Thanks to all for your answers.
Alex
pirineuscalemodels - H0 and N USA scale models
www.pirineuscalemodels.com
The two billboards side by side above are just about the size of one standard 24 sheet billboard of the transition era, and the angled supports and sway bracing are spot on. It would usually be a bit taller, and the bottom of the billboard itself would be high enough to clear whatever movable objects might be in front of it. (I suspect a little selective compression to fit the rather restricted space.)
The overhead 'shining down' lights are correct for the period. I'm not sure when the 'shining up from the bottom' illuminators came in, but I don't remember them from the '50s
I'd make a dimensioned sketch of one leg assembly, build a jig and assemble seven of them from small-dimension styrene or scale-size wood. The lateral sway braces can go on after the legs are fastened to the billboard frame. On a scratchbuilding scale of one to ten, I rate the project about 1.2.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with a need for similar billboards)
While I'm modelling the late-'30s, I'm sure that there were plenty of old-style ones left in the '50s. I mounted the heavy paper sign to a piece of .020" styrene, using contact cement, then built a box-type frame around it using Evergreen HO scale 2"x4" strip styrene. The uprights are Evergreen 8"x8", while all of the bracing, including the sway bracing, is 2"x8". I left the back of the signboard plain, as it's not normally visible.Evergreen 2"x12" planks form a platform for workers when they need to paste-up a new billboard, and the floodlights are from either Tichy or Grandt Line, mounted on brass wire "conduit". While they're not superdetailed, I think they capture the essence of these bygone structures.
Click on the photos to enlarge, then click on the enlargement to get an even bigger view.
If you'd like some more specific photos (the billboards aren't the subject of any of these photos), let me know - it takes only a minute or two to take them and put them in photobucket.
Wayne
Excelent
Thanks Stix.
I think plans have been published in MR and/or RMC over the years. The Walthers website shows many kits for billboards.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Signals&scale=H&manu=+&item=&keywords=billboard&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search
Hi,
Some days ago I received a new billboard from Miller (Heinz for H0-N). My layout is arround 1950´s years and I would like to build a structure for it.
Can you tell me some webs with planes or some resources?
Thanks a lot and Merry Christmas,