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Logistics, Base & Buildings, Updated Feb. 13, 2020

bob letterman

Master at Arms
Staff member
Logistics, My Last Superdiorama
January 18th, 2009 by Bob Letterman

I am embarrassed to admit that I had started this way back in 2003. The last 6 years of VLS were rough ones. (2000 to 2006). Susan and I worked many 70-80 hour weeks, rarely had a day off and I had to build and paint so much box art, (In the hundreds), there was really little time to build a superdiorama. I built the original “Legacies”, working part time in a single year! I have space available for this “Monster” in the museum, however, I do not have room for another of this size. Besides, I am getting up there and I am not quite as fast as I once was. Therefore, “Logistics” may very likely be my last Superdiorama.

Now retired, it has taken some time to get back into the “Groove”, but I am getting there. These are photos taken yesterday of the base and buildings. Please remember nothing is finished and every building is in one stage or another of completion, and not a single one is even near finished. It is a work in progress. The title came about as a result of the “Feel” it will have. It will be extremely “busy”, with vehicles, (Over 50), and well over 400 figures. The story line is 4th Armored division rolling through a German city in April 1945. The XYZ Express, the largest single express truck program in the ETO, (Even larger than the Red Ball), is converging at the “V” intersection. Patton and entourage will be trying to manage the traffic jam. Just below them in the cutaway of a train station will sit a BR-52 locomotive w/tender hooked up to a K-5E Railroad Gun. The huge train shed which will span the entire front of the diorama, will be collapsed onto the locomotive and RR gun at various places. On the major cross street, A US construction battalion will be clearing the massive amounts of rubble to make the roads passable. On the street farthest back with the “OLD Town” buildings will have masses of refugees scurrying away from the fighting to the rear lines. There will also be ambulances carrying the wounded to the field hospitals and German P.O.W.s being both trucked and marched to the camps.

The first few are of the train shed, a canopy that leads into the train station, It will eventually span the entire front of the diorama. The canopy only has a base coat of paint. It is in 1/35th scale and It is 8 feet by 5 feet, (152.4cm X 243.84cm) in size. None of the structures are complete, one or two may be 80% finished. It will have 50+vehicles including a locomotive and RR gun, and around 400 figures. I call it "Logistics". This first shot is of the front of the diorama, A train shed that leads to the Hauptbahnhof, (Train station), to will have a locomotive, tender and K-5e rail gun. The canopy will span the front and will be intact in some places and collapsed in others. The building above in the foreground is a large beer hall.

shedccopy_copy.jpg


A statue of Hermann Von Balke in the plaza will have a blown German vehicle next to it. On the left is Old Town.

OldTowncopy.jpg


This is the Kaufhalle, (Dept.store). It is a total ruin and was the biggest and most difficult structure to build in the diorama.

Hallecopy.jpg


Part of the bomb blasts in the department store. there is bomb damage in several of the buildings.

Halleecopy.jpg


I set a deuce and a half in the street to give some perspective. I will be literally be placing pounds of rubble throughout the dio.

truckcopy.jpg


As my last update to this was the beginning of May and over the last 10 months since I joined the site, several people have asked to see an SBS of how the buildings are constructed. I have procrastinated long enough. As this building is a part of the WIP, I am posting it here in the Masterclass. I begin by cutting the corrugated cardboard shapes for the building facade. This building will be Greco-Roman architecturally, and will house a Roman/German Historical museum.

You will notice that after the facade is assembled, the lower part is much too long. That is because when I build the base, I start with a wooden frame. I screw a sheet of plywood onto the bottom, then vary the heights of the framing and the interior bracing from place to place. I use model rail road board to "skin" the top which will then have a rolling hill effect that will vary by as little as one inch, (25mm), and as much as 12 inches, (300mm). It gives the diorama that extra effect of topography. Cities built on a perfectly flat terrain are rare.

Build1.jpg


Here is the matt board cut outs ready to be veneered to the corrugated cardboard facade.

Cardboard-a.jpg


Here is a shot of the base of "Logistics" and the square, triangular and rectangular holes cut for placement of the buildings. The buildings will then set down into those holes and I can be assured of their being "true" to the base. The large hole on the far right will be the resting place for this building.

DSCN4549copy.jpg


Next, I cut the matt board, a material found in either framing shops or art supply stores, to the shape and then veneer them to the corrugated cardboard structure using carpenters glue. The strength this gives the structure is surprising. I have buildings built like this more than thirty years ago and still look the same as the day they were built! The stairs were made of long strips of bass wood, then cut to fit each stairway. Balsa and bass wood strips were used to begin the gable for the planned statues. Also, some trim from doll house materials. Note the bare cardboard under the steps. That is the part that will lower into the hole on the bas and rest on the plywood beneath.

Build-2.jpg


Next, I cut some more cardboard and matt board for the sides, upper structure and roof.

Build-6.jpg


I have added architectural shapes from my large stash. Over the years, each time I see something that could be useful for my buildings, I buy them. They have been from so many different sources. Doll house parts, parts from lumber companies, decorative wooden trim. picture frames, things I scratched and on and on. From the beginning, I put them in rubber so that I can cast them whenever I need them. Here is a shot of one shelf unit that is for these parts. There are two. I also have two large cabinets filled with RTV molds for this stuff.

cimg0304-1.jpg


Here, I have attached the sides and upper structure. The mosaic on the gable was made with Milliput and several Andrea 25 mm Roman figures. Then I gave it my standard base coat of Testor's camouflage grey. It is a good base color for grey stone, granite, etc, because it is an earth tone without any of the unwanted blue tint. Another good base for buildings and concrete streets is Humbrol Matt 72. I see concrete simulated with gray paint a lot. The only time concrete is gray is when recently poured. In a short time, it becomes a color almost perfectly matched by Matt 72. I buy it by the case! Note the coat of plaster on the side and top. The entire building has received that treatment. The stones are then engraved in the plaster.

Build-3.jpg


Here is a close up of the gable.

Build-5.jpg


Here is the base coated facade. The Roman corinthian columns? A buddy of mine got married in the 70s. After the wedding cake had been eaten, I talked his wife out of the columns. I've been using them ever since. There were actually three sizes, it was a tiered cake, all came in handy from time to time.

Build-4.jpg


Here is a triumphal arch that is connected to the museum building. Again, same type of construction and shapes from the stash, plus three Andrea roman figures, including the mounted figure on top.

Build-8.jpg


A close up of the top.

Build-9.jpg


Some cracks in the upper structure added as a result of a prior bombing raid. Then various washes of raw umber and some burnt sienna.

Build-A.jpg


This is it in it's current state. The burned out upper floor, also a result of the Allied bombing raids, shingles added. These were from the 135th Construction Battalion company I once owned. It had so many architectural products and my dream of never having to scratch all this stuff as I did in all my previous dioramas. Unfortunately, the new owner discontinued producing the kits. This building, as the others, is not finished, maybe another 20% left to go. I think this shot does give you an idea of how it will look. Imagine tons of rubble from this and the destroyed building across the street. The blown up Flak Panzer will be sitting in front. The eight Sherman tanks from the Fourth Armored Division will begin here emerging from the arch and the line will run the full length, (8 feet, 2.4 meters), across the front of the diorama.

You may notice the difference in the quality of the photographs. All but the last one were taken with a Nikon digital bought in 2001. It cannot approach the technology of the newer Canon G-8.

Build-C.jpg


Hope you like it!

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Hi Bob, this is one truely amazing dio! I can't wait for it to develop!
You are the master of superdioramas!

speaking of superdioramas. I am trying to get hold of a copy of your book.
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Hi Martyn,

Amazon had them about 7-8 months ago. Don't know if they still do.

I no longer have the rights to that one!

Good luck,

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Hey Rudi,

Still working on all the vehicles. I have now got really into the armor. Will post soon!

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Oh right! I remember you posted some shots of the vehicle parts a while back. I think you were working on some half-tracks? So you're working on Shermans now, are you?
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Rudi Richardson wrote:
Oh right! I remember you posted some shots of the vehicle parts a while back. I think you were working on some half-tracks? So you're working on Shermans now, are you?

Rudi,

I was working on all the soft skins, (They're on here someplace), I still have the half track to finish and eight Shermans.

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

How do you manage moving these. I imagine modular portions of the diorama that would fit through doors.
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Actually, they have all been to both coasts and everywhere in between. Some thought required for doors, they must be double doors. There is no way they will fit through a normal door. I learned that with the first one, The Winds of War. I built it in the basement. Then, when I began assembly, moved it to the garage to have more space.

When completed, it was moved with a rented moving van. When we returned home after the first show, I realized it would not go back into the house, talk about painting your way into a corner, so it stayed in the garage until it finally went into a museum for a couple of years. By that time, VLS was quite large and had plenty of room.

What I hadn't counted on was the weight. The height would go through a standard doorway if turned on the side. The problem with that was, even without the plexiglass top, two men couldn't lift them alone because you can only hold them by the base. When it is upright, two strong men can carry them for short distances, 40 -50 feet. With the top in place, 6 men are required and can move them for some distance.

Over the years, I have built three of these and this will be the fourth. The smaller ones are large, but not nearly as difficult to move around.

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Holy cow - 6 men is a ton of muscle to move a diorama. They are impressive.
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Insane work on the buildings Bob, good way of building them! I will give it a try.

Martyn :woohoo:
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Once again Bob...another impressive start to what looks like another Bob Letterman Masterpiece

Incredible

Ed Rosario
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Slodder, Martyn and Ed,

Thanks Guys

I need all the support I can get!!!!

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

I also need something to suport my jaw Mr.Letterman! this is extraterestrial modeling!
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Thanks Teo and Vicente,

I have noticed that in my old age, I am beginning to be more appreciative of nice comments. I'm glad you like my work!

Thanks again,

Bob
 
Re:Logistics, My new Diorama, Base and Buildings.

Hey Johnnie,

That sounds great! What will it be, the Marienplatz? At least you will have all the reference you need. The Damenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady), nearby would be an awesome structure in 1/35th!! Even in 1/72nd.

Bob
 
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