I can’t believe it: it’s quarter of an inch (6.1 mm) across! You can spot it below on the back of the vehicle, part of a military load.
It was produced by reader Mark, who explains:
I build dioramas when I’m not reading WEIT. And I eat when I get the chance. This diorama is far from done, but I wanted to show you the smallest WEIT book ever created. It’s hard to spot, but the third photo I think reveals for those who can’t see it. Nightjars are real…as are anachronisms.
These U.S. tankers seek the truth, that’s why they keep their “bible” as part of their kit. I thought it turned out well. Your book still holds up at .24″ 😉
Given the scale, the quality of work is amazing.
See it in book in the back? Just to show that it’s the real thing, here’s the US edition, the one that the soldiers have. Rumor has it that it will, if put into your breast pocket, stop bullets.
So this is what being a militant atheist is all about!
Love this! 🙂
Hey, I should have thought of that!!! Too funny.
Great work by Mark but a very small nit to pick – those are not US tankers. The vehicle is not a tank – it is a M8 Light Armored Car. The Brits called it the Greyhound. A better description would be reconnaissance troops.
Feel free to heap abuse on me for pointing this out.
The soldiers are members of an armored division – they are wearing the soldier badges of one (cannot tell which one). But are all members of an armored division tankers or just the ones who ride around in tanks?
I meant shoulder (not soldier) badges. Why did I even start down this path? I am already being punished.
A typical US Armoured division in WW2 would have consisted of a mixture of 4 battalions of medium tanks ( Shermans ), 2 of light tanks, 4 of armoured infantry ( in armored M3 half-tracks) plus armored artillery ….
Rats … The Greyhound was in armored reconnaissance battalions ….
And I didn’t know Prof Ceiling Cat was around in WW2 … I knew he was old but not THAT old!
( ducks and runs like buggery …. 🙂 🙂 )
A very cruel, mocking person said, (so I understand the tale) that …
… somebody finally gave WEIT an enema! **
(ducks and runs, passing bonetired in a flash and cloud of dust.)
**h/t Christopher Hitchens re: death of Jerry Falwell.
If there is an error here; it’s mine. I don’t think Mark ever called it a “tank”. He said “tankers” for the guys, but that might be accurate. Anyway, I’ve told him I posted this and he can reply since I know squat about the military!
George is right, and I wondered if a reader would get at me since they are indeed on reconnaissance and the Greyhound isn’t a tank. The one soldier in the Greyhound has a tanker patch, but he won’t be in the vehicle once I’m done…he’ll be in a Sherman. I just placed them there for the photo. My main fun was the mini-WEIT. But all the same, thanks for the correction.
He has an armored division patch which all troops in the division, whether a tanker or not, would have worn. 🙂
dammit…I hate placing those patches…now it looks like I have more to do! Plus I only have a few from each division, so their patches won’t match. As I mentioned below though, I do use a lot of artistic license.
I should apologize for the correction. Do you have a website? Where are your dioramas displayed?
I do read military history. Often with discomfort. I got my anti-war outlook from my father who was in the Polish army in WWII. He fought for six years, his side won and he could not go home. We are coming up on the 70th Anniversary of the end of the Normandy Campaign. Everyone remembers D-Day which went well other than Omaha Beach. The next 2.5 months were horrific. As the Falaise Pocket began closing around the Germans, it was Poles who were trying to block them – atop Mont Ormel.
On August 20, 1944, LTC Stefanowicz said to what was left of his regiment, “Gentlemen, all is lost. I do not think that the Canadians can come to our rescue. We have only about 110 able-bodied men left. Five shells per gun and 50 bullets per man. That’s very little, but fight all the same. Surrender to the SS is futile; you know that. I thank you. You have fought well. Good luck, gentlemen. Tonight we shall die for Poland and for civilization! . . . each tank will fight independently, and eventually each man for himself.”
While this was going on, the Warsaw Uprising, which had begun on August 1, was not going well. There will be extensive coverage of that 70th Anniversary for Jerry to see.
A lot of death, nothing what I would call glory.
Thanks for the history, much appreciated. I am also anti-war, but I love to express artistically, and unfortunately just about every model out there is military. Most non-military dioramas are scratch built. I will most likely go down that route one day, but for now am still stuck in WWII. Though my next diorama will consist of two samurai warriors in 1:25 scale.
Many people who build military dioramas are extremely careful with all the historical details. Some of mine are more accurate than others, but I’m not too hung-up on everything being 100% accurate. I do a lot of research and try my best w/o getting lost in the forest.
I do have a website.
http://www.mark-armor.com
These are all displayed in my studio…which doesn’t have much room for many more. Luckily they usually take 6 months to a year, so I won’t run out of room for a while.
Just wanted to say how hugely impressed I am by your talent. I love your work. 🙂
That is very kind. Thank you very much!
I agree with Heather!
Well, the price of 3D printers is going down, so maybe one day you can do any diorama that you wish.
The Canadians did arrive on the 21st August, relieving the embattled Poles who had suffered severe casualties on the Mace but had allowed the Falaise pocket to be closed.
A simple tribute was placed there a day or so later: “A Polish Battlefield”
John Keegan’s “Six Armies in Normandy” has a detailed account of the Poles on Mt Ormel.
Wow so much attention to detail. I think it would drive me batty. Kudos to you, reader Mark.
But if I may make a suggestion… if it would be appropriate to do so (artistic merit must come first), it would be even more amusing to show a WEIT-carrying soldier in a foxhole.
He could use fossils as camouflage.
There are no evolutionists in foxholes.
Thanks and that’s a good idea! No foxholes in this diorama though…perhaps down the line.
“no evolutionists in foxholes”…heeheehee, good one.
Nice work on the diorama. I can’t imagine how many hours of work went into that.
Usually upwards of 500 hours for ones this size.
Also thanks for the compliments.
Is the book autographed with a drawing of a cat in it?
🐱
Of course! But you can’t see it since the book is presently closed. 😉
Crap, I forgot my tiny, tiny reading glasses.
But I have a tiny, tiny violin …
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You dropped it! Here it is. 🎻
I was just stringing you along…
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Very cool, and very nice work!
Excellent, Mark!
and sub!
No, just army models.
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!
Okay, with a magnifying glass, I can make out a few words in the preface but then my eyes get tired.
It begins “December 20, 2005…” Wait, is that a time vortex forming? Oh no, I’m shrinkin
Nicely done, Mark. Nicely done.
No creationists in foxholes!
Nice.
And … so small a vehicle and still pulling its WEIT in biology!
Bullets, schmullets. WEIT can also be used to reach the cherries, mash them and isolate the hot pie plate from the soldiers, err, essentials. Easy as pie.
Sweet!
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Mark, helmet off to you. This is a brilliant piece of work; the copy of WEIT is just a bonus. It must have taken you hours. Fair play.
Just want to give a HUGE THANKS to Jerry for posting this and for all you readers’ kind words and helpful corrections. WEIT is a very special place.
Beautiful work Mark. Modelling is a hobby of mine as well, though I’ve moved almost exclusively to scratch building since the kits have become so expensive. My efforts have evolved from, ‘Yeah I can see it now’, to ‘hey that’s not bad’.
Thank you very much. Yeah, kits are crazy expensive. Mark Sturtevant above mentioned the price of 3d printers going down, so maybe that would be a viable option. Though don’t know how low they are…imagine they are still pricey. I’m glad you are improving! Scratch building is tough. I’ve done a lot of figure manipulation and minor scratch building, but alas, rely heavily on the kits. If you scour eBay, sometimes there are really good deals; I’ve got some great cheap kits from there.
BTW I’m also an admirer of your website. Witty, intelligent and a very cool and original artistic style. Glad WEIT pointed me to it.
Why is the “True” in less bold colors than the rest of the title?
Just asking because it has always bugged me.