The problem with modeling an aircraft in flight for a diorama is creating a credible scene is tough.

See; https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/31404&page=1

Wow - fire is a tough thing to model when it's on the ground!! Add flight and the movement involved with that and you have a daunting task.
The biggest advantage you have going for you is that typcially AC are in smaller scales. Going the route of painted cotton works better when the scale is smaller.