HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

The lighting is now all hooked up except for the yet-to-be made fixture over the Reid and Sons front sign.I have 24 lights in all on this train transformer that I am using to power the system but it keeps shutting down when on full power.I probably need a more powerful transformer.I will ask the RR guys and see what's up.No pics for now!

[JohnReid]

The RR guys say that I am overloading my present transformer by a factor of three .So the final pics of the lighting will have to wait until I re-design the system, which will have to include a new transformer and a reostat to control the intensity.Seems to me that Shep Paine's book on dioramas has something on this.Stand by one!

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

After doing the exterior landscaping on the Jenny dio I think that I will do the same for the Albatros.Landscaping is really a lot of fun to do and makes the whole thing a lot more interesting.
I have in my stash another Albatros kit that I picked up real cheap a few years ago that would make a perfect addition to the exterior as a basketcase being robbed for parts.I could build it much like the Camel in the Jenny diorama with the wings stored and parts and pieces laying about.
The Backyard Fyer will still be the next complete build after updating the Albatros.Anyway that is the plan for now.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Adding another 18 inches all around would make for a much nicer composition and provide for a far more interesting piece.The only problem would be that the viewer may have not have quite as good a view through the windows.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

The upside to the 18 inches of space all around is the the hangar doors can be left permanently open.
This is a lousy pic but it gives you an idea of what I am talking about.I also plan to re-paint the figures now that my skills have improved a bit.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

This is the same view with proper lighting that is so important to my way of diorama making.As you can see the windows at the rear of the hangar are quite large and I will be sure to keep the view unobstructed.There will be a glass case manufactured to keep the whole thing protected.
These hangars were very flimsy structures ,more like sheds really.During my research on this, I was very surprised by this fact . I think that due to the aircraft limited range in those days these would be structures built near the front lines.I guess that the thinking was correct for fast moving frontal lines before things became bogged down in trench warfare.