Latest Diorama - "Stalingrad" (2nd try)

Hello all. This is my latest diorama that I have been working on since just after Christmas of 12'. It depicts remnants of the German sixth army along with a few stragglers here and there from the panzer korps. The figures are all converted to various degrees. Some were extensive conversions and others were as simple as just adding a head from Hornet or The Body or Warriors, Jaguar etc. I actually used a lot of injection molded figs from Dragon,Tamiya, and Master Box. I find the injection molded figures a treat to spruce up and get them into shape. The factory is scratchbuilt from cell u foam however the lower right hand portion of it as well as the holding tanks are from Masterpiece Models. Check out Masterpiece Models website as they have some great dio stuff. Those of you that are familiar with Rick Lawler will recognize some of the masters that they produce. Thanks Rick! The large brick wall that is behind the blast furnace and tanks is scratched from balsa foam which I found a little more forgiving than cell u foam. The holding control shed was also scratchbuilt using Plastruct and Evergreen products. Finally the tank wagon is from Baluard (a resin & white metal offering and the blast furnace is from a Spanish company called Toro. I used alot of AK Interactive stuff on this dio along with some MIG stuff and Bragdon Enterprise weathering pigments. All the painting was done with Vallejo and Citadel acrylic paints. I'll answer any questions you have by posting here or just shoot me an e-mail. Also a warning that there are alot of pics here, enjoy! 

Honest Abe

This is a little commission I finished a few days ago.  It's a semi round of Abe Lincoln and the first time I've ever painted one.  A little different than painting a standard 3d figure but not too much different.  Painted in Vallejo's as always.

Jack the Ripper

here is my latest commission work. It is the 75MM release from Scale 75 of Jack the Ripper. He is cast in all white metal and comes complete with the cobblestone ground section, wall, street lantern and drain pipe. Casting was clean and very easy to fit and assemble. As always he is painted in Vallejo acrylics with Citadel and Andrea inks for the metallics.

Maurice Corry Crimean Rifles Officer...

this is my latest commission piece. It's the 120MM Maurice Corry Crimean Rifles officer. I used Andrea and Vallejo acrylics to complete this guy. Great sculpt as you would expect from Maurice and the figure has great body language as well. This is the first full figure I've completed in a while as I've been working on a large Stalingrad diorama as well as about 5 other projects. Hope you like it as it is not my usual WW2 piece.

My Latest Madness..."Stalingrad" (2nd try)

this is two parts of what is going to be a Russian factory scene. Kinda part II to my "Cellar Dwellars" dio from a few years back. It will be 3 levels in height due to size restraints in my apartment and it is about 75 percent scratchbuilt. A portion of the factory is from Masterpiece Models, as well as the holding tanks. The rest of the structures are all scratch using corrugated sheets, cell foam and balsa foam. I think the scene will contain about 20-25 figures and possibly a panzer III.

Pili Pili 120mm Apsaroke Crow Woman W/children...

Hello all. I just finished up this marvelously sculpted mounted kit from Pili Pili as a Christmas gift to my wife. My wife actually bought this kit for me back at world expo 2005 (Boston) but quite honestly I did not have the balls to tackle it til now. She is painted in all freehand using Vallejo acrylics and believe me, this was quite a challenge with all these colors that are basically foreign to me. Thanks to Al Lafleche for help with ideas for the groundwork.

  

Ac Models 150mm Mg34 Gunner...

This is the MG34 gunner from AC models. Andy Cairns had approached me about painting this figure for boxart purposes after I had expressed some interest in tackling him when in prog pics of the sculpt were posted. He is sculpted in early Barbarossa summer garb (reed green fatigues) and Andy has lent an interesting take in the MG34 accessory box, the canteen and the rare bakelite MG butt with metal tips. The figure was finished as always in Vallejo acrylics w/citadel paints used for the metallics. The camo in the exterior bands on the helmet was a personal choice and after looking at some early war picture references, I decided to use excelsior moss and some Aber PE vines w/ leaves attached. I also used the excelsior moss to simulate the tall grass which looks good to scale, hence the matching camo on the helmet. Andy has done a fine job on this figure and is now one of my favorites in my current collection. Just can't stay away from these MG34/42 guys!!! Must be the look of the ammo belts that attracts me.