WLF1 Ring - Mid Views

Here's a couple shots from mid track viewing northwest and northeast respectively. With summer beyond its mid way point I am gearing up for some race nights and winter modelling, but for now I'll keep enjoying the sunshine and the 2009 Formula One World Championship shootout. Next race Valencia, Spain.

WLF1 Ring - Park Ferme International Walk

This ones fairly straightforward and adjacent to the sidewalk that connects park ferme and the pit lane. Flagpoles were made from tubular styrene and the flags were wrinkled up a bit and glued to make them look like they're waving in the wind. Pea gravel was used to fill in the area between the sidewalk and back rock terrace. You have to have some international presence at an international f1 circuit!

WLF1 Ring - Fountain Park and Fountain Bridge

This Marshal hole, once the largest, has given up some real estate to make way for the Fountain Park and Fountain Bridge. The fountain is a small scale "Homemedics" water feature for relaxation. Its about 14" in diameter and came with a few slab rocks, water filter and light. I enhanced it for the park fountain by sinking the bowl below the track surface to bring the scale down some. I scavenged the back yard for slab like sandstone and re piled my rocks in a conical fashion for the fountain. Water drips from just below the top layer and down over the sandstone. A cool use for a $15 fountain and a beautiful centerpiece to the park. Sidewalks surround the fountain and are flanked on four sides by park benches made from toothpicks. The benches are an asymmetrical contemporary design as you might expect from me by now.

The Fountain Bridge started with a piece of perforated aluminum I've had for years now. It makes up the floor surface. From there I made a wooden spire that peaks out over the center of the fountain. It is tethered back to the floor surface with cable (dowels) to create an asymmetrical cable stay configuration. The railings started with plastic conduit clasps for the uprights and railings are red painted styrene strips. Lets take a walk to the fountain in between race warm-up sessions...

One last detail here are the blue and white barricades I made from wood planks (slightly smaller then popsicle sticks) I lined up about fifty sticks and masked them off for painting the blue and white stripes. Then 1 plank is cut in half, one half is cut in thirds and then glued together to make an angled barricade. I've placed these in various "Keep Out" places and the blue and white color is a nice contrast to the predominant reds of the architecture.

WLF1 Ring - Sky Scraper

This ones in progress, but well on its way...

A 10 story Skyscraper fills a portion of the North West corner of the Ring. This was fabbed up from 3/8" rectangular dowels. Its really only two sides as the other two sides are never visible. I build these on the grided table in my basement. A grid is VERY helpful to keep things parallel and perpendicular especially when working in scale. The windows are actually contact paper, albeit metallic and applied to sheet plastic to add some rigidity. The contact paper is the type you line cubbards and shelves with. Not my favorite, but still effective. Its always good to experiment with things and use that imagination. Hardware stores, super stores and others are full of potential modelling parts. I just wander the aisles and look at things and how they might be applied to 1/32 scale modelling. The SS Tower will get some additional window mullions, doors, antennae and lighting efffects some time in the near future. Also I have space for probably two more buildings in this area that will anchor that corner of the track with a nice city skyline.

WLF1 Ring - Communications Tower

Greetings from the Ring... Ring... Ring... Hello? He's racing Porsche GT3's right now. Can I have him call you back? Very good, good bye. Luca Di Montezemolo wants you to take Felipe Massa's seat in the Ferrari for the remainder of the season!

Ha! I wish...

Been a while folks so its update time. First up the new Communications/Cell Tower.

I started with a 3/8" diameter dowel and trussed the base with smaller dowels. Sintra and scrap plastic beams were used for the triangular transmitters and receivers. U shaped metal staples make up the ladder steps and all is topped off with a glowing red LED to inform any low flying aircraft to its presence. The base is a piece of 1/4 Sintra painted concrete color. Make sure that base is level otherwise the whole tower will be out of whack. Hit me up sometime now that the Ring has commmunications... 555-F1FREAK