Gaynes's Mill 1862

Historical background

In 1862 the American civil war was in its second year and the Union army stood only a few miles before Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy. As Robert E. Lee, the most famous of all civil war commanders, took over command of the Confederate troops he made the decision to attack his opponent instead of digging in and await the onslaught. In a series of battles within only seven days (one of which was Gaynes's Mill) Lee pushed the Union army further and further away from Richmond and the Unionist had to give up their dream of a quick victory. The war continued till 1865 and resulted in a complete defeat of the Confederacy.

The moment depicted is the stand of the 5th New York Volunteer Regiment (also known as Duryee's Zuaves) to hold back the approaching Confederate attack wave. It was only a shortlived defence as the Southern troops overwhelmed them and they had to retreat.

The diorama

The figures are from Italeri. As there are only limited poses for the Zuaves (a quite fancyfull costume inspired by French troops) some conversions had to be done. The fence is made of wood and the shoddy tree of wire, putty and foliage by Noch.


Photos (click to enlarge)

Video (YouTube)

Sources

Angus Konstam - Seven days battles 1862 (Osprey Campaign 133)
Andre Jouineau - Officers and soldiers of the American civil war Vol. 1
Andre Jouineau - Officers and soldiers of the American civil war Vol. 2
Philip Katcher - American civil war armies 2, Union troops (Osprey Men-at-Arms 177)
Philip Katcher - Flags of the American civil war 2, Union (Osprey Men-at-Arms 258)

Vienna 1683 - Take their position

Historical background

In the year 1683 the Ottomans started their second attempt to conquer Vienna, the seat of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the door to further conquest in Europe. It was a major effort with a huge army (170.000 men at the start of the campaign) - too much for the Emporer, who left the City before the Ottomans arrived. After an epic two months siege an allied relief army (Imperial and Polish troops) reached the outskirts of Vienna and in the final battle the Ottomans were decisively beaten and had to retreat the way they had come.

The moment depicted is an attack by Polish troops on an Ottoman defensive line held by janissaries during the battle. After their long and exhausting march to Vienna the Poles put a final effort to overcome their Ottoman adversaries.


The diorama

The figures are from Zvezda (Poles) and Orion (Ottomans). For reaching the interaction between the figures some conversions had to be made and also the Poles had to be trimmed additionally to reach the desired appearance (originally they were Russian streltsi). Uniforms were not very developed in this period, so each figure has its own colours or colour variations. The flags are made of paper and handpainted. The tree is scratch built of wire, putty and foliage by Noch.


Photos (click to enlarge)

Video (Youtube)

Sources

John Stoye - Die Türken vor Wien
Simon Millar - Vienna 1683 (Osprey Campaign 191)
Richard Brezezinski - Polish armies 1569-1696 Part 1 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 184)
Richard Brezezinski - Polish armies 1569-1969 Part 2 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 188)
David Nicolle - Armies of the Ottoman Turks 1300-1774 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 140)
David Nicolle - The Janissaries (Osprey Warrior 58)

Alexandria 1798 - The bombardment

Historical background

In 1798 Napoleon started his Egyptian expedition - partly to explore the Egyptian antiquities but most of all to crush the British supremacy in the Mediterranean. The Ottoman troops in Egypt had nothing to oppose the French army and soon Napoleon was in possession of Egypt and part of Syria. But the British Navy succeeded in cutting Napoleon's line of communication and this left him stranded in the Orient. Silently he withdraw from the army and returns to France in 1799.

The moment depicted in the diorama is a French artillery piece in front of the walls of Alexandria. Before the French could create massive siege lines the siege was already over - it lasted only one day. The show of force was too much for the Ottomans. That was a real luck for the French as their uniforms were made for much cooler climates and the first victims of heat stroke occured very soon and in alarming numbers.


The diorama

The figures and the gun are from Esci. The figures are all in very static and not very lifelike poses, so much conversions had to be done. As the gun is very simplified (a problem with must soft plastic artillery) some details had to be added to achieve a more realistic look. The broken wall is made of plaster, the palm tree of wire, cord, putty, copy paper and paint.

Photos (click to enlarge)

Video (YouTube)

Sources

Fabrice Delaitre - St. Jean-d'Acre, le Mont Thabor 1799

Michael Barthorp - Napoleon's Egyptian campaigns 1798-1801 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 79)
Andre Jouineau - Officers and soldiers of French Artillery (1)
Robert Wilkinson-Latham - Napoleon's artillery (Osprey Men-at-Arms 54)
Philip Haythornthwaite - Napoleon's specialist troops (Osprey Men-at-Arms 199)
Terence Wise - Artillery Equipments of the Napoleonic wars (Osprey Men-at-Arms 96)
Rene Chartrand - Napoleon's guns 1792-1815: 1 field artillery (Osprey New Vanguard 66)

Vienna 1683 - Blow the mine

Historical background

In the year 1683 the Ottomans started their second attempt to conquer Vienna, the seat of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the door to further conquest in Europe. It was a major effort with a huge army (170.000 men at the start of the campaign) - too much for the Emporer, who left the City before the Ottomans arrived. After an epic two months siege an allied relief army (Imperial and Polish troops) reached the outskirts of Vienna and in the final battle the Ottomans were decisively beaten and had to retreat the way they had come.

The moment depicted is the final moment before an Ottoman mine was blown up. Some men are pouring out fine gunpowder out of their the sacks and an officer stands ready to ignite it. An observer is ready too see the impact of the explosion and some janissaries are running to the front to their attack positions. The life in these trenches was certainly not a fine one.

The diorama

The figures are all from Orion. For making some kind of  sappers the figures had to be converted out of fighting poses. Uniforms were not very developed in this period, so each figure has its own colours or colour variations. The trench walls and the mine entrance are made of wood and cord.


Photos (click to enlarge)

Video (Youtube)

Sources

John Stoye - Die Türken vor Wien
Simon Millar - Vienna 1683 (Osprey Campaign 191)
David Nicolle - Armies of the Ottoman Turks 1300-1774 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 140)
David Nicolle - The Janissaries (Osprey Warrior 58)

Iwo Jima 1945

Historical background

In 1945 it was clear that Japan will lose the war, but non of the Imperial Japanese soldiers wasted only a thought on giving up. So as the U.S. Marines landed on this strategic important island they had to discover that each step gained had to be paid in blood and it took them over two months to conquer the whole island (21 square Kilometers) and more than 7.000 men killed in action. The Japanese garrison was completely annihilated (only 216 are taken prisoner).

Clint Eastwood made two really great movies about this battle:
Letters from Iwo Jima (seen from the Japanese side)
Flags of our fathers (seen from the American side)

The moment depicted is the rising of the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi. It was the second rising of the flag, as by the first time no camera filmed it, so it had to be done again. It is one of the most famous war pictures of all times. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia is based on this picture.


The diorama

The whole diorama is from Esci who is based on the monument. The figures had to be glued together from several pieces and they don't fit very well. Also the correct configuration of the figures to achieve the effect of raising the flag is hard to achieve.

My customer wished the monument base in black with gold letters and the rest of the diorama in natural colours. So the sand is black (Iwo Jima is a volcano island) and the sparse vegetation is dry and brown.


Photos (click to enlarge)

  

Video (YouTube)

Sources

Derrick Wright - Iwo Jima 1945 (Osprey Campaign 81)
Philip Katcher - The US army 1941-1945 (Osprey Men-at-Arms 70)
Mark R. Henry - The US army in world war II Part 1: the Pacific (Osprey Men-at-Arms 342)
Gordon Rottman - US Marina Corps 1941-1945 (Osprey Elite 59)