Never built a diorama before, so want something very simple. I have the circular wooden bases all ready to begin : )

1) Trying to choose the correct surface for the hard-stands for Middleburg Island, New Guinea. I'm thinking of a fine/medium Hornby gravel, perhaps in white or light tan, or maybe brown.......any ideas, please?

2) Also, I want to build one for my 332nd FG P-51. Again, I've seen b/w photos of the fighters parked on both PSP, and gravel, but what colour gravel would be best. (the PSP matting doens't look cost effective, and I don't know if it can be cut for a circular base anyway).

Any tips would be gratefully received.

If it was further north, I'd suggest white, as in crushed coral or oyster shells. Stuff was notorious for eating the finish off of Marine F4U’s.

You didn’t mention scale, could you hint at PSP, mostly covered with shell/ gravel with card stock cutouts?

From the photos I have just seen, the island was a tiny piece of sand. Gravel would be too large. I would find some very fine, nearly white sand, and possibly even something finer- a powder or pigment, to fill the gaps between sand grains to make it appear even finer.

The runway was PSP, so whether it should be included depends on whether you want to depict the aircraft on or near the runway. You didn't mention the scale, but Eduard make PSP out of plastic for 1/72 and 1/48- these could be cut down, and last time I looked they were on special offer. The PE versions look very fiddly and expensive.

Here are the photos I found:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/indonesia/middleburg/index.html

http://mysite.verizon.net/yenrav/20cms/photos3.htm

find someone with a charcoal grill. The ash that spills out the bottom into the collection tin is PERFECT! Its whiteish grey, fine to coarse texture and free!
Im going to use it for the base of my 1/32 corsair build and have used it on 1/24 scale rally car displays as well.

Mark and Ben, thanks for the swift replies.

My bad: 1/72 is my scale. I'll see what I can find that looks like a sand, etc

The Eduard PSP tip was great. Found some on ebay and just ordered 2 packs - far cheaper than PE : )

Thanks for the tip, Shawn!

I'm just studying b/w photos on my lunch break, and although some do look sandy, others have a/c parked on what looks like muddy brown surface or crushed gravel.......I think it's a case of just choosing one or the other and getting on with it before it stops being fun.

How about this with PSP on top?

http://www.modelhobbies.co.uk/shop/hornby-white-mixed-medium-gravel-r8827-p-14540.html