"Monkey Business" - Saipan 1944 Diorama 

never knew I needed to watch someone build and paint miniature palm trees so much 😅

I love how you look absolutely nothing like the stereotypical "modeler", yet you make some of the absolute coolest models and dioramas on RU-vid. Awesome work Edit: since people can't seem to understand, the first part is kind of a joke

Loving the intro style now with an outside speech

"Sunny outside? Time to dig up the garden - I need to do another diorama!"

It would certainly be interesting to see you make more pacific diorama's

Those palm trees look amazing. Beautiful work.

Great work Martin. I think the overall black primer on the base is effective and important for the cohesive result of the model and base. Reason being: it matches with your high-contrast style of your painted tank and figures. You make effective use of black basing, post-shading, dark washes, and without mimicing that on the base, it would likely not seem unified with the model. Most of that vegetation you buy for modelling is quite light (and muted) to begin with, so repainting it black and then highlighting with punchy colours makes it match the model, stowage, figures, etc. and everything seems like it fits together. Otherwise the ground would not seem to have the same level of dark shadows as the model. That's my two cents.

I just laughed when I saw the Peddinghaus product. It was the first shop I visited when I started modelling. It's 15km away from my hometown.

What a great diorama . You are a very talented modeller Mr. Night shift .

You did really well with the island's texture - the palms are very accurate looking with the brass leaves. You might have been able to cut similar leaves out of paper or thin plastic on a Cricut machine. This came out great, considering how different the plants are in the Marianas Islands from the "standard" ones that most modeler are familiar with. I used to live on Saipan (Guam, too), so I'm speaking from experience - we used to swim out to that one famous M4A2 that was abandoned in the shallows near the beach it was headed for. My grandfather was one of the Marines who were sent to take the island, so that steadfast rusty hulk has always had an added significance for me. There was also a park with the remaining intact Japanese tanks that weren't among the large number bulldozed into and buried in a hole somewhere on the island (or so the story went). At that park as a toddler, I wandered into the bushes and came upon a big monitor of the species you chose for the diorama. It looked pretty damn big to toddler me - I remember that I yelled "CROCODILE!" and went running back toward the tanks. That said - there aren't any monkeys natively on Saipan, although there are some photos of Marines hanging out with monkeys that they found during the battle. When I lived there in the 80s, there were no monkeys in the jungle. There were coconut crabs - oh so many coconut crabs. Someone put about a dozen into our car once as a prank.

Always a good week when Uncle Night Shift uploads

Didn't even see the video but I know it's good!

King Kong looks spectacular and the Saipan diorama blows me away!

Always wanted to be able to do this

Nice, how a few palm trees can make it a tropical scene. Oval is nice, but the coners in a rectangular base can be useful.

You did a great job on both the model and the diorama. I was in a used bookstore the other day and found a book on "Tanks in Combat" and found a black and white picture of the tank King Kong in it and I thought of this model. You did an outstanding job here.

Very cool that the tank crew are tri-gemini.

I love your dioramas so much!! Keep up the great work.

Regarding your last few words there: If I was ever able to produce a piece that beautiful while suffering from a "lack of energy and enthusiasm" I'd give up the hobby and call it mastered. Outstanding job there. Please don't ever stop. Looking forward to your next piece when you tackle it giving your all!

Great looking stuff dude. As a funny aside. Your dioramas seem to have sparked a mini revolution in the US model Railroading scene. Since a few of your vignettes have shown up in RMC there is a sudden interest in "Vignette" style layouts.

The palms are spot-on.

I'm always impressed that you put almost the same amount of effort and detail into the diorama bases as you do the models themselves. Great work!

Looks awesome. Another dio worth waiting for 😃

Love this diorama! The uniqueness of the tank, the pacific landscaping, very cool!

The most beautiful and realistic palm trees I have ever seen in a model. Excellent work. Greetings Tino

Beautiful work ❤❤❤

Never clicked like so quickly! Fantastic!

I Love your palm trees. Aside from the tank, these palm trees are (at least to me) the focal point of this diorama 🤓

I have been watching you for a long time and recently got into modeling about 6 months ago because of your videos! Thanks for what you do and the inspiration you have given me to get into this hobby!!!!

Westernkind is amazing and talanted all over the world! And some, like Mr Shift, doubly so!

Night shift upload? Friday? Work finished? Hell yeah!

GREAT BUILD, AND THANK YOU FOR SHOWING STEPS

Really atmospheric for such a small diorama.

Palmtree looks fantastic! Very fitting The diorama The way you made it look. Also i like that King Kong meets its little brothers :)

Awesome work as usual, really so enjoyable process from the begging to the very end. At last part of the video when the whole diorama is spining the moving palm leaves give such a great motion and all comes to life.

The one thing I noticed on tank dioramas is the tracks always seem to be in the nicest fine sand and mud. There would be some large stone and small rocks under there some times. I mean it would be normal for it to displace small fist sized stones or at least run over chest sized rocks. I'm sure some rocks would be cracked or pushed down, but some might survive and a track slip on it. it just seems to often it has two perfect track impressions behind the the tank.

Your videos always make me smile, your voiceovers are perfect and of course your work is absolutely amazing. I recently ordered a bunch of AK-Interactive goodies based on your recommendations and I love the Wet Ground texture so much that I'm always making up scenarios that require it's extensive use!

Awesome diorama, as usual. Thank you for sharing.

Dude this is absolutely incredible. Amazing work-

What a great build and dio. I always love to see your process and your results. As a little bit of an "FYI", you are right, your "monkeys" need tails. Without them, they are apes, and there are no apes species (other than humans) on Saipan. But, as a bit of artistic story telling, it's a brilliant addition to the scene. I can't wait to see you next "rusty" project!

High End modeling . Amazing👍🏽👍🏽

looks amazing, ive always been more of an aircraft builder, but watching these videos is so much fun, been watching for a long time and im loving it.

Love, love this diorama. I enjoyed seeing the jungle vegetation as I mostly do Vietnam models. I had no idea about the Arber plam leaves and especially like how you did the trunks. Very impressive.

Beautiful as always.

Awesome and fantastic as always.

Absolutely awesome!!! Love the change in location 😊

Thank you, Night Shift…as always, your vids are highly anticipated and never a let down. You’re the best🤘

Excellent as always.

This smart mud looks super effective.

Stunning!

Awesome work as always mate!

Gorgeous!

Beautiful. Your work and tutorials never disappoint. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.

No matter what topic you tacle, it's gonna be incredible. Thanks for all the inspiration! :)

That’s absolutely beautiful!

This is amazing, love the palm trees, the floor fauna looks very lifelike I think, well done as usual Martin.

Excellent! Brilliant job

I got back into modeling this past month after about 40 years of not as I’m now each 54 I truly love your videos and your great personality. It’s infectious!

Beautiful model Martin, the tank alone looks amazing, but then added to the jungle track…..😯🌴👌The groundwork & vegetation look fabulous, & perhaps with the specialised products aside, it shows what great effects can be created with some simple modelling materials! Love the shades & colours that bring it all to life 🟢 It’s good to see also how you decided you weren’t happy with the original base & made another, instead of persevering with the original & perhaps not being happy with the finished model. Sometimes it’s best for a rethink, even deep into a project😖! Great work as always….☺👍

Looks very nice! 👍🏻 I love it when new night shift videos come out. It always makes my day. Also good to see some pacific war stuff!

That looks fantastic! You are a true artist.

Amazing diorama, Nightshift. I love how granular you get with the details, it's so helpful for a novice like me.

I really enjoy watching you work. Seeing the full scene put together, a cool detail that could have been added would be a tattoo on the driver's arm. Keep up the good work!

Fantastic tipps 😊

Heads up, I made a vibrating file, use your imagination, I built it using an old electric toothbrush…works great. Love your videos.

Splendid!

Great work Martin! The palm trees in particular are amazing!

Looks cool 👍and this is very inspiring to me because now I am working on some Shermans from the new Achtung Panzer starter set.

Martin, it did work, another great (small) diorama.

This is just next level. The very best on RU-vid!

Exceptional as always sir.

Beautiful!!

Awsome diorama! Keep up the good work👍

Well done with the dio. I really enjoyed seeing how you did the palm trees and I hope I am able to do them in 48th scale. Thanks for showing this!!

Great video. I always learn something while watching & it inspires me to try new things. Thank you for being awesome ~ Cory

Great work sir. Learned many meth from you. Just tried to finish an Abrams, and almost threw it out, due to the disappointment of my methods, but kept it to remind me that modelling is all about making mistakes and learning from them. Model on dude.

Dude, the plot twist with the diorama base... :D

Wonderful Martin! I love your Palm Trees. Looking forward to your next video! I love it.

Absolutely amazing work, I love it.

Really awesome job! Tank is perfect, Diorama is perfect, thank you very much for sharing it!

Really liked this well done .

Looks awesome

Amazing, just amazing...

I'd love to see you built a gunpla like you do with tanks and really go hard on the texturing and weld seams. Making a futuristic mech look like a ww2 machine

Great piece of work! I loved how you create a realistic landscape on such a small area

I’m always impressive by the richness of colors and contrasts of your models!

Brother Nightshift , after watching your videos for a couple of years now... You always manage to amaze me with the things you come up with.. I don't know how many of your dioramas builds I've watched over the years.. But each one you come up with something new. You have such a great eye with the smallest details.. And those or the details that make your projects " POP ". This project looks great , love the work on your trees. Thanks for sharing your build with us. Until the next video, may God continue to keep you Safe and Blessed. 👍🇺🇲

Outstanding and instructional as always

Very cool. Looks like Saipan. I've actually been to Guam which isn't too far away. Looking forward to your next project.

Outstanding!

Looks Great modelfriend

Listened first time while painting uniforms on 30+ british ww2 1/72 , now a cup of tea of course and watch it back :D

Nice work! Something new for you) And i like to see how you find new idea with plastic sprue))) No leftover in modeling)))

Super, těším se na další kousek.

Your tropical setting looks very authentic. Thanks for the tips and the great video!

Hi Night Shift, that was a absolutely outstanding diorama, would it not have been easier to paint the palm leaves before attaching them to the trees, fir a first time palm tree builder, you have done a outstanding job, congratulations on your great effort, best regards from Australia

you are a freakin' genius !!! LOVE your work!! :)

Bravo, encore une très très belle réalisation

They have different sponge brushes at hardware stores too that might make the staining a little easier? Its nice having a handle lol

I love this!