I am in the process right now of developing a whole new diorama idea.I am doing this in real time so I really don't know where I am going with this or how it will end up.I thought that you guys might find it interesting.Well here goes....



Just yesterday I found something that I have been looking for to add to my presently underway diorama "The Homecoming",a motorcycle.Not just any motorcycle but it was from 1912 just what I need.I bought it on ebay for the "buy it now" price.It was expensive for a 1/16th kit but one mans junk is another mans gold.I hate haggling for stuff it just takes too much time to be bothered.
I don't often buy something without researching it at least a little bit but I saw motorcycle and 1912, 1/16th scale and that was it. Now I hope it arrives safely in the mail.
After buying it I was curious to see what a Henderson 1912 motorcycle was all about,I didn't have a clue.Basic things like where was it made etc.. I knew that I could modify it if need be but 1912 was the important thing.
Well to my surprise it was made in the USA by a guy called Heath.I had heard the name before somewhere and sure enough he was an early aviator.Now things really get interesting as it turns out that Heath used a Henderson motorcycle engine in his early development of the Heath Parasol airplane.If fact he had worked for Curtiss in his early years.
This morning I got to thinking ... I could build a whole new diorama in 1/16th scale about Heath and his airplane starting with the Henderson engine and use just the frame in my present diorama or use frame and engine being worked on in some way.Later if I like the kit I will buy another and use it in a Heath diorama about removing inline engines from motorcycles for use in airplanes which because they were air cooled was a very common thing to do back in the day.I have since learned that Heath learned about this from Curtiss while he was working for him.
Now this idea would appeal to a aviation museum because it is associated with two well known early aviators as well as with motorcyclists.
This right now is just a image in my mind but I can see many ways of going with this,a shop,an engine change,the scratch built airplane under construction etc..etc..
Now I need plans for a model that Heath was working on in his youth using the Henderson engine .If I have trouble with this I can study his work and come up with a reasonable representation using my imagination based upon his work and a little artistic license.
So as of right now it is a go on my to do list.I will keep you up to date on the research and changes as I go along, to be cont....

Sometimes I wonder if I will live long enough to do all this,then I think of Dan San.

It is a sobering thought. We lost him almost a year ago.

As I get older I think of him as an inspiration.I never knew him very well but I loved his enthusiasm right to the end.I think that I will dedicate the Heath/Henderson diorama to him if I manage to live that long.
He even managed to get banned from a site or two during his long life too !

Wow ! it seems in this modeling life that you never know what awaits you around the next corner.A few days ago I didn't even know that a Henderson motorcycle even existed .Now I am researching the engine to convert it to an airplane engine.Damn this stuff is exciting.