Building a model airport

[SemKlep]

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to build a model airport (1:400 scale). Do you have any tips for me? For example, where I can buy my models at a good price.

Does anyone know the best place to buy my airport buildings? I was thinking about Trade Wings, but I sometimes see Herpa as well.

If anyone can help, please let me know.

The plate where im going to built is: 182x60 cm. maybe you can helpme with this.

Regards, Sem

 

[SemKlep]

Somebody an idea?

 

[Charter]

Hi,
The answer to this question is quite long.
First of all, at 1:400 scale, the space available is approximately 800 meters x 250 meters, and you have to decide whether to build a replica of part of a real airport or a fictional one.
Then you have to decide which part of the airport to build, basically choosing between a section of the apron or taxiways with runways and holding points.
Then you have to decide whether you want to create an apron/tarmac using a printer or build a completely homemade airport. I specialize in handmade airports, and I have to say that with sufficient skills and experience, the results are truly excellent.
After many years and regarding the tarmac, the apron lines and marks, I've discovered that every country and every large airport holding company has its own characteristics: for example, English airports have truly complicated apron lines and markings, while Greek airports had the characteristic of having round or semicircular parking lines (then, with the advent of privatization and the arrival of Fraport Greece, they all became the same and essentially schematic).
I recommend using Google Maps to create an airport as faithful to the original as possible. Even Greek and Turkish airports are now visible from satellites (until a few years ago, they were obscured because they were considered military sites. In fact, Santorini, for example, is also a military base with shelters for F-16s).
Regarding terminal buildings, the Herpa ones are absolutely primitive.
My advice would be to build the terminals yourself using balsa wood or plywood, a suitable wood glue, and then some decals with windows and everything else.
For the control towers, Die Cast Model is producing beautiful towers in 1:400, 1:500, and 1:200 scale. In 1:400 scale, Berlin Tegel, Berlin Brandenburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Cologne-Bonn, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, and Paris CDG are available.
On ebay and, sometimes Amazon, you can find good occasion to buy the models you need for your airport; there are also some private manufacturers for Terminal buildings, but you need to adapt them to the space you have and to the airport you want to realize.
For example, if you want to realize a round terminal builng like some of French overseas territories airports, you have to buy herpa round terminal buildings or to create a terminal building by yourself.
I hope to be useful. If you want more infos about handmade airports using plywood panels i will asnwer.
Regards,
Charter.

 

[SemKlep]

Hey, thanks for the information. I think I'm planning to make a wooden terminal, but my question is, how do I get the round effect in the wood and which sice mdf?And where should I buy the supplies, for example: the markers or the artificial grass?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards, Sem

 

[Charter]

For the terminal, you'll need to buy a piece of wood at least 4 cm high (40 metersin 1:400 scale) and cut it to create a semicircle. You can use a wood saw, and once you've drawn the shape with a pencil, you can create your terminal. Once it's cut to size, you can shape it with wood sandpaper and then paint it with water-based or acrylic paint. For the windows, the doors and everything else for the front side you can search for a site selling papers of them (i don't remember the name).
You can find grass for the aprons on eBay by searching for "artificial grass for scale airports," and the same goes for GSEs and other accessories.
Here some examples of the terminal buildings i have create for me:

Mauritius airport (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport)


Antalya Airport


Orlando (Florida - USA)


Montreal Trudeau


Fort de France Airport (Martinica)

 

[bakejobb_23]

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to build a model airport (1:400 scale). Do you have any tips for me? For example, where I can buy my models at a good price.

Does anyone know the best place to buy my airport buildings? I was thinking about Trade Wings, but I sometimes see Herpa as well.

If anyone can help, please let me know.

The plate where im going to built is: 182x60 cm. maybe you can helpme with this.

Regards, Sem

As for buying model planes, theres lots of retailers all around the world so it depends where you are located.

For the US:

JetCollector
YankeeVictor400
DGPilot
DiecastJets

are all decent to great retailers. Sometimes its worth waiting for holidays as discounts are often generally for 10-20% off sometimes (especially Black Friday, and other major holidays like Christmas, New Years, Easter, etc)

As for buying Airport buildings, there are some 3D printing companies that are popular on facebook and instagram that are floating around, especially if you want something custom. GeminiJets sells their terminal(s) and so do some other manufacturers but overall 3D printing and hand made are the most detailed and most accurate for the scale generally.

182x60cm is a decently large size and it will be hard to be as detailed with lots more ground to cover. I recommend to try a smaller 60x60 roughly sized (can be smaller) to get your feet wet and learn good design techniques that you can apply to a main bigger sized board. That way too, if you mess up bad or get frustrated you aren't as invested in the big piece yet!

 

[bakejobb_23]

As for buying model planes, theres lots of retailers all around the world so it depends where you are located.

For the US:

JetCollector
YankeeVictor400
DGPilot
DiecastJets

are all decent to great retailers. Sometimes its worth waiting for holidays as discounts are often generally for 10-20% off sometimes (especially Black Friday, and other major holidays like Christmas, New Years, Easter, etc)

As for buying Airport buildings, there are some 3D printing companies that are popular on facebook and instagram that are floating around, especially if you want something custom. GeminiJets sells their terminal(s) and so do some other manufacturers but overall 3D printing and hand made are the most detailed and most accurate for the scale generally.

182x60cm is a decently large size and it will be hard to be as detailed with lots more ground to cover. I recommend to try a smaller 60x60 roughly sized (can be smaller) to get your feet wet and learn good design techniques that you can apply to a main bigger sized board. That way too, if you mess up bad or get frustrated you aren't as invested in the big piece yet!

Something else to keep in mind is to look at airports in the same geographical region to the one you want to create! Have fun and zoom around on Google earth and see what aircraft go where, what line markings look like, general layouts, etc. You can also look through the historical filters if you want to go back some years to watch how airports have evolved over the years (A great US example is LA Guardia airport in New York from 2010 to now, or maybe LAX and how the airport is ever evolving and under construction.)

 

[SemKlep]

Hey
Thanks for that lot of information but if 2 questions: where can i buy the markers and the thickness for the plate, wich size is the best?

Regards, Sem

 

[Charter]

Hey
Thank for that lot of information but if 2 questions: where can i buy the markers and the thickness for the plate, wich size is the best?

Regards, Sem

What do you mean for "markers"? On eBay there are various possibilities for airport markers like runway direction, numbers etc.
About "thickness for the plate" if you mean the wood panel for the Airport there are some considerations to make :
- the plywood or multilayer wood panel must be at least 1 cm thick or even more, especially if It Is large (180 × 60 cm for example) because you have to avoid the bending process! Working with the wood the risk is that It bends too much. In fact the wood panel must be prepared with a coat of "White mordant Paint" then you can use water Paint or acrylic Paint to create the tarmaci grey or the various shade of grey for the taxiways, runways, holding points etc.
- if you have used water paint and once prepared and finished you have to put several coats of fixative spray.
If you use acrylic paint you don't need to fix It.
Difference between acrylic and water: using acryling paint it Is stringer and ready to be worked to create the airport marks, lines etc. But you cannot correct the flaws and mistakes.
Using water paint you must fix It and It can be accidentally removed with water (even well fixed) but you can correct flaws and mistakes during the airport creation.
I prefer water paint.
I don't know where are you from friend, but in Europe main retailers are:
Aviation Center Berlin
Aviationmegastore
Aircraftmodelstore
Scalemodelstore

 

[SemKlep]

If thinking to built with mdf and than the smallest size than can i curve it a little bit. Im located in the netherlands im thinking to built schiphol airport. Im think to draw the taxiway with paint.

Thanks for the information

 

[bakejobb_23]

Hey
Thank for that lot of information but if 2 questions: where can i buy the markers and the thickness for the plate, wich size is the best?

Regards, Sem

Look up “UniPosca”. They’re paint pens that come in a variety of colors and thicknesses. I like the smallest two sizes available for most of my work. You should be able to get them at local craft stores? If not, Online is your best bet!

As for wood, i’m american so excuse the freedom units, but 1/2inch to 3/4inch should be plenty. Careful about warping the bigger you go for your wood or the more unsturdy your table is. Going for MDF, If your doing a 60x60cm first, 1/2in thickness will be plenty. If you’re going for the big guy, maybe pushing it a little thicker will be helpful.

I’ve found it’s also helpful to get 3 main colors of brush or rollable paint for concrete and other bigger surfaces. (I sometimes get sample sized from my local hardware store or paint store). Black, a simple grey, and a tan will help you create any concrete color you want at any point, just mix together till you like the color.

 

[BubblesAviation]

I like PC-1M’s for 1:400. Just got a new pack today.

 

[SemKlep]

Thank you for this, im going to buy it. Are they have also other colors, i only sees black ones?

 

[BubblesAviation]

Thank you for this, im going to buy it. Are they have also other colors, i only sees black ones?

Available in many colors

 

[Charter]

BubblesAviation Is giving perfect informations.
Uniposca medium and small tip are perfect for parking lines (Yellow), taxiways (Yellow) and the borders of the parking stands (White). They are also useful for the taxiways and runways lights (Red and Blue). But you have to use STABILO small tip black and Red pens for trims, the red oblique parallel lines of the areas for the jetways and other trims.

 

[BubblesAviation]

BubblesAviation Is giving perfect informations.
Uniposca medium and small tip are perfect for parking lines (Yellow), taxiways (Yellow) and the borders of the parking stands (White). They are also useful for the taxiways and runways lights (Red and Blue). But you have to use STABILO small tip black and Red pens for trims, the red oblique parallel lines of the areas for the jetways and other trims.
View attachment 71147

Thank you! I’m surprised I’m giving perfect tips. You’ve been making airports for what, Close to 15 years? I’ve been making them for a year and a half

 

[SemKlep]

You recommered the smallest ones?

 

[Charter]

Uniposca = medium and small tip
Stabilo = small tip

 

[LeoMuse747]

I use Uniposca PC-1M and PC-5M for my airports, and they work great

 

[SemKlep]

Is this a plate?