Crafting an aircraft base

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

It's me again


I'm hoping someone can help me out, I need a base for my up coming F-4C Phantom.


I've looked through eBay and all the usual sites but can't find anything that's suitable.


I need it to be correct for Cam Rahn Bay Air Base circa 1968.


I'm pretty useless when it comes to making bases and they always look pretty basic so any help would be much appreciated


Thanks


Adrian

 

[takeslousyphotos]

Concrete sections are good for a base. Something approx 6 x 4 foot scaled down...... make them out of sand paper. Medium grit. Cut them free hand so the edges aren't perfectly straight and round the corners A bit........ then stick them onto the base board with PVA. Leave a bit of a gap between them....... Then you can seal and paint them........Stick them on at a bit of a jaunty angle.

 

[takeslousyphotos]

When you paint them. Use cheap grey emulsion or kids poster paint. Take a look at some concrete. It Isn`t grey.... There are blacks , browns and maybe a little green dry brushed on the edges...........and there`'ll be oil stains as well.

 

[Laurie]

I have just use shelves for my models Adrian. But it is the same for a base.


I have used a mat stuck down to the shelf.John does them


http://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/1200-x-300mm-tarmac-ballast-mat-javis.html


Gives a nice runway or taxing look. Just sticks down with PVA glue


Also there is scatter. Again PVA surface and scatter the scatter on. Bit messy


compared to the mat.


Used a few rocks to one side to give a bit of relief with some bushes and grass..


Laurie

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Thank Laurie but it isn't that type of airfield, managed to find a great site with a lot of runway pictures, hope the link below works


http://12tfw.org/album11.htm


As you can see it looks like there may have been two types of runway in use.


Adrian

 

[Laurie]

What scale are you on Adrian ?


Laurei

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Ah sorry its my 1:48th Good Evening Da Nang build


Adrian

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

I think eduard do some psp planking, and you might want to have a look into some of that

 

[rickoshea52]

Have you tried this website?


http://www.scalemodelscenery.com

 

[PaulTRose]

try this place...saw there stuff at the northern model show


http://www.coastalkits.co.uk/newstore/scenic/display-base-range.html?page=all

 

[spanner570]

Adrian, try this..


Get a Pizza with the round polystyrene base in the packaging. With a modelling knife scribe fine, parallel lines to scale on it as in pictures 2/3 and using cheap grey acrylics, go over the whole thing then wipe off the excess. This will leave you with dark 'expansion' joints. Get some very fine sand paper and lightly stroke the base running with - not across - the lines. This will give a roughish texture to your surface......


When the base is dry mix various shades of acrylic - whatever colours you want and paint between the lines to produce the effect as per pictures....Job done.


If you don't like Pizzas, any sort of polystyrene will do as long as it's smooth to start with......


I hope this method is worth considering because it does work...honest!

 

[stona]

I use a grey tile grout as a base which I can texture and then brush on various washes until I think it looks right. Works for me but I'm trying Ron's pizza base idea next


Cheers


Steve

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Thanks all finally able to get on to reply


Some great ideas I will be trying out, I had looked at Coastal and at first didn't see anything I thought would suit but after seeing the pictures on various sites I think I can get away with the Marsden matting


These do look interesting as well


http://www.scalemodelscenery.com/148-vietnam-airbase-revetments/


Though not sure how realistic they would look


Adrian

 

[spanner570]

Adrian,


I've just had a few minutes go at that surface in your photo on a pizza base....very rough, but not far off, but with a bit more care it could work........and you can get a meal out of it!


On second glance at the photos, it looks like there are no cross expansion joints, like wot I've done, but the lengths look not so bad....


View attachment 116992

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

That's amazing, I'll grab some tea tomorrow and see what I can do, though get ready for a real mess


Adrian

 

[spanner570]

I'm just glad I could be of some use! Got to be worth a try at least.


The base above is 12" dia., so @1/48 you may have to buy 2 Pizzas - you lucky lad...


But as I wrote earlier, any flat, smooth piece of polystyrene will do.


When you apply that first coat, you will see all sorts of imperfections appear, I think this helps getting that used look to your concrete - or whatever the surface is.....It could even be some sort of rubber matting, it's hard to tell.


Don't forget, first coat well worked into your lines....wipe off, then apply a single, well diluted, all over coat of whatever colour, wipe this off to and leave to dry. Then do your strips, varying the amount of water/ paint mix as you go. This will ensure each strip is a slightly different shade. If you want to add oil spillage, take a small fine tip brush and just touch the still wet area with the smallest amount of blue/black colour and watch as it spreads all by itself....


Just take your time...even have a practice first.


Last tip, make your parallel lines fairly deep, but not wide. Then the paint will stay within the confines of the lines and not creep into the next strip.

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Has anyone got experience with this type of model base ?


http://www.scalemodelscenery.com/148-vietnam-airbase-revetments/


Not sure how it would look close up


Adrian

 

[yak face]

Looks ok when its done ,judging by the pictures . It might be a bit of a kit on its own though , having to print it off , mount it on card then cut it out and glue it all together. I suppose its only like most of the card models or the old micromodels kits ( ive always been tempted by these!!) cheers tony