The diorama is now completed…well, I still need to have the title plate made, but the diorama itself is done.
“Donut Dollies”
Binh Phuoc, Vietnam
February 1969
There are plenty of small details in this diorama that point to it taking place in Binh Phuoc in February 1969. A few of them include January and February 1969 issues of Playboy in the small stack of magazines on a crate held in place by a rock, a December 1968 issue of Mad Magazine, the dirt is dry due to it being the dry season there in February, the markings on the conex facade, the 9th ID patches, and the recreational program game of naming the states and their capitols which was facilitated by this team of Donut Dollies in February 1969.
This was a fun diorama to build and I hope it makes people aware of what Donut Dollies did in Vietnam and how their role helped make Vietnam more endurable for those serving there.
James this is brilliant! I think it’s the epitome of scale modelling; accurately recreating at scale a situation, time, place, location or event. Those present are easily identifiable, with real feeling and expression present in this work. Love it! Thanks heaps for sharing.
You’ve created a real snap-shot of an oft-overlooked aspect of the war- its both engaging as a dio but also informative, not to mention being quite an inspiration to modellers!
The clear, well focused and framed photographs are fantastic too- allows the viewer to appreciate the various details you have crafted to bring the scene to life. One of my favourite things about it is the convincingly relaxed nature you have managed to portray- mostly via the figure poses, the well chosen and painted heads and the considered approach to staging the scene. I guess the beer helps sell this too!
I also like the idea of the ad-hoc area they’ve cleared to set up some activities- making do on a busy base to get some light hearted activities going- the well worn steel plating underfoot sells this well- as does the various bits of supplies stacked around- helping explain the ‘where’ of the scene.
Just to say James- I have very much enjoyed watching this come together and it is great to see it all finished up now and looking so good.
Absolutely out-freakin-standing James! The posing, expert painting, and attention to detail reminds me of a Shep Paine box dio I saw once. Yes, you’re that good. This is just exquisite.
Very nice! Every detail is spot on, and your work is really impressive. A great subject for a diorama, I hope a former Donut Dolly or a friend/family member sees this and brings it to the attention of other former “Dollies”. They should know that even after 50+ years have passed, their efforts to show that some folks at home really did care are still most appreciated by RVN Veterans.
I appreciate your feedback and am glad that you enjoyed watching this project from start to finish. I am pleased with how it turned out and that the story that is being told seems to be rather effective. There were times along the way when I was hoping that a particular figure or item would help tell the story or not. I think my original planning included something like 11 or 13 figures, but that was cut down along the way due to one breaking and the others not quite fitting into the scene. I think what was left was just the right amount to tell the story and not crowd the base too much.
I am glad that you like this diorama. I hope some former Donut Dollies get to see this tribute to the service they provided, too. There is a guy on FB who said he was going to share the photos with one of his friends who had been a Donut Dolly. I had been wanting to do a diorama honoring these ladies for quite some time. I had started converting some Masterbox figures for such a diorama several years ago, but they did not turn out very well, so I put the project on hold. When H3 Models came out with their Donut Dollies, it sparked the creative juices to make this diorama. I wanted to show the Donut Dollies involved in some of the activities they are known for and try to show the positive impact they had on the Servicemembers they volunteered to support. In the past I had seen a diorama that a FB friend from Japan had made a while back, but his depiction of two Donut Dollies were as large breasted bimbos which I made clear to him was disrepectful and contrary to the job these ladies performed. Hopefully my diorama shows them as the professionals and caring individuals that they were.
Thanks, Wayne. I thought you might like this one. I do try to show Soldiers engaged in other activities other than combat. I have been wanting to do a diorama or two of Engineers doing stuff, but most of those activities would require models of dozers and other types of heavy equipment that I do have kits for, but not the skills of model building to do them justice. I guess I could do a scene of some Engineers building a cinderblock building for a village or something like that. What are some things that you did as an Engineer?
Hi James,
I think you’ve really nailed-it with your fine tribute to these ladies and soldiers… oh yeah, the cat, too! I really enjoy looking at all of the attention to detail. And the backstory is wonderful as well. Thank you for sharing another one of your outstanding works of art. …
Appreciate that you always look for feedback from people that were there to get details right. Engineers and SeeBees did a wide variety of jobs, not all using equipment. A scene I always remembered was when they sent us up to Pleiku to repair the runway during the Easter Offensive. We didn’t realize what was going on, so when the guy came on the intercom and said,“we’ll be landing as soon as they quit shelling the runway” we all looked at each other! Walked off the plane and there’s a gun truck and everybody looking serious.Loaded on a duece and a half and road over to Camp Holloway and went to work welding and repairing the runway to take C 130s. Worked into the dark, with the guntruck’s lights and others . Spooky time, highlighted by Cobras and Hueys buzzing us. After we finished they brought out a trailer of iced down soda and Black Label beer. Just got to sleep and some asshole set of a grenade and we all had to scramble. Fun times. Wayne
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