Starfighters in France: A diorama for a CF-104

To break up the uniformity of this grass mat, I randomly airbrushed olive green acrylic paint and created thin spots by scraping away some of the grass with a hobby knife and attaching fine sand with white glue.

For ground equipment, I built a resin kit of an MJ-1 loader from an Italian company, Videoaviation. The kit includes a figure with adjustable arms. The heavy resin block of the body makes this a tail-sitter. I solved the problem with a little nail inserted under the body, but you could also put a load on the front. I added forks to the front using aluminum printing foil … 

I could not find a Vicon reconnaissance pod in 1/32 scale. Instead, I scaled up a 1/48 scale pod from a Monogram kit and had the part produced by a 3-D printer. However, the shape is simple and could be carved in styrene.

The kit provided a ladder that was easy to build and looked fine painted yellow.

I used 1/32 scale Airfix Multipose Figures from the U.S. Infantry Europe and U.S. Marines sets for the ground crew and modified them to help the loader install the reconnaissance pod.

I scribed panels in the pod, painted the glass portions with Tamiya cockpit green (XF-71), and made stencils from spare decals.

For years I have patiently collected 1/32 scale sheep from Britains. Pictures show as many as 200 sheep, but the cost of scale sheep is too great for such a subtopic. The 30 sheep I herded will serve the theme; I repainted them with Tamiya buff (XF -57) and a wash of Tamiya smoke (X-19). The shepherd is a civilian worker from Preiser. I carved his staff from a toothpick and clothed him in a cape made from aluminum foil.

The elements of a diorama must catch the eyes but not confuse the scene. Posing the high technology of the CF-104 with the presence of sheep, sheep dog, and shepherd gave them all their place in time. Here, modeling reaches its principal aim — giving a 3-D representation of the past when and where pictures stop. If you are close to the subject for any reason, you’ll want to go further. You’ll have fewer difficulties and more motivation. Don’t hesitate to share your art and your skill — not for vanity, but because what you create is a new link in the chain of knowledge.

Jean Paul, 52, of Douai, France, has been modeling since he was 13. He is a school accountant but has also been busy in print media as a reviewer for Replic magazine. Serving as a spotter and news correspondent for the Armée de l’Air allowed him to report on meetings and events at Cambrai air base, where he got a close view of Mirage F1 and 2000 jets. His documentation and research appear in books and have been used for decal design. He favors 1/48 and 1/32 scale aircraft but says sharing tips and his passion for the hobby is as interesting as building the models.