Subject: Re: 1/32 Scale Pilot Diorama "A Bad Day At The Office" Please post by July 28 update
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:31:13 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [email-masked] 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 5:18 PM
  Subject: 1/32 Scale Pilot Diorama "A Bad Day At The Office" Please post by July 28 update

  1/32 "A Bad Day At The Office" 

  by Brad Perek
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here 

  Hello Everyone,

  This is my first submission to ARC. Before I go into the details of my project, I would like to thank Steve Bamford and the entire ARC staff for maintaining such a wonderful and useful site. Anyway, enough of my rambling.....

  I know this is an aircraft oriented site, but this should be a good image of what happens when the aircraft fails or is shot down....

  This diorama is based around a 1/32 scale pilot from the Academy F/A-18C kit. The pilot was painted with Model Master Enamels throughout, and the base coat of Olive Drab was applied with my Iwata Revolution CR. Various details, such as straps and a better oxygen hose, were added using tape and solder. The parachute harness was built from tape as well. The details were painted with SAC Bomber Green and Aircraft Grey. The diorama base was built starting with 1" x 4" furniture-grade wood. The stream was carved out of the wood using a 1/2" drill bit and various chisels and files. The topography was constructed from a large section of mica that I found while on vacation in Oregon. The flat mica was fixed to the base with Liquid Nails adhesive. Everything was the covered with a layer of drywall putty and allowed to dry. Various rocks and tree branches were sourced from my yard and added as necessary. These were fixed with the same adhesive and allowed to set. The base was given a coat of Dark Tan, and then painted with various mixed acrylic colors (The cheap Michael's type). The stream bed was airbrushed with Dark Blue. Foliage was then added using railroad grass and plants. Once everything set, the water was added using a thick layer of Testors tube model cement (orange tube stuff). I came up with the idea since it was inexpensive and dried quickly. Two applications of this were required to create the water.

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg 

  The base was cased in 1" x 1" L-section wood molding. This was mitered with my miter saw. After filling the gaps and imperfections, the outside of the base was sprayed Flat Black. Once dry, the black was over coated with a urethane gloss coat. The pilot was then fixed to a branch with super glue, and his parachute lines were tacked to the tree to create tension. The parachute was fabricated from Kleenex and foil tape (as in HVAC foil tape). The parachute and lines were painted SAC Bomber Green. 

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here 

  After touch up, a CAD-drawn placard was added to the side with glue and tape. Over all, the diorama took 30 hours to complete, and was quite economical, as all the materials were found around the house. This is quite important, as I am starting university this fall. If anyone has any questions, please e-mail me at [email-masked]. Please be sure to include a reference to this project in the subject line, so I do not label the address as spam by mistake.

  Thank you for reading,

  Brad