1:400 BEA/BA Engineering Base - Barison400

Barison400

Member
Just over 2 years ago, I began on what started as a casual design project in an attempt to recreate part of the old BEA/BA Engineering Base at London Heathrow Airport, something which I've always aspired to do in 1:400. The lockdown of 2020 provided the opportunity to do this. It quickly turned into a more serious project, with much time being spent using my architectural knowledge and design skills to produce a truly accurate model of this massive base, by creating line drawings of each structure from scratch. Each part of this complex group of structures has been meticulously researched in great detail.

Rather than doing this as a custom scratch-build, which would have then been a one-off architectural model, I decided instead to produce a series of designs which can be replicated and printed as a fully detailed card assembly kit, allowing it to be offered to others as a finished product. To that end, I created the brand Barison400 and registered the trademark in the UK.

The first of these kits has been completed with a successful test-build - the enourmous "Cathedral" Hangar, which is where this all started.

I have set up both an Instagram account and Facebook page which has been following the project's progress and development on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/barison400/
https://m.facebook.com/Barison400

Below are attached pictures of this first completed model, displayed on a (temporary!) base. A fully detailed and authentic ground foil/apron is currently being designed to allow the entire model to be realistically and effectively displayed.

The design follows as closely to the 1:1 as possible, giving an architectural model quality to the kit. Inevitably this means some parts are tricky, and require much patience and a steady hand. Further 3D detailing and customising will further enhance the card templates, depending on the individual creative skills of the modeller.

I am hoping to have these available for sale in the very near future, to anyone who may be interested, and updates on this will be posted here and across other platforms, providing the relevant links. The kits will be sold in physical form only, on a print-to-order basis.

Progress with the other kit builds will follow shortly...

Thanks for looking!

Alex
 

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That is an excellent diorama! Love the attention to detail, especially the doors. I'm looking forward to seeing your future projects as well.
 
BEA/BA West Base - West Elevations for eras: 1972, 1975, 1986
 

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Aerial photographs referencing the plan views of the West Base TBE, as seen in 1981 & 1992. The details from the images informed the design process. The resulting digital realisations for the 1:400 scale model are shown against these photographs. The work was created from scale drawings made up from scratch.
 

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BEA/BA West Base - South Elevations for eras: 1972, 1975, 1986, with the Viscount House Annexe connection added in 1962 - 1970
 

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Very nice! It looks like it is shaping out to be an excellent project. Looking forward to what the future has in store. :)
Thank you. The tricky part is actually building it, but so far the kits have come together very well, so at least the basic designs actually work!
 
Early test-build of the ''Cathedral'' Hangar, completed in 1972. It was designed by architect's Murray Ward & Partners and won an award for it's innovative and outstanding functional design. The roof alone weighs over 3,000 tonnes and was constructed on the ground, then raised into position onto the 80-tonne supporting columns by the use of hydraulic jacks. The design of the roof is an architectural masterpiece and lends the hangar it's very distinctive appearance. This complex truncated pyramid has been faithfully replicated in the 1:400 kit.
 

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Detail shots of the model, demonstrating the internal detail. The office/workshop blocks project into the hangar but the building line is bound by the supporting columns, following their alignment and positioning in order to avoid encroaching on the clear floor space/clearances made available for aircraft servicing.
 

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Detail shots of the model, demonstrating the internal detail. The office/workshop blocks project into the hangar but the building line is bound by the supporting columns, following their alignment and positioning in order to avoid encroaching on the clear floor space/clearances made available for aircraft servicing.
Very Nice! It looks excellent!
 
Demonstration of the shutter doors. This tricky area of the kit is detailed on both sides, and mimic the 1:1 design exactly. All produced using humble card.
 

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More views of the model with the shutter doors in place.
 

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That's using card?!? Wow! I thought it was plastic. That is extremely impressive!
Yes, all this has been produced on card. Epson Archival Matte to be precise! If this was to be produced on plastic, on a mass scale, I would have to employ 3D printing and present it as a plastic model kit. This would be very expensive to have produced due to the sheer scale and scope of the buildings involved. Yes, there would be advantages such as having lattice girders, pipes, access stairs etc. in 3D detail, but it would also have to be painted!

Therefore, I have applied maximum authentic detail to the card designs in order to compensate. Further 3D additions can be still be added, by scratch-building them to suit.
 
Some more shots demonstrating the model in situ, in a typical '70's/'80's scene. The base is temporary, and very makeshift - I am working on a full-blown accurate apron right now. Here, a variety of aircraft are receiving some TLC, including the trusty BAC 1-11 workhorse. This hangar was designed for the new L-1011 widebody originally intended to enter service with BEA.

Shutter doors in the 'open' position can also be modelled, and switched out as required. The Negus era is my favourite, but I will build the other 2 eras (BEA & Landor) to demonstrate those as well. Models demonstrated are from Aeroclassics, Gemini & NG. All get on with each other perfectly fine under this roof! ;)
 

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Some more retro scenes...
 

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...and a few more! At least part of the retro LHR scene can be created from this single hangar. The practicality of reproducing the entire site in 1:400 has obvious limitations, it's sheer size being the main problem. I also hope to add some internal lighting to this kit, such as Nano LEDs, by discreetly implanting them into the roof supports in the next build.
 

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