"Search and Destroy"

History to this project:

It began with an e-mail, that I got. It read, that a future customer asked whether I could build a Viet Nam Diorama for him. After business circumstances were clarified and I could build the Diorama without having to research the historical background, I started. The outcome can be seen here:

The models:

I only used two vehicles for the Diorama, the M113 ACAV from Tamiya and the Ford Mutt, likewise a Tamiya kit. Both were to be built easily and fast. Here and there are some adaptation problems however these was eliminated fast. Since these kits are old acquaintance and were already very often described, I do not want to deal with the individual construction steps. Both vehicles were painted with the air brush. Here I used acryl colour of Tamiya and Gunze, which are excellent for this purpose. Then all decals and markings were applied onto a layer of clear varnish. Although after applying the transfer pictures, I sealed the whole M113 with clear lacquer (shining), a silver glow is apparent at the decals, when exactly examining the pictures. The vehicles had also to sustain a washing and the dry brushing, until I was content with the result. The Ford Mutt was assembled and also treated with the above-mentioned methods. After the vehicles were painted, I overprayed each vehicle with dull cote.

The figures:

For this Diorama I used figure kits from Jaguar, Verlinden and Dragon. The latter show the worst quality! These figures cost me indeed nerves, since I had to change the driver figure and the sitting figures. For reworking the figures, I used 3 Dragon kits. The heads again are from Verlinden. The all in all effort was at about 5 days (painting not taken into consideration), whereby exclusively enamel colour from Humbrol and Revell were used. I painted the skin portions completely with oil colours, which are proved to get the better results (regarding my usual preferences...). Finally also the figures were sealed with dull cote. Normally I prefer to use Resin figurs for Dioramas, which was not possible however due to my budget framework which I had to take into account. Thus I was forced to develop and afterwards carry out more ideas concerning figure conversions.

The Diorama:

The total dimensions of the Diorama are 16in x 12in. The framework was once a pin wall, which had to undergo this unusual treatment for becoming a diorama. The basic soil consists of a cut into shape polystyrene disk. As earth, which is typically red for Viet Nam, I used red sand from a tennis court.
Before the sand came onto the base plate, I had to sieve this, until it was fine enough. When this was then finally completed, I applied water-diluted white glue (i.e.: Elmers or similar) onto the polystyrene disk. Afterwards I scattered the sand through a filter onto the ground and let it dry, in order to lay thereafter again diluted white glue. After this procedure, I strewed static grass onto the sand (alternating somewhat more and less). Afterwards I let the whole dry for 24 hours. In the meantime, I made the wall out of a piece of plaster wall (thanks to Paul for this tip!). After I had released the cardboard from the gypsum, I cut seams into the gypsum, in order to imitate the natural stone structure. The wall was then painted with acrylic colour and afterwards treated with extensive decomposition techniques. Before I fastened the wall and its fragments to the base plate, still the vegetation was attached, which consists of coconut hair and herbs. This was then topped by painting and dry brushing with various shades of green. After the two main segments were dry, I stuck the wall firmly to the base plate. For the vegetation I used the different lychens and of course also the "famous" branches of "sea foam". After all items had found their place, I slightly sprayed "desert yellow" over the dry sand, in order to tone down the intensive red colour. Afterwards another layer mattlack covered the whole Diorama. The vehicles and the figures were placed on the diorama.

Conclusion:

This diorama work lasted 3 weeks with smallest financial means (considering 5-6 hours of work or even more per day). The costs amounted at about 140 Euro, whereby the work costs is actually not calculable. I would like to thank my family, as I had almost 3 weeks no time for them. My special thanks also applies to Wolfram BRADAC, who made the beautiful pictures of this diorama and of course also to George SCHACHINGER, who adjusted this report to his homepage.

Information about me:

My Name is Andreas Tupy, 07.11.77, born in Vienna and my occupation is Installateur. After I received an airplane kit as a five year old boy, I did not come loose from this passion for a long time, until I inserted a break of many years because of my modified interests. Approximately a year ago I again bought a kit (king tiger from Tamiya) and lightning struck again: Since that time I am concerned very seriously with the topic tank modelling and construction, whereby I often spend hours to search for suitable reference material. My emphasis is with the models of the German Wehrmacht.