HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

The above pic is of the same basic jig with wing extension pieces added and the original jig cut to accomodate the R/H wing and tail assembly.I used clamps,battens,pieces of wood etc... to line up wings with the fuselage and still have lots of room to work on the rigging.It also makes for a very safe enviroment to work in , as the model is well protect from inadvertent bumbs and bashes as the wing extention pieces extend well beyond the wingtips.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

The above pic was taken a couple of years ago when I first took the airplane out of the jig to see how it would look in the hangar.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

The above pic gives you a good idea of how the jig was adjusted to accomodate the wing and tail assemblies.Except for the fact that I have finished the wing rigging ,this is how she looks today.The wheels and all control surfaces are done but have yet to be permanently installed .After the hangar, and modules are finished and the lighting is completed the airplanes,cars and figures will be placed and finally secured down.Then I will build the Camel/truck assembly and place the exterior trucks ,cars,figures,fuel pump etc....
I haven't yet quite figured out how I want to do the exterior.I want to leave it quite simple with a minimum of flora and fauna.Mud , well worn grass patches and some crushed stone would be about it.November in Canada is a real transition period and there could even be some snow on the ground.If anyone has any ideas on this I would like to hear from you as this will be my first attempt at an outside enviroment.
Cheers! John.

[StephenLawson]

Greetings John;

I have done extensive research into landscaping in scale. The very best information is to be had from model railroad enthusiasts. There are several good sources for information. I have several images of Canadian venue mostly with Fokker D.VII and Halberstadt CL.V types. Natural ground cover seems to go right up to the hangar footers (concrete) bases on hard stand types like your building. The front face...hangar door seems to have either worn ground cover or wooden and / or ash (small black gravel ballast suitably dirtied with earth) walkways or hangar entries. Often there were either grass or ash runways. Post war there seem to have been a surge in both the US and Canada in black top roadways and runways. They had to put people to work.

Perhaps there is a model rail roading club in Canada that can give you the best advice. Regards Stephen

[JohnReid]