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A Small Project
​By Rick Knapp

My usual modeling projects are dioramas that take, with sporadic effort, three to four months to complete. Occasionally, though, it’s pleasant do do something smaller and less demanding. This project, a relatively simple figure vignette. is one such.
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I had in mind a late World War Two scene featuring German soldiers in desperate defense in the ruins of the Third Reich. Searching through my extensive stash of 1/35 scale figures, I found lots of sets of soldiers standing, walking, marching, or at rest, but not many in-action figures. Dragon’s Kampfgruppe von Luck set provided two figures that fit the bill; for a third I had to transfer a figure from the Dragon Panzergrenadiers at Arnhem set from the SS to the Wehrmacht.

Above are the figures in place, on the right with the base scenery painted. The foremost two are from the von Luck set. The composition of the scene turned out well, with the figures easily viewable on a downward sloping base of rubble. They’re shown in logical and purposeful action, and staggered in their placement, so each is readily seen. Having them displayed in a straight line would have made the presentation stiff and artificial.

The figures painted, ready to be placed among rubble made from model railroad ballast, plaster bricks, gravel, bits of wood, etc.

Finishing the scene, it was apparent that something was needed in the corner space behind the figures. For that purpose, I found a well-detailed Panzerschreck (the German version of the bazooka) in Tamiya weapons set, but it had no operator shield. In my spares box I found parts of an old Airfix Panzerschreck, shield included—slightly oversized, but usable. Its projectiles all expended, it has been cast aside.
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This vignette turned out just as I had envisioned it. It made a nice change of pace from more elaborate and time-consuming efforts. It has received compliments from fellow modelers, and you can’t beat that.