1/144 Jolly Rogers Airfield Diorama

[Warbird Kid]

I've been putting together this 1/144th scale diorama at the Connecticut Air & Space Center in honor of the 90th Bomb Group, better known as the "Jolly Rogers". It also is in honor of my grandfather: Peter J. Soltis, who was a Flight Engineer and Top Turret Gunner in the Jolly Rogers in the 320th. It depicts a typical air base for the 90th that could be either on Biak, New Guinea, etc.

I'll be continuing to add some other details like more Trucks, Jeeps, Crates, Tents, Trees, Foliage, etc. to the display. We still need a 400th B-24 (Black Tail) to represent a least one Liberator from each of the four squadrons. Most importantly, I'm working in Photoshop to create a realistic background mural to frame the entire diorama. That and doors of course! There will also be a second shelf for artifacts, as well as a second matching case with even more artifacts! Hope you enjoy the progress! I'll try and get some better quality pictures next time!

[mazdaP5]

That looks like a proper blast to do. Nice work!

[Warbird Kid]

Couple more images with a few additions. Some little cargo bundles covered in tarps, some extra trucks, etc.

[Warbird Kid]

Little update. I've gotten the background mural to a place where I don't hate it. I sent it off to the "old man" for a review and see what he comes back with. Take a look for yourself!



Note: Anyone who looks closely will see that all the B-24s are actually the Collings Foundation's "Witchcraft"! But hopefully that won't be too noticeable at that scaled down size.

[Warbird Kid]

For anyone interested in how my father made the extra bits of cargo for the diorama.

First he started with small cut off bits of plastic. In this case Raychem he "liberated" from work and glued it onto a thin sheet of styrene.





I found out years ago that rolling paper can be a FANTASTIC paper / canvas / cloth material for models. It was a great excuse for when my dad caught me with them, and it actually worked!



Then using a mixture of Elmer's Glue and Water you dip the cut piece of rolling paper into the tray until soaked. You dont want it to the point where its falling apart of course.





You then begin to work the material onto the piece you wish to cover. Take some time doing this as the curing / hardening time is quite long. Use a hairdryer to speed up the process if you want to.



Upon trimming and molding, it looks like we have a decent looking stack of boxes!



Here is the completed example after paint and a little bit of weathering.





And here are a few other bits of cargo to go along as well.





The same process was used on some 21st Century 1/144 Trucks to give them canvas covered tops.





I used this same method when building my "Bats Belfrey" diorama. It actually came out of necessity. I was REALLY happy with how I had painted the front windscreen / canopy on the B-25, only to have dropped it, and rolled over it with my chair. So I figured, I could salvage it, and put a tarp over part of it!



Hope you enjoyed this little bit of info!

[Warbird Kid]

My dad thought there should be a little more in the diorama. So he sacrificed one of my 21st Century Zeros. And I liked that one too!











And the fabled "Jeep Project" He's recreating our 42 Willys that we operate out of the museum.

[Brenden S]

Nice work.

[Scott Rose]

[Warbird Kid]

Thanks Scott! For those that don't know, my father and I are volunteers and board members for the Connecticut Air & Space Center in Stratford, Connecticut.
https://www.ctairandspace.org

It's a smaller museum, with about 17 different aircraft and helicopters, but we also operate our 1942 Willys Jeep out of there so is reaches a wider audience (much like he diorama). We've owned the Jeep since 2013 and have had to do a fair amount to get her to where she is today (both cosmetically and internally).

Here's a shot of "For Pete's Sake" from a few years ago before we acquired the top, and few other additions.
https://www.ctairandspace.org/copy-of-1958-sikorsky-s-60-flying-c-1


And here are a few more recent shots taken at a local school in Stratford during Memorial Day.







The 1942 Willys Jeep Project was devised as a way to also honor my Grandfather, Peter J Soltis from the Jolly Rogers. We figured, why not create a Jeep that "Pete" could have been driving around in, on one of the airfields during the war? So without skipping a beat, why father decided to recreate our Jeep in 1/144th scale.

First he started with ordering a few sets from Brengun. From looking at all the different 1/144th Jeeps, Brengun seemed like the highest quality and most detail.




Here is the bike receiving the messenger bag,


And here is the finished result! Needless to say Im impressed!






We'll be adding this to the diorama as well! Thanks for looking!

Last edited by Warbird Kid on Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

[phil65]

Nice work Chris...
I don't know how you guys work with that small stuff...

Phil

[JohnB]

Who does your 3D printing work?
I have a small job...

[Warbird Kid]

Who does your 3D printing work?
I have a small job...

Wish i could help! I've just used people's designs from Shapeways.

[Warbird Kid]

Small update:

The crashed Zero (along with a mostly unscathed Tony) have been added into the display along with the Jeep.
I'm going to update / modify the backdrop mural a little bit, before sending it out to a printer.

(Note: These shots were taken on my Dad's new phone and appear to have been scale down)











And lastly, here a few shots of the overall display. Still a ways to go. Most of the artifacts have just been placed in the case without any rhyme or reason.
We also need to locate the shorter glass shelves for the diorama case, so we can create a level shelf above it, instead of two uneven shelfs.

[Warbird Kid]

We put the extra Jeeps and Bikes into the diorama tonight, along with the first print version of the backdrop mural!









The backdrop mural is just temporarily placed in with magnets. It was intentionally made longer since it was originally to be cut in the middle and glued to the two backing doors. But we think it may look better this way since the metal brackets are behind the print. We still need to trim it, but its not bad for a first print version. The thing is, you just never know what it's going to look like until you place in place. Now looking at it, I'd adjust more than a few things. But I'm happy with it for now.

The only other thing that we'll probably do with the diorama at this time will be to change or add more aircraft. We have a couple of B-24s planned, and maybe some P-38s instead of Corsairs. (I have plans for the Corsairs for another Diorama).

[Warbird Kid]

So we've cut the backdrop to just about 57" so it stretches nicely with some small magnets and lays in front of the doors. Let me tell ya, it's a pain when a bike flips over and you have to become a contortionist and work around that mural. Here are some shots my father took of the assembled diorama. At this point I think we're going to call it done and move on to some other much needed projects. Namely find the right length of glass shelving needed above the diorama, select and arrange artifacts in both cases, and make up some artifact ID cards, and an overall info board.

Now we're working on a sister diorama to this one that will be also located in the CASC.