1/35 Dragon 105mm Howitzer M2A1 Vignette

[dmminiatures]

planting trees is the next step. I will make some pine tree stumps using balsa wood a a resource. I will cut them in different length and sizes and use Tamiya epoxy putty to replicate the roots

Ideally it should be made from a dowel, but I didnt have any so i carved up some balsa squared rods. I inserted a copper wire through the middle of the stump and fixed it to the base using super glue



Then I use a piece of tamiya epoxy putty to replicate the curvy base of the stump.



with a bit of help using toothpicks, pointy tools, and a bit of water, added more tamiya epoxy putty to form the fingers of the roots. the water was critical because without it, the putty becomes really sticky with our hands. I was much helped by reference photos of pine trees on Google.

[LyleW]

I think Joyce Kilmer may have to rewrite her poem.

[Manny1943]

Some really good work going on in here!

[Thomas_M]

Enjoyable build, Monty! This red stuff is ready to use paper mâché?

Seeing this being a full kit including figures and a turned metal barrel it seems to be a bargain. Cannot say the same of Tamyia's latest tank release; one has to buy a metal barrel for even more cash...

[tigrazor]

You forgot to drill them because of the branches. No, just kidding. I like such stuff, even more if its NOT AM stuff but handmade.

A propos handmade trees - that guy is either sick (in a positive sense) or too talented to be a human person. . After all, some VERY inspirational stuff, maybe for you too:

http://www.modellboard.net/index.php?topic=44415.0

[dmminiatures]

Thanks Lyle and Manny. Next step after the stump is the fallen timber.



I Worked on some wood chipping to make it as irregular as possible. Being balsa wood, its really easy to manipulate the look



Again I used copper wire and superglue to secure the timber in place. Since this is a make sift firebase, I assume that thw soldiers might have chopped down some trees to improve their field of fire.



Yes Thomas, its ready-to-use paper machè. Art anf craft-grade clay are pretty expensive around my place. This is the cheapest and available in quantity. But it is limiting. I use it mostly to perfecting the contour of the landscape.

[dmminiatures]

Hi Tigrazor...thanks for sharing the link. Really inspirational. No words to describe - amazing... like the real trees. I wish I could have done that for thid dio...too late now. Perhaps in another project.

[Thomas_M]

Any progress so far, Monty? I need my dosage of modelling genius, mate!

[dmminiatures]

I was out sick for almost three weeks because of dengue fever and spent 10 days at the hospital with an IV stuck on my wrist. I don't know how I got the bugger but it was a pretty horrific experience. I am slowly going back to regain my normal life (the office and scale models!). I Have a couple of half-baked projects underway but all progress kinda froze or slowly progressing at the moment.

Here are some progress photos of the vignette. Will post a lot of pics since the last time I left

Dry-fitting the gun in place. That two small cuts on the base is where I will embed the spades.


Working on the initial layer of sludge. this is just plain plaster and water. I wasn't sure where to start (mud sludge or snow) so I started where ever I thought good.


Adding the backing soda into the plaster mix. I was definitely doing this too early. just a waste of resources, but I learned my lesson. the grey sludge you see that covers the whole diorama is made of fine river sand of all sizes mixed up with white glue, plaster, and water. at this stage, it looks like a mess!


Here is the process of painting the "mud" sludge with a big flat brush and a combo mix of Tamiya acrylics X-9 Brown and X-52 Flat Earth.


Here is the sludge that has been painted on. I would find out later that I would have to do this painting routine four times until I get the spades of the howitzer fixed into the pit.

[LyleW]

Wow.....I am so glad you are feeling better and made it through. That had to be a terrible experience. Welcome back.

That is a slick base! The use of the different materials is fun to watch.