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Somewhere in England, a WW2 Airfield.


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It was only recently that I came back to plastic models since my childhood as I have my own children now and they are into planes.  I've built a few of late and I really needed somewhere to stick them (as well as their bedroom ceiling) and as I have never made a diorama before, I felt it was about time I gave it a try so here goes.  Bear with me as it may take me some time as I work full time and have 2 young boys to entertain.  I value opinion at any level so please feel free to comment good or bad.  The theme is a generic WW2 fighter base/Airfield around early summer 1941 and is going to be as much about developing different techniques and processes as I go along.

Hope you enjoy how this progresses.

Deano

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I bought various kits in 1:72 scale to make up my diorama but I couldn't find a kit for a Nissen hut that I was totally happy with.  I bought Vac formed, which were too basic, Cardboard kit, which had no texture etc, etc  so I thought I would have a bash at scratch building my own.  Here goes.

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Starting with a empty sweets box I cut out some shapes for my first one.  I used the Excellent Metcalfe Cardboard kit as a template.

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Edited by Stonenkey
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Thanks Major ;-)

I then started to put it together and primed it.  I am going to use corrugated plastic sheet for the roof.

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I also decided to add lighting at this stage.

Edited by Stonenkey
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I lightly scored the corrugated plastic with a blade to make bending easier and to give the effect of multiple sheets of steel.  I used superglue to attach to one beam at a time.

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Whilst it set with the help of sellotape, I made a small hut too...

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I then attached window frames and cut out openings behind them for the light to shine from later.

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Then to create a chimney.  Those boys needed a stove to keep them huts warm.  I found some small bits in Halfords that I thought might make ideal flues...

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Next, to clad the ends in small strips of Obechi wood.

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3 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Plain cardboard is less basic than the vacform examples?  I don't quite follow you there - wouldn't it have been easier (if less fun) to improve the vacform?

 

Did you consider the metal one from Flightpath?   https://www.djparkins.com/home.php?cat=246

Thanks for the link Graham, I hadnt seen those.  As for the Vac formed, yes I considered improving them but I also felt that the scale was off and that I hoped by starting a fresh, I could maybe make a better job.  Not sure yet...

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I then decided that I didnt like the wooden cladding, except for around the windows.  I covered in a gritty mix of filler and cut some wood for the supports.

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I built a second one too at this point and started to wish I had bought some

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A few suggestions about vehicles.  There aren't a lot available in 1/72, especially early-war, but you will find some, including a selection of Albions, on the Matador website.  http://www.matadormodels.co.uk/catalogue.htm#AA

 

If your're ok with 1/76 the choice is much wider, although you do have to be careful with the Airfix range.  There are a goodly number of RAF vehicles available from MMS models  http://www.mmsmodels.co.uk/   These are white metal and to much the same quality (if a little heavier!) than the Airfix range.  They are easy to make, just requiring superglue of epoxy rather than polystyrene, but that's also true about the resin kits.  Another source is Milicast http://www.milicast.com/pages/new.php although they don't have so many RAF vehicles, and they are more detailed so more difficult to work with than MMS.

 

If you'd like to see some of these send me a pm - I'm in Kirkham.

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3 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

A few suggestions about vehicles.  There aren't a lot available in 1/72, especially early-war, but you will find some, including a selection of Albions, on the Matador website.  http://www.matadormodels.co.uk/catalogue.htm#AA

 

If your're ok with 1/76 the choice is much wider, although you do have to be careful with the Airfix range.  There are a goodly number of RAF vehicles available from MMS models  http://www.mmsmodels.co.uk/   These are white metal and to much the same quality (if a little heavier!) than the Airfix range.  They are easy to make, just requiring superglue of epoxy rather than polystyrene, but that's also true about the resin kits.  Another source is Milicast http://www.milicast.com/pages/new.php although they don't have so many RAF vehicles, and they are more detailed so more difficult to work with than MMS.

 

If you'd like to see some of these send me a pm - I'm in Kirkham.

Awesome Graham, thanks so much for all this.  Kirkham aint far so it would be great to see some in the near future thanks.

Dean

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Now for the base, I used a sheet of MDF and started to layer up the terrain with Polystyrene.  I wanted the track leading in to the Airfield to come down a slope and pass over a river.  I wanted the river to be dammed to create a pond water source for the base and for swimming in the off time for the people stationed there.  (it is summer after all).  I also wanted to play with water effects as I have never done this before.

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To create my Air Raid Shelters, I simply cut down into the Polystyrene and used the corrugated plastic to form them.  As I have decided to put lights in all the buildings, I put some basic interior detail in my main shelter and Anderson.

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I then started to cover the whole area with filler and started to mark out the tracks etc.  I made up a mix of PVA, Water, Brown Emulsion and garden soil to render the whole thing with.

 

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I had been looking at different trees but wasnt that enthused with the ones I saw, so decided I would make my own using florist wire, latex and clump foliage.  I have never used clump foliage before and when I saw the price, I decided to make my own with the help of the good old internet, some cheap foam, tester pots of paints, PVA, water and an old blender.  I have ended up making LOADS lol for next to nothing in all shades and colours.

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2 minutes ago, Gorbygould said:

Very impressive so far, particularly in regard to the scratch building - I'll be following with interest.

Many thanks Gorby.  Good to know, especially as I had a look at some of your great work already.

Cheers

Deano

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My track onto the base needed a small bridge to cross the stream so I made one out of wood and secured with milliput.

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I also used some milliput to help define my tracks etc...

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Edited by Stonenkey
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