KPHL - 1:400

[bakejobb_23]

Welcome to KPHL - Philadelphia International Airport!​

These are a couple of big projects that will kick into high gear as soon as my move is finished in the next few weeks. I plan on doing a couple different layouts around PHL into certain sized sections to show off the many diverse areas around that airport. The first one will be a small section of terminals B/C. Next, will be a 2ft x 4ft board of terminal D (more info later) and eventually the probable biggest one will be of both A-West and A-East terminals together (more info later). That’s what is planned for now but years down the road I hope to have a small section of nearly every terminal, some runways, cargo sections, and even the de-icing pads maybe, all into relatively small chunks I can bring out to take photos and show stories on.

Some Basic PHL Information:​

Philadelphia’s airport consists of 7 terminals (A-West, A-East, and B-F). Both A terminals are for all international flights and domestic US Airways (now AA) flights, B/C are exclusively for US Airways (now AA), D/E are for ~basically~ everyone else domestic (minus Air Canada at D), and F is the exclusive US Airways (now AA) regional terminal.

My first layout shown today depicts the lower part of the B/C “US Airways only” piers. These terminals were built in the 1950s and are the oldest terminals at PHL. My rendition will show roughly the years of 2000-2014. I could do some modern AA setups but the ground markings were redone for AA after the merger in 2015 so it wouldn’t be 100% accurate to do so. Some planes that parked here during the time I am constructing included anything from Fokker-100s, 737-300/400s, E170/90s, A319/20/21, 757-200s, and even 767-200s (back in the 90s when they were used on LAX flights and such I believe).

THE PLAN:​

Google Maps View (outlined in red):

Layout View:


This first project will end up being a “shelf layout” style where the cut off of ends of the terminals will be against a wall. I hope to keep it up and elevated so it can basically be on display full time while not taking up too much room. I don’t have brackets or anything figured out on that end yet but that will come much closer to completion down the road.

Terminal B Overview:


Terminal C Overview:


Both terminals have been 3D printed by @OscarBravo992. I love them a lot and they truly resemble these terminals. I have a lot of future work to do on them, as he has also designed small light posts to be installed atop the terminals and I plan to add weathering and other paint/stain effects to show these terminals age. Once i've had enough time with these buildings in hand I will give a proper review on them, as it’s the first 3D terminals i’ve ever purchased

Terminal B details:


Terminal C details:



I plan to fully paint and draw every line and detail I can on this board. The graph paper is to use an a guide for creation. I’ve placed a handful of correct airline/aircraft about so you can get a sense of scale and some good eventual spotting angles for this project.



This is all for now, hopefully more updates on progress very shortly Enjoy!

 

[LeoMuse747]

Great project! Wonderful terminal, @OscarBravo992 did a fantastic job!!!

 

[OllieBHaas25]

Love to see big projects like these come to life

 

[bakejobb_23]

Love to see big projects like these come to life

It was my original dream to have one massive board made and have all the terminals lined up like they would be in real life but that would easily be 10ft x 20ft at a minimum Ive looked up what it would cost to invest in a layoverlayout at the max size he can do (about the 10x20) and that was over 5 grand so I would also have to do that fully by hand as well…so that dream has over time developed into these ideas, where I can always grab and setup smaller single terminal sections to do my thing with. Maybe even being able to semi line them up with their slight gaps if i ever find a place to do that as none of my ideas overlap at all yet. Lots of ideas I can peruse with these in the future that will give me lists of flexability!

 

[Purpleplane]

It was my original dream to have one massive board made and have all the terminals lined up like they would be in real life but that would easily be 10ft x 20ft at a minimum Ive looked up what it would cost to invest in a layoverlayout at the max size he can do (about the 10x20) and that was over 5 grand so I would also have to do that fully by hand as well…so that dream has over time developed into these ideas, where I can always grab and setup smaller single terminal sections to do my thing with. Maybe even being able to semi line them up with their slight gaps if i ever find a place to do that as none of my ideas overlap at all yet. Lots of ideas I can peruse with these in the future that will give me lists of flexability!

That's one reason why I started my IND retro terminal project....the complete terminal and ramp covers only 6 X 6 ft, and even includes part of runway 23R and the taxiways. 34 gates in total, lots of variety airline-wise, no one had a hub there...except USAir made IND a focus city in the 80's, and Northwest did the same in the 90's through 2008 when the terminal was closed and the brand new mid-field terminal opened. I do have a thread on it in the model airport forum...IND retro airport project if you want to check it out. Although it's not finished (all I have left are the parking garage and some small details), I will resume work on it very soon.

 

[bakejobb_23]

That's one reason why I started my IND retro terminal project....the complete terminal and ramp covers only 6 X 6 ft, and even includes part of runway 23R and the taxiways. 34 gates in total, lots of variety airline-wise, no one had a hub there...except USAir made IND a focus city in the 80's, and Northwest did the same in the 90's through 2008 when the terminal was closed and the brand new mid-field terminal opened. I do have a thread on it in the model airport forum...IND retro airport project if you want to check it out. Although it's not finished (all I have left are the parking garage and some small details), I will resume work on it very soon.

I got lost for an hour or so in that thread reliving the creation from the start at some point in the last few months it’s a great little setup. I never knew USAir had a focus city there, did they fly anything weird or out of the normal into there? A bit before my time so i’m also not super privy to rules and regulations for airport design compared to the 2000s. They always seemed a bit messier and less restricted on plane size and markings for things…plus the horrible google maps photos pre 2000 has you guessing for all the proper markings and terminal designs at times which my perfectionist brain doesn’t like. I’ve always wanted to do a 1990s USAir hub setup of the big terminal they built in Pittsburgh but i’ve been hesitant to pursue as there’s not a ton of google maps/photos good enough to really figure out all the proper markings at that time frame

 

[Purpleplane]

I got lost for an hour or so in that thread reliving the creation from the start at some point in the last few months it’s a great little setup. I never knew USAir had a focus city there, did they fly anything weird or out of the normal into there? A bit before my time so i’m also not super privy to rules and regulations for airport design compared to the 2000s. They always seemed a bit messier and less restricted on plane size and markings for things…plus the horrible google maps photos pre 2000 has you guessing for all the proper markings and terminal designs at times which my perfectionist brain doesn’t like. I’ve always wanted to do a 1990s USAir hub setup of the big terminal they built in Pittsburgh but i’ve been hesitant to pursue as there’s not a ton of google maps/photos good enough to really figure out all the proper markings at that time frame

Thank you so much. When USAir had the focus city here, they flew everything in the fleet here, except for the 757 and 767. The 757s did fly in here occasionally...especially when extra capacity was needed for spring break or the Indy 500. If memory serves me correctly, the focus city lasted until the mid 1990's...around 1994 I think.

 

[bakejobb_23]

Thank you so much. When USAir had the focus city here, they flew everything in the fleet here, except for the 757 and 767. The 757s did fly in here occasionally...especially when extra capacity was needed for spring break or the Indy 500.

Interesting, i’ll have to deep dive that at some point. I’ll have to see if they had any other focus cities i don’t know about in the 80s/90s