PMMS

All models by Terry Ashley (except where noted)

A-7E by Stefan Gosatti

The Diorama is an ideal way of displaying your favourite model in it's natural environment and allows a further extension of your modelling skills. We will show here a step by step creation of a simple diorama using many diorama accessories available today, predominantly Verlinden items.
Bridgelayer

A diorama can be telling a story, showing a vehicle 'doing it's thing' or simply a small base to give an idea of where the vehicle is operating (Photo 1 sees an A7-E shown on a tarmac base, which looks much better than just sitting on a bare table)

Mustang IV by Peter Jones

up to more complex scenes with multiple buildings or vehicles. (photo 2 is a combination of five Verlinden building kits with a Churchill Bridgelayer about to 'repair' a demolished bridge, while photo 3 shows a simple scene with a P-51D in a natural setting)
Aircraft dioramas are a little more limited in that an aircraft 'doing it's thing' is flying and it is very difficult to convincingly portray an aircraft in flight. Aircraft invariably come back to earth either sitting on a tarmac being serviced (photo 4, is an Israeli F-4E in final preparation for another raid into Lebanon) or by crashing (photo 5).

There are other variations of coarse, a carrier deck scene or a production line for instance.
Vehicle dioramas are virtually unlimited in the use of terrain, the number of vehicles, figures or buildings etc. as anything is possible.
If you are building your first diorama start with a simple scene (the Verlinden range is ideal for this) before moving on to larger and more complex scenes as your skills and confidence increase.

Ideas and Planning
The first step in any diorama is the initial idea, this may be an actual scene from a photograph or just from your imagination, or a combination of both. The thing to remember with any idea "is it feasible"?, a diorama must be believable or the end result will be wasted.

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