1930s Pulp Airfield in 15 mm ("IJ" Air Force photos)

[FifteensAway]

I posted a question in the Interwar area and got a couple of responses but not really what I am looking for.

So, looking for items suitable for a Pulp era out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere airfield, details and buildings - windsock, small tower, crude hangers, fuel source (probably a 50 gallon barrel with a hand pump - used one back in 1982 at a remote field in Nevada when traveling by small plane), whatever else seems appropriate.  More to give an idea than to recreate an accurate model.  Probably only host bi-planes but there might be the odd more advanced aircraft, certainly a few Indiana Jones type planes.

Appreciate any ideas, websites, pointers you can provide, items currently available.  Will consider HO or 1/144 scale items (maybe on the latter), but prefer 15 mm (1:100) - if currently available, please, again.

Thanks!

Something similar to this but not so modern (28 mm):



Here is the link for photo above for you 28 mm folk who might want: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1703621191/jungle-airport-modern-miniatureseu?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ps-e-toys_and_games&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjww-HABhCGARIsALLO6Xw65qHJ-fI0cgXFF7Zc5fvW-1i-ztZ3734zbakMO7_OAsN9fV-W33QaAkfsEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_22195702445_177315947031_731710980850_pla-314535279060_c__1703621191_12768591&utm_custom2=22195702445&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADtcfRIHijfBm9FrUIWM4idw4rJiY&gclid=Cj0KCQjww-HABhCGARIsALLO6Xw65qHJ-fI0cgXFF7Zc5fvW-1i-ztZ3734zbakMO7_OAsN9fV-W33QaAkfsEALw_wcB

[Burgundavia]

WoW buildings has some STL for a small tower/building that might fit what you want:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wowbuildings/wowbuildings-the-air-war-and-village-russia (available now here https://wowbuildings.net/product-category/ww2/)

[Fitz]

If you have access to a 3d printer, I'd recommend that you look up Windham Graves -- he's on Patreon, and also releases older stuff on Thingiverse. He produces all kinds of stuff, including recently some retro fuel bowsers, airfield trollies, and stuff like that. He also does a lot of vehicles of various types.

[FifteensAway]

No 3D printer and my 'guy' who I used seems to have 'gone over the horizon' since he doesn't respond anymore, hopefully not because of his and his wife's significant health issues.

Andy in Germany did a low level tower that might be my guide.

[Cat]

Small airfield buildings are tough to source, more so in 1/100.  I had to do a lot of digging for 1/72.
 
The best option in larger scales could also be kitbashed a bit to work in 15mm — the Plasticville Hangar.  While nominally O-scale, it has way too tiny a footprint for that.  It scales down easily by simply re-working the side doors.

Footprint is ~ 8.5" x 7.5", hangar door height ~2.25".
 
For 1/72 scale, it can hold a pair of very stubby-winged cartoon flying machines, so should work well for 2–3 actual scale 1/100 pulp planes.  Since the real Vulture Squadron hangar doesn't have any side doors, I simply blocked them over.
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=118679.msg1744693#msg1744693
 
Here's someone who did a fancier HO mod:
https://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2013/10/from-o-scale-to-ho-scale-plasticville.html
 
For an office/terminal building, a Nissen/Quonset hut should do the trick.

[FifteensAway]

Cat, you may have shown me the way to a few models that just might work with some 'work' to adapt them to my 'vision' - though maybe not the O scale hanger.  Time shall tell.  So, thank you.

[Cat]

Good hunting!

n.b. "O scale" is a very honorific title on the Plasticville hangar.  It's just the right size to house a 1:100 Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior (Casablanca).

[FifteensAway]

Cat,

I got that from your links and posts on the size but I may have found an HO model that might work better for my purposes.  Still hunting about.

[FifteensAway]

Hopefully, you will see four images above, all HO scale (1/87th - well last is HO/OO), of items I've ordered to build my airfield: a hanger that is too modern but I will adjust the doors to make it 'older' - and it comes with the hardscape the jet is on, a fuel tank - not sure of proper vintage but I figure I can make it look 'old', a Quonset hut which I will think of as a Nissen hut which inspired the Quonset and was common in WWI, and my favorite is WWI (supposedly - looks like later WWII aircraft in the photo on box) Airfix control tower.  Accurate?  Maybe, maybe not.  What matters is I can create an airfield to host games.  Good enough for a Hollywood B movie, good enough for me.  Well, hope so -down to the modeling now once they all arrive.  The real trick is to build it so it can be used in the desert, the jungle, or where ever.  I'm good for only one airfield.

So, thanks for the input.

Now for an "unnaturally tiny" 15 mm dirigible...

[Cat]

Looking forward to the results!  And opinion on that hangar when it comes.

Now for an "unnaturally tiny" 15 mm dirigible...

Yamada-shiki 1 was only 60' long, less than 7-1/4" at full 1:100.
https://j-aircraft.com/research/jas_jottings/japanese_airships.htm
 
https://lintel.typepad.com/plentyofnothing/2021/07/yamada-shiki-no-1.html
 
: 3

[snitcythedog]

If you are doing a civilian airfield, it looks like the control tower was regularly part of the terminal.

Back home the old terminal was just under the tower until the late 70s.  It might give you some more building options. 

[FifteensAway]

snitch, thanks for the photo.

Keep in mind I am primarily looking to build an airfield set in exotic locales, sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, maybe in the Back of Beyond.  So remote and primitive takes precedence over the circa 1935 'latest and greatest'.  Also, my airfield will need to suffice in multiple locations; one thought that already occurred is to build little scenic vignettes, especially for the hangar, with one in the jungle, another in the desert, and perhaps a third for the steppes of Asia and each with the same footprint to cozy up to the hangar - maybe the Airfix tower as well.

Here is a Flying Tigers image (WWII so a bit later):



More like this if a little more progress. 

I do have some 15 mm pilots and air crew that should work.  Should I paint them in different attire for jungle, desert, and steppes?  I have around a dozen of each so I could do 4 pilots and 4 crew for each setting - and I might have some tucked away from pre-reduction (had WAY too many figures and trying to get more sane with the numbers).

[FifteensAway]

Some photos of a main reason for an airfield - and why I'm not overly concerned with things scaling closely, ideal, sure, but only to a degree.

The whole of my "Indiana Jones" Air Force and, as you can see, very much not to scale.


And then each one with figures, again, to show how they scale together (or don't).




All three are from Hot Wheels.

And last, my choice of figure to represent Marion Ravenwood:

[FifteensAway]

Received the hangar and the fuel tank today.  I like the fuel tank because it is suitably small.  Not so much the hangar - I guess I didn't read close enough because it is a card model which isn't likely to make me happy but I'll give it a go, probably build a very sturdy frame to hold it together.  At least it will only need minimum painting I guess.

I need to pull out my 'standby hangar' and see how it works, something I found at a thrift store.

[FifteensAway]

And just ordered the O scale version recommended by Cat.  It might take a little more work to get to work right for me but I think I will be happier than with a card model.  Should have listened to you Cat!