How do I build or buy an authentic looking tar mat for a 1/48th scale P-38J? ew to the whole diorama thi any advice will help. Should I do grass or airfield?
well, grass is definately easier, with some of the ready-made grass mats that are around. I just bought a 3ft x 6ft roll of the stuff that model railroaders use. Just break it up a bit with small depressions or humps, maybe some larger tufts of vegetation. As AL pointed out in an earlier post, wartime airfields dont look like bowling greens.
Do a little research for pics of your subject (books or internet) and find one or two that show it in a similar setting you are planning to build. Once you have your idea, adjust it until you like it and go from there!
What theatre of operations are you modeling–European Theatre (ETO), Mediterranean (MTO) or Pacific?? For an ETO dio, the P-38 would have been based out of England (established RAF aerodrome or a pretty well “maintained” field) or toward the end of the war, somewhere on the Continent in a forward airstrip (usually pretty crude–just a field, which quickly turned to mud). For the MTO, a dusty/sandy airstrip with Marsten Pierced Steel Plate (PSP) matting would have been used. For a Pacific setting, a sandy strip with PSP hardstands and strip would be a most probable setting.
Hope this helps!! Good luck and keep us posted!