New Zulu the movie diorama from a newbie (1 Viewer)

[David Pirie]

I got the go ahead from the wife to build the above. I'm fortunate enough to be able to set up one permanently as well as have the room in my study. I've picked up an architect's model display case that's got a viewing area of 48W X 24D x 12H (inches), although I can go deeper if I need. I'll post a photo of it if anyone is interested. I've been collecting W Britain models for a while so they will form the bulk of the figurines.

What I'd like advice on is the terrain and ground cover. What I've seen in photos and the movie is that the ground slopes down from rear to front and slopes sideways down from right to left, that is from the hospital to the cattle kraal. Is that right? The ground looks dry and dusty with not much foilage, but not desert. In your opinion, who makes the best, most realistic ground for such a diorama? Should I put trees or bushes in? I'm hoping to put a stoney ledge in in front of the hospital that will probably be just be seen, or the top anyway?

Because the rear area is so wide I can't find an accurate picture for the back. I was thinking of getting a poster from SA tourism and cutting it to suit, unless anyone has a better idea.

What have i forgotten?

 

[villagehorse]

Exciting project David, I gather you are only using the Hospital which is 600mm long (2ft), with the store room and cattle yard the display would be over 5ft long. Check out Build-a-Rama ground mats, if you contact the owner Mark, he will make the exact size for your cabinet and the appropriate ground cover. There was certainly a rock shelf running past the front of the hospital some few meters away, with a small mealie bag wall positioned on the shelf meant it created a wall of almost the height of a man. I have studied the Rorke's Drift layout fairly well. There was also a partly completed second mealie bag wall in front of the hospital. Good luck, cheers, Robin.

 

[The Lt.]

David if I'm not mistaken your plans for your diorama are based on the movie and if so and I'm not mistaken the land was flat and dry. If your plans are to create it based on it's historical layout check out the following. I'm also including photos of my layout as well as a few photos of anothers. You'll note how the landscape in the last two photos reflects how the landscape would have look at the time of the event. Hope you'll find this of some help...........The Lt.