'Nostalgia' from MichaelA - The Great Escape

Nostalgia is a multifaceted and curious thing; it is about happiness, recalling a person, place or event with a fondness that time has shaped to a perfect ideal, regardless of the small matter of factual accuracy.

For me nostalgic memories can be triggered by the smallest thing and most recently that has been whilst thumbing through the, now legendary, Christmas edition of the Radio Times.  I was instantly transported back to boyhood as I eagerly sought out what marvels of celluloid entertainment were in store for the Awdry family over Christmas holiday.  In the those days there were staples that were as important to the festive period as Brussels sprouts and mince pies – I refer, of course, to ‘The Great Escape’.

This 1963 war time drama tells the story of Allied Prisoners of War and their attempted mass escape from Stalag Luft III.  This is a film that is infinitely watchable, boasting a stellar cast, stirring soundtrack and Triumph TR6 Trophy motorbike! 

So to my submission, five eBob miniatures on a scenic base designed to instil a sense of nostalgia in all of us that love classic war films.  The miniatures themselves are interesting insomuch that there is enough detail to suggest cast members without slavishly replicating them and although not the most dynamic of poses there is a quality to them, giving me an opportunity to interpret them in any way I chose.  The three main characters were based on a ‘Fenris Games’ planked floor to tie in with the theme of the submission.

The base was initially conceived as a small set to showcase the miniatures with elements from ‘4Ground’ all constructed on a ‘Warbases 120mm MDF disc (I have run out of old bland CDs!)  but why stop with one floor when you can have two? Devotees of the film, and for that matter history itself, will know that the Allied Airman, had planned to start a series of tunnels to make good there escape and it only seemed fitting to try and incorporate that into this build. Scraps of blue form, coffee stirrers and cooks’ matches formed the basic construction and them came the detailing.  

The tools, littered around to show evidence of industry, are from ‘Essex Miniatures’, whilst the timely rediscovery of part of an ‘Ainsty Castings’ ore cart was pressed into action as the trolley system used to transport the dirt and men through the tunnels.  The final addition of some photographs of sweethearts and flickering LED lights just seemed to help bring the whole thing to ‘life’.

This was a hugely entertaining diversion to work on and I couldn’t help but hum the theme tune whilst I tinkering away on it, all helping to reinforce those feelings of nostalgia that this film evokes.