Swamp Patrol

[Joemodelling14]

After seeing several photos of downed aircraft from the pacific theater from ww2 including one in a swamp i decided that i had to make a diorama based on one. the two kits that i decided to buy were the masterbox jungle patrol set and revell's 1/32 p-39. Although there is a scale difference it will not be noticeable on the finished model. The p-39 kit is relatively basic and would benefit from extra enhancement, but nit will be depicted in a wrecked state so this will not be necessary.n

the base for the dio will be a picture frame and to complement it I have gather a whole host of scenic products from scatters, foliage and lichens to tacky aquarium plants and leaf shape paper punches


sorry about the poor quality of the photo, detail shots of the pieces will come later



these photos will give you and idea of what the dio might (hopefully) look like





The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal American fighter aircraft in service when the United States entered World War II. The P-39 was used with great success by the Soviet Air Force, which scored the highest number of individual kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type. Other major users of the type included the Free French, the Royal Air Force, the United States Army Air Forces, and the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. Designed by Bell Aircraft, it had an innovative layout, with the engine installed in the center fuselage, behind the pilot, and driving a tractor propeller via a long shaft. It was also the first fighter fitted with a tricycle undercarriage. Although its mid-engine placement was innovative, the P-39 design was handicapped by the absence of an efficient turbo-supercharger, limiting it to low-altitude work. As such it was rejected by the RAF for use over western Europe and passed over to the USSR where performance at high altitude was less important

Operational history in the pacific
Bell-9-39 from the United States requisitioned 200 aircraft of the order destined for the UK, adopting them as P-400s (named for advertised top speed of 400 mph (644 km/h)). After Pearl Harbor, the P-400 was deployed to training units, but some saw combat in the Southwest Pacific including with the Cactus Air Force in the Battle of Guadalcanal. Though outclassed by Japanese fighter aircraft, it performed well in strafing and bombing runs, often proving deadly in ground attacks on Japanese forces trying to retake Henderson Field. Guns salvaged from P-39s were sometimes fitted to Navy PT boats to increase firepower. Pacific pilots often complained about problems of performance and unreliable armament, but by the end of 1942, the P-39 units of the Fifth Air Force had claimed about 80 Japanese aircraft, with a similar number of P-39s lost. By any standard the Airacobra and its pilots held their ground against the Japanese. Fifth and Thirteenth Air Force P-39s did not score more aerial victories in the Solomons due to the aircraft's limited range and poor high altitude performance. Airacobras first fought Japanese Zeros on 30 April 1942 in a low level action near Lae, New Guinea. From May to August 1942 combat between Airacobras and Zeros took place on a regular basis over New Guinea. Compilation of combat reports indicates the Zero was either equal to or close to the P-39 in speed at the altitudes of the various low level encounters.From September to November 1942 pilots of the 57th Fighter Squadron flew P-39s and P-38s from an airfield built on land bulldozed into Kuluk Bay on the barren island of Adak in Alaska's Aleutian Islands. They attacked the Japanese forces which had invaded Attu and Kiska islands in the Aleutians in June 1942. The factor that claimed the most lives was not the Japanese but the weather. The low clouds, heavy mist and fog, driving rain, snow, and high winds made flying dangerous and lives miserable. The 57th remained in Alaska until November 1942, then returned to the United States

[privatepete]

Hi Joe I wish you good luck with your build, I have not tried doing tree's yet and you are doing a jungle/swamp and I'm a lot older than you, your a brave man I'll keep a eye on your progress

[Joemodelling14]

Work on the project started with the p-39
For this I decided that the plane will be painted as part of the diorama instead of an individual model, this means that it will be better blended into the landscape. I assembled the entire model, cutting out unnecessary steps such as constricting the inside of the wheel wells

The full cockpit will be seldom seen so the only extra detail was some very basic detail of seat belts made from masking tape and wire for the clips

hmost of one wing would be burried in the earth so it would be removed completely and the other would have gaps in it. the fuselage would be split in half and thtere ould be damage on the rear flaps and rudder.

the areas stated above were removed

plasticard and various gauge wire was used to represent internal framing and wiring




Plasticard was first formed around the original frame and then glued down to show the framing with now glass left on it

the propeller blades were bent back

[Gav0909]

Your a braver man than I for doing a damaged aircraft like that! It looks excellent so far though, but I guess doing a derelict, damaged plane is harder than doing a normal one, so best of luck, watching with interest!

[MarkVerploeg]

That is something i would like to do .....someday in a blaze of shear madness
For now i still think chopping up a kit is a bit beyond my skill set
But it looks good so far
It even reminds me of a level in a Call of Duty game where you need to go through a swamp
They had a different plane there but the same idea
Good luck with the build

[Joemodelling14]

It was actually that level that partly inspired this build, I think it was a corsair though

[MarkVerploeg]

I think you are right about the Corsair
It should be a nice setting for a diorama

[Joemodelling14]

Further detail was added to the plane to add extra atmosphere in the form of bullet holes.
This was done by taking various gauges of wire from an unfolded paper clip to a screw and heated over a hot flame until it was red hot. quickly it was moved onto the surface where it made a hole whilst also melting the plastic to create the effect of a bullet hole, whiles the screws represented larger holes from cannon shells.




work was next made on the diorama as the model will be made as whole;e piece rather than a separate model the attached.
To build the base a picture frame was selected, this one was around A3 size and had a thick frame that would be good for the water effect. to build up the main land mass blocks of cardboard were built up. This was then covered with air drying clay to create the base. Unfortunately this subsequently cracked and a new material for model railways has been applied, but is still drying.


For vegetation on this diorama i will be using alot of different materials but theese plants that I found in an aquarium would be good to represent the plants you find growing near the waters edge

For the first of our types of trees that I will be making, I used a branch that I found in the garden and applied another kind of plant that I found in the same aquarium


Another type of tree i have decided to make is a viney one. the frame was mde of various wires twisted will plant-things for railway modeling attached to the side. this will either be covered in solder or mr surfacer, or possibly both

[OliveDrab]

That poor P-39 Seriously though, very cool build and looking forward to seeing more

[Lysus]

That is something i would like to do .....someday in a blaze of shear madness

Me too.

[RustyWarrior]

Looks like the whole of the Japanese army took a potshot on that day

This is going to look fantastic when finished. Looking forward to the next update.

[Joemodelling14]

the 3rd type of tree that needed to be made was type palm, this was to be the only one on the diorama and started be placing two wide pieces of tape over each other with a small length of thin florist wire running through the middle. This tape was then cut to the appropriate shape. The wire was brought together and solder was wrapped around it. Then rope was wrapped around this for the ridges that are seen on the trunk. The leaves were also cut with lines across, just like the real thing. To further enhance this long static grass was sprinkled near the top and then peppercorns were added to represent coconuts









Also made using a paper punch were some water lilies that would add a nice little touch to the water once it is done

[Joemodelling14]

Next on the agenda was the feature of the build, the mangrove trees. To start, sticks of an appropriate thickness were found to make the trunk. Smaller sticks were added to the trunk to make branches and then leaves were added from the aquarium plants, the foliage was kept to a minimum as it was more appropriate for this type of tree. The tree was pushed into the base along with the first tree made as it would be easier for painting. the roots were then added, these would be made from bits of branches from trees and dried out ivy as it was a lot more flexible. the branches were plied in the vats spread out nature of the real things, even growing over and through the plane itself. The base is now ready for paint, so Im just waiting on my new airbrush and then I will continue

*pictures will follow

[Joemodelling14]

[MarkVerploeg]

Nice work so far Joe
You are really making some progres at the moment
Kerp up the good work

[HamilkarBarkas]

a stunner already!
i like the damage you added to the plane in particular, shows some splendid scratch building skills.
this will be amazing without a doubt and it is a type of diorama i still have to do at some point and this provides very useful info on how to approach this.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Yep, that is cool!!
keep plugging along, looks great so far..loving the bullet holes and damage

[demarcation]

Fantastic work so far buddy!!

[rwsmith14]

Looking forward to more updates

[Joemodelling14]

Thanks all

[Safir]

hello well done so far keep it up.Im looking forward to see the rest

[Les]

This has been coming along nicely; how has progress been since your last update?

[Joemodelling14]

I've been on holiday for the last couple of weeks, but i still have more than enough time to pull this one in the bag
since i left off i painted the entire thing with a brown spray primer and then work turned to painting the plane.
it started with alclad grey primer

I painted the cockpit and internal areas with a vma colour close to a bronze green

i planed to do a two tone camo but this didn't show up well and was eventually faded into an upper olive drab

the next colour was applied via vma armour green, (i wasn't following a specific colour scheme.

following this decals were applied after being tattered before hand, if it would be on a damaged area

fading was applied with thinned white, grey and green paint on the panes and dark green and brown mixes were run along panel lines, covering over the decals too suitably blend them in. The next stage was something that i hadn't though about until a closer look at reference images, and that was a line where the water mark would be, to do this tape was applied around the aircraft at what was deemed the height the water would be at( it was actually slightly above it so that it would be seen.the first colour was vma olive green to darken the area followed by white along the top. over the white vma chrome yellow was spayed and over this a pale green was splattered. once removed the effect was clear and some scenic sponge fibres that represent moss of lichen were added for texture

using the before mentioned yellow, lichen was created above and bellow the water with a brush. to finish it off ak true metal was smeared over the areas of bullet entry and chiped panels and paint.

just to note, other areas off tyher diorama were painted if the necessary colour was being used

[Twokidsnosleep]

That is stupendous

[TommyKillander]

This is the most creative stuff I've seen in a while, great idea and great job sofar.

Hope you manage to finish it in time, I would love to see this completed!


Tommy

[Joemodelling14]

this will be the final post as all that is left is the water and the figures. the first thing that was needed was re-adjustment of figures, this was one the radio-bear to pose as if he was climbing up one the plane, and the other was made to look as if he was cutting his way though the mangrove

This photo isn't very good (they haven't been good quality as i have been doing them one my phone, the final ones will be much better!)
to paint them i decided to first get them main green painted with the airbrush, after mr hobby aqueous olive green was sprayed and then a darkened and lightened versions were sprayed respectively. for the equipment and other details, they were fist base coated, then Ultimate dark dirt was added and raised areas had it removed, then a single highlight of the base was applied.

the figures were placed accordingly


the water would be in a large quantity so a cheap comerical one was used and left to set

THe finished thing will be posted tomorrow, with a good camera!