Of course, depending on the era and railroad you model you can combine both, one example in Chicago, the C&WI used to go straight through the middle of the old Municipal Airport (now Midway). I think this alignment lasted until the late 1930's or early 1940's.
stokesda Let me caveat what I'm about to say by suggesting that "it's your layout - do whatever you want" That being said, there's good reason you don't see too many airfields modeled on scale train layouts. Airplanes themselves are bigger than you might think (see the post above about the DVD case size). Any airplane you're going to find on the ground is necessarily sitting on an airfield of some kind, which takes up a deceptively large amount of space. 1000 ft in HO scale is over 11 actual feet long, and even a small "unimproved" air strip is usually a few thousand feet long. The small heliport suggestion above would be a nice compromise that wouldn't take up too much space. If you must have a fixed-wing plane on the ground on your layout, I recommend modeling the end of a single runway, with the runway extending into the distance on the backdrop. Or you could do something like an air museum with outdoor static displays. Another alternative would be a single plane static display in a city park or someplace similar.
Let me caveat what I'm about to say by suggesting that "it's your layout - do whatever you want"
That being said, there's good reason you don't see too many airfields modeled on scale train layouts. Airplanes themselves are bigger than you might think (see the post above about the DVD case size). Any airplane you're going to find on the ground is necessarily sitting on an airfield of some kind, which takes up a deceptively large amount of space. 1000 ft in HO scale is over 11 actual feet long, and even a small "unimproved" air strip is usually a few thousand feet long.
The small heliport suggestion above would be a nice compromise that wouldn't take up too much space. If you must have a fixed-wing plane on the ground on your layout, I recommend modeling the end of a single runway, with the runway extending into the distance on the backdrop. Or you could do something like an air museum with outdoor static displays. Another alternative would be a single plane static display in a city park or someplace similar.
I came here to say this. Even using selective compression a runway for a Cessna 182 or Piper Cub is going to be 8-10' long. For perspective, the runways at your big international airports are longer than all but the longest manifest freight.
Just an N scale guy in an HO scale world.
Reading Railroad in a small space.
Yes, I did some research on that. I also saw a thing in a more recent MRR magazine that use mirrors to double the scene...
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
Does depend on the amount of priming, and/or how foul the bottom plugs are.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
MisterBeasley "Gulliver's Gate" is a relatively new attraction in New York City. It is a model of many parts of the world, built in 1:87 scale. When I was there, they were still working on the model of LaGuardia Airport, which features operating vehicles, taxiing, taking-off and landing aircraft. They were still coordinating the sensors and actuators when I was there. There are a lot of trains in the models. I noticed the presence of BNSF and Rio Grande boxcars all over the model space, even in the models of Europe and Asia, so I asked about them, since they were so out of place. My quest led to an introduction to "the train guy," and a relatively simple explanation. They are standard, off-the-shelf Walthers track cleaning cars, but they hadn't gotten around to repainting yet. Since I was a modeler myself, I spent a good part of the morning getting a behind-the-scenes tour, which I enjoyed thoroughly. The airplanes are actually 1:87 scale. They make them on site using 3D printing technology. Anyone interested in modeling should visit this. There is a hefty senior discount and coupons being handed out to take the sting out of the admission price.
"Gulliver's Gate" is a relatively new attraction in New York City. It is a model of many parts of the world, built in 1:87 scale. When I was there, they were still working on the model of LaGuardia Airport, which features operating vehicles, taxiing, taking-off and landing aircraft.
They were still coordinating the sensors and actuators when I was there.
There are a lot of trains in the models. I noticed the presence of BNSF and Rio Grande boxcars all over the model space, even in the models of Europe and Asia, so I asked about them, since they were so out of place. My quest led to an introduction to "the train guy," and a relatively simple explanation. They are standard, off-the-shelf Walthers track cleaning cars, but they hadn't gotten around to repainting yet.
Since I was a modeler myself, I spent a good part of the morning getting a behind-the-scenes tour, which I enjoyed thoroughly.
The airplanes are actually 1:87 scale. They make them on site using 3D printing technology.
Anyone interested in modeling should visit this. There is a hefty senior discount and coupons being handed out to take the sting out of the admission price.
Are they modeling the construction around LGA? It is truly a mess!
Joe Staten Island West
Silverliner266 stokesda Let me caveat what I'm about to say by suggesting that "it's your layout - do whatever you want" That being said, there's good reason you don't see too many airfields modeled on scale train layouts. Airplanes themselves are bigger than you might think (see the post above about the DVD case size). Any airplane you're going to find on the ground is necessarily sitting on an airfield of some kind, which takes up a deceptively large amount of space. 1000 ft in HO scale is over 11 actual feet long, and even a small "unimproved" air strip is usually a few thousand feet long. The small heliport suggestion above would be a nice compromise that wouldn't take up too much space. If you must have a fixed-wing plane on the ground on your layout, I recommend modeling the end of a single runway, with the runway extending into the distance on the backdrop. Or you could do something like an air museum with outdoor static displays. Another alternative would be a single plane static display in a city park or someplace similar. I came here to say this. Even using selective compression a runway for a Cessna 182 or Piper Cub is going to be 8-10' long. For perspective, the runways at your big international airports are longer than all but the longest manifest freight.
The runways here at Dulles would be about 120 feet long, in HO.
Hence, using mirrors
Model Power makes a decent diecast Cessna 172 in 1:87. I bought one for my wife for her airport scene. Only problem is it is tail heavy and will not sit on the tricycle landing gear. I have considered converting it to a tail-dragger for this reason.
As to how to put an airport on a module, the airport goes off module at about a 45 degree angle, so only a short section of runway and the airport tower are on the module.
A small private airstrip.
Gary
Here's info about Waynoka, OK, where TAT's air-rail service connected with ATSF trains:
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/OK/Airfields_OK_W.htm
It was fairly close to the tracks, although outside of town, so a car or bus was necessary to reach the depot. I believe transferring passengers got a meal at the local Harvey House. Sandie Olsen at Waynoka Historical Society - http://www.waynoka.org/ - could probably provide a lot more info to anyone interested. It would make a cool modeling project, but yikes, look at the size of the hangar! Serious selective compression and/or forced perspective required.
A mile of runway is at least 60 ft. long... It's a common problem. An HO Laker Ore freighter (about 1,000 ft long) ends up being huge as well. One could use a photo-shopped background to indicate a runway heading into the distance (like some people do to indicate a mountain) with the back of a hanger (selectively compressed) showing an aircraft running up its engine as part of a maintenance evlolution could be plausible.
Modelers leaving HO for other scales? Exactly what I thought. It happens, of course, but "fleeing" seems a bit over the top.
Since we are hijacking the thread with ships, anyone seen an aircraft carrier (or scene of one) on a layout?
I've been thinking about this recently as my son has asked me about having an airport on the layout. For our limited area, that would likely be just a small hanger and maybe a control tower on a tiny corner of tarmac facing outward from one corner of the layout.
As someone who has tried to incorporate aircraft a few times into scale wargames, I can attest that it's almost always best to go with a smaller scale for all but the smallest craft.
1:87 should work well for small private aircraftFor even slightly larger planes the selection of 1:100 aircraft would look fine, even if placed next to proper HO scale details.
1:144 is proably a solution that could work but only for forced perspective scenes that are separated by true HO scale vehicles. Still, it may be the only way of getting large aircraft to fit most layouts.
BMMECNYC Model Power makes a decent diecast Cessna 172 in 1:87. I bought one for my wife for her airport scene. Only problem is it is tail heavy and will not sit on the tricycle landing gear. I have considered converting it to a tail-dragger for this reason. As to how to put an airport on a module, the airport goes off module at about a 45 degree angle, so only a short section of runway and the airport tower are on the module.
I think I have the same die cast made/distributed by a different company. Mine is also tail heavy. If use it I'll do what I often do to get at the inside of diecast cars. It's easy to drill out the rivet that holds it all together. Then it should just fall to pieces. I can put a lead sinker in the nose and while It's open quickly paint a bit of detail on the cockpit before gluing it back together.
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
Have you seen this?
Not exactly HO scale, slightly smaller!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
garyaI believe Walthers made a 1:87 DC-3/C-47, a P-51, and a BF109
.
Why in the world would Walthers manufacture a BF109? That is a model that would have VERY limited use in the HO world. The only thing I can think of would be to have something to pose with the P51, but that would require a lot of "license" to put them next to one another.
If a modeler wanted a P51 and BF109 together they can already do that in 1:32, 1:48, 1:72, and 1:144. Probably a lot of other scales too. Why in 1:87?
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Yeah, just selectively compress Minituar Wunderland, then you can have Germany on one half of the layout and America on the other. Or, you could just do a dogfight scene.
BNSF UP and others modeler Since we are hijacking the thread with ships, anyone seen an aircraft carrier (or scene of one) on a layout?
It would be BIG.
When I was a kid I read about the feverish run up to the battle of Midway, when the U.S. Navy was desperately trying to get the Yorktown, heavily damaged in the battle of the Coral Sea, ready for action. I remember descriptions of freight cars full of supplies and equipment being craned aboard. I've often thought it would be interesting to model that scene:
However, the Yorktown was 824'9" long, so an HO model would be about 9 1/2' long.
I've seen layouts with ore docks and ore boats, and I seem to recall a layout that featured a Liberty ship, which was about 5' long. I was reading about a WWII freighter a while back that was 261' long, which works out to 3' in HO scale, so I suppose it's doable.
SeeYou190 garya I believe Walthers made a 1:87 DC-3/C-47, a P-51, and a BF109 . Why in the world would Walthers manufacture a BF109? That is a model that would have VERY limited use in the HO world. The only thing I can think of would be to have something to pose with the P51, but that would require a lot of "license" to put them next to one another. . If a modeler wanted a P51 and BF109 together they can already do that in 1:32, 1:48, 1:72, and 1:144. Probably a lot of other scales too. Why in 1:87? . -Kevin .
garya I believe Walthers made a 1:87 DC-3/C-47, a P-51, and a BF109
Can't answer that question. But I remember going to my LHS shop 15 years ago or so and seeing Walthers 1:87 DC-3s, C-47s, P-51s and BF109s:
garyaI remember going to my LHS shop 15 years ago or so and seeing Walthers 1:87 DC-3s, C-47s, P-51s and BF109s:
The BF109 is actually a lot smaller than most people think it is. It is about 20% smaller than a P-51. This is my 1:48 scale BF109 next to an HO scale 40 foot boxcar.
I don't have a 1:144 BF109, but I do have a 1:144 JU87 Stuka so you can see the comparisson.
I am going to stand by my first comment that if you want to add an airstrip to a home layout, make it 1:144 scale and put it slightly away from the trains. I think it will look fine.
Just wanted to add that I looked up the die cast Cessna I had. They are made by Daron toys. They were previously sold as "Runway 24" with grey foam runway pieces and now the same toy (same paint too) is sold as "Hot Wings" with black foam runway pieces. Scale isn't listed in most listings, but they look right on for HO. A Beechcraft Bonanza and Piper Cherokee are also availble and retail seems to be between 6 and 8 bucks.
I actually came across that in my research. But you can only really find it on ebay, and the price is more than I care to pay...
If you model the old Santa Fe station in downtown San Diego, you could have the USS Midway museum ship as part of the backdrop photo.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
EilifAs someone who has tried to incorporate aircraft a few times into scale wargames, I can attest that it's almost always best to go with a smaller scale for all but the smallest craft.
Generally true. But don't discount 1:72 flying over 1:87 scenery, given how much is available for aircraft in that scale.
Why? The viewer's eye level is typically "up in the clouds" so it's not jarring to see the aircraft as being closer to the viewer than the "ground" is. The perspective works out. I have a number of examples in 1:72 aircraft over my layout in the thread cited previously here.
This works better if the deck height on your layout is 48" or less. I'm also over 6', which may further contribute to why this works well for me. YMMV
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Eilif Just wanted to add that I looked up the die cast Cessna I had. They are made by Daron toys. They were previously sold as "Runway 24" with grey foam runway pieces and now the same toy (same paint too) is sold as "Hot Wings" with black foam runway pieces. Scale isn't listed in most listings, but they look right on for HO. A Beechcraft Bonanza and Piper Cherokee are also availble and retail seems to be between 6 and 8 bucks.
I looked them up, and they have several planes available:
https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Wings-Planes/pages/3031069011
Much like the old "Box Scale," where the item is designed to fit the box, I'd guess only a few planes are in the HO ballpark. It's something to consider.
I found a few airplanes in 1:100, including this Entex DC-3:
I don't really have room for it, but I found one for a nice price on eBay and bought it, as it features my hometown airline and I've always liked the Gooney Bird.
garya I looked them up, and they have several planes available: https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Wings-Planes/pages/3031069011 Much like the old "Box Scale," where the item is designed to fit the box, I'd guess only a few planes are in the HO ballpark. It's something to consider. 1:87 should work well for small private aircraftFor even slightly larger planes the selection of 1:100 aircraft would look fine, even if placed next to proper HO scale details. I found a few airplanes in 1:100, including this Entex DC-3: I don't really have room for it, but I found one for a nice price on eBay and bought it, as it features my hometown airline and I've always liked the Gooney Bird.
That DC3 is lovely!
As for "Hot Wings" there's a whole range of them, but the 3 I listed are the only ones that look to be about 1:87. There are a few that are probably between 1:100 an 1:144 though.
Here's the Daron Website where they show the Runway 24 line (same as "Hot Wings"). https://www.daronwwt.com/search.html?brand=RUN24