How I Build Dioramas in 1/16th.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

I took an old 1/16th Lindberg 1910 Model T engine and removed the gearbox to make it look more like an aircraft engine.The propeller shaft in there now is temporary and was only used to line things up.This mod was simple to do with a razor saw and a sanding stick.Working slowly you can eventually get what is left of the gearbox to line up with the rest of the engine.There is not a lot of nice crisp detail on this engine but for my purposes here it is OK as I have the option of showing what I want of it because of the covering tarp.The outline alone would really be enough.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

Wow! working in here is like working in a bird cage.This is the general arrangement of the engine,fuel tank and rad.I have used brass rod to connect everything up.A little judicious use of the tarp should cover most of it.I am just looking for a general overall shape here.

The fuel system is gravity feed therefore it is set higher than the engine.The rad is from the Ford T.I will not be using a lot of piping or fittings other than maybe the large rad hoses to hang the tarp on.Speaking about the tarp, it should be fun making that in there

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

Sometimes the easiest and best solution is staring you right in the face.

I put the flier in the diorama and realized that most of the I am trying to hide is not visible anyway.No sense in wasting a lot of time on something that will never be seen. Instead I will concentrate on what is visible and add a bit more to it, like fittings, piping etc...The tarps, if I show them at all, will have been completely removed or blown off over time.Once the whole thing is weathered it should be even more interesting this way,or at least more fun for me as I love the weathering process.

Speaking about finishing only what is visible,this practice has been well established with shadowbox dioramas, where a lot of what you don't see has never been completed in the round, especially detailed figures etc..

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

I made up the engine support brackets and installed the basic engine.I have started a little weathering using pastels.Later I will be toothbrush spraying a little watery acrylics over the aircraft's wooden structure to age it as well.The fuel tank is next ,then the rad.

Doing a under construction build really has its advantages ,as you can quit with the detail anytime you want.Want to put a bracket without a bolt to secure it?Fine,he just hasn't got around to installing it yet.You don't even have to drill a hole cause you can't see it anyway.If I was doing this as a finished airplane my plan for the build would be completely different and much more complicated.All of my aircraft to date have been of the "under construction" type so I get to decide when to stop.This freedom helps to keep me sane!

[Guest]