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John Staehle
8 articles

Marine Landing

July 23, 2014 · in How-to · · 5 · 2.5K

After completing my Iwo Jima diorama for the customer, I had three DML sets left over with various original parts, i.e. Guadalcanal with all the figures intact and a mix of all the remaining two sets with lots of left over arms, etc. I then added the Marine diorama to a larger section of Styrofoam and mounted both to an old cupboard door and completed the scenery so that everything blended together. I then added the LVT-4, the Italeri and the DML figures.

I built both the LVT4 and JEEP straight OOB and weathered both heavily with hobby sand which also makes up the beachhead and part of the jungle section. The JEEP driver is the original lower kit part of the figure with left over DML parts to make the torso, arms and head look more realistic. I'll be adding several more Marines as I progress with possibly all that I can muster from the three sets.

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5 responses

  1. I'm glad to be first to say: Pretty daggone impressive!

    • Thank you Ralph, I'm trying to fill the Pacific theater gap with the DML figures and the limited model kits but there are always some ideas out there. My inspiration was being stationed on Guam from 2/82-4/83 and viewing some of the battle grounds and the "tank graveyard" in the jungle. I also visited the Pacific War Museum in Fredricksburg, TX which was the birthplace of Adm. Nimitz, the museum is a must see, unfortunately my wife was very sick but bless her, she stayed the course as we toured the indoor part as there is a display of all the equipment outdoors as well which we did not see. Another time.

      All the best,

      John

  2. John,
    Nicely done and interesting diorama. You probably already know it but Admiral Nimitz is buried a Golden Gate National Cemetery here in San Bruno, CA

    • Thank you Frank. I'm concentrating on my HO scale model railroad for now as I haven't done much with it for about a year. I have the latest photos of it posted on my new FB page; Building Basic HO (1/87 scale ) Layouts. I created the page for folks like myself that are running DC only and enjoy the simplicity that model railroading once was. At only 17ft long my layout wouldn't be worth the conversion to DCC as many are I'm sure still are.
      The best,
      John

  3. Sorry to be so lax in getting more posted on here but lots of work to do around the house since 2014. I've got a larger selection of models now built and looking to finish several in boxes still. I'll never stop, only slow down. I'm building the original Italeri Opel Maultier now after buying the kit in 2013 off Ebay. Several parts are missing and some started by the seller, big mistake to buy some stuff. But I got the complete Monogram Weasel from another seller for next to nothing.

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