First public pics of massive Gallipoli diorama at The Great War Exhibition

The first public photos have been released of the room-sized diorama of the Battle of Chunuk Bair at The Great War Exhibition in Wellington, populated with five thousand 54mm figures.

The diorama is the brainchild of world-famous movie director and WW1 buff, Sir Peter Jackson. He enlisted the former chief of New Zealand’s defence forces, Lt General (rtd) Rhys Jones, himself a keen wargamer, to lead this official WW100 commemoration project.

Alan and Michael Perry, two of the foremost miniature figure sculptors in the world, were engaged to produce the figures; and leading movie special effects company Weta Workshop to make the massive terrain.

The 5000 miniatures were painted by 140 enthusiastic Kiwi wargamers, including seven from the Wairarapa. So pop on over to the official Mustering The Troops blog for loads of photos of this amazing diorama.