HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

Take a look over at wwi-models.org .Jim has done a wonderful job on this prize winning,difficult build and has taken some great pics too. Congrats Jim!

http://www.wwi-models.org/Images/Lan...index.html#p10

Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Using the hangar as a backdrop for classic cars.

[JohnReid]

I bet you were surprised to see this pic!!
Diorama scenes can be used as backdrops for pics. You can also change things around if you get bored with a certain scene.I usually end up liking the pics more than the actual diorama anyway.
While under construction I plan to use this diorama as much as I can for my own photography using airplanes ,cars or whatever as subject matter.
I wont let this happen again!

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

"Harley is such a good boy,he hasnt moved since I told him to sit on the chair!"

In the next few pics I was playing around with the lighting to see the effects.This first pic was taken with just the one overhead dollhouse fixture on.I must say that it gives a nice warm glow to the office module.
The next pic will be with just the table light on and a over head 40w bulb in the background.The light shining on the outside door is from a overhead floresent bulb that I forgot to turn off.But I kind of like the idea for a moonlit nite scene.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Boy,its amazing how difficult it can be to get back in the swing of things.After these past months of being away from the modeling of Jenny ,I am having a hard time figuring out just where I left off and where to begin again.I have so many things going, in various stages ,its hard to keep all the parts and sequence of build located in my head.The sequence of build is critical as many areas become inaccessable once the airplane is rigged.In order to save myself the same problem when I go back to finishing the hangar, I left myself notes on the various parts.Jeez I must be getting old but then again this has been the biggest project I have ever attempted.
I figure that the best thing I can do right now is check that Jenny is sitting corrrectly in her jig,line everything up and dive in and finish the wing rigging.Then will come the rigging of the controls and the installation of the control surfaces.Next will be to get her standing on her wheels and tailskid and prepared for installation in the hangar.I havent yet decided on just what work will be underway in this scene or whether she will be sitting on the tailskid or raised to flight position as in my other dioramas.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

The above pics were an experiment in lighting.The top pic is taken using just a florescent light.
The other pic was taken using only one 40W overhead bulb.
Although there is no question that I prefer the warm light of the bottom pic, I am glad that I took the other because I discovered a great way to create moonlight.Most of what you see here is scratchbuilt except for the lathe which I modified from a dollhouse piece.The rack of woodcarving tools are actually belaying pin handles that I had left over from my shipbuilding days.Behind the lathe there is also a rack of lathe turning tools made the same way.