Devising the Ground Plan

I knew that, because of the excavations for the trenches and hut, I'd need to have a suitable substrate on top of the plywood base. I used 2" foam building insulation left over from a home remodeling project. I situated the gun first, then the cargo truck. The figures were built up and worked around the setting, tying the gun to the truck. In the lower left area will be a mound of empty charge canisters and crates. The crew hut will be located in the upper right corner.

Composition is one of the key elements of building any diorama. Even though the base is designed with a "front" as seen above, I always consider how the diorama may be viewed from any angle (unless designed not to be viewed from the rear).

Several of my dioramas are in the range of 43" wide by 24" or more deep (I have to remember — and live with — the sad fact that they must be narrow enough to fit through doorways!). This is the first project to provide me with the opportunity to work in a considerably smaller space; the foam is 23 1/2" by 18 1/2."

Building Italeri's 155mm Howitzer
Background on the 155mm Howitzer
Overview of the Model and References
Building the Howitzer Assembly
Building the Carriage Assembly
Painting and Accessories
Pictures from the Technical Manual
155mm Ammunition
Pictures of Museum 155mm Howitzer