1/48 "The War of the Worlds" Diorama
Completed in 2022. The idea behind this diorama was to suggest the attack on Los Angeles in the 1953 movie "The War of the Worlds." Three kits were combined. Pegasus 1/48 Martian War Machine. Verlinden 1/48 Ruined Street Sections - modified. (WWII items molded into the base, like jerry cans and ammo crates, were chiseled off. Extra rubble was added.). Tamiya 1/48 U.S. Army Staff Car - civilian version. The finish on the war machine began with a coat of Mr. Base White 1000 (rattle can), followed by three light coats of Testors Metallic Copper (rattle can), and then three coats of Pledge floor finish (hand brushed).
EDIT: Updated the photos 10/29/2022.
Nicely done! When I saw this movie as a little boy, I was afraid to go out at night because to me the streetlights resembled the death ray emitter. When I did this kit, I too used Testor's Metallic copper rattle can, I miss their line of paints.
Thanks Robert. The movie scared my big sister to death too, when she saw it as a little kid, in a theater in the 1950s. The Model Master line is defunct, but the basic Testors paints are still available - little square jars and rattle cans.
Good to know.
Beautifully built diorama after this great idea, Tom!
Thanks Spiros!
Cool! Nice work!
Thanks Paul!
I saw it many times on TV in the late '70s and early '80s. WGN Chicago (channel 9) had a Sunday afternoon show called 'Family Classics with Frazier Thomas', and this was one of the films in its rotation. The scene in the ruined house when you see the Martian always frightened me as a kid.
Here it is!
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
The gloss on your Martian's skin looks exactly from the movie!
I used artist's acrylic gel and Pledge floor polish. The original studio prop was coated with lots of vaseline and glycerin.
Great scare in time for Haloween !
Well’s story keeps getting to the imagination . It is a great in telling, that the movie , and your diorama follows the book well w.o. Adulteration. Classic . Well done.
Thanks Bernard!
Just plain cool. Loved that movie as a kid. Brings me back
Thanks Matt!
Beautiful diorama, Tom @tomhering
Those three kits are combined perfectly to represent the "War of the Worlds" scene.
Thanks John!
Everything came out great, beautiful finish on the Martian' s craft.
Thanks Bob!
I really like that. I am a big fan of the 1950's sci-fi, mutant, alien, monster, radiation apocolypse movies. I think you nailed the Martian alien ship perfectly it looks awesome.
Thanks Walt. I'm a fan of 1950s science fiction films too. I have 74 titles in my DVD collection. Plus Bill Warren's massive book on the subject, "Keep Watching the Skies!"
I loved the movie and I really like this model.
Thanks Tom!