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Long term diorama: RAF station camp site


Mancunian airman

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Very cool Ian!  This is looking great so far.  I took your advice to hart about the cutting of the corrugated vinyl. It didn't matter how I planed the corners, something always did not work out.  I got it sorted tho, and all worked out well.  Thanks for the tip!

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/24/2016 at 6:58 PM, RichO said:

Very cool Ian!  This is looking great so far.  I took your advice to hart about the cutting of the corrugated vinyl. It didn't matter how I planed the corners, something always did not work out.  I got it sorted tho, and all worked out well.  Thanks for the tip!

 

I hope you are going to show US

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  • 2 months later...

I am well on with this I think and I have started to wonder where I can go with it next or should I stop within the boundaries I have.

 

Purely as an exercise I considered the thought that I would like to see some aircraft dispersals,  but how many ?  

Is it possible to link the station's technical site to the peri-trackperi-track and dispersals ?

 

I enlarged a site plan around the technical site and scaled in the diorama boards that I am using, each measures 8ft x 4ft. Below is the result of the scaling that i carried out  . . .

SWMBO did ask: where will it go ??

Such minor details dont worry me but in the back of my mind I hear . . . . 

"If you build it  they will come " (apologises to kevin Costner)

32909109120_50f530f8b5_z.jpg

 

PS. THe blue is the existing area and the RED the extensions.

You thoughts gentlemen please  . . . .

Ian

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Strange, I've recently been considering building an Bomber Command RAF Station, with a full complement of Lancaster's using the HK 1/32 Lancaster!

 

Ok, said somewhat in jest but I have often thought of building an mid to late war Bomber Command airfield diorama in either 1:72 or 1:48, just need to settle on a scale, which Squadron and then start collecting the necessary plans!

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I have enough plans of individual buildings for you to start but 48th would be way to large and expensive just for the aircraft.

 

You would obviously need a site plan of your chosen location from which to start.

I never envisaged that mine would get this large, originally it was only 2 boards

At least in the smaller scale, and if I went ahead, then i could get at least NINE Lancaster of my chosen squadron.

Ian

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22 hours ago, shatters said:

Brilliant idea, wish I had the room, but don't forget the pill boxes.

 

Phil

 

The site had 3 'disappearing pill-boxes' but despite looking hard I only ever found 2.

The third is believed to have been lost when the main runway was extended in 1943.

Ian

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  • 5 months later...

Its been a while but I do put time in to get a few items done such as the blast shelters.

This is 'Work in progress' and will be for some time 

 

36765130751_0efe015b71_z.jpg

 

36508127360_7ddb8c8a57_z.jpg

 

36508126110_9f97555f15_z.jpg

 

I shall post a few more pics in the next few days but for now its off to work I go :whistle:

 

Ian

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A few more photos, please remember that this is still 'Work in progress'

 

25yds range

36527881070_bf2be5e70e_z.jpg

 

Watch Office

36739829202_6ed1a1b75b_z.jpg

 

Main Workshops and Fuel compound

36739662242_1ea8964907_z.jpg

 

General view

36508123100_83921273fc_z.jpg

 

Overview 12ft X 16ft (Background edited out to focus on the 'airfield')

36878601452_a77d815658_z.jpg

 

 Thanks for looking in  . . . 

Ian

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On 3/9/2017 at 6:05 AM, Mancunian airman said:

 

The site had 3 'disappearing pill-boxes' but despite looking hard I only ever found 2.

The third is believed to have been lost when the main runway was extended in 1943.

Ian

Lost one elderly pillbox.  It has a history of disappearing so may be in a confused state.  Should answer to the name of 'number 3'.   If found please return to the Royal Air Force.  

 

But seriously I recall my father who was ground crew based at RAF Detling telling me about the disappearing turrets which everyone thought were a joke but he did acknowledge they would have liked them back in 1940 when the Luftwaffe attacked the station several times as an sort of cover was greatly appreciated.

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  • 4 weeks later...

That is an amazing build and I am totally envious of your skills and dedication to a project ! Those buildings and the selection of vehicles and the Lancaster on site so far just bring the whole thing to life !

 

Following this for sure !

 

Nige

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On 10/1/2017 at 12:40 PM, Okdoky said:

That is an amazing build and I am totally envious of your skills and dedication to a project ! Those buildings and the selection of vehicles and the Lancaster on site so far just bring the whole thing to life !

 

Following this for sure !

 

Nige

Thanks for that Nige, been at it for years and probably for a few more yet . . . got scores of airmen and WAAFs to employ yet

3 hours ago, John_W said:

Very nice.

You can tell it's an RAF firing range, because the firing point is covered. Army ones are exposed to the elements.

What you saying ? that we RAF types are wimps . . . :P 

Thanks John, glad you like it 

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7 hours ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

Wow - I was in the ATC in the first half of the 1980’s. That rifle range brings back some memories! 👍

No 8 and .303?

Classics. The No8 (.22) has only just been withdrawn from service.

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NZ cadet forces. .303 rebarrelled to .22 - rimfire, single shot, bolt-action. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are still in service in NZ. A great training rifle - safe, accurate, reliable and not too daunting for a beginner.  RNZAF Wigram had a range very similar to that in the model - and despite the short range  we learned a lot about basic marksmanship and firearm safety there. Good days! 👍

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Yes, that was the No8 Rifle. same weight as a full bore .303 for training purposes. We are supposed to be getting a new .22 Cadet Target Rifle in the UK, but there have been issues (The Civil Servants and Generals on the selection panel didn't like the same  rifle that the instructors did).

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  • 2 months later...

No problemo

 

At Grimsby, I know of at least 4 positions of AA defences and Yes the Airfix and Oxford Bofors guns are suitable.

Initially manned by the Army before being taken over by the RAF Regiment.

This is the Airfix version before I got hold of the diecast version

 

38993676911_83fa8a1d96.jpg

 

Hope this helps

 

Ian

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On 11/28/2015 at 10:34 AM, Mancunian airman said:

.......I haven't seen anybody else do anything similar, has anybody ??

Just found this thread and looking forwards to see it develop. The most I've done was a T2, some tech site buildings, blast shelters, hangar queen dump, tower and a couple of dispersals on a customer's model railway, all at 1/144 scale. I'd love to have the space to do something at 1/72 scale. Here's a few pics of the airfield section of the railway. The section was 8 feet x 30 inches.

 

endgame39.jpg

 

airfield375.jpg

 

airfield338.jpg

 

airfield340.jpg

 

airfield320.jpg

 

airfield309.jpg

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Just to the right of my Jeep in both pictures, is one of the hydraulic airfield defence turrets removed from RAF Usworth, just before the Nissan car factory was built on the airfield. I don't have a better picture to post at present.

 

neam_flyin7.jpg

 

neam_flyin2.jpg

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