HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[Axis]

oh my gosh John this is just amazing.

If I ever need an operation, I'm comin to you.


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[JohnReid]

After over 2 years into this build ,I finally turned the corner knowing that from now on everything I put into the main hangar will be there permanently.
It is a funny feeling knowing now there is no going back ,that where I place things now will be pretty much final.In fact I found the idea so intimidating
that I couldnt get on with it for quite awhile and just sat there wondering what to do next.
The art of making things and the art of the diorama are two different things.I can merrily go along making the different parts with confidence and be quite relaxed but at this point I can agonize for hours on just where to position all the different elements.Should I put this tool here or there?Does it look staged or natural?How will the light hit this or that?Will you regret not having done this or that,now that you have the chance?Is there just too much? or too little?Is there color harmony? is this too bright? or too dull?Maybe a little more weathering here? I am sure you get the picture.Now is the time that you must draw on your talents as a dioramist to make that vision you have been holding in your imagination come true, and that can be very intimidating.Even if you have been successful in the past that is no garantee of being successful this time.Will you capture the magic this time or will it elude you? At this point it would be very easy to just forget about the whole thing .Who needs this hassle? Maybe I should delay my decisions and take up another easier project for awhile?
Well that was yesterday.Today I turned the corner on self doubt and now know that I will press on to the end in the hope that the magic is still there.This thing we call "art " can be an emotional rollercoaster and at times a very humbling experience.
Cheers! John
This post has

[JohnReid]

Old co-pilots lament
Here is a little something for you old co-pilots out there;

The Co-Pilot
by Ken Murray

I am the co-pilot I sit on the right,
Its up to me to be quick and bright.
I never talk back ,for I have regrets,
But I have to remember what the Captain forgets.

I make out the flight plans and study the weather,
Pull up the gear and standby to feather,
Check the tanks and do the reporting,
And fly the old crate while the Captain is courting.

I call for my Captain and buy him cokes,
I always laugh at his corny jokes;
And once in a while when his landings are rusty,
I always come through with "By gosh,its gusty."

All in all I am a general stooge
As I sit on the right of the man I call "Scrooge."
I guess that you think that it is past understanding
But maybe some day he will give me a landing.

Cheers! John
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[JohnReid]

Originally Posted by Axis

oh my gosh John this is just amazing.

If I ever need an operation, I'm comin to you.


.

Hi Axis! I am glad that you are enjoying the build.It really is great fun.
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

This is a pic of the historic Curtis OX5 1/16th scale engine that I built for the Jenny Canuck.First manufactured in 1910 ,it is a water-cooled V8 producing 90 HP.
The next few pics will be of this engine already built and weathered waiting to be installed in the airplane.I will be building another somewhere down the road and at that time I will take pics as I go along to give you guys an idea of how it was built.

Yesterday ,I continued with the furnishing of the woodworkers workshop.
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

This is a pic of the unfinished engine sitting on the engine bearers.The large object behind the engine is the fuel tank.The firewall between engine and fuel tank has yet to be installed.
The engine installation has since been completed about a year ago.
Note the heat scortched discolouration of the water jackets around each cylinder.This effect was achieved with acrylics and pastels.
This pic is mostly out of focus because when I take pics of specific areas I like to highlite the area I am talking about by leaving the rest out of focus,in this case I wanted to highlight the waterjackets.

[JohnReid]

This is how the OX5 looked just prior to installation on the Canuck.