HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

My analysis of the accident scene is that for some reason the aircraft was subject to a nose over while the engine was still running which would indicate a mechanical failure of some sort or loss of control by the pilot.The undercarriage looks in good shape except for the one blown tire.Brake failure can be ruled out as the aircraft didn't have any.Overheated or jammed bearings in the wheel is a possibility though.The wing tips are in good shape so there doesn't seem to be any evidence of anything other than a straight nose over at hi speed or a crash why flying inverted close to the ground.The crash would have to be of such force that the fuselage would split at the cockpit area near the rear landing gear strut.There is no evidence of fire ,could lack of fuel be a contributing factor?Although the prop damage looks as though it was still spinning at the time of the accident.
On second thought,because the aircraft is relatively intact , maybe this is not a hi speed accident after all.The center section and wing struts show no sign of damage which you would expect to see in a hi speed accident.There is some damage to the R/H horizontal stabilizer and to the L/H elevator on the tail but none to the tail skid.Could it be that this was the result of the aircraft coming in contact with something on the ground?
Maybe I am missing something really obvious here ,any ideas?

[JohnReid]

My model will be somewhat different in that I am planning to do a structural type

model with fire damage.A lot of the fabric will be burnt off in a flash type fire.Because the airplane is inverted I plan to remove some of the bottom panels to reveal the engine.The model will show a combination of accident damage and some scavaging for parts.
I will start with the engine.

[JohnReid]

As a model of a 1/16th Mercedes engine the Model Airways version makes a nice wreck.It has been almost ten years since I modeled the first one and I had forgotten just how bad the castings are.I would recommend Ken Foran's version for anyone who is contemplating this build.
Because mine will be at the bottom of a bunch of rubble I don't plan on doing a lot of work to correct it,as long as it looks like an engine from a distance I am happy with that.
I bought this kit many years ago from a friend so it is one of the original batches.To be fair to Model Expo they may have cleaned up these molds since then,I really hope so.

[JohnReid]

On my model of this accident I will show the tail skid sheared off.Why? because the most logical reason for this accident that I can come up with is this.In order to break the fuselage in two at its most vulnerable point there would have to be some evidence of the tail striking the ground with great force.This could be caused by the aircraft descending(mushing)tail low at hi speed.Two factors could be at work here pilot error or weather conditions especially the wind factor (shear)close to the ground or a combination of both.
Why am I spending so much time on this? Well it is part of the storyline and would be of interest especially to the aviators among us.I know that personally any time I here of an accident my immediate reaction is to ask myself why?Usually it is a combination of factors with poor airmanship and lack of experience high on the list!

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

I want my wreck to look more like this but with the broken tail also!
This is a good example of how a diorama idea can evolve over time.There is nothing wrong with being influenced by someone work as long as it is not a direct copy.Artists "borrow" ideas from one another all the time.Here I have taken Stephen's idea which he got from a photograph and adapted it to other photograph and come up with a new idea.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

This is the position of the aircraft as it came to rest on the ground.I am assuming here that the engine cylinders and the center section N struts have remained intact.The box at the front of the engine and the radiator breather have been sheared off.

[JohnReid]