“The sound of bullets tearing through canvas, wood, and metal; the young pilot’s heart thumps in his chest. That last burst missed his goggled helmet by mere inches. He desperately throws the control column left and right, presses the rudder bar with all his waning strength, but his attacker is in a far better machine and is far more experienced. The enemy stays doggedly on his tail, hurling more lead at his machine. As the fight gets lower and lower, he prays that his luck holds out. Tearing canvas, water pouring from the holed radiator, a stuttering engine and the smell of fuel indicate that his trusty steed is mortally wounded. The fight is over. Finding the nearest clearing, the young pilot throws the groaning machine to the earth. It rumbles along the rough ground, now under its own control. Knowing he is now a passenger along for the ride, the young pilot tightens his shoulder harness in preparation for the inevitable sudden stop. His craft lurches of the bank of a small river, it’s shark-like nose ending its days unceremoniously dumped into the muddy water. The young pilot is dazed, but alive. What was terror now turns to anger with the release of the tension. He tears of his goggles, throws his harness off, and climbs onto the spine of his machine to take stock of his luck. As his victor flies over the scene, waggling his wings, the young pilot hurls his fist at the enemy; “You win this time”, he screams. He may have been vanquished, but he has lived to fight another day”.



Hi all – I hope you don’t mind the melodramatic start to the post! This rough idea is the back story behind my latest completion, a small crash diorama based on the 1/48 scale Eduard Albatros DVa. This is a project that I’ve had in mind since way back in 2006 when I first saw Stan Stokes’ painting called “Gotcha”:



I was also inspired by a similar scene that our own Jackflash had done (though Stephen's build was with a Fokker D.VII, more like the painting).

This was my first time at modelling terrain, and modelling water. I made plenty of mistakes (many of them are obvious) but it was a good learning experience.

The aircraft itself was modified to incorporate battle damage, in order to help tell some of the story.! The aircraft personal and unit markings are fictional, but broadly represent markings of the mid 1918 period. I included a four-leaf clover motif on the fuselage to help with the idea that the pilot’s luck has held out. The pilot is a modified figure using various bits and pieces I had in the spares box. I gave him a set of goggles that he’s holding in his left hand. I am definitely NOT a figure painter, as you can see

Progress pictures of all aspects of the build are in the following threads:
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=10149.0
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235052386-vanquished/
Anyway, here are some more pictures:














I welcome all feedback – as I said, this was my first time tackling terrain and water effects, so I’m sure there are plenty of tips out there that you all can give me.

Cheers!

BC

That's very cool! Thank you for sharing!

Gaz

Top drawer! Another jewel in you line of builds.

Exceptional work! I missed the 1/48 scale in my first reading, so assumed I was looking at a WnW 1/32 kit and diorama! Excellent work for your first "terrain" diorama. Had you not mentioned it, I'd have said you were a "pro"!
VR, Russ

Thanks gents, appreciate the kind words. Stephen, do you have any pics of your take on Stan's painting? I have a couple that I saved way back when but I always wanted to see more of your diorama

Brad! Simply beautiful! As you wrote in the intro, that's one lucky pilot indeed, one bullet through the cockpit is enough to ruin your whole day in these aircraft.

I can't spot any of the obvious mistakes that you suggest, quite to the contrary I love the look of the water around the spinner and the stones along the edge of the stream. The model in itself is absolutely top notch.



Magnus

Hello Brad. Thanks you for the invitation to post. You are a gentleman & a scholar.




"Gotcha !!" is my version of Capt. Rickenbacker's 22nd victory on Oct. 23, 1918. The victim was a Vzfw. Klaudat of Jasta 15. It is based on a painting by artist Stan Stokes portraying of one of apt. Eddie's victories, titled Gotcha! call mine "Gotcha!!."

The figure is a modified Jaguar item. The personal marking decals are from Americal / Gryphon series on JG II. The "water" is common 20 minute two part epoxy. Add some smears of Testors Model Masters "Field Drab" between layers. This gives one the feeling of depth and belies the base depth to the viewer. In other words the bottom of the water looks deeper than the actual base. I drilled some holes in the bottom of the fuselage to allow the resin to seep in and sink the fuselage. Then I drilled a sheet metal screw up through the bottom of the "river bed" through the juncture of the lower wing and fuselage then began the series of poured layers. I cut off a lower wing tip and detail the break with broken spar ends and part of the wing tip is seen at the bottom of the "river bed". Pouring in layers allows you to tip the resin in various directions as it sets and give you that river current surface. The figure is a modified Jaguar item. The Woodland Scenics tall grass was inserted in the last three layers of the pour. The opposite blade is at the bottom of the "river" along with half of the lower right wing. The thinking is the motor was hit in the air and stopped turning. The ensuing water landing was dead stick.

Thanks Stephen - a beautiful and (obviously) inspiring build! Thanks for the extra pictures, some of these I had never seen before.

Great stuff!

Cheers,

BC

Hey Brad!

Great job! I was wondering where you had gotten to!

Cheers,

Hugh