MCB Quantico --
Concentrating for hours on end, David
Vickers, master modeler, spent his free time imparting precise details into a
13 by 18 inch 3-D representation of history for nearly a year.
In April, his hard work bore fruit
and Vickers was named the 2015 Armor Modeling and Preservation Society master
modeler for his complex diorama, “Victory and Contempt.”
The diorama, based off old World War
II Russian propaganda news reels, portrays German prisoners captured by the
Soviets in the European countryside. A large ISU-152 tank flanks the right half
of the diorama, while a hand-laid cobblestone road runs down the center.
“There’s nothing better than being
recognized by your peers for being at the top of your game,” said Vickers, now
one of about 40 AMPS master modelers.
“When we judge the dioramas, the
storyline is a big portion of our judging and you could look at David’s piece
and get the title right away,” said Michael Petty, chief judge and second vice
president for the southern region of AMPS. “David’s work was exceptional.”
A
Marine Corps service and multiservice doctrine coordinator at Quantico
and retired Marine tank operator, Vickers’ hobby stemmed from his days as a
young lieutenant based in Okinawa where he created models to pass the time and
de-stress.
His hobby and work as a tank officer
merged when he began to create models to help him study the history and
variations of tanks.
“There is a lot of research and history that
goes into (model making),” Vickers said.
The process begins with an idea based
off a historical event.
Using photos and other materials as
references, Vickers, 52, has constructed mostly 20th to 21st century scenes of war.
Some modelers sketch their ideas, but
Vickers built his diorama layout visually to balance composition.
He started out with a basic plastic
model kit, but improved pieces with aftermarket products, enhanced texture,
weathering effects and more to make the scene look as realistic and
historically accurate as possible.
This niche art form involves an eye
for detail, patience, tweezers and a pair of magnifying goggles.
The models are composed of wood,
plastic, plaster, metal, natural materials, and other materials.
“Victory and Contempt” took him a
year to build, working on it sporadically in the evening at home.
“For a tank, there could be three months of
build, but another month to weather it. Even before the build, you need a month
to research and understand how it was used,” Vickers said.
He has completed between 60 and 70
models during his 30 years of experience. In his spare time he also created
miniature figures and busts.
Vickers has also restored a few
dioramas at the Marine Corps National Museum and has a personal model LVT tank on
display in the World War II, Iwo Jima exhibit.
In the future, Vickers hopes to win
the International Plastic Modelers Society competition and encourage more
Marines to take up the diorama hobby.
“This is a great hobby as a Marine,
not only from a professional stance / because you are studying history, not
just world history, but history of uniforms, vehicles and how they progressed
and how they were used; / but also from a personal standpoint, it’s a great way
to relax,” Vickers said.
cbrown@quanticosentryonline.com