What is the best way to replicate an airfield ramp/flightline in 1/72 scale?
I have tried fine sand glued to a surface, and all of the textured matte board I can find doesn’t seem to look realistic enough.
Get some sheet of plastic card, engrave them (or cut them) to represent the slabs, then use a light grey primer to give them their base coat. Use a fine brush and black to represent the tar between the slabs. Do not be too even! Add markings if required. Weather as appropriate. I use different shades of pastel powder on each slabs to give them a slightly different look. Add stains (oil, …) if required.
Check out the airfield tarmac thread below for lots of ideas.
If you want to make a tarmacadam surface, simply take a sheet of wet-and-dry sandpaper (usually black or very dark grey in colour) with the correct ‘scale’ size grit on it and stick it to the diorama base! You can then add the tar lines by cutting them into the paper and painting them black (or use a black marker pen and a ruler). Watch, however, as the paper will mark very easily and fingers slid on the surface will leave a grey line of sanded skin!!
To make the concrete hardstanding, look carefully at the inside of a breakfast cereal box! Many of them are a grey/sand coloured card which can be dusted with pastels and have the tar lines put on with a ruler and a marker pen.
Always look for the easiest solution! Hope these comments help.