Custer's Last Stand (1 Viewer)

[Iron Brigade]

Here are a few photos of my about 18 x 22 inch diorama of Custer at "Last Stand Hill" using all K&C sets from circa 1998 except for #4 Indians I am using from K&C's TRW series to complete the diorama. I was planning on a bigger diorama when I was still waiting for K&C to add to THE WEST series of sets representing Custer & Indians of 1876 rather than K&C's THE REAL WEST series representing the 2nd US Army Dragoons & Indians of circa 1848. In any case, when I revised to a smaller diorama than first planned some years ago I found that the smaller diorama is still nice looking.
"Iron Brigade"

 

[mikemiller1955]

It's not "that small" and it looks great...I love how you flocked the bases to match the terrain...

 

[Denver]

Your Custer Diorama looks great.
Did you make the Terrain Base ?

 

[mario]

Beautiful sightNice!!!
Mario

 

[UKReb]

IB that's a really superb set up you've put together there and the Custerama/Big Horn books/map and picture perfectly complements the dio. Dare I say I am a little envious as the Little Big Horn is my second fave subject next to the ACW but I don't have a single figure to represent it-missed out on the early K&C sets and have never found any other manufacturer's figures that come anywhere near worth collecting.

Studied this battle for more years than I care to remember with a library shelf of close to 60 books plus walking the battlefield twice-can never seem to get enough of it. Just finished reading the latest volume "The Last Stand" by Philbrick-darn good read but nothing new.

I still live in hope that one day K&C may just revisit the Greasy Grass

Reb

 

[Mitch]

An impressive display thanks for posting the pics
Mitch

 

[marco55]

Really nice diorama.I too would like to see a LBH range come out.
Mark

 

[glossman]

Hi Gary,

Excellent Job.....well done on posting your photographs.

Now that you are rolling, sure hope to see more.

Raymond.

 

[PolarBear]

Nice to see setups of subjects we don't often see.

Randy

 

[Mike97]

Great dio-and a great topic. Those sets came out well before I'd discovered K&C.
mike

 

[tdubel]

Here are a few photos of my about 18 x 22 inch diorama of Custer at "Last Stand Hill" using all K&C sets from circa 1998 except for #4 Indians I am using from K&C's TRW series to complete the diorama. I was planning on a bigger diorama when I was still waiting for K&C to add to THE WEST series of sets representing Custer & Indians of 1876 rather than K&C's THE REAL WEST series representing the 2nd US Army Dragoons & Indians of circa 1848. In any case, when I revised to a smaller diorama than first planned some years ago I found that the smaller diorama is still nice looking.
"Iron Brigade"

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Gary,
Awesome, you have given me a great visual for my own set, I am still missing some calvary, but getting there!!! Very nice,
Tom

 

[Rob]

Very nice scene Gary, well done indeed

Rob

 

[Iron Brigade]

Your Custer Diorama looks great.
Did you make the Terrain Base ?

Dear "Denver":

Yes, I made the diorama base. Actually it is part of the orginal diorama base that I had for my prior diorama of my "Custer's Last Stand". After my trip to the Little Big Horn Battlefield in early May 2005 I decided to revise my diorama to be more like the real location I had just seen in Montana, USA. I went to a 39 inch round table and I placed sections of styrofoam to form the underpinnings of the sloping "Last Stand Hill". I then placed modelling clay over the styrofoam to hold the styrofoam in place. Then I painted over the clay and while it was still wet I sprinkeled "grass" from the hobby store over the entire display area. I then had a at least reasonable looking sloping hill to represent the real one on June 25, 1876 at the Little Big Horn Battle. When I realised at long last in early 2009 that K&C was not going to add to this series of sets again (THE WEST) I finally decided to go to a smaller sized area for display. I used a knife to cut off the section of the diorama base that you see in the photos in Post#1. I left the top of the "hill" or about 10 inches as measured at the center of the table in back where the hill was highest. Also in 2009 I started a D-Day at Omaha Beach. So the remains of Custer's Last Stand Hill is now a bluff on Omaha Beach where the German Army on 6/6/1944 has a bunker with infantry on either side of the bunker. It was easier to finally downsize the Custer's Last Stand diorama than try to get Andy Neilson to change his mind about not adding on to THE WEST series. Also, I could not find any other makers figures that would have been compatible with the K&C figures. In early 2009 I was disappointed about Andy's decision. But it was time to forget about it, make adjustments, and just move on. I plan on posting a few photos of my K&C D-Day diorama soon.

Best regards, "Iron Brigade"

 

[mestell]

A great looking diorama IB. Very nicely done. Custer's Last Stand is always an attention getter.
Mike

 

[Dragoon]

Iron Brigade, Very nice diorama! It's a shame Andy didn't want to continue the series. Did K&C get to do a figure of Custer's adjutant W.W. Cooke before the series ended?

 

[Iron Brigade]

IB that's a really superb set up you've put together there and the Custerama/Big Horn books/map and picture perfectly complements the dio. Dare I say I am a little envious as the Little Big Horn is my second fave subject next to the ACW but I don't have a single figure to represent it-missed out on the early K&C sets and have never found any other manufacturer's figures that come anywhere near worth collecting.

Studied this battle for more years than I care to remember with a library shelf of close to 60 books plus walking the battlefield twice-can never seem to get enough of it. Just finished reading the latest volume "The Last Stand" by Philbrick-darn good read but nothing new.

I still live in hope that one day K&C may just revisit the Greasy Grass

Reb

Dear "UKReb":

Seeing as you live in the UK I was surprised to learn that you were at the Little Big Horn batttlefield in Southeast Montana, USA twice, jolly good. I was there with my wife the second week of May 2005. Alas, we had rain, strong winds & it was cold!!! But, I was determined to see the main areas of the battlefield. While walking & taking a few photos in the rain & wind near the Reno-Benteen defense area of June 25-26,1876 I using my wife's favorite large & sturdy umbrella and suddenly the wind just blew up the umbrella making it useless. I advised my wife that her umbrella was a belated casualty at the Little Big Horn, ha, ha. I hope to revisit the Little Big Horn again soon hopefully with good weather next time!

Cheers! "Iron Brigade"

 

[Iron Brigade]

Iron Brigade, Very nice diorama! It's a shame Andy didn't want to continue the series. Did K&C get to do a figure of Custer's adjutant W.W. Cooke before the series ended?

Dear "Dragoon":

No figure of Brevet Lt. Colonel W. W. Cook was ever made by K&C for thier "THE WEST" series that came out in 1998. I got into this series about 3 to 5 years later as they were about to be retired by K&C. Andy Neilson indicated he was adding to THE WEST series for 2006, then 2008 & finally for early 2009, but in fact it was for his all new TRW (The Real West) series which has nothing to do with Custer's Last Stand.
Best regards, "Iron Brigade"

 

[Desertkiwi]

Great dio mate, really nice to see some different figures on display.

Thanks for posting.

 

[chiefs70]

Just finished reading the latest volume "The Last Stand" by Philbrick-darn good read but nothing new.

Reb

Thanks for the suggestion, Reb - though unintended, lol. I'm not as well read as you on the subject but I try to read almost everything I come across on the campaign and battle. I hadn't seen this one yet - I thought Philbrick was more of a naval historian but I do enjoy his style of writing.

Eric

 

[UKReb]

Thanks for the suggestion, Reb - though unintended, lol. I'm not as well read as you on the subject but I try to read almost everything I come across on the campaign and battle. I hadn't seen this one yet - I thought Philbrick was more of a naval historian but I do enjoy his style of writing.

Eric

Eric

I had read his Mayflower book and also was a little surprised that an old Nantucket researcher would set his sights on Custer at the LBH-although it contains no myth breaking disclosures it's a darn good read and I particularly liked the way he fleshed out the lives and careers of the 7th's officers. Recommended if you're a Custer/LBH nut like yours truly.

Iron Brigade

Yeah! all the way from London to the LBH not once but twice -devil of a place to get to-first trip was in June 2003 whilst on business in Bismarck ND had a spare couple of days and hit the I94 (I think) didn't realise how far it was-just managed to spend a couple hours on the battle site before turning back. Next time was July 2006 and I flew into Billings International and stayed a week-covered the ground quite extensively plus the Fetterman and Box Wagon sites-took my good lady on that one and she was not at all keen on those Beware of Rattlesnake signs dotted about on the Custer site. Unlike your visit I hit great weather on both occasions but can quite imagine what a miserable & desolate place that could be during inclement weather conditions.

And I still remain slightly envious of those K&C LBH figures you have

Reb