Using old model kits for a Midcentury Mars diorama

Greetings! We're Alex and Dani, and we're seriously nerdy about model kits. But we have a hard time leaving them intact, what with all the war and such. In this video, watch us take some 1:48 scale kits used for World War II models and transform them into a scene from an imaginary Martian colony founded in the 1950s. We turned a Japanese 4x4 vehicle into a magnetic-hover Postal Vehicle and RAF pilots into a gentleman and his pup greeting the Martian mail carrier. We challenged ourselves to use bits and pieces we had on-hand to craft a midcentury bunker exterior that’s carved right into the side of those orange cliffs. And because we’re seriously nerdy about research, did you know that even in the 1940s, astronomers believed that Mars had vegetation? The science fiction from that era is wild! That’s why, for this build, the inhabitants need only a little extra oxygen and dwellings built into the terrain for climate control, and can otherwise live comfortably on the Red Planet.
You may have noticed that we’re trying out a new format in this video: the build is front and center, without us doing intro or outro and without narration. Let us what you think of this style in the comments - we’d love to know your thoughts! Thanks for watching!
#seriouslynerdy #craft #modelkit #tamiya #diorama
---
Follow Alex and Dani on Instagram: @seriouslynerdy
Or read their ramblings on their blog: seriouslynerdy.com
Supplies and Equipment
RAF Pilots and Ground Personnel 1939-1945 by ICM: a.co/d/4adz51d
Japanese 4x4 Light Vehicle Type 95 Kurogane by Tamiya: tamiya.com/english/products/32558
10mm Wide Hold Glass Orbs: etsy.com/shop/cricketseeker
Snippies and Tweezies: amzn.to/3HPYnl5
Black Surface Primer: amzn.to/3Yy4OiN
Vallejo Acrylic Paint: amzn.to/3FBLw32
Runner II Airbrush: amzn.to/3YBlqWO
Royal & Langnickel Detail Brushes: amzn.to/40Noss0
Artify Dry Bush Set: a.co/d/hbo3o01
Apoxy Sculpt 2-Part Modeling Compound: a.co/d/2Nv0irg
Original Music by Devin Norris. Check out his Lofi jazz channel on Instagram: @dvsnlofi
Other bossa nova selections from Epidemic Sound.
And now a word from our logical brains: This custom creation was inspired by our love of crafting and is in no way affiliated, sponsored or endorsed by ICM or Tamiya. None of the brands above offered us compensation or discounts for featuring them, we just enjoy the products and wanted to pass along our favorites.
---
0:00 Intro
0:22 Planning
0:38 Building the Hover-Vehicle
3:11 Building the Midcentury Bunker
5:00 Carving the Rock Wall
7:25 Planting the Garden
9:15 Painting the Exterior
10:51 Meet the Homeowner
11:58 Meet the Postal Worker
12:43 Meet the Doggo
13:25 Oxygen Packs and Bubble Helmets
14:09 Gluing in Place
14:27 Final Footage