Supplies are on its way ! RAF diorama NOW FINISHED, warning lots of pictures.

Just to give you an insight to what the QM's will look like with fuselage parts on.

ian.

Hi all. Heres a few more for to look at if there is any interest.

I cut the curved part out and then refitted to the edge, job done i hope !

I added a nav' table,nav' seat, radio's, pilots seat arm rests to the sparse airfix kit.

Airfix's incorrect holes for the rear wings.

I hope this is what it actually looks like with the wings removed, i had to fill in both ends of the square, these where shaped to fit the wings into, as in the picture.

Drilled out the bolt covers and filled in the slot for the wings.

thanks.

ian.

Well its time to put a few more pictures up to show how far i've got with it   , now my has healed up a bit after i slashed while cutting the fuselage 

I've got myself another roll of 'fake' grass and some card to make the concrete squares, so the next few days i'll be covering the base.

All the vehicles now done, thank god.

Rear section nearly done, just needs a coat of clear matt to blend everything in.

Canopy on and painting all the framework by hand 

Front and rear turrets complete, minus the guns.

Decals put on the other side of the fins.

Making supports out of basla wood.

Heres how its going to look like [note the tiny teeny weeny lanc i'm also making 

With the wheel added to the rear.

This is how the front section will be sat on the Queen Mary, complete with crates at the rear.

I found this trolley and put it to use as a wheel holder.

The boring bit ! now  added a piece of hardboard to the base, doing it this way is cheaper than buying MDF.

thanks for looking.

ian.

Ian-

This is some incredible stuff!  Do you have a photo of what the whole scene may look like?  I shall be keeping my eye on this one!

Im soo with you Frank. I love a good dio and this has the makings of being an absolute scorcher. Ian you are a talent my friend.

oh and how the heck do you hand paint those canopies so perfectly?

...Guy

What a neat idea for a diorama.

Coming along nicely.

Eric... 

Daywalker wrote:

Ian- This is some incredible stuff!  Do you have a photo of what the whole scene may look like?  I shall be keeping my eye on this one!

Not got no picture Frank Just my imagination

I was asked how i was to weather my vehicles so here goes ! I use high quality pastels of different colours for various levels of dirt, i layer the pastels with a few scrapes of a sharp knife to form a pile of dust, then mix thoroughly with a brush, For pastels to adhere the the paint its got to be matt, Then i just apply it to the model with a brush and rub pastel dust into the corners more and feather it out, when your happy with the result just blow off the excess then apply a clear matt coat to seal in the dust.

Some people spend hours trying to set up their airbrush to get the same effect, why bother pastels are alot easier to do and it you over do it, just wash it off something you can't do when airbrushing.

The pastels are readliy available from most good artists shops and will last years.

Scraping the pastels in layers to make an even colour.

Before dusting.

Applying the pastel dust.

The end result after being sealed with clear matt.

All vehicles are now weathered, compare them to the other picture and you'll see they no longer look new.

Alot of people when making a dio' will just paint the squares on the hardboard.
I don't ! I actually make card squares then paint each one a concrete colour,
this makes them look more real when the grass is layed down,
ie' the grass is level to the concrete squares and gaps in-between the concrete just like there was in them days.

All card cut out and i'll start painting the squares now  

thanks for looking.

vespa boy wrote:

Ian, I've often thought that same photo would be a great basis for a diorama and I am glad to see you tackle it. I grew up in Canberra where there is a Lancaster, AR-G, in the war memorial, so anything Lancaster gets myattention. Keep it coming.

 AR * G now thats one baby of a Lanc'  i read an article which had loads of pictures of her while she was being restored, she looks brilliant now

 I go on this site if your interested, its full of Lanc' veterans so if you ever feel the need to talk to a real vet' who flew these, i love it so much i'm a Moderator on the modeling side called 'The Hanger' 

http://lancaster-archive.com/forum/

regards.

 ian.

Been working on the base alot today and trying to make Tarpalins for the ends of the fuelage

Fins finished.

Rear section also finished.

First coat of the brown stuff, note that i've removed the airfix nose blister for a old frog nose blister ! it looks better.

I'm getting there,front turret installed minus the guns, the front section now done.

Making a scratch built frame work to hold the fins on the back of the AEC truck.

Proberly not 100% authentic but it looks alright  

thanks for looking

Luftwoller wrote:

how the heck do you hand paint those canopies so perfectly?...Guy

Sorry about that Guy i didn't see your reply All i do is use a fine brush and paint one side of the canopy, then paint the other side to merge into the other side, i don't try and paint it in one line thats when things go wavey !

Heres the dio' base completed, i put all the vehicles on and it just looked too bland 
So i've ordered a Bofors gun & tractor set to be postitioned on one of the right hand corners.
The RAF wings badge is glued onto the base to add character to it.

I'm also trying to find the Airfix RAF figure set to go with this dio' but it seems no one has them 

The Bofors gun & tractor set.

Well guys Heres how far i'm upto yet !

I'm also building the two Airfix refuelers to go on this set, i started to build the Bedford QL refueler and was told by a forum member that the Airfix's offering is wrong for WWII and is a Post War refueler and to make it a WWII refueler i've got to remove both booms/piping/brackets and paint it in either green or dark earth and not to do it as blue and yellow version.

Building up the Bedford QL refueler, then i was told i've got to remove all booms etc.

I had to got all the brackets off and i had only just glued them on, i was on one when i had to rip them all off.

Removing the upper parts revealed a big gapping hole which had to be filled.

Hole filled and putting the Bedford together, i really like these but they are fiddley things to put together.

i'm not too sure if that middle part is accurate as i can't find any pictures showing directly over it.
Also reaving the door open to add a bit of interest to the finshed job.

AEC Matador refueler coming on nicely, both of these refuelers will have a sort of 'Micky Mouse' cameo' around the top.

Tarpalins made up these are 'Baby Wipes' dipped in Future/Klear to hold its shape.

Rear section glued onto the QM more ropes yet to be added also put on two crates and a starter from the Airfix Figure set.

Front section glued on and attaching guide ropes on, the box at the rear is to be painted matt black.

The Airfix set is a very good fit compared to some aifix job's i've put together.

Bofars gun and tractor coming together nicely, sorry for the crap picture.

I won't be using all of the figures as i think it co over do it.

All the stands are carefully cut off from the base of the figures, Doing this will make the dio' look better than seeing little square bits everywhere.

Thanks for looking.

Ian, that is going to be one sweet dio. Love the re-fueler. Great tip on the tarps. Future to hold em together, im liking that. Have you tried toilet tissue? The grain may look a little finer in 1/72.

...Guy

Luftwoller wrote:

Ian, that is going to be one sweet dio. Love the re-fueler. Great tip on the tarps. Future to hold em together, im liking that. Have you tried toilet tissue? The grain may look a little finer in 1/72....Guy

Hi Guy,

I tried toilet tissue once and it kept breaking up when i put Future onto it, i also tried kitchen paper towel it looked good but every roll you see has stupid patterns on the stuff so i couldn't use that neither.

The baby wipes don't look too bad when you actually look at the model itself.

Glad your liking the dio'

 Ian.

Finished the two QM's off today and working on the tiresome task of painting all those horrible figures

Fuel bowsers nearly finished. They need glossing on the area's where the decal want to be then i'lll be weathering them both. Oh nearly forgot i'm leaving them both in humbrol dark earth colour.

Bofors gun is complete, i really like this gun !

The horrible figures i hate to paint, just too many of them to do.

Hi Ian,

I was just having a bit of a mooch around here yesterday and thought I must say thanks for letting us see such a fabulous idea, it really made me smile when I saw what your upto. Its looking great and I cant wait to see it finished.

Spike190 wrote:

Hi Ian.I was just having a bit of a mooch around here yesterday and thought I must say thanks for letting us see such a fabulous idea, it really made me smile when I saw what your upto. Its looking great and I cant wait to see it finished.

 Hi Mike,

 You type as if you might know me from another forum Do you ?

The dio' is nearly finished and there just needs a few things adding to it, like another AEC fuel bowser / Bofors Gun / more Bicylces more Figures,Pallets,Crates God the list goes on will i ever finish it

Heres the not yet finished dio'

Well guys i finished this about three hours ago and was one of the most intense dio' builds i've ever done.

Some might think i've over done it but remember that this would be a small part of the base and out of view would be 'lollie pops' and more 'peri tracks'. Note the two bofors guns checking out the skies looking for enemy planes,a group of ground crew having a kick about with a ball with a few on lookers, a AEC re-fueler being driven by a groundcrew who can't be doing with waiting for the convoy to go by so he goes onto the grass in turn 'ripping' the grass up !, a Coles crane lowering a front turret onto some pallets and being 'steadied' by two crew men, a Queen mary had a puncture and was changed by two crew members and they are being over looked by a sexy WAAF, as on many RAF bases the crew members relied on their bikes which a dotted around !

Have a good look around at and see what you can spot !, it will sure make you smile i do

A few pictures are done in B/W just like the old days and don't forget you can 'click' on the pictures to make them bigger ! 

Thanks for looking

Ian, that is stunning, my friend. You have excelled yourself. That is sheer excellence. I love it all. The Lanc, the vehicles, the base. The lot.

...Guy

Absolutely bloody marvellous!  It has everything you could wish for: history, unusual subjects, and a Lancaster!  I will be looking for the finished product, but if the work so far is anything to go by, it will be fantastic.  Thanks for sharing.

 Biggles

OOPS! I should have waited for all the pics to load before I posted.  Mind you, I was right, the finished product is fantastic.  Brilliant.  I can only stand back and admire a master.  I sincerely hope you can find a flight museum somewhere that could take it in and give people an opportunity to see it.

 Well done indeed.

Biggles.

Biggles-of-202 wrote:

OOPS! I should have waited for all the pics to load before I posted.  Mind you, I was right, the finished product is fantastic.  Brilliant.  I can only stand back and admire a master.  I sincerely hope you can find a flight museum somewhere that could take it in and give people an opportunity to see it.  Well done indeed. Biggles.

Thanks 'Biggles' and 'Luftwoller' i'm so glad some people like it, i've thought of donating it to a local museum which is in Lincolnshire the heart of bomber command where all Lancasters flew from, a little museum which is in an old Control tower of former RAF Wickenby.

I might be retiring from making models as i've only just recovering from having some serious seizures which nearly finished me off and i'm getting pretty depressed.....

http://gregers.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=9937

 thanks. ian.

Oh man, Ian, im so sorry. The seizures sound a nightmare. If you have to give up modelling, im sure it will be hard for you...and for us who appreciate your work. Hopefully you will still stick around here, even if its just to rag the rest of us.

Your friend,

...Guy

Ian,

 I am sorry to hear that you are not well.  I hope you can keep modelling at least a little.  At the very least I am glad you were able to finish your "Magnum Opus".  Perhaps if you didn't paint all those fiddly figures?  I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the local museum would give your piece a good home.  I knew a fine gentleman from Saskatchewan who flew Lancasters.  He stayed on with the RCAF after the war and rose to the rank of Brigadier, but he always prefered his wartime rank of Wing Commander.  He had some tales to tell.  I had a quick look for Wickenby and noted that it is not far from Kirton-in-Lindsay where my father served for a couple of years in the early '50s.

 Cheers,

David (Biggles)

Absolutely wonderful work Ian!  That is a lot of work displayed there, certainly worthy of museum display.

So sorry to hear that you may have to give up modelling, It would not be the same around here without you.  Hang in there my friend, hope things get better for you.