The cave

[spanner570]

I'm sick of this cold weather now, so I have decided to go somewhere nice and warm, so what about a Pacific island with clear blue skies, warm seas and a gentle breeze.........Iwo Jima.

I'm reasonably well read on WW2, but I have a fascination for the U.S. Marines in the Pacific. I know all wars can be brutal but this campaign was especially so. The Marines were up against Japanese defenders well dug in, in bunkers, tunnels and caves and who fought to the death rather than surrender.

The casualty rate on both sides was horrendous. Even the smallest of islands had to be taken inch by inch.

I wanted to make a diorama of Tarawa, which is liitle more than a 2ml atoll with a few trees, but when I looked at photos one thing stood out, the naval bombardment had flattened the place, with only a few stumps of palm trees left standing. Very much like WW1 battlefields, without the mud!

Iwo Jima has no sandy beaches only volcanic ash, inland it has a very diverse, 'jungly' landscape with caves and undergrowth.......This is the theme for my diorama.

O.K. this will be my 5th effort. I have never done this kind of thing before, just dirt roads and a few bushes so I am looking forward, with a bit of trepidation, to this build. All I have in my head at the moment is a cave!

I have skipped the build up to this stage because my construction method is always the same (See my 'Building a 1/35 diorama' in under construction) so it seemed pointless going over the first stage again.

The base is about 20" X 15". The photos show the rough build of the cave and surrounds. I wanted a bit of a cliff behind the cave so I built up the back of the dio. with 1/4" ply. I added the rocks whilst the cement was still soft so they are well stuck down!

Now is the time to 'ave a beer, sit back and think what to do next. I find this works best for me in as much as I never have a set plan just a basic idea then come up with things as I go along, so where's that beer?

As I have said this is new territory for me, so let's learn together!

....and watch out for snipers!

Ron

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[Richy C]

Looking good Ron , Keep us updated mate.

Richy

 

[Gladiator111]

Wow, mate - you're extremely talented! Looking forward to see how this one shapes out, and what figures you will place into the scene. Well done so far and good luck with the build. I'm hoping to learn lots from your dio as I hope to do one in a few months.

Cheers.

Chris

 

[Centurion3RTR]

Thanks Ron for taking us somewhere warm, looking forward seeing this build mate. lookig good so far.

Have fun, John

 

[Fenlander]

Looks like a bit of a killing ground in front of the cave, space behind that rock in the centre will be premium real-estate for Marines lol. Very ambitious Ron, looking forward to the progress, as always it will be educational.

 

[spanner570]

Thanks for the words of encouragement boys, this sort of composition is all very new to me and I must confess to being a bit 'twitchy', but I know you will all be kind, please!......mind you, looking outside at the weather, fat chance of working tomorrow so I'll be able to devote all day to modelling!!(And a tinny or two)

Life can be hell, eh?

Ron

 

[dubster72]

I'll be watching this one with interest Ron coz I'm stuck on my next dio & need some inspiration! Too worried about making a pigs ear of it, to tell the truth!

That previous thread about making the dio should be a 'sticky' coz it's very good as reference material when building a dio.

Patrick

 

[yak face]

to the bat cave ,ron, lets go!!

 

[spanner570]

to the bat cave ,ron, lets go!!

I'm with you Tony, but I sure as hell aint holdin' your hand!!

 

[spanner570]

I'll be watching this one with interest Ron coz I'm stuck on my next dio & need some inspiration! Too worried about making a pigs ear of it, to tell the truth!That previous thread about making the dio should be a 'sticky' coz it's very good as reference material when building a dio.

Patrick

Come on Patrick, in at the deep end! I am with this build!Worried? Why be so when you have all the good people on here ready with helpful advise?

Remember the old addage..." 'im wot never made a mistake, never made nowt!".....Thomas Andrews, Titanic Chief Designer.

 

[Fenlander]

And if you do make a 'Pigs Ear' of it Patrick, just name it 'Bay of Pigs". Job done........

 

[dubster72]

lol where to start is the key! Still, I've had some thoughts so I'll make a start tonight. Need to build a concrete wall with rebar sticking out...

 

[Fenlander]

I think we are hijacking Ron's thread a bit here, sorry Ron.. But I have decided to start my dioramas not as story scenes but display scenes, much like the artwork on the box, or a combination of a couple of kits based around the artwork of one of them to pad it if kits are small.

Is there any chance of getting these posts moved onto a dio discussion thread as it is taking Ron's space for his tutorial build John?

 

[spanner570]

Here is the next stage of the build......

Because Iwo Jima was honeycombed with tunnels I have added two M.G. pits / tunnel entrances. The pits are made from cement then sand spread about and then timbers added. The 'logs' are dead reeds sourced from my diddy pond as I wanted hollow timbers. Finally, I let the Marines wreck them!

I have also done some work on the cave entrance. Sand run up to the entrance and I added moss to simulate a dark and damp entrance.

We're getting there slowly and I can now start to see a bit of a picture forming, I think!

I hope you like the progress so far.

Next I will add more sand and start the foliage/ undergrowth.

Ron

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[50.cal]

great stuff mate !

 

[Fenlander]

Looking very good Ron. The reed 'logs' look superb as does the mossy entrance. I think you have a masterpiece in the making.

 

[spanner570]

O.K. my friends, this is the completed diorama scenery. I might have a brainstorm and perhaps add a bit more here and there later, but I am happy with the result and relieved to have finished what was a complete 'Suck it and see' new area for me.

I feel a lot better for spending some time in the Pacific sunshine too!!

The vegetation is bits of 'Dead things' from the diddy pond plus a 'tree' I found which had some moss growing on it so this was perfect for the cave entrance.

I struggled a bit to find suitable green foliage but eventually stumbled across a bit of fern summat like tropical but the best find was the bits off a Passion Flower plant which is still growing like a gud'un and has twiddly bits with which it clings to things, these look remarkably like vines. I cut pieces off, complete with stalks and cut the leaves carefully lengthways with a pair of scissors to look more like tropical leaves.

I was pleasantly surprised with the result.

I also added some more sand which I made paler with the addition of Polyfilla and a couple more boulders. Finally I cut some bits and bobs of stalks and grass and scattered them around from a dizzy height.

I hope you approve so far......I will present the diorama with the figures shortly, when I can pluck up the courage to go 'public' with the final finished article.

Any thoughts for additions, boys? Or indeed subtractions!

Ron

OOPS! two pickies almost the same, sorry!

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[Fenlander]

Have to say Ron, that looks stunning. It is clear that the Navy gave it a pasting prior to the 'grunts' going in, really looks like a film set. My only concern is with the live vegetation. What will happen when it starts to die off?

Really look forward to seeing it with figures, don't forget to have a chap humping a flame thrower up ready to smoke them out.

 

[spanner570]

Have to say Ron, that looks stunning. It is clear that the Navy gave it a pasting prior to the 'grunts' going in, really looks like a film set. My only concern is with the live vegetation. What will happen when it starts to die off? Really look forward to seeing it with figures, don't forget to have a chap humping a flame thrower up ready to smoke them out.

Thanks for the comments Graham, the live stuff only has to survive until tomorrow then I will add the figures, take pictures and then I can relax and just replace the stuff if needs be. It's a big Passion Flower vine we have in the garden!!!

Going to be something a bit bigger than a poor sod with a flame thrower!

Ron

 

[Fenlander]

Going to be something a bit bigger than a poor sod with a flame thrower!

Mmmm, interesting.....