Dioramas Made Simple Section 1

Home , Airfix, Diorama, Model aircraft, Scale model

DIORAMAS MADE SIMPLE by 'Airframes'

PART ONE

INTRODUCTION.

Many modellers spend long hours producing some stunning models, especially in these days of numerous after market accessories and detailing products, and then put them away on a shelf or store them until the next exhibition or competition – I know, I do it myself, although I don’t bother with competitions these days. Although there is nothing wrong in this practice, and lets face it, we only have a certain amount of space to store or display the fruits of our labours, why don’t we make our models work for us, and add one or two dioramas to our model collections? The possible answer to this question could be “I’m nervous of trying a diorama; I wouldn’t know where to begin!” There are numerous publications available covering the construction of dioramas, including those by the recognised masters, Shep Paine and Francois Verlinden, and very good they are too! However, these publications have to be bought, and might not always be readily available. Also, some of the dioramas in the various books, and the processes required to construct them, may well prove daunting to the novice, especially if he or she is relatively new to the modelling hobby. Well, the aim of this work is to dispel the fear of attempting what at first may seem a major challenge, and to guide the reader through the various stages of producing an attractive diorama. In a step by step guide, we will look at the research, planning, story line and construction and display of dioramas, and how to achieve a good result without going to major expense or huge lengths to realise our aims.

Although aimed principally at aircraft dioramas, all of the following is equally applicable to military vehicles and figures, and some completed examples of the latter are illustrated later for reference. It is hoped that this work will be of value to both the beginner and the experienced modeller alike, and consequently I have deliberately avoided the use of complex techniques, materials and so forth. Likewise, the example subjects covered are designed to produce displays of manageable proportions, although the ultimate size of a finished display is, of course, down to the individual.

SECTION 1.

So what is a diorama? The general dictionary definition of a diorama states that it is a realistic presentation of objects, paintings and effects, including colours and lighting, portraying a scene or event. A good example of this definition would be, for instance, the display of a full size aircraft in a museum, against a backdrop depicting the period concerned, with life size manikin

1 figures, equipment and perhaps vehicles to set the scene. For example, the Spitfire Mk1 in the Battle of Britain Hall of the RAF Museum, at Hendon, England. In this example, instead of just displaying an historic aircraft, the visitor is able to view the Spitfire in surroundings depicting the period (the Battle of Britain, 1940.), in a setting that transforms the exhibit from a static lump of metal into a vivid reconstruction of an important period in history. The same is true of model dioramas, where not only can the miniaturised aircraft be displayed, but the story surrounding it can be fully presented in three dimensional miniature form, for another description of a diorama is a picture in 3D. It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and every picture tells a story, so if that picture is in three dimensions, then the story must be threefold!

It was around 1963 when, as a boy of 11 just getting 'seriously' started in the hobby, I first visited the Imperial War Museum at Lambeth, London. As a youngster brought up amid tales of World War Two, to be let loose (under a strict fatherly eye!) in this Mecca of aviation and armour exhibits was thrilling, to say the least. Spending my childhood in the North East of England, there wasn’t much opportunity to see actual historic aircraft, apart from the usual Dakotas and Tiger Moths at Newcastle airport, and the gate-guard Spitfire at nearby R.A.F. Acklington, yet here there was a real Spitfire, Hurricane and tanks, among many other fascinating exhibits. Then I spotted some of the wonderful, scratch-built display models, and the centrepiece, what at the time seemed a huge glass- cased diorama depicting Avro Lancasters at dispersal and taxiing around a bomber airfield, which was complete with control tower, buildings, vehicles and personnel, all, if my memory serves me, in 1/72 nd scale. That one image conveyed more to me than any description or period photograph could ever do, and has remained in my memory ever since. I think that was when my enthusiasm for the modelling hobby, and the portrayal of actual events, really got a massive boost, and, although I haven’t seen that diorama in forty five years, it still inspires me today; and that’s what is needed in building a diorama – inspiration!

Many modellers build a superb model of their chosen subject and then decide to place it in a diorama setting, often a simple scene depicting a dispersal point, or perhaps more complex, with large amounts of equipment, figures, starter trolleys etc. scattered around. All well and good, the inspiration might have been there initially, but things start falling apart when some of the basic rules of planning are ignored. As an example, some time ago a friend, who had not long been involved in armour modelling, showed me one of his first attempts at a small diorama in 1/35 th scale. He had built a really first class model of a German halftrack, complete with detailed figures; the whole lot beautifully painted, detailed and weathered, and then decided to display it as a diorama, which, I have to admit, looked very good. However, he had displayed the vehicle fully “cammed up”; in other words, covered in camouflage netting, branches etc., which, although it looked very realistic and authentic, prevented the model vehicle itself from being seen! Not only that, but the scene depicted was supposed to be late autumn/early winter, yet the miniature “foliage” used was full bloom summer vegetation. In his enthusiasm to complete his masterpiece, he had ignored some of the basic planning rules; in as much as he had detracted from the hard work invested in modelling the vehicle by making it disappear

2 from view, and had ignored his own research into the scene by portraying incorrect surroundings!

So, having attained the inspiration for our diorama, the next, and perhaps most important step, is PLANNING.

PLANNING THE SCENE .

In building a particular model, we normally have an idea of what we want the finished subject to represent, and will then carry out the necessary research and gather together as much reference material as possible to help us in our task. From my own experience, I know that this “intelligence gathering” can take longer than the actual building and finishing of the actual model, and quite often leads to frustration as contradictions of information crop up. That’s one of the reasons I try to model an actual documented subject, or build what I call a “representative” model, that is for example, an aircraft of the correct serial block, with the correct squadron codes, but where no positive photographic or written records exist to provide evidence of which code goes with which serial and so on. Inevitably, this type of model will perhaps represent an undistinguished aircraft within a particular unit, and not the mount of a famous ace, as so many models do, (including some of mine!). The P51C Mustang portrayed in the first diorama build is such an example, being an anonymous machine representative of the 361 st Fighter Group.

In planning the scene for a diorama, the research into the background of the scene is equally as important as the research into the aircraft depicted, if we wish to avoid falling into the trap of my above mentioned friend, and spoiling the overall effect by applying too much inspiration and not enough planning. Remember, we are producing a three dimensional picture, which is supposed to be telling a story, so the whole lot has to come together seamlessly. It is also worth remembering that, when planning a diorama depicting a particular aircraft, the model of the aircraft should be built for the diorama, not just added to a diorama.

As an aviation artist, I have always had to follow some simple rules in order to produce an accurate painting of an actual event, and so far, these rules have not let me down. These same rules can be applied equally to the production of an attractive and accurate diorama. They are :-

WHAT ?

WHEN ?

WHERE ?

WHY?

In other words; what are you depicting, when is it happening, where is it happening and why?

3 This may seem obvious and straightforward, but you'd be amazed how easy it is to make a simple mistake by forgetting or ignoring the answers to any one of the above questions, and it’s not only us that can be guilty of small mistakes that can have a big, if sometimes over exaggerated, effect on the finished product. It can happen to professionals too! Although to me it in no way detracted from what was a very well made movie, to some pedantic enthusiasts it spoiled Speilberg’s movie “Saving Private Ryan” when, in the closing battle scenes, a pair of Mustangs roared overhead, knocking out the attacking German Tiger tanks. What’s wrong with that? Nothing really, just that the colour schemes depicted on the Mustangs were those of the 78 th Fighter Group based at Duxford, which didn’t replace their Thunderbolts with Mustangs until January 1945, over six months after the scene depicted, and Tiger tanks hadn’t reached the battle front at the time depicted in the movie! (Obviously I accept the limitations in availability of aircraft, and the need for drama in such a production, so I don't have a problem with such minor 'inaccuracies'!) But the lesson here? Make sure you take note of your answers to the above four questions!

In the next section we will explore in greater detail the 'What,When,Where,Why', by looking at the planning stages of the first diorama, showing the aforementioned P51C, but for now, let’s look at each question individually in order to understand what we are trying to achieve with the answers. WHAT? In asking this question, we are literally asking about the overall picture we are trying to portray. As far as aircraft are concerned, this would be a series of “whats?”, that is; what type of aircraft, what mark number, what unit, what sub–unit, what pilot, what weapons or other stores fit, what colour ? Some of the answers could be affected by the answers to the other group of questions, and this will become apparent as we proceed through the various steps. WHEN? In other words, we are literally trying to tie down an actual date, time, or period as closely as possible. From the answers to this question we can gain much more information than you would initially expect. For example, if the scene is set in mid summer, we can get an idea, if not an accurate description from historical records documents, of what the weather was like at the time, which in turn gives us a good guess at the type of clothing being worn at the time by ground crew, for example. You wouldn’t expect a ground crewman to be wrapped up in a fleece jacket on a sweltering day in July in, say, Italy! Also, any vegetation included in the scene can be modelled for the correct time of year, more information on this being cross referenced with the geographical location found in the 'Where?' section. In asking this question we also establish the time of day, whether the aircraft is setting out, returning, or 'at rest' and so on. WHERE? This is a very important part of our research into the overall scene, as the answers gained from the question dictate the style and make up of the diorama base and any background

4 or backdrop used. It may initially be thought that I am going slightly “over the top” at this stage, but it is the “where” that determines the action of the scene depicted in any picture, in this case our 3D picture. When I produced a painting to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the “Shell House” raid, the Mosquito attack on Gestapo Headquarters, Copenhagen, in March 1945, it took over five years of research and consultation to ensure all the details of the scene would be correct; after all, this picture was being published, in Denmark, as limited edition prints, to be signed by surviving participants of the raid, and it would be depicting a view of an area, albeit at rooftop height, that still existed, little changed in fifty years, so there was no room for error ! Even after all that effort I still made two little mistakes. Fortunately, one wasn’t noticeable and the other was correctable, the latter being the colour and design of a road sign! The point I’m making is, that this picture was depicting an actual event, at a specific time and date, at a place that was distinctive, and in a City, not some anonymous spot in the countryside, so it had to be right! I was fortunate in that I was able to correspond with surviving aircrew who had taken part in the raid, and my friends and colleagues in Denmark provided a huge amount of information, maps of the period and photographs taken during and after the raid, and I was provided with a most invaluable copy of R.A.F. film footage of the actual raid. So from information provided by British, Canadian, American, Belgian, Australian and Danish sources, and the photographic and video images, I was eventually able to get the picture right! A similar research pattern needs to be followed in producing our 3D picture if we want to achieve realism, although, of course, it needn’t take five years! The more research and therefore reference material that is available, should lead to a better diorama, and the complexity or simplicity of the scene will be affected by whether you are portraying an actual event, or a representative view. For example, the P51C diorama is representative, although certain facts as to the details of the baseboard had to be born in mind, which will be covered in detail in the section describing this diorama. However, if the scene was depicting the 4 th Fighter Group’s Don Gentile setting out on an escort mission in March 1944, then the background and details would have to be more specific, as this would be portraying an actual event, one for which photographic evidence is available, and has been much published. It is the latter factor that can tie in to the “where” section answers, those from the “when” section answers, by providing the modeller with more subject–specific detailed information. The type of information gained by asking the “where” question should provide the modeller with all manner of detail about the location that is being modelled. For example, given that we obviously know the unit of the subject being modelled, and the period in time depicted; this should provide us with the location of that unit at the time. In the case of aircraft dioramas, the location will most probably be the aircraft’s home-base airfield. Our assembled reference sources should be able to provide detailed information concerning the layout of this airfield and its construction. For example, is it an established “permanent” airfield with substantial brick buildings, hangers, hard runways and taxi tracks, with hard-standing dispersal points? Or a grass field with temporary buildings, a taxi track and metal plank dispersals?

5 Maybe it’s just a large grass landing ground with aircraft dispersed under trees around the perimeter. All of these pieces of information will help us to build a better, more accurate picture for our dioramas, and the time spent in research, as well as being invaluable and informative, can also be quite enjoyable. In researching the P51C diorama, I consulted no less than nine publications, studied many photographs, plus Ordnance Survey maps and the Internet, and in this case, as I happened to be in the area, I visited the remains of the actual location! I do, of course, realise that the latter is rarely possible, especially if one is modelling a scene in a country other than one's own, and of course many wartime locations have been totally transformed over the years, or are still military establishments out of bounds to the general public. But, if your able to, why not? As they used to say when I was in the Armed Forces, “time spent in reconnaissance is rarely wasted”, and in our case, this time can mean the difference between an accurate, well presented model “picture”, or just a model on a baseboard.

WHY ? It is this question that determines what is happening in the scene; whether it is static, or full of action. What we are asking, for example, is “why is this aircraft in such a position, and why is that fuel bowser at the edge of the display?” It could be that the fuel bowser is arriving to refuel the aircraft prior to a mission, or perhaps it is just leaving, having carried out the refuelling. Obvious perhaps? Not if the positioning of the separate elements of the diorama do not provide an instant picture. How often have we seen good dioramas spoiled by not really knowing what’s happening in the scene? In other words, don’t be tempted to position figures or vehicles, or equipment etc. randomly, they have to be doing something relevant to the overall scene, in order for our 3D picture to tell a story. A glance at your reference photographs will help you decide how and where to position the figures and accessories you are employing, thus answering the question, “Why?”

It is always helpful to have some knowledge and / or experience of the aircraft and weapons you are modelling, and because I realise that not all of us have had the opportunity to attain this knowledge or gain the experience, in the following sections I aim to share with the reader some of the knowledge and experience I have had the good fortune to gain in the last forty five years. I hope it proves useful!

SECTION TWO

MATERIALS and BASEBOARD CONSTRUCTION

Now that we have decided on the subject, and planned the scene, we need to decide what size the baseboard is going to be, what it is to be made from, and how it is to be constructed.

6 Generally, it will be up to the individual to decide how big the diorama is going to be. But if, for example, the main subject is going to be a single Spitfire, in 1/72 nd scale, then there is little point in having a base board that measures 2 feet by 2 feet. (61x61cm.), unless, of course, you are aiming to depict a fairly large section of the airfield concerned. Normally, for ease of construction, and convenience in display and storage, you should aim to have your baseboard just big enough to contain the length and span of the aircraft displayed, and any attendant ‘accessories’, such as ground equipment or personnel, allowing for two or three centimetres space all round. This is not to say that you have do things this way, of course. It may well be that you would prefer to have more room around the display, and this is fine, as long as the subject is not lost in the middle of an oversized board. It’s worthwhile making a rough sketch of how you visualise the scene before proceeding. So first, let's look at the actual size of the required baseboard. For the purpose of this exercise, we'll assume that the base is going to be square, measuring 12 inches by 12 inches. (30.5 x 30.5 cm.) Before selecting and cutting the baseboard material, the first thing that needs to be done is to make a scale plan of the diorama, and this is easily achieved by marking-out the dimensions on a suitable sheet of paper, and drawing in the positions of the various pieces making up the planned scene. A cheap and easy way to obtain paper of a size that might be required, particularly for larger dioramas, is to purchase a roll of lining paper from a decorating supplier (paint & wallpaper), D.I.Y. store etc. This is available in wide rolls, normally at least 10m (30ft) long, and has the added advantage of being handy for creating wide, seamless, painted backdrops, if so desired. It is also relatively inexpensive, with U.K prices ranging from about 90 pence to £2 maximum per roll, depending on length. (about $1.5 to $3.60 U.S. at time of writing.) Once this plan is drawn, the main subject, in this case the model aircraft, can be placed on the paper to check fit and orientation, thereby ensuring that your chosen dimensions for the baseboard are adequate. There is nothing worse than having assembled all of the components of the diorama, ready to commence construction, only to find that the material you have cut to size is too small to fit everything in conveniently and, more importantly, convincingly!

This paper plan also allows you to test-fit other elements of the scene, such as figures, vehicles and so on. If you feel a larger base is required, then you can re-draw the plan to check, without wasting time, and more importantly, materials, by cutting the base first. This lining paper also has other applications, for instance, when providing shape and contours to a flat base.

A typical rough sketch-plan of the way the diorama is required to look. From this, a scale plan can be produced, which is used to lay-out the base.

Assuming that you are happy with the plan, it is now time to cut the base material to size. But first, you need to choose the material the base is to be made from. As we are dealing with an aircraft diorama, and given that the scene is set on an airfield, it is fairly safe to assume that the area is going to be relatively flat. Consequently, we don't have to worry about hills, ditches and so on, although, of course, it may be that you intend to model, for example, trenches or blast pens, in which case, this type of feature will be dealt with later. There are a number of materials that can be used as bases for dioramas, but the first thing to look at, after the physical size, is where and how it is going to be displayed, and whether it will be permanent, temporary, or perhaps moved from place to place. Whatever the situation, it is important to start with a material that is solid, dimensionally stable, and will not flex, bend, twist or warp, either immediately, or with time. Also, the base should, preferably, be light enough to handle conveniently, without it being so light that it could easily be knocked over and ruined. The actual surface finish of the diorama itself has to be taken into account, and also, what this finish is going to be made from. It may be that, due to the fact that the surface finish might require a 'key' on which to grip, that a combination of materials might be required, and again, this will be covered later.

[Certain types of diorama really come under the category of 'display pieces', meaning that the subject may be rather simple, with just enough items to class it as a diorama, but where the 'scene' only occupies part of the central area of the base, with the rest of the base being itself part of the 'display'. The type of 'display' I am talking about is that type which is, for example, a single small aircraft, perhaps a couple of figures, all set on a 'grass' area centralised on a polished wood plinth or base. In this case, it is not the type of diorama that this guide is aimed at but, nevertheless, I will still mention the base materials required for such a piece.

8 It is best in this instance, depending on the finished size, to select a piece of timber, whatever final shape you might need, that will not warp or twist. One of the hardwoods, such as oak, teak or mahogany, will be more than suitable and, when oiled or varnished and polished, will look superb. Failing that, choose a good piece of seasoned, close- grained softwood, such as pine, and ensure that it has at least three or four coats of good-quality varnish, after you have stained it to the desired colour. If you are using the latter type of timber, try not to make your base too big, otherwise it will possibly be susceptible to bending or warping over time. If this is the type of display you require, the best source for the timber is from timber yards, or perhaps a local cabinet / furniture maker or kitchen manufacturer, where off-cuts are probably available at reasonable cost or, if you're lucky, for free! ]

The dioramas in this work are all based on a typical 'scene' that fills the base, although, of course, it is up to the individual if a border of some kind will be included. (NOTE: Frames and borders will be covered later.) Accepting what has already been mentioned regarding stability, weight etc., then there are two main materials that can be used, and both are readily available at relatively low- cost. The reader might identify further suitable materials, such as ‘Sundeala’ board, but for now we will concentrate on the following;

MEDIUM DENSITY FIBREBOARD (MDF.) PLYWOOD. (Ply board in some parts of the World.)

I will deal with MDF later, but first, let's look at plywood. In itself, plywood is a good, strong material, that is tough and resilient, can be cut and worked fairly easily, but, as a baseboard on its own, has some disadvantages. For use as a base, with sizes over 12 inches square (30.5cm.), a thickness of at least 10mm to 12mm, or about half an inch, would be required, in order to prevent warping or bending over time. However, if the base is going to be relatively small, then plywood, possibly thinner than mentioned above, can be considered suitable. It must be remembered, however, that the edges of cut plywood can be rough and, as the edges also show the layers of laminates, they will require some kind of frame or edging in order to provide a neat, finished appearance. In order to lessen the effects of temperature and humidity, and therefore the tendency for plywood to warp, or even de-laminate (curl & split), it is desirable to apply at least two coats of varnish as a sealer, particularly over the cut edges, before proceeding with the covering materials for the diorama. If the diorama base is going to be fairly large, certainly anything over about 18 inches (45.5cm.) square, then it is advisable to mount plywood on a suitable wooden framework, preferably glued and screwed, to ensure dimensional stability and rigidity. With a bit of thought, this framework can also act as the outer, display frame for the base, if it is rebated. Having drawn attention to some of the disadvantages of plywood, it is only fair to admit that, for large or very large dioramas, plywood can often be the best choice. This is because of the weight consideration, where a relatively thin sheet (or sheets) of plywood

9 could be screwed to a frame, rather like a table, which would provide an even, stable base, given that the plywood has been sealed as described above. To visualise this type of diorama, imagine something around the size of a table-tennis table, for example a model railway layout. Generally, for most dioramas up to and including sizes around 3 feet by 4 feet (90 x 120cm.), MDF is more than suitable. This material is easy to cut, especially with a power saw, is stable, tough, and has a flat, grain-free surface that will accept paints and adhesives easily. It can be scored, drilled, have slots or holes cut or reamed into it as required, and will easily accept screws, if a pilot hole is drilled first. Depending on overall size and thickness, MDF is relatively light, and does not, therefore, require a mounting or bracing frame to support it. This material is available in a number of standard thicknesses, and the most suitable for diorama baseboards would be around 5mm or 10mm. (MDF tends to be cut in metric measurement, although thicknesses and measurement may vary, country to country.) Although the raw edges of MDF are, like plywood, unsightly, they are nowhere near as 'rough', and can be finished with any variety of edging trim, from picture framing material to plastic / vinyl trim, or even painted masking tape. The ‘raw’ edges can also be smoothed, virtually to the same level as the MDF surface, by carrying out the following procedure. ‘Paint’ the edges with PVA adhesive and, when dry, rub down gently with ‘Flour paper’ (a very fine-grit wet & dry paper.) Then apply another coat of PVA, and, when dry, rub down gently again. You should end up with smooth edges! (Edge finishes will be covered later.) For ease of writing, and for the purposes of this guide, we will assume that all of the diorama techniques described will employ MDF as the main base material.

A sheet of 10mm MDF, cut to size ready for a baseboard.

10 So, given that we have chosen our base, and settled on its size, we now need to consider what the display surface will consist of. For example, is it to be grass, concrete, asphalt (tarmac), or a combination of these? Whatever finish the base is going to be, the next thing to consider is the scale that we are working in, as this will effect our choice of 'ground cover' materials, from 'grass' and 'earth' to hard surfaces such as concrete.

If the surface is going to be, for example, grass, then the construction is fairly easy and straightforward. However, it is not sufficient just to cover the surface with grass powder, or one of the varieties of grass mats. Even the surface of an airfield will have slight undulations, at least, and the ‘grass’ might vary in colour and ‘texture’. It is worth considering this before proceeding, and ‘building in’ some slight unevenness to the surface of the MDF. This can be achieved in various ways, depending on the scale you are working in but, remember, in ‘real life’ what might only be 1mm high, in 1/72 nd scale it can, when covered or coated in ‘grass’, look like a huge ridge if not blended onto the baseboard properly! One of the easiest ways to create slight unevenness is to glue down patches of paper. You can use anything from copier paper, the lining paper already mentioned, to thicker paper or thin card. Cut the patches into irregular shapes, and place and glue them randomly. Alternatively, small patches of thin filler, or thin ‘lumps’ of PVA adhesive, spread out and allowed to dry, will do the job. The aim is just to give an appearance other than truly flat; you don’t want to make the ‘ground’ look like a billiards table. (Or Pool table for our American friends!) Once you are happy with this, then you can apply the ‘grass’. If you decide to use one of the ‘grass powders’ (known as ‘scatter’ materials), spray the surface of the base board with spray adhesive or, often better, hairspray (The latter tends not to show as much when dry.), or paint on a thin coat of diluted P.V.A. adhesive. Then start to sprinkle on the ‘grass powder’. Remember though to use more than one colour, relevant to the season you are depicting, in order to provide a realistic contrast in tone and colour. Take note though; this is a very messy process, as the powder tends to drift everywhere! You will also find that you will probably have to re-spray and re-apply the powder, in order to totally cover the board. Once you are satisfied that the surface has dried, up-end the board and shake off the excess powder. To create a more ‘patchy’ appearance, the baseboard can be painted in suitable ‘earth’ colours before applying the adhesive, or, you can apply the ‘grass’ direct to the paint whilst it is still damp. These ‘grass powders’ are fine for small scales, up to 1/72 nd and in some cases where ‘bare’ grass is being portrayed, up to 1/48 th scale. Larger scales require a little more depth, and this is where the grass ‘mats’ would be used. The mats that are basically sheets pre-coated in powder can, again, be used, but the ‘static’ grass, fibres or mats, are better. They will successfully simulate grass up to about 4 inches long (100mm) in 1/48 th scale and, obviously, shorter grass in larger scales. For thick or tall grass, or even clumps of the latter, then a little more work is involved. Clumps of grass or, where needed, larger areas of longer grass, can be simulated by using the bristles from old decorating paint brushes, cut to the desired lengths, and glued together at the base. These are then inserted as required, either as single clumps, or longer

11 areas, in close lines, into pre-drilled holes in the baseboard, and fixed with PVA or CA adhesive. These ‘clumps’ can be coloured with acrylic, water colour, or enamel paints to your requirements, then arranged or spread out to suit. By unravelling sisal string (the hairy stuff we used to use for tying parcels when I was a kid!) you can obtain lengths to your requirement which, when cut and bunched together, can simulate long grass, particularly the type of ‘weedy’ grass you might find growing along hedgerows, or at the edge of fields and on ‘rough’ ground. This looks particularly convincing when ‘tangled’ with other vegetation, such as lichen. (More on this later.) There are a number of commercially available materials for replicating longer grass, which, although extremely realistic, can be fairly costly if you need to cover a large area. These will be found under the listings at the end of this publication.

For combined surfaces, such as grass, tarmac, paving and concrete, the same procedure as described above is used, but the ‘hard’ surfaces are laid down first. When using MDF, it is sometimes easier, in small scales, just to paint the surface that is going to be ‘hard’ in the desired colour, for example, tarmac, concrete etc. However, if you decide to do this, ensure that the finish is not too even. Look at real-life surfaces, in order to get some idea of how the surface colours and textures vary in any given area. One of the easier, and quicker, ways to paint the surface is to use ordinary, matt, household emulsion paints, blended to the required colour. You might find that some of the available undercoats and primers are just the colour you are looking for, and you will find that you can ‘texture’ the surface, by applying the paint fairly thickly, but not too thick, then stippling it with the tip of the (flat) brush you use to do the painting. To simulate the ridges often seen in poured concrete, use a piece of card, edge on, and ‘stab’ it across the surface, in close lines, when it is almost dry. This should leave satisfyingly realistic ridges, just like the real thing! (Shown later, in one of the diorama sections.) Expansion joints, cracks etc, can be added when dry, by either painting, or drawing-in with a felt-tipped pen or similar. However, in most scales, it is better to use another material to realistically replicate the ‘hard’ surfaces. This not only has the advantage of providing depth at the edges of, for example, the concrete hard standing, thereby giving a better overall appearance, but it also allows real joints to be constructed, and you can also add cracks, holes, eroded areas etc. quite easily. For this, I normally use card, of varying thicknesses depending on scale. It is worthwhile saving any card you might have, from the backs of note books, packaging and so on, as well as buying card from art shops or stationers. One good source of card, which is an ideal thickness for most diorama applications, is, of course, from the boxes our models come in; why throw it out when it can help to enhance the model that was packed in it? By using card, you can physically cut the sizes and shapes you want to replicate the roadway, hard standing, taxiway etc. Many airfield dispersal pans, or aprons, are constructed from squares or rectangles of poured concrete, varying in size from about 12 feet by 12 feet (3.6 m) upwards. These can be simulated by cutting ‘scale’ sized squares of card, and gluing them to the board, butt-jointed. When painted, and the ‘gaps’ suitably coloured, the effect is very realistic. Once again, the surface colours can be varied, and oil stains, dirt, puddles etc can easily be added. This will be covered in the various diorama builds later.

12 To simulate surfaces such as tarmac (asphalt), various grades of sandpaper or wet & dry paper can be used, the latter being preferable as it is closer-grained and more stable. However, don’t be tempted to just use the grey colour of the paper’s surface to simulate the road surface; it will still need painting in the appropriate colour. Also, take care in choosing the right ‘grit’ size, in order to provide a ‘scale’ effect when completed.

With our ‘hard surface’ now in place, the grass, earth, sand, or combinations of these can now be added. Take a look at real airfields, or photographs of airfields of the period being modelled, and note whether the grass comes up to the edge of the hard standing. Does it overgrow onto the hard surface, or is it patchy and worn away by the passage of feet and vehicles, rain and weather? Perhaps this area is churned-up mud, still wet, or dry and hard, depending on the season being depicted. Once the basics of the base have been built, you can then go on to adding ‘weathering’ and so on, before moving on to the addition of the aircraft and accessories. Remember, at this stage, all we are doing is providing the background to our 3D picture; don’t try to rush, at the expense of basic detail that might be hard to add later, or look unconvincing if you are able to add it later. In effect, what you are doing is building another model; O.K., it might not have wings or wheels, but it is still a model in its own right, in this case, a model of part of some ground. Again, methods and ideas for detailing the baseboard, and more ‘involved’ surfaces, will be covered in the relevant sections. Something that, at first, might seem a strange piece of advice will, nevertheless, prove useful. Look at the way movie companies produce terrain, buildings and streets and so on. Very often (more so than not), the movie audience are unaware that what they are seeing is actually a model, particularly in some ‘action’ shots, that may involve explosions, aircraft crashes, or, for example, some form of ‘natural’ disaster. The model- makers on movie sets are extremely skilled, and highly valued for their work. This is because they have to work to scale, often a mixture of scales, to replicate exactly, what has already been filmed ‘full size’, in order that specific key shots can be produced, where it would be impossible, for whatever reason, to use the ‘real’ location. Their attention to detail, and the accuracy of reproduction, is fascinating and outstanding. I was fortunate enough to be on the set of the Bond movie ‘Golden Eye’, and was able to see some of the, albeit large scale, models produced, in order that some structures could be destroyed, or some action scenes produced more conveniently, and without risk or danger, either to the people or objects concerned. The scenic, terrain and structural modelling was amazing and, had I not actually seen the models first hand, it is possible that I would not have known the difference when I eventually saw the movie.

So, having looked at the basic materials for baseboard construction, let’s move on and look at (diorama) materials in general.

DIORAMA MATERIALS.

There are many commercially available materials aimed specifically at the diorama builder. These include such items as ground-cover materials, already briefly mentioned

13 above, foliage and trees, buildings, vehicles; such items as fences, telegraph poles, oil drums and so on. However, when constructing an aircraft diorama, it soon becomes apparent that most of these items are provided for areas of modelling other than aircraft, being generally aimed at military modelling and model railways. There are, however, a growing number of accessories becoming available, mainly, it must be said, for 1/72 nd scale, with those for 1/48 th scale slowly increasing in number. When it comes to 1/32 nd scale and above, the choice is much more limited. With this in mind, it is always better to apply a little lateral thinking, and look at other sources of accessories and materials for use with aircraft dioramas. The first thing to look at, when considering a diorama, is what might be required to complete the desired scene. However, during the planning stage, you should have decided on what will, and what will not, be included in your 3D picture. Although it might be nice to have, for example, everything you would expect to find around a World War 2 bomber dispersal, from personnel to buildings, it is easy to get carried away, and incorporate too much detail. This will result in the scene looking too cluttered and, possibly, detracting from the centrepiece of the display, in this case, the aircraft itself. Having said that, this will also depend on the size of the diorama, and the scale used. When I was planning the scene for the 1/32 nd scale P51D Mustang, I had intended to include some more ‘bits and pieces’ around the edge of the display. For example, I was going to include some spare drop-tanks, and a couple of servicing platforms. But, because of the scale, the baseboard was already planned at a size that would be manageable, and not take up too much room on the shelf it would be displayed upon. To add some of the ‘extras’ I had in mind would have entailed using a bigger base, otherwise the scene would have looked too cluttered, probably out of scale for the distances where items would have been placed in ‘real life’, and would certainly have blocked the eye-level view of the aircraft, thereby detracting from the centrepiece, and spoiling the overall effect. It’s worth remembering this point before going out to buy lots of bits and pieces! However, with a 1/72 nd scale diorama of, say, a Mosquito, the baseboard can be bigger, relative to the aircraft, and still manageable. This will allow more items to be included, covering a wider area, which would mean that items such as a dispersal hut, perhaps a section of taxi track and so on, would look fine. So, let’s look at the sort of things we might need for a typical aircraft diorama, and where they can be sourced.

FIGURES. In the smaller scales, there are quite a number of dedicated figures available, from such companies as Airfix, Preiser, Italeri, Hasegawa etc. Whilst those in 1/48 th scale are a little more limited in choice, Hasegawa and ICM provide figures, for aircrew and ground crew, and, some kits, notably Revell/Monogram, include figures. For 1/32 nd scale and above, you could be struggling, and this is where dedicated manufacturers of individual figures, both white metal and resin, come to the rescue, at least partly. Some of these can be, as individual items, relatively expensive compared to injection moulded kits of sets of figures, but at least they are available, and of course are normally also available in other scales. Some of the better known manufacturers are Verlinden, and

14 the associates of the ‘Flightpath’ range who, incidentally, also produce P.E. airfield accessories and buildings. But, those figures that are available, particularly in 1/48 th scale can also be adapted or converted. By some relatively simple surgery, carving and so on, and perhaps the use of ‘Milliput’ or similar modelling putty, it is possible to transform a figure to look totally different to the original moulded item. Some of the figures used in the 1/48 th scale dioramas shown in this guide have been made this way. In the 1/32 nd scale P51D diorama, the figures were sourced from an old (1970’s) Airfix ‘Multipose’ German Infantry kit. Although, at the time of writing, we all know that good old Airfix is now making a long awaited comeback, this particular kit is not yet included in their range, but the ‘U.S. Marines’ kit has reappeared, which can, of course, be adapted, so there’s hope yet! This brings me to the use of kits not directly associated with aircraft modelling, and this is an example of where lateral thinking can help. With plastic-kit figures, in most scales, the pose, uniform and equipment etc. can always be altered; a U.S.A.A.F. ground-crew mechanic can, fairly easily, be produced from the basis of a German Panzer crew man, for instance. It was only when writing this guide, that I noticed Tamiya had introduced some figures to their 1/48 th . Military Models series. The particular kit in question is a scaled-down version of their earlier 1/35 th scale Panzer Servicing Crew, and not only includes 9 easily converted figures, but also has ladders, tool boxes, crates, and a work bench. All readily adaptable to an aircraft diorama! So, when it comes to figures, as we will find with other items needed, don’t just content yourself with what is available from the aircraft modelling sector!

VEHICLES. In 1/72 nd scale, there are numerous vehicle kits available, from most of the major manufacturers, covering the period from WW2 to the present, which are either actual ‘airfield’ vehicles, or can be adapted. Additionally, specialist manufacturers also supply relevant vehicle types, in white metal and resin kits. A browse through various catalogues will normally turn up something useable, or convertible. But, once again, 1/32 nd scale is a bit sparse, but, in the military models ranges, particularly from Tamiya, Haegawa and other companies such as Academy, the numbers of 1/48 th scale ‘soft- skinned’ vehicles are growing. In general, you should be able to find suitable vehicles for your dioramas, even if it means using a kit slightly out of scale. For instance, 1/35 th in 1/32 nd scale dioramas, 1/43 rd die-casts in 1/48 th scale dioramas. Although not perfect, if it’s what you want, and the vehicle is posed correctly, at a suitable distance from the main subject(s), the relative scale difference might not be that noticeable.

AIRFIELD ACCESSORIES. By this, I mean such items as servicing platforms, ladders, starter trolleys, packing cases, fuel and oil drums, tools, wheel chocks, perhaps sign boards and buildings. Again, in the smaller scales, many of these items are available, from such companies as Airfix, and from the specialist companies such as Verlinden, Flightpath etc. Again, a trawl through catalogues, or the Internet, should find most items. For the other scales, it is, once more, a case of seeing what is available, and Tamiya and Hasegawa include some items in some of their vehicle and aircraft kits, whilst Italeri and Verlinden have some

15 items also. But, mostly, when it comes to such things as servicing platforms, or starter trolleys, it is a case of scratch-building the required items and this will be covered briefly later. Meanwhile, don’t forget to look at different scales, or at military modelling, for suitable items. The Tamiya Panzer Servicing Crew mentioned above is a good example, where the accessories, in both versions of the kit, 1/48 th and 1/35 th , can be adapted for use. Also, think about such things as, for instance, fuel drums, jerry cans, and ‘wooden’ packing cases. Drums, jerry cans etc. are available from Tamiya, in 1/48 th and 1/35 th , and the latter do not look out of place in a 1/32 nd scale setting. A packing case in 1/35 th could be used as a larger case in 1/48 th ., and so on. When it comes to this sort of individual item, it is the model railway market that really delivers the goods! If you have a model railway outlet near you, or can obtain the relevant catalogues, it is well worth having a good look at what can be had. You should find a heck of a lot of items that can be used or adapted, from packing cases, drums and boxes, to fences, gates, signposts, and, of course, a wealth of materials for scenic applications.

SCENIC MATERIALS. We have already covered the use of ‘ground cover’ materials, such as grass and earth, but it may be that you want to add trees, bushes, rocks, gravel and so on. It is here that the model railway market comes to the rescue! The amount of varying materials available is far too long to list here, but, suffice to say, you will probably find what you are looking for from a model railway supply outlet. There are such products as railroad ballast, either in plastic granule form, or finely-graded chips of real granite, which can have a number of applications in dioramas, mainly, I admit, in military modelling, but also, to an extent, in aircraft dioramas. For example, at the edges of ‘hard’ dispersal areas, the construction company might have left a small pile of hardcore, or the edge of the hard standing might have crumbled slightly; this can be replicated by the use of this fine ballast. Trees, bushes and hedges are available which, although suitable as ‘background dressing’ in a model railway layout, may lack something as part of a diorama, aircraft or military. But, these ‘model’ trees can be enhanced, by adding pieces of lichen, or some of the ‘vegetation’ products available from such companies as ‘Woodland Scenic’s’, most of which can be obtained from good model or hobby shops, and almost certainly from model railway supply outlets. Another way to make trees and hedgerows is to use materials from the local florist’s shop. One of these, also available from some model outlets, is known as Seamoss, and can be used as the basis for very realistic trees. By adding dried herbs, such as Oregano, or tea leaves, which are glued by spraying the tree with spray adhesive, or hairspray, which is cheaper, then painted in varying shades, depending on the effect you want, realistic trees, bushes and shrubs can be produced fairly easily.

Some examples of this type of model tree, and how they can be enhanced and embellished, are shown in the illustrations below.

Some typical OO/HO model railway accessory trees. The taller tree on the left measures 6 inches (150mm) in height, which would equate to a 35 feet high (11m) tree in this small scale. In 1/48 th scale it would equal 24 feet (7.2m) and approx. 16 feet (4.8m) in 1/32 nd scale. These items are really designed to be incorporated into backgrounds on model railway layouts, more often than not in groups, to represent woodland or forests. Although possibly adequate for dioramas in 1/72 nd scale as ‘stand alone’ trees, they would benefit from some enhancement, and, to be at all convincing, would certainly need more detailed attention if used in the larger scales .

The illustration below shows one of the large evergreen trees, and the smaller, deciduous ‘orchard’ tree after the addition of lichen and a sprinkling of dried herbs. At this stage, neither tree has been repainted. A further selection of ‘home made’ trees will be described and illustrated later in this guide.

The model trees after the addition of lichen & dried herbs.

A more involved method of making trees results in an extremely realistic end-product, of whatever type of tree you require, but, it is time consuming. Use lengths of copper wire, perhaps stripped from electrical cable, twisted together to form the trunk and boughs, and individual branches. Wrap the main parts in masking tape, and coat this with modelling putty, then paint in suitable ‘tree’ shades. Add foliage from a scenic range of materials or from lichen (from model/railway model suppliers), together with some dried herbs, as above, and then paint. A bit of a quick explanation, I know, but the end result looks great, and you can make any number of trees, types, heights etc by this method. Remember, however, that trees will be MUCH taller, in model-form, than you would imagine! Just take a look at any real tree, judge its height, and then estimate what this would be in your chosen scale. As an example, an average-sized Birch tree will be around about twenty to thirty feet high (6 to 10 m.). In 1/72 nd scale this would be 3.33 inches to 5 inches tall (80 to 125mm), in 1/48 th scale, 5 to 7.5 inches tall (125mm to 190mm), and in 1/32 nd scale, up to 11.25 inches (286mm) tall!!! So, THINK before you decide to include certain types of fully grown trees in your diorama! There are many ‘household’ materials that can find a place in diorama modelling, and a little thought, plus observation, will provide some useful alternatives, or perhaps the only source, compared to commercially available products. One such is fine fabric mesh, such as might be used in window curtains, or wedding veils. Available in various ‘gauges’, or denier, from fabric shops, this can be used to replicate wire-mesh or chain-link fencing, camouflage netting, cargo or seat-back webbing. Glued to plastic card and suitably painted, it will provide a realistic representation of ‘checker plate’ decking, or it can simulate mesh engine intake guards, and so on.

18 Wire wool can be separated, and used to simulate barbed wire; suitably painted, it can be made to look like tangled weeds or brambles. Try to get into the habit of looking at everyday objects, and thinking ‘Could I use that?’ Be careful, though, or you might end up hoarding a house full of discarded bits and pieces!

Finally, whilst on the subject of general materials, let’s have a look at some items that might prove useful for adding height to a ‘flat’ base, and for constructing other items, such as buildings, or aircraft revetments and so on.

OTHER MATERIALS. First of all, airfield buildings. There are some manufacturers who produce airfield buildings, mainly, I admit, for British World War Two airfields. Some of these manufacturers seem to come and go, whilst others re-appear after an absence of sometime. Of the latter, one that springs to mind is Bellona, who used to produce a large range of vac-formed buildings, revetments, block houses and so on. It’s worth keeping a look out, by trawling the net, or browsing the ads in modelling magazines, in order to spot re-emerging companies such as this one. However, again for British buildings, Airfix produce a 1/72 nd scale WW2 control tower, to one of the basic patterns that can quite easily be converted to virtually any of the standard wartime patterns. ‘Flightpath’ also produce a British WW2 control tower, in 1/48 th scale, in P.E. metal, but, it is expensive! (Over £80, $143 U.S., for the basic kit. The interior detail kit is extra.) I have seen other manufacturers offering vac-form buildings kits, although the names escape me at the moment, and I think that Airfix, in one of their recent (2008) ‘Airfield Diorama’ kits, include a Nissen hut. But, once again, certainly in 1/72 nd scale, model railway buildings can be adapted to use as airfield buildings. However, in general, and especially in the larger scales, buildings will probably have to be scratch-built. This is not as daunting as it might first seem as, often, WW2 airfield buildings were relatively simple, ‘temporary’ structures, and can be made from card, or perhaps foam board in larger scales. (See below.) The most difficult part of producing buildings is normally making the window and door frames, but there are products available to help with this task. A brief description of how to produce scratch-built buildings will be included later. (A short list of [UK] suppliers for various scenic materials etc is included at the end of this publication. Most products will be available, perhaps under different trade names, in various parts of the world.)

Although it is unlikely that an airfield diorama will require different height levels, there may be occasions when this is needed; for instance, a wartime dispersal area near to a hill, mound or raised road. Another instance might be an aircraft diorama that is not depicting an airfield, for example, the belly-landed Messerschmitt 109 pictured in one of the dioramas in the later sections. Or it may be that an aircraft is to be included in some part of a ‘military’ diorama, alongside tanks, or other vehicles. Whatever the reason, it is useful to know how to create height, or depth, on an otherwise flat display board, or how to model features such as ditches, trenches or mounds and banks.

19 The choice of technique, and therefore the materials used, will depend, mainly, on two things. a) The height, or depth, of the feature, b) The scale of the diorama. (1/72 nd , 1/48 th , etc.) For example, in a 1/72 nd diorama, where a slight rise in the ‘ground’ is required which, in ‘real life’ would be a small undulation only a foot or so high (30.5cm), and perhaps 20 feet across (6m), this could be modelled by building-up the required area with a proprietary brand of filler. This work will need to be carried out before any other work is attempted on the baseboard, as the surface will need to be scored, fairly deeply, in order to provide a ‘key’ for the filler. There are many types of household, decorator’s fillers available, but one of the best types to use is‘elastic’ type filler. These can be identified by reading the description on the container, which will normally state that the product is flexible, and will resist cracking. In general, this type of filler is normally a paste-like substance, or sometimes a little like putty. A brand common in the U.K. is ‘Tetrosyl’, whilst’ Polyfilla’ is available widely. Whatever you decide to use, the area to be modelled ‘in relief’ should be coated in the filler, and smoothed off, adding any depressions, or contours, before the substance sets. Pay particular attention to the edges, where you can expect a ridge to form and, possibly, when fully set, small pieces to crack off. When you are satisfied that the area(s) are fully hardened, it is best to ‘seal’ the filler, and the surrounding area, with a coat or two of varnish. This will minimize the possibility of cracking, or worse, the ‘mound’ of filler breaking up and separating. You can then go ahead to add the required ground cover. If you decide to use one of the ‘grass’ powders, which are actually very fine sawdust, pre- died to various colours, then it is a good idea to paint the surface first, in a mixture of ‘grass’ and ‘earth’ colours. If possible, this is best done by spraying, with acrylic paints being the better choice, or watercolours, with emulsions and enamels being a second choice. The ground cover can be applied directly to the still-damp paint, or after spraying with spray adhesive or hairspray, once the paint is TOTALLY dry. Brushed-on adhesives, such as slightly thinned (with water) PVA will also work, but could leave ridges that will either ‘show through’ later, or not accept the ‘grass powder’. Of course, the mat-type ground cover can be used, but it is essential that any folds or creases are smoothed out and that the edges are stuck down firmly. For ‘larger’ or ‘higher’ features, papier mache or plaster of Paris ‘hills’ can be made. There are products available, again mainly from model railway outlets, that provide a plaster impregnated gauze which, once it has been soaked in water, can be applied to the area needed, then moulded into shape. This type of product will, however, require the addition of some small amounts of filler to seal any gaps in the fabric gauze. In the U.K., this type of product is available under the ‘Mod-Roc’ brand name. Please note, however, with any plaster type product, it can be liable to cracking, and therefore needs sealing and covering, and it will increase the all-up weight of the diorama base! It is normally better to create ‘higher’ areas by building-up the area concerned, by adding contour layers. This also has the advantage of creating a more accurate shape, and should be more stable. To achieve this, various materials can be employed, such as expanded polystyrene sheets, from tiles or packing materials, or varying thicknesses of card, or foam-board. The latter is, as the name suggests, is a layer of polystyrene foam, laminated between plasticised cards and is normally used by interior design studios to produce

20 architectural or interior models. It is available from some art shops, and graphic-design outlets. As a material to be used for ‘scrap’ purposes, it is relatively expensive, and so should really be reserved for more important construction work, such as larger-scale buildings, walls or structures. Unless you are aiming for a fairly high ground feature, then corrugated cardboard is by far the easiest and cheapest solution. It is readily available from cardboard boxes and packing material, and can normally be obtained, free, from warehouses, supermarkets and so on, who are normally only too happy to let you have some used boxes; after all, you will be saving them the time and expense of disposing of them! To make a layered hill, or mound, with sheets of this material is easy and straightforward, and this method is employed by professional model makers, film studios, and in the production of large-scale relief maps and terrain models. First, decide how big and how high you want your raised feature, and draw this onto your sketch and plan of the diorama base. Next, assuming you have decided what shape the hill is going to be, and where any depressions, re-entrants, valleys etc are going to be in relation to the shape of the hill, draw these, as a series of contours, just like those found on maps. When you are happy with your plan, draw these contours onto separate sheets of the corrugated cardboard, and cut them out. Remember, if you want a steep incline, the ‘contours’ should be close together; the closer the contour lines, the steeper the ‘hill’, and vice versa. Assemble the sheets of card to form your hill or mound, adjusting as required until you are satisfied with the resulting shape, then glue each piece to the preceding sheet. If you are confident that everything will fall into the right place, then you can start by gluing the first, largest sheet directly to the base board. PVA adhesive, thinned with water if necessary, is adequate for this. Once the ‘hill’ has set, the shape can be adjusted slightly, if required, by carving with a sharp knife. The illustrations below show an example of some simple contours, built into a card ‘mound’.

A rough sketch from which the contours are planned.

The contours, cut from card, are glued together then attached to the base board.

The cardboard ‘hill’ can now be covered with your choice of materials; papier machê, plaster, filler etc. When this is totally dry and set, the desired ground cover material can be applied.

Here, a small tiling, or pointing trowel is used to cover the card with elastic-type filler.

An example of the card contours, now covered with the filler. Any depressions or curves can be added before the filler sets, and the edges blended onto the base board. Any rough area can be wiped off with a damp cloth.

Typical filler and small trowel used for covering contours.

To ensure trouble-free application of the filler and to obtain a smooth covering that is easier to blend in, it is best to keep the blade of the trowel slightly wet. The blade should also be cleaned and wiped dry immediately after use, in order to prevent filler from hardening on the metal, and rust attacking the blade.

To replicate small areas of raised ground, such as the banks often found on the edges of country lanes, another material can be employed, again available from florists. This is a soft but firm sponge-like substance, usually a pale green in colour, known as ‘Oasis’. It is the material used in flower arranging and display, when the stems of flowers and other vegetation are pushed into the ‘Oasis’ to hold them in place, and normally then immersed in water. This generally comes in blocks, approximately 4 inches square, by 8 or 10 inches long (100mm square by 200mm or 250mm long), and is very easily cut and carved to any desired shape. However, this type of material would normally be used for the type of feature described above, and is more relevant to military modelling and therefore will be shown later in this publication.

Having looked, albeit briefly, at various materials and techniques, it is time to turn our attention to the building of an actual diorama. In the first example, emphasis will be placed on the planning, the background to the scene, and basic construction techniques, where the methods and materials already described will be covered in more detail.

24 SECTION THREE

DIORAMA BUILD No. 1.

1/48 th scale P51C Mustang.

In this diorama we will look at a simple airfield scene, without any raised or sunken terrain features, but incorporating a number of the materials and techniques described in the preceding sections. This particular diorama has been selected in order to allow the reader, you, the modeller, to build a simple scene, but also practice in the use of differing materials, in order to gain experience without the expense and time possibly needed for a more complex scene. Also, I have chosen this as the first exercise, so that the modeller can satisfy at least part of the urge to ‘get stuck in’ which, I know from my own experience years ago, is nearly always the case! Although the finished diorama shown here incorporates a number of accessories, including converted figures and scratch-built items, it is not necessary to include these in order to achieve a satisfying and convincing result; the basic design, perhaps with a few additions, should be adequate for a ‘first attempt’. Obviously, if you so desire, some, or all of the items shown can be added to your own 3D picture, which doesn’t have to be exactly the same scene, the choice is yours.

PLANNING the SCENE

As mentioned, and stressed, in the introduction to this Guide, planning the scene is the most important part of ensuring that a good diorama will be produced. Therefore, the first part of this section will deal with this aspect in detail.

Remembering what was stated in the introduction, we need to look at those four important headings, What, When, Where and Why, in detail, in order to achieve our aims. So, let’s start with the first question.

WHAT? When I purchased the Tamiya 1/48 th scale P51B/C Mustang kit, I already had an idea of what I wanted the finished model to look like, which had already answered part of the first and second questions. Armed with these initial ideas, I began the research that would provide the answers to all four questions, thereby allowing me to proceed with the diorama build with confidence, and without the possible interruption of having to check details along the way. The model was to be finished in a colour scheme representing an aircraft of the 361 st Fighter Group, 8TH U.S.A.A.F., in 1944. As I have a tendency to build model aircraft of other than well-known ‘aces’, I checked all my references in order to find a particular aircraft that would have been flown by an ‘ordinary’ pilot. This proved harder than I first imagined, as those aircraft for which I was able to find photographic evidence were all well-known machines, already modelled by countless modellers. I wanted to build the model in a ‘natural metal’ finish, devoid of ‘D- Day’ stripes or upper-surface camouflage, which narrowed down the choice somewhat.

25 Eventually, I decided to build a representative aircraft, which would display the correct code letters, and a serial number that would have, more than likely, been from a serial block of aircraft issued to this unit. Having checked every available reference, including Internet web-sites, I settled on an aircraft that did not appear to have been photographed, and used a serial number that, although I didn’t have absolute proof was actually displayed on a Mustang of this Group, I knew would not look out of place on the model. I also checked, just in case the serial number was known to have been that of an aircraft from a different unit, but was unable to discover anything to support this. So, having satisfied this part of the research, I decided to portray an aircraft of the 375 th Fighter Squadron, 361 st Fighter Group, a P51C, coded E2 – G, serial number 4-2106931. I was now able to move on to the next question on the list.

WHEN? As I wanted to show the model with an overall ‘natural metal’ finish, this again narrowed down the time period. My research showed that the 361 st re-equipped with Mustangs in mid- May 1944, having converted from the P47 Thunderbolt. This meant that the model, if it was to be in plain ‘NMF’, would have to be depicted between mid- May, and early June, before the application of the black & white ‘Invasion’ stripes, on the evening of June 5 th , 1944. So now I had the answers to the first two questions, and could proceed to the all- important question concerning the location to be modelled.

WHERE? I already knew, from my own knowledge, and bolstered by the research to date, that the 361 st Fighter Group were, during the period to be depicted, based at Bottisham, just to the east of Cambridge, U.K. I already had a basic knowledge of the airfield and the surrounding area, having driven past the former airfield site on many occasions, and over - flown it during the course of a flight into and out of Duxford, which is only a few miles distant. However, this was a basic knowledge, and I needed more detail. Once again, the research began, this time looking at every reference I could find appertaining to Bottisham as a wartime airfield. This included books from my own library and the public library, magazines, maps, airfield plans, aerial photographs from the period, and the Internet. What I was looking for were details of the actual layout and construction of the airfield, which I already knew had been a grass strip, the main runway of which was constructed from P.S.P. (Pierced Steel Planking). As I wasn’t intending to include a section of runway in the diorama, this was not relevant, but the make-up of the taxiways, and any dispersal points was. Also, I would need to know more about the local geography and topography, the trees, vegetation and the type of land the airfield was built upon. This might seem, at first glance, as if I was going slightly ‘over the top’, but I wanted to ensure that not only would the actual dispersal pan be depicted correctly, but also the immediate area surrounding it, and any background that might be added later, or used for future photographs of the finished display. My research provided the answers for all of the points I had queried. Also, as I happened to be in the area at the time I was planning the diorama, I made a quick visit to those parts of the site that were visible or accessible, which is not much today, as a main highway

26 runs right through the middle of the former airfield, and the land has returned to agriculture. But, it did provide some information which, when combined with the research, gave me a good mental picture of what was needed to replicate a little corner of Bottisham airfield in mid-May, 1944. The research showed that the grass airfield, with its main P.S.P. runway laid out on a roughly east – west heading, was surrounded by a Tarmac (asphalt) taxi track, and had dispersals set around this track in three main areas, each area being the ‘home’ of one Squadrons. The dispersals to the north of the runway were partly in blast pens, backing onto the former main road, with trees and other features breaking up the view of the area, which I did not want to depict, preferring the model of the aircraft to be fully visible. However, the remaining dispersals were on open ground, some set back near hedges and trees, others very close to, or right on the taxi track. One of the latter would be ideal for my purposes, so, the next thing to check was the size, shape and make-up of the dispersals, and the type of ground they sat upon. It didn’t take long to establish that some of the dispersals that were right on the edge of the taxi – track were fairly short and angular, and made up of concrete slabs. The land here was relatively flat, with a slightly sandy top – soil and, apart from the tree line some distance behind the dispersal area, which masked most of the village of Little Wilbraham from view, there was little vegetation, except the odd small bush or two. So, now that I had a good idea of what the dispersal area would have looked like, reinforced by studying the maps, airfield plans and period aerial photographs, I could make a rough sketch of how the dispersal would look on the model’s baseboard. Once the rest of the research was complete, I could then start to plan the layout of the aircraft, any figures and other accessories that would be included, and how the surrounding ‘ground’ should look. But, this part of the question train wasn’t finished with yet. I now knew WHAT I was going to depict, WHEN it would be happening, and WHERE. But I also had to take into account the weather, in order to create the right ‘look’ on the finished dispersal. This would also have a bearing on the way any ground crew figures might appear, inasmuch as I would need to have them ‘dressed’ appropriately. A quick look at weather records, and wartime accounts of the period, indicated that the month of May, 1944, enjoyed typical late spring, early summer British weather! In other words, some warm, even hot days, interspersed with periods of rain, some of which were heavy! Also, as I intended to depict the Mustang as it would have appeared after at least two weeks of frontline service, that is, only slightly ‘weathered’, it would suit the scenario if the scene portrayed the period between the middle and the end of the month. As most readers will know, the last few days leading up to Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Europe, saw frequent and dramatic changes in the British weather, with torrential rain and storms, especially in the English Channel, which led to a delay in executing the operation. This suited me fine, as one of the items I wanted to include in the diorama was a Jeep. I decided that, if I portrayed the dispersal point after a rain shower, I could include a few small puddles, and position the stationary Jeep at the edge of the dispersal, with ‘damp’ tyre tracks showing its route from the taxi – track via one of these puddles. This, I thought, would provide a little ‘movement’ in the scene, and also tie in nicely with the storyline which was beginning to form.

27 Satisfied with the results of the research, I moved on to the next, and final stage of questions.

WHY? The first part of the WHY question was easily answered. The Mustang would be undergoing final preparations before departing on an escort mission, accompanying B17’s on the return leg of a pre-Invasion bombing sortie. So now, I needed to determine exactly what would, and what would not, be incorporated into my 3D picture. My first thoughts were to keep the scene fairly uncluttered, but to include a generous amount of items, and personnel that one would expect to see around a World War Two fighter dispersal point. Whatever would ultimately be included, would have to be positioned in such a way that they would not interfere too much with the eye – level view of the scene, but would look authentic and ‘right’. These items included the ground crew, made up of three figures, the pilot, dressed and equipped ready for the mission, and such things as a starter trolley, spare drop – tanks, one or two of the wooden trestle servicing platforms, often ‘knocked together’, by the ground crew, from the packing cases that held the fuel tanks, plus some other items such as fuel drums and tool kits. I also wanted to provide a reason for the Jeep’s presence, and thought it would look convincing if the pilot was talking to an off-duty comrade, dressed in ‘casual’ uniform, including the ubiquitous A1 leather flight jacket, who had driven to the dispersal in a squadron vehicle, to wish his friend luck. The positioning of the ‘pilot’ and his ‘comrade’ was easily decided upon, as were the positions of two of the ‘ground crew’ and the ‘Crew Chief’. I also had an idea of where, and how, to place the servicing platforms, starter trolley, drop – tanks and other paraphernalia, and drew a rough sketch in order to plan the scene in more detail. The sketch already shown earlier in this guide is the actual one used in the preliminary planning, although, of course, it has been reduced in size for inclusion in this guide. Although they might not be clearly discernible in the reproduction of the sketch, the notations around the margins, and the numbers and markings in the body of the sketch, show the proposed, and alternative positions for each item intended to be included in the diorama. The scene would be laid out on the base with the dispersal pan, which would be constructed from thick card sections, simulating the poured, concrete slabs, at an angle across the baseboard, and a small section of ‘Tarmac’ taxi-track, again in card, at a complimentary angle, fronting it. The remaining area would be grass, with a few bare patches, especially around the edges of the dispersal pan, where the sandy soil would be visible. There would also be a small amount of low vegetation, in the form of bushes and weeds, with some evidence of rubble left over from the airfield’s construction. The spare drop – tanks would be positioned on the grass at the rear, or to one side of the dispersal, with at least one servicing platform on the opposite edge, with a fuel drum or two near the rear of the area, together with a small number of other associated items. The ‘Crew Chief’ would be walking around to the starboard side of the Mustang, ready to attach the starter trolley’s cable to the socket in the aircraft’s fuselage, whilst the other two ‘ground crewmen’ would be making last minute adjustments to the fuel and pressure hoses on the drop – tank beneath the starboard wing.

28 Finally the ‘ pilot’, complete with back – pack parachute and under slung dinghy pack, would be standing to the front of, and to one side of the dispersal, in ‘conversation’ with his ‘comrade’, who would be leaning casually against the Jeep, which would be parked part on the dispersal and part on the grass. So, the scene would incorporate the aircraft, five figures, a Jeep, a starter trolley and other accessories.

I now had all of the answers to all of the four questions. I knew WHAT the scene was depicting, WHEN and WHERE it was happening, and WHY. All of the planning had been successful, and my 3D picture was ready to tell its story. The next thing to be done was to ensure that everything would fit as planned, and not appear too cluttered or unrealistic. Normally at this stage, as already mentioned, a scale plan of the intended scene would be drawn, in order to check the placement and ‘fit’ of all of the separate elements of the diorama. However, in this case, I happened to have a piece of MDF already cut to a suitable size, and so did the scale-planning directly onto the base. This indicated a few things that would need adjusting, as it became apparent that some of the intended ‘additions’ would require more room, thereby requiring a larger baseboard. Because of this, I made a few adjustments, which will become apparent during the build sequence. As there is little point in showing illustrations of pieces of card being cut, and the basics of covering a base have already been described, the following series of pictures will only illustrate the base after basic construction. As the build proceeds, further pictures will guide you through the stages leading up to the completed diorama.

Having established that I needed to model ‘hard’ areas to represent the dispersal ‘pan’, and the section of ’taxi track’, the required shapes were cut from thick card. This is available in a number of colours, as mounting card for pictures and artwork, from art shops and many stationers. With the shapes cut, a separate piece of card being used for the taxi track, the card representing the dispersal ‘pan’ was marked out and cut into separate pieces representing the poured concrete slabs, and then stuck down onto the MDF, using contact adhesive. (PVA glue is normally adequate for this also.) The separate ‘slabs’ were butt-jointed, to replicate the expansion joints of the real thing, and the ‘taxi track’ also glued and butt-jointed. Whilst the glue was setting, some small depressions and ‘cracks’ were pressed or scored into the card, in order to provide a more realistic, less ‘pristine’ surface. When dry, the ‘pan’ and ‘taxi track’ were painted to represent concrete and Tarmac respectively, using ordinary household emulsion paints, mixed to the required colours, and textured with the tip of the stiff brush. When dry, the dispersal area was ‘dirtied’, by dry brushing and rubbing-in darker colours, and some staining added. A similar exercise was undertaken on the ‘taxi track’. The basis for some rain-water ‘puddles’ were added in various places, using Johnson’s ‘Klear’ (Future), which would be coloured and enhanced later. Once happy with the ‘hard’ areas, the groundwork was started, using small amounts of filler around the edge of the dispersal, to simulate ‘rough ground’ left by the construction teams, and then suitably painted and some sandy-earth ‘scatter material’ sprinkled on.

29 Small amounts of granite chippings were also added in places, before the ‘grass’ was glued in place. For this base, the ‘hairy grass’ mat material was used. Some areas were given a ‘bare’ look, with small amounts of scatter material and chippings added, in order to break-up the otherwise ‘smooth’ appearance. This is achieved quite easily on these ‘mats’ by simply wetting the required area(s) with a small (modelling) paintbrush, and then carefully scraping-off the ‘grass’. It is worth retaining the removed ‘grass’, which tends to bunch-up into small balls, as this can be used later to represent clumps or tufts of rough grass, for instance, around holes, or the edges of the dispersal pan. Coloured with acrylics or water colour paints, it can also be used to make ‘weed’ or other types of vegetation; never throw anything away! With all of this work completed, and with the glues and paints drying, attention could now be focused on the rest of the scene, with the construction and painting of the figures and accessories. First though, in order to ensure that the base would, in fact, accommodate everything comfortably, the already completed model of the Mustang was placed on its ‘dispersal’ and photographed. These pictures could then be used in future to check positioning and ‘fit’ during the rest of the build. (Thank heaven for digital cameras!)

A plan view of the base, showing the dispersal ‘pan’ and the ‘taxi track’. Note the texture and ‘staining’ on the ‘concrete’, and the varying tones of the ‘Tarmac’ track. The shiny areas are the first coat of ‘Klear’, forming the basis of what will become ‘rain puddles’.

The same view of the dispersal area with the model of the Mustang in place. This not only helps to check ‘fit’ and placement of the other elements of the diorama, but the picture can also be referred to during the build.

A close up picture, showing the rough ground and rubble, created by laying down a small amount of filler, and then adding scatter material and granite chippings.

The ‘hairy grass’ mat provides a realistic appearance, especially when ‘bare’ patches are created as described in the text. Here, some plastic chippings, again from model railways accessories, have been added to represent rocks, and are yet to be painted. The ‘gravel’ effect at the edge of the ‘concrete’ was created by adding scatter material and then painting in grey and earth colours. Note the deliberate rough edges added to the ‘concrete’.

More granite chippings and scatter material, added at the edges. Note the raw MDF edge to the baseboard; this will be covered with a suitable trim.

32 At this stage, with very little extra work, the baseboard could be used as a simple display base for any suitable 1/48 th scale aircraft model, without the need for the figures and accessories.

So far in this guide, we have covered the initial inspiration, planning and research and basic materials. In this section, the methods of base construction have been looked at, and the actual planning of the first diorama has been shown in detail. With the basic baseboard now constructed, the next stage is to commence work on the figures and accessories, and show how they will be placed, and attached, to the base. This will be covered, together with a second diorama, in PART TWO.

Also coming in Part Two of the Guide:-

Scratch-building accessories, including servicing platforms. More on trees and other vegetation. Simple but effective ‘plain bases’ Buildings. Multi-scale dioramas. Advanced terrain features. Dioramas for photography.

------* * * ------