Techniques for Creating a Highly Detailed Airport

Author: Brad Meyers Last Updated: Oct 12, 2001

As the base, I would recommend a sheet of high-grade plywood. I find that 2 by 4 or 4 by 4 feet in size is most workable. I like the rigidity of ¾ inch thickness. I use birch veneer cabinet-grade plywood as it is more smooth and requires less surface preparation as regards sanding. The surface must be quite smooth. Remember that a 2-mm deep defect in the board translates into a one-meter deep pothole in the 1:500 scale! I use a sanding sealer to protect the wood and allow a smooth finish. First, sand the board, then apply the sanding sealer. Let this dry for a few hours and sand again.

Now the board is sealed from moisture and is nice and smooth. I use a flat gray spray paint to achieve the base coat. Use good ventilation when using spray paint. Once this has dried the fun begins! You now have a “canvas” for your artistic airport creation.

Remember everything is in 1:500 scale. Make a list of scale conversion measurements. For example, the typical runway is 150 to 200 feet wide. When converted to 1:500 scale this translates to 3.6 - 4.8 inches in width. A concourse is from 75 to 100 feet wide; in other words 1.8 - 2.4 inches wide. You get the picture. Using a straight edge and, preferably, a curved ruler, you are ready to lay out the runway and taxiways. I depict only the first thousand feet or so of the runway as I do not think that it is realistic to compress the entire runway into just a few feet. Refer to photos from magazines as to what airport markings look like. In the USA, the Federal Aviation Administration is a good resource for accurate runway markings.

In order to create the “painted” markings on the runway, I use white model striping tape. This is commonly used in building radio-controlled model airplanes, so check with a hobby shop that offers model airplane supplies. Just lay out the tape and press in place. Use a cloth on your finger to press firmly along the tape so that it sticks tightly. For those with a steady hand, a striping tool can be used to apply the stripes as well.

An airport tarmac is not uniform in color. There are tar-filled cracks in the concrete, lines between the slabs of concrete and areas of darker asphalt patching. I draw in the lines with an architect’s pen. This is available with a very fine (0.05mm) point. Keep the line as fine as possible, remember we are working in 1:500 scale! Artist’s pastels are a very forgiving way to shade in oil stains, tire marks and traffic patterns. Keep the shading subtle. I find that I have a tendency to lay on too much of the pastel and make the markings a bit too noticeable, but practice makes perfect. Use your finger to smudge the pastel colors. After each session, I spray the work surface with an artist’s pastel fixative to prevent smudging.

Striping into the gate areas can be nicely represented with Woodland Scenics “Press- Apply” stripes. This company caters to model railroaders. Check with a hobby shop that carries model train supplies. I use a stylus from an old laptop computer to rub

The terminal building offers limitless opportunities for creative expression. Try to be accurate in sizing the buildings, not too big or too small in relation to the airplanes. For example, a 747 vertical stabilizer is usually much taller than the concourse building. In building the terminal for the airport depicted here, I used architects’ board, also known as “museum board.” This is simply a dense variety of matte board. It is a bit hard to cut straight and even but I am still practicing. If you have access to a matte cutter, then cutting will be easier. Try also using basswood. Hobby stores often have rectangular blocks of basswood that can be used as terminal building materials. Lastly, try adapting ordinary household items for use in your airport. Certain bottle tops come in nice architectural shapes. A VCR tape box is just the right size for an airplane hanger in 1:500 scale. The possibilities are limitless. I have a large storage container filled with “possible” airport building materials. Add windows with shiny tape. Plastruct makes nice 1:500 scale I-beams and girders that can add realism. Also available from Plastruct are 1:500 scale plastic cars, and of course, the vehicles in the Herpa Accessory Sets are perfect for your scale model airport. I like to add some color to my terminal building using spray paint or pastels for a stucco or concrete look.

While most of your attention will be focused on the airside portion of your diorama, don’t forget the landside. Add an approach road passing by the front of your terminal to add to the realism of your diorama. A few scale model trees and model railroad “grass” also look nice. Add plenty of cars and buses; airports are busy places.

Don’t forget to position the boarding tubes accurately. Remember not all gates at an airport are equipped to handle a jumbo jet. Boarding tubes for RJs or 717s are quite close together. The big Herpa double boarding tubes are designed to service big jets such as the 747, MD-11, A340 and the 777. You can hand make your own boarding tubes. I have done this so that the tube retracts, extends, moves up and down and back and forth. This gives a realistic boarding tube but is quite labor intensive. I have spent an hour per tube in construction time. Herpa makes very nice, ready made Jetways.

Once your runway, tarmac, gate areas, terminal building and taxiways are as realistic as you want them, it is time to add the finishing touches! Using the various Herpa Accessory Sets, place the vehicles around the airplanes at the gate in a realistic fashion. Typically there are a dozen or so vehicles servicing a single airliner. The more service vehicles you have in your diorama, the more realistic the appearance. I use a special wax found in dollhouse shops to fix the vehicles to the surface. This wax is easy to use, stays sticky, but does not significantly mark your airport surface. It is less permanent than glue so you can easily move vehicles around to modify the look of your airport diorama.

We look forward to hearing from you about your airport creations! Brad is happy to communicate with you by email. His email address is rockwood@jefnet.com.