An old favorite of mine "Hold Until Relieved"

[rtfoe]

Hi,

Having just heard the word Pegasus and Merville and interest in D-Day, I thought for nostalgia I bring out an old dio from mothball and share it again. This dio was built in the days when life was less complicated and creative juices were let to flow just about anywhere. So with no barriers I set about a ficticious bridge being held during D-Day like any other bridge captured on that fatefull early morning of 6th June 1944.



All Sten Mk5's and Piat were scratch built or modified...Dragon figures weren't really out fully in the market yet. I later added the figure from Dragon with the original kit Mk5 in the left bottom picture just about to cross the road.

More angles to come.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Here's more images and angles...

This the Dragon figure with the kit Mk5 Sten. The back seaters were modified from Tamiya M113 Vietnam US riding troops. The lying guy has two left feet.

More to come...

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Here's the final batch. Unfortunately there are no WIP images. I think we weren't digital yet and film processing was expensive to record the construction.

That's all folks. Any comments and critisms welcomed.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[papa 695]

Outstanding work Richard, I for 1 are glad you re-posted this diorama. There's so much to look at and all very nicely constructed and set out. Top work.

 

[bowman]

Richard,
Absolutely brilliant diorama! The level of detail is truly fantastic and very skilfully executed.
Steve

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great duo mate, lovely detail everywhere you look....cracking.
Cheers
Tim

 

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
First class work. A big project. When did you build it? Must have been a while back with digital photos not being the norm.
Jim

 

[Steve Jones]

Absolutely stunning!! I have not seen this before and it certainly took my breath away. You must have been very pleased when you completed it. A years work?

I was fortunate enough to meet Arlette Gondrée at the cafe on Pegasus bridge when I did the Normandy beaches back in the Noughties. When I ordered our afterneen tea in Franglais, she said my French was very good with a cheeky smile on her face

Steve

 

[rtfoe]

Thank you Ian, Steve, Tim, Jimbo and Steve J for your kind comments,

I'm surprised so many have not seen this dio I have posted it twice on MM and was first featured when I introduced myself there. Certainly is my favorite of the lot and second largest in the dio inventory.
It did take more than a year to construct roughly 3 years completing in 1998. It initially was a different concept as a Tiger 1 crossing an elevated stone bridge and one of three dios slated to be built based on three identical sized plywood bases I had acquired. They have become "Hold Until Relieved", "Before The Bulge" and yet to be completed Israeli Sherman Dio and untitled.
I was introduced to Plastruct and Evergreen in 1995 and that set the ball rolling to construct the bridge. I have always been interested with the two pre-world war railway steel bridges in my home city of KL and used those as reference to the construction. The anti-aircraft installation was just from watching too many war movies. Then of course the theme of D-Day and Operation Deadstick became the key part of my build.
Most of the airborne equipment had to be fabricated. Some were sliced off ESCI soft plastic figures like the helmets and entrenching tool bag. The modification of Mk5 stens adding wood stocks and pistol grips to Italeri's Mk2's. Scratch build a PIAT. Modified the 6-pounder to airborne specs and of course the figures. The jeeps are from Italeri with modified head lamps. The radio set is from Verlinden (the only resin piece in the dio).
I've done the British so I'm now working on an American airborne dio which is "David and Goliath" God knows how long that will take.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Gern]

Beautiful

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Dave, once in a while I take a look at it and wonder if I'd done it differently and will I do another one like it.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Armorguy]

You must be proud of this piece of art. There's much to discover and the paintwork looks superb !

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Guy, it's something I may not be able to replicate like most dios it's always a one off.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[colin m]

Sometimes I see a dio like this and I laugh and smile to myself, as I think, it's amazing. And it is.

 

[Daniel Horvath]

Richard is fascinating ! absolutely stunning ! cant stop looking all the details ! wonderful sir ! Regards Danny

 

[Polux]

Wow!! Lovely diorama!!!
The general colour looks very good, personally I like the rails and how you managed them....and the best, for me, is the “sensation of movement” all around the work.
Cool!

 

[Si Benson]

Hi Richard,

What a fantastic dio.....I cannot stop looking at all the detail! Superb sir
Si

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Colin, Daniel and Polux...very humbled by your kind comments.

It has that smiling effect on me as well as revisiting it everytime to gain inspiration for the next build. The whole idea was to give it a 360 degree vantage and I had to make sure there was eye contact with some of the figures. Glad you like it.

Thanks again for looking in.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Simon...we crossed just now. Thank you...and I cannot stop wanting to take more photos of it. Glad you like it.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[bazers]

Fantastic work Richard so much to see I keep going back over photos..