# A Malta diorama....



## Lucky13 (Mar 22, 2014)

As these few pics put some ideas in my head, I thought that I'd ask....



























.......and, _what_ is it hanging underneath this Spitfire?






Pic 1, would look good on its own, maybe add those guys in pic 4.
Pic 2 and 3, those scenes you could mix together...
Then, should one go with a blast pen like in pic 1 or pic 5?? Hmmmmm.....

Pic source: Malta Spitfire V's -1942, Their Colours and Markings by Brian Cauchi..

Oh, I put this thread here, as I didn't see a subforum for dioramas...


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## Airframes (Mar 22, 2014)

Either of the blast pens would be a rather long job old chap, even if taking short cuts, but fairly simple to make.
PIC 1 appears to be a sand bag wall surrounding either a second, stone block wall, in that mellow Maltese stone, or rectangular, 4 gallon petrol cans, filled with sand.
PIC 5 is a double, spaced wall of stakes and 'wrinkly tin', filled with rubble and sand, not unlike similar structures found on Luftwaffe fields in France.
PIC 6 is a wall of sand-filled petrol cans, probably backed, on the outside, by either a sand and earth bank, or another 'wrinkly tin' fence.

The stone blocks and stacked petrol cans could be simulated from moulded 'sheets' of plaster, modelling clay or putty or similar, or from carved faomboard, as a 'face' for a thicker backing, and then dressed appropriately, whilst the 'wrinkly tin' pallisades could be made with model railway plastic sheet mouldings and rods from BBQ skewers, with a false top dressed with 'rubble'.
I made a typical Fighter Command blast pen, many years ago, with concrete and earth/grass banks, made from cardboard formers covered in scenic materials, and a inner wall of sand bags made by scribing and moulding scenic modelling clay for the smaller sand bagged areas, and carving foamboard for the main walls.. The finished article looked very authentic, but even with the 'short cuts' employed, it took a long time to do.


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## vikingBerserker (Mar 22, 2014)

I really like the first one. Is the last pic showing dual drop tanks?


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## Lucky13 (Mar 22, 2014)

Much obliged for your input old boy, have a large snifter what...!
....also been thinking of some modelrailroad materials that can be used....


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## fubar57 (Mar 22, 2014)

Here ya go boyo...O scale corrugated roofing...Model Railroad Fine Craft Kits by Builders In Scale - Scratchbuilding Parts and Materials - Metal Roofing and Siding
Get your planning hat on.

Geo


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## herman1rg (Mar 22, 2014)

Looks like fun


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## Lucky13 (Mar 22, 2014)

If you say so G-Man, O scale, that's 1/48 and S scale 1/32, right?
Hmmmmm.....wonder what the size of those blast pens would be...


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## Lucky13 (Mar 22, 2014)

The Chooch Enterprises stonewalls could possibly be used as well.....

Walthers Model Railroading - Search Results


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## Crimea_River (Mar 22, 2014)

Pic 1, is it my eyes or are there two cannons in that wing?


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## Lucky13 (Mar 22, 2014)

Nope, there's two cannons in each wing....

C-Wing, I think....


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## fubar57 (Mar 22, 2014)

Initial Vc's had two cannon in each wing and after initial combat use, they switched to one cannon and two mg in each wing.

Geo


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## Lucky13 (Mar 22, 2014)

Another good one....






Source: Spitfires Over Malta by Brian Cull....


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## Capt. Vick (Mar 22, 2014)

Yeah what is that exactly? Two drop tanks?


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## Crimea_River (Mar 22, 2014)

fubar57 said:


> Initial Vc's had two cannon in each wing and after initial combat use, they switched to one cannon and two mg in each wing.
> 
> Geo



Yeah, I know that. Just that pics in service seem pretty rare.


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## Wayne Little (Mar 23, 2014)

A rarity makes for a good modelling and Diorama subject then!  get to it Jan!


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## Airframes (Mar 23, 2014)

A rarity is Jan not being in the pub on Sunday! No diorama today then ....................


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## Lucky13 (Mar 23, 2014)

Hey, beer helps in the planning, to get into the zone as to speak....

Pint old boy!


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## Wurger (Mar 23, 2014)

Jan's favourite inn...

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## Lucky13 (Mar 23, 2014)

Totally!


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 23, 2014)

So NOW we know what the two tanks mount under centerline in the first post are. Thank Wurger!


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## Lucky13 (Mar 23, 2014)

Just found this while snooping around....

just-bases


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## fubar57 (Mar 23, 2014)

Cool, and here's some bricks and sandbags...Scale Model Bricks - Scenics And those are your basic needs, time to get or be committed.

Geo


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## Airframes (Mar 23, 2014)

You do realise old chap, that for roughly the cost of one of those plain bases, you could make around four from a single sheet of MDF?


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## Lucky13 (Mar 23, 2014)

I wouldn't know old boy, is 400mm x 400mm x 12mm, MDF, for £6.50, expensive? I see that there's a 50% deposit for orders over £20, seriously doubt it'll be over that, £20 or so, is probably what it would cost to get around town here, to find and then bring home the blasted things, which in the end would be easier with a taxi...


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## Lucky13 (Mar 23, 2014)

Also found these....


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## Lucky13 (Apr 3, 2014)

12mm Plain MDF – 400mm x 400mm and at £6.50, but would it be big enough for a 1/48 bird in a blast pen...?


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## Wurger (Apr 3, 2014)

Measure the wingspan of the model you'll know.


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## Lucky13 (Apr 3, 2014)

Wingspan 234mm and the fuselage 193.3mm.....


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## Wurger (Apr 3, 2014)

Well.. there shouldn't be any trouble with making the diorama.


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## fubar57 (Apr 3, 2014)

Looks like four feet on either side of the wing tips give or take,= 25mm in scale, give or take.

Geo


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## Lucky13 (Apr 3, 2014)

Maybe add a few mm, as a blast pen is to be made, mounted at an angle....
Question is though, were different blast pens used at the same airfield, old empty cans (filled with sand), sandbags, limestone and corrugated sheeting....

In this case No. 185 Squadron at Hal Far (Stenborg) and No. 249 Squadron at Ta' Qali (Beurling)..


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## Lucky13 (Apr 3, 2014)

Never mind, just remembered, realised, callitwhatyawant, that the base is 400 x 400 mm, should be plenty of space!


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## Lucky13 (May 3, 2014)

Where is da place to get the appropriate sand for this?


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## fubar57 (May 3, 2014)

Malta?

Geo


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## Wurger (May 3, 2014)




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## Wurger (May 3, 2014)

Lucky13 said:


> Where is da place to get the appropriate sand for this?













However here you are a close up shot of the Malta soil. It is brick-coloured , often almost red. So you will have to paint your sand , unless you can find a red one.

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## Wurger (May 3, 2014)

Also you may use Vallejo sandy pastes and other items offered by the firm..

Vallejo 26215 Sandy Paste





Plastic Model Kits from Revell, Airfix - Models For Sale Ltd

http://www.airbrush-services-almere.nl/shopasa/contents/en-uk/d250_Vallejo_Water_and_Stone.html

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## Lucky13 (May 3, 2014)

Much obliged my friend!


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## Wurger (May 3, 2014)

My pleasure Pal.


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## fubar57 (May 3, 2014)

Desert Sand Mats - ReadyGrass® Vinyl Mat - Woodland Scenics - Model Layouts, Scenery, Buildings and Figures





...and then lightly sprinkle on some lighter colored sand to match Wojtek's photo shown above.

Geo


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## Wurger (May 3, 2014)

These lighter areas in the pic above are withered grass actually.


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## Wayne Little (May 3, 2014)

Sometimes a light mottle with the appropriate colour with your airbrush will do the trick too...once the base has been covered..


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## fubar57 (May 3, 2014)

Wurger said:


> These lighter areas in the pic above are withered grass actually.



Woodland Scenics Static Grass Flock- Burnt Grass







Geo


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## Lucky13 (May 3, 2014)




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## Airframes (May 4, 2014)

Yep, use commercially available 'ground cover' materials, such as static grass and tufts, over a base covered with 'sand' mixed from scatter materials, from any model railway outlet, as well as Model Hobbies. These are basically dyed sawdust, in many colours representing grass, earth, sand, stone, etc etc. A couple of types, mixed together, should give the desired effect.
You can also use real sand, from B&Q or builders merchants, in the fine variety. For my 1/32nd scale desert Beaufighter base, I used real sand from the Sahara desert - brushed from the roof of my car, after one of those freak rain and wind storms carried the sand from North Africa to northern England !


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## Wurger (May 4, 2014)

fubar57 said:


> Woodland Scenics Static Grass Flock- Burnt Grass
> 
> View attachment 261829
> 
> ...


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## vikingBerserker (May 4, 2014)

I would love to visit Malta. I applied for a job there with my company at alas no luck.


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