Always looking for something new....
Hi guys! I have had a lot of great response from an idea that I have had using old radio cabinets to display dioramas.I have made a mock up of the idea using a diecast car but of course this idea could really be used for any genre.
For you aircraft guys please use your imagination and replace the car with the aircraft of your choice.I think that this would work especially well for half type aircraft that were attached to a mirror along the back wall .This would also be a great way to display the half fuselage type displaying the innards of the aircraft itself while still being able to see the flying aircraft in the mirror.I will post a few pictures later to show you what I mean.

Albatros hangar's chimney.
The chimney is temporarily installed.I made it from hard maple dowel, sanding it very smooth so no grain is visible.The roof guy wires will be secured down to eyebolts after I remove the roof for the last time.The chimney is actually in two pieces so the roof is easily removable.The chimney cap was made from an old cigar tubes end piece.I will finish the weathering later.This diorama is now nearing completion.

John , this has been an excellent story to follow . Like going back in time and having a feeling of what it was like in the olden days . Thanks for sharing your work and the time you put into these .

Looks like John's work on this subject is being expanded. More bits and bobs.

Oh Hi Stephen! I had forgot that I had a thread dedicated to the Albatros only.Thanks for the reminder.
Cheers! John.

Hey John, Its one of my favorites.

Great stuff John: The diorama definately tells the story.

Cheers Nick

As you guys know this diorama has grown considerably over time.It started out as a hanger that was there to mostly protect the airplane inside.Then it grew to a full scale diorama with a landscaped exterior,parts of three different Albatros's ,a Ford T truck and fuel tender plus various other odds and ends.
This was originally my first aircraft diorama started around ten years or more ago and I'm still adding to it.I am happy with its evolution over the years ,truly a wonderful learning experience but I will be happy to see it finished and safe and sound in the museum,hopefully about a year from now.The Albatros,Jenny,and Neiuport are all going around the same time.
The fourth diorama, the backyard flyer, will be finished last as I plan to use it as a backdrop for taking pics of classic cars,figures etc...before sending it on.

First thing up is to decide how I want to weather all these parts that I have inherited.The wood parts I will weather as though the fabric and plywood has been off for some time but not years.It may have sat outside for a few months being robbed of parts.In that amount of time no real weathering of the wood could have taken place but dust and dirt would accumulate and old oil and grease would be present especially around the engine area.With this in mind I took some black and gray pastels and worked a little into the joint areas.I then took some very thin raw umber and sprayed(old toothbrush method) on some crud.
The metal parts I will treat with black patina for solder available from stained glass suppliers.If left on long enough it will turn everything black but that is not what I am after.I brush mine on to get a nice gunmetal /steel look .The Albatros was built using steel tubing so even a slight exposure to the elements would be cause for some rust of exposed areas.I am doing some experiments now on areas where I would like to show some traces of paint ,like the U/C legs and N struts.

Thanks Mark and Nick! Cheers! John.

Another pic

The ailerons are weathered but maybe they are overdone a bit.They are steel tubing and would rust quickly if exposed to the elements. Maybe I will add a little grey steel color pastels to brighten them up a bit.

The red U/C leg was treated a little differently as I wanted a bit of paint to show through.First I de-burred and lightly sanded the metal.Then I painted on two coats of burnt umber gesso(never use white ,because when you sand it it contaminates everything with white specks.) Over that I painted two coats of acrylic color and let dry overnight .
Next day I sanded off the paint and in some places down to the raw metal again.I then dunked the whole thing in stained glass patina and added a little rust with pastels.

The engine casing was painted with burnt umber gesso and then silver with a dab of black gesso added to give it a gunmetal appearance.
The U/C assembly was painted like the first leg and will be weathered after drying overnight.
Most hard landings and even crashes usually caused the most damage at the wheel /axle joint and bungee cords.The legs themselves may bend but most don't break, judging by pics that I have seen.If anyone has pictures of Albatros crashes (without fire) please advise.

I showed your dioramas to my girlfriend, and she was amazed at how lifelike they are. I too am amazed at your weathering and realism. I have introduced her to the hobby and so far she has enjoyed it, and all of the side bars therein. I am watching the progress here with keen interest. The question I have is thus: What do you with these dioramas when you are finished with them? Do they go to a museum, are they displayed prominently in your residence, or at the club site? These some of the best that I have seen.

Thanks Mark! and your girl friend too! We need more women doing dioramas.Yes these dioramas are going to the Canada Aviation Museum. Cheers! John.