Airplanes?

[f1_indy2000]

I was thinking about putting a commerical airliner flying above my layout, but have no idea of what the scale is in relation to HO scale. They list 1:200, 1:400, 1:500, etc. I'm stumped. Thanks for any sugestions

 

[MilesWestern]

1:87 is HO scale, in case you didn't know. an Airport is much too large to model realistically, but I'd imagine a 1:400 would look right up in the sky!

 

[Railphotog]

1:72 is the scale closest to HO.

 

[RCH]

For small aircraft, try Herpa wings at Promotex:

http://www.promotex.ca/provisioner/catalogue/index.php?ProductLine=22&CategoryID=26

I'd also suggest using some of the 1:200 scale or smaller models of commercial airliners either as background models (to create an illusion of distance) or suspended in the air (again, to force perspective to create the illusion of distance).

 

[MilesWestern]

Of course, why have a plane suspended in MID-AIR (!) above your layout for any legnth of time!? (Unless it's a V-22 osprey, Harrier, F-35, or a Fairey Rotodyne..VTOL aircraft that is..) How about a helicopter hovering over your town with a clear disk to represent rotating blades. Your trains move, why wouldn't your planes?

 

[f1_indy2000]

Of course, why have a plane suspended in MID-AIR (!) above your layout for any legnth of time!? (Unless it's a V-22 osprey, Harrier, F-35, or a Fairey Rotodyne..VTOL aircraft that is..) How about a helicopter hovering over your town with a clear disk to represent rotating blades. Your trains move, why wouldn't your planes?

Very very good point, i didn't even think about that. I just thought about putting a plane up since the flight pattern for the Indianapolis airport is pretty much above my house, so I'm constantly seeing planes fly over. During last weekends race the the goodyear blimp was right up above, that could stay abit stationary. Thanks all and I will just rethink it and go back to focusing on the layout itself

 

[RCH]

Of course, why have a plane suspended in MID-AIR (!) above your layout for any legnth of time!? (Unless it's a V-22 osprey, Harrier, F-35, or a Fairey Rotodyne..VTOL aircraft that is..) How about a helicopter hovering over your town with a clear disk to represent rotating blades. Your trains move, why wouldn't your planes?

I was thinking in terms of taking a photo.

But then again, a number of things that are supposed to be moving on layouts rarely do: people, cars and trucks, birds, windmills, flags, trees bending in the breeze. Sure there are ways to animate all these things, but I find that repetitive motion more distracting than those objects remaining static. I can choose to focus on the motionless cars and trucks on the highway next to the tracks and choose to imagine them speeding by or idling in rush hour traffic.

We already use our imaginations and the suspension of disbelief to descend down into the scene on our layouts, so I don't see it as much of a jump to imagine air traffic or vehicle traffic in motion.

Just my opinion...

 

[f1_indy2000]

I was thinking in terms of taking a photo.

But then again, a number of things that are supposed to be moving on layouts rarely do: people, cars and trucks, birds, windmills, flags, trees bending in the breeze. Sure there are ways to animate all these things, but I find that repetitive motion more distracting than those objects remaining static. I can choose to focus on the motionless cars and trucks on the highway next to the tracks and choose to imagine them speeding by or idling in rush hour traffic.

We already use our imaginations and the suspension of disbelief to descend down into the scene on our layouts, so I don't see it as much of a jump to imagine air traffic or vehicle traffic in motion.

Just my opinion...

Good point, On my dads layout we have a uhaul truck that has been sitting or waiting to cross the tracks for about ten years now. Never thought about moving it.

 

[Larry]

Here's a few airplanes above my layout. I have about 15 planes & 6 helicopters. These are H.O. scale & they are about 10 ft from the top of the tables.

 

[RCH]

Good point, On my dads layout we have a uhaul truck that has been sitting or waiting to cross the tracks for about ten years now. Never thought about moving it.

LOL. The irony of that scene...

 

[Larry]

These were all bought at WM & Big Lots. The small planes were the military ones & I haven't seen any for about a year at WM's. The bigger planes, the B-17 & the C-47(C-47 not shown) I bought at Big Lots about 2 years ago & paid $5.97 each for those. These pics are in the GAP site, pg.78 on this forum.
Larry

 

[Muskieman]

A few years ago I toyed with Building a layout & found a site, or was it in a Mag where some guy had the supreme system. Not only did the trains move but so did his cars, people, Airplanes. It was an entire city all moving. It was controlled by computer so the cars didn't run in to each other & didn't go go the same way.

 

[MilesWestern]

Oh, yeah! I saw that layout too! It's in Brazil, TOP notch work!!