A7-E Corsair,,,How would you make aircraft skid marks on a tarmac for a diorama

  Nice build. Carrier decks are covered in non skid, it is an asphalt based paint the " grits" up when it dries.

    Your " skid marks" won't be long as the aircraft is stopped by the arresting hook and not wheel brakes on carrier landing, those skid marks really should be " scuffs" in the landing area...OK 3 WIRE... and can be simulated by paint.

  The tires start to roll almost immediately so those patches should not be more than a few scale feet long, approx 3 tire diammeters travel.

   Hope this helps or at least gives a direction to move in. Again really nice looking Corsair.

For the skid marks I would suggest using Pastel chalks, or some similar medium, applied with a sponge make up applicator. You can precisely control the size and amount of skid mark.

Since you said both carrier deck and tarmac, two entirely different surfaces, I give you this for comparison; Runway 29, NAS North Island.

Use the tire tracks adjacent to the runway for scale / dimensioning.

Yep, USN "Flight Deck Material" is a bit ephemeral for modelers.

Fresh laid, it's a dark, bluish, charcoal sort of color what is fine and smooth--juet like fresh-laid asphalt paving fr surface texture.

As it ages, it develops grays and browns, and gets "pebbly"--and would be a texture that wuld be hard to see at all smaller than 1/24 scale, really.  In 1/32 or 1/48, it would better render as a paint splatter sort of technique.

Other than the flight deck equipment, there's not much that will leave skid marks on the decks, as the wheels are rolling, not skidding, anywhere but the touchdown point.  Which is rosses with arresting wires, and not a very typical tie-down point, per se. 

Now, a Naval Air Station will have an apron, and while called tarmac is most likely concrete.  It might have skidmarks from forklifts and ordnance trailers and the like.

NAS prking aprons don't have a lot of markings painted on them, which mkes them a tad "boring" for modeling.

Hensley Field (former NAS Dallas)

Thanks Guys,

I have looked around a bit more for pictures off the internet and see what you guys mean just a few skid marks on a carrier deck (which is what I mean from the beginning.

I have vinyal display sheet from a company that makes them for dioramas, but some  parts have wringles.  Also (although in 1/72 scale) it is a bit large and would take up to much shelf real-estate. 

I was hoping to photo copy the sheet, and use 1000 grit sandpaper cut down to the size I want.   Here is a copy of what I have..

[url=https://imgur.com/gf3s98Z]

Quick update,

I just made a photocopy (on high detail level - using HP Officejet 3830 printer) and I don't see the wringle marks....

I may try and find some vinyal paper or some paper with a sticky backing that can feed through the printer.   I can then cut down to size ....

It may look pretty good after all.

Since your A-7 is from USS Ranger, here are a couple photos of the recovery area of the flight deck of USS Ranger for reference.

Thanks Stick

I see by the photos that there are small amounts of skid marks along the deck.  But I am not so concerned as I was before.  

Just out of curiosty,,,do you have any pics of the water as if I was standing on the deck looking to the distance.  I want to use that as a backdrop...I have found some on the internet, but not sure if the angle is going to match with the static aircraft from the gound position.

Here is the idea that I am toying with...Picture needs to be edited and sized better but you will see where I am going with this.

[url=https://imgur.com/U7HD6i5]

Here's a shot of the landing 'zone' that shows (barely) some skid marks. As you can see, between the tire rubber and the deck color, not much shows, unless they hit a paint stripe.

you can click on the picture to enlarge.

Stuart06

Here is the idea that I am toying with...Picture needs to be edited and sized better but you will see where I am going with this.

[url=https://imgur.com/U7HD6i5]

 

 

 

Loks good.  Is that a physical photo background, or graphics program work?

BTW, I use a drybrush technique for skid marks.

   Other than playing with the lighting of the area behind your plane, that is pretty much what it looks like from "Vultures Row" . It is difficult to judge distance at sea as the sea state gives a false perspective....and carriers are really big....until ya fly off of one...then it gets small quick....sorry. Any way ya got the right ship USS RANGER and a great start to an interesting dio. BTW not sure if I remember CV-71...Carl Vinson maybe?

CVN-71, USS Theodore Roosevelt

 Thanks HooYa.

Thanks everyone...when I finish a model I try in place in in an environment to add the visual aspect to the model...rather than sitting on a plane base with a white background.  When I show this at clubs or contest, it will just have the base.

Missileman - the picture is off the internet as it was.  I searched for aircraft carrier's vietnam war and bingo....  I didn't really think about the scale of the Aircraft carrier from the picture,,,but I also have one with just the ocean.

Not sure how to edit the picture for lighting.  All I have is MS Paint that comes with Win 10.  (don't really want to invest and learn how to use specialty software).  The picture itself seems a but hazy, and not sure I can sharpen the image with limited tools.

You may not want to make it any clearer; it's in the distance, cruising on a parallel course. It's there for scenery, not to take away anything from the model.