Yes! be thankful for small mercies eh?
I’ll save the DPM for the Armoured Div HQ I hope to try sometime. (Perhaps I need to have a word with myself!)
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Yes - very refreshing not to have to worry about cheekbones, noses and eyeballs!
The thing is, the 1/350 Tamiya naval figures I use (the wargaming manufacturers’ efforts are far too clunky - just lumps of white metal) are almost two-dimensional, so I have to flesh them out (pun intended) with the odd dab of Mr Dissolved Putty, then add stretched sprue for a weapon on some; it does indeed challenge both the eyeball and the magnifiers, but I manage to get more or less to where I want.
I don’t need to swamp the model with figures, after all, most were at their job within their complexes, or sleeping, but there was some movement of personnel and that’s what I’ve got to tackle, even if upon immediate inspection, one can hardly see them.
I did attempt to paint the Military Policeman’s red-cap though:
Arguably just discernible(!)
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Was nice to see this again last Sunday … Now, I know you had your reasons for not over planting … but if I was going to go in feet first with it … I would saturate it with woodland just leaving a few access routes off the main drag. Whenever I’d visit any A1 or A2 set up, they would always be hidden away … it is an amazing little look back at a HQ set up though and wonderfully executed mate.
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Nice to see this again Brian! Are you gonna sculpt some back packs for the figures maybe?? lol
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This is a beautiful diorama Brian, and excellently executed. You’ve packed so much detail into these diminutive vehicles. The scratchbuilt accessories really set it off. One can tell this scene was built from experience, not a photo. Good on you for coming back to it. The figures are an important component to give life to the scene; there is a flurry of activity going on in those trucks and tents, and the figures are the way to show that. Your figures look fantastic for the scale - populate this dio and call it finished! Outstanding job!
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The thing is John, if I camouflage/conceal too much, then it will probably lose its value, almost educationally as it were (that’s the trouble with having been an instructor of course!)
It takes a bit of imagination to envisage, or even remember, that the complexes were all swathed in Hessian and cam nets; finding my way around as a novice Staff Clerk at my first posting was a real challenge; a) because I had no knowledge of the structure in the field, of the HQ, and b) an almost overwhelming lack of help from SNCOs who should have briefed young soldiers like me!
It probably didn’t help that a lot of them, not necessarily my own capbadge, but the older seemingly embittered Warrant Officers and the like, of the other arms and services branches - say, HQ RA, in particular I recall, would go out of their way to be unpleasant and to mess you around; all I wanted from these miserable bastards was a signature in my classified document register as I distributed some instruction or other, but they assumed that I didn’t know my job, would scrutinise it needlessly, and when they couldn’t find fault, would give me a hard time anyway.
Perhaps young private soldiers were seen as fair game back then? I suspect it was because I was an ex Junior Leader, and they knew we were coming through, as we were highly qualified Hitler Youth, and they didn’t like it, or something like that. Their Army was changing; they knew we’d have their jobs sooner or later, and we did(!)
However, trudging around a complex such as I have modelled - and remember - my model represents only say, a quarter of the real thing - delivering or collecting classified documents, amidst the camouflage complexes, not often knowing where I was going, and the eternal battle against the spiteful, the indifferent and on occasion the criminally stupid, all made for an exacting 12 hour shift; followed of course by a strip down, and a move, then a set up - rinse and repeat for around 7 - 10 days.
I mean, I could cope with it, I was young and keen, but it wasn’t quite living the military dream.
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Sounds like your typical drop short lol…
But I totally get it about have to much cam on there, it would deflect away from what you’re showing …
I also get what you say about the rinse repeat cycle of setting up hides then breaking them down… Just same old monotonous drill…I use to pray we’d be left on 15min NTM so we didn’t have to cam up lol
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Well Richard, thanks for the interest; all I can really do with figures in this scale is add a bit of texture using Mr Dissolved Putty, and then paint carefully.
Packs weren’t carried; the personal equipment issued back then was still the '37 pattern, so really just ammo pouches, water bottle, belt and cross straps. The '37 Small Pack was taken but we didn’t have to carry it when going about our daily business. What we did have to carry was a respirator, and out NBC suit (then consisting of 3 parts) and this was normally tied to the respirator with string; not quite the professional look I was hoping for! Steel helmets also had to be carried.
The much better '58 pattern was worn by some, but was rare, and I kicked myself for having sold my set on to more junior members of the training battalion when I’d left, some 9 months or so earlier in 1971.
None of these items are really discernible on the small figures I’m using; I can only hope to hint at such accoutrements with texture and painting.
Wish me luck!
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Moving was a pain I must admit, but of course, what happens is that you become quite good at it.
A couple of years later at a much smaller Divisional HQ, we became very slick at tearing down, driving say, 20 miles or so in Schleswig Holstein or Denmark, and then setting it all up again.
As for those charisma bypasses, whom I detested, well, I suppose I learned a lot about man-management from that, though I probably didn’t realise it at the time.
When I became a Chief Clerk at a formation HQ a few years later, I hope I presented as a more reasonable, approachable SNCO; however, my Clerks’ memories may differ(!)
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Thanks Matthew; I feel if I can just add that little polish with a few more figures and a couple of further accessories, I’ll have it just right, or as right as a 53 year-old memory permits(!)
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It looks just right to me Brian, you’ve got a fantastic diorama there. Your memory has served you well.
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Ironic isn’t it? I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, but 50-odd years ago…
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So many of us are in the same boat Brian!
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What are we talking about again ?? 
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Remind me who you are?
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Sorry Brian I was just busting your chops about the back packs, especially at that scale!
Excellent job as I’ve said before and very interesting and informative! I can’t recall seeing a diorama of this kind before.
Is that a US M561 Gama Goat in the background of one of your pics?
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I think I got on the wrong bus …
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No, sure, I got that, but I just thought I’d mention my methodology. It can be quite rewarding in this scale, as long as one’s eyes don’t give out!
It is indeed a Gama Goat - with a scratched container (Box Body to us Brits); I had hoped to convert the larger truck too but at the time of construction, the hard white metal defeated me.
I’ve portrayed all in the MASSTER scheme which I so clearly remember. It all looks a bit stark - which in a way, it was, but remember all would be covered in cam nets. I can’t quite remember who they were but I’m assuming they were the nuclear surety boys; the Corps Commander had plenty of Honest Johns and 8" howitzers at his disposal!
I do remember knocking on the container door and delivering or collecting whatever it was, as I trudged around the whole complex, several times a day. It was my first encounter with a foreign Army so was interesting, and they were friendly enough.
Despite my frustrations (and woeful lack of knowledge) it was all hugely interesting. We also had Liaison Officers from the Belgian and German Corps (flanking formations) so it was my introduction to NATO at work really. Little did I know that in a mere 6 years time I’d be serving at a NATO HQ - an Army Group - but that’s another story perhaps.
Just for you Richard, a few more views of the US component:
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Outstanding!
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Sorry Matthew, I meant to acknowledge this earlier; well, thanks very much. I do hope to wrap this all up soon. It has languished for a little too long, and it getting damaged delayed things even further.
It’s funny isn’t it? Even in this scale figures (will) bring it to life.
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