Palm Trees
Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 4:59 am
There was a possibility that the theme for our Museum Gala was going to be the Corsair that is next in line for restoration. However that was not to be this year. The FW has taken much longer than anticipated. The Corsair will likely be next year when some progress can be shown. Over the winter, in anticipation for that I began working on a 1/18 display of Corsairs on a tropical airfield complete with support vehicles, figures, a crude control tower and tropical foliage in the form of some palm trees. I set out to make my own palm trees as there was nothing commercially available that was either around the right size or looked very realistic. I started by looking at photos of palm trees. They come in an endless variety, sizes and shapes. I decided to go for a generic palm tree not trying to be a coconut palm or and specific species. Those who live along the subtropical coasts can attest to how big a palm tree can get and how imperfect they often are. The lower fronds are often dying off as fast as fresh new fronds sprout. That's just how it works in the tropics. My Dad had an artificial palm tree with perfect green plastic fronds but the trunks were straight metal rods wrapped with tape and wire. I salvaged the fronds and discarded the rest. I wanted curved trunks so I set out to find something in nature that would work. The bushes in my hedge had good sized and textured branches so that was a start. I used the edge of a file to groove the "trunk" and attached it to a styrofoam base. I then started on the fronds with trimming and painting. Did some paint work on the trunk and got the "sand" on the base which is a mixture of actual sand and crushed cat litter. The left over frond stubs are pieces off pine cones. Added some ground foliage and later some rocks made of cork chunks. I'm working on a second one that is just a bit taller and would work as either a large 1/18 palm or a small 1/6 palm. The control tower will come later.
After adding the "rocks". Will eventually have more scattered debris in the form of some dropped dead frond pieces. The Marine is a 21st Century figure.
After adding the "rocks". Will eventually have more scattered debris in the form of some dropped dead frond pieces. The Marine is a 21st Century figure.
