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[kpnuts]

Hi all well some of you may know my son bought me some first ww model kits for my birthday then casually dropped into the conversation he would like them in a dio for his school (he's head of history) first problem, I'm ashamed to say I know next to nothing about ww1, second problem the models he bought are from different periods of said war so can't be used together, second problem solved I will do 3 or 4 vignettes showing the start to end of war.
After a bit of research I've made a start on the trench (this is for school 12 to 14 yr olds ) I want to depict how horrific it was but need advice on how far to go I intend to have a shell exploding in the trench so would it be OK to show limbs blown off.
Anyway here's my start, I realise I have to do the step up ledge and started to excavate the dugouts I realise I need to add the corrugated tin above the dugouts, also I need to find a way of making loads of 1/72 scale sandbags.

[derekwarner]

Morning Ken......I believe you can purchase 1/72 scale hand held & turned rollers for manufacturing corrugated sheeting [from aluminium drink cans]

Some of our Garden Gauge rail people have manufactured their own rollers.....if you wish I will try & get a few sketches

Derek

[Arrow5]

Corrugated brown paper is cheaper and comes in various "scales".  Single sided is best, can be found smooth and rough. Takes all kinds of paint.

[kpnuts]

Thanks very usefull.

[dougal99]

Not sure from your pictures but trenches were over 6ft deep and a lot had duck boards. As for detached limbs I think that's a bit too much. Dead bodies would be as far as I would go.  HTH doug

[ballastanksian]

Though boys like a bit of gore girls might not be so inclined! I would stick clumps of compost onto your smoke/dust burst to look like earth flying up and add a few bits of wood to suggest that the supports and duck boards have been smashed as well.

For sandbags, roll out DAS clay into suasages, slightly flatten into a rounded ribbon and cut into at 7mm intervals with a knife to create lengths of sandbags. You can improve the ends of the bags with a sculting tool. Once shaped you can add the lengths of clay to where you want them laid and you can make single bags by competely cutting through the sausage thentidying up and sticking the bags in place. Do the above once the rest of the trench etc has been base coated to you have no gaps under the sand bags were you cannot get your brush into!

A short history of WW1 in France and Belgium can be described thus:

The war started with a period of mobile warfare with marching armies. followed by three and a half years of trench warfare and then 100 days or thereabouts or mobile warfare with the Germans retreating into Germany followed by the advancing allied armies of America, France, Belgium, Portugal and the British Empire. Germans used rearguard actions to slow the enemy advance.

So, your initial scenes can be quite green and undamaged with skirmishes between infantry and or cavalry plus a gun or two. (Field artillery such as 13 and 18 pounders and German '77s' fired at the enemy over open sights  not unlike their grand dad's did at waterloo) A late war scene could see a skirmish between infantry supported by a tank.

[tigertiger]

There are lots of photos that show the awfulness of life in the trenches without showing the blood, guts, and dead bodies; but sometimes showing stretcher bearers and the walking wounded. Similar dioramas will be just as effective without the risk of offending people, or being accused of trivializing matters. Schools may also have reservations about some scenes.

There are scale vehicles from this period and there are also positive scenes, like the Xmas 1917 football game.

A diorama could also be part of something bigger, and augmented by storyboards containing pictures of shell shocked troops, quagmired vehicles and pack animals, etc. Remember that your audience (school kids) are part of the connected generation. Adding things that are interactive may increase their attention.

[Tug Hercules Fireman]

A few sketches for reference;

[richald]

have a look at

http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=80609

I think you should be able to have a look at the thread on this forum without registering.
it should give you plenty of ideas!

Richard

[Arrow5]

Wonderful detail and very informative on that link , thanks.  My father said his capture was by a knock at the door from an English speaking German soldier with a platoon of troops, all very civilised during a break in hostilities ! 

[kpnuts]

Thanks great link, very detailed

[kpnuts]

Hi all well i spoke to Mike and he said do what you like, he's shown them pics of the trenches that he thinks are far worse than anything I could portray so here is the next installment.








I pinched the idea of the explosion from Ian W
Obviously his was far better but in my defence I've only just started, there's no colour or smoke I've not attached bits of ladder or other debris (or body parts)
I'm quite pleased with the outcome so far.

[ballastanksian]

That is a great and dynamic start. It also adds that element of tech interest that will hopefully enthuse the kids showing them that dioramas can be more than just a static thing. I can't wait to seethe smoke and debris flying about 

[kpnuts]

H,i all need to cool it down a bit, I think the explosion is still too hot and still have to add debris and stuff but pleased with progress so far. I'm actually quite enjoying this even though it was sort of forced on me and is not my normal genre, maybe I should do more stuff like this.

[ballastanksian]

If you enjoy it then go for it Ken. It is looking good.

[Tug Hercules Fireman]

The scene is looking ideal.

For the sand bags (they look great); Did You follow "ballastanksian's" suggestion or did You make them an alternate way?

[kpnuts]

Thanks guys, I used ballastankisians method.

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is the next bit, I remodeled it a little bit, I stuck the smashed up ladder and other bits of debris, then I kept looking at it and thinking what is wrong with it? Then it dawned on me they were broken but unmarked, no scorching or burning, so I've fixed that but it still seems wrong, any suggestions.

[warspite]

just a suggestion, the soldier standing  - wouldn't be standing, he'd be flying through the air, the explosion appears to be a bit to bright, when you see an IED go of on the news and in the old war footage, its not a Hollywood explosion or a fireball, but a vomit of debris and smoke, maybe looking at a few clips of pathe news may give you a better idea, and royal engineers / tank corp or such like could give their tuppence worth as the actual effect, me a suspension of mud in grey frosted material would be closer to what I would expect to see.

Though kids today think that all explosions are fireballs and they can respawn again if they get shot.  sorry to be a dampner

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is another update.

[kpnuts]

Hi all well i think this is finished (unless someone can tell me something is wrong with it) next one will be the start of the war, lots of mortar holes and mud. Will take some better pics in daylight.

[kpnuts]

Hi all made a start on the next one, this will be set prior to the trenches one so will basically be a muddy field.




The depression in the middle will be filled with muddy water .
Not sure how I mixed the posts up.

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is how I did the explosion I got the idea from Ian W I've changed the method a bit but this is basically it, obviously it needs colour and smoke yet but this is the basic start of it.

[kpnuts]

Hi all well since Mike wants these done for after the Xmas break I thought I better have a go at my worst subject the planes, I've started with the easiest and this will be the crashed one, I've done a mock up of how I visualise it, I've borrowed the the battlefield dio base for this, when I do the Base I'm figuring on doing it in a grassy field or corn field with the Victor flying over.
Did they have parachutes then as if they did maybe I will have the pilot somewhere in it gliding to safety.

[ballastanksian]

The RFC thought parachutes would encourage cowardice in the face of the enemy and so until late 1918, many pilots who could have been saved perished due to shortsighted ideas. The Germans often did have parachutes but tried (well all sides did) to control crash their steeds with mixed results. If your aircraft (Wood and doped linen) was afire you were likeley a gonner.

Conversely, Observers in Blimps did have parachutes!

I think your logic on the early diorama is fair as one side tries to shell the other side to prevent them overunning the newly dug trenches as each side conducts their 'Race to the sea'

A neat idea might be an under ground diorama made like an ant farm depicting the tunnellers underneath the trenches trying to mine and countermine each other.