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2nd editions*: 1:72 WW2 Airforce Base diorama


Kateenaboy

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So from the sounds of things most bases would have been serviced primarily by motor transportation such as convoys. 

 

Evidently my design may may not be 100% historically accurate as I will be applying a creative license to the project, by adding a railway depot/siding at the base perimeter, which I’m sure everybody incorporates some sort of personal touch in their projects.

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3 hours ago, Kateenaboy said:

So from the sounds of things most bases would have been serviced primarily by motor transportation such as convoys. 

 

Evidently my design may may not be 100% historically accurate as I will be applying a creative license to the project, by adding a railway depot/siding at the base perimeter, which I’m sure everybody incorporates some sort of personal touch in their projects.

In some areas the situation was even more complicated. Obviously both railway yards and airfields were known to the Luftwaffe and probable targets. Therefore in many cases bomb dumps were situated some distance from both, and often hidden in wooded areas, or at least camouflaged. In the  area I am modelling trains would bring bombs to one or more designated railway yards and the bombs would then be taken to a couple of dumps. When needed they would then be taken to airfields. Having dumps also regulated supply and demand. In most cases fuel was stockpiled at "Tank Farms" a major one being at Saffron Walden from which a pipe line ran across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. That pipe line is still in use today. A big use of rail yards was for provisions and much of the food and drink for airfields would arrive by train.

 

As far as I know the logistics of supplying the USAF during WW2, and the part the railways played, has not been fully documented. For the RAF this thesis is interesting and includes details of the pipeline.:

 

https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10871/21724/T Stone - PhD Thesis.pdf?sequence=1

 

The other things to remember is some of these rail yards still had significant local traffic, coal would arrive by train and produce would be sent out.

 

For East Anglia this map, from the Official LNER history shows the relationship between Railways and Airfields.

 

airfields

 

Do note that, probably for security reasons many of the airfields are not in their exact position and some are missing,

 

Although you are applying 

4 hours ago, Kateenaboy said:

a creative license

to your model, I do think there are a number of aspects to chose from as the difference in what you model could be significant:

 

Main base is RAF or USAF?

Bomber or fighter?

North or South of London?

Base existed pre-war or was wartime built?

 

Keep going and continue to ask questions and report on progress.

 

 

 

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Nice topic this.  It seems there are two main types to go for.  Either pre war airfields with Type A or Type C hangars, 3 or 4 of them.  For this type see Bassingbourn, Mildenhall, Wattisham, Duxford etc.  These may have concrete runways (late war for RAF or US use) or grass field (early war Scampton or Duxford).  Then the war time builds with T2 hangars and usual Class A bomber fields with three concrete runways in the classic A layout.  Buildings on the class A fields seem to be pretty standardised - watch tower, parachute store bomb site store etc.  Also fairly standard frying pan and spectacle hardstandings.  A great source of photos of remaining buildings is the UK Airfields website
 

http://www.ukairfields.org.uk/

 

Don’t forget to google map your favourite airfields and generally get ideas from many.  I have walked around a load in East Anglian so have a load for my own pics, but Richard’s photos on the website above are great.

 

All the best & ask away - no daft questions here


 

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I'll second that. I know Richard who runs the UK Airfields site. It may even be worth you looking at the Airfield Research Group. £30 a year membership, but it is an absolute mine of information, and includes plans and photos of a whole host of different buildings from all eras. I've been a member since 2013.

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For my own project I am going through my reference material:

 

If you are modelling an American base then:

 

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/

 

Is a very useful site as it does include many original airfield plans.

 

My go to book on the subject is:

 

"British Military Airfield Architecture: From Airships to the Jet Age",  When published it cost £19.99, but it is not now a cheap choice the best price on e-bay in Australia is AU $100.65 with free postage from the UK.

 

 

A source of maps showing all RAF stations and railways are the War Office Maps at

 

https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/series?xCenter=3160000&yCenter=3160000&scale=500000&viewScale=5805357.4656&mapLayer=europe&subLayer=gsgs_4072&title=British War Office GSGS 4072%2C 4140%2C 4369&download=true

 

Your can download the relevant map for your chosen area.

 

Edited by Paul821
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Research is always key on such a subject as this, building an airfield covers a multitude of areas from buildings to bomb storage to dispersals.

As mentioned, you have to decide the period, 1943/1944/1945, and just how much of the airfield you want to model ??

I personally have chosen 1943 and selected the technical site as I also have a large collection of vehicles.

 

I have been studying the subject for years so feel free to ask as many questions, there are plenty of people that have local knowledge of many airfields on this site  . . . .

 

I would suggest that the railway line would just be a passing line as its highly unlikely to be in close proximity, but as you are applying 'artistic licence its your choice . . . 

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For railway lines near airfields, I have found them few & far between.  For example RAF Raydon has the former Hadleigh branch next to it & would probably have had a branch in to the bomb dump.  The line is close to the north eastern dispersal but was only a small branch.  You could apply artistic license of course.  The Southend mainline runs right past the end of the runway there.


Raydon-7Sep1946.png

 

 

 

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Sounds like a awesome project.  In terms of  rail lines  Look at Upper Heyford  has a main line run just past end of runway. No actual line into base but could spur a track off 

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What I was thinking is a small siding that enables goods to be dropped off near the perimeter of the fence so trains would not actually go into the airforce base but would be able to stop unload essential goods/personnel. 

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I have further refined my design of the airfield that it will be primarily a fighter base though it will still be a shared facility like that of Heston, Ashford & Kingsnorth. Though the infrastructure will support a variety of different aircraft both American and British. These aircraft will be classic fighters will most lightly be some of the most iconic aircraft of the second world war. Aircraft I would used would be using include: the p51D's, the P47D's, p40's, Spitfire's, Hurricane's, Typhoon's, skua's, etc... though that has not come to a final decision. 

 

The Building and related infrastructure for the airbase I intend to use, I'm currently in talks with Mancunian airman to obtain  plans for his accurate card models. I'm also undergoing the decision making process to design and make a railway siding on the bases perimeter that will serve the personnel on base and deliver essential goods. once the general concept is thought of I'll be purchasing and basic modelling goods such as ballast and other scenic detailing as well as scratch making several pieces such as platforms, signal box etc.

 

Until next time Ben

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@Kateenaboy As your airfield seems to be in the Southern Railway area I will PM you with more specific information about possible loco's etc. But on a more general issue, for railway items,  I would suggest:

 

For your platform using Peco LK-62 Platform Edging, Concrete as this is a good representation of platform edges in that area.

 

https://peco-uk.com/products/platform-edging-concrete?_pos=1&_sid=88af2c944&_ss=r

 

For signals

 

https://peco-uk.com/collections/oo-signals/products/sr-rail-built-signal-kit

 or

https://peco-uk.com/collections/oo-signals/products/lner-sr-lattice-post-signal

 

I am building the second in the "Under a tenner" GB

 

for the signal box

 

https://scalescenes.com/product/r010a-arp-signalbox/

 

 

 

 

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In addition to my PM here is a photo taken from the official Southern Railway History of the railway during WW2 showing Feltham Yard. It shows the types of goods wagons around at the time on the SR.

 

Feltham

 

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thought my fictional airbase is based in the south of England is the lay out will be inspire by the likes of RAF Windrush & Bibury, etc... as my it is my one of my favourite childhood areas as I had fond memories of visiting my grandfather and walking around the Cotswolds. Just looking at google maps it turns out I us to walk through the fields only about a km or 2 from RAF windrush which wash used between 1940-45.

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For an update date i’ve Been doing research on runway lengths and lay out.

 

For something full 1:72 recreation for a short runway the total distance would be between 11-13m long, up to 50cm wide and a regulation safety barrier of 1.27m on all sides of the runway.

 

I’m also looking at references at marshalling areas and hangers.

 

by either this weekend or next I’ll post some concept layouts for the railway siding, and aircraft marshalling/ hangers 

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Good to see further progress and reports backed up with research.

 

If you are building a model of an airfield built after 1940 then you could probably dispense with the safety barrier / fence. See this thread

 

https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/146225-fencing-of-ww2-airbases

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Paul821 said:

 

If you are building a model of an airfield built after 1940 then you could probably dispense with the safety barrier / fence...

 

5 hours ago, Paul821 said:

 

 

 

I probably then only keep it around major installations such a the bomb dump 

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A couple more with rail right next to them, a little north of your target area, are RAF Long Marston and RAF Honeybourne.  It seems highly likely they could have spur lines on to the fields, and both hosted a real mix of aircraft too

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Due to space parameters for the project it will be impractical to do the full runway even with it being a modular layout. I’ll most likely only do a small portion of runway with the rest being a backdrop. The main focus will then be the main technical sights and facilities such as hangers, dumps, substations, etc...

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys.

 

it has been a w while another update just come up with the general design for the marshalling area for the airforce base thin this update I have posted an image of the aircraft marshalling area and most of the relevant dimension I intend to use. I have yet to add a mosquito pen and a c47 pen with most likely be placed near the aircraft control tower which will be added later in a another section at the end on the runway.

 

I will Post a general plan of what I'm thinking of for a railway siding by the end of the week. please give feedback and thoughts sorry if it it is a little confusing.

 

Until next time 

 

Dimension have been calculated as 3.5m by 2.5m. It will be made in 8 segments measuring 85cm x125cm

 

Hangar dimensions

Hangers 1-4 will be 44.5cm x 32cm

Hangar 5= 28cm x 22.5cm

hangar 6 = 16cm x 16cm

 

The fighter pens dimension

will be 19.5cm x 17.4cm interior  with a 2cm wall on either side and back

 

Pathways

each pathway between the H1-4 is 7cm with 40cm wide patches of grass

the end pathways on either far side of the pens is 5cm

the gaps between hangers 6 and 6 being being roughly 2-4cm apart 

 

the tarmac

the tarmac in front of the hangars is a 20cm gap with 20cm partings every 3 pens allowing access to the main runway.

the runway width is 48.6 cm with the grass safety barrier being 125cm.

 

 

The key is

H 1,2,3 =hangar

P 1,2,3 = blast pen

Green=grass

Grey= tarmac

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Edited by Kateenaboy
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@Kateenaboy my initial question regarding your design is this based on research and/or a particular airfield? A secondary question is the purpose of the diorama is it mainly to display a collection of aircraft or become a full model of a busy airfield?

 

 

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@Paul821Mostly the design is custom though inspired by aspects of actual airforce base such as pens, though as I do more research the layout may change to add a more realistic setup.

 

The design is both a combination of a busy airforce base(primarily) and to display a collection(secondary). 

 

Also reasoning for making of segments allows for easy adaptation for space constraints, so the full set up can be added together to form the full diorama or be split up and used for multiple smaller diorama’s.

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I’m worried by the location of your fighter pens. Blast pens were usually at dispersal points a long way from the hangars and technical sections of the airfield. The areas in front of hangars was usually clear and unobstructed.

 

Please don’t think I’m being critical. I think your ambition with this diorama setup is amazing. I just wish I had space for something similar!

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@Heather Kay I know exactly where you are coming from, as previously mentioned the is inspiration from actual bases though I have made adaptations to include elements and the complete set out will be fictional mainly the buildings and vehicles will be real or heavily influenced by actual period pieces 

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