HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

Well its getting down to the time that I am going to decide what to do about the electrical wiring.Will it be AC or DC or a combo of both.
Of my other builds I personally prefer the Albatros hangars lighting to the Neiuport.But I have to find a way to simplfy it especially when it comes to bulb changing.The effects that you can achieve with AC lighting is super.I think that maybe I will contact the RR guys as they seem to be way ahead on this.I havent been able to find any decent shades for the bulbs so I will have to resort to making my own.On the Albatros I used small xmas bells which were ground down to a better shape. I have some old aluminium round cigar containers that looks like they may fit the bill.The end that opens has a neet little dome shaped cap that with a few mods would look great.I also want to light up some of the external signage and they could be used there as well.Any other ideas would be appreciated. Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I think that I will try to pick some brains over on http://www.railroad-line.com
Great site on how to build structures.Cheers John.

[JohnReid]

I think that this may apply to WW1 British airplanes and structures.Take a look over on http://www.largescaleplanes.com "Whats New" They have a nice color chart of British Standards.Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

While doing this boring nailing job, my mind has been wandering forward to this coming winter and the build of the JN4D, bastketcase Jenny.
My plan is to partially cover it with worn and tattered fabric, that has been opened in many places to rob it of parts.The fabric job does not have to be that good, as I plan to screw it up anyway.I managed to pick up some nice antique linen looking stuff, called Super Coverite.It calls for shrinking the stuff with an iron but I cant see the use of investing in a lot of equipment for a job that I want to screw up anyway.If it sags and looks bad so much the better.I think that I will paint it in old faded military colors and use the antique color for patches.
I am really looking forward to having fun with this and at least it keeps my mind going during a mind numbing nailing process.Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I just posted this over on the auto site but I forget if I ever posted it here.
To weather brass on plastic

to make brass look like weathered copper
-spray thin washes of burnt sienna gesso followed by spray washes of black gesso
to make brass just look weathered
-spray just thin washes of black gesso only

use flow medium (water tension breaker) and distilled water in your mix.

Still nailing..........Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

for the new Jenny avatar Cheers! John.

[EricGoedkoop]

Glad you like it.

[JohnReid]

You know I have been wondering why more budding dioramists who have only very limited time to spend on their hobby(all too common in this crazy world of ours)dont consider using diecast airplanes in their dioramas.The RR and Auto guys do it all the time.
If our primary goal as dioramists is to "tell a story" ,to create a slice of life in a miniature setting ,why not use whatever we have at our disposal.Those who find pleasure in scratchbuilding can do so making scenes for their dioramas.
With a little modification or weathering some of the higher quality diecasts can be made to look quite good.The airplane really should be just another prop in the telling of our story,an important prop but a prop nonetheless.
I know as model builders it is sometimes hard to get our minds around something beyond just making our airplanes look as real as possible.But dont you think that we should have more of a "been there,done that" attitude and strike out to conquer new artistic territory.
If diorama making is really the artful placing of objects in a creative way, why not use diecast airplanes if we want to.I am sure that a lot of modelers give it up because they are striving for perfection, with limited time to devote to modeling and give up in frustration.I think that the RR guys have the right idea where "the build" is just one aspect of what they do to have fun.
That is what I like about diorama making.As I have said before you dont have to be the greatest builder,painter or whatever to do great dioramas.In fact proper lighting,composition,balance,creating a certain atmosphere,stage construction etc ect...all exciting and creative new skills come into play.Instead of worrying about the exact color or how many rivets, why not put the emphasis on your skills as an artist to raise emotions in the viewers of your work.Sure accuracy is important but is that where we all want to be headed? Where eventually we have a table full of perfect Spitfires all looking the same?where only judges and a few insiders know the difference? I suggest that this gets very boring after a while for most modelers and especially the viewers of our work.If we want to attract new and creative people to our hobby(especially the young) we will have to get beyond seeing table after table of nicely done (but dare I say somewhat boring)airplane models sitting in a row.Aviation in general just doesnt have the exciting aura that it used to .We see this even in other aviation artforms.I am afraid that we will all have to work a little harder as craftsmen/artists if we dont want to slip into irrelivancy.Just my 2 cents,climbing down from his soapbox.Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I just had to share this with you guys ,the four exterior walls are now nailed and weathered. Now I have to finish the other half of the roof and then its on to the hangar floor Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I have this Model Expo 1/16th kit.I havent built it yet but it looks to be of the same quality as the Jenny.According to their latest advertising they are being discontinued and the remaining stock sold at 1/2 price..If you are planning to do a Wright Flyer in the future this seems to be the best kit out there.And no I don't have shares in the company.(and if I did I would have them pull the Albatros and Neiuport off the market) Cheers! John