Scale: 1/72 | Models used: Mirage Hobby – US Light Tank M5A1 (726088), Hasegawa – M3A1 Half Track (31106), Academy – Jeep (AC13416), Italeri – U.S. Infantry (IT6120), Caesar Miniatures – German Fallschirmjager (CM7712), Hat Us Tank Riders (8265), Patrick Miniatures – Wall and obstacles

This scene depicts one of the challenging battles that took place in the bocage regions of Northern France. German Fallschirmjägers tried to utilise the terrain to make life difficult for the allied forces.

In order to navigate through the thick hedges the allies put “tusks” on the front of their tanks. You can see this in action where the Stuart tank ploughs the bocage, to the suprise of the German paratroopers. On the other side of a gate a group of Fallschirmjäger is ready to ambush the Americans.

A Stuart tank navigates through the bocage, july 1944. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

My idea for this diorama was to combine a lot of models that I had in the stash. I started with the Stuart tank from Mirage Hobby. This is a lovely kit and one of the only Stuart tank models on the current day market. This version even has the option to attach the tusks on the front, which were utilised during Operation Cobra in Normandy. The Hasegawa M3A1 Halftrack and Academy Jeep were pleasant to build.

Regarding the Fallschirmjägers figures, they needed to be built out of different parts, which you often see with wargaming miniatures. The Italeri US infantry set offers enough usable poses to use in different scenarios.

Trees are made from sea foam, which were then sprinkled with micro leaves and foliage clusters from Woodland Scenics. The bocage hedgerows were also made from these Woodland Scenics clusters. If you ever need Czech hedgehogs obstacles, walls or houses for your scale model scenes, Patrick Miniatures got you covered. I ordered these 3D-printed parts and painted them accordingly. The little bench came from an Italeri kit. About the base, it consists of a foam block covered with plastic card. I placed printed images of the battle on top of these to give the historical context.

I’ve sold this diorama in 2026.