Aircraft easy base display 1/72 fighter

[Jack109]

Dear Modelers of all ages

 

I would like to build a very easy but good looking base for my models.

 

At the moment I am thinking to make 2-3 basic and generic grass fields to use ad hoc with different models.

 

So its not a real diorama just an easy base.  On the internet there are few options, which look good enough, cheap photo frame with glued scatter material.

 

 

 

to make the base a bit more fancy what could I do? I have seen wooden platforms for aircraft in a field is some diorama... but I am not sure if they are ww1 or ww2 if they were common or not...

 

and also what do they had in an airfield close to the plane when the aircraft was out?

 

so.. in general I have a lot of ideas very confused! I just want to make2-3 different easy and good looking bases for my models

 

 

I hope it was clear enough, I am very open to your kind suggestions... i searched in the forum but could not find much on this... if you could post a link to old posts could be nice.

 

 

Have a good weekend!!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello Jack well it all depends on a few factors. First is this a hastily built forward operating airfield ? Or a fixed full time real airfield ? Two it depends on American, British, German, Italian, Or Japanese ?  And Three type of aircraft. Small single engine type for air support ? Or say rear area escort fighter base. Or is it a Bomber base ? 

     Best example i can give is 8th air force escort fighter base. Use a grass or perforated steel plank base if early 1942-43. Or Tarmac Asphalt if later war. Use a single U shaped or E shaped double revetment parking arrangement. Revetment should have walls about 3-4 cm's or 1.25 inches thick. The walls were made of brick and were hollow hallways for use as bomb shelters The outside of the walls would be lined with sandbags. There would be Tarmac/asphalt taxiways. The equipment in a revetment would be general maintenance equipment. There would be a table nearby to set tools and parts on while doing basic repairs/maintenance. A pair or two of wheel chocks. Maybe an outhouse/loo. This is a basic idea and can be adapted to whichever country and aircraft youre using. If a German/Italian maybe Russian. They used wood planks instead of perforated steel planks. Ive seen wooden barrels used in italy with dirt in the barrels and wrapped in sandbags to make revetments.

    If doing a pacific theater US Navy/USMC/army or Japanese use crushed coral or the steel planks. With cut-down palms stacked in a triangle or cut at approximately 8-10 Cm's or 2 inches, and stood on end in a row with wood planking and sand bags to hold it together for the revetments. You might also want to use a net over the top for camouflage or shade in the pacific. There are lots of photo's on google just query ww2 aircraft revetment.  

 

I hope this helps

Dennis

Edited July 22, 2017 by Corsairfoxfouruncle
Added

[Jack109]

Wow Dennis I Need to pronto your post and use It as reference! 

 

My interest Is over small dioramas for fighters. English german or russian in temporary airfields. 

 

The front was moving a lot in eastern Europe so I immagine temporary airfields were common

 

I have more detailed questions:

How were the russian temporary airfields ? Anything particular?

 

Metallic or wooden platform? For parking only? Shape, used by all' forces ? How common?

 

1:72 pilots After crash setting or Just general? Which are the best available? Hagesawa has One with different pilots but except 1 they just stand. Airfix raf personnel its from the done Age and heller lutwaffe looks old. Revello 1:72 seems rare as the holy grail... Any other ? 

 

 

 

In the end I did 2things: 

1) 1£photo frame and made few interchangeable grass Mats. Just display not real diorama.

2) base with filler, coffe powder and Paint. On top a mix of scatter grass and static. Then I used a zvezda aircobra and zvezda crew . 

 

I have super Little experience but this was Easy and amazingly cheap. 

 

 

Thanks!

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello Jack that sounds good and will work for your purposes. As for your question the best description i can give for eastern front hasty airfields either during german advance in Op. Barbarossa, or there sometimes hasty retreat. As well as for Russian airfields, during the same time frame. 

     As for shape i've seen semi circle, 1/2 hexagonal/octagonal, and squarish/trapezoidal shapes.   No hard runways/taxiways unless occupying a captured field. German hardstands were usually floored with rough sawn wooden planks. Think trees cut into semi flat boards. Laid down on the ground to keep planes/ground crew out of dirt. But taxiways/runways were usually wide flat areas of earth. Sometimes the revetments were dug down a little with mounded earth  and vertical logs (think fireplace size) to make a hasty revetment sometimes not. Sometimes camouflage netting or parking in stands of trees would be used.

    Ground crews slept close to the plane in trench/foxhole. These were used on an ad/hoc basis. I've heard the front moved so fast sometimes they would move 1-2 times a day. The germans sometimes flew 3-4 sorties a day. Soviets would try to use the same fields abandoned by the germans during the Retreat. Easier to use because its less work. Hope this helps give a better picture

     Actually i will be building a south pacific revetment/maintenance display area for my  builds. As i have several and am planning on using it mainly for a P-40n. If i can i will post it in a work in progress thread sometime in august/september. I may actually do one for my luftwaffe builds as well as i have a # of these. I will attempt to keep you in mind when i display the images so you might get an visual to go with my descriptions.

 

Dennis

Edited July 26, 2017 by Corsairfoxfouruncle
Added

[James G]

Hi Jack - there's some good basic info on display bases here:

 

Display Bases

[Jack109]

thank you for your replies and details

 

I tried few options and what I did is to make a wooden platform made of coffee steerers. maybe more 1 48 scale, but hey thats ok.

 

Additionally I ve learnt how to apply static grass and did a desert diorama.

 

I really need to tray to add some fox holes, or shallow trenches with ammo depot.. anyway. thanks again for suggestions.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Try old picture/painting frames that are discarded. They have the depth and the fancy border already built in. 

[Jack109]

Thanks

 

I shopped around and Poundland offer great options.

I will open a different topic to discuss this in depth and collect ideas

 

[Aardvark]

On 24.07.2017 at 1:58 AM, Jack109 said:

russian in temporary airfields.

Educational poster of 1942:

 

 

https://aeroproject.pro/news/2017/05/05/376

 

B.R.

Serge