Chatham NB RCAF Diorama
The finished diorama in its case in Miramichi New Brunswick. The Fleet Finch model above it was built by my father Clarke.
Starting the project in the workshop. It was laid out to match an original wartime photograph that was supplied to me.
The hangar facade under construction. Artists foam board was used.
Detail of the hangar doors being cut out.
Building the walk in doors and applying the shingles. The windows were all cut out and framed with strip material from Evergreen Plastics.
The hangar is starting to look like something now! I took the dimensions from a real wartime hangar that is still in use (as a factory) in Scoudouc, New Brunswick.
The roof material is 400 grit sandpaper. Dark foam board was used for the paved area of the tarmac.
Adding a little turf at the entrance to the office.
Two Ocidental Harvards, two Classic Airframes Ansons and a Hasegawa Hurricane Mark 2b were used for the aircraft. I had to print some of the decals myself.
Starting to get the base trimmed up. I found a picture of Hurricane "Q" during a stop at Chatham in 1944.
The view from the hangar roof. Notice the air sock.
Close up of the Hurricane. Revell aircrew figures and ladder, Tamiya jerry cans and an Ultracast Canadian prop kit finish it off.
Overhead view of the fighter and ground crew.
Tamiya drums and "Rusty Stumps" pallet kits, with a Hasegawa jeep done in RCAF colours.
I even filled the oil can with clear yellow paint! The work ladder came with the figures.
The Harvards were both based in Summerside, PEI and would have been at Chatham frequently during "cross country" training flights.
Nearly finished in the workshop.
Anson Mark 1 which was based at Chatham during the war.
Trying to figure out the best position for the staff car.
The camo/yellow Harvard was an early one delivered from the USA. Yellow patches were added after arrival in Canada.
"Hangar Flying" after a flight! Two students on a solo cross country would always do some of this!
The RCAF staff car with driver. It was a Tamiya US Army kit. I fixed that up soon enough!
The finished product before installation.
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3 12 March 2017, 18:27
Album info
This diorama was my first ever attempt at one. The base measures 4 feet by 4 feet and was built to display in a case at the Golden Hawks Recreation Centre in Miramichi New Brunswick. I scratchbuilt the hangar façade and tarmac using foamboard and some CelluClay mix for the terrain. It depicts one of the actual maintenance buildings from the wartime training base at Chatham.
