The brief life of an Egyptian T-62A Tank.....Yom Kippur 1973

[spanner570]

Thanks Andy and Jim. I appreciate your nice comments.

Apart from perhaps a bit of titivation, the Israeli observation post is now complete, as now the lookouts can access the roof!

The ladder is cut down coffee stirrers.

The roof hatch is plastic card. The handle is yet a bit more of my Lancaster unused bomb bay bits!
The main door is the bit of foam I cut from the original wall and I've added some hinge bolts scribed on it.
I've inflicted some damage to the thing too. Not too much, but perhaps just enough for the occupiers to throw in the towel.















Next I'll make the base.
I've done this diorama a bit backuds way up really, 'cos I made, and took pictures of, the wrecked tank well over a week ago. I love wrecking tanks and I was too impatient to wait whilst I built the 'Invasion Phase' So I just had to get my mitts on tank 2!

Cheers.
Thanks for looking and stay safe......
Ron

 

[MikeC]

Ron,
Lovely job a always. I always marvel at your buildings and construction, mine always look like bin liners which they seem to finish up as....
One question - no Israeli flag....
Mike.

 

[spanner570]

Ron,
Lovely job a always. I always marvel at your buildings and construction, mine always look like bin liners which they seem to finish up as....
One question - no Israeli flag....
Mike.

Mike, thanks for your input.

Surely, the first item on the agenda of invading army's troops is the destruction of the enemy's flag?

However, the Israeli flag will be present. Sort of. - During the fixing of the O.P. and 'Other stuff' to the base.

Cheers.
Ron

 

[Gern]

Coming along nicely Ron. I guess you must have missed my earlier question ....

 

[Jack L]

What's your secret Ron? Cracking job on what is a relatively simple building - but how did you hide the joints on the corners?

Would love a mini tutorial on this as well!

 

[spanner570]

Firstly, sorry Dave. I did see your post, but failed to adopt my usual motto - DO IT NOW!..... and promptly forgot.

To answer both you and Jack, here are a couple of pictures from the making of the mill race wall during the construction of my diorama 'Guard Duty, Please'

Depending on what the walls are made of (Brick, block, random stone etc.) make sure the surface is marked out accordingly. The example below is very random stone work. Good job it was all hidden by a bloody great water wheel!

Then just spin the cut sections through to interlock at a right angle - or any angle that is required.

Obviously, the wall shown below is flat , but the principle still applies.





Cheers.
Ron

 

[BigGreg]

Is it on the golan heights?

 

[spanner570]

Is it on the golan heights?

Hello Greg.
No. Although re-claiming the Golan heights was the main aim of Egypt and her coalition partners, I have in my mind's eye, to depict, in the first part of my model, the first few days after the pontoon bridge crossings of the Suez canal by Egyptian forces when they were pushing the Israelis back. Hence the over-running of my Israeli Observation Post. The occupiers of which would have been watching what was going on - but not close enough!
These initial clashes would, I hope, have been across rather flat and featureless terrain.

The second installment will be the total destruction of the T-62A, after the Israelis counter attacked, and drove their enemy back over the Suez Canal, and in their turn invaded Egypt, before the cease fire came into being!

That's the plan, but as you will know all too well, anything can happen when building dioramas!

Thank you for your interest.

Ron

 

[Gern]

Firstly, sorry Dave. I did see your post, but failed to adopt my usual motto - DO IT NOW!..... and promptly forgot.

To answer both you and Jack, here are a couple of pictures from the making of the mill race wall during the construction of my diorama 'Guard Duty, Please'

Depending on what the walls are made of, make sure the surface is marked out accordingly. This below is random stone work. Then just spin the cut sections through to a right angle - or any angle that is required.

Obviously, the wall shown below is flat , but the principle still applies.

View attachment 383401

View attachment 383402

Cheers.
Ron

Gotcha! Thanks Ron.

 

[spanner570]

On the subject of terrain, today I've made a start on the base.
I didn't want a flat and uninteresting landscape, so I built up the ground a tad with scrap pieces of polystyrene sheet.

The ridge is about a scale 6ft. Not much, but would give miles of extra viewing over the surrounding flat landscape.

The road will be on the far left of the picture. You can see where wayward rocks have been chucked to the side.

After the application of PVA, I literally sprinkled the base with the contents of a dust pan which I acquired during the sweeping up of the garage and driveway. Where the 'Rocks' landed that's where they stayed. No fuss. You can see where the building is to be placed. This didn't receive sticky, so no stones stuck to it when I up ended the base.



Here's one of those 'happy accidents' I love when making dioramas.
You can clearly see the joint between the two layers of the polystyrene sheets. I was going to fill them in, but they look like layers of rock strata. Totally unintentional, but I like them.



After I'd added the stones and rocks etc,. I started my usual pastime of picking fluff from my navel. It was during this delightful interlude that I had an idea to incorporate a small 'Dump' at the rear of the O.P., so stores could be kept out of sight and out of harms way.

I hacked a corner out of the 'styrene with my fingernails and an old hacksaw blade. Then sprinkled some more 'Stuff' on the exposed polystyrene.

There will be a block retaining wall around the excavation.



A top view


Next I will build the dump retaining walls, and then have another blimp and hope the big lump of gristle resting on top of my neck can come to life with an idea.

I hope you like progress thus far and thanks for looking.

Ron

 

[scottie3158]

Ron,
I wish I had your eye for coming up with a scene.

 

[spanner570]

Ron,
I wish I had your eye for coming up with a scene.

You're joking, Paul. I wish I had your eyes to see the diddy stuff you work miracles with!

 

[Deleted member 6559]

You make it sound so easy Ron, but that's the thing with masters of their art. Just amazing work.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Ron
Already looking very realistic.
Jim

 

[minitnkr]

Very cool. Gonna put one of those look see'rs on a tripod up there? PaulE

 

[papa 695]

Coming along very nicely Ron.

 

[spanner570]

Thanks chaps...

Very cool. Gonna put one of those look see'rs on a tripod up there? PaulE

Members of the Jury, you have read the prosecution's query written above as to where the 'Look see'r' is.

As Defence Attorney, it is my duty to explain my client's decision to omit any optical devices from the top viewing area on the model of his Israeli Observation Post.

Consider this when viewing pictures of the building. Exhibit A,B and C.

Your Honour, I present three reasons.

One. The items in question were blown to hell! Sorry m'Lord, were destroyed, during the attack on the Post.

Two. It is plainly obvious that the structure has received numerous projectile hits of various calibre, and the defenders, seeing their chances of survival diminishing by the second, decided, if I may use the common soldier speak, to 'scarper', and took the valuable, but portable bins with them! One soldier carrying the tri-pod, the other the binoculars.

Three. We have half the invading army passing within feet of the now abandoned O.P., so let us imagine the optical devise somehow managed to remain in place and was abandoned.
It is inconceivable that the devise would not have been found by the passing invading army personnel. One of whom might well have stuffed it under his jumper to use at a later date to gain favour with a member of the opposite sex.

So, members of the Jury, on listening to my submissions and the seeing the photographs of the building in question, I suggest it would be impossible to find the defendant guilty of lack of detail during the construction of his model.

I rest my case.........

 

[Mini Me]

A compelling story indeed....the jury is still out on that one. Rick H.

 

[minitnkr]

Obviously. A glimmer of a thought post dinner w/o coffee. PaulE

 

[Gern]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again in case anyone missed it: "'e's got a plaster for everythin'!"