Aircraft stands for photography

[Raven Morpheus]

Hey all

I see a lot of photos where people have photographed their models in flight (and then subsequently removed from the photo whatever stand they were using).

Currently I use whatever clear object I have to hand, usually a glass tumbler, it doesn't work so well I think.

I know Airfix and other manufacturers do flying stands, but I'm wondering if there is a better option that I can use - also for painting purposes as well. Something removable so that I can hang the model from my ceiling and a kind of "one to rule them all" stand.

What do you guys use?

TIA

Edited July 19, 2016 by Raven Morpheus

[PlaStix]

I have only done a couple of aircraft in flight but I use clear perspex rod. I drill a suitably sized hole in the underside of the aircraft and one in a suitable base. This method probably won't suit you as it leaves a hole in the bottom of the aircraft which may not look good hanging from the ceiling - I leave mine on the display stand. Perspex rod can be got quite cheaply off Amazon. You can see some examples of my Hurricane that I did in flight here. There are Photoshopped images in the thread as well and partway down are some photos showing the base.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Raven Morpheus]

I was toying with the idea of a rod on a base (after a further think about this since posting the thread), that's how Polar Lights do their display stands for stuff like the USS Enterprise NCC 1701.

But yeah it would leave a hole.

I wonder if I could attach a magnet, hidden inside the model (using something like JB Weld), room allowing, and a magnet on top of the the rod (again using something like JB Weld)?

Probably won't help with models I've already built though. But I could then when I build a new model just stick it on top of the rod as and when I want to photograph it.

I've got a Polar Lights display base with my 1/1000 Enterprise Refit kit, and some strong neodymium magnets the size of a 5 pence piece that I can test that idea with, I even have a test kit I can use in the form of a 1/72 FW190 (by some obscure eastern european company).

That sounds too easy though, I must be overlooking something...

Edited July 19, 2016 by Raven Morpheus

[cmatthewbacon]

If you're going to Photoshop out the support, you're better off not using a transparent one. Paint the rod some bright colour that's unlikely to turn up in real life (like bright Orange or lime green). That way, you can select it easily and precisely using the magic wand selection tool, and use the clone stamp to apply a copy of the adjacent areas just to the selected area of the stand that you want to remove...

bestest,

M.

[Raven Morpheus]

Yes, like a "green screen" background used in films/tv. Thought about getting a bright green cloth also. Might be going too far though, just want something better to use as a stand than a glass tumbler.