World's largest model airport the Knuffingen goes on show

[GTX]

World's largest model airport the Knuffingen goes on show

[Weaver]

Awesome isn't it? 

Pre-opening video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_06qrFnvnw

Video diary by the man who built it.
Part 1 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUqMb...3A00BBC1 AFFC
(hit the CC button at bottom right to activate subtitles if you don't speak German)

One point: the article quoted says the planes are "guided by wires". Don't get the impression from this that they just fly along fishing lines or some such. Each plane has powered wheels and can taxi accurately by following magnetic guide wires set into the runway. For take-off and landing, it mates with a pair of telescopic rods on a track under the runway which "fly" it onto or off the ground at the right angle, and deposit it into an "aircraft magazine" behind the sky background at each end. Each plane also has it's own sound system, with the correct set of noises (recorded from the correct type, not just generic) sent to it wirelessly(?) from the control computer.

[Jschmus]

Someone posted this last week on Starship Modeler.  I told them it looked as though someone photographed a real airport, then tilt-shifted the pictures.  Very cool.

[royabulgaf]

Let me know when one of the airplanes is on the taxiway for three hours and the 1/144 passengers riot because the toilets have backed up.  I would pay to see that.