1/144 Jolly Rogers Airfield Diorama

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Warbird Kid

Airman
30
71
Jun 30, 2020
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!







 
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.
 
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!
 
Thanks! 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.



 
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 with the 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!
 
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