How I build dioramas Part 2
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JohnReid
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JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
I used my usual barn siding technique on the raw wood for the aging process and then used pastels for shading.I will leave it at this for now until I mount the engine and then will add oil spots,rusty nails,chains for pulling etc...The sled is the base upon which the rest will be built.
I have decided that there will not be a lot of fabric left on the wings or control surfaces other than a few burnt remnants.Why? because I want my viewer to be able to get a good look at the skeleton aircraft and how it was built.The plywood fuselage aft of the cockpit will give me ample opportunity to add a little color to an otherwise pretty drab scene by putting on some national and other markings.
I have decided that there will not be a lot of fabric left on the wings or control surfaces other than a few burnt remnants.Why? because I want my viewer to be able to get a good look at the skeleton aircraft and how it was built.The plywood fuselage aft of the cockpit will give me ample opportunity to add a little color to an otherwise pretty drab scene by putting on some national and other markings.
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
The wing tips ,trailing edge and bent center section are finished.I did a little more scorching of the wood but will let it go at that for now ,until after I mount the front section of the fuselage and decide on the burn pattern.
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JohnReid
A Fixture
This is Fritz the dogs eye view of his masters wrecked airplane.The whole storyline is based upon this relationship and is what inspired me to expand this diorama in the first place.I will leave it to the viewers imagination as to whether his master survived to fight another day.
I was never very happy with the original diorama after building the other two.The story was weak,two pilots looking at a mechanic wiping down an engine after a run-up.Pleasant to look at but no real emotion.Now the main storyline is transported outside the confines of the hangar.What I am hoping is that the average viewer will initially be drawn to looking inside and only later discover the dog/man story outside.The hangar doors will be left open thereby somewhat hiding from view the real story.
At the same time I want the aircraft to be somewhat educational, in that I don't want to cover the structure with fabric.The fuselage being plywood I can leave off a few panels here and there to make it more interesting for those who may want a peak inside.
The fuselage broken at the cockpit with the hanging seat belt straps really adds to the pathos of the scene.The tail having been pushed over the lower wing suggests some sort of pilot resue attempt which would have really had to be done in haste if a fire was just breaking out.The fabric on the tail would then also have been involved in the flash over burn.
The wings are remarkably intact which suggests to me a low impact type crash or nose over.
I will leave it up to the imagination of the viewer as to what really happened, which is after all the real purpose of of any good diorama storyline.
I was never very happy with the original diorama after building the other two.The story was weak,two pilots looking at a mechanic wiping down an engine after a run-up.Pleasant to look at but no real emotion.Now the main storyline is transported outside the confines of the hangar.What I am hoping is that the average viewer will initially be drawn to looking inside and only later discover the dog/man story outside.The hangar doors will be left open thereby somewhat hiding from view the real story.
At the same time I want the aircraft to be somewhat educational, in that I don't want to cover the structure with fabric.The fuselage being plywood I can leave off a few panels here and there to make it more interesting for those who may want a peak inside.
The fuselage broken at the cockpit with the hanging seat belt straps really adds to the pathos of the scene.The tail having been pushed over the lower wing suggests some sort of pilot resue attempt which would have really had to be done in haste if a fire was just breaking out.The fabric on the tail would then also have been involved in the flash over burn.
The wings are remarkably intact which suggests to me a low impact type crash or nose over.
I will leave it up to the imagination of the viewer as to what really happened, which is after all the real purpose of of any good diorama storyline.
JohnReid
A Fixture
Duplipost.
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
Paint job on trainers.
This is a pic of an training accident that was kindly sent to me by Stephen Lawson.Looks like the aircraft on the right of the picture ran into another while both were on the ground.
What is especially interesting for me is the fabric paint job on the wings.
Evidently aircraft that were designed as trainers were painted differently right from the factory floor.
This is a pic of an training accident that was kindly sent to me by Stephen Lawson.Looks like the aircraft on the right of the picture ran into another while both were on the ground.
What is especially interesting for me is the fabric paint job on the wings.
Evidently aircraft that were designed as trainers were painted differently right from the factory floor.
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
Plywood cover on rear fuselage.
This should be fun!Lots of cutting and fitting.
I decided to start with the largest single piece first.I made a paper template by holding a piece of paper to the fuselage and then up to a strong light and traced out the approximate size of the piece of plywood required.The plywood was cut oversize to be refined later.Using small clothes pegs I temporarily fixed the plywood to the fuselage as shown in the pic.I then traced from the inside along the outer edge of the longerons and bulkheads,the outline of the panel.
The panel was then removed and sanded down to the pencil line.(ignore the pencil line seen on the outside of the panel in the pic)
Do not glue anything at this point, as it must be removed to give you easy access to the same panel on the other side.
This should be fun!Lots of cutting and fitting.
I decided to start with the largest single piece first.I made a paper template by holding a piece of paper to the fuselage and then up to a strong light and traced out the approximate size of the piece of plywood required.The plywood was cut oversize to be refined later.Using small clothes pegs I temporarily fixed the plywood to the fuselage as shown in the pic.I then traced from the inside along the outer edge of the longerons and bulkheads,the outline of the panel.
The panel was then removed and sanded down to the pencil line.(ignore the pencil line seen on the outside of the panel in the pic)
Do not glue anything at this point, as it must be removed to give you easy access to the same panel on the other side.
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
Upper wing compression struts.
The metal end castings were blackened using a patina used by stained glass craftsmen.The brass tubing was blackened using "Blackin It".
They are not permanently glued in because I will be attaching the turnbuckles first.
The metal end castings were blackened using a patina used by stained glass craftsmen.The brass tubing was blackened using "Blackin It".
They are not permanently glued in because I will be attaching the turnbuckles first.
JohnReid
A Fixture
JohnReid
A Fixture
Turnbuckles
Until now I usually made my own turnbuckles but this time I will use the leftover ones from the Camel build.
Upon examining them closely they are of a better quality than the ones supplied with the original Albatros kit,harder metal and more accurately cast.The other consideration was that they will hardly be noticeable on a burned wreck at normal viewing distance.When I did the first Albatros that now is in the hangar I wanted to highlight the turnbuckles and even took a little license to make them a little oversize.Why? because kids and most parents today don't have any idea of how these old wings were constructed.The wood aspect is obvious but the wire part with the turnbuckles is less well understood.This diorama is primarily an education tool.
The cast turnbuckles are first cleaned up and then dunked in blackening patina.I will leave the body black but file off some of the patina on the eye bolt part to add a little contrast.They are then dipped in thinned lacquer to seal the metal.
I have always sealed my metal castings just in case they contain any lead.
Brittania metal is not supposed to have any lead in it but some of the original castings seemed a little too soft for my liking.I am not a metallurgist but I didn't want to take a chance of having metal bloom (disintegration) down the road.This has happened to some museum quality ship models in the past because they are in sealed cases and subject to a very polluted atmosphere)
If there is any shine on the metal left by the lacquer I will deal with this using pastels.
__________________
Until now I usually made my own turnbuckles but this time I will use the leftover ones from the Camel build.
Upon examining them closely they are of a better quality than the ones supplied with the original Albatros kit,harder metal and more accurately cast.The other consideration was that they will hardly be noticeable on a burned wreck at normal viewing distance.When I did the first Albatros that now is in the hangar I wanted to highlight the turnbuckles and even took a little license to make them a little oversize.Why? because kids and most parents today don't have any idea of how these old wings were constructed.The wood aspect is obvious but the wire part with the turnbuckles is less well understood.This diorama is primarily an education tool.
The cast turnbuckles are first cleaned up and then dunked in blackening patina.I will leave the body black but file off some of the patina on the eye bolt part to add a little contrast.They are then dipped in thinned lacquer to seal the metal.
I have always sealed my metal castings just in case they contain any lead.
Brittania metal is not supposed to have any lead in it but some of the original castings seemed a little too soft for my liking.I am not a metallurgist but I didn't want to take a chance of having metal bloom (disintegration) down the road.This has happened to some museum quality ship models in the past because they are in sealed cases and subject to a very polluted atmosphere)
If there is any shine on the metal left by the lacquer I will deal with this using pastels.
__________________
JohnReid
A Fixture
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