fm.07.2014

BUILD YOUR FIRST HELICOPTER MODEL » July 2014 www.FineScale.com HobbyBoss’ 1/72 scale TV-inspired Coast Guard HH-60J – p. 42

IMPROVING

ARMOR

BASIC TECHNIQUES FOR ADVANCED RESULTS Bill Plunk’s 1/35 scale Marder II D – p. 24

PLUS

Conquer cockpits & canopies p. 46

FSM GALLERY

OUR RE ADERS’ B E ST MODELS p. 32

Model distressed paint the easy way p. 30 A master modeler builds a one-of-a-kind aircraft p. 36 OUR MODELING TEAM BUILDS AND REVIEWS 7 ALL-NEW KITS

BONUS ONLINE CONTENT CODE PAGE 5

p. 56

p. 57

p. 59

Vol. 32 • Issue 6

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60 AIRBRUSHING & FINISHING

22

Re-dressing a Bf 109 for the night Evening attire for a Messerschmitt AARON SKINNER

COVER STORY

24

30

36

• Zoukei-Mura Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden

BILL PLUNK

• Revell Germany “Star Trek Into Darkness” USS Enterprise

Weathering with hairspray An easy way to model distressed paint

Carving out a conversion for a Pregnant Guppy It took scratchbuilding, woodworking, vacuum-forming, and two kits

• Revell Germany T-90

Quick and easy helicopter TV inspires a Coast Guard HH-60J

46

Big canopy, big detail A lot of glass lets the front office shine

58

• Airfix de Havilland DH.82a Tiger Moth • Wingnut Wings Salmson 2-A2

DON STAUFFER

46

• ICM Opel Typ 2.5-32

MARC ROCCA

JEFF THOMSEN

42

• Italeri F-104G/S

Building Bronco’s Marder II D Build well, paint well, and go get some individual-link tracks

24

42

7 NEW KITS

Page 54

22

36

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

61

• Grex airbrushes

In Every Issue 6 8 12 14 32

Editor’s Page Scale Talk Spotlight New Products Reader Gallery

50 Questions & Answers 52 Reader Tips 63 Advertiser Index 64 Hobby Shop Directory 64 Classified Marketplace

On the Cover In World War II, Germany’s vaunted Panzer Korps was never above fielding vehicles cobbled from captured equipment and Wehrmacht hand-me-downs — and neither is Bill Plunk with his Marder II D.

FRANK CUDEN

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FineScale Modeler (ISSN 0277-979X, USPS No. 679-590) is published monthly (except for June & August) by Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187. Periodicals Postage is paid at Waukesha, WI and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to FineScale Modeler, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement #40010760.

Editor’s Page

By Matthew Usher

Finding the time ONE OF THE KEYS to buildchew most of its wiring to bits. ing great models isn’t necessarily Suddenly, we had a rainy weekend mastering the skills and techahead of us without the distracniques used to build them. I’ve tion of the glowing screen on the found that more often than not, dining-room table. No e-mail, no simply finding the time (even an Facebook, no video games. hour or two) to devote to the HE’S THINKING OF HIS workbench is tricky. Work, houseMODELS AS SOMETHING hold chores, helping my son with his homework, and managing our MORE THAN TOYS one-year-old beagle eat up plenty of time.

We couldn’t have had a more Then there’s the computer. relaxing weekend. My wife caught Even though both my wife and I up on her reading and did some spend the better part of our work- baking, and my son and I dusted days tapping away on a keyboard, off my workbench and built a couwe still spend quite a bit of time in ple of snap-together kits that have front of our laptop at home. More been waiting on him. We haven’t time gone; more time away from built any true glue-and-paint projthe workbench. ects yet, but they’re undoubtedly Apparently the dog sensed we right around the corner. I can tell might be working too hard, and by the way he works on things took it upon himself to unplug the that he’s thinking of his models as computer’s power supply, then something more than just toys. He

spent a good amount of time finding just the right spots to display them in his room when we were done. That doesn’t happen with his Lego work.

With my bench cleaned off, I briefly considered pulling out one of my own projects to work on, but that had to wait. First I had to break out my soldering gear to get the computer up and running again. The dog is fine, for the record, and the wires are safely out of his range.

Until next time, enjoy the issue!

editor@finescale.com

www.FineScale.com Want to learn more? For the latest news as well as modeling tips and techniques, visit our website at www.FineScale.com

Your Editorial Staff

Editor Matthew Usher editor @FineScale.com

Associate Editor Mark Hembree mhembree @FineScale.com

Associate Editor Tim Kidwell tkidwell @FineScale.com

Associate Editor Aaron Skinner askinner @FineScale.com

Editorial Associate Monica Freitag mfreitag @FineScale.com

Associate Publisher Mark Savage msavage @Kalmbach.com

Contact Us Editorial: FineScale Modeler 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612 262-796-8776, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Fax: 262-796-1383 editor@finescale.com Website: www.FineScale.com

6 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

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ARA Press 7KH 6SDFHVKLS (QWKXVLDVWV¡ One-Stop Data Shop!

Editor Matthew W. Usher Associate Editor Mark Hembree Associate Editor Tim Kidwell Associate Editor Aaron Skinner Editorial Associate Monica Freitag Art Director Tom Ford Senior Graphic Designer Patti L. Keipe Photographers Jim Forbes, William Zuback Production Supervisor Helene Tsigistras Production Coordinator Cindy Barder Group Circulation Manager Kristin Johnson Circulation Coordinator Carly Witkowski Associate Publisher Mark Savage CONTACT US

Customer Sales and Service 800-533-6644 Advertising Sales 888-558-1544 Group Sales Manager Rick Albers, Ext. 652 Ad Sales Representative Jim Hagerty, Ext. 549 Ad Services Representative Cassie Spoerl, Ext. 620

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7

Scale Talk Your voice in FSM The best beginner airbrush

I often see people write letters to FSM asking, “What is the best airbrush for a beginner?” Your answers always seem to be the same: You state the differences but stop short of an actual recommendation. So, I’m throwing in my two cents based on my experiences.

I would recommend a beginner get a double-action airbrush with a .50mm tip.

Whether it is a gravity or siphon feed

HOW-TO

makes no real difference beyond preference.

Many double-action airbrushes have a set screw that lets you adjust the needle position. In essence, this lets your airbrush work just like a single action, with one big difference: You have the ability to quickly pull the needle all the way back and shoot a quick blast of air (aiming away from your work) to clear clogs. This is especially helpful to beginners who may not get their paint mix correct (especially with acrylics).

PRODUCTS & REVIEWS

VIDEOS

The .50 tip is better than the .35mm (the other most common size) because it is larger and less prone to clogging while still allowing you to paint a thin line.

One final note: You should purchase a double-action airbrush from the beginning because, once you get good, you’ll want a double-action anyway. Then, you’ll already have one!

- Dennis Rossko Carrollton, Texas

COMMUNITY

GALLERIES

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Weekly free review Check out this week’s free model kit review.

FineScale.com/HowTo Article archive Search our article collection to find the answer to your modeling question.

Tips database Need modeling advice? Subscribers can search our extensive database of reader-supplied tips.

FineScale.com/Videos Video issue previews FSM Editor Matthew Usher highlights what’s inside the current and past issues.

How-to Want to use super glue as a filler, apply a wash, or rescribe panel lines?

Trying to get your airbrush to work the way you want it to? FSM’s editors show you how.

New Product Rundown Associate Editors Tim Kidwell and Aaron Skinner pick the hottst scalemodel hobby releases, open up the boxes, and show you why they rock.

FineScale.com/OnlineExtras Photographing Hartmann’s Bf 109 For May’s cover story, Simon Harrison kitbashed Erich Hartmann’s Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/U2. In this online extra, Simon shows you how he captured the GET STARTED wonderfully KITCOM BBIN AESH ING KITS TO BUILD realistic photos THE MODEL YOU WANT of his ace model while braving the Superdetail a Wo winter cold. rld War II U-boat 15 HOW TO AIRBR USH SINGLE-COL OR CAMOUFLAG E p.20 » May 2014 www.FineScale.com

Simon Harrison used details to build Erich multiple kits and aftermarket Hartmann’s Bf 109G-6 – p.38

Build a great-loo king multileve l displ

p.24

ay base p.36 SHOWCASE: Roy Chow’s amazing Studebaker truck p.28

FT-17 –p.54

Zvezda Sukhoi Su-2–p.61

SUBSCRIBE AT FINESCALE.COM AND GET IMMEDIATE ACCESS The FSM+ icon indicates subscriber-only content.

8 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

fantas tic reader models p.30

OUR EXPERT TEAM BUILDS AND REVI EWS 8 ALL-NEW Airfix Gloster KITS Takom Javelin–p.56 Renault

Scale Talk Praise for Modeling Airliners

I enjoyed Aaron Skinner’s latest book, Modeling Airliners. I am usually a military aircraft modeler, so building an airliner, a Revell 1/144 scale Boeing 747-8, was a lot of fun. Please, Aaron, keep the how-to books Modeling coming! You now have a new fan.

By the way I love FineScale Modeler magazine. I look forward to the new issue every month.

Keep up the great work.

Hobby

Modeling Airliners

SCALE

MODEL

ER’S H OW-T

AIRLINER S AARON

Skinner

- Dave Rouse Bedford, Texas Surprising airbrush purchase

I see a number of inquiries about buying your first airbrush. I recently bought a compressor and airbrush set from Amazon.com.

It was called “Multi-purpose Three Airbrush Set — Low-Noise Compressor Kit.” I’ve used airbrushes for years, and I wanted a small portable unit. I crossed my fingers hoping the compressor would do the job. The whole package cost $100, so my expectations weren’t high. I expected the airbrushes to be junk. I was wrong.

The compressor is compact and quiet, with an adjustable pressure gauge. The three airbrushes — a siphon-feed doubleaction, a gravity-feed double-action, and a single-action — are of excellent quality.

Indeed, I think they may be Iwatas. They are certainly of similar build.

I have used this unit and the airbrushes for more than a year. My older airbrushes now collect dust. Amazon sells many packages similar to this (mine was advertised as a fingernail painting set), some for as low as $50. If you can find a better airbrushing set for less money, I want to hear about it.

- Chet Mohn New Cumberland, Pa. Let us know what you think!

Comments, suggestions, corrections, and additional views on FSM articles are welcome. E-mail your thoughts to editor@FineScale.com, or visit FineScale.com and click on “Contribute to FSM.” You can also mail typed or handwritten letters to the address on Page 6. Clearly mark “To the Editor” on the envelope. Please limit your comments to no more than 300 words and include your name and location.

10 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

O GUID E

SKINNER

July 2014

www.FineScale.com

11

Spotlight Compiled by Aaron Skinner

Tamiya tanker truck fills a void New 1/48 scale kit provides plenty of fuel for the imagination

B

ased on the results of the last two FSM mostwanted-kit surveys, modelers want 1/48 scale airfield service vehicles to go with their World War II fighters and bombers. Tamiya has answered the call with a fuel tanker (kit No. 32579) based on its terrific 1/48 scale 2½-ton truck released in 2007.

This kit shares the cargo truck’ s chassis and drivetrain with well-molded wheels and tires, leaf springs, and onepiece frame. It’s a curbside kit, so only the engine’s sides and bottom are provided.

But from the frame up, the kit is all new: hardtop cab with driver controls, a dashboard with decal instruments, and separate doors.

The tank is molded in upper and lower halves with separate front and rear panels.

A pump and hose reel detail the equipment bay at the front end of the tank. Wire and vinyl tubing represent the hose itself, which can be spooled out to meet a fueler figure holding the nozzle. Two other figures are included: a standing truck crew figure as well as the driver from the cargo truck.

Decals provide markings for two U.S. Army Air Forces fuel trucks in France in later World War II. This truck would be at home displayed with innumerable WWII aircraft, and I expect to see a lot of them showing up at contests and in the pages of FSM. Distributed in the U.S. by Tamiya America, 800-8264922, www.tamiyausa.com, the fuel truck costs $37.

12 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Take off with SpaceShipTwo from Revell

I

the parts feature restrained surface detail consistent with the full-size construction. Clear windows and windshields are provided, but no interior detail. Both vehicles have landing gear.

The model can be built joined together in flight on the provided stand, as well

as together or separate on the ground. The fidelity of small parts such as landing gear, trailing edges, and the engines is outstanding.

Beautifully printed decals provide markings for both vehicles, including the dramatic Virgin artwork.

Distributed in the U.S.

by Revell, 847-758-3200, www.revell.com, the kit costs $28.95.

Big-scale Bantam from Asuka

T

he original jeep was the Bantam Reconnaisance Car, designed and built

by American Bantam in 1940. More than 2,500 were made, many going to the Allies in the Lend-Lease program.

Hasegawa and Italeri have produced kits of the Willys jeep in 1/24 scale. Now Asuka Models (formerly Tasca) has produced a Bantam (kit No. 24-005) in this larger scale associated with civilian car models rather than 1/35 scale military vehicles.

The kit features a complete engine and transfer case. The one-piece frame is augmented with additional parts for the cross members. The front wheels are designed to be movable, and the suspension builds up in intricate detail. Inside are seats, driver con-

Learn how to do dioramas with a master

W

hen Kalmbach published Shep Paine’s definitive book How to Build Dioramas, its widespread success highlighted the continuing popularity of scale modeling. In addition to inspiring modelers, it convinced Kalmbach to launch FineScale Modeler magazine.

Now, more than 30 years Building later, comes a modern-day CHRIS MROS KO successor: Building Dioramas, by world-class modeler and highly regarded FSM author Chris Mrosko. As a professional artist and designer, Chris has worked with manufacturers such as Kirin Models, VLS, Custom Dioramics, Miniatures PMC, Warriors, and New World Miniatures.

In 120 colorful pages, Chris explains how to build dioramas that showcase models and create dramatic scenes. You’ll learn about constructing and painting bases, groundwork, water, streets and sidewalks, buildings, and other structures as Chris shows the fundamentals of composition, construction and design, airbrushing and finishing, shading and weathering, how to cast resin parts, and much more — including examples by renowned modelers such as Dan Capuano, David Manter, Robert Doepp, Carlos Startin, Masaya Saito, and Chris’ longtime modeling associate and special-effects maestro John Rosengrant, whose work can be seen in major motion pictures such as the “Terminator” series, “Jurrasic Park,” “Aliens,” “Predator,” “Avatar,” “John Carter of Mars,” and “Iron Man.” Building Dioramas is available in bookstores, hobby shops, and from Kalmbach (800-533-6644; 262-7968776 international). The softcover book costs $21.99.

Building Diorama s

t’s always thrilling to see a new real-space kit show up, but Revell Germany’s 1/144 scale SpaceShipTwo is one of the more unusual.

Currently undergoing testing, the vehicle is Virgin Galactic’s endeavor to take tourists to the edge of space.

Revell’s 1/144 scale kit (No. 04842) includes the ship as well as White Knight Two, which carried the rocket-powered craft to 50,000 feet before releasing it for its climb to 361,000 feet. More than 500 passengers have already signed up for the trip.

Molded in white plastic,

BOOKSHELF

trols, a fuel tank, and storage boxes.

The molding is exceptional, especially around the radiator grille and open engine louvers. The tires are vinyl. No figures are included.

In a nice, rarely seen touch, Asuka includes the part names in the instructions.

Decals provide markings for three Bantam cars: two American, including a curious example bearing a “Just Married” sign, and a four-color camouflage vehicle in British service in Libya in 1942.

Distributed in the U.S. by Pacific Coast Models, 707-538-4850, www.pacmodels. com, the Bantam costs $39.95.

July 2014

Dioramas

www.FineScale.com

13

New Products Compiled by Monica Freitag

AIRCR AFT

P-38 Lightning landing gear (for Revell) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

1/32 SCALE KITS

1/48 SCALE KITS

No. 32083, $19.95.

Westland Mk.II Lysander from Hawk,

No. HL410/12, $17.49.

Gloster Meteor F.4 from HK Models,

Vega Winnie Mae from Linberg Lockheed,

No. 01E06, $89.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

T-38A Talon from Trumpeter, No. 02852,

T-6 Texan from Kitty Hawk, No. KH32001,

Stearman PT-17 from Revell, No. 85-5264,

$79.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

$16.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

No. HL502/12, $14.99. From Lindberg Line.

$34.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

F-21 IAF Kfir C1/USMC F-21A Lion from Kinetic, No. K48053, $46.

MiG-29 “Fulcrum” early-type 9-12 from G.W.H., No. L4814, $102.

Roland D.VIb from Wingnut Wings,

Fouga CM.170 Magister from Kinetic,

No. 32017, $69.

No. K48051, $50. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

1/32 DETAIL SETS Nakajima Ki-84 “Frank” landing gear (for Hasegawa) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 32006A, $14.95. Reissued

set with addition of tail wheel.

Nakajima Ki-43 “Oscar” landing gear (for Hasegawa) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 32011A, $14.95. Reissued

set with addition of tail wheel.

T-6 Texan landing gear (for Kitty Hawk) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

F-5B Freedom Fighter from Kinetic,

No. K48021, $40.

No. 32080, $14.95.

Kawanishi N1K2-J “George” landing gear (for Hasegawa) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 32081, $16.95.

Gloster Meteor landing gear (for HK Models) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 32082, $22.95.

14 FineScale Modeler July 2014

T-38A Talon “NASA” from Wolfpack,

No. WP10002, $40. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT More than 13,000 product listings online at FineScale.com/Products

F-35 Joint Strike fighter from Caracal Models, No. CD48049, $14.99. Six marking

options.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb from Xtradecal, No. X48132, $13.50.

1/72 SCALE KITS

DH.112 Venom NF.3 from Cyber-hobby,

No. 5116, $36.95. Golden Wings Series.

Grumman EA-6B Prowler from Kinetic,

No. K48044, $55.

Dornier Do 17Z German bomber Lindberg, No. HL414/12, $14.99.

1/48 DETAIL SETS SH-2 Seasprite landing gear (for Kitty Hawk) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 48251, $14.95.

CH-53/MH-53 landing gear (for Academy) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 48252, $14.95.

A-6 Intruder langing gear (for HobbyBoss) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 48253, $18.95.

J7W1 Shinden landing gear (for ZoukeiMura) from Scale Aircraft Conversions

No. 48254, $16.95.

Lavochkin La-5 landing gear (for Zvezda/ Eduard) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 48255, $13.95.

T-38 Talon landing gear (for Trumpeter) from Scale Aircraft Conversions

No. 48256, $13.95.

Fouga Magister landing gear (2 sets) (for Kinetic and Wingman) from No. 48257,

$17.95.

1/48 DECAL SETS International PC-6 Turboporter from Max Decals, No. MAX4824, $16.95.

Swedish AF seaplanes T2, Tp 24, Tp 47 from Maestro Decals, No. MMD4808,

$21.25.

USAF T-38 Part 2, No.

CD48057, $14.99; US Navy/US Marines AD-5/A-1E Skyraider,

No. CD48050, $15.99; Air National Guard F-101B Part 2: Minnesota, North Dakota and Texas ANG,

No. CD48058, $14.99. From Caracal Models.

Manufacturer/Distributor Directory Aero Research Co. www.AeroResearchCDs.com Caracal Models www.caracalmodels.com Dragon Models USA Inc. 626-968-0322 www.dragonmodelsusa.com • Aoshima • Bronco • Cyber-hobby • Dragon • Fine Molds • Fujimi • G.W.H. • Master Box • Platz • Riich • Showcase Models Australia • Zvezda • Concord • Firefly Books • Nuts & Bolts Books Friulmodel www.friulmodel.com Full Circle Hobbies 514-747-2812 www.fullcirclehobbies.com Hannants 44-1502-517444 www.hannants.co.uk • Xtradecal • Xtrakit

Max Decals 353-1-8387635 www.maxdecals.com

Revell Germany www.revell.de Round 2 574-243-3000 www.round2corp.com • AMT • MPC • Polar Lights • Lindberg • Hawk

Merit International 626-912-2212 www.merit-intl.com • Merit • AFV Club • Kinetic Modern Hobbies 519-591-5636 www.modern-hobbies.com

Scale Aircraft Conversions 214-477-7163 scaleaircraftconversions.com

Mr. Black Publications www.mrblackpublications.com Pacific Coast Models, Inc. 707-538-4850 www.pacmodels.com • HK Models • Takom • Pacific Coast • Amusing Hobby • Asuka • Ebbro • Kitty Hawk • Panda • Xactscale

Specialty Press 651-277-1400 www.specialtypress.com • Ginter • Crecy • Hikoki • Zenith • Classic Sprue Brothers www.spruebrothers.com Stevens International 856-435-1555 www.stevenshobby.com • Trumpeter • Meng • Noys Miniatures

ParaGrafix 508-431-9800 www.ParaGrafix.biz Peregrine Publishing 516-759-1089

Tamiya America Inc. 949-362-2240 www.tamiyausa.com

Maestro Models 46-8-825206 www.maestromodels.com

Plus Model 38-7220111 www.plusmodel.cz

True Scene Modeling 716-523-7305 www.truescene.com

Maus Werx Miniature Masterpiece www.mauswerx.com

Revell 847-758-3200 www.revell.com

Wingnut Wings www.wingnutwings.com Zenith Press 612-344-8100 www.zenithpress.com

July 2014

www.FineScale.com

15

New Products 1/72 DECAL SETS Swedish AF seaplanes T2, Tp 24, Tp 47 from Maestro Decals, No. MMD7211, $76.

C-46 Commando BOAC from Maestro Decals, No. MMD7208, $18.

J33 Venom from Maestro Decals,

No. MMD7209, $18. de Havilland DH.100 Vampire — Foreign Operators from Xtradecal, No. X72192; Hawker Hurricane Mk.I fabric wing from Xtradecal, No. X72193, $13.50.

“Top Gun” F-14A Tomcat from AMT,

MBV2S Target winch pod for Swedish and Swiss aircraft Maestro Models,

No. MMK4872, $27.50.

BK M90/DWS 39 Mjölner - gliding standoff submunition dispenser for Saab 37 Viggen & JAS39 Gripen from Maestro Models, No. K4875, $27.50.

Saab J29A/B Tunnan for Rebell Hobby from Maestro Models, No. MMP7229,

$15.20.

1/100 SCALE KITS

No. AMT887/12, $29.95.

Titan IIIc with rocket boosters from MPC,

No. MPC790/6, $35.99.

1/144 SCALE KITS Cold War UK heavy bomber dispersal print from Noy’s Miniatures, NM14417

$4.95, NM72017 $21.70.

S-61A Sea King “Antarctica Observation” from Cyber-hobby, No. 5111, $39.95.

Smart Kit.

AR MOR

1/72 DETAIL SETS AN/ALQ-131(V) ECM pod from Modern Hobbies, No. MH036, $5.

A-10C update set (for Italeri) from Modern Hobbies, No. MH014, $16.

Harrier GR.1/3, AV-8A landing gear (for Airfix) from Modern Hobbies, No. 72083,

1/32 SCALE KITS SpaceShipTwo & White Knight Two from Revell Germany, No. 04842, $28.95.

$12.95.

Tornado GR.1/IDS/ERC landing gear (for Revell) from Modern Hobbies, No. 72084,

$12.95. New tooling releases beginning in 1998 to present.

Su-24 Fencer landing gear (for Dragon, Italeri, Revell and Zvezda) from Scale Aircraft Conversions No. 72085, $14.95.

M47 Patton tank with combat crew of 5 from Revell, No. 85-7821, $28.95. Renwal

Blueprint Models.

1/35 SCALE KITS R.A.F. TSR.2 from G.W.H., No. L1003, $43.

Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

1/144 DETAIL SETS TSR.2 landing gear (for G.W.H.) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 14416,

$11.95.

1/144 DECAL SETS F-15E cockpit set (for Hasegawa) from Modern Hobbies, No. MH035, $16.50.

Included cockpit tub, pilot front instrument panel, WSO rear instrument pane and ACES II ejection sets.

16 FineScale Modeler July 2014

C-46 Commando from Maestro Decals,

No. MMD144001, $15.20.

OTHER SCALE DETAIL SETS Swedish AF 500 kg bomb (3 pieces) from Maestro Models, No. K4865, $15.20.

Canadian Leopard C2 MEXAS from Takom, No. 2003, $57.95.

PzKpfw VI Ausf E Tiger I mid-production with Zimmerit from Dragon, No. 6700,

St. Chamond French heavy tank Early Type/Iron Mask Man from Takom,

$64.95. 1939-1945 series.

No. 2002, $57.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

SdKfz 234/3 mit 7.5cm KwK from Dragon, No. 6786, $56.95. Premium Edition.

Nashorn 8.8cm Pak43/1 aug.

Geshutzwagen III/IV (SdKfz 164) from Tamiya, No. 35335, $87. Look for a detailed

1939-1945 series.

British Ordnance QF 6-pounder airborne anti tank gun Mk.IV on carriage Mk.III from AFV Club, No. AF35219, $42.

Churchill 3-inch 20 CWT gun from AFV Club, No. AF35253, $65.

review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

AEC Matador early type from AFV Club, CV3/33 tankette serie II (early production) from Bronco Models, No. CB35125,

$44.95.

No. AF35236, $74.

Jagdpanther G2 from Dragon, No. 6609, $59.95. 1939-1945 series, Smart Kit.

M103A1 Heavy tank from Dragon, PzKpfw III (5cm) (T) Ausf G from Dragon,

No. 6773, $54.95. 1939-1945 series. Smart Kit.

QF 6-pounder anti-tank Mk.IV on carriage Mk.III (Airborne) with crew from Bronco Models, No. CB35168, $37.95.

No. 3548, $69.95. Black Label, Smart Kit. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

A description of our new-product announcement and review policies is available from Product News Coordinator, FSM, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187, 262-796-8776, fax 262-796-1383, or e-mail at newproducts@finescale.com.

FineScale Modeler is not responsible for content of external sites linked through our site.

Visit our website at www.FineScale.com.

July 2014

www.FineScale.com

17

New Products Grouser Spud for Mk.II, Mk.IV, Mk.IV Tadpole tail, Mk.V, Mk.IX from Friulmodel

1/350 SCALE KITS

No. ATL159, $37. 65 Grouser spud.

Mk.IV Tadpole tail Mk.V, Mk.IX from Friulmodel, No. ATL148, $41. 240 metal

track links, two sprocket wheels, two idler wheels.

German sFH18 15cm howitzer ammo set (brass) from AFV Club,

ATF Dingo 2 GE A2 PatSi from Revell Germany, No. 03233, $31.95. Look for a

No. AG35043, $20.

detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

HMS Spiraea, Flower-class Corvette K08 WWII escort warship from Mirage Hobby,

No. 350803, $27.95.

1/390 SCALE KITS

1/48 SCALE KITS Q-ship from Lindberg, No. HL400/12,

$17.49.

7.5cm PaK 40/4 auf RSO mit Allwetterverdeck from Dragon, No. 6679,

OTHER SCALE KITS

$47.95. 1939-1945 series.

1/35 DETAIL SETS

German motorcycles and sidecar from Tamiya, No. 32578, $17.

Q-style Kongo from Fujimi, No. 421629-

1800, $29.95. Caricature model.

Soviet BT-7 fast tank Mod. 1937 workable track link set from Bronco Models,

1/400 SCALE KITS

No. AB3564, $19.95.

US M1 57mm & 6 PR 7 CWT(BR) ammunition set from Riich Models, No. RE30009,

$19.95.

Nimrod from Friulmodel, No. ATL150, $37.

270 metal track links with wire.

Type 95 “HaGo” from Friulmodel

No. ATL151, $37. 195 metal track links with wire.

US 21⁄2-ton 6x6 airfield fuel truck from Tamiya, No. 32579, $37.

SHIPS 1/72 SCALE KITS WWII ORP Błyskawica, Polish Destroyer 1943 from Mirage Hobby, No. 400001,

$27.95.

Russian Navy Osa-class missile boat, Osa-1 from Merit International No. 67201,

$145.

18 FineScale Modeler July 2014

SCIENCE-FICTION

MILITARY FIGURES

1/32 DETAIL SETS

1/35 SCALE KITS

BG Starfighter lighting system v1.1 (for Moebius and Monogram) from Piscean Works, No. MRE-VIPER, $75.95. Ready to run

lighting system with two engine flickering modes.

1/1400 DETAIL SETS USS Enterprise-E (for AMT) from ParaGrafix, No. PGX181, $24.95. From

ParaGrafix.

1/4105 DETAIL SETS Original Series Galactica photoetch set (for Moebius) from ParaGrafix,

Operation Marita Greece 1941 from Dragon, No. 6783, $16.95. 1939-1945 series; German Elite Infantry from Master Box Ltd., No. MB3583, $17.95.

1/48 SCALE KITS

No. PGX183, $27.95.

Includes super fine gridwork and raised details. From ParaGrafix.

F4F Wildcat pilot from Plus Model,

No. AL4034, $11.80. Aero Line.

1/350 DETAIL SETS NX-01 Enterprise (for Polar Lights) from ParaGrafix,

No. PGX176, $25.95.

Detailed airlock doors, complete shuttlecraft hangar, cargo bays.

OTHER SCALE DETAIL SETS

AUTOS

Space: 1999 Eagle (for MPC) from ParaGrafix, No. PGX177, $29.95. End caps

for the transport pod, service module doors, rocket engine inserts, landing gear enhancements.

1/25 SCALE KITS

Star Trek TOS bridge set (for AMT) from ParaGrafix, No. PGX178, $29.95.

www.FineScale.com featuring reviews, product information, photo galleries, and more!

1963 Corvette Sting Ray from AMT,

No. AMT861/12, $22.99.

July 2014

www.FineScale.com

19

New Products 1/72 SCALE KITS

701⁄2 Baldwin Motion Camaro from AMT,

No. AMT854/12, $21.99.

Italian Village Square from Full Circle Hobbies, No. FCHO77, $124.95. Resin cast

with multi-media parts.

BOOKSHELF

”Jack Reacher” 1970 Chevelle SS from AMT, No. AMT871/12, $23.99.

Scale Model Handbook Diorama Modelling I from Mr. Black Publications,

$20 soft cover, 96 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 2241-8105. ”Knight Rider” Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT) from MPC,

No. MPC806/12, $22.99.

MISCELL ANEOUS 1/48 SCALE KITS German heavy generator SdAH.24 from Plus Model,

No. 4014, $38.20. 31 resin parts.

From Plus Model.

20 FineScale Modeler July 2014

Scale Model Handbook Figure Modelling 9 from Mr. Black Publications, $20 soft

cover, 96 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 22411054.

Area 51 Black Jets from Zenith Press,

$40, by Bill Yenne, hard cover, 192 pages, 140 color photos, 90 black-andwhite photos, ISSN: 2241105418.

Horten No 229 Spirit of Thuringia - the Horten allwing jet fighter from Classic Publications,

$50.75, by A. Sheplev and H. Ottens, hard cover, 128 pages, few color photos, mostly blackand-white photos, ISBN: 978-1-903223-66-6.

Curtiss Ascender XP-55 from Ginter Books,

$24.95, by Gerry Balzer, soft cover, 72 pages, 145 black-and-white photos, ISBN: 978-09892583-3-3.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Jetliner collection No. 3; No. 2010, $12.95.

161 images of older airliners from the 1960s to 2000s; USN-USMC CAGs No. 3, both from from Aero Research Co., No. 1042, $12.95. 160 images of Navy and Marine commander aircraft.

True Scene Modeling Easy Model Scenery using FusionFiber, $12. 60 minute how-to

video for a variety of scenes.

TOOL S Sanding pads from Maus Werx Miniature Masterpiece,

$12.99. 1/4� round, 5 pack assortment: blue 220, green 320, red 400, orange 600, yellow 1500 grit. From Maus Werx Miniature Masterpiece.

Tweezer crossed type,

No. 021, $15; tweezer with hardened tips from Plus Model, No.

023, $14.40.

MiG-17 Fresco - Walk Around #22; F7U-3M Cutlass - Walk Around #19; A6M2-21 Zero - Walk Around #33 all from Peregrine Publishing, $10 each.

www.FineScale.com FineScale Modeler magazine receives new products from a variety of manufacturers on a daily basis and we are now able to share all of them with you through our interactive exclusive FSM product database. Click on the Product News link at www.FineScale.com.

July 2014

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21

Re-dressing a Bf 109 Painting, then overpainting, makes for a sinister Messerschmitt • BY AARON SKINNER

I

n 1943, to counter the growing threat from Royal Air Force night bombing, the Luftwaffe launched a campaign using single-seat fighters. Vectored toward oncoming bombers by controllers, the pilots attacked using illumination from ground-based searchlights and fires. Dubbed “Wilde Sau” (wild boar), the program led to the creation of Jagdgeschwader 300 equipped with Bf 109s and Fw 190s borrowed from day-fighter units.

Brian Geiger used Hasegawa’s 1/32 scale Bf 109G-6 to build a JG 300 aircraft flown by ace Arnold Döring.

A layer of Tamiya fine white surface primer provided a foundation for the Testors Model Master, Floquil, and Humbrol enamels Brian used on his Messerschmitt. He used a double-action airbrush powered by a Central Pneumatic compressor. “It’s nothing special, but I really appreciate the fact it has a small tank so the motor doesn’t run constantly,” Brian says. “My stress level goes down a lot without all of the racket.”

He pre-shaded most panel lines and a few stained areas with thin black paint.

“There’s no need to be exact while preshading,” he says. “Much of the effect will disappear, but enough remains to break up the large areas.” On the black areas, he post-shaded panels dark gray.

To approximate the steps used to paint the full-size fighter, Brian started with the original day-fighter scheme of dunkelgrau (RLM 74) and mittlegrau (RLM 75) with lichtblau (RLM 76) lower surfaces. He planned to paint the field-applied night-fighter camo over that, but admits to a taking a shortcut by painting the underside black instead of starting with lichtblau.

Brian airbrushed the camouflage freehand. He advises practicing on an old model so you get the feel for how the pressure and paint behave. “Find the limits of how close you can get, when the paint will spatter, and how thin a line you can achieve,” he says.

When it’s time to paint the real thing, try to relax, Brian says, acknowl-

22 FineScale Modeler

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edging that the prospect of mistakes can make the process nerve-wracking. “Take comfort knowing that most mistakes can be overpainted and corrected,” he says. “Have fun and take chances. You’ll probably surprise yourself with what you can achieve when you’re ‘in the zone.’”

To paint the mottling on the fuselage sides, Brian sprayed at 8-13 psi and thinned the paint as much as possible while maintaining opacity and not making it runny. “It’s a fine balance and something that I still struggle with,” he says. Test viscosity by airbrushing a material similar to the model. Spraying thinned paint onto paper or cardboard can be deceptive because the porous surface absorbs excess liquid, Brian says. He held the tip as close as possible to the surface and tried to mimic the sweeping motions the ground crew would have used with paint guns.

Once the basic finish was complete, he applied decals for the major markings with help from Micro Set and Micro Sol decal solutions. He skipped most of the stencils because they were obscured on the actual aircraft. But he added the white crosses on the upper wing, even though they would be blacked out.

He brushed Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface finish (PFM, formerly Future) over the decals to smooth edges and protect them during weathering.

“My first attempt to black out the crosses on the fuselage was too dark,” Brian says. “I moistened a cotton swab with mineral spirits, scrubbed off the dark paint, and got a second chance.”

The PFM prevented the thinner from affecting the underlying paint.

After artist’s oil washes and pastels, Brian “grounded” the plane by spraying a very thin earth-brown paint in the direction of airflow to blend the colors and add dirt and grime.

“The dark, ragged appearance of this night fighter demonstrates the desperate measures taken by the Luftwaffe to counter the Allied night-bomber offensive,” Brian says. “As a modeler, it’s liberating to make something war-torn and smudged.” FSM

Markings: A combination of decals from the kit and Eagle Cal’s Bf 109Gs JG 300 Part 1 sheet (No. EC88) mark the night fighter. The aftermarket set included color references and inspiring diagrams for the scheme.

Spinner: A resin spinner from Eagle Parts replaced the kit spinner. “The correct spinner’s shape really enhances the overall profile,” Brian says.

Weathered black: Adding a few drops of white to Testors Model Master enamel black made it a very dark gray, says Brian. By altering the density, he varied the appearance to replicate fading and weathering.

for the night Gun barrels: After replacing the underwing gun barrels with aluminum tube, Brian painted them with Humbrol Metalcote gunmetal. Light buffing and a little pencil lead gave the guns a convincing sheen.

Mottling: Brian sprayed spots on the fuselage with thin paint at very low pressure.

That allowed him to get close to the surface and keep the spots tight.

Cockpit: Brian added Eduard colored photoetched-metal seat belts and scratchbuilt foil foot straps. He replaced a section of the fuel hose with clear sprue. After highlighting raised detail on the instrument panel with a silver pencil and paint applied with a toothpick, Brian added thin clear styrene to the gunsight and a stretchedsprue handhold to the canopy frame.

Overpainted markings: After applying decals and protecting them under a layer of PFM, Brian airbrushed thin, almost-black paint. “It seemed a bit strange to apply decals and then paint over them, but that was the desired effect,” Brian says.

“This plane truly had a second scheme applied over a factory scheme. I didn’t want to lose that distinction.”

Paint chipping: Brian used silver pencil to simulate chipped paint on the propeller blades, the wings’ leading edges, and around the wing root where pilots and ground crew would have walked.

Meet Brian Geiger A MECHANICAL ENGINEER for a fiberglass composite manufacturer, Brian has been modeling since building Tom Daniel’s Red Baron hot rod at age 9.

After a few years building every kind of kit he could find, he started to focus on armored vehicles. “I was fortunate to have a history teacher who brought his own model tanks to class,” Brian says. “He gave live demonstrations of airbrush techniques.

Learning firsthand from an experienced modeler was a great introduction to airbrushing.”

Brian focuses on World War II armor and aircraft and celebrated his 50th birthday at the 2013 IPMS/USA National Convention. He lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife, son, and daughter, and is a member and webmaster of IPMS Boise.

Exhaust stain: Making multiple passes, Brian airbrushed very thin black and brown enamel from the exhausts aft across the wing root.

Brian painted his night fighter like the full-size Messerschmitt, applying the factory scheme and markings, then adding black.

July 2014

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1/35 Scale

A merger of an out-of-date German tank and captured Soviet armament, the Marder II D served mostly on the Eastern Front. Bronco’s 1/35 scale kit filled a hole in Bill’s collection.

Building Bronco’s

MARDER II D Careful construction, aftermarket tracks, and good painting produce a hard-hitting hybrid

BY BILL PLUNK

L

ike a lot of World War II German vehicles, the Marder II D repurposed an obsolete tank to produce an effective self-propelled antitank gun platform. Fielded in 1942-43, the Marder II D combined the PzKpfw II Ausf D chassis with captured 76.2mm Soviet guns rechambered to take German ammunition. About 200 entered service, primarily on the Eastern Front.

For years, the only 1/35 scale Marder II D was an inaccurate Alan kit. When Bronco produced one with modern molding technology, I knew I had to tackle this lesser-known Marder. I added workable tracks to model a vehicle serving in the Soviet Union in September 1943.

24 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

1 Even modern kits need cleanup. Bill filled ejectorpin marks that would be visible on the finished model, then sanded them smooth.

4 Dry-fitting the road wheels, idlers, and sprockets verified the fit and alignment of the suspension.

7

2 It’s good to be square, especially when building a tank hull. Bill checked and rechecked the alignment of the hull while adding the interior.

5 Bill added kit details to the rear plate, including a photoetched-metal exhaust shield.

8

3 After cleaning up and assembling the road wheels, drive sprockets, and idlers, Bill built a short run of track to check alignment.

6 Once the glacis plate was fitted, the front fenders received kit-supplied plates for the tool mounts.

9

In back, Bill added the engine deck as well as the extensions for the gun crew to stand on and the brackets for the fighting compartment side armor.

Working on interior details, Bill assembled (clockwise from left) the gun mount, ammunition locker, and driver’s compartment roof.

Bronco’s detailed main gun can be elevated and rotated if care is taken during construction.

Hull and suspension

Turning to the hull, I attached rear-plate details, including photoetched-brass airintake dividers and the exhaust heat shield, with super-glue gel, 5. I annealed the heat shield over a candle, then used the kit exhaust as a mandrel to shape it.

I installed the glacis plate, vertical driver’s plate, and fenders along with the support for the gun mount and the angled braces for the fighting compartment, 6.

Next, I added the engine deck, air intakes, and deck extension plates to provide more room for the crew to stand in the cramped fighting compartment, 7. The hatches and other details were added to the glacis plate to round things out.

issues and minimize paint overspray. I assembled the large ammunition locker that is positioned under the gun and the base of the gun mount. The roof plate over the driver’s area received details with the installation of the radio and its photoetchedmetal mount, 8.

The PaK 36(r), a kit in itself, comprises a lot of delicate small parts including photoetched metal. It is movable if assembled carefully, 9. The design of the gun mount means it’s possible to slip its base in and out of the vehicle, making painting and detailing much easier.

Bronco designed the hull as a series of panels rather than a one-piece tub. I filled visible ejector-pin marks in the floor with Squadron white putty, 1.

Next, I added bulkheads, the driver’s seat and controls, and transmission, taking care to keep the hull sides square to avoid problems later on, 2.

I attached the suspension components, leaving the idler mount loose to adjust track tension later. The road wheels were assembled and mold seams sanded off the separate rubber rims. I also built the sprockets and idlers, and assembled a run of 10 Modelkasten links to ensure the sprocket teeth lined up correctly, 3. Finally, I test-fitted the sprockets, idlers, and road wheels with small blobs of Blu-Tack poster putty to check alignment, 4.

Fighting compartment The fighting compartment interior required working in stages to avoid fit

Fighting colors Before walling in the fighting compartment, I painted the interior. All paints are Testors Model Master enamels unless noted otherwise.

July 2014

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10

11

Blue painter’s tape and small “worms” of Blu-Tack masked mating surfaces during interior painting so Bill wouldn’t need to scrape paint later.

Bill wired the radio and its associated equipment with .5mm solder that he painted black.

12

13

Bill needed a little putty to fill minor gaps around the front plate caused by mild warping in the parts.

Squadron white putty replicated weld seams between the gun shield’s armor plates.

I airbrushed a primer coat of Italian dark brown (No. 2111) and followed with my preferred German dark yellow: a mix of equal parts light gray (No. 2038) and panzer dunkelgelb (No. 2095), 10.

After painting, I wired the radio, antenna, and power supply with .5mm solder, 11. Then I installed the roof of the driver’s compartment and radio operator’s seat. Burnt umber (No. 2005), stippled on with an old brush, added scuffs and wear to interior surfaces.

Give me walls I installed the large ammunition bin in the front, then added the armor, 12.

The rear of the compartment consists of a frame with mesh overlay that the kit’s photoetched-metal parts reproduce extremely well.

I used Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM, formerly Future) instead of super glue to attach the brass mesh to the frame. The PFM is tacky enough to hold the mesh in place but allows more working time and reduces the potential for the mess excess glue can cause. Capillary action drew the PFM under the mesh; I rolled a 26 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

wooden toothpick over the edges to ensure they sat flush as the polish dried.

To arms I returned to the gun and added the spaced front shields and side extensions as well as the seat frames and foul-weather cover support in the down position. I applied fine weld seams to the shield joins with Squadron white putty, 13. A test-fit of the gun and mount in the compartment confirmed everything fit.

I painted the gun and fighting compartment Italian dark brown followed by lightened dunkelgelb. While I was at it, I airbrushed the road wheels using the removable rubber rims as a mask to prevent paint accumulation on the rims. I primed the wheels with Italian dark brown, then airbrushed the tires gunmetal (No. 1795).

After removing the tires, I airbrushed through a circle template to paint the wheels with lightened dunkelgelb, 14.

Interior decorating I hand-painted the seat cushions with a base coat of gunmetal followed by multiple dry-brushed passes of leather (No. 1736),

the lightened dunkelgelb mix, leather again, and finally a very light pass of gunmetal for a worn appearance, 15.

I scribed wood grain into the jack block with the tip of a square needle file. After a base coat of lightened dunkelgelb, the block received a wash of thinned leather to highlight the grain.

I weathered the fighting compartment with a light stippling of burnt umber. After sealing the paint with PFM, I applied a wash of raw umber enamel (No. 2006).

Dry-brushed lightened dunkelgelb added tonal variation. Then I applied a wash of raw sienna (No. 2008), 16. Further drybrushing and a pinwash of burnt umber enamel finished the process; Model Master lusterless flat (No. 1960) from a spray can sealed the layers.

I drilled out the gunner’s sight with a pin vise and added a spot of chrome silver (No. 1790) to simulate the lens, 17. After lightly scuffing the gun and shield with stippled burnt umber, I sealed it with PFM, then applied a wash of raw umber. Drybrushing lightened dunkelgelb restored details. Then I sealed the layers with lusterless flat.

14

15

Bronco provided separate vinyl tires that made masking the road wheels easy.

For worn leather seats, Bill applied multiple dry-brushed layers of gunmetal, leather, and dunkelgelb paint.

16

17

The fighting compartment on a self-propelled gun is a hive of activity. To reflect that, Bill used multiple shades of stippled and dry-brushed paint and washes.

The gun breech and controls, along with the inside of the gun shield, received stippling, dry-brushing, and washes to highlight detail.

18

19

Bill airbrushed his interpretation of German dark yellow — equal parts Testors Model Master enamel dunkelgelb and light gray — over dark brown for the camouflage base.

To finish the three-color camo, Bill airbrushed green and red-brown freehand. He softened the contrast of colors with a mist coat of the base dunkelgelb mix.

Working outside I added the last details to the body — lifting eyes, foul-weather cover attachments, and spare-track holder — to the body, then masked the interior with blue painter’s tape.

I airbrushed the dark brown primer followed by the lightened dunkelgelb finish used inside, 18.

Working freehand, I airbrushed the camouflage, 19. I used khaki (No. 2106) for the green. The red-brown is a mix of equal parts leather and military brown (No. 1701). After touching up overspray, I misted very thin, lightened dunkelgelb over the model from about 12" to blend and slightly fade the camouflage.

After a protective layer of PFM, I applied a heavy raw umber wash to the road wheels. Dry-brushing with the dunkelgelb base coat highlighted hub detail, 20.

Running gear The lower hull, sprockets, and idlers received stippled burnt umber. I dryJuly 2014

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20

21

A wash of burnt umber enamel, followed by dry-brushing the base coat, made the molded road-wheel detail pop.

Modelkasten tracks comprise individual links held together by tiny plastic pins. An assembly jig is provided.

22

23

Bill airbrushed the tracks with a base coat of burnt umber, then drybrushed steel followed by a raw umber wash.

Tools add further color to camouflaged vehicles. Bill used Metalizer gunmetal for the metal parts, dunkelgelb and leather for the wood, and Italian dark brown for Bakelite.

24

25

Weathering started with an overall wash of raw umber enamel. A layer of PFM protects the paint from the thinner in the wash and allows it to flow more freely into recesses and along panel lines.

Applying a filter coat, Bill streaks blobs of light and dark enamels down the side of the Marder with thinner and a flat brush.

brushed Model Master Metalizer nonbuffing steel (No. 1420) to replicate worn metal on sprocket teeth and idler contact surfaces.

I permanently attached the road wheels but left the sprockets and idlers loose.

Modelkasten provides a jig to assemble the workable tracks, 21. Runs of 89 links on the left and 90 on the right side created the desired sag. An additional 10 links filled the spare-track rack on the hull, 22.

Exterior details I hand-painted the tools before installing them on the fenders and fighting compartment screen. For the metal parts, I applied a base coat of Metalizer nonbuffing gun28 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

metal (No. 1423), then lightly dry-brushed enamel steel.

Wood portions were given the same treatment as the jack block, along with a little burnt umber pastel powder. For the Bakelite handles on the wire cutters, I painted Italian dark brown; gunmetal was applied to the rubber end caps, 23.

I picked out the Notek light with Tamiya clear green (No. X-25) and the brake light with Tamiya clear red (No. X-27).

I applied the decals over a coat of PFM with help from Solvaset. A second coat of PFM sealed the markings and laid the foundation for weathering.

Weathering First, I gave the model an overall wash of very thin raw umber enamel applied with a round 000 brush, 24.

Over this went dot filters using small dabs of flat white, raw sienna, and the lightened dunkelgelb enamels. I blended the dots with repeated strokes of a flat blender brush lightly dampened with thinner, 25. The enamel paint dries quickly, so I work small sections at a time.

I left that to dry overnight, then used a burnt umber pinwash to selectively emphasize details and deepen shadows, 26.

A coat of lusterless flat tied the various paints together, removed any lingering

26

27

To emphasize the model’s well-molded surface detail, Bill used a pinwash of burnt umber enamels.

Mig pigments mixed with water and dish soap were applied with a sable brush and left to air-dry. Bill removed excess pigment with stiff brushes.

28

29

After swabbing the Marder’s running gear and lower hull with Mig dark mud pigment mixed with water and dish soap …

… Bill removed much of the muck with stiff brushes and cotton swabs.

SOURCES

Marder II D, Bronco, (No. CB35097), www.bronco-model.com, from Dragon Models USA, 626-968-0322, www.dragonmodelsusa.com Workable tracks, Modelkasten (No. SK-56), www.modelkasten.com, available from M&Models, 708-4237202, www.mmodelstore.com

shine from the PFM, and set the stage for pigments.

To weather the tracks, I used Mig Productions dry mud pigment mixed with water. Adding a drop of dish soap breaks surface tension to improve flow, 27.

I mixed Mig dark mud for the lower hull and suspension, 28, removing excess with wet and dry cotton swabs and stiff brushes, 29.

The tracks were added to both sides.

Then, the sprockets and idlers were fixed to established the right tension. I attached the gun and installed an RB Models brass antenna.

My Marder II D now stands ready to take on all comers. FSM

Using basic construction and weathering techniques, Bill turned Bronco’s Marder II D into a goodlooking replica of an important hybrid vehicle.

July 2014

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29

1/32 Scale

Chipped paint and crusty corrosion are two of the realistic finishing touches Marc gave his Wingnut Wings 1/32 scale Albatros D.Va by using the “hairspray technique” he picked up from the realm of armor modeling.

Weathering with An easy way to model distressed paint

BY MARC ROCCA

W

hen I returned to modeling a few years ago, I picked up right where I left off — all aircraft, all the time. Kits have changed, and today’s multimedia kits with high part counts suit me just fine.

But when I started building armor models, I quickly realized that the weathering required an entirely new skill set.

A lot of armor weathering techniques are unknown to aircraft guys. Even the terminology was foreign to me: color mapping 30 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

… the Spanish School … dot filters … the hairspray technique …

Hairspray? Given the sad state of affairs on the top of my head, I was glad to find a use for that aerosol can collecting dust on the bathroom shelf. As it happens, this is an effective way to distress paint on all kinds of subjects, not just armor.

It’s simple: A layer of hairspray is sprayed between two coats of paint. The base coat is the color you want to show through; the hairspray is clear; and the top

coat can be chipped or worn away by applying water and scraping or scrubbing it off the hairspray layer, revealing the base coat.

I learned this from armor modeling, so let’s try it on a tank — an aircraft fuel tank.

www.FineScale.com Marc’s Albatros was one of the many impressive aircraft you can still view in the FSM 2013 WWI Aeroplane group build.

1 The base coat is Testors Model Master Metalizer nonbuffing brass lacquer.

4 Apply a little water to the surface and, using a stiff brush, lightly scrub the paint so the water reaches the hairspray to start the process.

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3

After the base coat cures, the hairspray comes next. The effect partially depends on how heavily you apply it. The thicker the hairspray, the more easily the paint comes off.

5

6

Once you’ve gotten the effect you want — metal showing through worn and chipped paint — gently pat the surface dry. Removing the water stops the process.

7 Gently wipe away the artist’s oil, leaving a thin film on flat surfaces and a little more in recessed details. You can use a cotton swab to remove more paint and brighten or highlight.

Spray the top coat over the dry hairspray.

Again, the thickness of this coat helps determine how easily it fails. So does the kind of paint — acrylics come off more readily than enamels.

After everything has dried completely, use a soft brush to apply raw umber artist’s oil (a bit of japan drier speeds things up if you want). Wait 20-30 minutes to let it set a little.

8 And there it is! This a simple technique you can use creatively across a broad spectrum of modeling subjects. It’s fun, too! FSM

July 2014

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31

Reader Gallery

▲ DON STAUFFER COON RAPIDS, MINNESOTA

Don painted Revell’s 1/25 scale Olds stock car with Dupli-Color auto lacquer and posed it in front of a photo backdrop depicting the historic Milwaukee Mile at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis. The “Mile” opened in 1903 and is the oldest operating motor speedway in the world.

32 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

▲ NORM SHEPPARD

SACKVILLE, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

Using Monogram’s 1/48 scale C-47, Norm depicted CF-BXZ, a Maritime Central Airways cargo plane that crashed near Gaspé, Quebec, in March 1952. Norm writes: “The airframe is six different tones of Alclad II: dull aluminum for the fabric control surfaces, overall base coat of airframe aluminum, panels of white aluminum and dark aluminum, polished aluminum for the spinners, and semi-matte aluminum prop blades.” He replaced the kit’s passenger windows with clear sheet styrene and applied customprinted decals.

▲ SHINKEUM KANG YOUNIN CITY, KYUNGGI-DO, SOUTH KOREA

Shinkeum added a few of his own parts to the engine of Minicraft’s 1/16 scale 1931 Ford Model A and painted with Gunze Sangyo Mr. Color lacquers. He painted the rust effects with more Gunze lacquers and Tamiya enamels.

▲ CRISTÓBAL VERGARA DURAN MADRID, SPAIN

In the Kliment Voroshilov (KV) series of Soviet heavy tanks, an up-armored variant of the KV-1 was the Model 1940 KV-1E ekranami (“with screens,” referring to the bolted-on appliqué armor) carrying an F-32 main gun.

Cristóbal built Trumpeter’s 1/35 scale kit.

July 2014

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33

Reader Gallery

▲ CHUCK STEWART NORTON SHORES, MICHIGAN

Chuck modeled Wingnut Wings’ 1/32 scale Gotha G.IV German World War I bomber after the aircraft flown by Ernst Brandenburg, who commanded air raids against England. He prepped the fuselage and wings with Tamiya white primer, then sprayed Testors Model Master gloss white with a little blue added.

SEND US YOUR PICTURES!

▲ JOE DILLMAN ELBRIDGE, NEW YORK

You can’t beat this model! Joe converted Academy’s 1/8 scale Pearl drum set to his own Slingerland set. He says, “The kit comes in red clear plastic. I changed it using fine craft sparkles and many coats of clear acrylic paint. The interiors are painted to simulate wood.” Joe carved the sticks and made decals for the markings. Hepcats will note the resemblance of the monogram to that of Gene Krupa.

34 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Shouldn’t your model be in Reader Gallery? FineScale Modeler is always accepting new material from around the world.

Upload high-resolution digital images (preferably unedited, RAW format) with complete captions at www.Contribute.Kalmbach.com, or send prints or CD-ROMs to FineScale Modeler, Reader Gallery, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612.

Be sure to tell us the kit manufacturer, model, scale, modifications, paint and finishes used, and reason for choosing the model, along with your name and address. We look forward to seeing your work!

▶ KEITH SHILSON DORKING, SURREY, ENGLAND

Keith says, “After watching the HBO series ‘Generation Kill,’ I decided to upgrade my Tamiya 1/12 scale Humvee to the up-armored version seen in the show.”

Keith built an add-on armor package from styrene stock, cast stowage in resin, opened the roof hatch, and mounted a .50-caliber machine gun. The model has working headlights, turn signals, and brake lights.

STEVE COOK WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN

A top-line attack aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 1930s, the Curtiss A-12 Shrike represented the rise of air-cooled radials over water-cooled in-line engines. Steve built Czech Models’ 1/48 scale kit and says, “It was very challenging, but very rewarding at the finish.”

July 2014

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35

1/72 Scale

Designed to carry Saturn rocket stages for the Apollo program, the “Pregnant Guppy” was a conversion of the Boeing 377 airliner by Aero Spacelines. When the company moved to Santa Barbara, Calif., a young Jeff Thomsen got to see the gargantuan cargo ship for himself. As an adult modeler, he pulled out all the stops to transform Academy’s 1/72 scale Stratocruiser to a B-377 PG.

Carving out a conversion for a

Pregnant Guppy It took scratchbuilding, woodworking, vacuum-forming, and cutting up two kits

BY JEFF THOMSEN

T

he “Pregnant Guppy” was the brainchild of Jack Conroy, a former Air Force pilot who envisioned enlarging the upper fuselage of a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser (itself derived from the B-29 bomber of World War II) to carry Saturn S-IV rocket stages for the Apollo program.

Conroy had to put up a large amount of his own money, but he saw the aircraft completed within a year.

A former Pan American Stratocruiser was stretched 16' 8" inches behind the wing and flown to check airworthiness before the enlarged upper fuselage was built over

36 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

the old. To allow for handling outsized cargo, the Guppy carried a dolly on which the entire rear of the airplane could be placed and pulled away from the rest of the airframe. An enlarged vertical tail fillet increased stability, and the inboard engines’ prop blades were shortened to clear the new fuselage. The official designation was B-377 PG.

A realistic approach There is an old and increasingly rare Otaki/ Revell 1/144 scale Super Guppy 201. But I found the best way to build the Pregnant

Guppy was to do what Conroy did: convert a Stratocruiser. Academy’s 1/72 scale Boeing 377 airliner gave me a bigger scale, too. I wanted to represent the airplane early in its career, in a natural-metal scheme.

I had no useful three-view drawings, but the fairly accurate Academy kit and a good side-view photo of the plane helped me develop working drawings on my computer in Adobe Illustrator, using scans of the kit fuselage and wing parts and the photograph as templates. The drawings would be essential for cutting bulkheads and longitudinal formers to achieve the basic shape. A sec-

1 The PG’s fuselage was nearly 17 feet longer than Boeing’s airliner, so Jeff needed two kits to make the stretch.

2 Manned by a crew of five, the spacious 377 flight deck offers plenty of room for details.

3 Installing a main deck made from sheet styrene helped keep the fuselage straight and strong.

ond Academy kit would be needed to provide the additional fuselage length, 1.

I added photoetched-metal details from Eduard to the cockpit, along with an extra table, a manuals/chart rack, and other odds and ends, 2.

A main-deck floor I cut from sheet styrene helped align the fuselage extension and add rigidity, 3. Then I cut out the forward lower cargo door and detailed the interior with a main-deck stairway and some guesswork in lieu of references, 4.

The forward fuselage halves were now glued together and a 70.5mm extension cut from the extra kit’s forward fuselage to splice in just behind the wing’s trailing edge. I added extra strips of fuselage plastic for reinforcement. The rear fuselage halves were added to the extension.

I had to cut away some of the upper fuselage to install bulkheads. Using my side-view drawing as a template, I marked a line on the forward section where the new lobe met the old fuselage, then used a razor saw to remove the roof. I also did this to the extra kit’s rear fuselage to aid in carving wooden forms later.

New upper fuselage The new upper lobe of the Pregnant Guppy consisted of a cylindrical section

between a large nose fairing and the tapered aft section which met the original fuselage at the tail.

This modification was a little daunting.

Minimizing weight for the landing gear’s sake, I planned to keep most of the fuselage hollow with vacuum-formed components.

This would be a first for me — previously, I had only vacuum-formed canopies.

However, it was easier to form the “forehead” above the cockpit with bulkheads and putty — and I needed counterweight in the nose to prevent the aircraft from sitting on its tail.

Two bulkheads fitted to the fuselage support the forward and aft ends of the cylinder. I wrapped sheet styrene around a short segment of PVC pipe, taping it tightly, 5. I immersed the whole thing in boiling water, let it cool, and, after several tries, obtained a cylinder that would fit over the installed bulkheads, 6.

My biggest challenge would be the rear tapered section, a cone with the pointed end tipped slightly downward to meet the original fuselage at the tail. To vacuumform this, I needed to carve symmetrical right- and left-handed wooden forms.

I split a basswood block in half, lined the split with sheet styrene, and tacked the halves back together with white glue. Then

4 With no photos of it, Jeff had to imagine what might be inside the lower cargo compartment.

PVC Sheet styrene

5

Duct tape

The upper fuselage’s humble beginnings: sheet styrene wrapped around PVC pipe and ducttaped.

6 Boiling water and several cycles of heat and cooling gave the sheet styrene the desired form.

July 2014

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Sheet styrene between halves

Frame retains styrene sheet

7

8

Guided by drawings, templates, and part of the kit’s rear fuselage, Jeff used a band saw to cut basswood into masters he could use to vacuumform fuselage halves for the aft portion of the cavernous fuselage.

9

Jeff further shaped the wood with sanding, then primed it. Rounding out the forward (fat) part of the master with clay eliminated a sharp edge that could stretch the plastic too thin.

Oven heat softened the styrene before Jeff vacuum-formed it over the master.

10

11

12

Jeff used styrene structural shapes to build a framework to support the upper fuselage skin.

Carefully measured bulkheads and formers are cut from sheet styrene to support the forward upper fuselage.

Styrene formers stand ready to support the “forehead” over the cockpit and will let Jeff know where to stop sanding putty to keep the shape symmetrical.

New fillet

Kit part

Old fillet removed

Midsection Aft fuselage halves

13

14

The big bulge takes shape over the cockpit and flows into the expanded fuselage.

A continuous midsection and vacuum-formed halves aft are ready to be grafted to the lower fuselage.

Out with the old tail fillet, in with the new: The enlarged fillet is a sheet-styrene lamination.

I glued a drawing of the tapered section to the side of the block and profiled it with a band saw. The same was done with a top view, and I glued a paper circle matching the upper fuselage bulkhead to the front of the block, 7.

The extra rear fuselage now came in handy as a pattern for shaping the block. I held the block against the cut-out roof area and ran a pencil along the fuselage sides to mark the wood where the kit fuselage skin would meet it. This gave another reference for sanding, which I did by running the block over a large sheet of coarse sandpaper.

Even though I worked slowly and methodically, I still had to add wood putty where I sanded off too much. Once the wood was shaped, sanded, and sealed, I split it into

halves again and had my vacuum-form masters, 8.

I have a Kingston vacuum-former powered by a household vacuum cleaner. After clamping large sheets of .040" styrene to frames and heating them in the oven, I placed them over the forms with the vacuum running. Several tries finally produced satisfactory results, 9.

Using Evergreen styrene beams and strips, I built a supportive framework into the upper fuselage to which the skins could be attached, 10.

I began the “forehead” fairing above the cockpit by cutting an upper “keel” and several circular bulkheads and horizontal formers, 11. These would provide guidance while sanding the puttied area to shape.

Then I roughed in some strip styrene between the bulkheads as backing for the putty needed to fill those areas, 12. While I was at it, I stowed some lead fishing sinkers to weight the nose a bit more.

Whenever I need to fill a sizable area, I prefer Apoxie Sculpt two-part epoxy putty: It can be shaped with a moistened finger, sets in a few hours, doesn’t shrink, and can be sanded the next day. Its hardness is similar to styrene, and it can be cut and scribed like plastic. Once the putty had set, I was able to sand it down to match the edges of the formers, 13.

Next, I attached the three upper-fuselage grafts, 14, over the framework with liquid styrene cement and super glue. I cut the vertical tail and sandwiched a new tail

38 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

15

16

17

18

Jeff sliced and bent the kit engine cowl flaps to open them. Sheet styrene reinforces each flap.

Jeff cast fire walls in resin to close the voids visible through the opened cowl flaps.

Academy’s airliner kit did not provide the necessary propellers. Jeff made a spinner and blades to cast resin copies, inserting brass rod and tubing in their ends.

19

20

21

A PropMaster building jig keeps individual propeller blades properly pitched.

Gear down: Jeff strengthened the struts with metal pins, sanded off the diamond tire tread, and cut grooved tread in its place. The steering actuator is another resin part from Cobra.

In addition to enhancing the landing gear, Jeff detailed the gear wells with photoetched metal, styrene strips, and wire.

23 22 Jeff wanted his Pregnant Guppy to look relaxed, so he cut out the elevators, filled in with sheet styrene and putty, and made hinges for them.

Jeff ginned up a holder to draw lines. There is a tool made for this — a surface gauge — but a jar and masking tape work, too.

fillet from sheet styrene, 15, then sanded it to shape and glued it. I added landing and navigation lights made from M.V. Products lenses and clear sprue.

with Alclad II aluminum and Testors Model Master chromate green, a dark wash of artist’s oils, and dry-brushed highlights to bring out more detail.

Engines, wings, and wheels The fronts of the cowls were replaced with Cobra’s C-97 resin set, but I used kit parts for the rear sections containing the cowl flaps; I cut around each flap and bent them open, 16.

However, now I had an empty space that could be seen through the cowl flaps.

So, I cast resin copies of a fire wall I turned on a lathe, then attached them and sanded them to shape, 17. I removed a secondary set of cowl flaps from the body of each nacelle and later glued them open. Also, I

used exhausts included in the Cobra set.

The kit’s props were incorrect for the Pregnant Guppy; I made props and spinners from sheet styrene and cast copies in resin. The spinner master was plastic rod glued to a brass shaft and turned on a lathe, 18. After copies were cast, I drilled holes in the spinner to accept brass rod at the base of the prop blades. After painting them, I glued the blades with the aid of a PropMaster propeller jig, 19.

This plane’s extra weight requires strong landing gear. I super glued metal pins in the kit’s struts to firm them up. I also sanded down the diamond tire tread and scribed circumferential tread instead, 20. Eduard photoetched metal, strip styrene, and wire dressed up the wheel wells, 21. I painted

Other items To show the elevators in a relaxed pose, I cut them out from the horizontal tail parts and built hinges, 22.

Academy’s Stratocruiser has nicely scribed panel lines, so I needed to scribe some detail on the blank canvas of the newly added upper fuselage. After airbrushing Mr. Surfacer primer (decanted from a spray can), I marked the lines and scribed with a No. 11 hobby blade for straight lines and a JLC razor saw for certain curved surfaces. I needed to scribe one horizontal line July 2014

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39

24

25

26

It takes a fair amount of international orange enamel for proper coverage. Once the color was right, Jeff set it aside and let it dry for a week.

When he knew the orange was sufficiently cured to tolerate tape, Jeff went about masking to paint the blue trim.

A different shade of Alclad II produced ghosted logotype recalling the plane’s Pan American past.

27

28

29

More shades of Alclad II represented different panels and visually varied the natural-metal finish. Artist’s oils and pastels pick out the panel lines.

They wouldn’t be radial engines if there wasn’t grime around them — although this plane flew less than everyday airliners, and thus was usually a lot cleaner. The exhaust pipe is from the Cobra detail kit.

Scratchbuilt stairs provide a place for a 1/72 scale figure from Preiser, lending a sense of scale to the massive B-377 PG. To have the unique decals printed professionally, Jeff provided vector art to Draw Decal — which eventually included it in its own catalog.

from the tail to the nose, where it traverses crazy compound curves. Later, orange and blue stripes would be painted parallel to this line. So, I made a jig to hold the fuselage horizontal and another to hold the No. 11 blade for straight scribing as well as a pencil to mark lines for masking stripes, 23.

panels and sprayed them with a different shade of Alclad II to show where the airliner paint had been removed, 26. Then I masked other smaller areas and applied Alclad II polished aluminum, dark aluminum, and steel to vary the shades, 27.

I let everything dry for a few days, then brushed two thin coats of Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface (formerly Future) over all of the painted surfaces. After that dried, I used artist’s oils and pastels to pick out panel lines and add grime (mostly around the nacelles, cowls, and landing gear), 28.

I designed decals in Adobe Illustrator and had them printed by Draw Decal.

Paint and markings Alclad II is my usual metallic paint, and it requires an absolutely smooth primer coat — because the gleaming finish highlights flaws as well. I started the primer with Mr. Surfacer and applied Tamiya white spray primer to areas that would be orange.

Micro-Mesh sanding pads helped smooth those surfaces before I sprayed Testors Model Master international orange on the appropriate areas of the fuselage, engine cowls, and spinners. After a little more Micro-Mesh sanding and another, thinner coat of orange, I set the fuselage aside to dry for about a week, 24.

Next, I masked the orange areas, 25, and applied a blue I mixed with Model Master colors. After that dried, I masked the blue and sprayed Alclad II aluminum on the fuselage, wings, and tail. I also masked Pan Am titles on the outer wing 40 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Finishing up I had left the props and landing gear off until this point; I installed them with epoxy.

Having opened the lower cargo compartment, I cut a door from the second kit and detailed it with sheet-styrene steps and a retaining arm from my spares box, 29. I attached the door with brass strip at the hinge points; nonskid strips on the steps are black decal stripes. The folding arm is a part from my spares box; the tension cable is fishing line.

The kit provided pitot tubes and the upper radio antenna, but I scratchbuilt

SOURCES

Two-part epoxy putty, Apoxie Sculpt, www.avesstudio.com Photoetched-metal details, Eduard, www.eduard.com C-97 engine resin details, Cobra Company, www.cobracompany.com Custom-printed decals, DrawDecal, www.drawdecal.com Kingston vacuum-forming table, warmplastic.com PropMaster propeller jig, www.umm-usa.com Micro-Mesh polishing pads, Micro-Mark, www.micromark.com Preiser figures, from Black Forest Hobby, www.blackforesthobby.com

windshield wipers as well as various antennas under the fuselage and an anti-collision beacon at the top of the tail.

The Pregnant Guppy is an eye-catcher in my display case and a curiosity at model shows. It’s nice to have modeled a bit of aviation history. I’m also glad to have finally used that vacuum-forming machine gathering dust in my garage. Now I find myself dreaming up other projects for it. FSM

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41

1/72 Scale

A fan of The Weather Channel’s “Coast Guard Alaska” series, Don modeled HobbyBoss’ 1/72 scale HH-60J as one of the show’s brightly colored birds.

A quick and easy

HELICOPTER Build a TV-inspired Coast Guard HH-60J

BY DON STAUFFER

I

watch “Coast Guard Alaska” on The Weather Channel. In it, the Coast Guardsmen utilize HH-60J Jayhawk choppers for many of their rescue operations. Painted in a striking red and white scheme, the Coastie Jayhawk seemed to me a perfect reason to build my first helicopter in years. I bought HobbyBoss’ 1/72 scale HH-60J with Coast Guard markings — no need to modify the kit or make decals on my computer. I could build it out of the box!

Getting started I noticed the kit included a color, threeview illustration of the Jayhawk’s exterior, but nothing concerning the helicopter’s interior. I copied an episode of “Coast Guard Alaska” and Googled “HH-60J 42 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Coast Guard.” The search revealed dozens of great images, including interior shots of both the cabin and cockpit. I even found the photo that obviously inspired the kit’s box art.

HobbyBoss has developed molds for several versions of HH-60, which means the kit contains many near-duplicate parts.

I had to check and double-check the sprue identification and the part number.

Beginning with the floor, I drilled holes to mount the chopper’s seats, carefully comparing the instructions to the part to make sure I cleared the correct indentations, 1.

Next, I primed all the interior parts as well as the interiors and exteriors of the fuselage halves. I find priming essential for painting large areas gloss white. A 1:1 mix

of intermediate blue and flat blue went down inside the chopper, covering the interior walls, ceiling, and rear bulkhead (I used Testors or Testors Model Master enamels throughout the build). The main cabin door and the two port-side hatches received a coat, too. I painted the floor intermediate blue.

After masking the main cabin on both fuselage halves and the floor, I airbrushed the cockpit with a 5:1 mix of flat black to schwarzgrau, 2.

Seats and cockpit The canvas seats are red webbing over an aluminum frame. For the correct effect, I used flat aluminum for the exposed metal and flat red for the webbing. My references showed the shoulder belts neatly stowed

Floor Ceiling

1

2

The interior floor required Don to drill holes for the seats. “Make sure you drill the right ones!” he says.

with differently colored straps. I decided to paint the forward sets dark sea blue and the aft sets sandgelb.

After gluing the console between the pilot seats and the instrument panel to the front of the cockpit floor, I drilled holes in the console with a microbit and pin vise.

Short lengths of fine copper wire were inserted into the holes to represent switches. I painted some red to mimic switch guards; the rest were painted silver.

The instrument panel was painted black.

Once it had dried, I added a dab of gloss clear to the gauges, 3.

I finished the aft cabin seats and cockpit seats similarly: gunmetal on the framework, the middle areas of the cushions intermediate blue, and schwarzgrau for the very top portion of the upholstery.

Shoulder harnesses are molded into the seats, but no lap belts. I added the latter with masking tape cut to the same width as the shoulder straps. Both shoulder straps and lap belts were colored schwarzgrau.

Be sure to scrape excess paint from the seats’ gluing surfaces before attaching them, 4. It will save you time and a mess later on.

Bulkhead

Hatches

Don painted the interior a custom mixed blue, with flat black for the cockpit and intermediate blue for the floor.

3

4

Don added a few switches on the console and used a tooth pick to place gloss clear in the instrument panel gauges.

After painting the seats, make sure to scrape the glue attachment point clean to get a solid join.

Hoist cable

Equipment case

Hoses

Just have to add detail At this point, my dream of an out-of-thebox build evaporated. Even with the seats mounted in the cabin, it was just too bare. I fashioned a medical bag and an equipment case from 3⁄8" square basswood strip. I painted both flat red. The carrying strap of the medical bag is masking tape; I added a groove in the equipment case’s lid.

Photos show hoses hanging from the ceiling in the cabin and coiled cable for the hoist control near the main door. I represented the hoses with copper wire shaped to match my photographs. To make the cable, I coiled copper wire around a thin brass rod, stretched the coil like a sprung spring, and glued the ends to the ceiling in the appropriate spots next to the door, 5.

Main door

Medical bag

5 After consulting his references, Don detailed the cabin interior with hoses and cables made from copper wire, as well as a medical bag and equipment case fashioned from basswood.

The fuselage I dry-fit the cabin and cockpit assembly into the fuselage halves and found the fit too snug. After filing down the locator tabs a bit on the interior, I secured the cabin and cockpit into one side of the chopper’s body with super glue. A little super glue on the

locators for the floor and ceiling and I slipped the other fuselage half in place.

The landing gear and cargo pods would be a pain if not impossible to mask adequately, so I left them off until the end and painted them separately. However, I did attach the pod mounting sponsons, the July 2014

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Toothpick

Toothpicks

Tissue paper

6

7

Tissue in the landing gear wells and toothpicks in the landing gear locator holes protected the chopper’s interior from wayward paint. “With more foresight, I would have left off the sponsons, hoist, and antennas, painting them separately,” Don says.

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9

With the fuselage primed and the seams filled, Don is ready to airbrush some gloss white.

cable hoist and the two antennas on top of the fuselage. Bad idea! These made painting and masking a nightmare and could have been added after painting, 6.

At this point, I added all of the clear parts to the model and masked with Tamiya tape. Just a little bit of filler was needed around a couple of windows; nothing major.

I glued the port hatches closed.

However, I wanted to pose the main door open. I worked a bit of poster putty into a thin rope and wound it around the opening in the fuselage. Then I pressed the door into the putty until it stayed put. A little careful knife work trimmed away any excess poster putty that had oozed out of the seam.

I temporarily filled the locator holes for the landing gear with toothpicks and trimmed them, leaving enough to grab for removal. Wet tissue paper filled the large fairings on either side of the fuselage, 7.

I primed the fuselage, 8, and then airbrushed two coats of gloss white. When the 44 FineScale Modeler

A 1⁄2" styrene tube with a single layer of masking tape wrapped around one end fit snugly into the rotor mast and made a convenient handle for painting.

July 2014

Now that the gloss white has dried, it’s time to mask for the high-visibility red. Don recommends leaving off the sponsons, hoist, and antennas to simplify this process.

paint was thoroughly dry, I began masking again, which was tricky because some of the color lines cross several compound curves and need to remain straight, 9. Right about now is when I wished I’d left off the antennas, sponsons, and hoist. But there was nothing for it except to plunge ahead.

I sealed the edges of the masks with a light shot of gloss white and then proceeded to lay down a coat of gloss red. As soon as the red was dry, I removed the masks.

To paint the nose, I put down a mask around the forward portion of the fuselage, then slipped a plastic bag over the rest of the chopper and taped it to mask. Flat black covered the nose, and I was able to go back and finish up the landing gear and wheels while that dried.

The rotors In photos, the main and tail rotor hubs appear to be aluminum castings covered with a protective coating. After studying my references, I painted each with a 1:1

mix of flat aluminum and flat intermediate blue, 10. The rotor blades are painted flat black.

After applying the safety markings, I thought they looked too bright. I airbrushed a thin mist of flat black over the rotors to tone down the decals. To make sure that the main rotor blades were square, I built a jig from particle board. I drilled a 1⁄2" hole for the rotor hub to fit into. The blades lay flat against the board and can be squared up, 11.

Decals and final touches HobbyBoss’ decals proved exceptionally thin. I found the best way to apply them was to slide the decal directly onto the model; picking up a decal usually meant it would tear. The upside to such delicate markings was that no decal film showed and I needed very little setting solution, 12.

With the decals on, I added the cargo pods and went to work on the main door, which needed some modification so I could

10

11

The rotors received a coat of flat black, while a custom mix of flat aluminum and intermediate blue worked well for the rotor hubs and hinges.

Don made a simple jig from particle board to make sure the main-rotor blades remained square to the hub.

12

13

“I added the landing gear as soon as I was finished painting,” Don says.

“That way the model had something to rest on other than freshly painted and decaled surfaces.”

The main door required some minor surgery so Don could model it open.

He used a razor saw and sharp hobby knife to remove the panel.

Despite some challenges during the build, Don persevered. Now his HH-60J Jayhawk looks fit for a mission over the Bering Sea.

model it open. On full-size Jayhawks, when the main door slides open, a little panel at the door’s rear creates a recess so it doesn’t contact the starboard sponson. I cut this area out with a razor saw and No. 11 hobby knife, then touched up the edge of the opening with gloss white, 13.

I scraped away residual poster putty and glued the door in the open position.

The tail rotor was permanently affixed, but I left the main rotor removable for packing and transport. The rotor hub was a little loose sitting inside the mast, but a little extra paint inside the rotor mast gave it

just enough tooth to keep the rotor from wobbling or falling out.

As my first helicopter in many years, and the first HobbyBoss kit I’ve built, the finished model represents Coast Guard HH-60Js quite well. I found it was a delight to build. FSM July 2014

www.FineScale.com

45

1/72 Scale

Frank likes building unusual warplanes, and Special Hobby’s 1/72 scale Brewster SB2A Buccaneer presented him with an opportunity to model a flighttest version of this little-known aircraft.

Big CANOPY, big DETAIL A lot of glass lets the front office shine

BY FRANK CUDEN

T

he Brewster SB2A Buccaneer Model 340 was something akin to the Consolidated TBY Seawolf and other prototypes that just didn’t quite make the grade. With the furious competition among aircraft designs just prior to World War II, the U. S. Navy had no shortage of choices. That’s why aircraft such as the Buccaneer never really made it to the “big dance,” so to speak.

It is good to see companies like Special Hobby issuing kits like the Buccaneer. With the frontline fighters and torpedo and scout bombers of that time being pretty well covered, it’s a pleasure to have companies beginning to fill the void concerning the lesserknown also-rans.

Befitting my proclivity for building ususual subjects, I happen to own the book Brewster SB2A Bermuda/Buccaneer (Ginter Books, ISBN 978-0-942-61276-9). In it are a couple of photos of an SB2A wearing a “Flight Test” scheme in 1943, complete with red surrounds on the national insignia. I was sold!

46 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Focus on the cockpit The Bucanneer’s long greenhouse canopy meant that this build would be all about the cockpit. To help in that regard, Special Hobby included both resin and photoetched-metal details, 1.

First, I sectioned the pilot’s canopy and vacuum-formed the remaining pieces of the kit’s canopy; the vacuum-formed parts would be thinner and clearer than the kit parts.

The instructions are vague when it comes to adding cockpit parts, but the detailed drawings make up for it. As I was installing the photoetched metal in the cockpit, I wired the engine and made cushions for the pilot and rear gunner’s seats from sheet styrene, 2.

To paint the cockpit walls and floor, I added a little white, red and yellow to a bottle of Testors interior green. Using thin stretched sprue, I added connecting rods to the throttle and mixture controls forward of the quadrant, 3.

Without locator pins, it was imperative to align the cockpit components correctly as I glued them into the starboard half of the

1

2

From the beginning, Frank planned for his Buccaneer’s cockpit to be the model’s focal point. Luckily, the kit supplied plenty of details.

The photoetched-metal spoke wheels, pilot’s foot pads, rudder pedals, and machine-gun armor plate were all attached using super glue.

Stretched sprue

3 Frank painted the cockpit interior with a homemade blend of white, red, yellow, and interior green. Connecting rods for the throttle and mixture controls are stretched sprue.

4 The cockpit parts fit into the starboard fuselage half. Without locator pins, Frank took his time to make sure everything lined up perfectly.

fuselage. I secured the lap belts and shoulder harnesses with Gator Grip white glue — it dries quickly for a strong bond, but provides enough time for proper positioning.

I painted the lap belts light tan and used an off-white paint for the shoulder straps. There is a slight difference between Testors leather acrylic and enamel paints, so I used both to add highlights to the seat cushions and pads, 4.

Outside the office Pleasantly, none of the cockpit components needed sanding or trimming once I sandwiched the fuselage halves together. However, the wings and tail planes needed filler, as did the cowl ring and the seams along the fuselage top and bottom, 5. While working those problems, I cleared out the depressions in the flaps and dive brakes with a micro-drill bit.

The landing gear fit perfectly, but I wasn’t happy with the detail.

I made oleo scissors from thin strip styrene and used a length of stretched sprue to add the pivot points on them, 6.

The gun ports in the wings needed refining; a twist of a drill bit opened them up. I secured the individual kit canopy sections in place with white glue to serve as paint masks. I took a chance and mounted the pitot tube to the right wing — luckily, it survived the rest of the build!

Before assembling the dive brakes and flaps, I airbrushed the interior portions Floquil caboose red, then glued the upper dive brakes in place. I backed each with low-tack drafting tape to keep paint from bleeding through the holes.

5 Frank closed up the fuselage, applied putty to the wing, stabilizer roots, and along the seam between the fuselage halves, then sanded it smooth.

To create the tri-tone flight-test scheme, I airbrushed Aeromaster intermediate blue, Testors gloss white enamel, and a slightly lightened Testors Model Master dark sea blue, 7.

The dark sea blue on the bottom of the folding part of the wing was done to camouflage the real planes while parked on a carrier deck. The bomb racks under my Bucaneer’s wings are photoetched metal that came with the kit, 8.

July 2014

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47

Kit canopy

Pitot tube

Oleo scissors

6

7

The kit canopy made an excellent mask. Frank temporarily secured it in place with white glue.

8

Drafting tape keeps the camouflage colors from filtering through the flap and dive-brake holes and ruining the red paint beneath.

9

Frank used a standard razor blade to bend the photoetched-metal underwing bomb racks to shape.

The red-bordered national insignia came from Frank’s sizable stash of decals. But even he admits that many of them are perhaps past their prime.

10

11

The first step in opening the Buccaneer’s cowl flaps was creating the illusion of depth. A strip of black decal does the trick.

Next, Frank cuts cowl flaps from .005" sheet styrene. He lines them up on drafting tape and sprays them to match the plane’s camouflage.

Decals and final details

individual letters! I hit all the decals with Micro Set and Solvaset and they settled right down, 9.

To give my Buccaneer some life, I wanted to show the cowl flaps open. To begin the process, I measured, cut, and applied a stripe of black decal paper to show depth beneath the flaps, 10.

Then I cut individual flaps from .005" styrene sheet. To match the camouflage pattern, I attached the flaps to drafting tape and airbrushed them to match the pattern on the model, 11.

While I have a lot of aftermarket decals in my larder, the only redoutlined national insignia I found were on an ancient A.I.R. sheet.

The yellow “FT” markings on the cowl came from an old Stopple sheet that didn’t have any backing paper. Working with decals from these sources required an extremely delicate touch. (I have to remember to update my inventory.) The Stopple decals were particularly troublesome: After soaking in warm water, they slid off as 48 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Silver-pencil paint chips

Antenna

Ammo belt Stencils

Data placard Feed chute Radio antenna

Plastic prop spacer

12

Gun barrels and cooling jackets

“It’s the little things that count,” Frank says, speaking of the tiny details that go into making a great model. He included a data placard from Reheat and telescoping tube from Minimeca for gun barrels and cooling jackets.

With the cowl flaps in place, I punched out a white plastic disc and glued it to the front of the crankcase to give the prop and spinner scale clearance from the cowl.

The antenna is .94-pound test fishing line colored black with a felt-tip marker. Tiny dabs of white glue made the insulators. Once they were dry, I painted them white, 12.

The ammunition belts came from Pro Mods (No. PMEB1).

While labeled 1/48 scale, I found they worked quite well at 1/72 scale. Bits of plastic tubing served as the ammo feed chutes.

I positioned stencils on the fuselage and wings using Ginter’s book as a guide, and attached the small ring-and-bead sight forward of the windshield from the kit’s photoetched metal. Black stripe decals from Scale-Master provided the wing walks, and I weathered them with some gray pastels. A Prismacolor silver pencil was the perfect tool for creating paint chips around the gun access panels and cowl, 13.

I added some exhaust stains and oil streaks around the cowl and along the Buccaneer’s belly. Floquil railbox yellow made a nice match for the spinner color; the prop tips are reefer yellow, 14.

The Hamilton Standard prop logos came from my spares box, courtesy of a sheet from Yellow-Wings (No. 48-077). FSM

Wing walk

13

The extendable radio antenna is in the “down” position and back below the canopy on the port side.

14 On the real deal, the aiming window in the belly proved unusable because it was continually soiled with engine oil.

“I can’t help notice the similarities between the Buccaneer and the SB2C Helldiver and OS2U Kingfisher,” Frank says, which isn’t surprising — all three are monoplanes with long canopies. “I’m glad to have the SB2A in my display case alongside those betterknown aerial warriors.”

July 2014

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49

Questions & Answers A clinic for your modeling problems

By Aaron Skinner

Ammonia and airbrushes Q I own an Aztek airbrush and almost ex-

An appeal for help annealing Q I’ve heard of annealing photoetched

clusively use acrylic paints. I read that you can use Windex to clean the airbrush and soak the airbrush parts. Should I dilute the Windex with water before I clean the airbrush?

metal. I think this applies to steel and stainless steel, not brass. How is this done, and how hot does it need to get? How can you tell? I don’t think a candle would put out sufficient heat, and the soot generated could be a problem. Please advise.

– Douglas Barone Buffalo, N.Y.

– Jerry Hammerhofer Mentor, Ohio

A Windex contains ammonia. Ammonia is a handy way to clean up acrylic paint, but it’s best avoided because it can attack brass, a component of many airbrushes. It may not be as detrimental to Aztek brushes, but I wouldn’t recommend soaking the parts for long. If you feel they need it, soak the parts briefly, then rinse with clear water as soon as possible. Better still, spray Windex through the brush after painting to flush out any paint, then flush it with clear water.

Rubbing alcohol will work on most acrylics, but don’t use it for Vallejo, Italeri, or Microscale finishes: It will turn the paint into a gummy mess and be a real hassle to remove.

Simulating fiberglass Q What is the best way to simulate unfin-

ished fiberglass? This is for fans and fan shrouds on Porsche race cars as well as seat backs on old race cars that were made of fiberglass instead of carbon fiber.

– Robert Sewell Jacksonville, Fla. A Looking at Porsche racing engines, the fiberglass parts appear to be a light yellowish tan. I’d suggest starting with something like radome tan, then adding a few streaks of dry-brushed dark yellow.

Look at photos for reference. At anything but the largest scales, I wouldn’t try to replicate the fiber detail.

Got a modeling problem? Our Questions & Answers column is here to help. E-mail questions@finescale.com, or visit FineScale.com and click on “Contact Us.” We are not able to conduct lengthy research, such as answering questions on markings and unit histories. We publish letters of general interest in the magazine; however, mail volume and space limitations prevent us from printing every question. Please include your name, town, state, and a daytime phone number.

50 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

A Annealing helps any photoetched metal bend more easily. It’s particularly useful for taking the spring out of the metal so it will hold its bent shape better.

I anneal photoetched-metal parts by holding them in a flame. The amount of heat needed is a function of the metal’s thickness. Thin brass may be best done over a candle. Any soot can be removed with a little alcohol. Thicker stainless steel may benefit from using a butane torch or something similar. Ideally, the metal should get red hot to properly anneal and should change color as it does so. But be careful: Thin metal can distort or melt if the temperature is too high. Start with minimal heat and work up. And, unless you want to end up with a hand like Gestapo agent Toht in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” be sure to hold the part with insulated pliers or tweezers.

The heat transfer can cause serious burns.

Getting the airbrush clean Q I used my airbrush for the first time in many years and proceeded to ruin a beautiful pearl base coat on a car model. While applying a clear coat, I was surprised to see dark specks of color appear. How do you clean an airbrush effectively? I thought I had cleaned it. Do you have to take it completely apart each time?

– Craig Bucklin Avondale, Ariz.

A Ensuring your airbrush is clean is important, especially when spraying lighter colors or clear coats after darks. I disassemble mine completely after each painting session. The manual that came with your brush should show you what you need to do to safely dismantle and clean it.

The areas to concentrate on are the needle, nozzle, and paint channel. Carefully draw the needle backward through a paper towel damp with lacquer thinner. (I use lacquer thinner for each cleaning session regardless of the kind of paint used; it will strip acrylics, enamels, and lacquers in

short order.) The nozzle can be tough. I use interdental brushes to get deep inside to remove any paint. Pipe cleaners — get the real ones, not the craft kind — are great for getting into paint channels and siphon tubes. Be careful, though. You don’t want to scratch the inner surfaces. Finally, after everything is reassembled, I blow more lacquer thinner through the brush to be sure it’s clean.

We published tips on airbrush cleaning and troubleshooting in the March 2012 FSM. You can order back issues from Kalmbach customer service, 800-533-6644 (international 262-796-8776) or online at www.FineScale.com/BackIssues.

Color on deck Q I’m building a Fletcher-class destroyer

and plan to paint the hull and superstructure haze gray. I believe the deck is a different color. Do you have any idea for the color and what brand of paint I should use?

– Charles L. Holderried Washington Crossing, Pa. A The color is Deck Blue 20-B. It can be found in Testors enamels weather deck blue 20-B (No. 2159) and White Ensign Models Colourcoats as 1942 revised deck blue 20-B (No. US 10).

Scales and history Q I have a couple of questions about mod-

el-kit scale: 1. Model kits always have a scale of 1 to some number, for example, 1/72 or 1/48.

Why does the scale use 1 as the numerator for the scale? Why can’t 2/25 or 3/48 be used?

2. Why are certain scale sizes always used to make model kits? For example, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72, and 1/144 are common scale sizes. Why doesn’t a kit manufacturer create a different, uncommon scale, such as 1/30 or 1/50?

– Kenneth Fadely Muncie, Ind. A Scales are fractions, which means we’re treading into mathematics. As a mathematician, I’m a good modeler. I’ll do my best to answer your questions without confusing myself.

1. Scale is a direct translation of the size of the model versus the full-size object. For example, in 1/72 scale, 1" on the model equals 72" on the real plane or tank. Using

1 as the numerator makes this easy to understand and keeps everything simple. It also means that when you look at a model, say a 1/48 scale P-51 Mustang, it’s easy to say that the real thing is 48 times as big as the model.

In the examples you cited, 2/25 scale means that 2" on the model would be equivalent to 25" on the vehicle. This makes calculations more difficult. It is easier to understand if we say 1/12.5 scale.

Most scales relate in some way to being divisible by 12 (1/12, 1/24, 1/48, 1/72, 1/96, and 1/144 scales) or by 10 (1/35, 1/200, 1/350, 1/700). Again, this makes scaling things easier. The chart shows most of the common scales, how the math works, and subjects covered in those scales.

2. There was a time when constant scale was almost unheard of and there was no standardization. Manufacturers marketed their kits by box size so it was easy to ship them in standard size cartons and for stores to stack and display the kits. These kits, from manufacturers like Revell and Monogram, are usually referred to as box scale, and some pop up from time to time as reissues. The scale is usually something odd, like 1/49 or 1/542.

In the late 1950s and early ’60s, modelers and kit makers began to see the advantages of standardization. You could build a collection and compare sizes. Aurora started with 1/48 scale, and Airfix pushed 1/72. Both make sense as fractions of 12, so it is easy to convert feet to inches. 1/48 scale is sometimes referred to as 1⁄4 scale because 1⁄4" on the model equals 1' on the real thing. Many of the other common scales are similarly based: 1/12, 1/24, 1/144, 1/192, 1/720, etc.

As modeling expanded, new manufacturers tried other scales; some of them caught on, others didn’t. Tamiya sold aircraft in 1/50 and 1/100 scale, easy metric conversions, but neither really caught modelers’ attention. Tamiya has since adopted 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32 scales. At some point, 1/35 scale became the dominant armor scale, although some manufacturers released kits in 1/32 and 1/48. I don’t know exactly why 1/35 became the main scale, other than the kits offered the best compromise between good detail and a convenient display size.

Most modelers have come to expect constant scale, so it’s unlikely that any new scales will catch on. FSM

Popular modeling scales Scale

1" =

1 scale foot = (fractions • decimals)

1/4

4"

3" • 3"

250 mm Flying models, steam trains

1/8

8"

11⁄2" • 1.5"

125 mm

1/12

1'

1" • 1"

1/16

1' 4"

3 4"

1/20

1' 8"

19 32"

⁄

• .75"

⁄

• .6"

⁄

• .53"

1 scale meter =

Prevalent models in this scale

Die-cast cars, motorcycles, steam trains

83.3 mm Cars, figures, motorcycles 62.5 mm Cars, motorcycles, armor 50 mm Cars

1/22.5 1' 101⁄2"

17 32"

1/24

2'

1 2"

1/25

2' 1"

15 32"

1/32

2' 8"

3 8"

1/35

2' 11"

11 32"

1/43

3' 7"

9 32"

1/48

4'

1 4"

1/64

5' 4"

3 16"

1/72

6'

11 64"

1/76

6' 4"

5 32"

1/87

7' 3"

9 64"

1/96

8'

1 8"

1/100

8' 4"

1/125

10' 5"

— • .096"

1/144

12'

— • .083"

6.94 mm Aircraft, ships

1/160

13' 4"

— • .075"

6.25 mm N scale trains

1/192

16'

1 16"

1/200

16' 8"

— • .06"

1/220

18' 4"

— • .054"

1/350

29' 2"

1 32"

1/700

58' 4"

1 64"

1/720

60'

— • .016"

⁄

• .5"

⁄

⁄

• .375"

⁄

⁄ ⁄

• .48"

• .343"

• .279"

• .25"

⁄

⁄

• .187" • .167"

44.4 mm G scale trains 41.7 mm

Cars, trucks, large-scale planes

40 mm Cars, trucks 31.25 mm

Aircraft, boats, cars, figures, No. 1 scale trains

28.57 mm

Armor, boats, figures, diorama structures

23.25 mm White-metal cars and trucks 20.83 mm

Aircraft, armor, cars and trucks, O scale trains

15.62 mm Aircraft, S scale trains 13.88 mm Aircraft, armor, boats

⁄

• .158"

13.16 mm Armor, OO scale trains

⁄

• .138"

11.49 mm Armor, HO scale trains

⁄

• .125"

— • .120"

⁄

• .062"

10.42 mm 1⁄8" scale ships, aircraft 10 mm Aircraft 8 mm Aircraft

5.21 mm 1⁄16" scale ships 5 mm Aircraft, ships 4.54 mm Z scale trains

⁄

• .034"

2.86 mm Ships

⁄

• .017"

1.43 mm Ships 1.38 mm Ships July 2014

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51

Reader Tips Solutions and innovations

By Mark Hembree

Baby, it’s snow outside

Need a light dusting of snow for a model?

Try baby powder from a paintbrush. Apply a very light coat of clear flat to the model.

Dip the brush in the powder, hold it near the model, and snap the shaft to create “flurries.” Repeat as desired.

– Richard Daymont Gulfport, Miss.

Old compressor for dusting

I recently replaced my 40-year-old compressor with a new one that has an air tank, regulator, moisture trap, and a built-in power switch. But could the old compressor still be of some use? Yes: I now run both compressors when I paint. I do the painting with the new compressor, but I attach a second airbrush to the old one and use it to blow away dust and cat hair (a real nemesis) before I paint. I could use my double-action airbrush to dust before triggering the paint, but if I do it that way I sometimes accidentally shoot paint before I’m ready.

Smooth and easy exhaust uselage halves often are split vertically, leaving a troublesome gap inside a jet exhaust, 1. My favorite way to fix this is to trace the outer shape on tape with a fine-point Sharpie, 2. Remove the tape, put the sticky side down on a piece of thick foil (wine bottles are a handy source), and trim it with a small scissors, 3.

Remove the tape, gently roll the foil, and glue it in place, 4. Best of all, it looks like metal!

F

– Pablo Bauleo, Fort Collins, Colo.

1

2

3

4

– Don Frankfort Hot Springs, S.D. Upside-down paint storage

Reader Tips in the May 2014 FineScale Modeler featured a tip from Gene Best for modelers to mark the tops of paint bottles or cans with a dab of the paint to make them easier to pick out from a drawer or tray. I would only add the suggestion of making this mark on the bottom of the container and storing it upside down. This seals a bottle, jar, or tin, extending the paint’s shelf life.

– Carl Sardaro Milan, N.Y. Scale-thin rigging

Searching for line that’s scale-thin for ship rigging or aircraft antenna wire, I found a brand of fishing line, Berkley NanoFil UniFilament, that is available in diameters Would you like to share an idea about a tool or technique? Send a brief description along with a photograph or sketch to “Reader Tips.” E-mail tips@ finescale.com or visit FineScale.com and click on “Contact Us.” Tips are paid for upon publication; if you live in the U.S., we’ll need your Social Security number to pay you. FSM obtains all publication rights (including electronic rights) to the text and images upon payment.

52 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Having trouble with a big seam in a small place? Pablo has found an easy fix using thick foil.

A butt join of the foil edges inside the bottom of the exhaust opening is easy to hide under the exhaust can, while the visible part of the portal is seamless metal.

down to .001" — yes, one thousandth of an inch! It has no memory (doesn’t curl), won’t stretch, and can be colored with a permanent marker. Braiding three strands in a rope-making rig produces realistic scale rope or cable.

– Glenn Estry Arlington Heights, Ill. Late fix for tail-sitters

Ever find out too late that your plane is a tail-sitter? I did with my Black Cat Catalina. Good thing I applied cement sparingly to the canopy, so removing it was easy. Estimate the amount of lead it will take to get the nose down by piling it on top. Next, cut the lead into small pieces

(about half a grain of rice). Then, in a small container, douse the lead bits with Elmer’s white glue and mix thoroughly. Now quickly work them past the cockpit into the fuselage, holding it almost vertically and making sure the lead pellets land where you want them. When the glue dries, the pellets will remain where they are and your bird will stand on its own.

– Jose Sanchez San Isidro, Angono, Rizal, Philippines Foiled again!

I was building an Eduard 1/48 scale Fw 190D-13 and I wanted to have the gun hood open. However, the part supplied by the kit was too thick. Instead, I used wine-

SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT More than 400 tips online at FineScale.com/ReaderTips

prepare them for gluing and painting. I soak the parts for 24 hours in Polident denture cleaner. You can buy it at any drugstore, it’s cheap, and it goes a long way.

After soaking the parts I rinse them off with a little dish soap and warm water, let them air-dry, and they’re clean as a whistle.

Primer and paint adhere well with no fisheyes, and you can pour the cleaner down the drain with no worries.

– Dennis Cermak Wine bottles are a handy source of foil for modeling. Ernesto used thick foil to make a scale-thin gun-bay cover for his Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Ribs of metallic tape detail the interior.

bottle foil. I cut a piece larger than the hood, pressed it onto the part, and used a toothpick to trace the panel lines into the foil. I even used a small rivet wheel to duplicate rivet patterns. Metallic tape from a home-improvement store made thin strips for the interior framing; I attached the strips with thin super glue.

– Ernesto Urtiaga Magnets for models

I have discovered a way to make magnetic hatches that snap into place perfectly. Get the magnets from Three By Three Seattle (threebythree.com). The rare-earth (neodymium) magnets, called “tiny mighties,” are 1⁄8"-diameter. Find a position with enough clearance between the inside of the hatch and the model, snap two magnets together to locate their poles, and mark the front edge of the mating surfaces. (You’ll need to know how to orient them later.)

Epoxy one magnet, mating surface out, to the inside of the hatch, and the other magnet, mating surface out, to a section of sprue. Snap the magnets together and prepare the model to receive the sprue end.

You may drill a hole for the sprue end, but — and this is critical for a true fit — there must be enough “play” for proper clearance.

You have to allow the magnets to determine the proper final position. You may paint exposed epoxy, but the magnets don’t take paint well. That shouldn’t matter if they are positioned well.

– Greg Hildebrandt

Telephone cable wire

For fine details or repairs requiring wire, I prefer telephone cable (the one that has red, green, yellow, and black). It is much stronger than regular wire.

– Alan Greene Brockton, Mass.

Homemade license plate

I started building plastic models again last year, and my approach is quite different from before. My third car model since my restart was the 1/25 scale AMT 1925 Model T Ford. I was dissatisfied with the kit’s “car show” license plate — I wanted something specific to place and time.

With a little trial and error I worked out how to design my own plate. I found a photo of a restored 1925 New York state license plate on eBay and copied the image to my computer. Then I pasted the image into my “paint” program and scaled it down, redrawing the plate using the program's pencil, fill, and line functions. I printed it out to check the size (it was 3/16" x 7/16"), sanded the raised lettering off the kit’s plate, cut out the printed image, and glued it on the plate. It looks OK to my old eyes!

– Timothy Canney

I have found a safe, nontoxic substance for cleaning release agents from resin parts to

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Winamac, Ind. Clean resin and dentures

I use small rare-earth magnets to hold underwing ordnance on aircraft. This allows me to remove the weapons load if I need to transport the model. It also allows me to change the weaponry if I want to depict a specific mission.

I also use the magnets to hold props or other delicate fiddly bits which might otherwise be damaged if they were glued in place on the model.

During the assembly and finishing of pylon-mounted ordnance, I can build and finish it completely before I snap it onto the aircraft.

Usually a small magnet and a guide pin or two are all that is needed to correctly position and secure the item.

Select magnets in mating pairs and mark them on the exposed sides to ensure correct polarity.

– Jack Brendle

Timothy didn’t want the kit’s car-show tags, so he copied and scaled an image on his computer for a period plate that fit his Ford to a T.

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Website Directory

Oviedo, Fla.

Fraser, Mich.

Also attracted to magnets

Workbench Reviews FSM evaluations of new kits on the market

Italeri Starfighter climbs to the top

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n its day, the F-104 flew for more than a dozen countries.

Italeri’s 1/32 scale F-104 is, to my knowledge, just the second release in this scale (the first, which I also built, was from Hasegawa in the 1970s).

The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was the over-scale engraved panel lines. The moldings themselves were OK, though some (such as the landing gear) were a little clunky and needed quite a lot of cleanup. Then there were the ejector-pin marks: Most were hidden after assembly, but some were still visible inside the gear doors, on the cockpit’s walls, inside the tail section, and inside nearly every door or cover.

OK, now for the positives: You get two gorgeous sheets of decals with markings for 10 aircraft: five Italian plus one each for German, Canadian, Greek, Belgian, and Dutch aircraft. I chose the Canadian markings because I like natural metal; the others wear camouflage except for the gray Dutch jet. The second sheet of decals is mostly stencils for the plane, weapons, and fuel tanks. If you like stencils, this one’s got ’em!

You also get four fuel tanks; two sets of wingtips and two wing pylons (the configuration I chose); two AIM-9L Sidewinders; 2 AIM-9B Sidewinders; and two Sparrow missiles. All come with appropriate rails and pylons with all the stencils.

Two different ejection seats, a MartinBaker and a Lockheed, come with appropriate photoetched-metal seat belts. Make sure you use the correct seat for the aircraft you choose. The cockpit offers the option of an instrument panel with molded relief, which is pretty nice, or a photoetchedmetal instrument panel. (Same options for

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Italeri has fitted the Starfighter with a detailed cockpit as well as the equipment bay behind it. The front office alone takes up the first 10 construction steps.

the side consoles.) But you will have to sand the detail off the kit’s instrument panel; the panel decals are fitted to the photoetched-metal panel. The reference booklet that comes with the kit is handy for cockpit and engine details.

The engine looks pretty complete for having only 15 pieces. It comes with two exhaust nozzles for the J-79 engine, the early 24-petal nozzle and later 16-petal nozzle. Again, know which version you are modeling. I used the color photo on Page 22 of the reference booklet for a painting reference.

The kit comes with a separate tail section, so you can display the engine and tail

section on kit-supplied dollies, display the engine in place in the fuselage, or just button everything up.

Steps 1-10 deal with the cockpit and various options like the ejection seats, molded instrument panels and side consoles, and photoetched-metal options. The ejection-seat rails (parts 27C and 28C) have little tabs on the back that need to be trimmed off to fit properly to the rear bulk-

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head. Instructions call for the rails and rear bulkhead to be painted red, but they should be dark gull gray.

Step 11 deals with the landing gear and the engine-intake trunking. Flash and molding ridges on the main landing-gear struts (Part 20B) require a lot of cleanup.

You also need to deepen the locator holes to accommodate parts B19A and B19B (gear linkage). Once everything is cleaned up, the whole assembly goes together nicely.

The fuselage halves come together with the option of mounting the engine in the fuselage or leaving it out for display (which I did). Before joining the fuselage halves, be sure to drill appropriate holes for rocket rails or strakes for your particular version.

Don’t forget the formation lights.

In Step 17, Part 9C needs some blending once it’s glued in place — no filler, just some leveling. In Step 20, you can pose the avionics bay open or closed. If you want it open, leave parts 55C and 56C off until the end of assembly and painting. The same goes for the Gatling gun.

Steps 21 and 22 present two choices for the intakes. Again, know your version. In Step 23, you have the option of installing the speed brakes opened or closed. I closed them, but I should have posed them open because the fit was kind of sloppy. The leading-edge slats and landing flaps on the

wings can be positioned up or down.

As the tail section comes together — and I’m getting tired of saying this — be sure of your construction options for alternate parts. If you pose the model with the tail section off, you’ll have to use photoetched-metal parts 11 and 12 (bulkheads for the rear of the fuselage and the tail section).

In the main gear bay, choices include wide or narrow wheels (regular or bulged) and gear doors that can be posed open or closed. Steps 32 and 33 offer a choice of ventral fins, strakes or no strakes, and a choice between the 16- or 24-petal exhaust nozzle.

The rest of the assembly deals with weapons, fuel tanks, pylons, and rails.

There’s a boarding ladder that I didn’t get around to putting together, but you’ll get one, too.

The decals were great and went down perfectly.

The kit has a few minor discrepancies, but nothing serious. It took me about 27 hours to complete — not bad! It was a fairly easy build after dealing with cleaning up the parts, and I can recommend it to intermediate modelers who have built a few kits. Just

Kit: No. 2502 Scale: 1/32 Manufacturer: Italeri, www.italeri.com Price: $175 Comments: Injection-

molded, 336 parts (26 photoetched metal), decals Pros: Good fit; variety of markings; nice decals Cons: Pesky ejector-pin marks, mold-seam lines, and flash; overly thick panel lines; no U.S. markings

remember that there are lots of options for all the different versions. Study the instructions, decide which version you want to build, and choose the appropriate parts. Then go to it!

– Larry Schramm

July 2014

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Workbench Reviews

Zoukei-Mura Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden

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he Mitsubishi Raiden, Allied code name “Jack,” was an interceptor by design. It was put to the test fighting the mighty Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

Zoukei-Mura’s newest kit is beautifully molded and engineered. The kit parts are crisp and cleanly molded in a neutral gray plastic. Options include full engine and cockpit detail, drop tank, interior wing and fuselage details, and posable canopy.

If you haven’t built a Zoukei-Mura kit, you will have a unique experience here.

From the extensive instruction manual to lavish detailing, ZM goes to great lengths to teach you about the aircraft you are modeling. This new Raiden is no exception.

Kit: No. SWS05 Scale: 1/32 Manufacturer: Zoukei-Mura, www.zoukeimura.co.jp Price: $88 Comments: Injection-molded, 244 parts, decals Pros: Terrific detail, from the

instruction sheet throughout the model Cons: Troublesome wing join; balky decals on fuselage

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I took time to study the thick instruction manual. I like that complex assemblies are illustrated with different views.

Construction starts with the engine. It is complete, from the intake fan through the air-intake tunnel leading to the twin-row radial Kasei 23 engine and exhaust system.

The engine bearer and fuselage fuel tank are added before this assembly is attached to the fire wall, creating one large engine/ cockpit module that attaches to the fuselage half. The cowling panels back to the fire wall can be left off to display the engine. If you plan to close up the fuselage, the eight major cowling parts need special care for a smooth fit.

The wing assembly has a fair amount of internal detail, including cannons, ammo boxes, and internal spars. The wing main parts consist of a top and bottom; I ran into a minor fit problem joining them together, a slight step on the leading edge of the right wing. I may have created this by improperly installing an internal part. I sanded out the step.

The cockpit takes a bit of time to complete as there are a lot of pieces. There are optional parts for the seat, with or without seat belts. Oxygen bottles and structural components are among the other details.

The instrument panel is given as a clear part with decals for the dials or as a solidcolored part. The finished cockpit is pretty impressive.

The wing-to-fuselage attachment takes some doing. The primary attachment points come from the cockpit floor’s verti-

cal supports. I had trouble with the wingroot joint. It needed filler where the separate lower fuselage panel joined the fuselage.

The canopy has an unusual feature, offering a choice of painting the clear parts with the kit-supplied paint masks or using molded canopy frames that are also in the kit. The latter are very thin and attached to an alternate set of clear parts. I tried both methods on my kit.

I painted my Raiden using the Gunze Sangyo Hobby Color range of Japanese naval air colors.

Decals are given for two Raiden schemes. Most of the decals applied well to a gloss base coat. The fuselage’s national insignia resisted the surface contours, creating wrinkles. One solution is to bisect them horizontally.

My primary reference was Navy Interceptor “Raiden” from Bunrindo’s “Famous Airplanes of the World” series (no ISBN). Also useful was Mitsubishi J2M Raiden: Jack, by Robert Pęczkowski (MMP, ISBN No. 978-8-39-163277-2). The instruction book has lots of information, too.

It was an interesting build and, compared with my reference photos and drawings, the model looks convincing. I completed it in 30 hours. Zoukei-Mura’s complex design is meant for for experienced modelers — but if you have the skills and are into large-scale World War II Japanese fighters, don’t pass this one up!

– Jim Zeske

ICM Opel Typ 2.5-32

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erhaps thinking it’s only another Opel Blitz, you may already have passed up ICM’s Typ 2.5-32 (1.5-ton) World War II German light truck. However, take a closer look: This is the 1.5-ton truck, a baby brother to all of those others.

The model is crisply molded in dark yellow styrene with clear windows and lenses for the lights and vinyl for the tires. There are several knockout marks and a little flash, but nothing too difficult. The parts fit well with a little cleanup.

Directions are printed in black and red with 40 steps as well as three side views of each marking choice. Detail painting options are called out along the way, with color references for Testors Model Master paints. Markings cover four vehicles: three in France and one from the Russian front.

The engine is well detailed and looks great under a coat of paint and weathering; all it needs is some wiring. Step 3 omits Part A59, but this part is shown in its proper place in Step 4. I left the engine loose of the frame for ease of painting and glued the radiator hose (Part A41) in place once the engine and radiator were mounted.

The frame comprises multiple parts. I skipped Step 8: It was easier to assemble all the major components of the frame first to make sure it was square. Then I glued the cross members from Step 8 to Part A64 and the sides of the frame, which allowed me to ensure they were properly aligned.

The muffler is shown glued to two posts on the frame; it’s not a lot to hold it in place, so it’s easy to break off. Remember to drill out the end of the exhaust pipe.

The vinyl tires are the real low point of the model: not much detail and a lot of flash on the sidewalls that is difficult to remove. They are also undersized, especially noticeable in the rear where there is too much space between each tire of the dual rim. There are replacement wheels on the market, designed for 3-ton Blitz models, which would serve this model well.

The cab interior includes all the shift levers, pedals, and door knobs as individual parts. The steering wheel is two parts with an outer ring glued to inner spokes. The latter (Part A32) came to me with one of the three spokes damaged, making it difficult to keep the wheel glued together.

Gauges are included as two decals. I left the

rear wall (part B11), doors, and seat cushions as subassemblies for easier painting.

I glued the grille to the hood and hood sides instead of the frame as shown in Step 28. Fit was good enough without glue to allow display of the engine. I glued the windows in after painting.

Instructions show the trailer-in-tow marker (Part A51) glued to the center of the roof — but there are two dimples on the inside of Part B14 that show where to drill holes for the pins on the tow marker. I also drilled holes in the headlights and where the spotlight was attached to the cab to strengthen their attachment. I saved the width markers and sideview mirror until after the model was painted.

The rear bed comprises multiple panels.

There is no wood grain molded into the wood sides. Three boxes are mounted to the bottom of the bed, but there are mounting tabs for four. Remove the extra set of tabs, but make sure they’re the right ones.

Why four tabs? There is no spare tire included in the kit, and this is where it would be mounted. Pictures show vehicles with and without a mount for a spare tire.

Cross braces A104 and A105 should be reversed in Step 33. Also, there is a little play in the positioning of parts B20 and B22 when they are glued to the bottom of the bed. Once they are in place, set the bed on the truck frame to make sure they are properly aligned. I left the frame, bed, and upper cab components as subassemblies for painting.

After seeing a vehicle painted in panzer gray with a sand camouflage on an Afrika Korps forum, I decided to add a camouflage pattern with markings for the truck in Russia. I primed with Vallejo German panzer gray (No. 603) and used AK Interactive’s panzer gray color modulation

set for a faded gray, then overpainted with Vallejo Model Air sand yellow (No. 71028).

The decals were thick, had a lot of carrier film, and were impervious to Solvaset, even over a gloss coat. Silvering appeared after I applied Dullcote. Furthermore, my decals were out of register. I recommend going with an aftermarket product instead.

I weathered with washes and filters from Vallejo and AK Interactive, painted small details with Humbrol paints, and added the clear parts after painting. The windshield and light lenses required only a little glue to hold them in place. The rest of the windows snapped into place.

With no photoetched metal and a relatively small parts count, this was a quick build — only 23 hours, including time to experiment with new paint and weathering techniques. Correcting the kit’s faults and perhaps adding a set of clamps for the tools would add a lot to this unusual German truck.

– Mike Scharf

Kit: No. 35401 Scale: 1/35 Manufacturer: ICM, www.icm.com.ua Price: $47.99 Comments: Injection-

molded, 167 parts (6 vinyl), decals Pros: Detailed engine; good fits overall Cons: Vinyl tires; poor decals

July 2014

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Workbench Reviews

Revell Germany “Star Trek Into Darkness” USS Enterprise

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evell Germany has released a model of the latest starship Enterprise, from the J.J. Abrams-directed 2013 movie “Star Trek Into Darkness.” Molded in white and clear plastic, the model features good surface detail. For those who like to light their models, Revell Germany’s design makes the job easier. All of the major assemblies are open to wiring, and the main and auxiliary hulls have clear windows.

A large instruction booklet features clear assembly diagrams along with extensive

painting and decaling information, and a huge decal sheet covers all of the markings.

Not surprisingly, only Revell paints are referenced.

I built my Enterprise in four main subassemblies: main hull, auxiliary hull, and the two warp engines. While adding the parts to the saucer, be sure to check for ejectorpin marks; while none are visible, some can affect the fit of parts. I added all the clear parts to the saucer because I originally planned to assemble it completely before

Looking at the model from underneath reveals how close together the warp nacelles are on the new Enterprise. It also shows that Revell didn’t scrimp on the details.

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painting. But I wound up leaving it in upper and lower sections until final assembly. Leaving off the clear parts would have eliminated some masking.

I assembled the auxiliary hull completely, leaving off only the main sensor dish (Part B39). All the seams required some work, but the poorest fit was the upper engine pylon (Part H35) and the bottom center piece (H29). I filled seams with Mr. Surfacer 500; poorer fits required a couple of applications. A few dabs of epoxy putty filled minor gaps where the front piece (H36) fit the body.

Assembly of the warp nacelles posed a few challenges because the Bussard collector assemblies and the rear clear parts must be trapped between the nacelle halves. I assembled and painted these parts, leaving the masking on the clear Bussard collector domes to protect them during seam work and painting. I left off the clear bottom details (parts B78 and B79) for final assembly. Stretched sprue filled some slightly larger gaps at the top rear of the nacelles before a final coat of Mr. Surfacer.

Besides updating the look of the Enterprise, the movie reboot also stars the Aztec paint scheme first seen on the refitted starship in “The Motion Picture.”

To create the Aztec scheme for my

Enterprise, I turned to Orbital Drydock’s excellent vinyl masking set. I was impressed with the fit of the masks, especially to the complex auxiliary hull and warp engines.

While prepping and applying the masks took a lot of time, the effect is worth it. I custom-mixed Tamiya acrylics to an offwhite (A color) and light gray (B color). On the main hull, I painted the B color first, applied the masks, then shot the A color.

On the auxiliary hull and warp nacelles, I reversed the order: A first, mask, then B. After a coat of Vallejo clear polyurethane gloss, I applied decals. They are very thin and a bit brittle. I also found that they were difficult to move unless kept wet (I used Micro Set). They responded well to Micro Sol, especially where they needed to conform to complex curves. The numbers for the inside horizontal stripes on the warp nacelles (nos. 71 and 72) are reversed on the diagrams. Just make sure the angle at the front is correctly positioned and you’ll be OK. While most of the decals fit well, I couldn’t get the decals for the inside of the warp engine pylons (nos. 60 and 61) and the trim around the bottom of the pylons (nos. 45, 46, 47, and 49) to fit. So, I masked and painted these areas.

I spent 67 hours on my Enterprise; most of the time went to preparation for and application of the masks and decals. But if you built it right out of the box with a simple all-white scheme, you could produce an attractive replica in much less time.

Because Revell Germany’s license permits selling Trek kits in Europe only, you’ll need to shop around to find this one. But if you’re a Trek modeler, it’s worth the search.

– John Plzak

Kit: No. 04882 Scale: 1/500 Manufacturer: Revell Germany, 49-05-

223-965-0, www.revell.de Price: $69.95 Comments: Injectionmolded, 91 parts, decals Pros: Good fit

and detail, clear windows, extensive decal sheet Cons: Clear Bussard collectors must be installed in the warp engines before seam work can be done; color guide for Revell paints only

Airfix de Havilland DH.82a Tiger Moth

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uring World War II, the ubiquitous de Havilland Tiger Moth was to Royal Air Force pilots what the Stearman PT-17 was to American airmen — almost all fledgling pilots flew it during their initial training.

Airfix has released a little gem of a model with its 1/72 scale Tiger Moth.

Molded in Airfix’s standard blue-gray plastic, the kit’s 42 parts are in scale and, therefore, very delicate. The only marking option is for an elementary trainer circa 1940.

As you might expect, construction begins with the cockpits. They are adequately detailed for the scale; I added only seat belts and harnesses made from tape.

Construction is straightforward and, with the low parts count, moves rapidly. Though I generally followed the instructions, I left off the engine cowling so I could insert an old paintbrush handle in the fuselage to hold the model during painting.

Just a tiny bit of filler was needed for the fuselage-to-lower wing joint. At this point I painted the model, substituting Gunze Sangyo and Tamiya paints for the recommended Humbrol colors.

I cannot overstate how delicate this model is. Be careful removing the masking after painting — hold the part in question and gently remove the mask.

The next steps were attaching the upper wing to the fuselage and lower wing. To obtain correct angles, the outboard (interplane) struts, fore and aft, are connected by sprue “crosses.” Instructions are to remove them from the struts once the wings are in place (more easily said than done). The interplane and cabane struts are delicate if not outright flimsy (in scale), so care must be exercised when removing these cross members to avoid breaking them. I used a combination of white and super glues to keep the wing in place. However, due to the thinness of the struts, the upper wing twists when handled. This comes into play while rigging the model.

Unlike Airfix’s earlier biplanes, there are no holes or dimples to use as rigging guides. I drilled my own holes at locations I determined from online pictures. My go-to rigging product, ceramic Wonder Wire, proved its usefulness and added rigidity.

The box art shows control cables attached to elevator horns. On the kit, these elevator horns are too small to attach cables without impinging on the front of the horizontal stabilizer. A fuel line from the upper wing fuel tank to the engine is not included, though it is shown in the box art.

One final note: Just as on the actual aircraft, there is a space between the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. The decals went on well, but I am still plagued by silvering under clear areas in numbers and stencils.

The finished model looks right and measures close to the real thing. My model took only 18 hours, mostly for masking and rigging. I would recommend it for anyone who has a couple of tiny biplanes to their credit. Airfix continues to give us great models at a very reasonable price.

– Phil Pignataro

Kit: No. A01025 Scale: 1/72 Manufacturer: Airfix, 44-1428-701191, www.airfix.com Price: $7.99 Comments:

Injection-molded, 42 parts Pros: Excellent representation of fabric areas; fine surface detail with superb recessed panel lines; scale-thin trailing edges Cons: No locators for rigging; flimsy struts; color guide for Humbrol paints only

July 2014

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Workbench Reviews

Wingnut Wings Salmson 2-A2

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hile it probably wouldn’t be Snoopy’s first choice for going to war, the Salmson 2-A2 was a very important aircraft to the fledgling U.S. Army Air Service in World War I. Wingnut Wings has acknowledged this importance by including a USAS boxing of

Kit: No. 32059 Scale: 1/32 Manufacturer: Wingnut Wings, www.wingnutwings.com Price: $99 Comments: Injection-molded, 176 parts

(13 photoetched metal), decals Pros: Excellent fit, well-engineered for strength and alignment of wings Cons: Paint and decal instructions can be confusing; engine mount a bit “bouncy”

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its brand-new Salmson 2-A2 in 1/32 scale (along with the French boxing). Typical high-quality Wingnut Wings engineering and molding holds true throughout the kit, with sturdy attachments, lots of detail, premolded rigging holes, and five marking options (all for U.S. aircraft).

As with most aircraft of this era, you’ll need to “go native” and paint things in their naturally occurring colors. That means lots of wood treatment for the interior of the Salmson. I did so with various shades of Tamiya tan, using oil paint for faux grain.

Details like the two-piece radio with knobs on the back and a clear front panel really show the thought that has gone into design.

Photoetched-metal seat belts are included for the pilot — apparently the gunner just had to hang on and hope for the best.

Another sign of good engineering is the inclusion of the center section struts as one-piece affairs already attached to the side panels of the interior. This removes a prime cause of misalignment for the upper wing and makes the build easier for those with less experience building biplanes.

Once the various interior furnishings were complete and installed, I put the cock-

pit into the fuselage halves. The fit was so good I did not apply glue, preferring to allow a bit of “float” while installing the center-section turtle deck later.

One thing I do before building any biplane is stare at the rigging diagram to plan my wiring. In this case, I added a .188" square length of plastic inside the rear of the fuselage as an anchor point for the elevator control wires prior to closing up the fuselage. I also drilled and added wires to the various engine cowling panels using knotted pieces of nylon monofilament (.007" medical suture).

Construction proceeds rapidly once the interior is fitted out, aided by excellent fit of all the major components. I did leave the elevator off until near the end of the build because it is so thin and the mount is so small. As is the norm for Wingnut kits, the Salmson’s engine is fully detailed and includes numerous exhaust and other connections. It’s worthy of careful painting, especially if you leave any of the many cowl panels off for display. Wingnut Wings has included a Salmson armed with the rarely seen Marlin machine gun as one of the five options. I chose it for the novelty. Also

included is a pair of well-molded Lewis guns for the gunner. They were the last parts added, for fear of damaging them.

After finishing assembly, I spent many hours wearing powerful visual aids to install tiny turnbuckles from Bob’s Buckles. I then went to the paint shop for several sessions of putting on the complicated paint scheme, using paper masks sized from the instructions. All paint is Tamiya, mixed per the ratios in the instructions.

After clearing away all the tape and other masking, I added the decals. They bedded down well. Testfitting the upper wing, I found the center section was so sturdy and aligned so well that I could install it without attaching the rest of the upper wing, allowing easy access to run wires. I then test-fit the rest of the upper wing, again finding that strength and alignment allowed leaving the interplane struts out of the way until I had loosely strung the wires.

After all the wires were loosely installed, I went back and added the struts. Again, test-fitting convinced me that the inner struts needed no glue. This is one strong bird!

Prior to tightening the wires, I added the landing gear I had previously wired up.

I then worked wire to wire and side to side, fixing wires in place. I used EZ Line, a stretchable fabric, for the interstrut bracing and aileron control runs.

After the wing was complete, I added the fragile tail components. Here I used EZ Line for the rudder control cables, and suture for the elevator. The elevator is so in-scale that it actually droops — I fixed this by tightening the suture to add strength.

A few fine details later, the Salmson was finished. The kit’s engineering and molding make it a surprisingly straightforward build given its size and complexity. Anyone who has built a biplane or two should have no problems with this one. I spent a little more than 64 hours — longer than usual because of the multicolored camo — and was very pleased with how it turned out. OK, Wingnut: Bring on the big biplanes!

– Chuck Davis

Revell Germany T-90

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one are the days of minimalistic tanks with little more than armor, guns, and optical sights. The T-90, Russia’s premier tank features reactive armor, advanced sights, and missile jamming. Revell’s 1/72 scale kit features posable hatches, optional parts for three variants, four-piece tracks, and markings for one Indian and two Russian vehicles.

Building the lower hull from multiple pieces presented no problems. I painted the lower hull, then installed the road wheels.

Track installation was a bit tricky. The instructions have you heat the tracks in hot water, then bend them around the wheels. I found the tracks still didn’t bend very well. I would suggest using a hair dryer instead.

The tracks simply butt against one another — not a strong connection.

I installed the upper front add-on armor, fuel-drum racks, and exhaust, then joined the upper hull to the completed lower hull.

The side skirts were mounted when I installed the additional armor pieces. These add-ons (part numbers A41, 42, 43) did not have a positive location lock. I had to fiddle a bit with them to get the alignment.

With this complete, I attached the upper-hull details. I had a problem with the tow cables, which are made up from two parts. These did not fit together; their ends are rounded and do not provide a smooth transition. You may want to cut off the ends and use aftermarket thread for something that looks more natural.

The real challenge is the turret. The T-90 is a complicated tank, and so is this model. Step 20 is where you decide which variant you want to build. The two-piece stowage boxes had small gaps that needed filling. The “dazzlers” are built up from five parts that are a little tricky to put together.

Make sure you distinguish right from left.

They don’t have a good, well-defined location tab on the turret, so take care gluing them to the turret. The storage-basket (item No. 24) subassembly did not fit up against the turret side because of the bulge on the turret. I shaved this down for a better fit. The commander’s cupola is another area where you have to choose which variant you are building. The location tabs are not well defined for the ammo can and bag.

I chose the T-90 paint scheme using Vallejo Russian green, buff, and flat black.

For the thermal sight and the dazzlers, I cut party confetti to shape and applied black decal dots from my scrap box. Weathering was done with Tamiya pastels. The decals went down well over a gloss coat of Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface (formerly Future).

It took me 15 hours to build this little gem, which makes a good addition to the collection of any Soviet/Russian armor enthusiast. Now all we need is modern Russian troops.

– Tom Foti

Kit: No. 03190 Scale: 1/72 Manufacturer: Revell Germany, 49-05223-965-0, www.revell.de Price: $12.95 Comments: Injection-molded, 123 parts Pros: Good detail overall; easy assembly Cons: Stiff tracks; minor fit problems;

multipiece tow rope

July 2014

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61

Workbench Reviews

Grex airbrushes Grex Tritium.TS3

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’ll be upfront with you: I like Grex’s Tritium.TS3. I know some will look at a double-action, internally mixing pistolstyle airbrush and think it’s hard or uncomfortable to use, but nothing could be further from reality. I painted most of a 1/6 scale figure while testing my TS and found it provided reliable performance and enjoyable sessions.

The TS comes with three side-feed paint reservoirs: two metal gravity cups (1⁄4 and 1/2 oz.) and a 1-oz. siphon bottle. All three mount to the side of the airbrush and are adjustable to allow for painting at odd angles without spilling. To me, the reservoirs are the weakest part of the TS3’s design. Because they screw into position and are secured with a locknut, the reservoirs must be turned upside down to remove — not always the quickest or cleanest of operations. I think I’d prefer a friction fit instead, like on an Iwata. Luckily, this is possible with an optional adaptor (No. AD31).

The “quick-fit” needle caps are one of the coolest design elements of the TS. The airbrush comes with both a standard and crown cap that can be easily removed from the magnetic nozzle cap and swapped. I found myself switching from one to the other on the fly as my painting needs changed from broader strokes to detail work and back.

Unlike sessions with my Genesis.XT, I never suffered fatigue using the Tritium’s ergonomic handle. The trigger mechanism operates smoothly, and the preset knob on the back of the brush is useful for painting consistent line widths. Moreover, the TS is suitable for right- or left-handed use.

The TS disassembles easily for cleaning.

However, I’ve found that special attention must be paid to the fluid nozzle. At .3mm, it can be clogged with acrylic paints. So, be prepared to disassemble the brush between color changes and give it a thorough washing before proceeding.

Veteran painters who are used to the more-traditional pen-shaped airbrushes may not want to add this brush to their arsenal, but I think the TS would make a great place for beginners to start. It’s pricey, but most quality airbrushes are. The TS, if properly cared for, will last your entire modeling career and allow room for growth with optional nozzle sizes and performance kits.

– Tim Kidwell

Grex Genesis.XGi

W

Set: Tritium.TS3 Manufacturer: Grex, 888-

447-3926, www.grexusa.com Price: $299 Comments: Double-action, side-feed airbrush Pros:

Ergonomic; easy operation; durable; versatile Cons: No quick cleaning between colors

62 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

hen Grex airbrushes broke onto the scene a few years ago, the novelty lay in their pistol-grip and trigger design. I was impressed with the quality of the brush but wasn’t sold on the handle and trigger. I felt I had more control over the paint and airflow using a traditional top-button airbrush.

So, I was only too happy to try Grex’s new Genesis series of double-action brushes. They combine conventional airbrush design and quality construction with ergonomic additions that make this my new go-to airbrush.

The brush I tested was the gravity-feed XGi. The Genesis is also available with a side-feed, the XSi, and a bottom siphonfeed, the XBi.

Ad Index We believe that our readers are as important as our advertisers. If you do not receive your merchandise or a reply from an advertiser within a reasonable period, please contact us. Provide details about what you ordered and the amount you paid. If no action is obtained after we forward your complaint to the advertiser, we will not accept further advertising from them. FineScale Modeler magazine, 21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187 The Advertiser Index is provided as a service to FineScale Modeler magazine readers.

The magazine is not responsible for omissions or for typographical errors in names or page numbers.

Afvquarterscalestore.com __________ 19 Alpha Precision Abrasives, Inc.______ 19 ARA Press_______________________ 7 Bluejacket Shipcrafters _____________ 8 Colpar’s Hobbytown USA _________ 64 Combat Models _________________ 64 Dean’s Hobby Stop _______________ 64 Dragon Models USA _____________ 67 Evergreen Scale Models ____________ 8 Fantastic Plastic Models ___________ 64 FineScale.com ___________________ 66 FineScale Modeler magazine-Digital _ 66 FineScale Modeler on DVD-Rom ___ 41 Full Circle Hobbies _______________ 64 The XGi comes with three interchangeable reservoirs — 1⁄20, 1⁄4, and 1⁄2 fluid ounce — that screw into the top of the brush. Each is fitted with a lid to prevent spills during painting.

The brush I tested was fitted with a .3mm nozzle, but Grex sells .2, .5, and .7mm replacement nozzles and needles.

In keeping with Grex’s push for ergonomic design, the XGi and XSi are fitted with soft rubber grips on the body and button. Molded in the company’s trademark green, both slip easily on and off the brush and can be cleaned with thinner.

A new feature on this and other recent Grex brushes is the Quick-Fit needle caps system. A magnet secures the cap to the front of the brush. A similar magnet holds a spare cap on the rear end of the handle.

Changing from the standard cap to the crown cap for close work is super easy.

The brush features a couple of other terrific engineering touches that make use and cleaning almost trouble-free. The nozzle is big enough to comfortably pick up in two fingers and screw into the end of the brush.

It flares into a hexagonal end that the supplied wrench fits over easily to snug it down with little risk of damaging the fragile end. I also like the sturdy metal actuator; it’s easy to align when replacing it behind the trigger.

To test the brush, I painted a 1/8 scale figure and a 1/35 scale Leopard 2 in NATO camouflage. Properly thinned enamels, acrylics, and lacquers sprayed

smoothly at pressures from 8 to 40 psi. I was able to work close to the surface when shading the figure. On one occasion I noticed a little pulsation, but it turned out I hadn’t tightened the nozzle properly.

Cleanup is a snap. I flushed the brush with thinner between colors. After each session I disassembled the brush, including the needle and nozzle. Cotton swabs got into most of the spaces of the brush, but I needed a pipe cleaner for the narrowest section at the front. I recommend interdental brushes to remove paint in the nozzle.

The only trouble I had involved breakage of the O-ring seals between the reservoir and the brush. Grex was quick to respond and has replaced the rings with a new material that seals as well but is much sturdier.

The Genesis.XGi gives me consistent, predictable results, has good optional features, and is easy to maintain. Add to that my customer service experience with Grex regarding the O-rings, and I can’t recommend the brush enough.

– Aaron Skinner

Grex Airbrush ____________________ 7 Hobbylink Japan _________________ 41 Hornby America _________________ 11 ICM __________________________ 11 Iwata-Medea ____________________ 10 J Bar Hobbies ___________________ 64 JAC Hobbies ____________________ 53 MegaHobby.com_________________ 64 Micro-Mark ____________________ 20 Model Rectifier Corp._____________ 68 Oldmodelkits.com _______________ 64 Pace Enterprises _________________ 11 ParaGrafix ______________________ 21 Plasticmodelworld.com ____________ 64 Plastruct, Inc. ___________________ 20 Robert’s Model __________________ 64 Roll Models__________________ 10, 53 Round 2 LLC ___________________ 21 Sprue Brothers __________________ 10 Squadron Mail Order ______________ 3

Set: Genesis.XGi3 Manufacturer: Grex, 888-447-3926, www.grexusa.com Price: $208 Comments: Double-action, gravity-feed airbrush Pros: Smart engineering; easy

operation and cleaning; ergonomic grips Cons: None

Tamiya America, Inc. ______________ 9 TotalNavy.com __________________ 53 True Scene Modeling _____________ 64 Wargaming America _______________ 4 Wingnut Wings, Ltd ______________ 2 Zvezda USA ____________________ 11 July 2014

www.FineScale.com

63

Modeler’s Mart Classified Marketplace

This section is open to anyone who wants to sell or buy scale modeling merchandise. FSM reserves the right to edit undesirable copy or refuse listing. For FSM’s private records, please furnish: a telephone number and a street address.

All Copy: Set in standard format. First several words only set in bold face. If possible, ads should be sent typewritten and categorized to ensure accuracy.

Coming Events Rate: $35 per issue (55 word maximum). Ads will contain the following information about the event: state, city, sponsoring organization and name of event, meet, auction or show, dates, location, times, admission fee, name and/or telephone number and/or email of person to contact for information. Name, daytime telephone number and street address of the person providing the information is also required but need not be included in the ad. Unless otherwise requested, ads will be published in the issue month that the event occurs in. Additional months are available at the $35 per issue fee. Please specify issue date(s).

Word Ad Rates: 1 insertion - $1.13 per word, 5 insertions - $1.08 per word, 10 insertions - 99¢ per word. $20 minimum per issue. Count all initials, single numbers, street number or name, city, state, zip, phone numbers each as one word. Payment must accompany the ad. To receive the discount you must order and prepay for all ads at one time. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.

Send Your Ads To: FineScale Modeler – Classified Marketplace, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612.

Phone toll-free: 1-888-558-1544, Ext. 815, or fax: 262-796-0126. E-mail: onlineclassads@kalmbach.com TX, AUSTIN: ASMS Capitol Classic 2014. Presented by Austin Scale Modelers Society. Norris Conference Centers, 2525 West Anderson Lane. Saturday, October 4, 2014, 9:00amCA, BUENA PARK: Kit Collectors Exposition & Sale, UFCW 5:30pm. Show Theme: “Fabulous Firsts!”. Model contest, Hall, 8550 Stanton Ave. Sunday, July 13, 2014, 9:00am-3:00pm. vendor tables, door prizes, seminars and Make & Take for kids.

Admission $5.00, children under 12 free w/adult. Thousands of Visit: www.austinsms.org or contact Randy Bumgardner at rare, hard-to-find model kits and collectibles! Door prizes, snack randy.bumgardner@gmail.com bar. free parking. Information: Edie Keller, 714-826-5218, PO Box 38, Stanton, CA 90680, kitcollectorsshow@yahoo.com Facebook page Buena-Park-Model-Kit-Collectors-Expo and Twitter @ Kitcollectors CANOPY MASKING AND MORE! FL, ORLANDO: Modelpalooza 2014. International Palms WWW.EZMASKS.COM List $3.00. Chris Loney, 75 Golf Resort, 6515 International Dr., Zip: 32819. September 19Club Rd., Smiths Falls, ON, Canada K7A 4S5. 613-283-5206, 21, 2014. Rooms $89 single/double. Reservations: 888ezmasks@gmail.com 690-8693. We use the “Open Judging System”. Free ModFOR SALE: 1/35 military kits, related items. Send LSSAE for eling Seminars. Junior, Basic, Advanced Skill Levels ($20 list. Stephen F. Barcus, PO Box 444, Pearblossom, CA 93553Registration). 90 Vendor Tables ($50, $45 for 5 or more).

0444.

Contact: President@IPMSOrlando.com Complete information: NEW KIT PRICES ARE CRAZY! Thousands of old, hard-towww.ipmsorlando.com/modelpalooza.html find and collectible plastic kits at SANE PRICES! One year catalog NJ, WHIPPANY: JerseyFest Model Kit & Statue Fair. Marsubscription (monthly) only $15. Get more hobby for your monriott Hanover Hotel, August 1-3, 2014. Vehicle and figure modey! Rare-Plane Detective, 2325 Western Avenue, Suite 6, Las els, hobby supplies, pre-painted statues, collectibles, classes, Vegas, NV 89102, 702-564-2851, info@rare-planedetective.com demos, contests, exhibits, top vendors and artists, movie effects SHIP AND AIRCRAFT MODELS. Built for display. For adlegends presenting. Over 15,000 sq. ft. of luxurious show space ditional information contact, Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ with over 115 vendor tables. www.jerseyfestfair.com 07605. www.rayguinta.com PA, CARLISLE: PENNCON 2014 Model Show. U.S. Army THOUSANDS OF MODEL KITS for sale. All types from Heritage & Education Center, 950 Soldiers Dr. Saturday, SepOld Aurora to new releases. Send a 70¢ SASE to: Dean tember 20, 2014, 9:00am-4:30pm. Contest Fee: Adult: $12.00, Sills, 116 N. Washington, Owosso, MI 48867. Specify MiliJunior: $5.00. Walk In: $5.00 for Individuals, $10.00 for Families. tary List. Phone: 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: Uniformed Individuals Admitted Free. For additional info see: dean@deanshobbystop.com http://www.cenpennipms.com/ or contact Chet Mohn, 717-7744803 E-mail: Magus47@aol.com PA, SHARON: SVASMCON 30! The Shenango Valley Area Scale Modelers celebrate our 30th Annual Model Show and ExhiA BIG BUYER OF AIRCRAFT, Armor, Sci-Fi, Resin, Hybrid bition. VFW Post #1338 at 439 E. State St, Saturday, September or Plastic kits. We buy collections whether they are small or 20, 2014, 8:00am-4:00pm. General Admission $3.00, 12 and unlarge- Worldwide as well. Call Don Black toll free 1-866-462der FREE. For Show Flyer or Info contact Larry Ayers, 330-4487277. Don Black, 119 Bernhurst Road, New Bern, NC 28560.

6546 or club website: http://svasm.webs.com E-mail don@donblack.com

COMING EVENTS

FOR SALE

WANTED

64 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

AIRCRAFT, ARMOR, SCI-FI, FIGURES, AUTO, ETC. Buying kit collections, large or small, worldwide. Top prices paid. Call Jim Banko 610-814-2784 or mail list to 122 Independence Ct., Bethlehem, PA 18020, fax 610-439-4141. E-mail: cth1@prodigy.net BUILT PLASTIC MODELS WANTED. I buy built kits. mike@peterson-picture.com Cell: 773-387-1400 BUYING UNBUILT KIT COLLECTIONS! Since 1984! Pickup often available. Send list: Jeff Garrity, 2325 Western Avenue, Suite 6, Las Vegas, NV 89102 or collections@rare-planedetective.com Too many kits to easily list?

702-564-2851.

CASH PAID FOR PLASTIC MODEL COLLECTIONS. Call Tracie in Michigan 248-814-8359. Fax: 248-814-0385 E-mail: flightlinehobby@yahoo.com.

I WANT TO BUY YOUR UNBUILT MODEL KITS. Any size collection. Dean Sills, 116 N. Washington St. Owosso, MI 48867. 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com MODEL CAR AND TRUCK KITS. Unbuilt or built. Any size collection. Good prices paid. Please contact: Fred Sterns, 48 Standish, Buffalo, NY 14216. Phone: 716-838-6797. Fax: 716836-6057. E-mail: fsterns@aol.com YOU WILL NEVER FIND TIME TO BUILD ALL THOSE MODELS. Unbuilt kits, diecast aircraft, military books. Milam Models, 519 DiLorenzo Dr., Naperville, IL 60565, Phone: 630983-1407, jetpilotpaul@aol.com

MISCELLANEOUS 1ST AND ABSOLUTELY THE BEST MUSEUM-QUALITY MODELS. IPMS Nationals winner building aircraft and armor to your specification, including conversions and scratchbuilt.

Call BC Models for quote and information at 913-385-9594 or visit www.bcmmodels.com CUSTOM MODEL DECALS Recreate old decals or make new. Specializing in vintage WWII nose art insignia. Rubdown or self-stick vinyl. GETCUSTOMART.COM Click on Modelers Corner FINESCALE MODELER AUTHOR and IPMS medalist will build your favorite aircraft, specializing in metal finishes. Contact John Adelmann at 563-556-7641 or jjadelmann@yahoo.com Closing Dates: Published 10 times a year. Jan. 2014 issue closes Oct. 15, Feb. closes Nov. 15, Mar. closes Dec. 11, April closes Jan. 10, May closes Feb. 11, July closes April 15, Sep. closes June 16, Oct. closes July 10, Nov. closes Aug. 18, Dec. closes Sept. 11.

Local Hobby Shop Directory Local Hobby Shop Directory listings are available for the next ten issues for $275 (payable in advance) or at $37 per issue (billed to established accounts for a minimum of ten insertions). Ads will be set in standard listing typography. All insertions must be consecutive and may be invoiced if you have credit established with us. No mention of mail order business permitted. For information call 1-888-558-1544, ext. 815. Closing dates listed in Classifieds section.

ARIZONA • Glendale

“The Best in Plastic Models”.

1000’s of plastic kits at discount prices.

Photo-etched and resin accessories.

Books, tools and paint. www.plasticmodelworld.com

ANDY’S HOBBY HEADQUARTERS

15224 N. 59th Ave., Ste. 12

602-439-1456

ARIZONA • Tempe

Specializing in plastic models & accessories.

Large selection of plastics, after-market detail accessories, decals, paint, books & tools.

Full-line hobby shop. www.thehobbydepot.com

HOBBY DEPOT

216 W. Southern Ave.

480-968-1880

ARKANSAS • Jacksonville

Headquarters for scale hobbies. Models; N-HO-O-G trains; gaming; tools; paints, etc.

Discounts & special orders.

Open 10-6, closed Sundays and Wednesdays www.railandsprue.com

RAIL & SPRUE HOBBIES

1200 John Harden Dr.

501-982-6836

CALIFORNIA • Burbank

Large selection of plastic kits, paints, and supplies. Special orders no problem Visit us in person or online www.houseofhobbies.com Secure online ordering

BURBANK’S HOUSE OF HOBBIES

911 S. Victory Blvd.

818-848-3674

CONNECTICUT • East Windsor

Old & rare kits, largest selection in military kits, rockets, trains, & cars. Exit 45 off I-91.

10 minutes from Bradley Air Museum. www.craftechobbies.com or Visit us on Facebook.

CRAFTEC HOBBIES

144 North Road

860-627-7811

CONNECTICUT • Manchester

Largest hobby shop in NE. Military, cars, trucks, plastic models, diecast cars, trucks.

Planes, RC planes, cars, trucks, slot cars, rockets, Breyer, Detailing supplies, games!

Mon - Sat 10-8, Sun 10-6

TIME MACHINE HOBBY

860-646-0610

71 Hilliard St.

CONNECTICUT • Milford

Extensive selection of armor kits & Verlinden accessories. Military, auto & aircraft plastic models. Photo-etched parts. O gauge train sets. Open Tue-Sat 11-6, Sun 12-5. www.hqhobbiesonline.com

HQ HOBBIES

394 New Haven Ave., Unit 1

203-882-1979

GEORGIA • Blue Ridge

Huge selection of model kits & accessories.

Ships, Armor, Aircraft, Figures, Cars and more.

Visit: www.freetimehobbies.com for complete listing.

Monday to Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-2

FREE TIME HOBBIES

4167 East First St. (by KFC)

706-946-1120

GEORGIA • Clarkesville

Huge model selection: Cars, military, planes, ships, figures, etc. Full art supply store has all accessories including diorama.

Plus comics, toys and more!

Visit artfullbarn.com or Facebook.

THE ART-FULL BARN

107 LaPrade Street

706-754-1247

HAWAII • Kailua, Oahu

Wide selection of plastic model kits, paint, books, magazines and tools.

Located on the beautiful windward side, a scenic 20 minute drive from Honolulu.

Mon - Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun 11-2

WELLER'S HOBBYCRAFT

767 Kailua Road

808-262-0211

CALIFORNIA • Canoga Park

Kits, plastic & wood, Slot cars & toys. Rockets, paint, glue and tools. Trains from Z to O. Mon-Tues 10-5, Wed-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-5, closed Sun & Big Holidays. www.scalemodelstuff.com

SCALE MODEL STUFF

7259 Canoga Avenue

Rewards program for 10% back on purchases.

Plastic aircraft, armor, ships, cars, decals, books, paints, tools, miniatures war-games.

Mon-Thur 11-8, Fri 11-midnight, Sat 10-midnight, Sun 11-7 www.brookhursthobbies.com

BROOKHURST HOBBIES

12188 Brookhurst St.

714-636-3580

CALIFORNIA • Hollister

Model planes, car, ships & figures. Model train scales: Z, N, HO, O & G. Paints, tools. R/C & parts, incl. service. Craft & educational kits, supplies, products. Clinics available. Tu-Sat 11 -6; Sun 12-4. www.debbiebartunek@mac.com

B.C.T. HOBBY & CRAFTS

201-C McCray St.

831-635-0537

CALIFORNIA • La Mirada

R HOBBIES

14269 Imperial Hwy.

562-777-9492

CALIFORNIA • Orange

New Products, Old Kits & Great Service!

Everything you need to build plastic models Armor, Aircraft, Ships, Cars, SciFi and more.

M-F 10:30-6pm, Sat 10:30-5pm, Sun 12-5pm www.militaryhobbiesonline.com

MILITARY HOBBIES

830 E. Lincoln Ave.

714-637-1211

CALIFORNIA • San Mateo

TALBOT’S HOBBIES

650-342-0126

MASSACHUSETTS • Malden (Boston) Largest store in area, easy access via I-93, Rt. 1, and the T. Complete line of model kits & supplies, plus toy soldiers, figure kits, games, etc. Shipping available.

Info: hobbybunker.com

HOBBY BUNKER, INC.

33 Exchange St.

781-321-8855

MASSACHUSETTS • Marlboro

Stop in ONCE! A customer for LIFE! We have 10,000+ models, tools, supplies, 23 paint lines, 50 model mags, 5,000+ books.

Est. in 1973, open 7 days, Th & Fr 'til 8.

Visit us @ www.sparetimeshop.com

THE SPARE TIME SHOP

Rt 20E Main, Post Rd. Plaza

508-481-5786

6,000 model kits, old and new: Autos, armor, planes & sci-fi. Reference books & supplies.

Open T-Th 11-7, F 11-8, Sa 10-5. Rt. 495 to Rt. 123E, behind Dunkin’ Donuts. www. mymummy.com E: mummy@mymummy.com

HARRY’S HOBBIES & COLLECTABLES

250 E. Main St., Rt 123

508-285-8080

MICHIGAN • Owosso

COLORADO • Aurora

Large inventory of models from the world over! Detailing accessories, research publications, games, trains, R/C, tools, and supplies. Easy access from D.I.A. http://www.colpar.com

COLPAR HOBBIES

1915 S. Havana St.

800-876-0414

CONNECTICUT • Cos Cob

We moved! Thousands of model kits from old Aurora to new releases. Mon 4pm-7pm, Tues - Fri 11:30am-5pm. Sat 11:30am-4:00pm E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com

DEAN’S HOBBY STOP

116 N. Washington Street

989-720-2137

New & Old Toy Soldiers, Historical Miniatures, Models and Figure Kits from Around the World. Our famous selection of hobby supplies includes scenics, paints, reference and more. www.michtoy.com

MICHIGAN TOY SOLDIER & FIGURE CO.

1400 E. 11 Mile Rd.

248-586-1022

ANN’S HOBBY CENTER

405 E. Putnam Avenue

203-869-0969

NEVADA • Las Vegas

Large selection of Osprey military books, figures and plastic models.

Affordable prices, 40-75% off retail.

Open every day (expect Tuesday) 10am-7pm Inside Craig Discount Mall

PHILIP CHU’S MODEL EXPO

4821 W. Craig Rd.

702-272-3126

NEW HAMPSHIRE • Dover

ELITE HOBBIES

603-749-0800

NEW JERSEY • Kenvil

973-584-1188

NEW JERSEY • Magnolia (Camden)

AAA HOBBIES & CRAFTS

856-435-7645

NEW YORK • Astoria L.I.C.

718-545-8280

TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES

210 East Front St.

231-947-1353

MICHIGAN • Ypsilanti-Metro Detroit

Your single stop model building shop.

Michigan’s largest selection of new and vintage kits in all genres plus everything needed to build them. Wed - Sat 11-8, Sun 12-5.

Visit us on Facebook. www.modelcave.com

MODELCAVE

103 W Michigan Avenue

734-316-2281

DIBBLE'S HOBBIES

1029 Donaldson Ave.

210-735-7721

Minutes from Dulles Airport & New Dulles Air & Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center.

PLASTIC! PLASTIC! PLASTIC! Kits for aircraft - armor - ships - cars Daily 12-8; Sun 12-5. www.piperhobby.com

PIPER HOBBY

13892 Metrotech Dr.

703-803-3103

DENBIGH HOBBY CENTER, INC.

14351 Warwick Blvd.

757-874-5708

SECTION 8 HOBBIES

716-824-1049

Plastic Model Specialists. Large selection of rare & out-of-production models.

Large selection of detail parts. Largest selection of plastic models in South Seattle! www.skywaymodel.com

SKYWAY MODEL SHOP

12615 Renton Ave. South

206-772-1211

CANADA–AB • Calgary

NEW YORK • Deer Park

Military oriented hobby shop. Armour, naval & aircraft models. Aftermarket products, dioramas and diorama products, books, mags, tools, paints, war videos & more. Call for hrs. www.alsandtoysoldiers.com

ALSAND TOY SOLDIERS

631-254-2650

NEW YORK • Middle Island

Specializing in R/C models and accessories, helicopters, planes, cars, trucks, boats, plastic, die-cast & model rockets.

M T W F 9:30-6, Th 9:30-8 Sat. 9:30-5 www.modelland.com info@modelland.com

MODEL LAND LTD

3409A 26 Ave. SW

403-249-1661

CANADA–ON • Ottawa (Vanier)

Excellent selection of lead miniatureshistorical and fantasy. Plastic models, wargames & modeling supplies.

Books and magazines.

One of Canada's leading model shops.

Complete line of military & aircraft kits, decals, paints and accessories.

Free parking. On Parle Francais.

MEN AT ARMS HOBBIES, INC.

631-924-0583

NEW YORK • Upr Eastside GR Manhattan

HOBBY HOUSE, LTD

80 Montreal Rd.

613-749-5245

CANADA–ON • Toronto

Visit our in-house Aircraft Model Museum.

Foreign and domestic plastic and wood kits.

Open 7 days.

JAN'S HOBBY SHOP, INC.

212-987-4765

Large selection of new & out-of-production kits. Accessories & finishing products.

Servicing the hobbies since 1986. We buy kit collections. www.wheelswingshobbies.com

WHEELS AND WINGS

1880 Danforth Ave.

416-752-0071

SINGAPORE • Singapore

Old kits & latest releases. Good selection of unusual model kits & accessories. We stock electric trains & slot cars. Open 7 days, 1pm-8pm. In the Katong Shopping Centre. www.hobbybounties.com

Great selection of model kits, accessories, detail parts, magazines, tools & paints. www.hobbylandstores.com

HOBBYLAND

206 Graceland Blvd.

614-888-7500

HOBBY BOUNTIES & MORGAN HOBBYCRAFT

865 Mountbatten Rd #02-91/92

65-6440-1890

OKLAHOMA • Owasso

Oklahoma’s largest plastic kit, paint and aftermarket inventory. Planes, cars, trucks, armor, ships, trains and sci-fi. Special orders welcome! Mon - Fri 10-7, Sat 11-6, Sun 1-5.

Web site: www.topshelfmodelsllc.com

TOP SHELF MODELS

119 S. Main St.

Run your Retail Directory ad in the next issue of

918-274-0433

FineScale Modeler!

Complete full line hobby shop.

Z, N, HO, O, Lionel, and LGB. Open Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5.

TAMMIES HOBBIES

12024 SW Canyon Rd.

503-644-4535

OREGON • Portland

Armor, aircraft ships and car models.

Historical and fantasy games, miniatures, military history reference books and magazines. www.bthobbies.com Open 10am-6pm every day.

BRIDGETOWNE HOBBIES & GAMES,

3350 NE Sandy Blvd

503-234-1881

Call 1-888-558-1544 ext. 815 for more information.

PENNSYLVANIA • Landisville (Lancaster)

Areas largest selection of models and model supplies. All popular paints including Tamiya, Humbol, Floquil and Testors. Open 7 days a week. Also, large selection of military diecast.

HOBBYTOWN USA

15037 Manchester Rd.

972-438-9233

WASHINGTON • Seattle

WNY’s largest selection of models!!!

We specialize in models. New, old, rare and vintage. Tons of detail and weathering products, paint, tools and so much more!

1435 Lexington Ave.

M-A-L HOBBY SHOP

108 S. Lee Street

Plastic model specialty shop.

New and old kits, foreign, domestic, books, paints and other accessories.

We also buy collections. www.dhcinc.com dhc@dhcinc.com

RUDY'S HOBBY & ART

134 Middle Country Rd.

Imported & Domestic Aviation Books & Plastic Kits. Paint, Decals, HO, N trains, R/C, U/C airplanes.

Mon 1-6, Tue-Wed 12-6, Thur-Fri 10:30-7.

Sat 10:30-6. www.malhobby.com

VIRGINIA • Newport News

Car, Plane, Military, Models, Trains, Paints, Tools, Diecast.

Art Supplies, Wood & Wood Models Open Wed., Thur., Fri., Sat. 11:00 to 6:30.

848 Long Island Ave.

713-529-7752

VIRGINIA • Chantilly

Huge foreign & domestic model selection all scales. Automobiles, aircraft ship, books, wargames, scenery, diorama supplies, parts, tools. Open 7 days

35-16 30th Avenue

G & G MODEL SHOP

2522 Times Blvd.

Scale modeling from beginner to expert.

A wide selection of aircraft, armor, autos, figures, ships, & sci-fi. Lots of reference material, detail parts, decals, tools, & eight lines of paint. Open Tues-Sat 10-6pm.

KENVIL HOBBIES

706 N. White Horse Pike

HO & N, Lionel trains.

Complete line of plastic kits, military and architecture supplies.

Open 11am-6pm M-F, Sat. 10am-5pm www.gandgmodelshop.com

TEXAS • San Antonio

Full service hobbies, a full line of HO, N, 3-Rail, military, cars, boats, planes, dollhouses, scratchbuilding supplies, plus details-details-details!

590 Rt. 46

865-675-1975

TEXAS • Houston

TEXAS • Irving (Dallas Area)

Best plastic, resin & balsa kits from around the world. Scratch building & diorama supplies, reference books, large paint selection including Humbrol, Citadel & Testors #334 90 Washington St.

HOBBYTOWN USA

11364 Parkside Dr.

OREGON • Beaverton

Let your imagination run wild!

Aircraft, ships, cars, armor, special orders, diecast cars, dollhouse miniatures, model railroading Z to G and more...

MISSOURI • St. Louis

Planes, tanks, cars, ships, rockets, plastic and wood kits. Trains. Authorized Lionel dealer & repair. Die-cast, RC, slot cars, structural and diorama supplier. Special orders welcome.

702-889-9554

OHIO • Columbus

MICHIGAN • Traverse City

Say you saw their directory ad in FineScale Modeler.

East Tennessee’s largest plastic model selection. 7,500 sq. ft. of hobbies & toys.

Located in Knoxville’s premier shopping destination. Turkey Creek Area.

Open 7 days a week.

HOBBYTOWN USA

4590 W Sahara Ave Ste 103

2243 Seneca St.

MICHIGAN • Royal Oak (Metro Detroit)

Your source for plastic models, die cast and all supplies needed to finish your latest model.

Mon-Sat 9:30-6, Sun 11-5. www.talbotstoyland.com 445 South “B” Street

When traveling, bring FineScale, look up a shop and stop in.

MASSACHUSETTS • Norton

Wide variety of plastic kits.

Old Nascar Kits - please call.

Mon - Sat 10-6. Closed Sunday.

TENNESSEE • Knoxville

While in Las Vegas, come see our wide selection of models and detail accessories.

Less than 5 miles off the Las Vegas strip Hours Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-6, Sun noon-5.

NEW YORK • Buffalo

818-716-7847

CALIFORNIA • Garden Grove

NEVADA • Las Vegas

636-394-0177

Large Selection New & Used Kits Military books, tools, paint, airbrushes Full line hobby shop open Tue - Thur 10-6, Fri 10-7, Sat 10-4 www.CoolTrains.com

COOLTRAINS TOYS & HOBBIES

106 W. Main Street

717-898-7119

July 2014

www.FineScale.com

65

66 FineScale Modeler

July 2014

Radar Array

Aircraft Elevator Port Midship

5” 38 cal. Gun

Fantail Drop-Line Lights

All New Tooling from MRC-Gallery…

1/350 USS Intrepid CVS 11, SCB-27C, Angled Deck Carrier-Vietnam Era

It took 1,000 parts and six photo-etched sheets to capture the details of this modified, Essex Class carrier.

The kit depicts the Intrepid after its modernization in 1957 to an SCB-27C angled deck, anti-submarine carrier.

One thousand parts assure that everything needed to

THERE ARE 1,000 REASONS TO BUILD IT…

SPS-10, SPN-6 and SPS-29 radars. The SPS 30 parabolic radar is on point as well. Also carefully reproduced are the AN/SQS 23 bow sonar and four 5”/38cal. guns.

Authenticity begins with a full hangar deck with three position-able elevators. Note the realism in the extensive, photo-etched radar suite that Vietnam era aircraft deliver uses solid forms to assure the a superb kit building correct curvature for the experience in themselves.

build this spectacular 30” model is already in the box.

See it all at your hobby dealer or visit us at www.modelrectifier.com

There are four A4 Skyhawks, four F-8C Crusaders, four A1H/J Skyraiders, two E1B AEW Tracers and four UH-2B Seasprites. Display stand with nameplate is included.

...and each one is: Precise. Accurate. Detailed.