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AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS AND AIRFIELD BUILDINGS, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT


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From my life long interest in aircraft and aircraft modelling has spawned another interest......airfields. I have been fascinated with airfields since my dad took me to look around an abandoned Flying Fortress base at Debach when I was eight. I am particularly interested in the infrastructure concerning the operation of aircraft such as the hardstandings, aprons, hangars and control towers and also the associated vehicles and equipment. I always like to display my aircraft on a hardstanding or setting that the real aircraft would have operated from. As I have spent years researching and visiting airfields I have acquired much information on airfield layouts and dimensions.

 

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Here I am standing in the middle of an abandoned RAF Binbrook........no longer the roar of Lightnings.......just the sound of skylarks.

 

In the early days I would photograph, sketch and pace out bomber or fighter dispersals and hardstandings whenever we were passing an airfield, much to my wife's curious suspicions usually with comments such as " did you know this airfield was here " or " I wondered why we were going down here ".....    " it's a good job I brought a book with me then ".

These field visits could sometimes be dangerous though......my wife still laughs about the day an Alsatian dog chased me back to the car from the control tower at Shepherds Grove and then tried to bite off one of our wing mirrors.

 

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That is my friend and fellow airfield enthusiast standing on the roof of the abandoned  control tower at RAF Binbrook. I took this from the roof of a hangar.

 

With Google Earth all this is changed now, I can zoom down from space on my computer on Lancaster dispersals, Beverley aprons at Abingdon, Shackleton dispersals at St Eval, V Bomber aprons and B52 Operational Readiness Platforms or anything, anywhere in the world.

 

So here we go, a selection of my airfield and bases and models of course. There will also be some Full Scale inspiration included.

 

I will also be pleased to include related dioramas by other modellers too .

 

Adey

 

 

 

Edited by adey m
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I can't wait to see these Adey.

It's one of those things that I've always said I'd do but never took the first step.

This could just be the incentive I need, if what you've shown us so far is anything to go by.

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Airfield buildings made from card, vehicles are BW Models white metal kits and the Lightnings and Meteor are reworked CORGI models.

 

The airfield controllers truck is a converted AIRFIX AEC Matador.

 

On our Bridlington and Wolds club display at Scale Model World.

Edited by adey m
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Control tower is a wartime 815/40 design which has been modified post war with the addition of a local air traffic controllers cabin on the roof and the removal of the balcony.

Edited by adey m
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A terrific looking tableau.  I've been looking for airfield stuff from this period to display my models, which are mostly from the 50' and 60s, but I've found it quite difficult to find both references and kits.  You mention the airfield buildings are made of card.  Are they home made or from a kit?  What sort of card do you use? 

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Now you are a man after my own heart, I too love the airfields sites!

 

Control tower is 518/40 built just after the out-break of war.

 

I love the clean lines of the buildings, is there a smoke pipe in the first picture I wonder  and also I admire your adaptations of the Corgi diecast

 

I have scores of my own airfield buildings plans and if I had the techno brain, I would get them printed up on card and sell them on . . .

 

Can I pop some of my buildings in here just to show  "You are not alone"

 

25602621343_bd889440ff_z.jpg

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11 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

A terrific looking tableau.  I've been looking for airfield stuff from this period to display my models, which are mostly from the 50' and 60s, but I've found it quite difficult to find both references and kits.  You mention the airfield buildings are made of card.  Are they home made or from a kit?  What sort of card do you use? 

Thanks Meatbox8 ( or Meteor F Mk8 ? )

 

The buildings are all my own constructed from the big sheets of modelling card you can get at art and craft shops and glued together with Bostik glue.

 

I will be showing my buildings in more detail later.

 

cheers, Adey

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4 hours ago, Mancunian airman said:

Now you are a man after my own heart, I too love the airfields sites!

 

Control tower is 518/40 built just after the out-break of war.

 

I love the clean lines of the buildings, is there a smoke pipe in the first picture I wonder  and also I admire your adaptations of the Corgi diecast

 

I have scores of my own airfield buildings plans and if I had the techno brain, I would get them printed up on card and sell them on . . .

 

Can I pop some of my buildings in here just to show  "You are not alone"

 

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That is fantastic Mancunian.......you are very welcome

 

Is that the control tower at Seighford ?

 

Adey

 

Edited by adey m
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And here is an appropriate one for Meatbox8...........a Meatbox8 inside its protective blast walls which were a feature of jet fighter airfields down the eastern side of the UK in the 1950s.

 

Adey

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1 hour ago, adey m said:

Thanks Meatbox8 ( or Meteor F Mk8 ? )

 

The buildings are all my own constructed from the big sheets of modelling card you can get at art and craft shops and glued together with Bostik glue.

 

I will be showing my buildings in more detail later.

 

cheers, Adey

Thank you for the info.  I have a local art shop so will see what they've got and give it a go. 

 

Yes, Meteor F Mk8s are among my favourite staples. 

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1 hour ago, adey m said:

 

 

 

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And here is an appropriate one for Meatbox8...........a Meatbox8 inside its protective blast walls which were a feature of jet fighter airfields down the eastern side of the UK in the 1950s.

 

Adey

 

 

Thanks for that.  It looks great.  Never seen one of these blast walls before.

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Adey

 

My tower was based on Seighford, Rufford, Waltham and a couple of others.

That particular example was converted from 2 Airfix control Tower kits with added bits/rooms on the ends.

The other two in the background are made from 40thou plasti-card measured from plans that I drew myself  to 4mm scale.

( I have scores of wartime buildings drawn so probably a bit early for the period you are covering ?)

 

I look forward to seeing more of your diorama displays.

Ian

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Meteor F.8 within its protective concrete blast walls. These blast walls were constructed at Tangmere, Duxford, Waterbeach, Coltishall,Horsham St Faith, Stradishall,Wattisham, West Malling, Linton on Ouse and Leuchars and they are still there at some sites.

 

These protected pens were usually constructed in pairs in a Y layout with a refueller hardstanding between them and a hut to one side. Notice the hole through one of the walls....this was for the refuelling pipe from a refueller tanker which would be parked the other side of the wall.

 

The type of aircraft protected in these pens were Meteors, Hunters, Javelins and Lightnings.

 

There is a sequence in one of The Beatles films where the Fab Four are climbing about on one of these blast walls while singing....but it is a misty day so you cannot see any of the airfield. Just cannot remember which film it is.................over to you guys

 

Model is a reworked CORGI 1/72 in the markings of 500 County of Kent Squadron at West Malling in 1953. The blast walls are made from paper card and the base is thin hardboard painted with matt emulsion tester paints. Scratch built starter trolley.

 

Adey

 

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I just need to build a Javelin now...............

Edited by adey m
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Meteor F.8 of 85 Squadron, RAF Binbrook visiting 'RAF Bovingdon ' in the 1960s..............

 

Reworked, repainted and redecalled CORGI 1/72 model.                                                                                           Adey

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CORGI model of Meteor F.8 of 500 County of Kent Squadron visiting 'RAF Bovingdon' in the 1950s.                                                     Adey

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Santa Claus arrives at RAF Scarborough in a Wessex of 72 Squadron  with presents for the base children's Christmas party.

 

Reworked CORGI 1/72 Wessex.  Alvis Salamander crash truck is a BW Models white metal kit.

 

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