How I build dioramas Part 2

[JohnReid]

Life takes some strange turns,just when I thought I had built my last 1/16th scale diorama, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum is back on my schedule.I have put all other projects aside about a month ago and will now be doing a fifth diorama for them in commoration of the beginning of WW1. So this thread is once again open and I hope you guys enjoy it.Cheers! John.

 

[JohnReid]

Diorama #5 a shadowbox for the CASM.

"The Contenders 1917".
The Camel and the Triplane

When I first started thinking about doing this shadowbox diorama the words "the contenders" immediately came to mind.When I think of fighters (boxers) I think of the famous phrase from a long forgotten movie were one of the characters says, "Ya know I could'a been a contender".This ultimately became the theme of this diorama, human fighters- aircraft fighters.
1917 was also a critical time both for the outcome of the war and aviation in general.Two aircraft were fighting for air superiority over the trenches,the Camel and the Triplane.The Camel figures prominately in Canadian's minds because of Billy Bishop,and the Triplane because of Snoopy and the Red Baron.If I had called it by it's proper name the average person wouldn't know a Fokker Dr.1 from a 747.
1917 was also a critical time in aircraft design history .Fokker was experimenting with a high wing monoplane design that would eliminate all the drag of the external wiring of the biplane.Three wings proved to be pretty much a dead end but the monoplane's thicker wing for increasing lift seemed promising.
The hangar research facility that I am building is from my imagination.The story is a Camel has run out of fuel behind enemy lines and the Germans are retrieving it to take it apart to see if the British side has come up with any new innovations with its later model Camels.Also in the hangar will be a Fokker Dr.1 being examined for wear and tear on its new triplane design.Both aircraft therefore will be without fabric.
The research going on there will be more recognizable as I am planning to do a 1/48 scale Fokker E.V high wing monoplane as a wooden wind tunnel experimental design.Luckily for me the German word for experiment is experiment ! The kit comes with two wings,one I will use on the wooden wind tunnel model, on which will be written "experiment" and the other hung on the back wall with the same wording.That should help the viewer figure out at least part of whats going on.​

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

I have decided that instead of commemorating the beginning of WW1 I will be placing it in the museum to commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 19 1917 and the aerial war that was fought over the trenches.I will store it here or at the museum until that time.Being a shadowbox there will be nothing to put together that would require my assistance.
This arrangement will also take the pressure off of any time issues and allow me not to rush to complete it.

I am doing this for a very important personal reason as my father-in-law fought and was wounded and gassed at the battles of Vimy and the Somme.He was one of the first "over the top" and out of the trenches at the start of the battle as an officer with the Royal 22nd (Van Doos)Regiment.In honor of that fact I want to dedicate this diorama to him.
Historically,while the battle at Vimy many be just another story from the war, it is very important story here in Canada, as it is said to be the start of our countries independence from the British Empire.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

The Hasagawa 1/6th Sopwith Camel to be included in my new diorama
"The Contenders Vimy 1917"

This will not be a review in the regular sense of the word.It is not an "out of the box"kind of build but one where I use this model as part of a larger storyboard shadowbox diorama.
My methods of building are my own and do not necessarily correspond with the normal practice of step-by-step model building.The plans and the instruction booklet that comes with this model will be for reference only.The text will be integrated with the pictures.Things will constantly change as I go along ,and there will be some experimenting as the build progresses ,as this will be a learning experience for me as well.
I haven't built a plastic airplane model in 14 years so I will also have to re-learn a lot of things as well as get up to date with modern building practices.
The pictures will not be professional looking but will be taken at my workbench in real day to day time.There will be mistakes made and a few trips down the wrong path on occasion but that is part of the fun in the creative process.There will be gaps in the build at times when I am researching or building other things for the diorama.I have other threads for these topics that will not be included here.​

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[bigtodd]

Nice picture !!!

 

[JohnReid]

This is where I am so far. C|

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]