Logistics, Base & Buildings Updated Nov 18, 2019
I survived the Christmas and New Year season, lot's of company, etc.
I've been working on details, those little items that are not visually attractive or impressive, but, without them, dioramas look bare. At least in my opinion. I was stationed in France near the German border from 1959 to 1962. We were frequently in Germany due to it's close proximity. The Germans were more tolerant towards G.I.s or at least it seemed so to us at the time. That really helped in building dioramas. I remember well and have a ton of photographs from those days that show those details. I have seen quite a lot of American built dioramas with American details and accessories. You can never assume that a fireplug in Illinois has an identical counterpart in France. It is rare that they do. Almost everything is different!
I'll begin with some of the Railroad equipment and accessories that will be further away from the train station under the shed where the travelers boarded the trains.
First, one of the many clocks that adorn all train stations everywhere.
Other train stuff.
These have all been built and base coated.
And structural steel supports for the shed covering the gates where passengers board the trains.
This is a portion of the right side wall, where the grand hall meets the gates and connect to the shed.
Two of the many decorative lights that will light the grand hall.
Of course, all train stations in those days had telephone booths. This one is complete with a pay phone.
The flooring for the grand hall. (Only base coated).
Then I built a small Brat stand from plastic stock. During my nearly three years in Europe while in the army, I spent a lot of time in Germany. The U.S. military facilities in France were very limited and there were always reasons to travel to Germany which was only about 100 miles from my barracks. On the weekends, me and my buddies would all hop into my little French Renault Quatre Chevaux (Pronounced Cat Chevo), supermini car and drive over the border just to get some Thuringer Bratwursts and great German beer. Back then, there were Brat stands, (Usually called an Imbiss) translated = Snack shop. everywhere you looked. They were always tiny and they served the brats and beer either through a window to a shelf or some were large enough to walk into but maybe room for 3 or 4 people where they served you over a counter. I have many great memories of my trips to Germany back then. Of course, I have been back many, many times as a tourist and later as competitor in model shows, then, even more as a businessman. The brat stands still exist, although much fewer in numbers. The Thuringer Brats, my favorite, are still delicious as ever!
Here is the basic shed that will serve as the "Ombiss'.
Of course, I and to furnish it. The combination grill, soup warmer and fridge.
Then the rest.
Then the front.
I will use the microslips for glass and, after installed, break them as it will be directly under a huge hole in the wall that was hit by a tank round. When they break, they really look like real, and scale, glass.
Then, some signage.
I made this from sheet plastic, strips and tiny letters. I added a pig on each side to indicate a lot of pork in those Brats.
I will paint it a dark maroon with black outlined white letters and border.
I think that's it this time around.
Thanks for looking in,
Bob
) I am "finally" getting around to posting the photos I took when I visited the Friday after Thanksgiving. A quick edit to shrink them (as the new cam takes HUGE file photos)
