I have never built one and I am going to try and need as much help as I can get. I have a 1:72 scale AH-1W Super Cobra.(yes I know it is small). What my questions are is what size board should I use so it looks right. I will be useing 1/4 plywood. What I mean is it a 2 Foot X 2 Foot etc, Would like it to look right or the size. I want it sitting there to make it look like a helo pad. I read a article in this months fine scale modeler on how he did a F-16 I think, and that is what gave me the idea. I will need another model for start up generator if they are used. What colors would look good I prefer model master paints but will take all the advise I can get. Thank you for your time and the help.
Two feet by two feet is way too big for a single 1/72 Cobra. Also, plywood is going to need a lot more work, such as some sort of finish ot the edges. I’d suggest a trip to the decoupage section ant Michael’s or AC Moore to pick up a 5X7 or 8X10 decoupage plaque if you want a base for your helo.
Go here some Cobra pics which might give you some ideas for ground work.
From what I can see, these aircraft don’t have a start up cart and I don’t recall seeing any at airshows. In general, I don’t think helos require any.
For the record, what you’re describing would not be considered a diorama, just a base for your model. By definition, a dioram teslls a story.
First off, a 2×2 foot ¼ plywood sheet is far too large for a helicopter model with a 7.3+ inch rotor. Have you considered where you’re going to store it?
I recommend you consider basing your diorama on a 8×10 frame. That’s 48×60 feet in scale. They’re cheap. A sheet of fine sandpaper (color optional) laying over the protective glass would provide a basic landing pad, and it’s far stronger than you need. [If you opt for an empty frame (no glass), a piece of stiff cardboard would probably still be strong enough; a not-quite-stiff piece will warp, guaranteed, even if the model were weightless.]
At a minimum and as a rule, and it is my rule only, I tend to leave at least, and I repeat… at least 1/2" +/- beyond the larger dimensions of the model. (Sides tend to be proportionally larger.) To keep the entire model sort of protected from other models either on a crowded contest table or on the (crowded) display case shelf where space may be at a premium. Models that hang over the base just don’t do it for me. Also, the larger the base the more of a groundwork requirement.
My bases are either pine or oak scraps cut to pre-determined size, routered edges, stained and sealed.
Not a helicopter but it is 1/72nd scale… you may get what I am trying to say here…
i agree with the others on the size of your base. the picture frame is a great idea for the scale you’re using as well as the sandpaper.
you won’t need a starting generator. the AH-1W is equipped with an APU (auxilary power unit) which is located in the aircraft. it’s a smaller engine used to start the main engines.
One other consideration - what environment is it going to be stored in? If you have cats, kids, or lots of dust/dirt, consider getting a suitably-sized plastic display case with a cover. Several companies, including IMEX, Trumpeter, etc., sell cases in sizes that would work for you.
As far is diorama vs. display, I tend to agree with the general consensus - if you just put it on a base, even if it’s a really nice base, it’s just a display. This is a display, a 1/72 Fokker D VII. It’s just sitting there:
A diorama tells a story. It doesn’t even have to be a big story. I build mostly 1/700 ships, and it’s amazing what you can cram into a relatively small amount of space. Here is one that shows an attack transport getting loaded for its first overseas deployment in WWII. Lots of activity going on, and this just a small part of the “scene”:
