Probably old hands may have seen this diorama before (it's from year 2000), but I discovered it recently. The modeller's name is Masahiro Doi, from Japan.
The diorama is impressive, good composition, all elements nicely rendered, variety of natural poses and quite accurate setting. I love it, yet, if I had to make a slight critique (I'm a non conformist!) I should say that the putees on the soldiers are a bit on the narrow side, causing them to have lots of turns around their calves (that makes them look a bit strange). I don't know neither if American soldiers went over no man's land with the full backpack, but it's a detail that looks jarring as well, when all armies made assaults or patrols with the most basic elements for their task.
More oddly, the open-hatched, loaded-with-junk-at-the-trunk, Renault FT-17 tank seem to be abandoned facing away from the action, as if retreating. If this trench with soldiers about to attack is on the allied side, why the tank has returned from no man's land?
Or perhaps the soldiers are poised against to the advance, looking back from freshly taken enemy trenches?? Maybe this depicts some specific action on St. Mihiel battle, and I don't know much of its development.
While I understand that the placing of the elements can be faithful to some actual event, it strikes oddly, as the very careful planning of the scene shows a reversal of tide going on.
Maybe I'm analysing it too much.
-- Edited by d_fernetti on Sunday 26th of August 2012 08:31:40 PM
Excellent diorama, just one potential criticism: didn't someone (more knowledgeable than I) say on the forum that the playing card markings were always in black during the war, only in colour afterwards?
I noticed the backwardness too, I figured it had maneuvered some wrong way and was now lending supporting fire, but now that I look again, the gun dosen't even seem to be lending itself to that, so, perhaps it is ditched. the figures are a great representation and masterfully painted by someone who has a lot more time and skill than I, but I notice some helmets seem too small for the mens heads, as in brim width is just too short. all in all I still give it five stars.
Greetings, Josh
-- Edited by FR73 on Sunday 2nd of September 2012 08:03:58 AM
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