HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

Well today I went back to furnishing the workshop.I have already built some shelves and benches.Now I would like to build a nice old laminated woodcarvers table, with a prop in a vice, receiving the last few coats of varnish.A friend sent me a pic of a full scale diorama depicting this ,that he saw in a museum in Europe .I like the idea of a woodworkers workshop, so I will leave the engine rebuilding out on the hangar floor where most of it was usually done anyway.
Most of the tools I have purchased from a local hobby store that carries doll house accessories.Although they are intended to be to be used as 1/12th scale, the tools that I buy can come in all sizes so that is not a problem(ie;screwdrivers ,wrenches etc.).The ones that I cant buy I will make.
I will stock the selves with various aircraft parts that I havent used from other projects or that I won't be using from the 2nd Jenny.The roof of the workshop will be left off so that the workshop floor can be seen through the viewing hole in the roof.Their are also windows all around for viewing both from the outside and from the interior.
I think that I would rather spend my time doing this, rather than a WC that can hardly be seen at all.I plan to obscure the windows with a whitewash for privacy so you cant see inside at all.Problem solved.
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

this is the workshop from inside the hangar

[JohnReid]

this is the workshop from inside the hangar

[JohnReid]

This is the workshop from above

[JohnReid]

An internet friend of mine sent me a great picture of a 1:1 scale museum diorama depicting a workshop where a propeller is on the workbench.I have decided that this idea would look great in my Jenny diorama.I already have an extra propeller that I made when I was experimenting with colored glues between the laminations of wood.Generally I use various species of wood to get the layered effect but in photos I have of the Jenny prop, it is all one color wood, with only a very narrow glue line.It creates a very interesting pattern on the finished prop that I want to maintain.
The workworkers workbench is a nice varnished woodcolor that has been weathered to show its age.I started by laminating some 1/4X1/4 pine strips together.Use pine that has a subtle grain patern so that it won't be overscale.I used ordinary carpenters glue. I want a nice varnished look so I finished the sanded slab with Tung-Teak oil.Laquer will not give the same effect and oil will get a great patina over time.The workbench legs were made with the same material and nailed and glued to the tabletop slab using those black railway nails that the RR modelers used for the laying of tracks.They make nice represenations of lag bolts.
While the glue was drying ,I made up the entrance door for the rear entrance module.I generally save all the pieces of foamboard from the cutouts I make and use these as the core.I first frame in the door opening and fit in the foamboard.If the door is to be left open or partially open, I reduce the foamboard as required and glue 1mm stripes all around the outside perimeter of the door, and carefully fit the door to the opening.If the door contains a window I follow the same procedure.Then I sheath the door on both sides using narrow width stir stiks,sand,paint and weather. to be cont......
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I would really like your opinion on a post WW1 section to our forum.(1918-1928)For or against and your reasons why.Please see my post in the Suggestions section of this website before rendering your opinion.Thank you.
Why 1928 ? because licenses and registration numbers for aircraft were required after July 1927.In the words of Slats Rodgers "at first I didnt know what the bulletin meant.Actually ,it meant that my way of flying and living was coming to an end."
Cheers! John

[JohnReid]

Blast from the Past
This is the Neiuport diorama before the furniture was added.

[JohnReid]

This is another view of the Neiuport diorama.

[JohnReid]

The workbench in the workshop is pretty much finished now.I have added a couple of wood vices at each end .I weathered it using pastels and they work very well even over the oil finish.I also added a couple of carpenters type vices.One to hold the end of the prop in position and the other is stored under the table.
I picked up a wood lathe cast in metal from a doll house manufacturer.It is quite crude with lots of flash but with my trusty file I was able to take care of that.Once it is cleaned up and painted it should be quite convincing.The cast parts are normally sealed with a 1/3rd laquer thinner mixed with 2/3rds laquer base .Over that I put gesso and then acrylic paint.I used the same type lathe in the Albatros diorama for making metal parts but this time it will be a woodturners type lathe.
Next it is on to the furnishings and decorations in the workshop.The lunch table idea has been scraped for lack of space.Maybe I can make room in the office..
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

Today I searched the house looking for the right size cardboard or plastic box in order to make a large toolbox for the workshop . I use a premade cardboard box as a structure to build the wood around as it is much easier this way.It is a fairly large box, that will stand on end ,with the tools hanging inside.The inside will be varnished wood and the outside painted grey and weathered.I have also selected a few other boxes as shipping crates for the hangar floor.The rest I will make.
The small toolboxes will be solid hardwood painted to look like metal.Various size wood pieces will be used to make smaller wood boxes for nails,screws etc...Fire pails filled with sand will be hung at various places in the shop and in the hangar(maybe with a few squished cigarette butts) I dont use any loose material such as sand in reality, as if there was am acciden it could be disasterous.What I do is glue a thin layer of sifted sand to thin plywood with carpenters glue, and then blow off the excess .If I want more shape in the sand I glue it to preformed foam.
Cheers! John.