Framlingham Airfield Diorama

Hello ARG Members.

I am one of the diorama builders.
The project is a joint venture between the 390th Memorial Museum and the Sonoran Desert Model Builders, both in Tucson, Arizona.
www.390th.org/
sdmb.yolasite.com/

A few of us joined ARG recently hoping information here would help with the build. We were right.
We also learned of the books by Paul Francis and Graham Buchan Innes here at ARG. THANK YOU TO ALL!

Paul Bellamy, who known of us here have ever met, stopped by while on business in the USA. It was Paul that posted the photos to the ARG Facebook page. I told Paul I would post the information here. But other plans came up and all I had access to was my wife's Facebook page. With this I was able to send some answers, comments, and photos to Pauls post. The presentation posted was created as an update tool for the museum staff and model club. It covered timeline, materials and techniques used, along with some humor to soften the yawns.

These photos show the full 8ft x 14ft countryside with glass installed. It's still in work, but will be finished in time for the October 2016 reunion.
Also enjoy the control tower/watch office with people added. We used Eduard 1/700 scale photoetch Japanese Naval figures repainted in USAAF colors.

Thanks again to all. I will post more as we progress if there is an interest (which seems like there is).
Take care for now.

Cheers from Arizona,
Mike Scotto


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Many, many thanks Mike. The diorama is quite amazing and you and the team should be justifiably proud of your efforts.

It's also great we were able help. Thanks again for posting the information, I know our members and forum subscribers will be very interested.

Hello again.
We are receiving many kind words from all over.

As of 22 May the acrylic panels have been reinstalled and the area reopened for public access. In August the remaining structures will be added (mostly the Technical Site) and all electrical connections will be tested. The only part we're not sure about is if we will have all the photoetch figures placed in time for the October reunion. Otherwise, the project will be complete.

Here are more teaser pics.

Where it all began. They're are 2 B-17s.


Evolution of the bomb dump.





I've had questions about the water tower. All brass rod & sheet soldered together by club member and retired architect Bill O.
Bill is also building Framlingham Castle in 1/144 scale.




390th Alumni at the 2015 Reunion giving us "we were there" feedback.


Thanks again.
Mike S.

Question on scaling that caught my eye.

The 1/700th figs in post 7 are listed as Japan Naval ~ how can you tell at that scale ?

Harboda77 wrote:

Question on scaling that caught my eye.

The 1/700th figs in post 7 are listed as Japan Naval ~ how can you tell at that scale ?

Probably because they are colour photo-etched to represent Japanese aviation figures uniforms so required re-colouring to represent USAAF.

You are correct. We found the cheapest set of 1/700 scale photo-etch figures and repainted them in USAAF colors. The master plan calls for figures to be scattered around the field. The diorama will finally be complete the weekend of 27-28 August 2016. This includes the video displays and LEDs as well as the overcast sky painted on the underside of the display case top.

We will post photos (maybe a video too) on our website and Facebook page. An article for the modelling magazines is also being worked on. Thanks again to all for your assistance and support.

Mike (for the Sonoran Desert Model Builders)

Here are some new photos of the 1/144 scale Framlingham Castle.

Mike (for the Sonoran Desert Model Builders)

A few updated castle photos.
Disclaimer: I'm not the builder. Another Sonoran Desert Model Builder member is.

-Mike

Mike ( giaction ) thanks for keeping us updated and you may be interested to know that the area to the west of the castle was known as the Mere and our next door neighbor in the 1960's grew up in Framlingham and played there as a boy before WW2.

He wrote a book on his experiences and when the Americans arrived the only one they were aware had been was Tom Mix and the Airmen had to change their dollars into pounds at the local police station so they could buy a round of drinks in the Crown.

There is a memorial to Tom Mix on the old main highway before you get to Florence where he crashed his Cord.

We used to stay at the old Ghost Ranch on Miracle Mile before having to relocate when it closed to the Ramada on Tanque Verde where John Wayne sent his letters Edgar Hoover so we are a little familiar with the area and Tom Mix.

Next time I see his daughter will ask her if they still have a copy that I could send to the museum.