Hello everyone. I have a bit of an idea floating around in my head of making a 1/48 scale F-18 diorama where it sits on the catapult, flaps down, ready to go. Deck crew figures all over the place and heres the important bit; steam comming from the catapult. Now I don’t want to do it with cotton or some fabric but with actual steam or some sort of vapor. Maybe the same things used on some train models?
My question is; does anyone have experience with this or does anyone have some ideas? I’m just looking into it to see if it is doable.
That is a nice way of doing it. yet I dont smoke and I am kind of looking for a more permanent way of doing it. I like the idea though. Thanks for the reply.
My [2cnts]. I think that the smoke generators used in the model railroad set-ups would work fine. Might be a little sparse but it would work. Depending on the size of the base, it could all be tucked away in there with switch hidden in the top or on the sides of the base. Doesn’t generate much heat either.
But, in addition to the sparse smoke which may be produced, there may be issues with the deposition on the model surfaces of oily residues from the smoke oil which is burned short of combustion.
Definetly true with the residue. Although I am not planning on having it fume in the room 24/7 so it might not be a massive problem but definetly something that i need to take into consideration. I have also been thinking of maybe trying to build something around a modified electronic cigarette. But that would be pretty difficult. I personally am not really a fan of dry ice due to the enormous temperature differences. There are alot of hurdles to be taken to see if this is even viable but I very much appreciate all of your guys input.
Find an operable but abused Lionel train engine that still has a working steam ( Smoke) generator. Remove the hardware and build a metal casing for it to stand off from the plastic. Remember it is a heating element! This should work. I used to blow Talc through a tube like Shep Paine did when photographing the model.Then I discovered Powdered Sugar. Sure tasted better!
If your intentions are only for photos and videos, you might create vents and a box to place a small amount of dry ice in a shallow amount of water. A small fan in the ductwork could pull the CO2 vapors up to the deck catapult vents. Not very practical, but effective.
This is most likely what i am going to do. I found some of those smoke generators online as well so i might get one in a metal capsule so it doesnt ruin the plastic or whatever im going to make the base out of. Im not really a fan of the cotton and dry ice ideas. I want a more permanent solution.
You may want to lend some consideration to using one of those cans of airbrush propellant to create the effect. When the can is held upside down, the gas leaving the can creates a vapor that looks similar to smoke or steam. The practical effects guys out of Hollywood have used the technique for decades in filming miniatures for films and television to simulate rocket and jet exhaust, like the “Eagle” from Space:1999. Pretty sure there’s a YouTube clip out there which shows the rig one of those builders used to hold four cans of propellant and the surgical tubing they used to route the vapor to the model’s exhaust system.
Sounds very interesting, but also quite large. My plan is to have all of the vapor creating machinery inside the diorama itself so I can transport it to conventions as well. but I will definetly look that video up on youtube because movie special effects are always very interesting.