How Do You Model Realistic Palm Tree?

I used super sculpey on this 1/76 chi-ha scene
http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/1003/cplchilly/?action=view¤t=billsmodels091.jpg
the trunk is a little thick though. The fronds are just paper from my printer and I stripped a 12 gauge wire for the individual strands holding the fronds to the trunk. I painted the fronds with water based paint. I still have to add coconuts and Im going to open up the fronds some more. Super sculpey is a modeling clay that hardens in the oven.

I've seen it done with wood dowels and wrapping tape around to simulate the texture on the trunk, so that could be one route. And I would think that paper or maybe thin foil would work for the fronds/leaves on the trees. Just some suggestions for your viewing pleasure.

The tape and dowel route sounds like a good Idea LJ Ill have try that one some time.

Take a dowel, and spiral wrap (in both directions) some wire around it.
Then, using a 50/50 mixture of white glue and tissue paper, wrap this over the dowel and wire. You can use a couple of layers for this. Once dry, paint to the color you want and dry brush to add some texture.
The fronds can be made from paper, or silk plants that you cut to look like fronds, (dependent on the species of course). I've also seen some interesting fronds made from from bird feathers. Roughing them up with some white glue and painting them made some pretty convincing palm fronds. Coconuts can be made from some of the dried beans, or peas, painted to look like coconuts or you can use seed pods or make them from sculpey or fimo.

Hart of the South Models makes some really nice ones (the best I've ever seen), but they're pricey. You might get one or two and reverse-engineer them. The Model Railroader has had some pertinent articles over the years, if you have access to an MR index you might be able to get some more info.

I'd also recommend getting an identification guide so you can model specific species, not just a generalized "palm tree." Do you have access to 12"/1' palm trees? (I live in FL, so no problem for me :-)).

The most impressive use of model palms I ever saw was a 4'x8' HO scale diorama of Guadalcanal (the coconut plantation part) . . . yeeesh! That's a LOT of $%^in' palm trees!

Thanks for the input guys. I will definitely try some of the techniques you have suggested. Hart of the South does makes some beautiful palm but they are pricey.

I want to model the type of palm trees in my reference picture of WWII airfields in the south pacific. I believe this would make them mainly coconut palms? Please advise me if this incorrect.

Yep, FAIK, coconut palms are the way to go.

One of the MR articles suggested using a pad of thin notepaper and a super-sharp knife that will cut through a few layers of paper at a time. Draw a few fronds on the top layer, cut them out under some pressure, and you just made a few trees worth of fronds!

That's a good idea for making leaves/fronds in a large batch in a short time, I'll have to file that away for a later attempt, same with the wire wrapping method.