1/72 Short Stirling Diorama, with 1/76 LNER D16 Locomotive and Carriage Diorama - How best to do this??

[Nick21]

Looking for ideas and suggestions please, as first foray into such a large diorama for me, gulp 😆!! Please see images below - I am going to create a diorama to replicate Short Stirling MG-V W7445 at it's hard stand at RAF Oakington, with the LNER D16 locomotive and carriage in the back ground (I've purchased both) as seen in the B&W image below. My initial plans are to are cut out a "Trapezoid" that's 50cm across the front, 60cm deep and 70 wide at the back out of a solid foam, this gives it depth, width at the back and possibly a good composition too?  . I am not going to use the frame that's in the image below with the paper cut out of the Stirling, that was way too heavy and large but it shows the concept. The rail track will sit at the back as the 70cm gives it the width for the D16 locomotive & carriage and the Stirling at the front, with it's front wheels on the hard stand and tail wheels on the grass behind. I'm thinking of using Balsa wood to create the edging of the foam. There will be a tractor and bomb trolley's, may be a vehicle and definitely figures working on the Stirling and loading Bombs too. It's Nov 1941, it'll be wet, even with a light snow here and there. Lots of Youtube info available, perhaps too much, so appreciate any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

The scene below is what I'm thinking I'd like to replicate, though some bombs will be loaded and some being drawn up into the bay too. 

 

By Charles E. Brown - This photograph TR 36 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2050947

Edited June 23 by Nick21
added photo

[Nick21]

Idea's and purchasing coming together! Have decided to go with a 9mm Plywood base and 20mm high density foam, to be glued to the Plywood. It will be cut to take the form of a Trapezius shape, 50cm wide at the front, 70cm wide at the back and 60cm from the front to the back. PVA glue to secure foam to base, with both cut to shape prior to gluing together. I'll edge the foam with Balsawood, that'll be 3 or 4mm higher than the top of the foam, to create a surround to "catch" the concrete and grassy areas and railway line! I'll leave a 4mm surround of Plywood extending out from the Balsawood edging as that will support a Perspex cover that'll have made once the foam and Balsawood are in place. Ply and Balsa will be painted black. The concrete hard standing will have 50% of the width of the concrete taxiway included, allowing the Stirling to sit further forward on the diorama. This will not move quickly, as lots to plan out and start to build! The Locomotive and carriage will have a coat of gloss soon too, ready for some weathering and cotton wool, for smoke, fashioned onto the Chimney too. It'll be the detailed components that will take time concrete, grass, railway, fencing, powerlines...... 🙃

 

 

 

Edited June 25 by Nick21
added image