Hi all!

Here are the first pictures of my new diorama project. It will be a maintenance scene in the Aleutian in 1942/43. The photo that inspired me is this one:


The area is quite busy! More than ten planes in various states are parked in a PSP cell with lots of equipment and vehicles. Of course I won't be able to reproduce all that is visible in the original scene but I will try to make the most possible...


For the base, I used a 120X90 cm piece of wood board. The PSP plates from Mark58 were then screwed in place rather than glued to obtain a more solid fixing...


To level the surface, I used 5mm thick PVC plates cut to shape. These were also screwed to the wood board. I placed some models to get a basic idea of the diorama...


All the joints between the PVC plates were filled with Polyfilla (filler used to smooth the surface of walls). The blue surrounding is meant to represent the artificial hills which resulted from the construction of the airfield. They were made out of Styrofoam


To cut the foam I used a "Hot Knife" from "Hot Wire Foam Factory" (see website here). While not much faster than an usual knife, the "Hot knife" allow to obtain a more realistic surface...


In this picture you can see all the references I gathered for this project so far:
- a P-38 from Hasegawa
- a P-40K from Hasegawa (with BigEd from Eduard)
- two P-39 from Eduard (with Verlinden, CMK and Cutting Edge detail sets)
- two Allison engines (from CMK and Aires)
- a Cargo Truck from Tamiya (just released )
- a tractor from the Revell/Monogram WW2 airfield accessories kit
- a cletrac from the Monogram B-24 kit
- Eduard, Preiser, Verlinden, Tarmac, Monogram etc... figures
- various equipment from Signifer
- two tents from Custom Dioramics
- a Nissen hut from Flightpath
- etc...


This is the current status of the diorama. I have added a coat of resin to blend and secure everything together. I also filled the holes from the screws. Next step will be to add a coat of sand to have a nice texture for painting...

This will be a long term project so don't expect daily updates from me...

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc,

I am not worthy! You are da' bomb-master diorama man for tackling this.

Where did you find this photo? I have it in my Pacific Fighters issue of Flight Journal. I've written a couple comments about it in the past, such as that tan/green P-40 with the Aleutian Tiger noseart. The utility plane in the L foreground has some tan across the tail but, apparently, nowhere else.

I recall my photo shows an Army Lockheed Lodestar, not seen in yours.

All in all, an impressive effort! I look forward to its progress.

Wow! Nice one Jean-Luc!

And in 1/48 too!

Wow..looks to be a massive project and you are off to a very good start Jean-Luc. Looking forward to see the progress on this interesting dio.

Hi Jean-Luc

COOL project! Have a look for ICM US crew ... they're nice. The CLETRAC (? .. the Kettentraktor in the center) can be found in Revell/Monogram B-24 (IIRC?! might be B-17)

best wishes

Steffen

Hi Jean-Luc

Really looking forward to seeing this one! I must admit to being jealous though... I don't have a clear area to work in as large as that anywhere in my flat - including the floors! Hmmm... bright idea... I haven't filled the ceilings with modelling-clutter yet!

All the best

Rowan

Soo, where is this one going to 'live'? This is huge.

WOW, the Force be with you Jean-Luc - What a fantastic project
A little envy here too. I won't have enough space to display such a project, let alone enough space to work on it, in any scale. By the way what do you plan to use as a dust cover ? A circus tent perhaps ? I truly look forward to your progress shots.

Hi all!

No I'm not crazy!

Thanks for your kind comments...



Fred, I found this picture in the French Trimestrial Magazine "Ciel de Guerre" n°10. It's part one of a two volume work which focuses on the Aleutian "forgotten campaign". There are also B&W pictures and profiles of the tan/green P-40s. I will do one for the dio...
The plane in the foreground is a Stinson L-1A-ST Vigilant. If somebody knows about a 1:48 scale kit of that plane (Rowan?) I'm interested, even if it is a vacuform!



Yes Steffen, I have the Cletrac from the B-24 kit. It's a pretty basic kit that will need some scratchbuilding...



I don't know yet! But this diorama will be some kind of advertising for the products of Mark58 (in this case the PSP plates). Once done, I will go on tour with Marc Toillié and we will present the project on modelling expos. Hopefully it will drag the attention of some visitors.
Maybe I will find a place for it in my house later. I know my wife will be very happy!

Jean-Luc

Wow!
That collection of kits and accessoriesfor this diorama looks like a small LHS!
Im going to enjoy watching this come together!!
Nige

That's one cool looking project you got going there. I will be keeping my eye on this.

Well Jean-Luc, I hope your artistic mind will much show of on this one! I will also follow your big project!
JB

This looks like a real complicated project. When it takes me a month or two for simple builds, I can't even guess how long this would take me. But I guess that is why you are the guru, and I the student.

Great job.

I'm gobsmacked Jean-Luc, this is one huge project.
I am going to enjoy watching this come to life.
Andy

Hi Jean-Luc

I have seen an article about how to improve this kit, but unfortunately I cannot remember where. Maybe post a question on Track48 forum or the 1/48 ML-forum ...

Furthermore I believe there is another kit from Gaso.Line or PropagandaKompanie.

cheers

Steffen

Wow! Quite an ambitious project there, but you have shown you can do big projects before, so this will probably be just as great.

Looking forward to see more.

Hi all!

Thanks for your kind words! That's quite an encouragement!

I made some little progress on the project. I applied a first coat of sand using white glue...





The seams between the PSP plates have been eliminated with white glue as well...



I even found a "Le Tourneau" Dozer to place in a corner of the diorama. It is available from Wespe but in the box there is the old Stock Verlinden kit, maybe a collector's item now...



I will apply some more sand here and there, especially where the tents and the hut are located and then paint the surface of the diorama. Fortunately I don't have to worry about trees and grass as there was nothing like that near the airfields in the Aleutians...

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

I don't think I've even heard of such a kit - I've certainly never come across one. Perhaps you could use a little artistic licence and substitute a Modelcraft Noorduyn Norseman or a Hobbycraft Piper Cub?

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan!

If you don't know about a Stinson L-1A-ST Vigilant kit in 1/48 scale then it is not necessary that I continue to search the web for one. Thanks!
I think I will build what I have. It already represents enough work I think. And maybe a resin or short run manufacturer will have the good idea to do a Vigilant in the near future, who knows?

Jean-Luc

Hi again Jean-Luc

You may well be right! It's just the sort of subject that manufacturers like Planet Models might pick up on. Fingers crossed!

All the best

Rowan

[/quote]
I have the Cletrac from the B-24 kit. It's a pretty basic kit that will need some scratchbuilding [/quote]

Jean-Luc,

I'm impressed your taking this on. You must have a big garage to assemble all this and a fat wallet anyway I took these pictures the past weekend I thought they may be of help to you.









Sincerely,
Brian

Hi Brian!

Wow! Thanks a lot, these pictures will be very usefull! Do you have more?

Will searching for the web for reference photos I also found some in the... Aeroscale walkaround section: M2 Cletrac tractor

As I said, the Cletrac in the B-24 kit will need to be "updated"...

Jean-Luc

Hello Jean-Luc,

The only other picture I took was the one with my son in it. I added it to the other photos. I should have took more but there was so much to see and do that day. Here is a link to a web site that has some small but good pictures as well.
http://www.us44.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=64
Sincerely,
Brian

I am currently building the Revell B-24 but I have no use for Cletrac. If any one wants it, just PM me with your address and I will post it by return.

Steve