Wright Field Design & Construction
Wright Field is built on a piece of MDF that originally measured 60 x 120cm (2ft x 4ft), although there has been a small extension added to the right side in 2021. It is very loosely based on the Atlanta Airport of the late 1950s. Real photos below are from George W. Cearley's wonderful book - 'A Pictorial History of Airline Service at Atlanta'.
Atlanta itself has been really 4 different airports all built adjacent to each other. The original was replaced in 1948 by a temporary terminal called the Quonset hut and in the 50s the ramp space was massively expanded with two oddly shaped piers. In 1959 they even gained a pair of early airbridged gates for Delta's new DC-8s. This facility was replaced in 1961 by a new facility which itself would make a lovely (and large) model. That airport was outgrown within a decade and in 1980 the current facility opened with its famous and trendsetting parallel piers.
It is the Quonset 1948-1961 airport I have tried to emulate although with a smaller space I have have to modify the layout and make it quite a bit smaller. I therefore worked to keep the spirit and flavour of the original airport rather than to copy it accurately.
Design Features
Looking at photos there were several key features I wanted to replicate with this layout:
- Propliners were parked insanely close together by modern standards, often blocking each other in their gates especially when double lines of aircraft were parked. This was standard behaviour and not unusual at ATL.
- The airfield was very complicated in terms of apron types. This was a legacy of continuous building over a period of time so that as ramps were expanded old runways and taxiways were partially built over giving the field a patchwork effect.
- Apron markings are very sparse with little in the way of detailed gate positions for aircraft or taxiway lines.
- Most of the apron space is made up of asphalt / tarmac and doesn't have the usual concrete blockwork look all over.
- The props often park parallel to the terminal piers whilst many gates don't seem to have standard parking positions.
Construction
The build of the original layout began in October 2014. I had built model airports for many years using paint on wood with wooden and cardboard buildings. It adds good texture and makes them easy to modify. Starting with the tarmac layout, to try and emulate the patchwork look of ATL in 1958/59 I used different paint colours (Humbrol 31, 32, 140, Tamiya XF22, XF53) and also left a portion of the MDF bare to simulate concrete.
Taxiway outers were added using colouring pencil and grass added using water-based green paint stippled on with a big brush to give a non-uniform look. This has since been replaced by using scale railway grass matting.
I added the blockwork to the concrete areas (measuring 1.5x1cm so rectangular as at Atlanta) using pencil.
Hangar
By November 2014 it was time to start on the buildings. I began with the double width hangar capable of handling 2 DC-6s side by side. Construction material is cardboard and balsa wood.
Piers
The next step following the hangar structure was to work on the pier fulcrum where the two jetway gates are to be located. This is supposed to bear a resemblance to this structure on the Delta concourse constructed in 1959 for Delta's new DC-8s:
Gate Markings
Gate markings required masking and painting as this was before I discovered the joy of paintpens.
Piston engine airliners were dirty machines and if you look in the photos of Atlanta you can see lots of ramp staining at the gates no doubt from frequent oil leaks and smoky engine starts. To replicate this scruffy appearance I used a 3B pencil which is very soft and so easy to smudge with the finger. I am very pleased with the results which work well on the relatively rough painted board surface.
Terminal Painting
By November 15, 2014 painting of some of the terminal elements had begun. The sides of the piers were to be papered not painted but the tops of them and the hangar were painted.
DC-8 Gates
The next step by November 23rd was too look at fitting the 2 airbridged DC-8 gates in place. Not also the beginnings of a small ramp control tower on the pier top. The airbridges of course use modified Gemini Jets narrowbody airbridges.
Main Terminal
The main terminal design was created to emulate the Quonset hut at Atlanta. Construction was cardboard and masking tape with balsa wood legs. I also started adding the printed sides to the piers.
Hangar Detailing
Next steps were to work on the hangar adding some more wall detailing and some windows. I also got rid of the ugly spaces between the roof and main body and added an age appropriate Eastern logo to it.
Using some card and more printed pieces of paper I was also able to add hangar doors:
Terminal Updates
By December 2014 attention had shifted back to the main terminal. Using half a paper towel roll I tried to recreate the curve of the old style Quonset hut and left enough space in front for a viewing terrace.
Completion
By the end of December 2014 the original Wright Field was effectively complete. Since then it has had a few updates including adding some spectators to the viewing area but in general the original build has stood the test of time.