Modelclub Eeklo Belgium Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 By John Van Herreweghe Member of Model Club Eeklo Belgium Directly after the end of WW2 in Europe, Berlin had been divided in two halves, one side occupied by Stalin and the other side occupied by the US, Great Britain and France. On the first of April 1948, the Russians decided to block the corridors completely off from the West to Berlin. This restriction was for military and civilian means. In Berlin, 2.1 million Germans tried to survive the hardship in a bombed-out city. Besides that, the garrisons from the US, Great Britain and the France would be cut off from supplies. These circumstances would set off the world’s largest ever air supply operation in the world. It would last from 26 June 1948, until midnight 12th May 1949. It took 266.600 flights, carrying 2,223.000 tons of food, fuel and supplies to keep the city going. At one minute after midnight on 12 May 1949, the blockade was lifted. The recent publication of the book “The Berlin Airlift” by John Grehan (Pen&Sword Books) made me change my diorama setting. It would be dedicated in honor of the Armed Forces that took part in this airlift. The Diorama: Starting point would be the C-54 Skymaster from Revell. Cargo door open, ready to load/unload. Airfix delivered the Autocar Refueller, decorated with Arctic Decals. IBG delivered the Diamond general purpose truck. On the website from Video graphics, I found the Coleman Tow Truck, not quite in the right time frame, but a very powerful model that had to do the job. The figurines came from CMK. The perfectly fitting boarding ladder came from Dan Models, with a Brengun Models toolbox. My base plate was constructed from MDF, sandpaper from the local hardware store made the runway/tarmac. The firm Noch from Germany supplied the grass, to give it some more color. Construction was straight forward. Airbrushing the C-54 was complicated, because of the curves and the large orange frame pieces on the nose, fuselage and tail. The Autocar refueler and the Diamond truck were both a perfect fit. I did not want to go into (dull) olive military colors, but spruced it up with red, yellow (Refueller) and extreme light blue for the USAF Diamond truck. I did not feel qualified enough to paint the figurines, but my fellow club member, from Model Club Eeklo Belgium, Marc De Graeve, was willing to do it for me. So dear readers, you see how important it is, to belong to a model club. You can share your ideas and help each other out. Diorama finished. On the contest table, the base plate is combined with the large engraved text plate “Berlin Air Lift” accompanied by the “Berlin Airlift “ book by the author John Greham. Tags: C-54 Skymaster Revell 04877 New Wave 162 Mask Diamond T968 IBG 72019 Autocar refueller Airfix A6304 Arctic Decals Shell Aviation ARC72-V08 Boarding Ladder Dan Models 72511 Toolbox Brengun BRL 72002 Coleman Tow Truck Video Aviation Coleman MB4 + Tow Bar Xtra Color/Revell enamel paints Onto the next one. I think the HC-130 Hercules from the United States Coast Guard. Also, BIG and colorful. Good health to all of you, Regards, from Belgium John 48 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James G Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Nice diorama! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Splendid diorama. Does the Revell C-54 come with positionable flaps or did you make that modification yourself? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelclub Eeklo Belgium Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 38 minutes ago, SAT69 said: Splendid diorama. Does the Revell C-54 come with positionable flaps or did you make that modification yourself? Hello SAT69, Thanks for your response. The flaps are positionable in the box. Regards, John 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Excellent! Superb figures and accessories with a very fine model. I read somewhere that the turn-around was so fast that the pilots didn't even disembark and kept the engines running... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Spectacular, great modelling ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Very nice build and diorama! My Dad was stationed at RAF Fassberg, Germany during the airlift and I have many b&w photos he took of the C-47's and USAF/USN C-54's used, as well as the rubble and ruins in Berlin. I hope to do Gail Halvorsen's 'Candy Bomber' C-54 someday as a tribute model. See the link to a video. They don't make 'em like that anymore. It was a thrill for me when we were later stationed at Wiesbaden to go to Berlin and walk around Tempelhof airfield while my Dad told me about what went on there in 1948-49; I could only imagine the hundreds of transports and Sunderland flying boats that flew in and out daily to supply the people of West Berlin. Mike https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L87u5JM5Bqg 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Excellent job on the C-54 and the Diorama. My father was also a crew chief during the LIft. I wish I had had the presence of mind to have quizzed him in detail on it when I was a kid. I know it was a C-82 but not much else. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy54 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Very nice, thank you for sharing. I have one that I really should finish and I shall be pleased if turns out half as good as yours. I was at Tempelhof during the early 1970's and had the honour and pleasure of meeting Colonel Halvorsen and his family. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Superb, that's a quality bit of work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Excellent diorama, and of a very worthy subject as well. Well done, Johna and everyone involved! Kind regards, Joachim 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Nice dio John. At first I'm thinking, too colourful for this era & then of course, I realise I'm basing this off black & white photos. I like what you've done, the collection of vehicles is great & the figures lend life to it all. 👍 & so colourful. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Fantastic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Hello John, Job well done. I have seen you working on this diorama with endless patience. I was also impressed with your research , concerning this important history moment. The result was well worth all the hours you put into it. Not a dull olive colored collection of military assets, but a colorful setting. As mentioned above, all pictures at that time are black and white. That gives the modeler some freedom in choosing his color scheme.. The finish with the hardware store sandpaper runway, is surely one thing that I will take over by constructing tarmac or runway. Thanks to Revell (C-54 Skymaster) this workhorse from the USAF/USN could be constructed. Excellent detailed model. As mentioned by you, membership of a model club is giving you many privileges. The mix of all the know how, that is constantly present in a group of dedicated modelers. There are still to many "ceiling builders" that have no idea what they miss. Thanks for sharing and good luck with the HC-130 from the USCG. Regards, Orion. (P-3C) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Wonderful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelclub Eeklo Belgium Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 Hello Brit Modelers, Thanks for the kind responses, regarding my first big diorama. Your comments, gave me surely a boost to continue with my next project. Until the next one. Regards, John Van Herreweghe BELGIUM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Very nice, and your friend is a superb figure painter, I had to double check the scale was 1/72! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinnie Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 Lovely modelling, John. A nice busy dio with well painted figures.👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 (edited) 12 hours ago, Nev said: Very nice, and your friend is a superb figure painter, I had to double check the scale was 1/72! Edited April 6, 2020 by Orion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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