Jump to content

1/72 airfield


Texans

Recommended Posts

So all started with the awesome Build a HAS by @bar side on this site and  wanted to have a go myself. I started with the 2 old airfix control towers, cut an shut to make the one seen below  and the great @Amera Plastic Mouldings HAS. I modified the shelter and scratch built some doors more like the ones at Lakenheath.  Very early days and will be a slow burner but hope y'all like the start. A few F15s in the pipeline too. 
 

50831899528_0d106c5358_b.jpg

  

50832644971_c4b2b63014_b.jpg 50832731552_745a12c47e_b.jpg

    

50831899308_3b96344073_b.jpg 50831899698_cde2629320_b.jpg

      

50832643506_442d2e9b08_b.jpg

    

50831902263_fddb22b855_b.jpg

     

50831899863_1db0644df0_b.jpg

 

50832645491_b98b6e4fc7_b.jpg

 

50831900278_db0cba5668_b.jpg

 

50832730112_535f6feb58_b.jpg

  Thanks for looking and  all comments welcome. 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking very nice.  You could have either the European clamshell doors on that HAS, but the uk style blast doors look quite at home.  You have a nice size base board there that could take a load of additional features.  Have you checked out the Spangdahlem diorama on ARC Forums?  Philippe has got the details down of the sort of thing that will really bring things to life

this is one of his pictures

img_0727.jpg
 

Great start - looking forward to seeing this progress

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah have seen that one   It's very impressive and  like all the added groundwork he has done. The  HAS came with the clamshell doors but was rather tight with F 15 so made attempt to build blast doors.  Happy with how turned out.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quick Question to diorama builders   In relation to trees 1/72 scale.  Do you use model railway ones  or some other method.  Not done a diorama before so  all advice welcome  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Either.  It’s quite a good time of year to get twigs and dip the tips in pva then in a bag of flock.  They are cheap if you want a lot of trees & no doubt you refine your choice of twigs & method as you go.  Pre made trees are nice but I would tend to keep them for a feature rather than a background fill.  Mean, do you really see three trees, or are there normally 20+?  Just my opinion though - your  model to do your way

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Texans said:

Quick Question to diorama builders   In relation to trees 1/72 scale.  Do you use model railway ones  or some other method.  Not done a diorama before so  all advice welcome  

Beware, OO gauge trees are 1/76 scale, and will be a bit underscale in a 1/72 diorama :fool:

 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't worry too much about that, in real life trees come in different sizes anyway.  But as railway modeller found out, they are rather large for any reasonable-sized diorama, so model trees (whatever the scale) are sized to allow for that.  As you are unlikely to want them at the front of your diorama, for obvious reasons, you can benefit from this as some kind of false parallax.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all your help  still a long way off at this point but good too know going forward. Next step plan out where all gonna go on base and maybe another board to add space 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
3 hours ago, Mancunian airman said:

That dangerous thinking when you say . .  'maybe another board to add space '

 

My diorama  started at 8' x 4' and its currently 20' x 12'

 

Be careful what you wish for  . . . .:idea::idea:

Ian

Wow   Thanks massive   yeah  always looks too small when setting things out  as I'm rubbish at getting area for HAS apron correct size etc lol 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Stalled on this right now. Airbrush has broke so new one required 🤬🤬 

 

getting mental block on how to set out and  make it look right  HELP lol 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would hop on Google Maps satellite photos of Upper Heyford, Bentwaters or Wattisham.  Any base with a relatively unchanged HAS set up & see how things are set up.  Might give you some ideas.  And have a look for ground photos too

 

b7ecf01042b40e5aad46cfad25fa5f67.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to live on Upper Heyford in old usaf quarters so had a good look round there, I kind of know how I want  set out but always looks out of scale or too much in one area. My idea was to have the HAS apron for F-15 but with room to side for smaller jet (F5) size or try fit second pan  for another plane and a  Control tower.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At Wattisham they had concrete blast walls alongside the HAS - pretty sure they predated the HAS site.  But they used to put decoy Lightnings between them.  The decoy would be closer than an operational jet & gives a good reason for it being there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So tonight the control tower has migrated to its own board  freeing up space and  things seem a bit clearer now.   Main board will have the HAS and apron with a small pan behind   And will attempt the blast walls as mentioned by @bar side. Kind of a Lakenheath / Heyford hybrid set in  the late 90s to early 2003.  timescale is Operation Iraqi Freedom so any ideas welcome. Stash is  3 x F15 1 C  and 2 E, a Tornado, and F16 and would like to add a A10 as well at some point. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...