Here's a pic that I did and the elements that composed it. The original aircraft pics were isolated using the polygonal lasso in the toolbox pallate. I zoom as close as I can, and follow the outline of the model. The isolated image is copied and pasted to the background. (edit-copy, edit-paste, move tool from model to background.) Transform-rotate to position model on background. I always keep models on separate layers. Any alteration (such as the Zeke's wing) are the only layers that I merge until completion. I always save a copy in layers, in case I want to change anything later. The blurring effects are in the filters option (gaussian & motion blurs) You can change the angle & intensity of the motion blur. The Zeke was resized (image-image size) and flipped horizontally (edit-transform-flip horizontal) The flames, after erasing what I did not want, were put on a layer over the Zeke. They were then "drawn out" using edit-transform-scale option. I also copied the background, "painted" the smoke (airbrush tool) and lowered the opacity of that copied layer to see thru the smoke. That's a basic explanation, I will be happy to answer individual questions. Thanks for letting me share, Pix.
http://rongeorge.com/albums/reference/Over_the_Pacific_elements.sized.jpg[/img]