Evie 2.0

Evie 2.0 The Reboot...
After several full production photo story series and one full action short, Evie has been likened more to a working 'movie set' than a static diorama model. The model has rarely ever served as just a static diorama display. With years of activity on the original 'set' the original model became quite worn and tired. Never being completely satisfied with its slightly rudimentary appearance it therefore got stripped to the base board and fully rebuilt. Some of the original tarmac and a few buildings were retained, but 2.0 is a significant upgrade on the original. With it, the updates approach also changed with more focus on regular day-to-day base activities, such as weapons loading or takeoffs/landings. In between these, special update stories are then featured. One noticeable difference are the regular references to real life events where the stories cross over with real world events as they unfold which brings Evie to life more than ever before.

Evie 2.0 is definitely an improvement on the original. Here are just some of the special update stories featured:

Evie 2.0 Special Updates

Evie 2.0:
A Royal Reopening

Created September 2017

Your Majesty...
A Royal Opening. This is the first special update of 2.0 with none other than Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland making a special 'guest star' cameo appearance at Evie 2.0's re-opening day following the redesign. She also makes a spectacular departure too!

During this short lighthearted story, a member on the Wings 900 Forum posted "I'd laugh if a Cessna rolled out of one of the new Hardened Aircraft Shelters", so I made a quick purchase and on the next post I rolled a Cessna (L-19) O-1 Bird Dog right out the HAS!

The Royal motorcade arrives at Evie

A Guard of Honour welcome

An old bird gives way to the new

Red ribbon cutting grand opening

VIDEO: Part 1: A Royal Reopening

EVIE 2.0: A royal reopening photo story

Evie 2.0:
Hurricane Relief Effort

Created September 2017

Saving Lives

Hurricane Relief Effort. The 2017 Hurricanes that struck America and Caribbean islands shocked the world and the humanitarian effort to save and support victims of the disaster was commendable. Hurricane Harvey broke US rainfall records with 53 inches in the Huston area. Hurricane Irma left at least 23 dead in the US and more than 30 dead across the Caribbean
This story pays tribute to those unfortunate souls that lost everything including life and those brave heroes, seen and unseen that despite the challenges did everything to assist in any way they could
This real world crossover story is a respectful attempt to recreate some of that effort and show support and admiration for the human spirit and the selfless military and civilian compassion shown of that time
The amount of tiny individual pieces of aid and the arrangement of the personnel and vehicles made for extremely difficult scenes to set up. But the results were, as you can see, very impressive

UK and Spanish Merlins heavy lifting

A very busy aid effort on the tarmac

Loading the aid

Two RAF C-17s taxi to the stands

Heading to the disaster zone

VIDEO: Part 2: Hurricane Relief Effort

Evie 2.0: hurricane relief effort PHOTO STORY

Evie 2.0:
Syria Air Strikes

Created April 2018

Striking Back

Syria Air Strikes. The world watched in disbelief as images were broadcast showing exasperated young children and women gasping and choking under the effects of chemical weapons attacks in Syria
The response was sharp and decisive with a global military response which provided a perfect real world cross over opportunity for Evie Air Base participation
This update focused on the pre-build up and late evening return of fighters to the base with night time runway lights adding to the overall atmosphere and tension

French Navy Dassault Rafale M's prepped

Rafale jets night time return to Evie

Sortie return touchdown

Rafale's taxi back to the stand

Sweedish JAS139 Grippen's return

Hardened Aircraft Shelters at night

VIDEO: Part 3: Syria Air Strikes

EVIE 2.0: SYRIA AIR STRIKES PHOTO STORY

Evie 2.0:
NATO 70th Anniversary

Created April 2019

Happy Birthday NATO

NATO 70th Anniversary. Here Evie hosts a grand concert show on the grounds of the base to mark 70 years of NATO. Yet again, another story that crosses over with real world events. This was posted on the NATO anniversary week. When such stories cross over with real world events timing is everything and design, creation, shooting, editing and posting all become time critical activities usually leading to all day and late night activities to complete the task.
The stage was improvised from an old child's toy but the stage set accessories, lighting and overall visuals with the band and spectators was a remarkable achievement within the tight timescales.
The show culminates in a spectacular display of NATO air superiority and the base provides the perfect evening setting for this.
The concert scene was one that was long in the planning but I was unclear what major NATO event to coincide it with. The 70th anniversary presented the perfect opportunity.
The results were one I'm very proud of especially as I got to re-use the spectator crowds from the 2013 Evie Air Show all over again.

Music Concert celebrations to mark the big event

Talented bands wow the crowd

The silhouetted B-1 Bomber flanked by two F-18s was a special fly-by finale

VIDEO: Part 5: NATO 70th Anniversary

EVIE 2.0: NATO 70th Anniversary photo story

Evie 2.0 The Russians Are Here

Created July 2019 MiG-29 Interception

Air Interdictions

Following several NATO warnings, repeated incursions by Russian jets into the airspace of NATO countries continue. This is yet another reality cross over as such incidents are occurring on an ever increasing basis. This story was updated as a Video story in 2022 to reflect the NATO/Russian tensions over Ukraine
In these updates Evie jets are actively involved in a series of events that highlight the issues and the associated dangers of Russian aerial engagement
In this part, we see two Russian MiG-29s intercept a Canadian Forces C-17 Globemaster III
But they didn't realise a contingent of F-15s also known as the Gypsy Angels are stationed at Evie and sent out to intercept them
What unfolds is an exciting aerial dogfight which I believe would be the first full scale diorama dogfight ever created. Yes I welcome any challenges to that claim!!! :)

MiG-29 Interception

Evie's Gypsy Angels F-15s scramble

'In-flight' action as F-15 headbutts MiGs

Full protective escort home

VIDEO: Part 7: The Russians Are Here...

EVIE 2.0: The Russians Are Here- Photo Story

Evie 2.0 The Russians Are Back - Pt.1

Created September 2019 QRA Scramble

QRA...Scramble...Scramble...Scramble...

With events in early 2022 stirring up globally over the increasing tensions between Russia and NATO regarding Ukraine, this seemed an appropriate time to release this episode to YouTube. Though it was developed earlier
This is the first of a mini two part episode that sees a Russian MiG-25 straying into UK airspace. The mechanism for early warning and response is played out with the jet being detected on early warning radar systems at RAF Scampton who alert the Master Controller at the National Air Defence and Operations Centre (NADOC) which is the UK's equivalent of NORAD in the US. NADOC then alert Evie ATC and request Quick Reaction Alert. Evie being one of three QRA stations (Lossiemouth and Coningsby being the others) send out QRA Fighters to intercept
This episode leads up to an exciting finale in the second part and sets the opening scene for it

QRA Taxi

Intercept

Ready for Take-off

Awaiting Orders...

VIDEO: Part 8: The Russians Are Back - Part 1

EVIE 2.0: the russians ARE BACK - PART 1 PHOTO STORY

Evie 2.0 The Russians Are Back - Pt.2

Created September 2019 QRA Engage

QRA...Cleared to Engage!...

In my opinion this episode turned out to be my finest creations to date. It was technically challenging and scene setting was very demanding.
Several clever techniques were used to create the effects. Spherical micro lights embedded within cotton wool, that I weathered to create black smoke plumes, was used to create the huge fireball scene. I used mini pyrotechnics for the initial missile blast contact shots but for those I had to soak the cotton wool "smoke" in water to prevent an actual inferno! For the missile smoke streak, I used a previous technique used in Evie 1.0's Commonwealth Games of Terror but in my view I definitely perfected the effect here
In this episode, the two Eurofighter Typhoon QRA Fighters catch up with the rogue Russian MiG and issue several warnings. With the MiGs persistent breach of UK airspace the unexpected "Cleared to Engage" order is issued and executed with breathtaking consequences in scenes that I'm truly proud of
I had to research QRA response actions in some detail and hopefully I have reflected the essence of that activity as best as possible here

"You will be shot down!"

MiG-25 Electronic Counter Measures- Flares

Eurofighter Typhoon: '...Fox One'

Huge Fireball

VIDEO: Part 9: The Russians Are Back - Part 2

EVIE 2.0: the russians ARE BACK - PART 2 PHOTO STORY

Evie 2.0:
Breaking News

Created June 2019

Here Are the Headlines...

This episode was a Media News story perspective of the ongoing situation and opens with a direct reference to the air encounter of QRA Fighters intercepting the Russian MiG in the previous episode
The video has a voice over with yours truly providing the dulcet tones of the news reader. The story focuses on the military logistics build up and preparation activities on the Evie tarmac. Whilst Ukraine itself is only speculated, with the backdrop of global events around Ukraine it is obvious what the planned destination is
Two C-17s can be seen on the apron. It also allowed me to show off the vast range of military trucks, trailers, low loaders and other mechanical vehicles in the logistics effort
The original photo story related to the Covid pandemic but this was easily adjusted to reflect current events on the Russia/Ukraine Border in the video conversion.

VIDEO: Part 10: Breaking News

Evie 2.0:
Ground Assets

Created June 2019

A unified show of strength...

Ground Assets. This was a chance to showcase some of my military tanks, military equipment and vehicles. Challenger, Leopard 2, Abrams as well as an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier feature here
Again this update reflecting real life circumstances was created in 2019 just as Iran brought down a US Drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Movement of military assets at Evie provided the central theme for the story. The story was then altered and updated in 2022 when converted to Video story to reflect the Russian military build up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border
Two C-17s, this time of the USAF, make the perfect dramatic landings and build-up as the visual drama unfolds on the base. Similar to the Hurricane Relief update this one was technically challenging to create as it involved meticulous design and planning with several small detailed individual pieces to be arranged and then rearranged for each shot

Hardware convoy arrives at Evie

Military personnel fall out of troop carriers

USAF C-7 Globemaster III touch down

Hardware and personnel load up

Leopard 2, APCs and Challengers are brought in

Heavy equipment on the tarmac

VIDEO: Part 11: Breaking News

Evie 2.0:
Air Assets

Created September 2020

Air Superiority...

This is the final episode in the 12 part series and most of the shots were put together during a period of personal challenge during the Covi-19 outbreak of 2020
The video edit amalgamated several episodes into a single story to reflect contemporary real-life issues on the Ukrainian story, so slight variations to the photo story. Here we see some of my rare collections with the F-22 Raptor making the first ever appearance at the base
The Charcoal Lizard scheme A-10 Warthogs, which haven't been seen since the original Evie 1.0 live-action story Operation: Classified, are also were back, but this time as a significant upgrade to the original Maisto Tailwinds models
I do take particular pride in the high sea Carrier Group shots showing Evie jets perform carrier landings. It was a real challenge as these were models of mixed scales (Ships were 1:1250 with the aircraft of 1:144) so I had to force the perspectives using clever camera angles to make it work visually. I think I got it about right.