I gusee this could be a very early operation, especially since the Humvee hasn’t been up armored. You did a nice job in the camo pattern with good base and squiggle colors. Where you have a light brown, however, should be very pale sage green. Everything could use a bit more shading and highlight to give more depth.
Hey thanks for the tips guys! Very detailed analysis. Yup I kinda missed alot of parts in the detailing especially in the equipment and uniform. There a couple of different uniforms the US units are using when I search on the net. Just need to nail on the exact ones I guess.
At least now I know how many steps forward and back I need to take to improve. Keep the crit coming guys. [BG]
I can’t see the pics (damn firewall at work), but based on the figure sets you listed, they are all ODS ('90-'91) era figures. They are wearing ALICE suspenders and gear and have M16A1/A2 rifles and M60MGs. They also have older PAGST body armor.
All the above items were used by a very few units (mostly Nat. Guard) during the initial invasion. Most (90%+) wore Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) with MOLLE pouches attached directly to it, and used M16A2s or M4s and M249 SAW or M240B MGs.
If you get the Dragon Modern Marines set, you can use their IBA-clad torsos and swap them out with any of Dragon’s other US sets to get current OIF figures.
The DCU uniform is made up of three color; sand, khaki green, and brown. It looks like this:
During the initial invasion, all soldiers wore the JSLIST chemical suit. It comes in Woodland camo and DCU pattern desert camo. Most had the woodland though, as there was a backlog on getting the desert ones. Most IBA vests were also woodland initially. DCU IBAs started being seen in early '04.
USMC uniforms are a whole other story. Some wore DCUs, some the new MARPAT DigiCamo. They also had IBA vests in a dark tan color called Coyote Brown. They also wore JSLIST initially as well.
I’ll post more when I can see the pics, but I’ sure these guys have covered it all.
You’ve done a good job with the most important part of a diorama: the composition and story. The story is obvious and you have laid out your parts to support it very well. Almost everyone is looking at the focal point.
One small change you could make that would improve it is to have a trooper manning the .50 cal on top of the Hummer, and have him pointing it at the doorway. It will re-emphasize the point of the dio and eliminate what was, for me, a question mark: why isn’t the MG manned?
The shoes are a terrific touch, implying other people who are not modeled. The building looks very good too. Others have commented on the research and painting, but IMO all those are things you can improve with time. The art of getting the story right is much harder and you nailed it.
Now I can see the pics. Looks pretty good. Nothing else to add to what is above. I will also echo the last post, great composition and layout. The mosque looks good too. Good job.
Considering that lighting for cameras and then posting online “does” I’ve no comment that has not been made (or that I might make less strongly).
I’ve been experimenting with the ubiquitous Goggles, Dust, Sun, & Wind Protective, though. I’ve kind of settled on using the base color under the lens, and then over-coating that with one of the Tamiya Clears. The Clear Green with a coat of Clear Smoke over it is good for the green laser-resistant lens; I’ve not found a good combo for the red lens yet.
For the red lenses on goggles and optics, I first paint it black, then overcoat with Testors Stop Light Red clear, lastly, I put a couple coats of clear gloss for some depth. This gives a good color variety as it changes depending on the angle and the lighting, just like the real thing.
Overall, looks great. One thing that really stood out is the color of canteen pouches. Those things look way too green. Should be more flat olive drabish color. LBE/ALICE gear were used at smaller scale during the initial stage of the invasion by National guards and other combat support/combat service support units. In fact, when I was called up from IRR, the unit I was briefly attached to, most troops had mixed match LBV (load bearing vest) to ALICE to MOLLE vest to straight Interceptor body armor. I didn’t have any MOLLE compatible pouches, so I used my ALICE over IBV. I’m not sure whether there are any manufacturers offering M16A3(flat-top) or M4s in flat top with Aimpoint M2 or Trigicon ACOG sight systems in 1/35 scale, but these optical sights are being used in large scale as well (in place of traditional A2 iron sight system).
You’ve heard from some of the best already,I’m still relatively new.I just wanna add how much your hand painted marking’s & especially the shoes at the door all facing the correct direction really showed your creative & small details strengths.I like it all,the 1 glaring thing that jumped out at me was the Glaring new & clean tires.The lack of dust/sand kinda jumps out ! Great start.
Not an expert on this type of equipment, and you’ve already had input on that from the “experts” So i’ll just say good work…the house setting is nicely done and I like the “extras” you’ve added (shoes for example)…nice work!
Cool, that’d really work for woodlands & the “green” marpat. Been fussign with just heads, to try and get myself back to “fuller speed” (excepting that life and poverty keep interupting <surprise surprise surprise ). So, I’ve been using the “fritz” by the rest of the “go” gear for an example–and getting that “hint” of the three-color cover to just come through ahs been my goal. My “closest” was Smoke plus some clear blue–or about your black for base coat. I’ve no other LHS than Hobby Lobby, so, on my next trip into awfull houston, I may go find an LHS for StoprLight Red, which ought to be darker than the Clear Red.
That, or I’m melting the busted Lens, Laser Reflective, Dust, Wind, and Sun Goggles I had to replace . . .
That’s a mount for the 3/4th generation NVS (Night Vision System). There are more mounts than NVS sets, typicaly, too. If it’s a Marine unit, the NVS will be in carrier solidly attached to whom it has been issued (lest it it wander off an find a new home).
The hand-held GPS units are not that much larger than a non-folding nextel phone (a far cry from the old Trimble “compact” units, which were about microwave-sized ). The GPS unit would likely be stashed in a pocket, or in the LBE somewhere, the only clue would be a bit of “dummy cord” running to it–probably a bit finer detail than 54mm/1:35 might warrant.
No, I actually did answer it, but it looks like blended in with the background picture. Answer was posted the bottom of the page, right below the picture.
