Post by RLFoster on Sept 30, 2017 10:38:41 GMT -6
Twelve years ago, I began planning and working on putting together a very large diorama that I would ultimately title, “Tribute to the Timberwolves”. Now, 12 years later, having been unable to find a permanent location to house the project, I'm looking at disassembling the dio and using it's individual elements for other scenes or displays. Before doing so, I thought I'd put together one last post as a final public record for my new friends in this forum.
The Story Behind the Diorama
This diorama was constructed as a result of research into my grandfather’s WWII service and a newfound respect for the exploits of the typical infantry soldier during the war. Prior to finding his military records, I had in fact never heard of the 104th Infantry Division, but during my subsequent research, I became more and more fascinated with the accomplishments of the “Timberwolves”. Trying to pay tribute to an entire infantry division with a single diorama, depicting but one moment in time, is an extremely difficult endeavor. This is all the more true for the 104th as they hold the distinction of remaining in constant contact with the enemy for more consecutive days than any other U.S. unit throughout WWII – 195 consecutive days! With this in mind, my goal was to include as many supporting units and individual elements as possible while maintaining a degree of historical accuracy. The battle for Lucherberg, Germany, a small, but strategically important farming village, seemed to meet my criteria nicely.
During this three-day battle, which was critical to U.S. efforts to secure the high ground overlooking the western Ruhr valley, nearly every unit in the 104th Infantry Division contributed to the success of the mission. In addition to one of the division’s infantry regiments, elements of the 555th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion, and 750th Tank Battalion were all directly engaged in combat, as were other divisional units. This diorama represents the events on Day 3 of the battle, when under the cover of predawn darkness Tiger tanks of Panzer Abteilung 301 Funklenk, supported by troops from the German 3rd Parachute Division’s 8th Regiment, broke through the American lines on the eastern side of Lucherberg and penetrated well into the town’s center before being repulsed.
The diorama includes as many elements of the battle as possible given the limitations of space. Sergeant George Burns is shown firing a bazooka at the Tiger tank. He was ultimately successful in knocking out the vehicle and killing its crew (for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross). A member of the Company F, 415th Infantry Regiment command staff is shown receiving medical attention to serious wounds he sustained from the Tiger tank’s attack. The same vehicle killed the Company F commander during the engagement. Members of the 104th are seen sneaking through the church in an effort to outflank the German positions while a divisional chaplain assists some German civilians hiding in the church’s attic. Many first-hand accounts describe the church as being a focal point in the battle and German civilians being helped by U.S. Personnel.
The entire project took approximately 10 months to complete, not including the planning before I started. Overall, the diorama is 34 inches wide, 26 inches deep, and 17 inches tall at the higher point. With the exception of the small plaster building corner (left rear), all other buildings and groundwork are scratch-built. The vehicles are as follows: Dragon Tiger I w/Cavalier Zimmerit and Eduard PE, Italeri M4A1 Sherman w/Eduard PE, Tamiya M16 Halftrack, Italeri Willys Jeep, and Academy M-10 Tank Destroyer. Figures are a mix of Tamiya, Italeri, Dragon, Gunze, Masterbox, and Nemrod w/some Hornet Heads.
The Story Behind the Diorama
This diorama was constructed as a result of research into my grandfather’s WWII service and a newfound respect for the exploits of the typical infantry soldier during the war. Prior to finding his military records, I had in fact never heard of the 104th Infantry Division, but during my subsequent research, I became more and more fascinated with the accomplishments of the “Timberwolves”. Trying to pay tribute to an entire infantry division with a single diorama, depicting but one moment in time, is an extremely difficult endeavor. This is all the more true for the 104th as they hold the distinction of remaining in constant contact with the enemy for more consecutive days than any other U.S. unit throughout WWII – 195 consecutive days! With this in mind, my goal was to include as many supporting units and individual elements as possible while maintaining a degree of historical accuracy. The battle for Lucherberg, Germany, a small, but strategically important farming village, seemed to meet my criteria nicely.
During this three-day battle, which was critical to U.S. efforts to secure the high ground overlooking the western Ruhr valley, nearly every unit in the 104th Infantry Division contributed to the success of the mission. In addition to one of the division’s infantry regiments, elements of the 555th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion, and 750th Tank Battalion were all directly engaged in combat, as were other divisional units. This diorama represents the events on Day 3 of the battle, when under the cover of predawn darkness Tiger tanks of Panzer Abteilung 301 Funklenk, supported by troops from the German 3rd Parachute Division’s 8th Regiment, broke through the American lines on the eastern side of Lucherberg and penetrated well into the town’s center before being repulsed.
The diorama includes as many elements of the battle as possible given the limitations of space. Sergeant George Burns is shown firing a bazooka at the Tiger tank. He was ultimately successful in knocking out the vehicle and killing its crew (for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross). A member of the Company F, 415th Infantry Regiment command staff is shown receiving medical attention to serious wounds he sustained from the Tiger tank’s attack. The same vehicle killed the Company F commander during the engagement. Members of the 104th are seen sneaking through the church in an effort to outflank the German positions while a divisional chaplain assists some German civilians hiding in the church’s attic. Many first-hand accounts describe the church as being a focal point in the battle and German civilians being helped by U.S. Personnel.
The entire project took approximately 10 months to complete, not including the planning before I started. Overall, the diorama is 34 inches wide, 26 inches deep, and 17 inches tall at the higher point. With the exception of the small plaster building corner (left rear), all other buildings and groundwork are scratch-built. The vehicles are as follows: Dragon Tiger I w/Cavalier Zimmerit and Eduard PE, Italeri M4A1 Sherman w/Eduard PE, Tamiya M16 Halftrack, Italeri Willys Jeep, and Academy M-10 Tank Destroyer. Figures are a mix of Tamiya, Italeri, Dragon, Gunze, Masterbox, and Nemrod w/some Hornet Heads.