April 02, 2025

The new "Scenes from Normandy" from Canfora Publishing - at a discount on pre-order for a short time...

Canfora Publishing's latest title follows on their brilliant inspirational modelling books we know them so well for. This book features ten inspirational dioramas from both German & Allied sides in Normandy. We look at the contents of the book (& the pre-order discount for a short time) in our preview...


The new "Scenes from Normandy" from Canfora Publishing - at a discount on pre-order for a short time...

Allied & German - Scenes from Normandy
From Canfora Publishing
112 pages.
Weight: 500g
Dimensions: 280 × 210 × 7 mm
Hard-cover, Portrait format
Pre-order offer of  €20 (20% off RRP €25)
This book showcases ten Allied and German vignettes and dioramas from the Normandy campaign, the majority explained through numerous step-by-step photos mixed with inspirational archive photos. 

The photos below show the contents of the book, although the text (in English) is not finished yet and is blurred. 

The first scene captures some GI lifesavers. Anders Isaksson was inspired by photos of the real man and machines on their way through a French village in their laden and trusty Willys. These fast and mobile vehicles saved many lives in the hands of these medics. These men are seen on their way back to the front for more "customers."
A sherman firefly and her crew are the centrepiece of the next diorama. With a Frenchman and his daughter looking on, we see a "Tommy" escorting an SS man into the rear. He was a lucky one! This diorama shows us how to detail and load stowage on your Sherman and, with the use of some small vegetation and a base, how to finish off the scene.
The zimmerit on this next Panther selects it as a prime candidate for a Normandy machine, with its commander, an Alpine figure, peering out before him in the cupola. This tank is shown without paint, reflecting the detail on the vehicle before we see it painted and weathered in detail.
A StuG III ausf.G with a "saukopf" mantlet is next. Dennis Anderson's "Battle of Bloody Gulch." A diorama where we see the 17.SS StuG advancing in front of the Carentan street scene. A full building, road, and grass with even a goose fleeing the counter-attacking Germans...
This is another machine with excellently modelled zimmerit; this one is seen with light shrubbery placed all around (made by the modeller) along with their own stowage, weathering and painting the kit, and applying damage effects to the fenders, sideskirts, and even the (art of) inclusion of a bucket!
Don't believe everything you hear; the Brits didn't always stop for tea... Oh, hang on, guys! Lars Brändström's diorama sees these two despatch riders taking a moment to pause before their next message goes out as a feline looks on. These rider's stop is described by the modeller, along with the aspects that make up the scene, namely the Bronco and Tamiya bike kits and the figures, plus the water fountain elements.
You see how these model makers create the groundwork, the flora and fauna, the figures and objects that tie the scenes together and make them so much more than just a vehicle. Storytelling looks to be a large part of this book.
The "star" of the battle would have to be the headline-grabbing Tiger, but it looks like a puppy is taking all the limelight in this scene. This tank, with its gun peering around the corner and its crew at rest with some time to play with a pooch that they found along the way. The dilapidated French building, the flora & objects on the ground populate this interesting scene.
An interesting reference section is added by the authors to set the scene and show the reader the context of some of these ten scenes shown in the book.
This new book ships mid-May. To pre-order at the 20% pre-order discount (for a short time), check out the link on the Canfora website...