Diorama Content

Right...well that's a whole world of difference Nick...all looks and works perfectly to my eyes...great job. I especially like the deck at the workshop opening...interested on how that would be stored when travelling. Certainly nothing more I can offer at this stage mate...that alone should please you! Ron

Well guys, still moving forward. I went ahead and added the outriggers - and Pete, yes, the plan is to drape a canvas from them to make a big shade structure - take a look: We'll start with the outriggers - one (so far) mounted on each side - as you can see they are movable! There's a brass eye bolt on the end of each, fit into an anchor on the tower. Then, there's a rigging system on each boom. Pulleys on the inside, and "D" rings attached to eyebolts on the outside (to hold the canopy). You'll also see I made up a little ground level deck with stairs, spot light (scratched), big brass bell, and a beacon on top! Above, you'll see a spotlight - which is made of remnant resin parts and styrene. And on to the tree for the outriggers, I had a resin winch and a few pulleys, all used to make up a system for raising and lowering the outriggers. All sorts of good times going on here! Added a non-slip surface to the deck, which is about done - I'll add some bolt heads. And in the middle, the spotlght, and rigging on the tree - I like both. Finally, on the right, you can see a big brass ship's bell! at least it wil be with some paint! And, Ron, yes, those little clamps - I was just being lazy -didn't feel like dealing with them! Funny you mention F1, as cars usually wind up with a few of those clamps! I've been pondering paint - - I might force myself to take a few of these parts to the paint shop - just to start a color palette. I like building a lot more than painting! OK, take care! Nick

You could always add offices to the sides like the real J type . . .

Very impressive, you've put a lot of effort and detail into this and the result fantastic !!

The F-16 build has just about finished, so next step is FOD cover & rbf tags and set up the HAS Think I just won a Mirage IV on eBay, so add that to the 2 F-4s, Starfighter, Buccaneer, F-15 etc. And really must do some more ground equipment. Also found a lovely 70s shot of an articulated Mack refueler truck. So tempted to get a tanker trailer & repaint my other Mack truck cab

Not sure what the status of this build is, but I just has an idea that might work for you. Replace the rod that holds the rope with a clear plastic rod, strong enough to hold the weight of the model. Make sure the rod is long enough to go all the way through the model and actually cover the distance of the entire diorama. Here is where it gets interesting. You can paint the rod only in the interior portion of the kit, to represent the FRIES rod amd hang fast ropes out both sides of your bird. The rod will also serve to hold up the kit by placing each end into buildings on both sides of the street. If you go through a window in the buildings, you can hide the majority of the rod and get the best stability possible. I think this achieves two things. One, it gives the model (which is rather heavy and large, I have several H-60 kits by kitty hawk) a very safe, stable platform to rest in the air. Two, it gives the diorama the appearance of extraordinary skills to hover in a confined space while men dismount from both sides of the fuselage. If you read the story of their actions in Mogadishu, you will learn that these brave pilots did things that normal pilots would never even consider doing. It is reported that one of the Little Birds dropped down between two buildings in a very narrow street to allow the men in back to exit the aircraft and assist the downed Blackhawk. The street was so narrow, the tips of the rotors actually scrapped both buildings while landing and taking off. That is about the craziest/bravest thing I ever read. They did what had to be done. Anyway, I hope that you succeeded with your plans, I also have ambitious plans for a diorama, a very ambitious plan. So far, I have two Little Bird KH50002 kits, and two Little Bird KH50004 kits, all with figures. That makes four Little Birds in total. Then I have two Blackhawk kits, the KH50005 with figures, but I will probably make that kit into a DAP, using one of my other Blackhawk kits to place the fast ropes on. The plan changes with time, I just hope I can actually pull it off. Good luck with your build! Anthony

I seem to have missed a few days on this build. Tsk! Some great ideas are being bounced around and I like the changes to the trailer, depth, bolts and power, can't be bad. The drooping nets, metal mesh? Possibly from a strainer at the five & dime? (Do they exist any more?) We have pound shops. Metal mesh can be pre-shaped and should hold that shape whereas plastic may not. The booms, perhaps they could lower to hold canvas for sunshades? (Tissue stippled with an emulsion of Elmers and water. It dries solid). Lights? Board game counters of the correct shape may do the job. Dirt cheap at yard sales. Must go now, there's a Mutagoat loose down at the old riverbed, who knows what it will eat!

Looking for cheap spotlight ideas? Have a look at the big marker pen tips & lids. Lots of nice conical plastic shapes that you can cut u & use. They also tend to fit quite nicely on to a standard led & then they can work too. Wrap a bit of aluminium foil around to block light bleed through & there you go. Quick plasticard frame & that would finish it off.

I won't bore you with 'superlatives' Nick...suffice it to say...absolute stunning progress...does it pass the Ron test...it does...and then some As for the spotlights...I couldn't resist these...sorry.....https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353152615165?hash=item52398942fd:g:ytYAAOSwHM9fH95a Now...me being a detail lover...just a couple of small things...first the cables and pipes need fixing/holding clamps...like these.....sorry for long link!.....but simple to make..... https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/fasteners/pipe-clamps/pipe76-half-pipe-clamps/p/ZT1072970X?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=pla%2B|%2BFasteners&utm_term=ZT1072970X&utm_medium=shopping-pla&targetid=pla-393013749299&loc_physical_ms=9044880&dev=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwuvmHBhAxEiwAWAYj-DE3-PqKXskoSYQXHBnWzx_Ff88_HkdmgO1mpD8yNT2g4r_TaIUOWxoC5rQQAvD_BwE Secondly...access to upper floors of station...maybe you are thinking 'internal'...I would suggest the opposite...in the form of hook ladders...like 'roofers' use...when travelling...they would be stored (horizontally) on hangers on the back side of the station maybe. Another idea that was put forward earlier in the formative stages (Pete)...an 'awning' (pull out) over the workshop opening...much like the shutter setup you did for the F1 dio...but horizontal pullout as opposed to vertical drop. Like the 'outrigger' idea...and certainly doable for you. Lastly...I still think the top of the communication tower (brass one) is the perfect place for a 'landing light' for the wasp's. Right...that's me done...back to boring old F1 Ron

Even as a diorama you could add an extra dimension through using the products of this company: https://aromaprime.com/

HI Ron, I appreciate that feedback. I think I'm like you in that regard, if it clearly doesn't work, or look like it works, well, it's not something to build! I enjoy looking parts up - it can be really informative for whatever you're trying to make work, and offers lots of good ideas for other parts of the build. And, ask and you will (eventually) see change - like bolts and a generator! And, a thicker trailer! Starting with the thicker trailer - I balanced this in place, with tires/wheels on, and eyeballed the gap between them and the bed. Next, found a suitably thick piece of material for reinforcement. For this, cut out individual segments, to go between each trailer rib, then added another sheet styrene on the inside to thicken the look up a bit. I'm glad you pushed me on this subject, as I think it looks more convicing now (and will moreso with paint) - I hope it passes the Ron test! You'll also see the trailer now has three stabilizers in place - two that come with the kit, front and rear, and my hefty hydraulic ram! An oddity of the kit, or maybe the way it really is, the front jacks are pretty short - so, under went a block of wood, which I can imagine being reasonable when leveling on a site - who knows? Then, added lots and lots of bolt heads, made by cutting lots of short segments of various diameter hex rods. While a bit tedious, it is essential. I've never liked my results for scale weld seams, so for now, I'm sticking with bolts. The updside to these bolt heads is that they are so obvious, that they cast a nice shadow, which also means when it comes time to weather this, they can become little nodes of rust and grime! I also added a cap to the handrail on the second level. I like this because it also sticks out enough to cast a shadow. Little segments of remnant hydraulic lines added here and there too. This unit now has a generator! Like the rest, it's styrene and remanants from other kits. It seems to be quite a nice and snug fit. You can see a muffler in the back, and several lengths of solder to make up two cable packs running up to harnesses that will eventually get glued to the rest. One last update is the radar - I realized it was mounted the wrong way before, as it was pivoting around the "end" for lack of a better term, and now, it pivots about the radar screen (I have no idea what it's called either!). So, out came the knife and saw, and I changed it. I think the other way looked a bit better, but this is how they are supposed to look! The spot lights are a good idea too - I haven't figured out how to make them yet? I looked on shapeways, and found some in 1/32 scale, @ $11 each. But, as this is not supposed to include buying new stuff, I'll keep the $11 and figure something out! As for the next stpes, I need to think up the next set of spatuals - something that does something, but can be interpreted to reflect the character of the intended build. You'll notice, I built an I beam frame sticking outward from the second floor deck. Initially this was supposed to be a bracket that stabilizers would be attached to. But, the more I think about this, I'm considering some sort of boom like/outrigger structure, like you see on fishing trawlers: I already have what is called a "cross tree" (the I beam structure), so, maybe I'll add the outgiggers - maybe my tent/canopy structure will be drawn by the "tag lines" and hang by the outriggers??? The trailer comes with some big rigging blocks that I could use to raise/lower the outrigger?? - again, not sure yet, but, it is something I like the look of. As to whether I can pull it off, that's another story! If I can pull it off, it might be just what I need to add to the "look" - I really don't want to cobble on random sheets of material to the overall structure. OK, on we go - happy model building - Cheers Nick

You are right of course Bill; I am a dioramatist and scratchbuilder and so won't actually make a working model. It is 1:144 / N Gauge and who can afford N Gauge stuff nowadays? I hope to get restarted on the signal box soon, I've managed to find some 3D levers on the web and have scaled them down and printed some in readiness. cheers, Mike

Mike, the modeller part of me says "Why the blooming heck make it work?" The engineer might have other ideas but do I need to make my helicopters fly? Not a chance.

Mine will also be a multi-person involvement........ one side of me says "get back into it and let's see more progress", the other side says "don't forget all your other projects and get them done first"; then, another part of me wants to strip it all down and start again as a working model, just like Copenhagen Fields! Mike

Mike - do keep going but as for taking your time... this looks like it might become the Brum equivalent of Copenhagen fields, the Model Railway Club;s 2mm scale model of the area north of Kings Cross. If BM'ers have not seen this it is worth seeking out at a model railway exhibition or looking it up on the internet. However this is a multi person project and has taken 30 years to date and is not yet finished.

Please do so, Mike. Take your time.

Definitely. If I remember correctly, it was 500Kg with the tail fins removed, probably got damaged on landing? Mike

Fabulous, then you can make the Sunday paper kiosks too. Will you be putting the bomb in the Market Hall?

Hi Bill, thanks and yes, the Golden Eagle was quite famous mid-sixties. The junction of Navigation Street and Hill Street was also the main bus interchange. The Golden Eagle can be seen up the hill from this junction. I used to live in Gooch Street at the time, about a 15 minute walk to the station. It was easy getting onto the platforms by going down Queen's Drive. I have had to move my little diorama to the shed as it was getting too large for modelling space in the house. My [cunning] plan is to continue with this.................. and also extend eastwards until at least the old great Market Hall in the Bull Ring. Anyone remember the old double cassette recorders, as seen on the right here? This will make the layout about 8 feet wide by nearly four feet across. I'm taking a temporary break from this as I have a few vehicles that I would like to draw up and 3D print, the CAD work takes quite a bit of time for me. cheers, Mike

Thanks Tigercat! TT

Mike maestro, what a wonderful project which has given me much pleasure and anticipation to read, when work on it becomes visible I will be alongside. The Golden Eagle, what a blooming ugly building but I remember it well, my owner Gwyn used to frequent their jazz nights in the sixties. Square black ceramic tile fascia all over, ugly but with a certain je-ne-sais-quoi possibly a slight sheen at this scale. A good job you decided to model the Swallow St, Hill St Navigation St section because if you had gone further into the tunnels on the bridge you might not have been able to stop 'til you reached the bottom of the Lickey Incline, down the left hole in the ground a few miles... Almost all of the brickwork was blue engineerings, with added soot. Inches of it. My dad would take me along Hill Street to the station side of the road on Sunday mornings where he could get his Scottish Sunday papers and I might get a comic from the magazine and newspaper kiosks that lined the road from Queens Drive to Navigation St, I know your spot quite well from a five year old's perspective. We lived nearby to Severn St.

Amazing something a bit different, amazing painting on the Outriders

Very Dynamic , excellent work . A real snapshot in time feel

Smashing! The instant I saw your photos I thought "That should be on the cover of a Commando comic". So I looked them up and discovered: a.) They are still being published b.) I was almost exactly correct! p.s. I love that hand pulling the hatch closed! p.p.s. I just read that it's 1/48 not 1/35. I'm even more impressed now.

Thank you very much for your very kind comments. Thank you very much!! Thank you very much Tojo72, most kind! Yeah!! Thank you very much! Hi echen. I think this may be the one Greg was refering to: A couple of photos of it here: Kind regards, Stix