Iron Modeler

Paint for Scale Models – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly…

Hi, all! Welcome to the latest edition of “There’s another paint fail…”

I’ve documented my recent searches for a good model paint.

In my model building years, I started (as did most modelers in the 1970’s) with either Testors PLA Enamels or the Pactra equivalent. I stuck with Testors, since it was what I could find at most of the local places that sold models and supplies for them.

When I discovered modeling magazines and dedicated hobby shops in the late 1970’s, I also discovered the Pactra Authentic International Colors. I used them in 1981 to paint an Otaki F6F Hellcat, and I was smitten. I found that when thinned with Aerogloss Dope Thinner, the paint laid down very thin, dried very quickly, and gave an almost eggshell finish. Of course, that meant that the paint was on its way out—indeed, Pactra had discontinued the line. No matter, a change was coming…

When I went off to college and resumed my model building activities during my second semester, I decided to give my dorm neighbors a break and switch to something more friendly. At the time, there was only one acrylic paint for models, that being the OG of modeling acrylics, Polly-S. I continued to use Polly-S (with one exception) until that line, too, began to be phased out. Polly-S was a strange paint—it was a latex paint that could be brushed without leaving brush marks, but it was tricky to airbrush. You could thin it with water or alcohol, but it took some trial and error to see which one and how much would do the job. It seemed to me that no two bottles were the same, so I got used to making changes on the fly. In hindsight, it was merely okay, nothing stellar, but I had decided to be kind to my neighbors, so I was stuck with that decision...

For those of you who just “gotsta know”, the exception was in 1983, when I built the then-new Monogram 1/48th scale F-105G. Since the Polly-S representations of the SEA colors weren’t available to me at the time, and because I wanted to see what the fuss was all about, I used the new Testors Model Master paints. I used them also on a Monogram 1/48th scale F-100D and a kitbashed ESCI/Monogram A-7D. They worked really well, but they came with all of the issues of a solvent-based paint—namely, how do you dispose of the thinners used to clean out the airbrush (I used an empty thinner can) and what to do with the thinned paint (not a good idea to return it to the bottle, as it would cause the paint to jell more times than not)…

In the meantime, two new acrylics came into view—Tamiya Acrylics and the then-Gunze-Sangyo (now GSI/Creos) Aqueous Color Range. The paints were similar in chemical composition, and early on I could get them to work quite well. But back in the day, there were frequent changes in the paint chemistry for the Tamiya paints, and accordingly I had to learn how to use it all over again with each change. In the case of the GSI Aqueous paint, I liked the way it sprayed, but it seemed to take a lot of paint to cover, and that a jar didn’t seem to go far.

I took a side trip into the 1992-era Floquil Enamels for about six months, then Floquil/Polly-S graced the world with a new acrylic paint: PollyScale. I loved this stuff, and couldn’t (still can’t) understand the negativity surrounding the paint. It thinned with distilled water (it said so on the jar AND in the literature available for the paint), sprayed nicely, and dried to a tight layer of color. It feathered out well, too, and I could mask it with no peeling/lifting issues whatsoever. I have a feeling that those who had problems with the paint were busy playing home chemist and using some strange concoction to thin the paint, which caused all the problems mentioned. Hint: Windshield washer fluid is good for removing dirt and bugs from glass. I doubt it was designed to thin paint. As I said in previous paint discussions, use the thinner recommended by the manufacturer—in this case, that thinner was distilled water, period. I was reminded of this sometime later, when I would add Future to the paint and thin with either alcohol or the Testors Acryl Thinner—the paint would give me fits. Once I went back to plain old distilled water added to just the paint, those issues went away.

Of course, in time RPM International (the parent company to Testors, Floquil/Polly-S, Bondo, Zinsser, and a handful of other companies) killed off both the Floquil enamels and PollyScale lines (and the Aeromaster Warbird Colors and Acrylic Warbirt Colors, which were checmically identical and manufactured by Floquil/Polly-S).

In response, Testors introduced a new acrylic line that was supposed to combine the best features of PollyScale and the Pactra Acrylic line (that was also fairly nice paint—I only used it once or twice, and I don’t recall any issues). This new line was called the Testor Model Master Acrylic line, and it was the Shop Vac of suck. The pigment settled hard at the bottom of the jar, so it took a powered stirrer and a good deal of shaking to mix the paint. It would clog the airbrush at the drop of a hat, it didn’t cover well, and when you could get it to spray, it would dry with a rough, chalky finish.

Another pair of new acrylics that popped onto the scene briefly were the Niche Paints (they had two lines, one featured WWII Luftwaffe colors and the other was a line of modern Soviet colors) and the Monogram ProModeler paints.

The Niche paints were rumored to be custom shades of regular eggshell finish interior house paints. I’ve only used it a few times, but I can almost buy the rumor. It wasn’t around long…

The ProModeler paints came along in 1999-2000, and were touted as the first hobby paints to be certified Non-Toxic by some US government entity. I used it once. The paint took forever to dry—if it dried at all. Again, they didn’t last long…

Anyway, I had to find another go-to paint line in the early 2000’s. Since PollyScale went away, I have tried the following:

• Testors Acryl

• Vallejo Model Air

• Lifecolor

• Hataka Orange Line

• Mission Models Paint

• AK Real Color

• ICM Acrylics

In addition, I have renewed my acquaintance with the chemically similar GSI/Creos Aqueous and Tamiya Acrylic line.

So, what did I experience?

Testors Acryl

When I first used it, I wasn’t too thrilled—PollyScale, back in the day, was a superb acrylic paint that could be thinned with distilled water, airbrushed well, hand brushed well, and had good adhesion. As I started to switch from PollyScale to Acryl (the writing was on the wall—RPM was discontinuing PollyScale), I learned to work with it, as I have done with every single brand of model paint I’ve used since way back in the early 1970’s. After a while, I reached a point where I was comfortable in how the paint behaved. It became my go-to paint brand for several years, until RPM once again decided to cut back on their product line and killed the Acryl line off.

Verdict: It is a shame that RPM killed it off, since it was head-and-shoulders better than the previous Model Master Acrylics. The color fidelity was good, and the paint performance was good and predictable.

Vallejo Model Air

With the demise of the Acryl line, my next stop was Vallejo. The learning curve was steeper, since it really didn’t like to spray to my liking. Once I learned to use their thinner, things went better. I wasn’t thrilled about using a paint that required a primer—and I did use it without primer many times—but my bigger gripes were with color accuracy and shelf life.

Vallejo’s idea of color accuracy is to get it somewhere within city limits; i.e. FS36622 gray will be gray. Whether it comes close to FS36622 or not is a matter of personal choice, but usually it did not. Which is okay, I can mix colors. But when I use a small amount from a bottle and close the bottle tightly, I don’t expect the remaining paint to turn to thick goo in a month. Also, they almost always required a primer, and the “hotter”, the better, which sort of defeats the purpose of using an acrylic paint, no?

Verdict: Not a full fail, and their Metal Color paints are still my go-to for bare metal finishes. And I’ll still use it for hand brushing. But for airbrushing camouflage schemes, nope, this ain’t it. And their shelf life is still hit/miss.

Lifecolor

I used Lifecolor for the orange patches on the Sea King I built several years ago, and I was impressed. It laid down smoothly, with no orange peel or other issues. I was so impressed that I bought their ship colors and their version of Air Superiority Blue for when I get around to building my original-issue Revell 1/72nd scale F-15 as one of the prototypes. It does require you to use their thinner, but I’m good with that. See my take on PollyScale above…

Verdict: I like this based on one use. We’ll see how other colors behave, but I’m optimistic.

Hataka

My experience with the Hataka acrylics was not good. They clogged the airbrush, no matter what I did. I used their thinner alone. I added some flow aid and retarder to the mix. It would still clog the airbrush. I wound up using the colors I had to paint terrain, where I could use a brush.

Verdict: Fail.

Mission Models Paint (MMP)

This stuff was being pimped as the greatest paint ever* (*IF you use their primer, their reducer, their poly-mix, and strictly follow their application procedure to the letter). I painted two 1/72nd scale F-16s with it, following their instructions to a ‘T’. And when I went to apply the decals, as soon as I put a wet decal on the surface of the model, the paint began to run like watercolors.

I ran some further tests on styrene card. No matter what I did, the result was the same—a fragile paint that would run when a little water was placed on top of the paint.

Verdict: Fail. Big fail, given the advertising hype. And yes, I know people who have been able to make it work. The bigger point here is that I shouldn’t have to go through a Graduate-Level course on how to use their paint and get it to yield a permanent, durable finish...

AK Real Colors (AKRC)

I was reluctant to use this product for two reasons—one, nobody could tell me whether it was miscible with AK’s acrylic thinner as well as their “High Compatibility Thinner”; and two, AK has, in the past, stepped on their ding-dongs with golf shoes in their advertisement department—promoting the Holocaust and other forms of forced slavery to sell books and then, when getting called on it, brushing it off as it was not a big deal.

But when I needed paint for my Hasegawa 1/72nd scale A-10A, I decided to give it a try. I had, by this time, been thinning Tamiya acrylics with lacquer thinner, so the first issue was mooted. I still wasn’t thrilled with their advertising gaffes, but I figured I was buying the paint from someone who had already paid AKI.

From a performance standpoint, thinned with either Tamiya lacquer thinner or Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, the paint sprayed very nicely, laid down smoothly, and dried quickly.

From a color accuracy standpoint, there were issues. Their idea of what 34102 and 34092 looked like weren’t in line with what was indicated in the FS595a fan deck I keep handy. It wasn’t close to something I had painted earlier with the PollyScale acrylics. The 34012 was too brown and not olive enough, the 34092 was almost turquoise rather than a deep green with a blueish cast. The 36081 gray was also too light—even if you subscribe to the scale color theory (which I do), it was still far too light.

Verdict: Fail. Not a hard fail, because they performed well. But they failed where it matters most—the paint should be close to what the label says. Talking with friends, this is a hit/miss thing with AK. Some colors are spot on, others are not correct.

ICM Acrylics

I’m building the “Ghost of Kyiv” release of ICM’s 1/72nd scale MiG-29 Fulcrum C. It was given to me as a gift along with the ICM paint set specifically intended for this kit. The kit gives you the gray “pixel” camouflage as decals, but I scanned the sheet and created masks on my Cameo 4.

As I began to paint the airplane, I noted that the paint said when airbrushing, thin “with water or thinner”, the thinner being unspecified. I’ve read a few accounts of folks using X-20A. I also noted that it said to use a primer. So, I primed the model with a coat of Tamiya X-18 Semigloss Black and allowed it to dry for a few days.

I began with the lightest of the gray colors. I used distilled water to thin the paint, and it seemed to go down fairly nicely. I did note that the surface was a bit chalky, but nothing that couldn’t be buffed out when the paint was dry with a microfiber towel.

I let that color dry for a few nights. I then airbrushed the next darker shade of gray on the underside. This time, I used Tamiya X-20A thinner. Again, it laid down okay, but with a chalky finish. Again, it was allowed to dry overnight.

When I resumed painting, I noted some dust that wouldn't simply wipe off, so I dampened a Q-Tip with a wee bit of distilled water—the swab was barely moist. As I tried to wash the dust off, I noted that the paint was dissolving—almost like a watercolor. As I continued, the paint wiped off the model. I did the same thing in several other locations on the model to make sure it wasn’t a localized issue. Nope, the paint—whether it had been thinned with water or X-20A—dissolved and wiped off of the surface.

The final confirmation was when it took a little over 10 minutes’ scrubbing with a toothbrush under the faucet. The paint simply wiped off.

Verdict: I hate to say this, because I think ICM is hitting it out of the park with their kit releases over the past few years, but the paint gets a Hard Fail. I will do some more tests with the paint I have left to see if it wasn’t a “me problem”, so stay tuned. But for the MiG, the paint got stripped and the model will be painted with Tamiya Acrylics, thinned with lacquer thinner. That combination has not let me down for as long as I’ve been using it.

Which brings us to the GSI Aqueous and Tamiya Acrylics.

As mentioned earlier, I used both when they first arrived in the scene. As other paints were available that worked better for me, I didn’t use them that much. But was the other acrylic lines died off, I took another look.

The initial impetus to revisit them was a pair of 1/72nd scale Phantoms in British colors I built, Academy’s F-4J as a 74 Sqn F-4J(UK) and the Fujimi FG.1. British Standard colors are hard to come by in acrylic paints, and I had already stockpiled some of the required colors, so I gave them another go. This time, I used X-20A thinner (this predated my use of Mr. Leveling Thinner buy a few months), and found they worked much better than my previous efforts. The only issue I had was with the decal application on the FG.1, which did weird things to the paint. I blame this not on the paint, but the decal adhesive, as the same paint/clear coat combination worked with no issues on the F-4J(UK). I imagine the paint would work even better with the use of that magic elixir known as Mr. Leveling Thinner, MLT, or simply “Unicorn Tears”…

And so my search ended at the Tamiya Acrylics. I guess I learned that the paint could be thinned with lacquer thinner in the late 1990’s. At the time, I was trying to remain as “hot solvent free” as I could (the exception was using Testors Metalizer Sealer as a clear coat before decals and weathering, as it was nearly bulletproof), so I steered clear. However, as the acrylic lines continued to shrink, I saw what some of my AMPS club buddies were achieving with this combination. So, I bit the bullet and tried it. As far as the fumes were concerned, I crack a window and wear a respirator. I use alcohol to clean the airbrush. So far, the results have been good—and they are repeatable. I’ve painted an Airfix 1/72nd scale Bristol Blenheim I and the Hasegawa 1/72nd scale A-10A (after I abandoned the AK Real Colors paints) with them. I painted all three of the Vermont ANG F-16’s using this mix. I had no surprises down the road when the decals went on.

I’m convinced, and it will take something Earth-shaking to change that opinion.

For those who want to know about the Andrea, Ammo by Mig, Citadel, Games Workshop, or the AK Interactive acrylics, I can only speak on the Citadel paints—I use them for detail painting only. Like the Vallejo Model Air and Model Color, they brush on well and I have no complaints. I had pondered using the AKI 3^rd Gen acrylics, but the other factor on paints, for me, is local availability. If I run out of a color, I’d like to be reasonably sure that I can buy a new jar/bottle locally and not have to put together a larger order with one of the online shops (I almost used the phrase “Mail Order”--kids, ask your parents). And in my area, I can get Tamiya Acrylics at several shops. So why would I want to venture too far away from that?

And yes, I said I also liked the Lifecolor paints. But I believe their use will be in limited, specific scenarios such as the Air Superiority Blue for the early F-15A, or the ship colors (unless I mix those, too, from Tamiya colors) because these too will need to be ordered online.

A final word on the GSI/Creos Aqueous line. I’d use them more IF I could find the H3XX and H4XX colors anywhere—these are the colors matched to AN/ANA, FS, RAL, and BSC paint specifications. I’ve scoured the various online shops, and all of them show stock on colors up to the H9X numbers. I contacted GSI/Creos, they say the colors in question are still being made (good thing, since most Hasegawa and Fujimi kits use their color call-outs). Knowing that, I would figure that Hobby Link Japan would have them, but recent searches have come up empty. If anyone can tell me what’s up here, I would appreciate it. And yes, I know I can use the Mr. Color lacquers (or the Tamiya Lacquer Paints, for that matter)—but their smell is much sharper, and lingers much longer, than that of either the Aqueous or Tamiya Acrylics thinned with MLT or lacquer thinner does.

As for the new breed of acrylic lacquers (MRP, SMS, etc.), I have not tried them for the reasons listed above. Some friends have used them, and they think they’re the best thing since bottled beer, sliced bread, apple pie, and Mom. Getting them can be an issue, which defeats the “locally stocked” availability question.

Postscript. A few weeks ago, Ammo by Mig announced a new acrylic line called “ATOM”. They are supposed to combine the best features of an acrylic paint with the best features of a lacquer. Several online shops are showing them as preorders. Just for giggles, I may have to try the line to see whether its performance is that much better than my current Tamiya/MLT mix. I don’t envision any of the local shops rushing out to start stocking ATOM, so it will have to be that much better than my current go-to to make me switch.

This opens another can of worms, one that some friends and I discussed several years ago, when MMP became available and folks were flocking to it. At the time, it seemed there was a new paint line announced every month, and modelers were flocking to them the way the 5-year olds playing soccer all follow the ball rather than playing their position. They never stick with one product long enough to become competent with it, before they run to the next shiny new paint line. I suppose you could say that I did the same thing during my recent search for a replacement for PollyScale and Acryl. I don’t think I fall into the same category, since my go-to lines were going away and I was trying to find a line that worked for me.

The other player at work are the manufacturers themselves. They change the formulations of their paint so often that a user doesn’t really have time to become properly attuned to them before they are gone, replaced by this year’s new darling.

And this is yet another reason I came to the conclusion I did—Tamiya Acrylics have been around since 1983 or 1984, and I don’t seem them going anywhere any time soon…

I have friends who still wish they could go buy some good, old, Dio-Sol/Xylene-laden Floquil paint. Sorry, gang, those days are long gone. With the recent demise of the Model Master paint, the same laments can be seen far and wide on the various modeling boards. Yeah, you can pine for them all you like, but they ain’t comin’ back...

There you go, my take on the State of Hobby Paints.

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I mentioned the 1/72nd scale models (a Hasegawa A-10A, an Airfix Blenheim, and ICM MiG-29), here are some happy snaps of the models. The Blenheim and MiG will be part of a “Small Forces” display at our show in June...

 

 

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The Tamiya 1/48th scale A-10A is almost done, look for a feature shortly.

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As always, thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and I bid you Peace.

 

87,600 Hours

Howdy, all!

“That’s an interesting title”, you say. “What does it mean? Is it a countdown to something?”

Allow me to explain…

Many years ago, a friend and I were discussing models. It was in the early 2000’s, right when the Monogram ProModeler 1/48th scale F-86D arrived at hobby shops. At the time, it was a much welcomed release, since nobody to that point had released an accurate, state of the art kit of the Dog Sabre. Of course, it didn’t take long for the online community to bring up several items to note. If memory serves, they were (in no particular order):

• It was based on an early Block number airframe (Block 5, IIRC) at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force that had been used for flight testing, therefore had the early tail without the drag chute compartment and an additional rudder trim tab;

• It had the early instrument panel layout;

• And, after a bit of math, it was determined that the wing sweep was too steep by 3.2°.

Of course, Revell AG later released the later configuration of the fuselage with the drag chute, but kept the instrument panel and wing from the earlier ProModeler issue of the kit. But for all the carrying on, the issues were minor.

One thing I said then (and still say it now) is that 99.9% of the people who even see the completed model on my display shelf wouldn’t know the difference between an early and late Dog Sabre instrument panel—even if they were die-hard fans of the F-86. I told one of the guys making a lot of noise over it that I was sure that Eduard or Airwaves (remember Airwaves?) would more than likely make a photoetch set with the proper layout that could easily fix that problem.  And, lacking that, a reference photo, a bit of Evergreen sheet, a set of punches or drills, and about an hour's work could fix the problem.

As for the wing, Jennings says it in his article—unless you had the Revell Dog Sabre placed next to a Hasegawa or Academy Sabre with a gridded shelf under them and could view them from directly above, it wouldn’t be noticeable. And, for those intrepid types who couldn’t live with the 3.2° error, they could always do the work and fix it.

I added that unless I put them in the case at the shop (I was still in Florida at the time, and several of my models were in the cases at Warrick Custom Hobbies) or took them to a show, most of my models never got seen by anyone else for more than a few hours—and on a display shelf, nobody ever got close enough to inspect the model to make sure it was “nuts-bolts-rivets” accurate anyway.  Plus, if you build models so you can do the contest thing, AMPS or IPMS contest judges are instructed not to evaluate accuracy, anyway. So unless you get so hot and bothered over a half-inch long bit of plastic...

That prompted us to do some math to figure out just how much time our models were being looked at by other people.

The logic worked out something like this:

We estimated an average 10-year life span for a completed model. It seemed like a good starting place.

10 years X 365 days/year X 24 hours/day equals 87,600 hours.

Next, we estimated a few more things.

• You build a model, and take it to the club meeting. The average club meeting clocks in at 2 hours.
• You take it to a contest. The average one day contest is about six or eight hours. To be fair, we’ll call it eight.
• You might take it to the local hobby shop (if such a thing still exists in your area) to show it off for an hour.

So, total that up. We’re at 11 hours. Add on an hour or two for when friends come to visit—you *do* have friends, don’t you? Anyway…

Let’s just say 15 hours. Do some cipherin’...naught from naught...carry the two…and we have 0.017%. If we round it, 15 hours is 0.02 percent of 87,600. Other people look at your model for a total of 0.02% of the model’s life span, using 10 years as the average life span. If the model “lives” longer, the percentage gets even lower.

Maybe you take it to a local, “regional”, and “national” show, the latter being a three-day affair. That comes to 30 hours at shows, plus the other time. Let’s just triple the initial estimate from 15 to 45 hours. What the hell, let’s say 50 hours. That computes to a whopping 0.06% of it’s life span.

Want to stretch it to 100 hours? Okay…that works out to 0.11%. Still less than 1%.

You can split hairs all you want, but on average a completed model that goes from workbench to your personal display shelf will only be looked at by other people for a very small sliver of the total lifespan. Otherwise, your peepers are the only ones to view your work.

So again, *who* do you build your models for?
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Work on the A-10A’s continues slowly. The pylon depressions on the 1/48th scale model are filled and ready to have the ResKit pylons (for the Hobby Boss kit, explaining why the depression on the Tamiya wing had to be filled), and some color has been applied to the 1/72nd scale model. I want to try and complete the 1/72nd scale model in the next few weeks.
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In the meantime, I’ve bought some stuff.

I’ve wanted to get a set of quick disconnects for the airbrushes for a few years, and figured I might as well buy a MAC valve, too. I still need to play with the valve and test things out, but the big benefit is being able to switch airbrushes quickly.

I also bought some wax pencils. Back a long time ago, a modeling friend used them to position small parts. I had forgotten about them until a FineScale Modeler video reminded me how handy they were. And they’re dirt cheap—I bought 10 and some sorting trays on Amazon for less than $8 American…
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Along with the tools, of course I bought some kits.

Back in 1996, I used the KMC resin conversion kit to build an FM-2 Wildcat from the Tamiya kit. The model turned out pretty nice, but it always nagged me that the conversion was about as superficial as it could get. All KMC really gave you was a copy of the kit cowl, a casting of an extended kit rudder, and some very sketchy instructions (later versions of the conversion also offered an engine). So imagine my glee when Eduard introduced their FM-2 kit at the IPMS/USA National Convention. I was so happy, I bought two. I’m tempted to push the A-10’s to the side…

At about the same time, my order from Ukraine arrived. Once again, I have to commend Plastic Models Store in Kyiv for their superb service. If you want kits made in Ukraine, give them a whirl.
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I was discussing the A-10 project with someone at work. He wasn’t too versed on the whys and wherefores of the ThunderHog. I gave him a few places to read up on it, and told him if he really wanted some fun, he should look at all the various postwar agreements made between and among the various branches of the U.S. military. As I refreshed my own memory, I thought it might be a good idea to write it all down in capsule form and post it here as a companion to my piece on “The McNamara Effect” that I wrote a few years ago. Stay tuned, sports fans...

That's all I have for this installment.  Thanks for reading. Be good to one another, and, as always, I bid you Peace.

More on older model kits...

Howdy, all...

The other night, I recalled that the Monogram 1/48th scale kit of the F-106A turned 40 years old this year, having hit the hobby shop shelves in 1983.  I recall this specifically because a college friend was geeked to the max over the kit and bought it as soon as he could get his paws on a copy.  We were both attending the summer term at Embry-Riddle that year, and he kept showing me the progress he was making.  He dropped one of the missile launch rails and detailed the cockpit with the pilot in the seat.

That model was a constant during the Fall semester.  He kept futzing over it incessantly until we finally told him to "finish the damn thing already!"  The way the rooms were in that particular dorm was such that they had a small "common" room that connected two rooms into a suite.  Well, he occupied that common room as his personal living space.  I recall when he painted the model--he closed the doors after supper on Friday night, and emerged in the morning--when he opened the doors, the unmistakable scent of Model Master enamel and thinner rolled out with him.  He did a great job, to be sure, but I still wonder how many brain cells he killed during that all-nighter paint session...

Anyway, back to the point...

It was a great time for modelers.  Monogram released the F-105G in 1982, the F-106A in 1983, a 1/72nd scale F-105G and EF-111A and a 1/48th scale F-84F in 1984.  The 1/48th scale F-101B followed in 1985.  And this was just Monogram.  Revell released their 1/48th scale B-1B and 1/32nd scale F-14A around the same time, Airfix had their 1/48th scale EA-6B, and Hasegawa released their 1/48th scale F-4, F-15, and F-16 families in 1/48th scale with 1/72nd scale versions to follow in the next several years. 

At the same time, we had the 1/72 scale aircraft and armor from ESCI, Hasegawa's 1/72 scale line continued to expand, and Tamiya added to their line of aircraft kits with the 1/48th scale A-10A and F-15A and the 1/32nd scale F-14A. 

And this was just in the realm of aircraft models.  The scene was similar in armor, ships, and autos.  Life was good...

As the years have passed, it is interesting to read the modern takes on these kits.  New modelers have become enamored of recessed panel lines and tight, precise fit.  Anything less makes the kit undesirable or "unbuildable".  A lot of these kits are dismissed out of hand because there are more modern kits available with the aforementioned recessed panel details.  I've seen the Tamiya A-10A dismissed as "garbage" and the Hasegawa Phantoms reduced to shelf-sitters due to their age.

As I said last time out, "New and Improved" does not always equate to "Better".  Since I'm building one right now, let's look at the Tamiya 1/48th scale A-10A.  It is a product of its time when it was released in 1977.  It best represents a preproduction airframe--it features the ESCAPAC seat, extended flap guides, and lacks the chaff/flare dispensers in the initial run (the latter were added in the 1991 reissue).  So, these days, it gets dismissed as being "not a good kit" simply because of what it is.

It has the dreaded "raised panel line" disease on the wings, tail, and aft fuselage.  If you think about it, back in the day that may have been the easiest way for a mold maker to simulate the raised rivet heads that are prevalent on those areas of the A-10A.  The forward fuselage has nicely engraved panel lines, so it proves that Tamiya did have the technology to mold them.

Back in the old Usenet days and the rec.models.scale group, the question "What is the best kit of a A-10?"  My answer was always the same--What era are you wanting to model?  To me, someone wanting an early 1/48th scale A-10A was set with the Tamiya or original Revell kit.  For a production Hawg through the Desert Storm period, Monogram's was the best--fit issues, warts, and all.  But some modelers don't see it that way--they believe that they need to start with the "best" kit and backdate or update as needed.  To me, that's akin to performing a tonsillectomy through the rectum--you create a lot more work and have the potential to cause a lot more problems that you solve instead of starting with an older, but potentially better, kit.

In the years since, a gaggle of new A-10 kits have come down the pike, and, with one exception, they all fall short.  The exception?  The new Academy 1/48th scale A-10C.  And yeah, being a definite fan of the A-10, I bought one.  Rumor has it that it may be joined by an A-10A at some point.  Me, I hope they decide to shrink it down to 1/72nd scale--both an A-10A and A-10C.  Otherwise, I stick with the Tamiya and Monogram kits in 1/48th scale and the Hasegawa 1/72nd scale Hawg kits, thanks...

In the case of the Monogram 1/48th scale Century Series kits, they all (with the exception of the F-104) still stand above the more modern kits.  Trumpeter, Kitty Hawk, and Hobby Boss have tried to do the F-100, F-101, F-105, and F-106, but they all fall short.  The Trumpeter Hun has an odd inlet shape and vertical tail proportion errors.  Kitty Hawk's Voodoos have a rack full of issues, not least of which is being an over-engineered nightmare.  Hobby Boss tried, but missed the mark with their F-105's, as did Trumpeter with their F-106.  Of all the modern kits, I suppose the best of the lot are the Trumpeter F-106's, but any modeler who sticks with the Monogram kits won't be disappointed.

The F-104, incidentally, is covered quite nicely with the Hasegawa and Kinetic offerings in 1/48th scale...

I guess a lot of this comes from what we had back in the day.  Before the Monogram Century Series, we had nothing in 1/48th scale.  We did have the F-100, RF-101, F-102, F-105, and F-106 from Hasegawa in 1/72nd scale.  And outside that, there were F-104 kits available, executed in various degrees of success. 

When I downsized my jets (the first time, 1986), I collected the Hasegawa kits for later construction.  They were basically good kits--the shapes were there, the kit out of the box was adequate, and there was room for additional work for those who wished to go the extra mile.  The kit cockpits were nowhere near as detailed as we would start to see with the late 1970's Monogram kits, but with closed canopies (and the kits almost always were designed to be built with the canopy closed), they were fine with maybe a few tape or paper seat belts added. 

Back in the day, modelers who wanted detailed cockpits and the like expected to do that additional work, including vacuum-forming a new canopy to be posed open to show off that extra work.  I recall making a comment to a friend about the Hasegawa cockpit tubs--a generic, three-sided affair with narrow "consoles" that had humps at the forward end.  He said they used to vacuum-form copies of those cockpit tubs to use on kits that had no cockpit tub...

And yeah, this is another aspect of the hobby that does reflect when we joined it.  These days, new modelers experience such kits as the Tamiya 1/48th scale F-14A or F-4B, or the Eduard Wildcats and Zeros, and anything less leaves them disappointed because they had to do more work.  I get it.  And as much as I love kits that fall together, they always leave me a little empty, as if I missed something by not having to do even a little bit of problem solving during the process.  I guess it is why I'm actually enjoying the ride with the Tamiya A-10A (and the Hasegawa 1/72nd scale A-10A I'm building at the same time).

Once again, there are as many ways to enjoy the hobby as there are people enjoying it.  I don't necessarily knock the new breed of modelers when they dis a kit for its age, but I do wish they would see those kits in the context of when they were produced and what they meant to modelers at the time.  And maybe, just maybe, they can take one of those older kits and find out what we "old guys" already know...
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Something I also notice--apparently modelers are still unaware of this thing called Scalemates when they cite kit information.  For instance, I've seen the Monogram 1/48th scale B-26 Marauder dated to "sometime in the mid-1980's" on one of the YouTube channels--the actual release date was 1978 (I know this because I got one back then when I was out of school with bronchitis).  It takes literally a minute to check things like this.  Hey, if you hold yourself out as a authority, you need to be accurate with your data...
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I'm expecting an order from Plastic Models Store any time now.  If you want kits from the Ukrainian manufacturers at good prices (and don't mind waiting a few weeks), give these guys a try.  I've had nothing but great service from them--and they send a little bag of yummy Ukrainian candy with the order!  In my last order, I got the Dora Wings 1/48th scale Vengeance, the new ICM 1/72nd scale OV-10, and one of the ClearProp 1/72nd scale Seasprites.  This time, I got an early Seasprite, a Modelsvit 1/48th scale F-51H for the FANG collection, and the X-Scale 1/144th scale DC-8-32.  Kit prices were some 30-35% better than I could get through the domestic distributors, and I make sure to make the order large enough to qualify for free shipping.
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That's all I have for you tonight.  Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and, as always, I bid you Peace.

To Quote the Rossington-Collins Band...

Howdy, again!

I've heard from some people about my latest post:

"Why are you so against new kits"?

"If we didn't get new kits, we'd still be building wood models!"

Don't misunderstand me.  I love seeing new kits--from any manufacturer, of any subject, in any scale--whether it falls into my wheelhouse or not.  I hope they sell boatloads of them.  Why, if a new kit isn't my cup of tea, do I care? 

Let's use the new 1/48th scale Airfix Westland Sea King as an example.  It looks to be a neat kit, but being a 1/48th scale kit, it doesn't fit in my rotary wing collection--I build helicopters in 1/72nd scale.  But my take is this--if the kit sells well, it puts money in the bank for Airfix.  With that money, they can later produce other kits.  At some point in time, they will produce something I will want to buy and build.  Its as simple as that.  It goes for any manufacturer--keep producing kits that sell well, so you can invest the money in even more new kits.  Sooner or later, there will be something I'm interested in.

Another comment--"I don't like to wrestle with ancient kits, I'd rather build a State-of-the-Art model!"

What makes you think I find wrestling with a rough kit fun?  I know where this person is coming from--they're "kit replacers".  For example, they had several Otaki P-51's in their stash when the Hasegawa kits came out in 1991.  So, they sold off their Otaki kits and replaced them with Hasegawa kits.  A few years later, they repeated the exercise when Tamiya's P-51 came out in 1995.  The scenario was repeated again with the Meng kit, the Airfix kit, and, most recently, with the Eduard kit.  And look, I'm cool with that--your model, do what you want.

I still have at least one each of the Hasegawa and Tamiya kits hanging around here, but that did not stop me from buying a couple of the Airfix kits and the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" version of the Eduard kit.  And I'll probably buy more, as the need arises.  But at some point, I'll probably still drag out a Hasegawa or Tamiya kit and build it.  Why?  I have it in my possession--I don't need to spend more money to get a decent Mustang model.  Same goes for the Grumman Wildcats and Focke-Wulf 190's (a few Tamiya and Tri-Master/Dragon kits rest in the stash, but I have one or two of the Eduard kits, too) and Mitsubishi Zero (Hasegawa, sure, but I also have the new-ish Tamiya kits.  An Eduard version isn't outside the realm of possibility, either...)...

Quite honestly, a new kit doesn't always make an older kit obsolete.  I give you the Trumpeter F-105's in 1/72nd and 1/48th scale.  They may not fill a magazine rack, but they still have issues.  Frankly, I still find the 1/72nd Revell and Monogram kits (I divested myself of all my 1/48th scale Thuds) to be better in all aspects than the Trumpeter kits--raised panel lines and all.  And again, here we are--yo' pays yo' money, yo' takes yo' choice.  Some people will do anything to avoid a kit with raised panel lines, and will opt for Trumpeter, warts and all.  And again, that's cool.  As I've said before, there are as many different ways to enjoy the hobby as there are people enjoying it...

Whether a newer kit is "better" than the "ancient" kits of the same subject is a personal matter.  I say the same thing about modelers who brand people "rivet counters".  Without the "rivet counters" (and I loathe that term, by the way), we wouldn't be seeing these wonderful new kits.  Whether or not you personally buy and build them, or stick to the older kits is your choice.  Whatever you do, enjoy the ride. 

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If you've paid attention, the 2023 IPMS/USA National Convention was held in San Marcos, Texas last week.  Two items of note:

1.  Apparently, there has been a rash of Covid infections amongst the attendees.  While I hope everybody affected gets well soon (I am just over a very mild case, myself), I have some heartburn here.  We all saw the same thing play out after last year's Convention--no sooner did people get home, reports of Covid infections started to hit the forii.  This year, as the photos from San Marcos started to roll in, I noticed that there was nary a mask in sight.  Didn't we collectively learn anything from the Vegas show?  C'mon, guys and gals...

2.  "Cell Phone Guy" has probably become a popular meme.  In case you missed it, a photo of a judge holding an armor model over his head while examining the underside using his cell phone light is making the rounds.  It has spawned bushels of debate.  So...

I get it--the IPMS/USA Competition Handbook says clearly that judges will be allowed to pick up a model.  However, Cell Phone Guy had to do some fancy juggling to get the model in the position shown in the photo.  Plus, he was bare-handing the model--no gloves, just his naked meathooks.  I don't think this meets the "greatest care" clause in the CH.  Apparently, this guy was also absent from the Judges' Meeting.  Why he was allowed to judge is a mystery.  Why no other judges called him out is even more curious.

In all the comments, it has been also brought to the world's attention that several (I've seen as many as a dozen or more) models were damaged during judging.  One had a prop sheared off when a judge dropped his flashlight.  One figure fell off the base when the judge decided to see if the modeler painted the underside of something.  A few aircraft had landing gear or landing gear doors sheared off.  

If I were a modeler walking in to the display room on Saturday and found my model damaged with a Post-It note that only says, "Sorry", I would be livid.  

All of this could be avoided by two changes:

1.  Contest staff members do not touch the models.  At all.  Ever.
2.  Judge the model as presented by the modeler, i.e., as it sits on the table.

There is no reason at all for any judge at any model show to touch a model.  None whatsoever.  Never.  Ever.  

You can try to debate me on that all you want, but you will be wrong.

"But we're trying to find that one thing that separates 1st from 2nd..."

Of course, this stems from the IPMS/USA "triage, 1-2-3" judging system.  The judges have to compare the models to each other, and if they can't find anything on the readily visible areas of the model, they have to dig.  Upturning models, sticking those million candlepower TactiCool flashlights up exhausts and down inlets, using 20X magnifiers, measuring wingtips with a caliper--that's why these stupid methods are employed.  Heaven forbid there ever be a tie in the IPMS squared circle...

This is yet again being used as an argument for juried exhibition style shows.  But the IPMS Purity Posse won't budge: 

"It says 'Contest', what part of that don't you get?"  I dunno, I don't understand the bloodlust some modelers have to get some trinket that proclaims that they are Number One on that day for something they do as a hobby.

"We've always enjoyed this healthy competition!"  Healthy?  I've told this story before, but when a modeler threatens to beat six shades of s*** from a contest judge because "My model shoulda won!", that's "healthy"? 

I like the Shep Paine approach.  "Wanna compete? Go play tennis..."

At our show--a juried exhibition--judges are reminded that if a model needs to be moved, we will find the modeler and let them move their own model.  We do not pick models up during judging.  We allow flashlights to illuminate the visible areas of the model--face it, most venue lighting is piss poor.  We do our best to judge the undersides and hidden areas, but the mantra is "if you can't see it, leave it be".  We do not allow magnifiers (reading glasses, yes, if the judge requires them), we don't allow judges to measure anything--either with a measuring gauge of some sort or the old "finger ruler" or "pen gauge".  Why?  Because we don't see the need.

All participants are reminded to be careful of camera straps, hanging jewelry, and hats.  We don't use lanyards for ID badges.  All that dangly stuff can wreak havoc on a table full of models in a nanosecond.  We also remind judges not to hold lights or pointers (we prefer laser pointers or bamboo skewers) directly over a model--if they drop is, it has less chance of becoming a missile.

I can tell you this--I've been judging model shows (of all types) since 1989.  In that time, I have never picked a model up, turned a model over, or damaged a model. Why?  There's simply no need to do so.  If you don't touch the model, the chances that you'll break something are minimized.  There's never a 100% guarantee, because stuff happens, but the  danger is minimized.

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On a positive note, I am overjoyed to see the Madison guys working to have dedicated space for non-competitive groups--Special Interest Groups, Group Builds, and Display Only--at next year's show.  It just might get me to go to the show next year.

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As I said above, we're getting over a few mild cases of Covid at the house.  My wife got the fever, headache, sort throat, and cough.  I got the mental fog and lack of energy.  I'm just now, two weeks later, starting to regain a little spring in my step.

I shudder to think what it would have been like had we not boosted our immunity via vaccines...

Covid is still with us, and a new variant is making the rounds.  Please be careful.  It might not be as deadly as it was in 2020, but it'll still knock you in the dirt.  I don't know about you, but I don't like being sick.

Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and, as always, I bid you Peace.

Turning Corners and "From the Mouths of Babes"

Howdy, all!

Do you remember the projects you completed where you thought you had “turned a corner”—that is, you finally put a group of skills together into one project and brought it to completion?

Given that this blog is centered on scale models, I can think of a few projects that fill the bill.  I consider these the first real fruits of my labors after discovering  Scale Modeler (and later, FineScale Modeler) magazine, Solvaset, and Squadron Green Putty, and after acquiring an airbrush.

1979-ish, Monogram 1/48^th scale Hawker Typhoon.  It was the first model where filled seams and painted with an airbrush.  It turned out fairly well, all things considered.  I think I was still using Propel cans, and the limitations with them didn’t help the project.  I seem to recall that shortly afterwards, I got a compressor for the airbrush.  For the life of me, I have no recollection of what became of the finished model.

Around the same time, I built a Guillows’ 1/16^th scale stick-and-tissue Spitfire model, just to show Dad that I could…

1980, Revell 1/32^nd scale F4U-1 Corsair.  I was inspired by Sheperd Paine’s “Pilots, Man Your Planes” article in one of the “Special” issues of Challenge Publications’ Scale Modeler.  He had done his usual superdetail job on the model.  I tried to duplicate some of what he did to his model.  I used masking tape to make seatbelts, I made the landing gear springs from wire, and I cut and dropped the flaps.  I left the wings unfolded, and didn’t do a whole lot to the rest of the model.  Like the Typhoon, I was still using the little square bottles of Testors Flat Enamels, so the colors were a little bit weird.  I also went my own way with the markings—I built the model as Tommy Blackburn’s “Big Hog”.  I painted the letters freehand, and rather than seek alternate markings with the red surround (not that I could have afforded such a luxury), I used a 3/0 brush and Testors Flat Red to “convert” the kit insignia to the pre-September 1943 version.  Again, I was rather pleased with the end result.  The model went to a friend and I never saw it again.  I have a strange feeling that it became an air rifle target…

1981, Otaki 1/48^th scale F6F-3 Hellcat.  This one put everything I had learned to that point  together.  The model was built, the seams were filled, and the scheme was airbrushed.  I applied the decals with Solvaset, and I did a little “toning down” and “weathering” with some washes.  I added some paint chips, and I was really happy when I finished the model.

1984, Nichimo 1/48^th scale Ki.43 “Oscar”.  This was a further extension to the process started with the Hellcat.  In this case, I did more paint chipping using an alternate method—I used a silver Tamiya paint marker on certain areas of the airplane before I added the camouflage colors.  I had switched to Polly-S acrylics, and I “chipped” them with a tight roll of masking tape right after the paint had started to dry.  I added more chips to the markings once the decals were on using the paint marker again. 

1985, Monogram 1/48^th scale P-51B converted to an Allison-engined P-51 with the Koster Aero Enterprises vacuum-formed conversion kit.  This was my first vacuum formed kit.  Also, using the knowledge I gained from reading Bob Steinbrunn’s cockpit detailing article in FineScale Modeler, I did a lot of scratch detailing in the cockpit.  I really started to learn how to use alternate materials—the injection molded cannon barrels from the Koster kit were rather softly detailed, so I removed the various details and replaced them—I used vinyl tape for the bands and fine wire for the recoil springs.

From this point on, I coasted on my abilities.  I was back in college, so my model building time was a bit limited.  It didn’t stop me from scratchbuilding a seat or adding plumbing to landing gear, but those were the exception rather than the rule.

After college, I started hanging out in the hobby shop.  And I started learning more.  One of the locals brought some models in that had a really convincing finish—the camouflage colors weren’t “solid”—the upper surface olive drab was actually many different shades of olive drab, and the panel lines were highlighted.  In a sense, it was probably what “The Spanish School” was originally devised to be.  This was in 1988, and it was about the time Verlinden was really making inroads into the American modeling scene, but the guy told me he had been doing it for years.  He said all you have to do is vary the colors and make the whole thing look good.

Undeterred, I took a Tamiya 1/48^th scale F2A Buffalo from the shelf and refinished it.  I removed the decals and smoothed the paint, much as I did on a Monogram B-17 in 1984.  This time, when I painted it, I thought about those other models I saw, and tried to emulate the procedure.  It worked.  The result was rather nice, if I do say so…

1989, Monogram 1/48^th scale B-29.  This was the first model I totally rescribed.  It was an eye-opener, for sure.  I used a lot of filler to cover my mistakes, of which there were many.  In the end, I was happy with the result.  The model was sent to the Valiant Air Command museum.  I have no idea if it still survives…

1990, Revell 1/72nd scale F-89.  My first really successful bare metal finish was achieved with Floquil silvers.  Since then, I have tried several methods.  My go-to these days are the Vallejo Metal Colors, but for a while I used a highly thinned mix of Isopropyl Alcohol, Future, and Tamiya X32 Titanium Silver over a gray primer base.  The impediment to continue using this method is the fact that SC Johnson discontinued Future, and I'm not convinced any of the alternatives folks are using would work.  With the Vallejo stuff available, there really is no need to look elsewhere.

1999/2000, Hobbycraft 1/48^th scale P-26A.  I had rigged models before, but none was really that good.  This time, fresh off a trip to the IPMS National Convention and armed with some nifty stainless steel orthodontic wire, I set out to change that.  The Hobbycraft Peashooter is a fabulous kit, and I did little additional work on the kit.  When it came time to rig it, I cut lengths of the aforementioned wire and glued it in place with small drops of white glue.  The model still sits in the display case, although it has developed a twist in the aft fuselage over the years.  I should probably build another one of these gems soon…

The next big leap came only a few years ago, when I remembered that “This is just a plastic model, there isn’t a lot I could do to screw it up.”  The model was the 1/48^th scale Special Hobby Macchi C.200 that I’ve shared previously.  I took the time and effort to detail things a bit more.  I added the landing gear trunnions to make the main landing gear more authentic.  And I added more and more of those little details to the model.

What I learned on the Peashooter and Macchi was put to use on the Aeroclub 1/48^th scale Gloster Gamecock I finished last year.  It was a vacuum-formed kit of a biplane with a scratchbuilt cockpit, wing struts, a lot of little details, and it was rigged.  The rigging was different, though--I used Davis' Invisible thread looped through tiny "rigging blocks" and "turnbuckles" made from stretched Evergreen styrene tubing, secured with CA.  It featured a metallic finish (aluminum dope), and most of the markings were painted on.

I used the latter skill to also paint the huge checkerboard patterns on a 1/72nd scale Fujimi Phantom FG.1,  I like the method so much that I bought a Cameo Silhouette with the intention of cutting masks for my paint schemes instead of using decals.  I'm not living under the illusion that I'll never use decals, but knowing how to do this frees me of the limitations of decals, namely being able to do subjects that are never covered by any of the aftermarket decal sheets.

To add to the story, today I bought some UV cure resin and a UV light to make my own lenses.  With MV Products lenses being difficult to obtain, this will allow me to "roll my own" when I need them.  Another tool in the toolbox, another skill in the portfolio...

What is the moral to the story?  Keep exercising your skills, whatever your craft or hobby might be.  You might not realize it right away, but these skills build upon each other through the years, and one day you complete a model that puts it all in play.  And you’ll wonder—for a minute, maybe—how could you have done such work?  Then you recollect all the projects that came before and led up to this latest effort…

It goes back to what I said a while ago on these very pages—it only takes an investment of time and a little effort to do good work.  Keep on trying…
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Something I’ve touched on before has risen again on the various forii.  I always get a kick out of the comments that come from the under-30's in the hobby.  You know, the kids, the noobs, the folks who have only recently discovered the hobby.

I saw someone speak in glowing terms of the yet-to-be-released Magic Factory 1/48^th scale F4U-2 Corsair, and how it is “head and shoulders better than the ancient Tamiya kit!”

Ancient?  Tamiya’s kits arrived on the scene in 1996.  They fit like a glove and exhibit Tamiya’s standard of excellence.  I won’t rush out to buy the Magic Factory kits just yet… 

Recall, too, that before the Tamiya kits made their debut, the options for a 1/48^th scale Corsair were the 1996 Hobbycraft kits (which, had Tamiya not produced their kit, could have been a contender had there not been some unfortunate issues with the fit), the 1980 Mania/Hasegawa F4U-4 (still the standard for the -4 after all these years), the 1977 AMT F4U-1, the 1976 release by Otaki (still a fine kit, as I demonstrated a few years ago), the 1973 Monogram F4U-4, and the 1956 Lindberg F4U-5. 

After the Tamiya kits came the questionable Academy/ Minicraft “reworking” of the Hasegawa -4 (that somehow acquired a bloated fuselage), the absolutely awful Minicraft F4U-5/5N, and the superb Hasegawa F4U-5/-7, and AU-1 kits, followed by what I can only determine to be the hit-or-miss Hobby Boss kits.

My point?  Be careful when you call a kit “ancient”.  By the same standard, the Accurate Miniatures 1/48^th scale TBF/TBM and SBD kits are also “ancient”, but back in the day they were seen as absolute wonders.  Before they came along, you built the Monogram kits (or Nichimo knockoffs) and either did DIY detailing or, after they appeared, used the Medallion Models resin sets. 

Bottom line: these kits might be ancient to you, young pups, but to those of us who made do with the early 1950’s kits for years, they were—and still are—wonderful kits.

That’s all I have for now.  Until next time, be good to one another.  As always, I bid you Peace.

Vermont Vipers

Howdy, all!

2023 is halfway over--time really flies, doesn't it?

Our annual South Carolina Scale Model Mega Show was held on the weekend of June 16th, and went quite well.  We've found a new venue for the show, and it looks like it will serve our purposes.  Attendance was good, and the models on the tables looked great, too.  We're looking at doing it again on 8 June 2024, so stay tuned to the website: https://scmegashow.com

If you're in the area, come on out and spend the day with us!
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Ask any scale modeler, and they will all tell you that, at one time or another, someone they know will make on of the following statements:

• “I’d really like to have a model of (insert subject here)…”

• “Could you help me finish a model? I have the kit and I started it, but I’m not sure I can finish it…”

• “Can you build a model for my (insert relationship here)?”

In the 50 years I’ve been hacking away on styrene, I can’t recall how many times I’ve heard it. And, most of the time, I’ll try to lend a hand. Sometimes I get paid to do so, other times I will only give advice. If the person asking is a friend, I try to help. Depending on how long I’ve known the person, I may do the project and ask for nothing in exchange—okay, maybe lunch, but that’s it…

In this case, I agreed to build some models for a friend who retired from the Vermont ANG, having been an F-16 technician his entire career. At the same time, I also decided to build one for myself.

The kits: A 1/32nd scale Hasegawa F-16C and a pair of 1/48th scale Tamiya F-16C’s. He initially started a Revell 1/48th scale F-16A-15-ADF, but as the Tamiya kit was much better, I opted to start over with the more modern kit. I could work with the Hasegawa 1/32nd scale kit as it was.

The decals: The 1/32nd scale decals appeared to be a laser- or ALPS-printed sheet, I have no idea where it came from—it was in the box with the Hasegawa kit (as was a Tamiya canopy). For the smaller models, I used the TwoBobs Aviation Graphics “F-16C 60^th Anniv. Green Mountain Boys” decals, sheet number 48-139.

The plan: The model I would keep—one of the 1/48th scale models—was built out of the box with some minor tweaks. I removed the locator pins on the inner end of leading edge flap part of the upper wing and, with some gentle persuasion, bent the leading edge flap to kinda sorta depict the usual +2 degree position of the flaps when the airplane is static. I built the kit from the Aggressor boxing, and built it with an air-to-air ordnance load.

The 1/32nd scale model was likewise built pretty much out of the box. I did do some additional work in the cockpit, as one of the big knocks on the Hasegawa kit is that the cockpit tub has some dimensional issues. I fixed them with some Evergreen sheet. I also rescribed the panel lines. I didn’t consult with any books to correct them, I merely engraved what Hasegawa had as raised lines. Some of the parts were detailed—the bombs, particularly, needed some help. I also wound up making replacements for some of the bits that had gone missing between the time Dave started the model and when he handed it over to me.  I waffled back and forth over whether I should reposition the flaps.  In the end, I did it.  I'm happy I did--it adds a little life to the model.

The second 1/48th scale model would need the most work. Dave was trying to build the earlier model—the Revell updated reissue of the ancient Monogram FSD Viper—with the landing gear in transit. With the Tamiya kit, that became somewhat easier, since the details were much sharper.

Let’s talk about research. The idea was to display the model as it was taking off from the runway with the landing gear about midway through the retraction cycle. Not only do we need to research the landing gear itself, but we also need to research the airplane itself.

On all airplanes, when the airplane is off the ground, the landing gear oleos extend. In the case of the F-16, the nose gear has a trunnion at the forward end of the well, and the lower unit (wheel and fork) rotate approximately 90 degrees when the gear retracts so that the wheel lies flat in the aft end of the wheel well—just like the P-40 and F4u Corsair’s main wheels did back in the day. The retraction piston is gets shorter, and the drag link hinges in the center.

The main gear oleos also extend. On the F-16, the main struts pivot forward, the retraction jack pistons retract, and the drag lings hinge in the middle. At the lower end of the strut, the torque links and lower units pivot forward about 90 degrees as the wheels enter the wheel well.

So, on the model, we will have to make those changes to the landing gear.

A good razor saw—one of the JLC or CMK saws, for instance—was used to cut the drag links so they could be posed. For the retraction cylinders, I cut the piston/lollipop end off the cylinder, then drilled the cylinder so the piston rod would slide into the cylinder. That way, I need not need to make any precise measurements when I assembled the landing gear.

The nose landing gear oleo was replaced with a length of hypodermic tubing that was slightly longer than the molded-in oleo.

As for the main gear, I looked at extending the oleos, and decided that the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. You can extend them if you want to—study photos and use them as your guide. To me, it was more hassle than it was worth, and wouldn’t be noticeable on the finished model...

Now, what about the flight controls?

I studied videos of F-16’s as they left the ground. The first thing to note is that the leading edge flaps transition from the +2 degrees up position to the 15 degree down position as soon as the airplane comes off the ground. Also, the trailing edge flaps are raised. The horizontal stabs will be in a nose-up position.

The trailing edge flaps on the Tamiya kits are separate, and could be posed at either the full up or full down position as they were molded—there are little tabs that fit into slots that will set the angle. If you chop off both sets of those tabs, you can position them at any position you wish. The stabs are retained by poly caps on the model, so they can be posed as you wish.

The leading edge flaps, however, are molded with the upper wing halves and need to be cut free. A razor saw and a sharp blade takes care of the task, and some styrene strip stock is used to build up the top leading edge to change the angle. Work slowly, and the job is not difficult at all.

Now we need to make the model “fly”. There are several ways to go about this, but to me, the easiest method was the one I used:

• I bored out the exhaust nozzle so that a length of brass tubing would fit (machinists would call it a “sliding fit”)

• I made two doublers from 40 thousandths Evergreen, and bonded them securely to the forward end of the nozzle

• I sourced a length of clear acrylic rod that would fit the brass tubing

• Once the assembly and paint operations were concluded, I installed the whole assembly by first applying epoxy to the forward end of the brass tube where it would meet the aft face of the engine compressor “bulkhead” that Tamiya used.

• While the epoxy was still workable, I installed the exhaust nozzle with tacks of CA, then an application of Tamiya Extra Thin to securely bond the nozzle to the airframe

• Once the epoxy and cement cured, the acrylic rod was installed into the brass tubing and a “proof test” showed that the engineering was solid.

Oh, and if you're going to build an in-flight model, you can't forget a pilot!  I used the kit pilot, but replaced the molded-in oxygen hose with a scratchbuilt replacement made from soft wire wrapped around a mandrel.

The finishing process was anticlimactic.  I mixed the camouflage colors with Tamiya Acrylics.  I found several color recipes online, did some mixing and test swatches on index cards, then compared them to my FS595 fan deck.  I chose the closest match, then lightened the color a bit to compensate for the scale effect.  I started with a base of Tamiya X-18 Semi-Gloss black, thinned roughly half and half with a 50-50 mixture of X-20A and Tamiya lacquer thinner.  I finally found my new favorite paint...

The laser printed decals presented some small issues, but I managed to get them all on the model to my satisfaction.  An Astra 1/32nd scale decal sheet provided all the insignia and stencils on the big plane.

The TwoBobs decals laid down nicely, too.  My only gripe is that the sheet only contains complete markings for one of the two aircraft--there were only two of the little squadron "flash" that lives on either side of the fuselage just aft of the cockpit.  Not a huge gripe, but still...

By this point, the models were all assembled and ready for display. For me, display means they need bases.

For the 1/32nd scale model, I used plywood—I normally make wooden bases for models that I build for other people, as they tend to add an extra finishing touch to the presentation. To hide the plies on the ends of the board, I used an iron-on veneer, available at most local big box home centers. A few coats of gel stain followed by a few coats of water-based poly were applied and allowed to dry thoroughly, after which I used a finishing pad to lightly buff the finished surface. I cut some 3/4”x3/4”X1/4” wood “chicklets”, glued them onto the underside of the base, then glued black felt to them to create “feet” for the base. Some mat board, cut to size, was used for the top of the base.

For my model, I made a simple base from balsa wood and foam core board, painted to resemble the ramp at Burlington ANGB in Vermont. I used a painted section of mat board to top the base. I’ll describe that process next...

For the in-flight airplane, some thought had to be given to the arrangement. I again used plywood, not only because it adds that finished look to the project, but also because it was durable enough to support the weight of a cantilevered model airplane!

Once I sketched out the basic layout, I bored a hole into the plywood, then installed a brass tube sleeve into the base using the same size tubing that was used to create the support system in the airplane. A generous amount of epoxy secured the sleeve in the wood. The same iron-on veneer was used to hide the plies, and I also “framed” the top surface edges with the same veneer. The same finishing process was used—gel stain and water-based poly, followed by a light buffing with a finishing pad.

For the runway, the difficult bit was cutting the oval hole where the sleeve was. Careful marking and cutting helped, but the initial effort was wonky. I took a small piece of mat board and tried again. I then placed the small piece of mat board on top of the “runway” and cut them both at the same time, making a patch that would precisely fit the cutout. Satisfied, it was time to make these bits of mat board look like an airport...

I consulted Google Maps to get an idea of what the runway, taxiways, and ramp at Burlington ANGB looked like. With the images in hand, I laid out the expansion joints lightly with a drafting pencil on the mat board I used to top the bases. Once I was satisfied, the mat board was painted various shades of gray to simulate concrete. The various markings were masked and painted, then the expansion joints were re-drawn, using a bit more force to make them more prominent. This will also leave a bit of graphite on the surface, which was used to our benefit—wipe along each line with a paper towel. This will smudge the graphite to some degree and create “shadows” along the lines. A coat of matt clear seals everything.

All that’s left to do are make placards. I used to make them in PowerPoint, print them onto card stock, then attach them with spray adhesive to mat board, trim them to shape, and attach them to the base with white glue. And that method is still sound, but over the holidays I bought a new toy…

The Silhouette Cameo is a plotter/cutter that can do a bunch of things—modelers in particular have discovered that they can cut paint masks and stencils for all sorts of things. That’s why I bought mine, but in this case, I used a procedure that Silhouette calls “Print and Cut”. It is used by crafters to make stickers, and that’s basically what I did.

I created the placard images in Silhouette Studio. Once I had them the way I wanted, they were printed onto sticker paper on my HP Smart Tank 7001 ink jet printer. The printed stickers were then run through the Cameo with a cutter installed. During the creation process, the software adds registration marks to the page, and during the cutting procedure, the Cameo “sees” these registration marks, and knows where to cut the outlines.

I simply peeled the resulting stickers off the backing, stuck them to small bits of mat board, and then trimmed and applied to the base as I would with the PowerPoint images.

I’m still playing around with the Cameo. I think it will become a quite useful addition to my toolbox.

Since the models were going to be presented, I needed a box. Or boxes. And I also needed a transport fixture for the airborne model.

The latter was simply two pieces of scrap wood screwed together at a right angle. The long side would be the base, and the short side had a hold bored into it that accepted a short length of the same acrylic rod used for the actual display.

For the boxes, I usually make them from foam core. I wanted something a bit more sturdy, so I searched through the storage containers at the home center. I found two appropriately sized plastic bins with lids. Problem solved...

Beauty shots:

On the Gustav Line

Howdy, all!

This is the article on the StuG IV project that took me a decade (!) to complete.  If you go back through the posts from the early days of this little slice o' the Internet, you'll see many references to the StuG project that finally got finished a few years ago.  Without further ado, here it is in all it's glory.

The StuG IV

The German assault gun known as the Sd.Kfz 167 Sturmgeschütz IV (StuG IV) was a result of the Krupp manufacturing firm’s desire to built assault guns for the Wehrmacht.  The vehicle was a lash-up of the late mark Panzerkampfwagen IV chassis and running gear topped with a modified StuG III Ausf. F superstructure.

At the time, the Panzer IV was being outperformed by the StuG III, and all Panzer IV production was scheduled to be shifted to building the Panzerjäger IV, a Pz.Kpfw IV/L70 “Lang” chassis and a fixed superstructure armed with a 7.5 cm/L70 gun, the same gun being installed on the Pz.Kpfw V (Panther).  However, Vomag also fitted a 7.5 cm/L48 gun to the vehicle, which became the Jadgpanzer IV Ausf. F. 

The Stug IV was beginning to fade into the files of “never built” vehicles until an air raid on the Alkett plant in November 1943 destroyed the StuG III production line.  Since the StuG IV could be placed into service faster than either the Jagdpanzer IV or the Panzerjäger IV, Krupp was authorized to begin producing them. 1,108 StuG IV’s were constructed, and an additional 31 were converted from damaged Pz.Kpfw IV chassis before production was ended by the German surrender.

Dispatched to the Eastern Front, the StuG IV became a proficient tank-killer.  It would be used on all fronts between 1943 and 1945, and some saw post-war use with the Syrians in their conflicts with Israel in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Four examples are known to survive, two in Poland, one in Latvia, and one in Australia.

Panzer-Abteilung 190

Panzer-Abteilung 190 was formed from the remnants of the first iteration of II./Panzer-Regiment 202 and sent to North Africa with 90. Leitche Afrika-Division.  Engaged in battles in the region, most of the unit’s vehicles were destroyed in the battles around Tunis in May 1943.  The remnants were then reformed with additional vehicles in July 1943 and attached to the 90. Panzer-Grenadier Division and garrisoned in Sardinia.  When the Allied attack began on Sicily, the unit was kept in reserve and later removed to the Italian mainland.  Initially posted to the area around Pisa, it would later take a place on the Gustav Line, one of the defensive lines around Anzio and Cassino.

The unit would ultimately see most of its war fighting ability again destroyed, and the few remaining vehicles would be re-distributed to other units.  The StuG IV’s of Panzer-Abteilung 190 would wind up going to the 34. Infanterie-Division in Northern Italy, where they would spend their final days.

The Project

Photo 1: The kit.

The project started as a “group build” project with the AMPS Central South Carolina “Wildcats” in late 2010, shortly after the Chapter formed--this coincidentally was a period in which I was laid off and only working part time, so I figured it would be an easy task.  The best laid plans and all that...

The group decided on the then-new (2009) Dragon “Early Production” StuG IV kit.  Along the way, Mike Roof did a lot of research on the kit, assembly sequence, and applicable features of the StuG IV, and provided the information to everyone in the group build.  The level of detail that Mike went into was incredible, and the fact that he broke down the various bits of the kit into what was used in which time frame, what parts could be kept, what could be tossed in the spares box…in short, it gave everyone a glimpse into Mike’s “style” when he builds a model.

Before I move forward, yes, this is another one of those models with very few in-progress photos.  Follow the text for the procedures I used.  Also, some of the sequences might be written in a different order in which I actually completed them.  Sorry, but this project stretched over nearly a decade…

Let’s get it on!

One of the first items to consider is zimmerit, the paste that the Germans applied to their vehicles to prevent magnetic anti-tank mines from sticking to the hull.  The early StuG IV’s got it, the later ones didn’t.  Since the model is an early vehicle, it needed to have it.  There are many ways to add it—textured acrylic gel, putty (either body putty or epoxy putty), photoetched brass, resin...and, of course, several months after this project started, Dragon issued a kit with molded-on zimmerit.  The aftermarket and kit alternatives are nice, but they tend to be too regular whereas the real thing was applied by hand, and one vehicle was different from another.  To get that “organic look”, the best thing to do is make it yourself with putty or another substance.

I tried the green putty route years ago, and it works, but you have to move quickly, before the putty skins over and becomes unworkable.  This time, I tried the acrylic gel method—apply the gel, then “comb” it out with a section of Campbell’s HO Scale corrugated siding.  It is easy enough to do, but after it dried it lacked depth and “sharpness” when compared to photos.  The corrugated siding left rounded ridges.  To address this, I had an old razor saw blade lying around, cut it into sections, and gave those a whirl.  I liked the profile, but the gel medium tended to relax as it dried, yielding sharper, but still rounded, peaks.

Looking around the workbench, I noticed a tube of Elmer’s Professional Wood Filler.  I tried a test swatch on some scrap Evergreen sheet, and it was promising.  It still wasn’t as sharp as I would have liked it, so on a whim I added a small amount of microballoons to the filler and gave it another test.  Bingo!  The rows were sharp, as were the peaks.  So, over the next few days I applied the wood filler and combed it out with the section of razor saw blade.  Hurdle number one, crossed…

If you’re a tool junkie, several companies offer zimmerit tools.  Trumpeter’s is a roller-style tool—apply the medium and roll it out—and Tamiya’s are photoetched “saw tooth” scrapers similar to a razor saw blade.  I actually acquired the Tamiya set through some wheeling and dealing a few years ago, so I believe I’m set for zimmerit tools for a while (not that I use them all that often, anyway).

I painted the inside of the engine compartment flat black to disguise the fact that it would be empty.  Some areas could be seen through the cooling louvers, so painting it black makes it less obvious that the area is empty.

Now we reach the part of the story where I went back to work in the corporate aviation world, complete with six-day, 16 hours a day work weeks.  The project languished.  I would peck at it every now and then, but for the most part it remained stalled in the “Projects in Limbo” cabinet.

I did develop several habits during the project.  The first was to remove all the parts I didn’t need from the trees and place them in the spares box.  I also used a highlighter to note which parts I was going to use on the instructions, and would cross them out with a pencil as I installed them on the model.  As you might know, Dragon’s kits are, as the Brits might say, “bitty”, with lots and lots of small parts—my take is that if the actual item consisted of four parts, Dragon will break it down into a dozen, no matter how teeny the parts will be.  By marking them out on the instructions—especially when you are picking up on the project after a week, month, or longer—helps keep track of what has been done and what still needs doing.  I figured this last one out after I spent the better part of an hour (!) figuring out where I left off after my last session on the model a few weeks prior.

As I pecked away, I continued to pre-paint some parts and subassemblies.  The superstructure interior was painted Testor Acryl Panzer Interior Buff and the details painted in their relevant colors.  I didn’t go whole hog here, since I was unsure whether I wanted to leave the hatches open—I did enough to make things convincing if it was seen through the hatches, and no more.

The wheels were given a coat of Panzer Yellow (PollyScale) and then assembled.  Road wheels were brush painted a few at a time with Acryl Aircraft Interior Black (it is a “scale black”, perfect for tires) until they were all complete and ready to be assembled to the suspension.  I kept them in a plastic cup until they were needed.

Be sure to follow the Prime Directive—make sure everything is straight, square, and plumb as you assemble it.  Nothing looks sillier than a model of what is nominally a 23-ton vehicle with half the road wheels floating up in the air.  I made a block for the lower hull—I set the hull on the block to hold it at the correct height, and then installed the suspension bogies.  As the glue dried, I checked to make sure it remained aligned properly.

When it comes to the tracks, I can offer several tips.  First, work on them throughout the process.  Clean the links up and place them into a container with a lid so that should it overturn you won’t be playing “Pick up the Links” for an hour.  The next tip is to assemble a few links at a time, even if that only consists of lining them up against a fixture and taping them in place.  It becomes less tedious by spreading the job out over several sessions.

Did I say fixture?  There are commercially available track alignment fixtures available, or you can go the DIY route.  I taped a section of square brass tubing to a picture frame glass.  The brass acts as a straightedge.  I would clean up a few links and lay them in place along the brass.  I used thin strips of tape to hold them together until I had the whole run completed.  I constructed the second run in the same manner.  Pay attention, since the Pz.Kpfw IV tracks were handed.  Dragon molded the links in slightly different values of gray to help out in this respect.  It may help to label them right and left to keep things organized.

When it came time to assemble them to the vehicle, I temporarily installed the road wheels, idler, and return rollers.  The sprocket was permanently attached and the glue was allowed to dry for a day or so.  This is important, since the final assembly will undergo a bit of tension—nowhere near as much as the old-school “rubber band” vinyl tracks, but there will be some tension on the sprockets because they attach to a raised boss and not an axle to lend stability.

Now, here’s how I ran the tracks—I doubt it is the best or most efficient way to do things, but it worked…

Apply some liquid cement to all the track joints and allow it to begin bonding the links.  Once the bond has firmed up but is still pliable, carefully wrap the run of tracks around the suspension.  Cement the loose ends together and use a small strip of tape to secure them, and repeat with the other side.  Set the vehicle on the glass surface and set some weight into the hull to keep it down.  The upper hull was taped into place, then I used cosmetic sponge wedges to set the sag between the fenders and upper run—simply cut a wedge and insert it between the road wheels.  Be gentle, since you don’t want to pull the track links apart.  Now, leave the model alone overnight—or longer.  The key to the whole operation is to allow the cement to cure fully and the plastic to re-set before handling the tracks.

Because the wheels were left loose, the wheels and assembled track runs can now be removed from the model.  Make sure you mark each track run so you don’t mix up left for right after you paint them.

The fenders were a bit fiddly, but with some careful fitting they got added to the hull.  The gun was assembled into the interior and the upper and lower hull was joined.  Once the major parts of the vehicle were together, it was a matter of assembling the smaller bits to it.  Use a good pair of tweezers, since some of the bits are tiny.  Some parts, like the tools and jack, were left off until they were individually painted.

When it came time to paint the thing, I was in a quandary.  I knew I wanted a vehicle that operated around Anzio.  My maternal grandmother’s family was from Naples, and some of them remembered watching as the abbey on Monte Cassino was bombed by the Allies.  I was meeting dead ends every time I looked.  I finally found an Italian website (http://www.dalvolturnoacassino.it/asp/n_main.asp) that gave some decent accounts of the battles in and around the Volturno River basin.  Since I still retain some of the Italian my relatives taught me, and since pictures are universal, I managed to pin down units and places in the area.

With an idea in my head, I began digging deeper, and eventually found a photograph of a StuG IV in an Allied salvage lot near Pontecorvo, about 8 miles southwest of Cassino.  Further digging turned up a link to the ADH Publishing book To The Last Bullet: Germany’s War On 3 Fronts (Part 2: Italy).  One of the photos of (supposedly) this vehicle shows General Albert Kesselring posing in the commander’s hatch before the battle, and others show it sitting derelict, although mostly intact, in the salvage yard with some U.S. dogfaces examining it.  Between the photos and color plates, I knew where I was heading…

Photo 2: The book.  If you have any interest at all in the land battles of the Italian Campaign, this is a must-have.

As I was researching, I noted that this vehicle was fitted with a cover where the mantlet meets the superstructure.  Apparently, the canvas cover leaked, so the crews would fabricate these covers from whatever they had at hand.  The cover that appears to have been installed on this vehicle appears to be either bent sheet metal or welded armor plate from a discarded section of Schürzen attached to the superstructure with hinges so it could elevate with the gun.  I fabbed a scale version up from an index card, soaked with CA, and attached with some quick non-functional hinges made from more CA-soaked index card and some fine wire.

Speaking of Schürzen, for some reason known only to Dragon engineers, the kit provides them in photoetched steel.  Attaching the brackets to them was an exercise in insanity.  The bond between the plastic hanging brackets and the steel panels kept coming loose.  Also, measure twice before you attach them or your panels will not hang correctly.  I omitted a few panels, as was commonly seen in photos.

The StuG IV was painted in the typical German scheme of Panzer Yellow with a pattern of dark brown and dark green painted over it.  Using some of the last of my PollyScale paints, I used the photos and color plates as a rough guide to paint the model. 

While I don’t usually recommend the use of color plates as references (they are, after all, an artist’s conception of what the original itself looked like), the plates were used simply because the photos depict the vehicle coated in dust which obscured the camouflage.  I took it on faith that the color plate would be close to what the vehicle looked like.  Given that common wisdom had the green and brown applied in the field, and given photos of similar vehicles, I took the chance and am quite happy with the results.

Photo 3: Base coat of paint applied.

 

Photo 4:  Squiggles

 

Photo 5: More squiggles

The paint was allowed to dry, and the next day a coat of Future was applied and allowed to dry overnight.  The few decals required (notably, the crosses) went on with little trouble.  They were cleaned up after they dried, and a coat of semi-gloss clear was applied to the model.

I went full-on old school with weathering.  I used artists’ oils to not only do pin washes and flood washes, but also to drybrush the model.  The joy of oils is that they stay workable for a much longer time than hobby paints, so you can go back and re-blend an area until you are happy with the way it looks.  From start to finish, the oil weathering took all of an hour. 

Photo 6: Decals on, weathering in progress.

Photo 7: The rear of the StuG.

 

Photo 8: More decals, more oils...I keep my weathering understated.

I then applied a few dings and chips to the surface.  I may have been too restrained, but I like to err on the side of “not enough” rather than “too much”—even the photos show a relatively well-kept vehicle.  I used a “pigment wash” to apply the dust to the lower hull and Schürzen—I mixed various colors of artists’ dry pigments with distilled water into a slurry, then brushed it onto the model.  A wet brush was used to control the wash, and later, after the wash had dried, the brush was used to “tame” the area.  By washing off areas, you can simulate areas that have been “cleaned” by the crew climbing on the vehicle or the vehicle rubbing up against vegetation or other objects. 

The tracks were painted with Vallejo Track Primer, and then given a dark wash with oils.  The raised areas were rubbed with a flannel rag and some SNJ polishing powder—find a dark smudge on the cloth and use that to impart a shiny—but not sparkly!—look to the tracks.  Do the same where the wheels contact the tracks—the constant movement will wear the dirt and grime away. 

To install them, work slowly and carefully to get everything installed properly.  I found the best way to do it was to install several road wheels and the return rollers, then carefully maneuver the tracks on to the hull.  Then install the rest of the road wheels and the idler.  You’ll soon find out how well those sprockets are attached—one of mine broke loose, and a few harried moments ensued until I got it solidly re-attached.  The wheels and tracks were further weathered by drybrushing and the pigment wash method discussed above. 

I gave the model a coat of matt varnish to blend everything together.  The kit-supplied tow cables were cut to length and annealed with a butane torch—it makes the wire easier to work with, and it also imparts a realistic “used” look to it, no paint necessary.  Attach the tools and other bits, wrap the tow cables, and it is time to put the display together.

The base

The base starts with a craft store plaque that is sanded to remove the tooling marks and given a few coats of Minwax PolyShades.  Felt was glued to the bottom for a “finished” look. 

The terrain module was made up by stacking and gluing foam sheets.  I used the commonly-found packing foam (the stuff made up with little beads of Styrofoam), and it really isn’t good for this purpose since it is difficult to shape.  I did my best, and then coated the module with pumice textured acrylic gel medium (you can also use plaster).  Once dry, I started on the actual road where the vehicle would be displayed.  The model was set on the road bed, and the contact patches of the tracks were marked out.  Pieces of Evergreen sheet were cut just smaller that the dimension of the contact patches and glued to the module.  These would give a flat area to attach the vehicle without a lot of fuss.

The road surface was simulated with Durham’s Rock Hard Water Putty mixed to a cookie dough consistency.  It was spread on the area and smoothed with a wet brush.  Blend it so that the Durham’s is faired in with the Evergreen strips.  When dry, it was painted in a nondescript ground color and left to dry.  The sides of the module were painted black using craft paint.

The landscaped areas were covered with Celluclay that I mixed with a good dollop of white glue so it would adhere better.  Once dry, it was painted a dark brown and left to dry.

To texture the road, I went out to my driveway (a gravel driveway) and collected a few paper cups full of various sizes of gravel.  Using a sieve, I separated the various sized of gravel, and used the smallest size to represent the gravel road on the base.  Woodlands Scenics Scenic Cement was used to lock the gravel into place.  Take care to blend and feather the road surface into the plastic strips added earlier.  Some various “gravel road” colors were used to create several washes to tone the road down and look to scale. 

The landscaped areas were covered with various shades and grades of Woodlands Scenics grass, weeds, and turf.  Some of the larger driveway gravel was placed here and there to represent rocky outcroppings.  When all was dry, the same washes were applied to again tone the area down and give it a “scale” look.

While researching the Italian website, I found a period photo of a sign on the road between Itri and Pontecorvo.  Jodie converted the photo into decal artwork, and had it custom printed with one of her projects.  The sign boards and sign post are Evergreen sheet and strip cut to shape.  The items were painted tan, and then streaked with oils to represent wood.  Then I “whitewashed” everything with a thin mix of white in the airbrush.  When dry, the barber pole stripe was masked and painted.  The decals were applied to the sign boards, the sign boards attached to the pole, and the pole was installed on the base.  The “8” was applied to a white disk; it identifies the road as Strada Provinciale 8, presently the main road between Pontecorvo and Cisterna.

To attach the model, I used white glue.  I also used a little of the driveway gravel to tie the vehicle in to the base, and gave it the same wash I did on the road itself.  Make sure the vehicle looks like it weighs 23 tons—mind the floating road wheels and tracks (which shouldn’t be a problem since you followed the Prime Directive, right?).  You’ll need to once again blend the road surface around the tracks to make sure there are no gaps between the road and the tracks.  Do a walk around, and touch up any areas that might need some wash, paint, or clear coat.

I started to assemble and paint figures from the Dragon Panzer Grenadiers set, and at least one will eventually be added to the base, but by the time I reached this point (in 2019, nearly a decade after the project started!), I decided to make up a placard, attach it and the module to the base, and call it a day…

Photo 9: Playing around with placement of the elements.  This was early in the game, I actually reversed everything for the final product.

 

Photo 10: The final configuration.  The figure is partially complete at this stage and the vehicle has yet to be treated with the pigment wash.

 

Photo 11: From the other side.

 

Photo 12: The finished project (minus the figure), only a decade after it began!  The pigment wash is subtle, yet effective.

New Year, New Stuff

New Year, New Stuff

Howdy, all! I trust you all had a safe, healthy, and happy holiday.

We’re looking forward to the New Year. With a New Year comes new promise, new adventures, and new things to get done.

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Speaking of getting things done, I am on the closing stretch on the trio of Vermont ANG F-16C’s. The paint is done, the decals are on, and I’ve begin final assembly. I still need to do the bases, and the in-flight model will take a little more work than normal since I have configured the landing gear to be shown in-transit. It should be a cool display…

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On the “New Toy” front, I finally pulled the trigger and bought a Silhouette Cameo 4 at the beginning of December. I should have some time soon to get the beast set up and running. The intended purpose of the machine is to cut paint masks and stencils, but it can do so much more–creating styrene parts (one reason I opted for the Cameo over the Portrait), making vinyl stickers for displays, etc. Stay tuned…

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Speaking of New Stuff, here’s something I’ve been meaning to share for a while. Once the F-16’s are done, I’ll be starting a new project, and I thought it would be fun if I shared how I plan my projects. Not all of them go into this depth of research, but this should give you an idea how I do things (note, this is how I do things—your mileage may vary). Without further fanfare, here’s the dope...

Subject: A-10A, S/N 73-1669, C/N A10-0006
Time/Date: 8 June 1978
Place: Edwards AFB

The project will be to replicate the ejection of then-MAJ Francis C. “Rusty” Gideon, Jr. from the sixth preproduction A-10A when a gun propellant test caused a double engine flameout after a secondary gun gas ignition event robbed them of oxygen.

I want to show the airplane in flight, the canopy jettisoned, and the seat just starting to come out of the cockpit. So, that means that I won’t have to worry about detailing the landing gear wells or the cockpit.

So, where would you start?

I usually begin with the subject and drill down into the data. The basics usually result in the brief summation I started with above—What, Where, and When, and what configuration I want to display.

Next, I start to drill down into the available references. What are the particulars of the subject? Is this something I can do with an existing kit or kits, or will I need to do some scratchbuilding? If it can be done from a kit, which kit best fills the need? What modifications do I need to make to show it in the configuration I want to display? What about additional details? What do I need to know about the colors and markings?

Let’s look at these one at a time. We’ll start with the particulars…

First, you should note that several well-traveled internet sites refer to the preproduction A-10A’s (serial numbers 73-1663 through 73-1669) as a YA-10’s. This is incorrect—there were only two YA-10’s built, 71-1369 and 71-1370. These were the two airplanes that were in the “fly-off” for the A-X contract against the Northrop (note spelling—there’s no “u” in that word!) YA-9’s. These two also participated in the later “fly-off’ between the A-7 and the A-10. The two YA-10’s were quite a bit different from both the preproduction and production A-10A’s.

Here are the key things to consider:

• Ejection Seat: The A-10 was originally built with the Douglas 1E9 ESCAPAC ejection seat. Incidentally, events such as this one hastened the conversion from ESCAPAC to ACES II across the A-10 fleet.
  

• Leading edge slats, Ventral Strakes, and Trailing Edge Fairing: The YA-10’s had some issues with wing buffeting at high angles of attack (AoA, or “alpha”), particularly when the gun was fired. To combat this, leading edge slats were installed on the inboard section of the wings between the fuselage and landing gear sponsons, ventral strakes were added to the fuselage where the wing joined the fuselage, and a wing-to-fuselage fairing at the trailing edge junction. All the preproduction airplanes were so fitted.
  

• Flap guides: The original design for the YA-10 allowed the flaps to extend 40 degrees. The flap travel was later limited to 30 degrees on the preproduction ships, and finally limited to a maximum of 20 degrees on the production aircraft. The flap guides—those rails on the underside of the wings at the ends of the flaps—were altered accordingly. 73-1669, being a preproduction aircraft, was limited to 30 degrees.
  

• Gun: The YA-10’s were initially fitted with an M61 20mm Vulcan cannon because the GAU-8/A Avenger was still being developed. All the preproduction airframes had the Avenger from the outset, with the perforated sleeve at the muzzle end. The aft facing scoops covering the gun gas purge slots and fan were not present on the preproduction airplanes.
  

• Chaff/Flare dispensers: Chaff and flare dispensers were not initially fitted to the preproduction or early production airframes (think early DM or MB A-10’s in the various camouflage schemes before Euro I was standardized), they used pods instead. The production aircraft were fitted with streamlined boxes under the wingtip turndowns and the underside of the aft end of the landing gear sponsons. 73-1669 did not have the dispensers at the time of the incident.

The first thing most modelers consider are “which kit?” and “what scale?” Seems logical, right? In order to do this, let’s look at the data. We know we want to build a preproduction A-10A. Are there any kits out there that fill this bill?

The answer is yes: Monogram and Hasegawa in 1/72nd scale, and Tamiya and Revell in 1/48th scale.

They’re all older kits. Monogram’s dates back to 1977, as does Tamiya’s kit. Revell’s kit originated in 1979, and was later “retired” in favor of Monogram’s plastic (circa 1986) when Revell and Monogram merged. The easy way to tell them apart is to look at the box top—if the box top shows a photograph of a built-up model, it is the original Revell plastic. If it shows box art, it is Monogram plastic.

Hasegawa’s is the youngest of the quartet, arriving in 1982.

The pros and cons: In 1/72nd scale, Monogram’s kit is nicely done except for the engine nacelles—they’re egg-shaped. You can fix them, graft nacelles from another kit onto the Monogram fuselage, or built it as is and be happy. The pilot figure in Monogram’s kit is superb. While we’re speaking of such things, it appears that Gideon was wearing the blaze orange CWU-1/P or K-2B flight suit, as opposed to the sage green standard issue suits of the day.

The initial issue of Hasegawa’s 1/72nd scale kit did not feature the chaff and flare boxes under the wingtips and sponsons, but all subsequent reissues had them. Removing them is a rather easy task, so don’t sweat it. Hasegawa kits issued in 2014 or later have started to add the additional bits (or modified parts) to depict the LASTE and more modern configurations, so these are more bits you will have to delete.

In 1/48th scale, both Tamiya and Revell’s kits are great kits for their time. The nose of the landing gear sponsons on the Tamiya kit are a little square. Also, in subsequent reissues, Tamiya added the chaff and flare dispensers, so if you get a later issue of the kit you’ll need to remove these.

The engine fans on the Revell kit sit too close to the inlet and the compressor blades turn the wrong way. I would think that any of the available resin fan sets would be a good start—they probably won’t be an exact fit, so you’ll have to exercise your modeling skills. Frankly, I wouldn’t worry about it...

If you don’t like “ancient plastic”, you certainly could backdate any of the currently available kits—any production A-10 kit can be backdated to preproduction configuration, if you want to do the work. Depending on the kit, you may need to remove the LASTE humps and bumps, use an ESCAPAC seat, and delete the scoops over the gun purge slots, delete the modern antenna fits, and installing the earlier pattern bits.

If you work in 1/32nd scale, you have one choice: Trumpeter’s 2001-vintage kit, and it will need to be backdated.

Now, let’s look at some photos. The entire ejection sequence was caught on film by the chase aircraft, so we can determine a lot from stills taken from the recordings. As with all A-10’s, the aileron trim tabs were deflected a bit (both the fixed and adjustable tabs), so a little cutting and repositioning will be in order. Also, the flaps seem to be extended to some extent, so again, you’ll need to break out the razor saw and cut the flaps loose. Unfortunately, I know of no aftermarket flap sets for the A-10 in any scale. I’ll be happy to be proven wrong on this point.

As mentioned earlier, there is really no need to go hog wild on detailing the cockpit or gear wells. So save those photoetched and resin doo-dads for a project where they will be seen.

Ordnance, too, is no concern, as the airplane wasn’t carrying any. The wing pylons on Stations 1 through 4 and 8 through 11 were fitted, but I have yet to see a good photo of the underside of the fuselage, so I’ll assume the pylons were fitted to Stations 5, 6, and 7 as well. The PAVE PENNY pylon was not installed, the photos and videos clearly show this.

Colors and markings are interesting. This was one of the early experimental paint schemes that featured a black undercoat with varying numbers of coats of white paint on top. As the white paint eroded, it resulted in a mottled gray finish. The rudders and wingtips were red.

When it comes to decals, there are a few options. In 1/48th scale, the Tamiya kit features the basic markings for 73-1669, but the camouflage color notes are vague. Microscale (the OLD Microscale) offered sheet 48-69 back in the day that featured 73-1669 and most of the other preproduction airframes.

In 1/72nd scale, Microscale’s sheet 72-313 will take care of you. You’re on your own in 1/32nd scale...

As far as goes a good guide to the interesting minefield that is early A-10A camouflage, I can’t recommend a better reference than Dana Bell’s Colors and Markings of the A-10 Warthog (C&M Vol. 24) from the folks at Detail and Scale (ISBN 0890242247). A real good photo of 1669 appears on page 7, showing how the scheme looked before the white was allowed to erode, exposing more of the black undercoat.

Likewise, Dana’s A-10 Warthog In Detail and Scale (D&S Vol. 19, ISBN 0816850305) is a good source for information.

The last consideration that needs to be made concerns the display itself. How will the airplane be suspended “in flight”? For the VTANG F-16C, I plan to use a length of acrylic rod inserted into the tailpipe of the jet and plugged into a hole in a display base. Given the airplane was depicted just taking off, this was an easy choice. But the A-10 was at 2,000 feet AGL when MAJ Gideon pulled the handles, so the acrylic rod plugged into the base might not work. I’m still in the “thinking” phase on this one.

That’s where I am on the project to date. I don’t plan to start this project until the VTANG F-16’s are complete, but I thought it would be interesting if I shared some of my methods with you.

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That’s all I have at the moment. Take care of yourselves, and be good to one another. As always, I bid you Peace.

“I Can’t”

Howdy, all!

I’m going to discuss something I have noticed more and more over the past few years.  My discussion (as usual) will pertain to the hobby of scale modeling, but I see it elsewhere, too.

It usually begins like this—someone displays their model at a club meeting, online, or at a show.  As people file by and look at the work, I hear the comments: “I could never do that.”

Why is that?  What is preventing anyone from doing similar work? 

For the tl;dr crowd, my reaction towards this attitude can be summed up thusly:  When you say “I can’t”, it usually translates to “I won’t”.

Let’s get back to the discussion.  In many cases, the answer comes down to curiosity, time, budget, and the desire to do what it takes.

Lets look at several categories:

“I do not have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do that.”  There’s no crime in this.  Take the time you need to learn the techniques and skills to “do that”, whatever “that” is.  Learn basic scratchbuilding.  Take time to perfect your assembly skills.  Practice using the airbrush wherever you can.  Be curious.  Be willing to try new stuff.

“I don’t want to spend the time it takes to do that.”  Fair enough.  I know a good many modelers who simply do not want to fool around with advanced techniques, and most of them are happy to knock kits together in a few nights, apply basic paint jobs, and use the kit decals.  That’s fine.  The issue I have comes when someone verbalizes their desire to make their models better but refuses to acknowledge that it does take additional time, both practicing the technique and applying it to the model.

“I don’t want to spend the money to do that.”  Again, this is a fair comment.  Some modelers lack the financial wherewithal to go and buy ready-made detail sets.  However, there’s always a way.  When I started adding details to my models, the materials came from stuff lying around the house.  My mother’s sewing box provided thread and other “soft” materials.  Dad’s workbench provided scraps of wood and metal.  Packaging provided thin plastic sheet.  When the Bell South guys did work on the lines, we could usually talk them out of scrap wire.  Add to these paper clips, staples, foil pie pans, and other stuff that was usually thrown away, and you have a trove of stuff to make details from.  The garden provided dirt and gravel for groundwork (for as often as I did groundwork—which was almost never).  So, you don’t have to dump a ton of dough on special stuff—look around.

When it comes to assembly materials, instead of buying dedicated “hobby” putty, there are alternatives.  I learned early that I could use Hot Stuff (our standby CA back in the day) and baking soda as filler.  In fact, I still use CA—but not the baking soda.  Instead of forking over a few bucks for a 2 oz tube of Squadron Green Putty, for a few dollars more I could buy a tube of automotive scratch filler that was twice the size for a buck more.  I could buy those little tubes of Krazy Glue for a buck, and it worked the same as Hot Stuff.

The two areas I didn’t skimp on were paint and cement.  I would be wise in what I bought--$2 for a 2oz bottle of Plastic Weld vs. $1.98 for 1oz of Micro Weld—and I would do my best to make sure it didn’t get wasted.

Oh yeah—if I wanted something, I’d save my money.  I knew that there was no such thing as instant gratification.  My parents would chip in from time to time, but only to an extent.  So, yeah, I learned to plan and budget.

“I don’t want to be criticized/shown up/embarrassed.”  Aha!  Now we’re getting closer to the truth. 

I have only once in 45 years witnessed someone belittling someone else’s work.  Modelers are generally helpful people.  Ask a dozen modelers a question; you are likely to receive a dozen equally valid answers to that question.  We all want to be told we’ve done a good job.  We all want acceptance.  But with that territory comes being counseled.  Most modelers I know want to help you, and my best advice is to listen.  If you ask a question, listen, then take the advice to heart and try the techniques you’ve been taught.  That’s how we learn.  Making mistakes is part and parcel of everything we do…how we deal with those mistakes is what can encourage or discourage.

“I don’t want to.”  The truth for a lot of this is that some folks simply do not want to vary their routine or get out of their personal rut.  They love looking at the results of these techniques on other people's models, but they don’t want to make the investment in time, practice, and learning to apply it to theirs.  Which is fine—again, there are as many ways to enjoy the hobby as there are people enjoying it.

Notice I said “investment”—that’s what one needs to make in any endeavor.  Decide what it is you want to do, take some time to learn and practice until you get where you want to be.  As you achieve each goal, find new goals.  They need not be huge goals—in fact, small steps are more desirable than major goals.  Write them down.  And know this—some of these goals will take some time to achieve and may stretch over several projects.

Perhaps the one goal I cannot stress enough—Finish the model you are working on.  Don’t worry that there are issues with it.  Why?  Finishing a project is a goal in and of itself.  And honestly, many of the issues you know exists on the model will probably not be seen by most other modelers.  I’ve seen several instances of someone going back and forth on one model for years, reworking minor issues so many times that they become large issues.  Do your best, and move on.  Do better on the next project.

By all means, if (more like “when”—I make mistakes on my models all the time) you make a mistake, take some time to analyze what went wrong, what you need to do to fix it, and make an attempt at rectifying the problem.  Tossing a model into the wastebasket teaches you nothing.  Yes, there are times when the solution to the problem is to bin the model and start fresh.  But don’t automatically think that is the solution.  Set the model aside.  Let it sit for a week.  Then take a look at the model.  You might be surprised at how easy the fix is.

As I tell folks in Model Building 101, there isn’t a whole lot you can mess up that cannot be fixed.  You simply need to be willing to be patient and spend the time it takes to do the job.  There are no secrets—most techniques you will learn are out there in the world, in magazines, books, online articles, YouTube videos, at the local hobby shop (if you are fortunate enough to have a good one), and at club meetings.

Most of what we do—in any endeavor—is fairly simple.  It just takes a little curiosity, small investments in time and money, and the desire to make it happen.

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Work continues on the F-16’s.  I’ve spent the last few weeks working on the 1/32^nd Hasegawa kit.  It has some issues—most of them stem from the fact that the basic molds date back to 1978.  The cockpit tub is probably the worst example of the kit’s problems—the consoles are way too short, and short of replacing the cockpit, you have to deal with what you get.  Going back to what I said earlier, I used scrap plastic to fix things to the best of my availability without having to resort to a complete re-build.

I also cut out the trailing edge flaps so they can be shown in the lowered position, and cut the leading edge flaps to show them in the +2° position as shown in F-16’s on the ground. 

Some of the small bits were missing, and some weren’t provided.  I scratchbuilt the beer can antennas on the leading edge of the wing and the two antenna fairings on the nose from scraps of Evergreen styrene.  I also reconfigured the gun covers to better match photos.  I also had to revise the way the gun barrels got installed—revising the covers required the rework.  I think I got everything looking good…

The kit canopy was missing the aft fixed portion, and someone had thrown in a spare Tamiya canopy (at least I think it is Tamiya).  I did a little work to revise the hinge area and fit the Tamiya parts to the Hasegawa kit.  The result will be a lot better than the original kit canopy.  It is another one of those areas Hasegawa didn’t quite get right back in the late 1970’s.

Next up will be revising the bomb’s fuses.  The kit parts look like they have the transport suspension plugs installed.  I think some Evergreen rod and sheet will fill that bill.  Photos are out there, and I think I can do a creditable job.

The two 1/48^th scale F-16’s are ready for paint, and the 1/32^nd scale kit will be to that point soon.

I’m still trying to figure out if the decals I have for the 1/32^nd scale kit will be viable, or if I should finally pull the trigger on a plotter/cutter and design paint masks. 

Stay tuned.

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The shadows and the sun’s angle in the sky are changing.  The temperatures are starting to moderate.  I believe autumn has arrived.  I’ve always loved this time of year.  I can’t explain why—maybe the change of temperature, I dunno.  But I’m enjoying it.

That’s all I have this time.  Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and, as always, I bid you Peace.

Reunion Ramblings, Part One

Hello, all!

To quote the late, great Cajun chef, safety engineer, philosopher, and raconteur Justin Wilson, “How y’all are?  I’m so glad for you to see me some more, I ga-ron-tee!”

I've told you several times about my upcoming high school class reunion.  Well, it happened this past weekend.  I have so many stories, so many memories…

One development that came about a month or so before the event was that Lisa, our lovely and talented chairperson, elevated me to co-chair.  So I have that going for me.  Which is nice…

I suppose I’ll cover things in several separate posts.  I’ve started to write a post several times.  However, each time, it started to enter into “writing for me” territory and began to verge on some stuff I wasn't comfortable sharing publicly.  Oh, I’ll probably share them with the individuals involved, but I’ll only share them publicly if they tell me it is okay to do so.  Otherwise, it stays between us as a special memory.  Fair enough?

I have to say this up front—South Carolina, you should be embarrassed by the absolutely horrible condition of I-95.  If I had to get a urinalysis after the drive down or the drive back, I’m sure there would have been blood in my urine due to the pounding my kidneys took.  Traffic was backed up on my way down around Walterboro—they were patching, yet again, the cracked and broken concrete.  Oh, and it is 20 years beyond the point where it needed to be widened to three lanes each way…just sayin'.

I won’t even touch on how bad I-26 is between I-95 and where I live.  It is under construction, sure, but what they’re doing now will be obsolete by the time it is finished.

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The trip was a double dose of “You can’t go home again.”

I stopped in Daytona Beach for the night last Wednesday—I’ve taken to splitting my trips to South Florida this way, since it breaks up the trip and allows me some time to look around at my “other home town”.  I was last there in 2015 on my way to a trade meeting.  And it was quite different from the previous visit in 2008.  As Florida goes, things don’t stand still for too long before they erect scaffolding, roll bulldozers, and plow whatever it is under—only for a new something to spring up in its place…

My landmarks are gone.  The Barnes and Noble book store across from the Speedway is gone.  We used to park behind it when we would go to see the Rolex 24 every year.  Replacing it is a sort of shopping village anchored by a Bass Pro Shops.  Across from Turn 4 used to stand a Holiday Inn (later rebranded as a Ramada) with a neat little restaurant, Dr. BJ’s (later a Pizzeria Uno).  I told you about some of this a long time ago.  Well, those are also long gone, replaced by a group of eateries that includes a Bahama Breeze, an IHOP, and a Cheddar’s.  Even the Olive Garden next to the Hampton Inn is gone, replaced by a Houligan’s—I knew about this one, since it was under construction in 2015.  The old Casa Gallardo/Rio Bravo Cantina has been replaced by an Outback Steakhouse.  At least the Hampton—built in the early-mid 1990’s—remained much the same as it was every other time I stayed there…

I stopped by the Embry-Riddle campus.  As I drove around looking for a Visitor parking spot, I got so turned around that I got lost.  Three times.  I used to call this campus home, but only three structures—the pool, the racquetball court, and one of the original dorms—are the last structures I recognize.  Everything else is long gone, replaced by new structures…

I finally found a visitor’s spot, went inside the new Student Union (which is a phenomenal structure, but lacks the charm of the old John Paul Riddle University Center, the UC), and obtained a visitor pass.  I was headed to the Alumni Engagement Office.  It is across Clyde Morris Boulevard, next to the ROTC center.  This is another new area of the campus for me, but after a short search, I found the office.  I got a chance to chat with some of the folks there, but was reminded that most of the others were in Oshkosh for the EAA Fly-In.  Oh, well, I did what I wanted to do…

A short drive around the immediate area made me glad I didn’t live there these days.  It seems Florida is home of the 10-minute traffic light cycle.  I spent a lot of time sitting at red lights…

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Did I mention that Florida is now Wawa territory?  I didn’t stop in at the Daytona location, but I did stop at one of the Jacksonville and the Ft. Pierce locations.  I’ll have to compare them to the QuickTrip stores that are popping up around here…

Oh, yeah--Daytona Beach also has a Buc-ee's.  When I drove by, I figured you needed a full tank of gas to drive around in circles until a fuel pump became available.  Interesting concept, and once the new is worn off it ought to be fun to visit.  (For my SC peeps, there's also one on I-95 up towards Florence...)

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I exchanged text messages with Lisa, who lives nearby, once I left campus.  She had to rent a van to haul a lot of the decorations.  She asked for a cargo van, but got a 16-foot box truck.  I asked if she needed help loading, but she said her husband was almost done and that she would see me the next day in Ft. Lauderdale.  Free to roam, I did a quick trip down to the beach—it is every bit a concrete canyon that Miami is.  Hungry, I was trying to decide whether a visit to The Oyster Pub or Ocean Deck was in order, but after the day’s drive I settled on another Florida favorite, Pollo Tropical.  Chicken and black beans and rice are a nice recharge, especially when the chicken is *that* good.

The next morning, I had breakfast at the hotel—and I don’t recall Hampton Inn ever doing breakfast like this in the past.  It was good--if they had those killer cinnamon rolls, I would have mistaken it for a Holiday Inn Express.  Eggs, sausage, potatoes, juice, waffles, and danishes were on the menu.  Not too bad.  Some eggs and sausage were enough to hold me until lunch.  After touching base with Lisa, I got back on I-95 South…

I had not been south of Daytona Beach since 2013.  I already knew what I would see—more construction and houses butting right up to the Interstate.  These stretches of road used to be wide open, nothing to see but the occasional group of cattle grazing.  Now?  All along the highway was nothing but one housing development after another, more examples of the zero lot line neighborhoods that seem to be pervasive throughout Florida.  As I got further south, I realized that my landmarks down there were gone, too…

I had a lunch date with some friends.  We chose a South Florida standard—Lester’s Diner by the airport in Ft. Lauderdale.  That place is a bit of a time capsule.  The food is still very good, and it wouldn’t be the only time this visit where Lester’s would provide the sustenance…

As I passed by on the way to Lester's, I noticed that the old Runway 84 had been gutted.  Supposedly, they're updating it and it will re-open.  They had great food back in the day.  Along those same lines, the Pier 66 hotel was likewise an empty shell.  I'm told they hope to reopen in the next year or so.  That's a common theme, too--the hotel where the reunion was centered, the B Ocean Resort, used to be the Yankee Clipper.  Built in 1956, the ownership changes hands--in the 1990's, it was a Sheraton property.  I only experienced the ballroom, but it appears that a good deal of renovation and modernization has taken place.  My friends who stayed there can add their experiences it they wish...

I had hoped to be able to stop by the airport to see some old friends, but the reunion duties called…

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I may pick the story up here the next time we meet.  For you tl;dr folks out there, it goes like this:  When you are on an event committee, two things to remember—don’t expect much spare/"me" time, and everything you have planned and scheduled takes at least half again (if not twice) as long as you planned.  But a key point to remember is that you need to organize a great bunch of volunteers to spread the work out among many hands.  All of you who volunteered, I cannot thank you enough.  I know, I know, I thanked you profusely during the reunion, but you earned my undying affection.  You guys and gals rock!

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Speaking of thanks--I have to once again thank Lisa for planning a surprise for me on Friday evening.  The parties involved know who they are, and they all know how appreciative I am—even though it was a mean, dirty trick.  You almost (almost!) made me cry. 

To be sure, I did my fair share of laughing and crying over the space of the two days we were all together.  And I'd do it all over again tomorrow.  And the day after that, and the day after that.  I love all you guys, whether I got to spend 10 minutes or 10 seconds with you.  And I missed everyone who, for whatever reason, was not in attendance.   

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I think I’ve said this before, but for 99% of the people I saw last weekend, it was the first time I saw them in person in at least 40 years.  That’s far too long.  While we can’t have a blowout like we did last week all the time, we can get together individually or in smaller groups.  I know some plans for some gatherings are already afoot, and I hope they pan out.  And in case anyone asks, I am more than happy to lend any assistance I can. 

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For my usual readers, I don’t have much to report.  The reunion planning and the regular job took up most of my time since I last made a report from the bench/studio (or whatever else you want to call the place where I hack plastic).

The VTANG F-16’s are still underway.  The two 1/48^th scale models are ready for the paint shop—more on that later.  I still need to buy some 5/16” acrylic rod for the one being displayed in flight, and I still need to start working on a base.  This one will call for something more substantial than the EPS foam and basswood sheeting that I’ve been fond of for the last year or so.  I’m thinking plywood, at the very least, with an appropriate veneered edge.  It should be an interesting project-within-a-project. 

The 1/32^nd scale kit has had the panel lines re-scribed on the fuselage and vertical tail.  The wings and horizontals are next on the hit parade, and that shouldn’t take long.  I am debating whether or not I should drop the flaperons and bump the leading edge flaps to the +2° position, the standard configuration for an F-16 on the ground.  Knowing me, I’ll do it, because, well, why not? 

The rest of the 1/32^nd scale kit parts are in various stages of prep/cleaning, and will be installed in short order.  I imagine it won’t be too much longer before it is also ready for finish.

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As far as the paint hunt goes, the last time we talked about it I was pretty much settled on Tamiya—and will probably still go that way.  But I love the convenience of grabbing a “ready-mix” color off the shelf.  The answer to my particular need, again, is the Mr. Hobby (formerly GSI/Creos, formerly Gunze Sangyo) Aqueous line.  But my attempts to get the H-3XX line in the States has come up empty, and I really don’t feel like paying the freight to get some from overseas.  The current U.S. importer is the former Bluefin Distributors (now Bandai Namco), and it doesn’t appear that they particularly care about the paint end of things.  Unless one of the other distributors (Mega Hobby, Andy’s Hobby HQ, Free Time Hobbies, Douglas Models/Sprue Brothers, the new Squadron, Spraygunner, etc.) decides to step up, it seems we’re stuck.  So, I guess I’ll dash off an order for a few dozen pots of Tamiya acrylics in the next day or so.

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That’s all I have for now.  Thanks for reading, everyone. 

If you’re new to the blog, browse around.  As I said a year ago, the original intent was to have a place for all sorts of topics, but I am an airplane and scale model guy.  It’s what I do, it’s what I’ve done since I was a kid.  “Write about what you know”, you are constantly told.  So, it should come as no shock that my little corner of the interwebs is largely skewed towards those topics.  I’m doing better at opening up and writing about other things, so stick around.

Be good to one another.  As always, I bid you Peace.