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Little Spitfire Diorama - Basic

pjgtech

Peter in Kent UK
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As part of the 90th Anniversary Spitfire GB, I am (obviously) building a Spit.
Its a 1/72 scale plane, so quite small, so I thought it might deserve a little diorama.
Based on a basic WW2 airfield, the base will be a fairly flat one, with some grass verges and a concrete/tarmac runway.
Might add a small feature or two to enhance it....
There will also be a couple of figures to add a bit of interest, from the Airfix Vintage Classics - RAF Personnel set.
RAF Personnel airfix 1_72.webp
The base is just some plain Balsa board cut to size. Then sealed it with a good coat of PVA.
Spitfire diorama mar2026 pics2  (3).webp
Then added some texture, with Ammo/Mig mud paste. Tried to get the corners slightly textured(ish) as they will be the plain grass verges.
The central diagonal will be the small basic runway, I have tried to scrape the paste to look like concrete, with those lines you get when it levelled off, but its subtle, so may not show up that much once its painted up.
Spitfire diorama mar2026 pics2  (1).webp

Started on the figures.... they had the large flat bases, which obviously needed to be removed. These figures are a very soft and pliable plastic, so trying to sand the edges to get rid of mould lines was not easy, as was removing the bases, so some careful snipping was needed.
Here they are primed up...
Spitfire Diorama mar2026  (5).webp

I think as its an airstrip it would have a wind flag, yes? So to make one....
Some rolled up paper, CA'd, cut to size...originally painted orange, but seen a few pics where they are orange and white, so added the white too.
Spitfire diorama mar26.webp
I'll tidy up the line edges later.
Then to make a wind flag pole/stand. Just used some styrene rod as the main pole, then some thinner rods for the supporting base. Used this design as I saw a few photos of similar ones, eg: 3 or 4 surrounding poles at the base.

Then to add the cords/wires to hang the flag, so just used some very thin wire, in three strands, twisted them and made a trio of connections and a main connection.
Spitfire Diorama mar2026  (2).webp
Then had to attach them, which was a right bloody faff, they are very small! and getting the ends to stick (using CA) to the paper flag was tricky, the paper kept going soft and bending, etc, but after about 4 or 5 tries, we got there, wind flag now attached to cords/wires...

Spitfire Diorama mar2026  (3).webp

Then to attached the wind flag to the pole was fairly easy...again just using CA.
Spitfire Diorama mar2026  (4).webp

And here are the figures with first coat of RAF blue eg: Humbrol 96, still need to add details, flesh colour to hands, faces, brown for boots, etc, black push bike, etc. I have now also bent the wind flag down a bit and given it a jaunty angle to (hopefully) make it more lifelike, and not stuck out at 90 degrees as though there's a gale blowing a hooley!
Spitfire diorama mar2026 pics2  (4).webp
 
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Thread owner
Bit more progress today...
Been working on the base, after priming it last night, this morning it got its first coat of paint.
Green to the sides and light grey to the middle section.
Left to dry for few hours and then some extra shades of green added, and a darker grey mottled over the light grey.
But, I think the runway is a tad too dark now, so think I will lighten back up a bit.
Have also scribed in a couple of joints to the concrete slab runway area, and added some "Moss" green paint, which also has clumps of moss like substance in it.
The two side green areas are going to be covered with very short static grass.
Spitfire diorama  mar2026 pics3  (3).webp
Also painted up the figures a bit more, still not 100% finished, just need tidying up a bit more.
Spitfire diorama  mar2026 pics3  (1).webp
Wasn't sure about the colour of the bats on the Marshal who would direct aircraft around the field?
But a bit of Googling suggested red or orange, so I settled on orange....

Spitfire diorama  mar2026 pics3  (2).webp
 
Starting to look quite nice Peter (y)
I once made a similar dio for a Spitfire and got the feedback the RAF didn't have any concrete runways during WWII, only grass fields. Since I'm no expert on the subject I don't know whether that's completely true or not - But I do like the contrast of the grass/concrete, makes it more interesting for the base. Also like how you made the wind flag, looks lovely - Have fun (y)
 
Well I did a quick google and turns out they did start building concrete runways from 1941 onwards - my dio had a mk.II so perhaps at that early time it was only grass. Sorry for the confusion! Cheers (y)
 
Thread owner
Well I did a quick google and turns out they did start building concrete runways from 1941 onwards - my dio had a mk.II so perhaps at that early time it was only grass. Sorry for the confusion! Cheers (y)
Hmm, I did a quick google too, before I started the dio, and what I got back was that "most" airfields were grass, etc, but some were indeed concrete or tarmac? so who knows.
TBH I'm not that bothered about 100% historical accuracy, as long as it looks ok to me, then that'll do fine AFAIC.
Plus, it's built now, so I'm not changing it, Lol....:cool:(y)
Cheers
 
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