Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879"

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879"

I have been building a diorama for “Rorke's Drift” on a scale of 1/72 for about 2 years now. There will be about 900 figures on the diorama, of which about 280 are losses. There are only Germania figures made of resin!

The diorama will be completed in the next few months. About 100 figures, ammunition boxes, a lot of accessories as well as the burning hospital, smoke at the hospital and muzzle flashes are still missing. Plus thousands of empty ammunition cases.

The diorama is exhibited in our own diorama museum with many other historical dioramas in Germany.

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Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:57 pm

Wolfgang a simple WOW seems hardly adequate. I spend a lot of time building model railways for my grandsons and have never managed to get the level of realism you have achieved.
Frank

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you, Frank!

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Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

More pictures:

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Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:59 pm

Very impressive indeed. One of the best dioramas (of any subject) I’ve seen. Well done.
Phil.

Subject: Another diorama ' Rorke's Drift 1879 ' Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:07 am

Welcome Wolfgang , is this the Diorama we watched unfold on Ian's AZW FB group page ? . It truly is outstanding .
90th ( Gary )

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you, Herbie and 90th. Yes Gary, this is the diorama from Ian's FB group. I'm currently working on the opened ammo boxes, they don't exist on this scale yet. Best regards, Wolfgang

Posts : 2008 Join date : 2011-08-01 Age : 27

Hi Wolfgang,

Thank you for sharing these photo's - they are amazing!

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you, Drummer Boy!

Battle at the northern barricade!

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Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Fri Jan 14, 2022 6:43 pm

Simply stunning Wolfgang. That is probably the best diorama I have ever seen Well done.

Subject: Another diorama ' Rorke's Drift 1879 ' Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:21 am

Thanks Wolfgang , as I've said numerous times your work is truly OUTSTANDING , by far and away the best I've seen , your attention to detail is wonderful . Pity you live in Germany and not Melbourne !! hahahahahaha
90th ( Gary ) Salute

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you, Spudee and Gary!

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Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Sat Jan 15, 2022 11:13 am

The attention to detail is excellent.

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you!

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Details on the northern barricade:

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Posts : 182 Join date : 2012-02-16 Location : northeast usa

unbelievable. it's like you are looking at movie stills. sir, your work is outstanding.

Posts : 3458 Join date : 2021-01-04

That is fantastic.
You've even picked out , I presume using washes and highlights, the creases in the uniforms as well as black lining the cross belts and equipment.
Even the shields appear to have a hair like texture. Such a lot of work.
Just superb. Well done.
Kate Salute

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you, free1954 and gardner1879 (Kate)!

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Today I was able to use about 50 Zulu again on the northern barricade and on the two kraals. It's getting really cramped at the barricade, there's almost no more space to put more figures there in a meaningful way.
There are still 60 Zulu left, then all figures are installed in the diorama. I also painted more shields and spears to equip each Zulu with a shield and spears. That's about another 100 shields and about 160 Zulu weapons that still have to be distributed on the diorama.
It's slowly coming to an end!
Once all the figures have been distributed, I can devote myself to the many details such as ammunition boxes, barrels, ammunition packets and ammunition casings. Muzzle flashes, smoke and the burning hospital come at the very end!

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Best regards, Wolfgang

Subject: Another diorama ' Rorke's Drift 1879 ' Tue Feb 01, 2022 12:52 am

OUTSTANDING Wolfgang !
90th Salute

Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:39 am

Small queerie Wolfgang: The piles of sacks, were they not intended as a redoubt? If so wouldnt they be hollow?
Brilliant execution. Well done.

Frank

Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:38 am

Wolfgang,

How I wished for such figures were available in my youth!

Can I fire a query at you? What rank insignia have you depicted on the Colour-Sergeant Bourne figure? Which I assume the one standing next to the Lieutenant Bromhead figure.

JY

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

@Thank you all!

@Frank
In the diorama I show the beginning of the construction of the redoubt. Lieutenant Chard ordered the redoubt to be built after 7 p.m. It was built from the two Mealie-Bag hills under the direction of Commissioner Walter Dunne with several men.

@John Young
Next time I'm in my workroom, I'll take a close-up. But they are the rank insignia of a Color Sergent!

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Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:27 am

Wolfgang,

Thank you for that, I will comment further when I see the close-up.

Regards,

JY

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Hi John Young! I was in my workroom today and was able to add 20 Zulu to the northern barricade in the diorama. I tried to photograph the Color-Sergent from close up. Unfortunately I can't get any closer. I push off the other figures' spears and shields with my iPhone. They are the three golden angles of the Color-Sergent, the crown and the two flags. The two flags are very difficult to see.

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Battle of the Kraal!

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Best regards, Wolfgang

Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Mon Feb 07, 2022 2:04 pm

Hello Wolfgang,

Thanks for that.

I would suggest that you have been influenced by artwork that has appeared in a number of books. The rank insignia of a Colour-Sergeant in a serge frock was three gold chevrons surmounted by a crown. In a tunic - full dress - the crossed flags were added.

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Colour-Sergeant, 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment, wearing a tunic.
(John Young Collection.)

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Colour-Sergeant, 21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers) Regiment, seated centre of the three on the chairs, wearing a serge frock with the simplified rank insignia.
(John Young Collection.)

If you examine the well-known photograph of ‘B’ Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment, you will see that Frank Bourne is wearing a serge frock with three chevrons and a crown. I will post a copy shortly.

Best wishes,

JY

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thanks, I looked up Michael Chappell's painting (plate B1) in Ian Knight's silver book.

Best rgards, Wolfgang

Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Tue Feb 08, 2022 10:11 am

The best I have ever seen, Congratulations Wolfgang

Posts : 22 Join date : 2019-08-19

Thank you, aussi inkosi!

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The ammunition boxes as an example and in use in the diorama!

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Subject: Re: Another diorama "Rorke's Drift 1879" Thu Feb 24, 2022 3:14 pm

Cant see the fixing screw?

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Today the Zulu at the southern barricade got their last shields and weapons. There I was able to distribute wrapping paper for the ammunition packages and empty ammunition cases.

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Yesterday I was able to equip the last Zulu around the hospital with weapons, and I was also able to distribute the first pieces of paper from the ammunition packaging.
Here are pictures from the north and west side of the hospital. The hospital is already in Zulu hands. Here I still have to distribute the ammunition casings and depict the fire in the hospital.

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Today I was able to supply weapons to all figures on the south side of the mission station. I now have about 80 Zulu guns and spears and a few Martini-Henry cans left. I will distribute them sensibly around the site.

And of course fire and smoke are missing!

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