How I build large scale dioramas! (2 Viewers)

The old airshow car is temporarily on its wheels to get an idea of how it will look when finished.
I re-designed the side panel to look more like a car from around the 1910 era.The rear interior bulkhead I have made in wood like the real thing and behind it will sit the gravity feed fuel tank.The rest of that compartment will be taken up with old car parts that were removed or fell off.I decided not to do too much serious corrosion other than general surface rust as the car wouldn't have been out of service that long.The tires still need a lot of work deflating and weathering them.The spokes are probably a little large but I have seen pics of some European cars of the era with larger than normal spokes.
This is actually quite a nice model if someone wanted to take the time to do it real justice, like a nice wood instrument panel and gauges etc...
 
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Model Airways Camel Build.
Sometime in the next couple of weeks I will be starting the Camel.If you would like to follow along with me Model Expo has a down loadable site for their instruction booklet on the Camel.I will be using this instruction booklet for its basic methodology and then modifying things as I go along.I will be building all the mayor components but there will be a big difference,the airplane will be left in pieces and not rigged (other than the undercarriage ).The accuracy of this kit leaves a lot to be desired, but for my purposes as part of a educational type diorama ,it is acceptable with some modification on my part.It is an unusual way to show an aircraft ,being towed on its wheels behind a truck ,and something that the kids will probably find interesting in its own right.
 
I have now put about 30,000 miles on the tires and flattened them.The seat is in and the seat back is up against the steering wheel.I left it as a R/H drive and put the fuel tank behind the rear bulkhead.I will be placing an old tarp over the instrument panel ,steering wheel and seat back area.(maybe with half the steering wheel poking through the tarp)The engine cowls will be put on the left hand side and the other cowls put in the cockpit where the other seat should be.
There are a few more parts to put on and then the fun can begin with the weathering!
I am getting anxious to get the Camel build underway! Hopefully within the next few days.
 
A few notes on the Camel build.
The instruction manual is typical for a Model Airways.Engine ,wings,fuselage ,in that order.This past summer I have already built up the engine and it is ready for installation.For those who are interested and may have missed this part of the build please see my photobucket for pictures and http://www.theaerodrome.com for text, once on the site click on Forum,then Forums,models,"How to Build......"
They suggest going on to the wings before tackling the fuselage.I like to do the opposite Why? well the wings can be a long and mostly repetitive job where as on the fuselage you are always doing something new.It is also nice to have something to look at to encourage you on.I think that part of why a lot of these kits never get built is for this very reason.The wings have a lot of small fiddly parts that are easily broken ,lost etc... The confidence gained in doing the fuselage first, where the parts tend to be bigger and not so fragile, will serve a newcomer to this type of build very well.Once you have the basic fuselage built the chances are pretty great that you will press on to the finish line.
That being said the build will start on page 13 of the instruction manual.My text will not repeat what is already there, but will supplement the manual where my build differs from theirs, as well as point out areas where there may be a problem or easier way of doing things.I will be taking a lot more pics for reference now that I have a digital camera .Something that I was unable to do with my earlier builds.I will be doing this build in real time so if I screw up or lead you down the garden path at times you will just have to bear with me.
 
This is rather impressive, how long has it taken you so far?

Jeff
 
It now looks like this old girl has seen her last airshow! Its basically finished except for the old tarp which I will make later when it is permanently installed in the diorama.I find that weathering is mostly fun and really fast and easy to do_Over the basic burnt umber gesso coat I used only burnt sienna and little black and some white pastels for the tires.I use a very soft brush to apply the pastels,almost like a mini makeup brush.
I have no interest in doing factory fresh anything ,airplanes ,cars or whatever.I guess that it is just my way of personalizing my work.It also helps to take the heat off trying to make everything perfect, which for me is very liberating.
Well anyway,now its on the Camel/Ford truck piece!
You auto guys will just have to suffer through the airplane build until we get to the truck,just like the aircraft guys had to suffer though the car build!(only kidding!!!!!) Although the modeling techniques in making dioramas is about the same. Cars and aircraft go well together in any diorama as they both were developed around the same time.
 
Please note: in order to make the best use of my time I have decided to post the day-to-day details of the Camel build on only one website ,www.theaerodrome.com ,where it all started a few years ago.I am presently contributing to 29 websites which takes up a lot of what would otherwise be building time.The subject matter only has a very limited audience on a day -to -day basis. I will be doing summaries on the other websites, maybe twice a week or so .This will also leave me more time to be involved in the daily discussions on the other websites.If anyone has any particular questions regarding techniques or "How to...." please feel free to contact me at any time.Somewhere down the road I would like to condense all this into a more organized and readable version ,as some of these threads are getting way too long.Thanks to everybody for their continuing interest and support.
Cheers! John.
 
JohnReid said:
That is where it is going, to the CAM in Ottawa.:)
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And deservedly so, I have never seen better. You know that Heco did a tin model of a Model T Ford pulling a bi-plane with the wongs detached (in desert campaign markings, if I remember correctly) that is pretty much exactly the same look you are going for. I think one sold on Vectis Auctions a couple of years ago, and can probably still be viewed on their website.
 
JohnReid said:
Please note: in order to make the best use of my time I have decided to post the day-to-day details of the Camel build on only one website ,www.theaerodrome.com ,where it all started a few years ago.I am presently contributing to 29 websites which takes up a lot of what would otherwise be building time.The subject matter only has a very limited audience on a day -to -day basis. I will be doing summaries on the other websites, maybe twice a week or so .This will also leave me more time to be involved in the daily discussions on the other websites.If anyone has any particular questions regarding techniques or "How to...." please feel free to contact me at any time.Somewhere down the road I would like to condense all this into a more organized and readable version ,as some of these threads are getting way too long.Thanks to everybody for their continuing interest and support.
Cheers! John.
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Please continue to post photo's even if they aren't on a daily basis as this is most enjoyable to say the least.

Jeff
 
Well the Camel build is not going well! Like I suspected the quality is just not there like it was with the Jenny.I have already had to start the build over because of a lack of fittings for the wires in the fuselage.In fact the only wires shown in the fuselage are for the sides only ,no internal bracing at all!Luckily I have some fittings left over from the 2nd Jenny build fuselage which is fabric covered.I only wish that I had a digital camera when I built the Jenny ,it would have been so much easier.
 
Louis Badolato said:
And deservedly so, I have never seen better. You know that Heco did a tin model of a Model T Ford pulling a bi-plane with the wongs detached (in desert campaign markings, if I remember correctly) that is pretty much exactly the same look you are going for. I think one sold on Vectis Auctions a couple of years ago, and can probably still be viewed on their website.
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Wow I would really like to see that!:)
 
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