AEROBASE Lilienthal 1894 Glider – Stop Motion Build & Flying Diorama

Otto Lilienthal (1848–1896) was one of the true pioneers of human flight.
With his groundbreaking research on curved wings and controlled gliding, he laid the foundation for modern aviation and directly inspired the Wright brothers.

In this film, I recreate his iconic Standard Glider of 1894 using the beautifully engineered 1/48 scale kit by AEROBASE (Shinichi Iwami) — combining precision model building, stop-motion animation, and digital previsualization.

The project begins with a fully animated stop-motion assembly, showing how the delicate etched copper parts are shaped, structured, and covered with fine paper — just like the original aircraft. The figure of Otto Lilienthal is carefully painted and positioned according to historical references, before the glider is rigged using ultra-fine elastic threads.

To bring the scene to life, I designed a custom laser-cut wooden diorama.
The workflow combines both digital and physical techniques:

• Concept and outline design in Adobe Illustrator
• Previsualization and scene building in Cinema 4D
• AI-assisted figure creation using Meshy.ai
• Scene validation and exploration in Sketchfab
• Laser preparation with LightBurn
• Precision cutting using the Ortur Laser Master 3

The final diorama is assembled in stop motion, using layered plywood elements and subtle structural support to create the illusion of flight — capturing the moment Lilienthal launches into the air.

Model Kit:
AEROBASE (Shinichi Iwami)
https://www.aerobase.jp

Music:
"Images of Tomorrow" by Unicorn Heads

This project is a tribute to the early days of aviation —
where courage, curiosity, and craftsmanship made the impossible possible.