1/200 747-400: St. Maarten diorama: *FINISHED*

That's awsome!!! All the work on the aircraft and then the diorama itself.....just incredible!!

Wow! More amazing work! Great job Frank.

The scenery right there on the beach itself is worth the trip and to have large aircraft 50' over head just adds to the overall 'uniqueness' of the island. A side trip to Mullet Bay is also recommended... aircraft flying in to SXM from a different viewing angle. Other than the traffic congestion, I love the place.

Thought that you mignt want the airport code to go along with this...

Thanks Fly-in-hi and Kevin....

I have yet to make the trip to St. Maarten, but if all goes as planned it will this Fall sometime, seeing as it's only a 3.5 hour flight from here.

Thanks again fellas,

Take care,

Frank

Very nicely done! I too have been to SXM several times (returning again this year) and this diorama reminds me of how cool this beach is for spotting aircraft! One of the reasons why I first went to St. Maarten!

What's next? KLM MD-11 on the same approach?

That's really good.  I might have to try a mirrored project like that.

I've actually landed at that airport several times.  It's pretty fun.

Thanks halfpint33!       The mirrors accomplish a real deceiving illusion, as well as making a narrow disply shelf appear much wider.

Take care,

Frank

Frank this is just plain awesomeI've seen model railroaders use mirrors to make part of a layout look bigger than it actually is but never thought of doing it with a model plane.

Thanks Redwing, I appreciate it, sir! 

  Here is a couple pictures of the road between the beach and the threshold, showing the beachgoer who is jumping off the wall to avoid the Body Landing Gears!

Take care,

Frank

fantastic job !!

Thank you Rod and Manny....

 Rod:     A few nice things about doing a model this way is that you pull two builds from a single kit (economical), you only have to build one wing/set of engines/main gear (the other side will match exactly), you can display it in half the shelf space (or exclude the base board and hang it on the wall as a plaque), and the most fun, watching people trying to digest what they are seeing!   ~~This one's for you, Matthew!!~~~

Manny:   That is a great idea for a picture, except I'd need to reposition the people dashing to get out of the way.... (which I probably should have done anyway)      My wife said... "Well, that sure must be a brave bunch of beachgoers just standing there like that!"  LOL

Take care,

Frank

Nicely done!  Next time you take some pics of it blow some cigarette smoke across the water and it might look like jet blast spraying the area...

Frank,

I am dumbfounded!  That is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen a modeler do!  Very creative!

Do you also build the other half of the plane so in effect get two models for the price of one?

Excellent work!

RODC

Thanks Lloyd and Pawel...

Half of the plane and scene are an illusion, generated by the material being affixed to a true first surface mirror which absorbs the brunt of the seam lines and causes the mirror surface to become virtually invisible.     This technique allows aircraft/spacecraft/birds/angels... bombs etc, to look like they are in unsupported flight; close up you can tell, but more than 2-3 ft away and the subject is floating before your eyes, to the point it causes people to stare!  

It's the ONLY convincing way to replicate objects in-flight without using a forced view display (on these, the viewer can have 180 degrees horizontal and viertical true 3D prospective; perfect for an against-the-wall narrow shelf or desk as it appears to create an opening in the wall with the plane floating in the middle) 

Read more about it at my website:  http://FloatingMID.com

Take care,

Frank

Cool pics, cool dio! My question: how did you suspend that baby mid-air? Thanks for sharing, have a nice day

Pawel

Superb! I saw the video  a couple of years back, looks spot on.

Finally got her finished at 5:30 this morning!















This plane gathered dust way too long and it was gratifying to get her done!

Enjoy,
Frank

Thank you very much, Pawel & Manny !

Pawel: I put it off flapping a 747 a long time, then finally mustered the courage using a cheap 1/300th kit, which actually went pretty well, then I done this one, and just last month finished a 1/144 example that was flapped in "take-off" configuration..... /forums/t/123452.aspx        It's not that bad if you take your time and have a well stocked spares box.... oh yeah, LOTS of sandpaper and SHARP hobby knife blades!

Manny: this one will remain dry I suppose, but will be dusting the people really good, much like the one in this video..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAfQwDizpRo

I appreciate you fellas dropping in!

Take care,

Frank

Cool, is this the plane that landed in the water right off of the beach?

Such a cool work, so little comments - pity! You are actually doing with the wings what I was about to do in 1/144, but ended up only thinking about it. Maybe some day... St. Maarten - I hope to get there some day again and duck for cover myself - I just have to try it. Keep up the good work and have a nice day

Pawel

Thank you Jeremy...

     I know the whole thing doesn't look like much now, but wait until you see how it comes alive when it's hanging in the air a few feet over Maho Beach, with beachgoers ducking for cover!

The plane detailing is almost complete, getting ready to start of the beach scene now.

Take care,

Frank

Very nice work! I love the detail on the landing gear.

Update... spent most of today scratching new main landing gears, as the kit pieces are way too thick. I retained the top part which attaches to the plane and added stretched sprue parts below that except the axels. Here they are after the main construction and dry fitted on the plane:



More to come....
Frank