fm.04.2015

FineScale.com

AIRBRUSH MODERN AIRCRAFT CAMOUFLAGE

OUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO

ARMOR

»

April 2015 p. 20

BUILD

PAINT

WEATHER

HOW TO

Build your first cast-resin aircraft kit p.46

Mike Kirchoff’s 1/48 scale Tamiya Panther Ausf G – p.22

Detail a World War II battleship p.38 Model an eye-catching Gulf War jet p.28 BEYOND THE BOX: WE BUILD AND REVIEW 5 KITS

BONUS ONLINE CONTENT CODE p.56

PAGE 0 1 2 6 05

Vol. 33 • Issue 4

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4 FineScale Modeler April 2015

CONTENTS April 2015 • Vol. 33 • No. 4 Online Content Code: FSM1504 Enter this code at www.FineScale.com/code to gain access to web-exclusive content.

56 20

AIRBRUSHING & FINISHING

Camo for a modern fighter Matthew Walker’s stunning Rafale B AARON SKINNER

20

22

Little tank, big detail Dressing a Panther to kill MIKE KIRCHOFF

28 22

38

28

5 NEW KITS

Page 56 58

• Tarangus Viggen

Bring a Mirage to life Build a French air force knockout

• Tamiya Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) Lang

WULFGANG BUGL

• GWH Handley Page Victor

Improving Heller’s Dunkerque Tips for building a better battleship TED BUNN

42

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Building a resin Mauler Tips and tricks for the Navy attacker

60

• ICM ZIL-131 Soviet Army Truck • Mobius Models “Jonny Quest” Dragonfly jet 61

FRANK CUDEN

46 38

Modeling a Curtiss Sparrowhawk Building the Navy’s unusual “parasite” fighter GIL HODGES

66 46

FINAL DETAILS

In Every Issue 6 8 12 14 32

Editor’s Page Scale Talk Spotlight New Products Reader Gallery

52 54 64 65 65

Questions & Answers Reader Tips Classified Marketplace Advertiser Index Hobby Shop Directory

Redefining “large scale” Mike Kellner’s Boeing B-17E

On the Cover

MARK HEMBREE

Mike Kirchoff’s shares his armor building and detailing techniques using Tamiya’s 1/48 scale Panther Ausf G.

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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

A near miss from the wrecking ball IT WAS A CLOSE ONE. As close as I’ve come to accidentally destroying a model in a long time.

I was putting the finishing touches on a model for Workbench Reviews – Mobius Model’s “Jonny Quest” jet from the classic 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon series. (It’s on Page 61 of this issue.)

I was down to the final details (position lights, etc.), and since the model has no landing gear, I inserted a couple of craft sticks into its display-base slot and clamped things to my workbench via a sturdy swivel-head clamp.

I use a combination of lights at my workbench – an incandescent desk lamp, and a large fluorescent magnifier. The fluorescent lamp has a large lens in the middle that’s surrounded by a ring-shaped bulb. The combination of incan-

descent and fluorescent light provides a great balance for modeling, and while I originally bought it to use as a light source, I’ve been using the magnifier more and more thanks to my slowly fading close-up vision.

I EXPECTED TO SEE THE JUST-FINISHED JET GET “RE-KITTED” BY THE LAMP After doing some touch-up work, I moved down the bench to clean my brush. Suddenly there was a metallic cracking noise, and the large, heavy head of the fluorescent magnifying lamp broke loose from its adjustable arm.

Like they say, it was like everything went into slow motion. The head of the lamp swung down toward the model like a wrecking ball, and with the whole thing just

out of reach, I fully expected to see the just-finished jet model get “re-kitted” by the lamp and explode in a hail of white parts.

But it didn’t. Hanging by its wiring, the lamp missed the model by about an inch. I don’t know how long I sat there with my jaw dropped, but afterward I moved the model to the safest place I could find. The photo shoot was the next day, and I didn’t want to have to use a “The lamp ate my homework” excuse.

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

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 April 2015

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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 Illustrator Kellie Jaeger Photographers Jim Forbes, William Zuback Production Supervisor Helene Tsigistras Production Coordinator Cindy Barder Circulation Specialist Carly Witkowski Publisher Mark Savage

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April 2015 www.FineScale.com 7

SCALE TALK Your voice in FSM Managing your collection

I appreciated the answer to Mr. Petier’s letter in FSM’s February 2015 Scale Talk.

I have been building 1/48 scale World War II aircraft since I was a boy. My father thrilled me with stories of his exploits in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The fact that he washed out as a pilot (due to his eyesight) and became a B-17 waist gunner just made it more exciting.

Seeing the diminishing shelf space at home, my wife suggested I rent a table at our church craft fair, and I did.

I managed to sell a couple of models, but the real pleasure was talking to the people who appreciated my work, especially the youngsters and the older attendees. In the case of the latter, the models often inspired old stories of relatives who flew or serviced some of these planes. In fact, I ended up with a commission to build two airplanes: a B-25 Mitchell that a father-in-law flew on as a photographer, and a Royal New Zealand Air Force PBY Catalina for the wife of a former pilot who flew in the

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8 FineScale Modeler April 2015

NEW STORE!

2BKTT

Rusty tank tracks not right South Pacific, rescuing downed airmen and performing other missions.

Suffice it to say, these two builds were among the most satisfying of my long hobby career. I look forward to attending the next craft fair. It’s not only a great way to show off your work but reawakens old memories and inspires some of the youngsters to put down their video-game controllers and take up a more challenging adventure.

– David White Waterbury, Vt. That Voodoo that you do

I just purchased the January 2015 FineScale Modeler and was pleasantly surprised by your review of the Kitty Hawk 1/48 scale Voodoo (Page 52).

I joined the U.S. Air Force in ’63 and was assigned to the 81st Air Police Squadron at RAF Woodbridge in the spring of ’64. My first post was to walk guard duty around the rear ends of two RF-101s. All jeeps (new airmen) spent most of their first 30 days walking.

OK guys, I have held my tongue long enough. I just read Federico Collado’s article in the February 2015 FineScale Modeler (Page 44). The Merkava was quite nicely done. However, I had to grit my teeth when he started destroying the tracks.

I was a tanker in the U.S. Army for 21 years and was crew member on M4A4s, M48A2Cs, M48A5s, M60A1s, and M60A3s. Track on an operational combat vehicle will not rust.

To start with, track is made with rust-resistant hardened steel. On a combat vehicle, the track becomes quite hot from contact with the ground and metal-on-metal contact with the drive sprockets, end connectors, center guides, and road wheels.

Also, sand and rocks in the soil constantly burnish the metal. The metal parts of the track are polished smooth and turn a color almost like a case-hardened firearm. This holds true for allsteel tracks, too. At many Army posts

and museums around the country, there are tanks on display from World War I to the present, and there is very little rust, if any at all, on the track.

The Merkava, operating in a very sandy environment, will not show any rust. Stop spending all that money on rust paint and pigments. It just isn’t true.

– Ernest Brown, U.S. Army (retired) Aurora, Colo.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com

9

SCALE TALK Eventually, you worked your way to the front, which was considered a prime post because you got to walk your post on concrete, not a dirt path.

We had the longest runway (more than 2 miles long) of the two airfields. Every now and then, especially at night, when a Voodoo would reach the tower on takeoff, the pilot would pull back on the stick, yank the nose straight up and spin off into the sky. What a sensation!

Thanks for a great kit review and bringing back old memories of merry ol’ England during the Cold War. – Dana Neider North Chesterf ield, Va. The year in review

I just received my January 2015 issue, realized that I have been getting FSM for just a little more than a year, and I wanted to say, “Thank you!”

Looking back on the year, it occurred to me that I have tried so many new techniques — more than ever before in a similar stretch of time, using resin parts, learning how to solder for improved pho-

HOW-TO

toetched metal, coming to grips with my airbrush, and using acrylic paints for the first time. All of these skills (and more) are new to me, but I am gaining proficiency with them. Perhaps I would have adopted one or two of these to improve my modeling, but I think that, due to FSM, I have taken on a whole new approach to the hobby. Because FSM is a general modeling magazine, it provides more examples of widely differing fields and skills, leading to a broader view of how to take one’s breath away in miniature. The joy I get from others’ work and instruction inspires me to expand my capabilities in all directions as well.

I know there are many more skills for me to implement to improve my models and dioramas. I look forward to hearing about more of them as this year progresses.

– David Brehr Ann Arbor, Mich.

David, thank you for your letter! FineScale Modeler does cover a broad range of modeling topics and skills, and always has. It was the belief of the magazine’s founder, Bob Hayden,

PRODUCTS & REVIEWS

VIDEOS

that basic techniques, consistently applied, will end in superb models. And that means that becoming a master modeler remains an attainable goal for all of us. — T.K. Corrections

In the November 2014 Scale Talk (Page 8), the address for the United States Veterans Initiative should have read 15105 6th St., March Air Reserve Base, CA 92158.

Also in the November issue, in the “Heroes & Villains Group Build” gallery (Page 46), Philip Mitchell’s location should have read Stretford, Manchester, England.

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.

COMMUNITY

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Now at FineScale.com Download a desktop wallpaper Download a desktop wallpaper of the Airfix 1/24 scale Typhoon built and reviewed by Chuck Davis for the March 2014 FineScale Modeler.

FineScale.com/Reviews Workbench Reviews Subscribers receive early access to upcoming reviews.

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 Subscribers can search our extensive database of reader-supplied tips.

FineScale.com/Videos

FineScale.com/OnlineExtras IPMS/USA National Convention Gallery FSM editors Matthew Usher and Aaron Skinner joined hundreds of modelers in Hampton, Va., for the 40th annual IPMS/USA National Convention. They shot too many photos to fit all of them in the magazine, so here are few more.

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

New Product Rundown Associate editors Aaron Skinner and Tim Kidwell pick the hottest scale-model subjects, open up the boxes, and tell you why they rock!

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

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In each issue of FineScale Modeler, you’ll ďŹ nd: s #LEAR HOW TO FEATURES ON MODEL ASSEMBLY AND l NISHING WRITTEN BY EXPERTS s 2EVIEWS OF THE HOTTEST MODEL KITS AND PRODUCTS s 4IPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR ASSEMBLING

PAINTING AND l NISHING s )NSPIRING PHOTOS OF READERS MODELS HOW TO WORK WI TH CLEAR PARTS p.25 July www.FineSc 2013 ale.com Nate Jones’

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April 2015 www.FineScale.com 11

SPOTLIGHT Compiled by Aaron Skinner

ICM puts night-fighter twist on Dornier New version packs guns and radar in nose

F

ollowing its terrific Dornier Do 215 bomber released last year, Ukrainebased ICM (www.icm.com.ua) brings us the B-5 night fighter (No. 48242). A suite of four 7.92mm machine guns and a 20mm cannon replaces the bombardier’s position. Outside, the nose bristles with antennas for the FuG 202 Lichtenstein interception radar.

The kit includes the option of the Spanner infrared searchlight.

12 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Most of the parts are the same as the previous bomber kit and feature fine, recessed panel lines. Details cram the interior. The crew compartment includes sharply molded instrument panels, seats, controls, and structural components. The MG 34 barrels have delicate coolingjacket holes and flash suppressors.

Both engines are included, and with some adjustments to the assembly it should be possible to show them off. The

Do 215 has a lot of glass, and the corresponding parts are outstanding — very clear, with well-defined frames.

ICM’s radar antennas look pretty good, given the limitations of molded plastic.

Painting diagrams and decals show options for two Do 215B-5s: one in RLM 74, 75, and 76 camouflage; the other overall black.

ICM’s Do 215 costs $59.99.

BOOKSHELF

Classic TV Batman in plastic

B

efore Tim Burton and Chris Nolan took on Gotham’s greatest crime fighter, the public largely saw Batman through the lens of the 1966 TV series.

Campy and colorful, the popular show starred Adam West in the title role.

Now, thanks to the good people at Moebius (www.moebiusmodels. com), modelers can add a 1/8 scale TV Batman (No. 950) to their collections.

Molded in intermediate blue plastic, the parts replicate the tight-fitting costume and flowing cape worn

by West for the three seasons he played the Caped Crusader. The face, a good

likeness, is a separate piece that will be covered by the cowl that improbably concealed Bruce Wayne’s identity.

The one-piece cape has folds and wrinkles on both sides. Most elements of the famous utility belt are separate.

Poised to nab a ne’er-dowell villain, the figure’s right hand grips a Batarang attached to a rope coiled in his left. String is supplied for the rope. Stickers or waterslide decals provide the chest emblems and belt buckle.

The instructions are a hoot, peppered with helpful modeling tips from Batman written in over-the-top language that would be at home in the show.

The base, molded in the shape of a lump of rock, is designed to fit with the bases from six other figures that

Flying the Volksjäger

W

Moebius plans to release, featuring the primary cast from the show: Robin, Batgirl, Joker, Riddler, the Penquin, and Catwoman (as played by Julie Newmar).

Batman costs $34.99.

British tank in Chinese service makes for interesting model

O

ne of the joys of modeling is learning about a vehicle after finding a kit of it. Such was the case when Combat Armour Models’ 1/35 scale kit of the Vickers-Carden-Loyd light amphibious tank (No. CV 35-001) showed up at FSM. Designated A4E12 by the British War Office, the little vehicle never served operationally in its home country. A few were sold to overseas buyers, including the Soviet Union, which developed the T-37A based on the VCL. Most, however, went to China, where this kit originates.

CAM’s freshman kit comprises four sprues of cleanly molded gray plastic. Fine

panel lines and petite rivets mark this betweenthe-wars vehicle.

Link-and-length tracks feature molded sag, and the turret and propeller for amphibious operation are designed to be movable.

There are driver and commander seats inside, but not much else. Photoetched metal provides fender brackets and some external plates.

Decals include markings for three Chinese army tanks in spectacular four-color camouflage trimmed with black lines.

The VCL amphibian costs $46.99.

olfgang Wollenweber is not a well-known name in the annals of aviation. But his memoir, Thunder Over the Reich — Flying the Luftwaffe’s He 162 Jet Fighter (Hikoki, ISBN 978-19021093-9-8, $49.95), might change that.

Drawing on his logbooks and photo albums, Wollenweber recounts his time as a Luftwaffe pilot, starting with Bf 110 operations in Norway, training on the Me 163 rocket, and finally 14 flights in the He 162. Photos, profiles, and paintings illustrate the 184-page hardcover. A great bonus is a facsimile of the original Pilots Notes for the Heinkel He 162, with complete English translation.

Digital F-82 walkaround

W

hen detailing a model, I’m forever scouring books and the Internet for photos. Finding a single source can be a trial. Steve Muth at Peregrine Publications removes much of the work with his CD-ROM walkarounds. The latest covers the F-82B, with 67 sharp, color images of the Twin Mustang at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Steve understands what modelers want, focusing on the cockpit, wheel wells, landing gear, intakes, exhaust, lights, and antennas. Captions tell you exactly which part of the plane is pictured.

The CD is available for $10 from Steve Muth, Peregrine Publishing, 70 The Promenade, Glen Head, NY 11545, by calling 516-759-1089, or e-mailing sgmuth@optonline.net.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 13

NEW PRODUCTS Compiled by Monica Freitag ProfiPack Edition. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

AIRCR AFT

1/72 DECAL SETS Bristol Blenheim & Bolingbroke Mk.IV & IVf — RAF & Foreign operators from

1/48 DECAL SETS 1/32 SCALE KITS

Royal Air Force Update 2013-14 from XtraDecal, No. X48139, $12.

BAe Sea Harrier FA.2 from XtraDecal, No. X48140, $12.

XtraDecal, No. X72215, $12.

History of RAF 12th Squadron WWI to 2014

from XtraDecal, No. X48137, $12.

Royal Air Force Update 2013-14

Felixstowe F.2A Early from Wingnut Wings,

No. 32050, $269. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. Felixstowe F.2A Late from Wingnut Wings, No. 32066, $269.

from XtraDecal, No. X72216, $12.

1/48 DETAIL SETS Aero L-29 Delfin landing gear (for AvantGarde) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 48277, $16.95.

Folland Gnat T.1 landing gear (for Airfix)

Felixstowe F.2A & Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 from Wingnut Wings, No. 32801, $349.

from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 48278, $14.95.

SSW D.III engine from Eduard, No. 648166, $19.95. Brassin Line.

SSW D.III guns from Eduard, No. 648177, $9.95. Brassin Line.

SSW D.III seatbelts fabric from Eduard, No. 49070, $12.95.

1/32 DECAL SETS

1/72 SCALE KITS

1/72 DETAIL SETS F-14 Tomcat landing gear (for Hasegawa)

from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72100, $13.95.

MiG-15 landing gear (for Eduard) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72101, $11.95.

1/144 SCALE KITS

Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 Special Schemes

from XtraDecal, No. X32056, $12.

Short Stirling Mk.IV from Italeri, No. 1350,

$59.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

P-38 Lightning from Fujimi, No.144269, $34.99. Two complete kits, plus bonus caricature P-38 kit.

1/48 SCALE KITS

F-86-F-40 Sabre (value set) from Fujimi,

No. 722559, $29.99.

Messerschmitt Me 262 from Fujimi,

No. 144221, $14.99.

SSW D.III from Eduard, No. 8256, $34.95.

14 FineScale Modeler April 2015

OTHER DETAIL SETS

Panther Ausf F (SdKfz 171) with 7.5cm KwK42 L/100 from Dragon, No. 6799,

$64.99. Smart Kit. 1939-1945 series.

British Army 6 pounder anti-tank gun with crew from Riich Models, No. 35042,

$46.99.

SEA (Vietnam) US Military helicopter airbase set prints from Noy’s Miniatures.

Available in 1/144 (No. NM1440201/02, $14.95), 1/72 (NM72201/02, $18.95), and 1/48 scale (NM48201/02 $24.95). Set includes two versions. First print is a base depicting the Marston mats, the second print is a backdrop depicting a typical U.S. air base in Vietnam with landscape, C-130, and infrastructure components.

Tiger I Ausf H2 7.5cm KwK 42 from Dragon, No. 6683, $64.99. Smart Kit. 1939-1945 series.

M792 Gama Goat US 6x6 ambulance truck from Tamiya, No. 35342, $55.

AR MOR 1/35 SCALE KITS

SdKfz 165 Hummel-Wespe from Dragon, No. 6535, $64.99. Smart Kit. 1939-1945 series.

US motor grader from Plus Model, No. 426, $169.70. 236 resin parts, photoetched metal, and decals for two variants. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. M103A2 heavy tank from Dragon,

1/35 DETAIL SETS

No. 3549, $69.99. Black Label, Smart Kit.

M4A1 deep wading kit from Eduard, M3A3 Bradley US cavalry fighting vehicle, standard edition from

Orochi, No. ORM-IM002, $36.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

No. 36289, $34.95. Photoetched metal.

1/72 SCALE KITS SdKfz 251/17 Ausf C 2 in1 from Dragon,

No. 6592, $62.99.

www.FineScale.com Subscribers have exclusive access to model kit photos not published in the magazine! Simply go to FineScale.com/Reviews.

JASDF Patriot PAC-3 launching station

from Aoshima, No. 009956, $47.99.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 15

NEW PRODUCTS 1/700 SCALE KITS

1/35 SCALE KITS

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi from Fujimi, No. 430720, $79.99.

PzKpfw III Ausf M with Schürzen from

Warerline model with molded sea base and photoetched-metal details.

Dragon, No. 7323, $24.50. Armor Pro. The price of war — European civilian 1944-1945 from Master Box Ltd.,

No. MB35176, $18.99.

Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato 1945 from Fujimi, No. 430713,

$79.99. Warerline model with molded sea base and photoetched-metal details.

ISU-152 Soviet tank destroyer from Zvezda,

No. 5026, $16.99. Snap fit.

SHIPS 1/150 SCALE KITS

Move, move, move!!! — U.S. soldier, Operation Overlord period, 1944 from Imperial Japanese Navy light cruiser Kitakami from Fujimi, No. 431246, $46.99.

Master Box Ltd., No. MB35130, $18.99.

Waterline model.

1/48 SCALE KITS AH-1 Cobra crew

from Plus Model, No. AL4049, $16.10. Aero Line.

Tokyo Water Bus Himiko from Fujimi,

Imperial Japanese Navy submarines I-15 and I-46 from Fujimi, No. 401263, $16.99.

No. 910062, $42.95.

Waterline models.

1/350 SCALE KITS

MILITARY FIGURES

1/72 SCALE KITS

1/32 SCALE KITS U.S. Air Force jet pilot desert wars

from Master Details, No. 32041, $14.95.

Sir Francis Drake’s flagship Golden Hind

from Zvezda, No. 6509, $29.99. Snap fit. Can be used with Zvezda game “The Ships — Armada Invincible.”

Russian Line Infantry 1812-1814 from

Zvezda, No. 6808, $7.50. Snap fit.

16 FineScale Modeler April 2015

FANTASY FIGURES

AUTOS

1/9 SCALE KITS

1/24 SCALE KITS “Guardians of the Galaxy” Groot with Rocket Raccoon from

Dragon, No. 38341, $62.99.

Audi R8 from Revell, No. 85-1687, $12.95.

French Line Infantry 1812-1814 from

Orange SnapTite.

Zvezda, No. 6802, $7.50. Snap fit.

Audi R8 from Revell, No. 85-1690, $12.95.

Blue SnapTite.

SCIENCE FICTION OTHER SCALE KITS 1/350 SCALE KITS Thunderbird 3 & launch bay

“Guardians of the Galaxy” Rocket Raccoon from

from Aoshima, No. 01024, $84.99.

Series No. 14.

Dragon, No. 38340, $54.99. Finished model is 7" tall.

2015 Mustang GT from Revell, No. 85-1689, $12.95. Yellow SnapTite.

OTHER SCALE KITS PRE-FINISHED FIGURES “Guardians of the Galaxy” Little Groot from Dragon,

Volkswagen Golf GTI 420 Si 16v from

Fuijimi, No.12484, $22.99.

No. 38138, $79.99.

Action Hero Vignette series. Stands 7" tall.

The Dragonfly (Jonny Quest Labs supersonic suborbital aircraft) from Moebius,

No. 946, $34.99. Look for a detailed review on Page 61.

Battlestar Galactica upgrade set from Moebius

Models, No. 1011, $19.99. Rail gun turret set, enhanced decal sheet and photoetched windows.

Porsche 911 Turbo from Revell, No. 85-4330,

$25.95. Performance.

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

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.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 17

NEW PRODUCTS

Black Widow Hot Rod from Monogram,

No. 85-4324, $23.95.

Lamborghini Aventador LP-700-4 Roadster from Aoshima, No. 008669, $59.99.

Crew Chief (Chevy Blazer) from AMT, No. AMT897/12, $28.99. Match and paint guide included.

1/25 SCALE KITS

‘29 Ford Street Rod Blue Bandito from

Monogram, No. 85-4020, $23.95.

2013 Camaro ZL1 from Revell, No. 85-4307,

$19.95. Red.

Heavy Chevy 1970 Impala Custom SS hardtop from AMT, No. AMT895/12, $24.99.

2013 Camaro ZL1 from Revell, No. 85-4357,

Match and paint guide included.

$19.95. Black.

2013 Challenger SRT8 from Revell, No. 85-4358, $19.95. Red.

GAZOO Racing TRD 86 2013 TRD Rally Challenge from Tamiya, No. 24337, $71.

Piranha Super Spy Car from AMT,

No. AMT916/12, $25.99.

2013 Challenger SRT8 from Revell,

No. 85-4308, $19.95. Purple.

MISCELL ANEOUS Abarth 695 from Fuijimi, No. 12384, $44.99.

1/24 SCALE KITS

Tim Flock’s 1956 Chrysler 300B from

Moebius Models, No. 1212, $34.99.

Garage tool set - remix from Fujimi, Mitsubishi Fuso FV Tractor Transporter

from Fuijimi, No. 011912, $139.99.

18 FineScale Modeler April 2015

No. 114392, $29.99.

1/35 SCALE KITS Camera No. EL063, $4.60. Easy Line; Chairs with armrest No. EL058, $4.60. Easy Line,

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

both from Plus Model.

BOOKSHELF

XP-91 Thunderceptor - Walk Around #3

from Peregrine Publishing, No. AL4049, $10.

USAF F-4 Phantoms Part 6 from Aero

Research Co., No. 1040, $12.95.

A Tribute To Warbirds - World War II Fighters Part 1, $42, hard cover, 100 pages,

all color photos, ISBN: 9-782954-551807. From Atributetowarbirds.com.

Thomas Morse S-4 Scout - Datafile No. 166, $18, by

Colin A. Owers, soft cover, 32 pages, 0ver 70 color photos.

From Albatros Productions Ltd.

Scale Model Handbook Figure Modelling 13, $19,

soft cover, 50 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 2241-1054.

From Mr. Black Publications.

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.

Manufacturer/Distributor Directory A Tribute to Warbirds Atributetowarbirds.com Aero Research Co. www.AeroResearchCDs.com Albatros Productions Ltd. www.windsockdatafilespecials.com Dragon Models USA Inc. 626-968-0322 www.dragonmodelsusa.com • Aoshima • Bronco • Cyber-hobby • Dragon • Fine Molds • Fujimi • GWH • Master Box • Orochi • Platz • Riich • Showcase Models Australia • Zvezda • Concord • Firefly Books • Nuts & Bolts Books Eduard www.eduard.com Hannants 44-1502-517444 www.hannants.co.uk • Xtradecal • Xtrakit Great Planes Model Distributors www.greatplanes.com • Italeri • Hasegawa

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

Stevens International 856-435-1555 www.stevenshobby.com • AK Interactive • Freedom Model Kits • IBG Models • Mirror Models • Noys Miniatures • Trumpeter • Lanasta

Scale Aircraft Conversions 214-477-7163 scaleaircraftconversions.com

Moebius Models 386-956-4133 www.moebiusmodels.com

Specialty Press 651-277-1400 www.specialtypress.com • Ginter • Crecy • Hikoki • Zenith • Classic

Master Details 815-218-3461 www.masterdetails.com Merit International 626-912-2212 www.merit-intl.com • Merit • AFV Club • Kinetic Mr. Black Publications www.mrblackpublications.com Peregrine Publishing 516-759-1089 Plus Model 38-7220111 www.plusmodel.cz Revell 847-758-3200 www.revell.com

Squadron Products 877-414-0434 www.squadron.com • Encore Models • HobbyBoss • ICM • Meng • Roden • Super Scale International • Sword • True Details • Trumpeter Tamiya America Inc. 949-362-2240 www.tamiyausa.com Tarangus AB www.tarangus.se Wingnut Wings www.wingnutwings.com

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 19

Pre- and post-shading a Controlling pressure and paint make this no plain plane • BY AARON SKINNER

C

hances are that if you like building modern military aircraft, you’re going to end up with a lot of gray planes. But closer examination shows that camouflage is rarely uniform. The paint weathers quickly, shows stains, and is often roughly repainted by hurried ground crew.

Such is the case with Matthew Walker’s French air force Rafale B. Working with Revell Germany’s 1/48 scale kit, he built an aircraft operating in Iraq in fall 2014.

It’s a nice kit out of the box, according to Matthew, but he added Wolfpack Design ejection seats, a Damocles targeting pod from L’Aresnal, and Mica missiles and rails from another kit.

Ready to airbrush, Matthew reached for his new favorite paint, Mr. Color lacquer. He mixes 1 part paint to 3 parts Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.

“If I’m spraying freehand camouflage, I will thin the paint even more,” he says.

Exclusively an Iwata user, Matthew has three airbrushes for different purposes: a Revolution CR with a .5mm needle for general spraying, a Revolution CR with a .3mm needle for fine work, and an HP-B+ with a .2mm needle for freehand camouflage and weathering. All run off a carbondioxide tank fitted with a regulator.

“Generally, I spray at around 10 psi or less,” he says. “It really comes down to the ‘feel’ of the paint as it’s being sprayed. For freehand camouflage, I turn the pressure down, thin the paint more, and get in really close, approximately ¼" to ½" from the surface.”

Matthew doesn’t usually pre-shade his models, but he made an exception for the Rafale. He started by airbrushing random patches of light, almost white, and very dark grays, using a fine spray pattern and building up the effect.

The main camouflage color, dark ghost gray (FS36320), came next. “I misted the paint, building the coverage up slowly to ensure the preshade created the effect I was looking for,” he says.

Then, he airbrushed lightened and darkened shades of the base color for more variance.

“Regulating how much of the pre-shade is visible beneath the base color, and how much post-shading is used, determines the final effect,” he says.

This layered effect could be used on any aircraft subjected to weathering, and Matthew suggests trying it. “If you’re not happy with the results, simply use more post-shading,” he says.

The real secret is to keep it subtle and use pictures of the real thing to guide application. FSM

20 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Paint: Matthew used Mr. Color lacquers on the Rafale. “I find myself using this brand more and more, as it sprays beautifully, is consistent with the results, covers well, and is very forgiving,” he says.

Post-shading: Mixing white and black into dark ghost gray, Matthew airbrushed thin patches of color over the main camouflage. Referring to photos of operational Rafales grounded the effect in reality.

Wash: After a coat of acrylic clear gloss (Tamiya or Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish work well), Matthew applied a panel-line wash of 1 drop of Floquil grimy black and 7-8 drops of Testors enamel thinner.

A cotton swab dipped in thinner removed excess.

Want more of the Rafale?

To see additional photos of Matthew’s model, go to www.FineScale.com/OnlineExtras.

HING

IS

AIRBRU

modern fighter

ING & SH

FIN

Primer: Matthew used primer on seams to check for imperfections. “If I’m using acrylic paint, I will prime the whole model to ensure good adhesion of the paint. But this isn’t necessary if I’m using enamel or lacquer,” he says.

Streaks: To apply fluid stains, Matthew puts a drop of India ink in the color cup of his Iwata HP-B+, then adds a few drops of alcohol.

This mix can be sprayed in a very fine line, hairline thin, and built up gradually, so it’s perfect for fluid spills and streaks. “I have a lot of control using ink and can put it exactly where I want it,” he says.

Meet Matthew Walker

Markings: Matthew used Skyraider Model Designs decals to assign the two-seat Rafale to fighter squadron 1/91 Gascogne of the L’armée de l’air.

After completing his build of the weathered French fighter outbound for another strike, Matthews says his motivation was simple. “The Rafale is just such a sleek, beautiful airplane!”

MATTHEW put together his first model — Airfix’s 1/24 scale Spitfire Mk.II — with his dad when he was 5 or 6. He builds 1/48 scale aircraft, especially modern military jets, including aggressor and adversary aircraft and Russian fighters. He also enjoys building the unusually camouflaged aircraft of the 4th fighter group of the Luftwaffe’s JG 54 in World War II. Born in Dubbo, a rural town in New South Wales, Australia, he moved to Sydney as a teen and was a member of the local IPMS chapter. A bass trombonist, he played with the Australian Opera for 16 years before moving to the Milwaukee, Wis., area to work for a trombone maker. He is currently setting up his own business producing high-end custom trombones, but still finds time to build models and attend meetings of the local IPMS Bong Chapter.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 21

1/48 Scale

| COVER STORY |

Mike’s detailed Panther proves that 1/48 scale armor doesn’t mean going small on features or finish.

DRESSING A PANTHER TO KILL J Little tank, big detail • BY MIKE KIRCHOFF

ust how many aftermarket details do you suppose it is possible to cram into a model no bigger than the palm of your hand? Faced with this question, I thought it not only interesting — I decided to meet the challenge.

After some research, I chose Tamiya’s 1/48 scale Panther Ausf G (early) (No. 32520). It seemed the best choice because of the kit’s quality and the quantity of aftermarket accessories.

Aftermarket shopping Although it’s a detailed kit, I figured the Panther would benefit from some photoetched metal. I picked up Aber’s detail set (No. 48011) and rear boxes for Panthers and Jagdpanthers (No. 48A10). Inspecting each offering revealed why many modelers feel the name Aber and the term insanity 22 FineScale Modeler April 2015

are synonymous! Basically scaled-down versions of their 1/35 scale sets, these are veritable gems.

I added Friulmodel’s Panther Late tracks (No. ATL4801) and Armorscale’s turned-metal 75mm KwK 42L/70 barrel (No. B48-007) to the pile, 1.

Apparently not feeling challenged enough, I upped the stakes with the decision to model a Zimmerit-coated tank in a unique camouflage worn by a Panther in the 1st SS Division, Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, in June, 1944.

Brimming with confidence, I sallied forth.

Zimmerit Germany’s answer to magnetic mines, Zimmerit is difficult to apply in 1/35 scale and only becomes more so in 1/48 scale. I

needed to find a reliable and repeatable process. I quickly dismissed the established mediums, such as polyester and epoxy putties, as being too bulky for this scale.

Casting around, I came up with a vintage bottle of Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 500 that had turned to paste in the jar after sitting for several years.

Working a section at a time, I spread a thin, even layer of thick Mr.Surfacer onto the surface with a palette knife. Using Tamiya’s .5mm Zimmerit tool, I raked the paste vertically, 2. A dull hobby knife etched crosshatched lines in the pattern used on Panthers.

Once the Mr. Surfacer dried, I removed out-of-scale high points with 400-grit sandpaper.

I decided to assemble and install the road wheels and tracks before painting.

1

2

A bit of shopping landed a bunch of aftermarket details for the Panther, including metal tracks, a turned-metal barrel, and several photoetchedmetal sets.

To create 1/48 scale Zimmerit, Mike textures thick Mr. Surfacer 500 from an old bottle with a metal tool from Tamiya.

Filled locators

Hole left by missing box

Styrene lid

3

4

Friulmodel metal tracks need not be intimidating, says Mike. His advice is to take your time, prepare the parts, and develop a rhythm.

Tamiya makes this easy with styrene parts that flawlessly fit the die-cast metal hull. In no time at all, the running gear was ready for treads.

Tracks At first glance, Friulmodel’s 1/48 scale pinned Panther tracks seem overwhelming.

However, once you develop a routine, it is an easy, albeit time-consuming, process.

First, I measured and cut the pinning wire into ½" segments. After clearing burrs from the holes in the links, I interlocked pairs and inserted a piece of wire. Despite the instructions, which suggest securing the wire with a drop of super glue, I’ve found that slightly bending the wire produces enough tension hold it.

Get on a roll and it won’t take that long to complete both track runs. The results are well worth it, 3.

The hull rear I sawed off the front fenders, molded sparetrack racks on the hull sides, and stowage

Mike replaced molded-on stowage boxes with Aber’s photoetched-metal parts, coating them with Zimmerit and adding styrene lids.

bins on the rear plate. The last left gaping holes, but the flush-mounted Aber replacement bins covered them nicely, 4.

A quick word about using photoetched metal: First, I’ve found that if you approach it with common sense and a plan, much like scratchbuilding, more often than not you will achieve acceptable results. Second, proper tools are essential. A hard, smooth surface and new single-edge razor blade make removing the parts from the fret a breeze. Leave as much of the attachment point on the part as you can when removing it from the fret. Then it’s much easier to trim without having to dodge other parts.

A fine file — I use a Tamiya diamond file #400 — removes stubs in a jiffy.

My trusty dial caliper is great for bending small photoetched-metal parts, 5. I chuck a brass part into it, aligning the bend line with the jaws. Holding tension with a thumb, I use a steel ruler or similar tool to apply even pressure.

For larger parts, such as the long, slender side fenders, I taped one edge to the back

side of a steel straightedge. Then I laid it flat on my glass workbench and smoothly rolled the ruler to the desired angle.

The stowage lockers went together easily, despite the multiple bends. I made new lids from styrene, covered the bins with a rough coat of Zimmerit, and inflicted moderate damage.

I added a brass-rod handle to the engine door and replaced the molded lift hooks with styrene. I opened up the exhausts with a ball cutter bit, then added tiny bars across the openings with .010" styrene rod.

The Aber exhaust bracket and jack hanger were a bit fiddly, so I scratchbuilt a robust replacement with .010" x .040" styrene strip. The key was ensuring everything was square and mated with the exhausts and jack — not an easy task but, with patience and a few words usually reserved for golf, I persevered. I finished the bracket with .020" bolt heads salami-cut from Plastruct hex rod, 6.

The jack was also heavily modified according to Aber’s instructions — painsApril 2015 www.FineScale.com 23

Styrene lifting hooks

Brass handle Aber details

Aber details

5

Styrene tow-cable bracket

Scratchbuilt exhaust/ jack bracket

6

Gripping a photoetched-metal part securely in the jaws of his calipers, Mike uses a metal ruler to gently but firmly bend it.

Using a razor blade, Mike cut thin slices from hexagonal rod to make bolt heads for his scratchbuilt exhaust bracket. Light pressure from a No.11 blade is all he needed to pick them up and transfer them to the model.

Brass rod Bosch headlight

Photoetched-metal straps

Gun travel lock Styrene bolts Copper wire

7

8

It took two attempts for Mike to get the photoetched-metal fenders right. He detailed them with styrene bolt heads.

taking work but, again, the results were well worth the effort!

Moving forward Aber’s photoetched metal replaced the kit’s fenders on the Panther’s business end.

These proved accurate but tricky. I wound up building a second set after the initial attempts didn’t meet the side fenders.

I daubed a smattering of Mr. Surfacer 500 Zimmerit on the front fenders. These sheet-metal items took a pounding on fullsize Panthers, so I chipped the material with a No. 11 blade, 7.

The Bosch headlamp features a scratchbuilt bracket, Aber straps, and copper wire for the power supply. I detailed the gun travel lock with styrene bolt heads and bent brass rod.

The commander and turret escape hatches received new handles made from .015" brass. I added a latch to the escape hatch and lifting lugs to the mantlet.

24 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Mike describes Armorscale’s turned-metal gun as a work of art. The brass and photoetched-metal parts combine to make the complex muzzle brake.

Six turned-aluminum and brass parts and a small photoetched-metal fret comprise Armorscale’s impressive 75mm KwK42 L/70 gun, 8. After boring open the kit mantlet, I inserted a spacer and sleeve to install the gun.

Tools and stowage To make way for Aber parts, I removed the molded clasps from the kit tools. This was easy except for the wire cutter, whichsnapped; that’s why this Panther is in the field without cutters. Assembling the threepiece Aber tool clasps was demanding, but in several cases I accidentally managed to make them workable, 9.

I built a new gun-cleaning rod container for the port side with .156" Plastruct styrene tube and detailed it with photoetchedmetal hasps.

Aber supplies good-looking spare-track racks for the rear hull, 10. If you pay attention, it’s possible to hang a few links on

them. The photoetched-metal chains and rods were somewhat fiddly to deal with, but the overall effect is stunning. The same attention to detail holds true for the Schürzen brackets. After losing one of Aber’s tow-cable brackets, I built styrene replacements.

Shaped styrene replaced the jack block, and I detailed Aber’s bow machine-gun plug, 11.

With all the extra details installed, the Tamiya Panther looks impressive, 12.

Before painting, I like to spend a day or two looking over the model to ensure I haven’t missed anything.

Painting prep To promote adhesion of the Tamiya acrylics I planned to use, I primed the Panther with a mix of equal parts Mr. Surfacer 1000 and Mr. Leveling Thinner, 13. This combination flows like warm butter through your airbrush! (I originally intended to use

Photoetched-metal fenders Aber tool clasps

Schürzen brackets

9

10

Mike grafted the ends from the kit cleaning-rod container onto styrene tube, then detailed with parts from an Aber set.

Careful construction produced spare-track racks to receive extra Friulmodel metal links.

Tamiya tow cable

11

Aber working tool clasps

Styrene jack block

12

Mike places a scratchbuilt styrene jack block into a photoetched-metal holder on the starboard side.

With detailing and scratchbuilding done, it’s off the paint booth for the Panther.

13

14

To be sure the Tamiya acrylics stayed put, Mike primed with Mr. Surfacer 1000 mixed with Mr. Leveling Thinner. The Schürzen Mike originally planned to use is painted red oxide.

Dunkelgelb’s true color is oft debated. Mike mixed four Tamiya paints to get the shade he used to base-coat the Panther.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 25

15

16

Thinning Tamiya acrylics more than usual and dialing down the pressure allows Mike to get in close to paint the red-brown and green camo.

A fine brush and dark gray paint produce fine chips in the paint along hatch edges.

17

18

After a thin overall wash blended the colors, Mike applies a pinwash with a fine brush to deepen shadows and emphasize details.

Mike depicted the weathered, heat-stressed metal of the exhausts with layers of paint, washes, and pastels.

Aber’s Schürzen, so the back sides were airbrushed Floquil oxide red to simulate the German red-lead primer.

I airbrushed lower areas of the vehicle Tamiya NATO black (XF-69), focusing on the tracks and the inner faces of the running gear. Now I could concentrate on getting the camouflage colors right on exposed surfaces while the black hid hard-to-reach areas.

At the end of painting, a little touch-up of the rubber rims with Vallejo Model Color black gray (70.862) took care of any overspray.

The tracks received a heavy wash of Vallejo English uniform (70.921).

Alternating washes of Vallejo burnt umber (70.941) and black red (70.0859) followed until a nice variance in color was achieved.

Three-color camo I airbrushed the model with a mix of Tamiya acrylics — 4 parts dark yellow (XF26 FineScale Modeler April 2015

60), 2 parts desert yellow (XF-59), 1 part olive green (XF-58), and 3 parts flat white (XF-2). The resulting pale ochre looks scale and fits my notion of dunkelgelb, 14.

The camouflage for this vehicle — random red-brown splotches framed by olive green — presented quite the challenge, especially in 1/48 scale. But it proved easier than anticipated.

The keys were thinning the paint a little more than usual and spraying at lower pressure. This allowed me to work close to the surface and spray more deliberately.

For the spots, I added a few drops of khaki drab (XF-51) to red-brown (XF-64) to tone down the red. A mix of olive green and field gray (XF-65) colored the stripes, 15.

I carefully hand-painted the tools, starting with Vallejo German gray (70.995) on the metal parts. Wooden components received a thin wash of Tamiya desert yellow followed by dry-brushed burnt umber

artist’s oils. I drilled out the bow machine gun before painting it dark gray, following with a filter of thin blue oil paint. Rubbing with graphite imparted a metallic sheen.

I painted a mix of Vallejo hull red (70.985) and red (70.947) on the edges of open hatches and the inner face of the machine-gun plug to simulate exposed primer.

References indicate this vehicle’s markings were limited to crosses on each side of the hull near the bow. The kit decals settled into the Zimmerit with help from Microscale’s decal solutions.

Weathering Mixing 502 Abteilung wash brown (080) and Humbrol enamel thinner, I applied a light overall wash to the tank. It blended the camouflage, muted the colors slightly, and really made the Zimmerit pop.

It’s easy to overdo paint chips, but a few here and there can set a model off. Using a

19

20

Mike rubs paint off high points on the metal tracks with a fiberglass pencil.

Available from electronics supply stores, the abrasive pencils are used to clean circuits and soldered connections.

Using a soft, round brush, Mike adds a layer of weathering-pigment dust to the road wheels and tracks.

Challenge met! Mike’s terrific Panther supports the notion that small scale doesn’t mean less detail.

fine brush, I judiciously applied Vallejo German camouflage black (70.822), concentrating on the most-exposed edges and high-traffic areas, 16. Later, I accented some of these areas with a light rub of graphite and rust-colored pastels.

Pinwashes of brown and burnt sienna artist’s oils and enamel thinner emphasized details, 17. Rather than removing excess wash, I gently worked it in and around the surface with a brush slightly damp with thinner. This creates subtle tonal variation and adds character to the finish.

To simulate heat-stressed metal, I painted the exhausts a pinkish-brown mix of Vallejo dark sand (70.847) and black red

(70.859). Subsequent washes with Vallejo mahogany sand (70.846) and burnt umber (70.941), as well as a few pastels, completed the tailpipes, 18.

For a tank in summer, I saw no need to add much mud and grime. Instead, I airbrushed a translucent coat of 1 part Tamiya buff (XF-57) and 10 parts Tamiya acrylic thinner (X-20A), especially around the lower half. This muted the colors for scale effect and left a coat of road dust.

Burnishing the contact surface of each track link with a fiberglass pencil exposed the bare metal to give the tracks realism, 19. I toned down the shine with a light wash of raw umber oils.

A thorough but controlled application of earth-tone pigments finished the Panther. I combined Mig Productions Europe dust (P028) and Gulf War sand (P037), then dusted the powder over the suspension and lower hull with a round No. 5 sable brush, 20.

Panther ready to prowl This project afforded a unique opportunity to embellish a great kit with a bunch of aftermarket details and scratchbuild a few others.

In spite of being smaller, this Panther stands toe-to-toe with any of its 1/35 scale counterparts in my display case. FSM April 2015 www.FineScale.com 27

1/48 Scale

Few planes have such longstanding pedigree as the Dassault Mirage, which started its long run through numerous variants in the late 1950s with the III. Wolfgang models the fighter version of the Mirage 2000.

Bring a MIRAGE to LIFE Turn an Italeri kit into a French air force knockout! • BY WOLFGANG BUGL

T

he Dassault Mirage 2000 may not seem too dissimilar from its parentage leading all the way back to the III of the late 1950s. But let there be no mistake: The 2000 is a very different aircraft. Set aside its powerful SNECMA M53 engine and improved maneuverability, this multirole fighter packed then-state-of-the-art electronics and technology that made it a match for fighters the world over.

The first Mirage 2000 entered service with the Armée de l’Air (French air force) in 1984 with the C variant; more than 120 were delivered. They’ve seen action in the Gulf War, as United Nations and NATO aircraft over Bosnia and Kosovo, and over Libya in 2011.

I chose to model a 2000C from Escadron de Chasse (Chase Squadron) 2/5 Île-deFrance (literally, Isle of France) based in Orange-Caritat in southern France. It flew escort during Operation Daguet in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 but didn’t

28 FineScale Modeler April 2015

see combat. Italeri’s 1/48 scale Mirage 2000C (No. 2614) re-release of Esci’s old, but good, kit served as the base for my model.

Warming up Overall, the Italeri kit is a good one, with only minor inaccuracies. Before starting construction, I corrected some of those problems. The panel lines on the nose of the aircraft are dead wrong: I filled them with putty, sanded them smooth, and REFERENCES

French Deltas: The Dassault Mirage 2000 over Europe Pt. 1 (Post WWII Combat Aircraft Series No. 11), by Friedrich List, Airdoc, ISBN 978-3935-68711-9 Combat Air Patrol, by Ian Black,

The Crosswood Press, ISBN 978-1840-37336-3

scribed new panels to match references, 1.

Similarly, I scribed missing panel lines on the tail fin, 2. A pounce wheel helped me make rivets along some panels on the wing and control surfaces.

Improving the cockpit and exhaust I purchased Eduard’s Mirage 2000C photoetched-metal detail set (No. 48386), which has upgrades for everything from the cockpit to the undercarriage and would ease my way forward.

The details are applied directly to the kit’s tub and instrument panel and look convincing under paint, 3.

Dissatisfied with the kit seat, I found a resin Martin-Baker Mk.10 ejection seat from Hi Tech in my spares box. It didn’t have molded-on seat belts, so I used the ones from the Eduard set, along with the canopy breakers, 4. A test-fit showed the seat would work well with the kit cockpit.

After gluing photoetched-metal details to the underside of the cockpit tub, I

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Before Wolfgang got into the cockpit, panel lines on the nose had to be filled and new ones scribed.

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He added missing panel lines to the tail fin and used a pounce wheel to make rivets where needed.

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The Eduard photoetched-metal details went directly on the kit tub and instrument panel.

The ejection seat came from Wolfgang’s spares box. After test-fitting it, he left the seat out until the end of the build.

Wheel-bay details

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Photoetched-metal parts to detail the top of the nose-gear bay attach to the bottom of the cockpit tub.

attached the assembly to the fuselage’s starboard half, 5.

Italeri’s exhaust and engine assembly lacks detail and isn’t the correct depth. I replaced it with Eduard’s tailpipe and added details to the afterburner exhaust nozzle, 6.

I glued the tailpipe and exhaust, added a little weight up front just to be sure the plane would keep its nose down, and cemented the fuselage together. A little putty and sanding cleaned up a gap in the rear fuselage, 7.

The kit provided precious little detail for the exhaust pipe and afterburner nozzle. Eduard to the rescue!

Wings and everything else The Mirage’s wings come in three pieces: one piece that makes up the belly of the plane and the bottom of both wings, and the two parts that form the tops. These and the intakes fit nicely but still required putty to fill seams, 8.

Gaps on top of the wings needed filling, too. I masked along both sides of the wing seam to reduce the risk of filling panel lines I wanted to keep, then applied putty. Once it dried, I removed the tape and sanded the putty smooth, 9.

Short lengths of copper wire made fine hydraulic lines in the wheel wells, 10.

The windshield didn’t fit well and required a lot of careful sanding and testfitting. In the end, I had to employ putty to blend it into the nose and get the part to look right. I temporarily attached the canopy to the fuselage with white glue and masked both it and the windshield, 11.

Lastly, I assembled the two Matra Super 530 missiles included in the Italeri kit. The pair of Matra Magic II missiles were replaced by the superior ones from Revell’s April 2015 www.FineScale.com 29

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With the cockpit and engine in place, Wolfgang closed up the fuselage. The parts met almost perfectly, needing just a little putty along the seam.

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A slight gap at the wing roots and engine intakes required filling and sanding.

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Tamiya tape along the seams let Wolfgang put the putty where he wanted it and minimized the risk of accidentally filling nearby details.

The main wheel wells were a bit plain, so little bits of wire went in to represent hydraulic lines.

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Wolfgang uses white glue to temporarily attach the canopy to protect the cockpit during subsequent painting.

Black paint airbrushed along panel lines begins the pre-shading process.

Blue and brown paint sprayed in the middle of randomly selected panels adds a little extra differentiation.

1/48 scale Rafale. The 3,000-gallon centerline fuel tank needed modification. First, I removed the winglets, then reduced its pylon height by 2mm.

Painting and finishing I airbrushed a very thin mix of flat black along panel lines to start pre-shading. To add further variation to the finish, I sprayed patches of brown and blue all over the air30 FineScale Modeler April 2015

frame, especially on the underside, 12.

A coat of LifeColor light compass ghost gray (No. UA026) went over the entire model. I was careful to allow the pre-shading to show through.

I used thin strips of Tamiya masking tape to rough out the outline of the hardedged two-tone camo pattern. Once I was happy with the curves and placement, I finished masking the gray areas and placed

“worms� of poster putty along the edges to get the cleanest edge possible, 13. It took a lot of time and patience, but it was worth the effort.

Next, I airbrushed LifeColor intermediate blue (UA045) on the upper surfaces. I lightened the color with a tiny bit of white, then sprayed panel centers to add a little extra dimension to the finish. Dark ghost gray (UA027) finished the radome, 14.

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Wolfgang masked off those areas he intended to keep gray. To make sure he achieved a nice, hard edge, he wound thin ropes of poster putty along the edges of the masks.

After spraying intermediate blue for the second camo color, Wolfgang lightened the paint with a bit of white and picked out the center of selected panels for contrast.

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The Eduard set provided lines and oleo scissors to complete the undercarriage. Wolfgang painted the assemblies with Alclad II white aluminum.

The roundels and squadron insignia come from Carpena. The stencils, walkways, and other markings were taken from another kit in Wolfgang’s stash.

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Wolfgang sealed the decals under a gloss coat, let it dry, then applied a sludge wash of artist’s oils along panel lines. He used white spirit to wipe away the excess.

On final approach, Wolfgang finishes the resin Martin-Baker ejection seat and glues it inside the cockpit.

And last, but not least, the canopy receives the final details from the Eduard detail set and is glued on.

Alclad II white aluminum went over the wheel wells, undercarriage, and exhaust, 15.

After the paint dried, I airbrushed a couple of coats of Tamiya gloss clear (X-22) to get a good surface for decals. The Carpena markings (No. 4828) I wanted to use were thick and wouldn’t settle, even after generous applications of setting solution. I used only the squadron codes, roundels, and squadron patches for the tail fin. I

plundered stencils and walkways from an Eduard Mirage 2000D/N in my stash, 16.

After sealing the decals beneath a gloss coat, I slathered a sludge wash of burnt sienna and dark gray artist’s oils along panel lines, around the exhaust, and in the wheel wells. Then I used a soft rag and white spirit to clean away the excess, 17.

I installed the landing gear, antennas, and refueling probe, then sprayed a coat of

Gunze Sangyo Aqueous flat clear overall.

With the end in sight, I finished painting the ejection seat and installed it in the cockpit, 18.

Lastly, I affixed the canopy, 19.

I love how elegant the Mirage 2000 looks in its French blue and gray camouflage. It’s certainly an interesting and eyecatching subject worthy of any model aircraft collection. FSM April 2015 www.FineScale.com 31

READER GALLERY

▲ JIMMY JOHANNSEN FOCKBEK, RENDSBURG, GERMANY

▼ JIMMY NGO SINGAPORE

Realistic in-flight photos are Jimmy’s specialty. Here, his Trumpeter 1/32 scale Eurofighter Typhoon takes to the air with Luftwaffe JG 74 No. 2 Squadron wearing Tigermeet 2014 “Viva Zapata” artwork on the tail. He says when he first showed the photo to squadron members they didn’t know it was a model.

Mounting a CMK 1/35 scale resin turret on Dragon’s Marder III chassis (kit No. 6331) with a lot of scratchbuilding, Jimmy built a Swiss army Praga 39 tankette. Working with Vallejo paints, he airbrushed a base coat of deck tan and hand-painted camouflage with medium olive and brown.

Dot-filter coats of Mig oil paints comprised faded gray, olive green, Luftwaffe yellow, and German three-tone fading. He chipped with the Vallejo deck tan and painted the CH with Vallejo flat yellow. Mig washes and pigments provided mud and weathering.

32 FineScale Modeler April 2015

▲ DAVE CURRIER PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS

Japanese pilots found the Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki tougher to fly than its predecessor, the Ki-43 Hayabusa, but it could climb faster and was more heavily armed. Dave painted Hasegawa’s 1/32 scale model with various shades of Alclad II, “the best metallic paints I have ever used,” he says.

Bob Wilson photo. ▶ JACQUES NIOT, MENNECY, ESSONNE, FRANCE

A longtime FineScale Modeler contributor, Jacques says he still drinks his morning coffee from the complimentary FSM mug he received for one of his early stories.

Now in his 80s, he’s still scratchbuilding 1/48 scale aircraft, such as this Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster. Only two of the high-speed bombers were built; the first flew in 1944, and the program was cancelled in 1948. ◀ FRED JONES, KINGSTON, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

“Inspired by FSM articles, I decided to try a weekend build,” Fred says. “With no interior, vinyl tracks, and a modest parts count, Revell’s 1/35 scale SU-100 seemed like a good candidate.” He spray-painted with Krylon, weathered with a graphite pencil, artist’s oils, Weather System pigments, and Triangle Craft’s Sophisticated Finishes for rust effects — and he finished by Sunday night.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 33

READER GALLERY

SEND US YOUR PICTURES! 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!

▶ LOTHAR LIMPRECHT, BAD WILDUNGEN, GERMANY

Lothar combined ICM’s 1/35 scale V3000S/SS M (SdKfz 3b) Maultier and Tamiya’s 2cm FlaK 38 with Sd Ah 51 trailer, and mixed in aftermarket accessories: MR Modellbau front wheels, mudguards, and track wheels; Friulmodel metal track links; and a Jordi Rubio turnedmetal gun barrel. He also scratchbuilt an ammunition box for the trailer.

▲ T.R. MAYER BRUNSWICK, MAINE

Lindberg’s 1/90 scale North Atlantic fishing trawler got an extreme makeover from T.R., who says, “I have always liked its hull lines. On a whim, I decided to create an unconventional tramp freighter. The name Sun of Jamaica seemed to fit.” He converted it to R/C (with electronic speed controller from The Component Shop) and installed running and interior lights. After cutting molded boxes off the hull, he created new cargo hatches, shortened the deckhouse and moved it aft, and cut off the aft part of the hull to make the cap rail continuous around the stern.

34 FineScale Modeler April 2015

▶ CHRISTOPHER BOWLING, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Using Tamiya’s 1/32 scale F-4C, Christopher modeled a Phantom II flown by “triple ace” Robin Olds. He painted with Testors Model Master, applied an artist’s oil pinwash, and used pastel chalks for oil and lube stains. It was Christopher’s second airbrush job: “I practiced a lot on scrap before I went anywhere near the model,” he says. ◀ BILL WELLS, ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

“Mostly a shake-andbake build,” Bill says of Hasegawa’s 1/48 scale Nakajima Ki-27.

“The violet paint was an experimental color used by the Japanese in the early part of the war,” he says. For weathering, he applies a “mud wash” of artist’s watercolors. “It’s easy to wipe off and leaves a great depth effect,” he says. Light coats of clear seal the delicate watercolor layer.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 35

READER GALLERY

▲ RICH SINGER SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

▼ DAVID MOORE COPPELL, TEXAS

There are Harley choppers, and then there is what Rich built: “The organ-donor bike for this custom build was a 1980 Tamiya 1/6 scale FLH Classic Harley-Davidson,” he says.

After reading Bill Plunk’s story in the April 2014 FSM, David followed suit and built the same Dragon 1/350 scale German destroyer, Z-38, to practice his weathering. He drilled out portholes with a pin vise and hung black construction paper inside the hull to block light. However, David says, “I wouldn’t recommend building this model just to learn weathering. It’s a pretty intricate build.”

36 FineScale Modeler April 2015

▲ BILL CARLO CROSSVILLE, TENNESSEE

“The options for building this made for a lot of research,” Bill says of Tasca’s U.S. M32B1 recovery vehicle. He passed on the kit-supplied rivets for the road wheels, using a punch-and-die set on .010" styrene sheet to make his own. “I had to make lots of them, as they went in all directions,” he says. The boom broke with handling, so Bill bolstered it with K&S Engineering .020" brass rod, bent to fit. He also loaded the hull with details and stowage from his spares. The vinyl track is painted with Krylon Fusion for Plastic black and weathered with watercolors.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 37

1/400 Scale

Improving Heller’s

Dunkerque Clever scratchbuilding, aftermarket details, and tips to build a battleship

BY TED BUNN • PHOTOS BY TED BUNN AND SHARON KAWAN

W

hen Germany unveiled the Deutschland-class pocket battleships in the late 1920s, France countered with the Dunkerque-class.

Officially designated “fast battleships,” they carried eight 330mm guns in two turrets and less armor than conventional battleships. But with a top speed in excess of 30 knots, they could outrun most threats.

Dunkerque, commissioned on Oct. 2, 1935, was followed by her sister ship Strasbourg in 1936.

After a brief stint hunt-

ing German commerce raiders, the Dunkerque’s career turned tragic: With the French-German armistice of June 22, 1940, the Royal Navy attacked the French navy base at at Mers-El-Kebir on July 3.

Dunkerque suffered severe damage but survived. Tacked back together over the following 18 months, Dunkerque steamed into Toulon in Feb. 20, 1942, for full repairs.

That November, Germany tried to seize the Vichy navy as punishment for the Allied landings in North Africa. Rather than allowing her to end up in German hands, the crew scuttled Dunkerque along with the rest of the fleet at Toulon.

Waterlining the hull I’ve always wanted to build the Heller 1/400 scale Dunkerque. But I prefer to build waterline ships, an option not provided in the kit, so I had to create my own.

To mark the line, I placed Dymo labeling tape along the hull 1/16" below the waterline. I

Once a fairly rare kit, Heller’s 1/400 scale French fast battleship Dunkerque was recently reissued. Ted’s detailed build gives a lot of pointers on how to make the most of an older model kit.

38 FineScale Modeler April 2015

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To waterline Heller’s full-hull model, Ted starts cuts with a scriber guided by Dymo labeling tape. A razor saw completes the cut.

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A waterline plate of .040" sheet styrene anchors the hull to the base and stiffens it to provide a firm foundation for the rest of the model.

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Plating the hull The hull lacks any kind of molded plating.

To depict these details, I ran 1/16"-wide strips of tape the length of the hull, 4.

Then, I airbrushed the hull with a 1:1 mix of Mr. Surfacer 1200 and lacquer thinner.

To add realism to the hull, Ted masked lines and airbrushed Mr. Surfacer 1200 primer. In this small scale, the subtle lines suggest hull plating.

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Lacking dedicated photoetched metal for Dunkerque, Ted used generic details like watertight doors from Gold Medal Models.

ran a scriber repeatedly along the tape edge, gradually gouging the plastic. When I saw a faint, slightly lighter colored line appearing on the inside of the hull, I used a razor saw to finish the job, 1.

Losing the lower hull left the whole thing considerably less rigid. The kit-supplied braces help, 2, but the hull needed a waterline plate.

To make one, I traced the outline of the hull onto .040" sheet styrene with a pencil.

After roughly cutting along the outline, I super glued the plate to the bottom of the hull. Sandpaper refined the shape, and Mr. Surfacer 500 helped smooth rough spots, 3.

The kit comes with interior braces, but Ted was concerned about the structural integrity after removing the lower hull.

Details like the funnel cover came from Ted’s spares box.

7 Ted describes L’Arsenal’s 1/400 scale photoetched-metal catapult as a kit in itself. Careful bending provides a beautiful feature for the model.

Once this had dried, I peeled off the tape, revealing a subtle difference between the level of the bare plastic and the primer.

Under a top coat of paint, it will appear to be rows of plates running the length of the ship.

Adding detail I turned to Gold Medal Models’ (GMM) photoetched-metal 1/400 scale Naval Ship detail set (No. 400-1) for railings and French motto plaques. I replaced all the kit doors, hatches, and ladders with parts from the GMM Watertight Doors (No. 400-2) and Extra Ladders (No. 400-6) sets, 5. My spares box yielded photoetched-metal bits for the foremast aerials, boat davits, funnel grille, yardarm footropes, boat details, cradles, and crane hooks, 6.

I added stanchions made from .030" and .040" styrene rod, and communications equipment from photoetched-metal spares.

Floatplane and catapult I replaced the kit’s Loire 130 flying boat and its catapult with L’Arsenal’s French Navy Catapult (No. AC 400 33) set.

Complex and tiny, the catapult, 7, and Loire, 8, go together very easily and look great on the stern of my Dunkerque, 9.

Arming the ship I replaced the 330mm main guns and the 130mm secondary armament with customturned brass barrels from Burkhardt Masch Kleinserien (www.modellmarine.de).

Replacing the barrels was easy: First, I sawed off the kit barrels, 10. Next, I drilled pilot holes in the turret where each of the barrels had been, 11. I inserted the nub at the base of each metal barrel into the pilot holes and secured them with super glue, 12 and 13.

I replaced some, but not all, antiaircraft guns with photoetched metal.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 39

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In 1/400 scale, L’Arsenal’s Loire 130 floatplane has a wingspan of just 11⁄2". It looks terrific even before painting.

Ted painted the tiny aircraft Alclad II dull aluminum, added decals, and rigged the antenna wires with stretched sprue.

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To replace the underwhelming kit guns, Ted starts by sawing the plastic barrels from their base.

Using a pin vise, Ted drills holes in a turret bracket to accept turned-metal gun barrels.

Before and after: Ted shows his work as he continues replacing the plastic armament with detailed brass barrels.

Ship’s boats

Painting

The open boats didn’t look bad. I dressed them up with photoetched-metal oars and rudders left over from a previous build.

However, there wasn’t much I could do for the powerboats; adding photoetchedmetal props and rudders helped, but they still looked too simple. So I covered them with canvas.

I placed each boat on a piece of giftwrapping tissue and traced around it, leaving ¼" extra to account for the raised cabin.

After cutting it out, I placed the tarp over the boat and used a wet fingertip to gently form the tissue to the part. Once it was dry, I painted the tissue with white glue thinned with water.

To get a weathered-canvas look, I applied a thin coat of Vallejo light gray followed by a wash of India ink thinned with alcohol. Vallejo deck tan and beige were dry-brushed on to add highlights. I used tan 8/0 Uni-thread for tie-downs.

L’Arsenal 1/350 and 1/400 scale resin figures rounded out construction.

Unless otherwise noted, I used White Ensign Models Colourcoats for painting. I started by airbrushing modern French navy gray (M07) on the hull and vertical superstructure surfaces. Modern French navy deck gray (M08) covered the steel decks, 14 and 15. Wooden decks received a coat of teak (C01), then a wash of burnt umber artist’s acrylics thinned with alcohol. After masking, I airbrushed the boot stripe with anthracitgrau (ARG 08).

For the Dunkerque’s boats, I followed the kit’s color suggestions: modern French navy gray on hulls, anthracitgrau below the waterline, white (C03) inside, and Model Master wood enamel for the thwarts.

After priming the resin Loire 130 with Mr. Surfacer 1200, I painted the airframe with Alclad II dull aluminum. The hull and pontoon bottoms were painted anthracitgrau (ARG 08).

others to add variety. My thumbnail created scuff marks, 16.

I painted photoetched-metal parts on the fret, then brushed them with the same mixture of pigments.

To create rain streaks below portholes, I turned the tip of a No. 2 pencil in the opening, then pulled the residual graphite dust down the hull with my finger.

Hints of Polly Scale rust, lightly applied with a stiff round brush, added wear around the anchors and hawse holes.

Cruise details of the build For all the tiny features of Ted’s Dunkerque, go to www.FineScale.com/OnlineExtras.

40 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Weathering For a slightly worn scheme, I mixed Mig Productions industrial city dirt (PO39) with a tiny bit of light rust (PO24) in a small cup. I brushed this lightly down the hull and vertical surfaces, taking care to make it darker in some areas and lighter in

Rigging No matter how good you get at rigging, you’ll congratulate yourself one minute for finishing an intricate section and curse a blue streak the next for snapping the lines you’ve just attached. This is especially true when you rig exclusively with stretched sprue like I do.

On Dunkerque, I melted more than my share of attached lines. For me, Airfix plastic always works great for stretching sprue.

I hold a 3"-4" piece of sprue over a tealight candle, wait until the center turns glossy, then pull the ends apart. If you do it correctly, you can stretch a piece as long as you can hold your arms apart.

Once the sprue is stretched, I cut a piece

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Guns, guns, guns! They don’t take a lot of work, but the difference the brass barrels make is extraordinary.

After painting the wood and steel decks, Ted masked them with Tamiya tape before airbrushing the deck fittings and railings French navy gray.

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The assembled forward superstructure is evidence of what Ted’s neat masking and painting can achieve.

For subtle weathering, Ted applies light streaks of Mig Productions weathering powders to the aft superstructure.

Stretched-sprue rigging and a crew of L’Arsenal figures take the old Heller kit up a notch. Note the motto plate on the lowest deck.

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After putting Dunkerque to sea in acrylic gel medium, Ted paints the water with a mix of blue and green artist’s acrylics.

Sparingly applied white paint colors the ship’s wake as it steams off on another voyage.

a little longer than I need and super glue each end. Waving the glowing ember of a just-extinguished match under the line tightens it, 17.

I used gray plastic to rig the forward superstructure, and tan for the main mast.

Then I painted the lines with a Gundam gray paint pen. Even though they are painted the same color, not all of the line gets painted. So, what appears to be the same color at a distance shows slight variations up close.

Creating the sea I traced the outline of the hull on the base where I wanted to place the ship. I like to

put a 4" x 1" nameplate in one corner, so I marked that area as well.

I applied Golden heavy gel medium with a large, soft brush. The gel looks like mayonnaise when wet but dries crystal clear. Be sure to smooth out any little whips in the wave crests that can occur during the application. When the initial layer of gel dried, I created ripples with additional gel.

Satisfied with the appearance of the water, and with the model in place, I used a soft brush to hand-paint the water with a mix of 2 parts phthalocyanine blue and 1 part phthalocyanine green artist’s acrylics, 18.

Adjacent to the hull and in the prop

wash, I blended a little titanium white into the blue; this slightly lighter shade gives a sense of movement.

After the initial paint dried, I applied a lighter shade of the base color. To create a sense of depth, I dry-brushed a lighter shade of the base color over the water to highlight salients.

Finally, I created sea foam by brushing titanium white in spots around the hull, wake, and breaking swells. This shouldn’t be uniform, so work slowly; it is really easy to overdo the white.

Finally, three coats of Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish sealed the water and gave it a realistic sheen. FSM April 2015 www.FineScale.com 41

1/72 Scale

Bigger than a Skyraider, the Martin Mauler is a historical footnote Frank wanted to add to his 1/72 scale collection by building CMR’s resin kit.

Building a resin Mauler Tips and tricks for working with CMR’s naval attacker • BY FRANK CUDEN ypical of high-end resin kits, Czech Master Resin’s 1/72 scale Martin Mauler features beautifully cast parts — no pinholes or short-shots here — with fine engraved panel lines and a detailed cockpit. I was happy to see metal landinggear legs; they’re sturdier under the extra weight of the resin.

T

get yourself a respirator and wear it whenever you are cutting or sanding the resin.

The lightweight dust that goes everywhere is a respiratory irritant and may cause health problems.

Second, solvent-based plastic cement won’t work on resin. I use super glue and Gator’s Grip white glue.

Getting started

Cockpit and bodywork

Obviously resin is not plastic, so you need to use different construction methods. First,

I added a trim wheel from an out-of-production Reheat photoetched-metal set

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(No. RH046), 1. The panel received Mike Grant instrument face decals; the same set provided small instructional placards that I sliced and diced to dress up the panel and consoles. I ran wire to the consoles. After sculpting a seat cushion from sheet styrene, I added a seat belt from Reheat (No. RH02), again out of production; I’m glad I stocked up on them, although alternates are available.

I super glued the fuselage halves together around the cockpit, 2. The spa-

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Frank dressed up the Mauler’s tiny cockpit with spare photoetched metal and decal instruments and placards.

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Keen to pose the cowl flaps open, Frank cut the resin parts away. He saved them, thinking he might use them, but ended up scratchbuilding styrene flaps instead.

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Although the surface detail is good, Frank felt the kit’s wheel wells needed a little help. So, he added styrene-strip structural frames and brackets.

A massive Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major powered the Mauler, but it’s barely visible behind the spinner and prop. Frank painted the insert black.

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To improve the spinner, Frank glued the parts together without the prop. Then, he glued styrene tubes into the blade openings.

After blending the tubes into the spinner, Frank separated the blades from the hub, filed the ends, and glued them into the tubes.

Frank enlarged the upper intake, glued it to the fuselage, and blended it with putty and sanding.

cious hole in the belly for the wing gave me a chance to refine and reinforce the fit using super glue and accelerator.

Referring to photos, I added styrenestrip detail to the main wheel wells.

Squadron white putty filled seams that I sanded smooth in preparation for paint.

Moving forward

The Mauler’s engine is not visible through the cowl opening, but an insert shows a cooling fan, 4. Once I installed the massive spinner and prop, even that’s difficult to see.

The kit offers two propellers: A hydraulically controlled Hamilton Standard prop

To show the cowl flaps open, I sawed them off the kit cowl, 3. My intention was to clean up the resin bits and reattach them, but they proved to be too thick. Later in the build, I installed replacements made from sheet styrene.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 43

8 Following references, Frank spiced up the main gear legs with wire and styrene.

9

10

Frank base-coated the airframe with Floquil old silver, his choice for weathered aluminum, then masked and sprayed the cowl ring Alclad II polished aluminum and the control surfaces white aluminum.

To add realism to the natural-metal finish, Frank masked panels and sprayed four shades of Alclad II lacquers.

11

12

After all that work, the Mauler’s panels show realistic variation.

Rather than using a wash, Frank follows panel lines with a sharp pencil.

with squared-off tips, and the Curtiss electrically operated, cuffed prop with rounded tips that I used. The two-part spinner needed work before I could attach the blades. I super glued styrene tubes into the crude blade openings, 5. Then I cut and sanded the tubes flush and filled the surrounding areas.

After removing each blade from the hub, I sanded the pins so they would fit into the tubes in the spinner, 6. I set each blade’s angle and super glued them into the spinner.

The kit provides a short intake above the engine that fits directly over the trailing edge of the cowling; to depict the Naval Air Training Center aircraft I chose to build, I had to lengthen it. I grafted styrene behind the delicate resin intake lip, then glued it to the airplane, 7. Careful sanding blended the parts.

Using photos from Steve Ginter’s Naval Fighters No. 24 — Martin AM-1/1-Q Mauler (Specialty Press, ISBN 978-0942612-24-0), I detailed the landing gear with wire and styrene, 8. To be sure the 44 FineScale Modeler April 2015

metal legs stayed in place, I installed them in the bays with 5-minute epoxy.

Painting After a base coat of Floquil old silver, I masked and airbrushed the front of the cowl with Alclad II polished aluminum. I painted the flaps Alclad II steel and the other control surfaces Alclad II white aluminum, 9.

Getting serious, I started masking and painting panels on the airframe with four shades of Alclad II lacquers, 10. I handpainted some of the inspection panels with Testors steel. The wing guns were painted dark gray, then dry-brushed with steel. The overall effect is a natural-metal finish that is anything but uniform, 11.

I drew along the engraved panel lines with a pencil, 12. This gives them a more subtle emphasis than using a wash.

To maintain the sheen, I don’t apply clear coat over natural-metal finishes.

Decals came from some of the many sheets I have in my stash. The markings accurately represent the NATC bird

depicted in Ginter’s book. The Curtiss prop logos and white stenciling are from an old Scale-Master 1/72 scale propeller markings sheet.

I added rivets around the cowl with Mike Grant decals. Pastels provided exhaust stains and general grunge around the engine and underneath the aircraft.

Final assembly I attached the wheels with 5-minute epoxy, which gave me some wiggle room to the get the alignment right. I replaced tiny gear doors at the front of the bays with styrene.

CMR provides a wide choice of detailed ordnance: three air-launched torpedoes, two Tiny Tim air-to-ground rockets, 12 High Velocity Aircraft Rockets, a 500pound bomb, and 12 bomblets.

I kept the 500-pound bomb, placing the remaining weapons in my spares box (they’ll come in handy for a future build).

Instead I used Attack Squadron’s Tiny Tims (No.72009), 13.

I mounted the rockets under the wings along with the kit bomb on the centerline

13

14

Attack Squadron’s resin Tiny Tims were an improvement over the kit rockets, which Frank put aside for use on another project.

Ordnance and final details wrapped up Frank’s Mauler. He painted the centerline speed brake Alclad II duralumin for more contrast.

Modified spinner Extended intake

Decal rivets

Kit vacuum-formed canopy

Scratchbuilt pitot

Styrene cowl flaps

Pastel exhaust stain

Back on its feet, Frank’s Martin Mauler stands ready for another test flight. His project proves that building a resin plane doesn’t have to be that difficult or different from an injection-molded plastic kit.

rack, 14. I made an arming fan and glued it to the nose of the bomb. I gave that some weathering and painted the fins a slightly different shade of olive drab, reasoning that they were most likely stored indoors and fitted before a mission. NATC was a testing facility, so I figured the war-load could be mixed and matched. I was happy with my choices.

CMR provides two vacuum-formed canopies in case you mess one up.

I masked the frames and airbrushed the canopy interior green to match the cockpit, then old silver over that. Thin white glue attached the parts.

Using .020" styrene rod, I scratchbuilt a pitot for the port wing.

The last thing I added was the delicate

resin tail hook, so I didn’t knock it off during construction.

Resin is different from plastic, but a logical approach to a kit like CMR’s Mauler presents a trouble-free experience. If you’ve thought about building an all-resin kit, you might consider giving this one a chance on your bench. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. FSM April 2015 www.FineScale.com 45

1/48 Scale With Lone Star Models’ F9C Sparrowhawk, Gil meets the challenges of a resin model and adds a colorful bantamweight to his collection.

HOW TO RENDER A

RESIN FIGHTER

Building tips for a Curtiss Sparrowhawk • BY GIL HODGES

T

he tiny Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk was designed in the early 1930s for the U.S. Navy. It won its fame as a “parasite” fighter for the USS Akron and USS Macon, long-range dirigible airships that could launch and recover the aircraft in flight. Daring as that may have seemed, it actually worked well. But the destruction of both airships in separate, weather-related crashes spelled the end of the Sparrowhawk’s brief career.

Finally, a Sparrowhawk Lone Star Models filled a gap in the realm of 1/48 scale biplanes with its resin rendering of the F9C (No. LSM 40535). The kit contains about 30 resin and cast-metal parts, plus a set of finely printed decals, 1. Though the resin castings are nicely formed, there is significant flash and the usual pour stubs to clean up — typical of a resin kit. I used a razor saw, hobby knife, and sandpaper to make the parts presentable, 2. For the cockpit, I added a control stick made of styrene rod with a grip of wound tape.

After painting the cockpit, 3, I glued the fuselage halves together. Resin parts must be joined with either epoxy or super glue; styrene cements won’t work. I used super glue, thickened with baby powder wherever I needed to fill gaps.

Landing gear and pins for strength Wheels are molded in place on the gear spats, 4. There were some casting anomalies in these parts, mainly inconsistent gaps and bub46 FineScale Modeler April 2015

bles between the tires and spats. Also, the wheels in my kit were slightly out of round. I ground them away with a motor tool and replaced them with a set from my spares box. This allowed me to paint the tires separately and add them at the end of the build.

Once the spats were modified, I built the landing gear with special attention to the angles of the struts to the spats, 5. This model, like many other resin and short-run plastic kits, has few assembly locators, relying on butt joins between most assemblies. However, struts and wings need a stronger connection. I drilled holes to accept metal pins cut from floral wire to join the parts. (You could also use brass or steel). The wire strengthens the joint, and it’s adjustable until you add glue. To ensure proper alignment, measure with a pair of dividers or a ruler and mark with a pencil. I used the same method for the vertical fin, tail planes, and wings.

Wings, struts, and a skyhook I added the bottom wings first, 6. Note that the Sparrowhawk’s bottom wings have a slight anhedral (downward angle), while the top wings are set to a slight dihedral (upward). The instructions provided no three-view drawing or other guidance on this. Consult references to get the right look, and check alignment carefully before and immediately after gluing.

It might be simpler to install the outer wing struts before attaching the top wings, but, with no locators, alignment is chancy.

So I attached the wings first, knowing I could alter the struts to fit.

1

2

Not quite as easy as clipping plastic parts from the sprue: Resin parts must be sawed from their pour plugs, while a hobby knife makes quick work of flash. Filing and sanding smooths out rough spots. Wear respiratory protection while sanding resin — the dust is highly irritating.

Gil has the parts cleaned up and smoothed out, with special attention to mating the fuselage halves. Note the control stick: styrene rod with tape wrapped around the end.

Pinned connections

3 The Sparrowhawk’s cockpit is painted, detailed, and ready to be enclosed in the fuselage.

4

5

The kit supplies each wheel and spat as one piece (right); Gil ground out the wheels and replaced them with spares.

The white-metal interplane struts needed straightening with pliers and some scraping and sanding to clean up casting marks.

They are a bit soft, but this makes them easier to adjust. The struts have locating pins, and there are holes in the wings for them, but the fit is poor. I shaved off the pins and super-glued them in place, filling gaps where the strut fell short of the wing. I trimmed a couple of foam-backed sanding sticks so that they had long, tapering ends to reach tight spaces.

I used plastic-tape rectangles to replicate flotation panels on the underside of the top wings (not included in the kit casting) and to replace the machine-gun access panels on the fuselage (lost due to sanding). I also rescribed damaged panel lines and used a pounce wheel to add riveting, 7.

The kit has no carburetor intake — a U-shaped pipe under the nose and the bottom cylinders of the engine — so I sanded styrene rod flat on one side and bent it to shape, 8. A circle of styrene behind the intake represents the oil-tank drain.

The only egregious omission in this kit is the windshield.

However, it’s easy to make one. I cut a template from sheet styrene, shaped it to the front of the cockpit opening, then used the template to cut a windshield from clear sheet styrene, 9. The triangular

Floral-wire pins join parts needing additional structural strength, such as wings and the landing gear and spats.

6 Gil fills with putty, sands smooth, then spot-primes to check his work and smooth the surfaces. Yellow plastic tape replicates flotation devices on the wings and an access panel on the fuselage.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 47

Oil drain

Hook

7 A pounce wheel produced additional rivets on the fuselage.

White styrene shows where Gil installed an oil drain and a carburetor intake. Out front, the trapeze hook takes shape; Gil cut a hook lock from sheet styrene and added a lock release cord (yellow wire).

Styrene rod

Gunsight Template

9

Intake

8

Wire

Windshield

Oddly, the kit provided no windshield. Gill shaped a sheetstyrene template, then cut the part from clear styrene. The hole in the middle is for the telescopic gunsight he built with styrene rod, brass wire, and a few turns of yellow tape.

10 Gil used wire and styrene rod to add details to the engine casting.

11

12

It wasn’t easy, but Gil finally got the trapeze hook to fit squarely atop the fuselage. With a little sanding, the engine fit tightly within the cowl ring.

The gunsight is in place, too.

Paint was preferred over decals for the wing and rudder markings. Black decal strips from Gil’s spares neatly trim the wing’s red chevron and the fuselage stripe.

sides were easily bent to shape. I drilled a hole in the center section for a gunsight. (If you don’t have a drill bit large enough, twirl a hobby knife in the hole to enlarge it.) The telescopic gunsight (also missing from the kit) was made from styrene rod, tape, and brass wire.

The plane’s “skyhook” is nicely cast in three metal parts. But, with no locators to aid assembly, this was the trickiest part of the

kit. I had to super glue one side to the hook arm, guessing at the angle, then do the same for the other side with no jig for support.

Then the entire assembly needs test-fitting and adjustment to fit its holes in the top wing. The joins tend to crack or break while being tweaked — which means starting over and trying again until it’s right. However, once it’s together and in place, it’s surprisingly strong! I added a hook lock and some bolts cut from sheet styrene,

48 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Sparrowhawks and flying aircraft carriers From a distance of more than 80 years, the idea still seems outlandish — a dirigible aircraft carrier launching and recovering its planes in flight.

But for a short time in the early 1930s, given the aircraft of the day, the concept had merit. New U.S. Navy airships, USS Akron and USS Macon, could patrol coastal waters with better vision than picket ships and greater range than airplanes.

Additionally, the design of both airships included the capability of carrying “parasite” aircraft for defense and even greater range, an idea explored by British and American experiments after World War I. Enter the Curtiss F9C: Turned down for seagoing carrier duty, the tiny

Sparrowhawk found work in the Navy’s LTA (lighter than air) unit. Curtiss produced eight planes for airships, the first production model F9C-2 arriving at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in June 1932.

To launch, the Sparrowhawk was lowered into the air stream by a retractable trapeze framework. Engine running, the F9C-2 would unhook and fly off. For recovery, the airship accelerated to a speed near the plane’s stall rate, allowing the pilot to heave to, hook the trapeze bar, and turn off the engine. The trapeze would hoist the plane back aboard through a T-shaped port in the bottom of the ship.

No Sparrowhawks were harmed during training and trials, but the program

and used wire for a lock-release pull line, making retaining straps with tape.

The engine casting needs a lot of flash cleanup. But it has several good points, such as nicely detailed cylinders, a cooling baffle cover molded in place over the crankcase, and a snug fit inside the cowling ring. The engine needs sanding on the outer edges to rid it of a slightly oval shape and match the cowl ring. I added push rods and spark-plug wiring on the front, and intake and exhaust piping on the rear, using wire and styrene rod, 10. I painted the engine with Alclad II aluminum.

Photo 11 shows the engine, hook, and gunsight in place.

Paint and decals A final coat of Tamiya’s white Fine Surface Primer makes a good base coat for further paint, and it’s the best undercoat to bring out the brightness of Testors Model Master chrome yellow. After spraying the upper wing and tail planes’ tops yellow and letting them dry, I masked them and painted the lower wing and the

was short-lived. Akron went down in a storm on the Atlantic in April 1933, with the loss of 73 lives; Macon crashed and sank in the Pacific in February 1935, with two fatalities.

With the loss of their carriers, the remaining F9C-2s fell into disuse. The last was retired in 1939.

wings’ and tail planes’ undersides with Testors Model Master aluminum. When that dried, I covered the wings and painted the fuselage with a slightly lightened shade of Testors Model Master gull gray.

The trim colors came next, 12. Although the kit provides decals for the rudder, I masked and painted those markings. The chevrons, spats, cowl ring, cooling baffle, and fuselage stripe were airbrushed Testors gloss red. I measured the width of the fuselage stripe to match the decal lettering for USS Macon on the sides, which goes from black to white to black as it crosses the stripe.

A coat of Alclad II Gloss Klear Kote lacquer prepared the model surface for decals, 13. Thin, black cheat lines came from my spare stock to outline the chevrons, fuselage stripe, and nose trim.

The decals reacted well to Micro Sol and Micro Set decal solutions and settled into surface contours. Short, black decal stripes from my spares replicated wing walks.

More Klear Kote sealed the decals before I applied an acrylic black wash to accent hinge lines and other recessed details.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 49

13

14

A gloss coat smoothed the surface for decals, which settled into the curves and crannies with encouragement from decal solutions. A final coat of clear sealed the decals and protected them against weathering washes.

Gil studied references to get the rigging right. He recommends ceramic Wonder Wire for its ease of use.

15

16

A gloss black undercoat and Alclad II chrome top coat put a shine on the prop. Wonder Wire was used for the antenna wire from wing to tail. The pitot tube on the far starboard strut is brass wire with straps made of tape.

Wire insulation, slit lengthwise and painted black, forms a cockpit coaming for a finishing touch. There’s no missing this flamboyant fighter plane in Gil’s collection!

Rigging The F9C’s rigging wasn’t strung in regular parallel lines; the front pair of flying wires actually cross each other, 14. It’s complicated further as one wire actually passes through the leading edge of the bottom wing while another one passes through one of the gear struts. However, I deemed this too much to tackle — I crossed them but didn’t worry about the pass-throughs.

In fact, I only drilled holes on one end to anchor each line in the fuselage; I used a drop of glue on the other ends on the wings.

The rear-most pair of these wires goes straight from the bottom rear wing strut to the fuselage. The pair of wires from the upperwing back strut slants forward and down to a point just behind and under the front gear strut. The pair from the front upper strut slants down and slightly aft to a point at the top of the rear gear strut.

I used 6mil ceramic Wonder Wire for the rigging. This stuff is flexible enough to bend into position, but it doesn’t kink! The trick is cutting it to the right length — then you can flex it into the rigging holes and it’ll pop right back, perfectly straight, with no need for heat to make it taut, 15.

I replaced the kit’s metal prop with a plastic one from the spares box. I painted it Testors Model Master gloss black, then misted a 50 FineScale Modeler April 2015

SOURCES

Lone Star Models, lsmodels@pdq.net, 13511 Greywood Drive, Sugar Land, Texas 77498 Wonder Wire, Precision Enterprises Limited, 802-885-3094, P.O. Box 97F, Springfield, Vt. 05156

coat of Alclad II chrome for a plated look. A wire pin in the prop hub’s back anchors it to the engine.

Finally, it was time for all the fiddly bits: wheels, windshield, gunsight, headrest, and trapeze hook. I elected to leave off the kitprovided arrestor hook, as these were regularly removed when flying from the airships. The wingtip lights are from Premier (now out of production). I slit short lengths of plastic wire insulation lengthwise and glued them to the cockpit edges to replicate the coaming. Antenna wires from the fin to the wings are the same 6mil Wonder Wire as the rigging, completing the model.

If you’re a fan of biplanes and prefer 1/48 scale, this Lone Star resin F9C Sparrowhawk fills a void in your collection. If not, it’s still a fun change of pace from camouflaged warplanes. One of these really brightens up your shelf ! FSM

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

By Aaron Skinner Mottling without an airbrush Q How was the mottling commonly seen

on German aircraft painted before airbrushing?

– Jeff Aikins Adelaide, South Australia, Australia A Talk about going old school! This answer is based on an Airfix modeling book I read in 1980. Take an old paintbrush and cut the bristles off so only a millimeter or two protrudes past the ferule. (A larger, round brush works best.) Dip the bristles into a small puddle of the color; you don’t want to soak the bristles, just get paint on the tips.

Now, tap the brush straight down onto the surface. The result should be a small, roughly circular pattern of dots. Stippling more in different patterns should give a mottled look.

It’s time-consuming, but I’ve seen some models painted well this way.

How to create rust Q I’m looking for insights on rust. I am

building a Tiger tank destroyed by fire and I want it to be rusty. I’ve already modified the running gear so the tank sits on its belly, but I’m not sure which way to go now.

Got any ideas?

– Richard Fairbotham Perth, Western Australia, Australia A Rust is not the easiest effect to pull off realistically, and it can be subjective as to what looks right. Part of the problem is the age of the corrosion: Fresh rust is usually bright orange, older rust is dark reddish brown. Choosing a combination of shades from bright to dark can indicate rust progressing.

I recommend base-coating the area with a dark brown paint. Then, build up layers of color with rust-colored pastels or pigments.

You can even use real rust: Wet a piece of steel wool and let it sit in a dish for a week 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.

52 FineScale Modeler April 2015

or two. It can be powdered and applied like pastels or pigments. Use minimal amounts of the brightest colors, as they will overwhelm the dark areas and look unrealistic. There’s no hard science to this. Use photos to get the look right and be willing to experiment until you know what works.

Masking 1/350 scale windows Q Do you have any tips for masking tiny

windows and canopies on 1/350 scale aircraft?

– John Mckay Reno, Nev. A The best thing is Bare-Metal Foil. It’s flexible enough to go around tiny details. But you’ll need a sure hand and a fresh, sharp No. 11 blade to get the cuts just right.

I want to paint it white Q One thing that gives me problems is

painting parts white. I usually get a combination of too much and too little coverage.

How do you paint an area white and get all the corners and recesses covered without getting it too thick everywhere else?

– Jimmy Ashworth Oak Ridge, Tenn.

A White is one of the hardest colors to paint.

It is almost always a little translucent, making coverage difficult. It can be especially hard when dealing with odd shapes and spaces.

First, I recommend using white primer for the job. Primer is a little thicker than standard paint so it covers better. Also, flat paints cover better than gloss paints.

The real trick is to start by spraying white in the corners, nooks, and crannies using a tight spray pattern. This ensures good coverage in these hard-to-reach places. Then, broaden the paint pattern and spray the rest of the area. This should give a more even layer of color and hopefully prevent excess paint.

Alclad II finishing order Q A guy who builds model planes for con-

tests offered me advice on painting a natural-metal finish on a P-51D Mustang. He said after getting rid of any blemishes on the surface, I should paint the model with gloss black enamel. Once that has dried for a couple of days, I should spray the model with Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM). Two days later, I could spray the model with Alclad II lacquers.

I would like to believe this person and have no reason not to, but I’m unsure of this procedure. Will this application work — enamel, PFM, then lacquer? I would hate to mess up the model; it’s the first one I’ve built after a 20-plus-year hiatus.

– Robert Clanton Stonewall, La. A The builder you talked to is spot on — we even published a story using this technique in the November 2014 FSM. The great thing about PFM is that it is neutral to just about anything applied under or over it. It levels beautifully and provides a solid foundation for Alclad II metallics. The high-shine colors need to be applied over a gloss black base.

Because you are using PFM, you could start with a flat black enamel. This is useful, because flat paints are often easier to apply than gloss. The PFM will provide the gloss for the Alclad.

Paint stripping solutions Q I’ve come back to building kits after an

absence of years, and I need advice on how to strip paint — enamels and oils — from both resin and plastic kits.

– Rob Ferguson Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia A Stripping old paint is easy enough if you have the right products. Oven cleaners like Easy-Off (as I recall, you can get this in Australia) are one option. Spray the model with the aerosol can and seal it in an airtight container so it doesn’t dissolve. Leave it overnight. Then rinse it clean. You may need to use an old paintbrush or toothbrush to remove stubborn paint. It won’t affect plastic, but can dissolve brass. So don’t use it on anything with photoetched metal.

Brake fluid is also an effective paint stripper. Pour enough into a container to submerge the model and let it sit overnight.

Then, rinse it clean.

While you’re at the auto parts store, check out the cleaners and degreasers. Soak a model in something like Castrol’s Super Clean and you may not even need to use a brush.

There are also paint strippers sold especially for models. Ask at your local hobby shop.

I’m not sure about its effect on resin. Resin can be susceptible to certain chemicals, so test these products on something like a pour plug to be sure it won’t dissolve it into goo.

The two-sides of F-RSIN: Aaron built the resin Martin 4-0-4 (left) in 2008. The plastic Convair 990 was shown by Bob Venditti of Weston, Fla., at the IPMS/USA national convention. Both models are 1/144 scale.

What’s the deal with F-RSIN?

Q I found a 1/144 scale Bristol Britannia kit on the Internet; it comes from F-RSIN and costs $35.

However, the Martin 2-0-2 from the same company costs $59.95. It’s a smaller airplane so why the difference in price?

– Dutch Lepeska Melbourne, Fla.

A F-RSIN (www.f-rsin.com) is a French manufacturer of airliner kits. It started out, as the name suggests, casting resin kits. But, in the last few years, it has produced a large number of injectionmolded plastic kits.

These are short-run kits, so they take a little more TLC than, say, a Revell Germany or Minicraft airliner. But basic modeling skills can turn them into masterpieces. The best part is that F-RSIN is kitting subjects that have been largely ignored by other manufactur-

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention safety. All of these chemicals are caustic to skin and lungs. Always wear gloves, eye protection, and a respirator when using them.

Work in a well-ventilated location. And always dispose of the chemicals according to the instructions on the container.

Any hope for a broken canopy?

Q The canopy of my 1/32 scale F-15 broke

into two pieces. I can’t get a replacement part. How can I repair this so it looks new again?

– Gerard Post Huizen, Noord-Holland, Netherlands A Sorry to hear about your broken canopy.

This is a problem without an easy solution.

There really is no good way to glue the parts back together and successfully hide the crack.

If you can’t find a replacement, you can try making your own. Glue the parts back to-

ers in 1/144 scale, like the Britannia. I reviewed the resin Martin 4-0-4 a few years ago, and a DC-7 and Convair 990 are underway on my workbench. The price difference is most likely because resin kits, such as the Martin 2-0-2 you mention, usually have white-metal landing gear and propellers and cost more to produce than their plastic counterparts like the Britannia.

The good news: F-RSIN has now released Martin airliners in plastic. Give F-RSIN a try; you won’t be disappointed.

gether, then sand and polish the seam to get it perfectly smooth. Don’t worry about the clarity of the plastic. Once you are satisfied with the part, place it over poster putty or plasticine to support it and put it on a short stick or rod to elevate it slightly. Heat a sheet of thin, clear styrene in a 250-degree Fahrenheit oven for one minute. Put binder clips at the corners to hold it. Now put the softened plastic over the kit canopy and pull it down over it, ensuring it makes contact with the part in all areas. After it cools for a couple of minutes, you should be able to pop the clear sheet off the kit canopy. Now cut the clear plastic to fit.

This method is not foolproof and you will probably need practice to get it right.

Zvezda clear-plastic quandary Q I’m building a couple of Zvezda kits and

have run into a problem with the clear parts. The plastic is softer than other companies’, and Pledge FloorCare Multi-Sur-

face Finish (PFM) doesn’t seem to adhere to it. Is there a product out there that will work on Zvezda’s clear plastic, or something I can do so the PFM sticks?

– Nathan Wasylowich St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada A You’re right about Zvezda’s clear plastic; it is definitely different, much softer and more flexible than expected. I haven’t run into the issue of PFM not sticking on the recent Zvezda kits I’ve built. I wiped the parts with rubbing alcohol before dipping them to remove any oils from molding or handling. I also dipped, removed, then dipped again after a few seconds, leaving the part submerged for 30 seconds each time. That may be helping adhesion. I have noticed that PFM helps, but this plastic never looks as clear as the more-brittle clear parts we are accustomed to. On the other hand, the flexibility is nice when you have to squeeze a part a little to get it in place. FSM April 2015 www.FineScale.com 53

READER TIPS

By Tim Kidwell You can go vertical with a hanging paint rack

I used to have many bottles of paint sitting on my workbench, taking up space and making it hard to find a particular color when needed. I tried several storage containers, such as a fishing tackle box. But that required pulling out the box, still hunting for a bottle of paint, then putting the box away after a painting session.

A vertical rack makes paint immediately available. To save space, I suspended the rack from exposed floor joists in my basement. The rack hangs at a corner of my bench, so it is easily accessible without impeding foot traffic. Best of all, my paints are now conveniently within reach without taking up any space on my bench!

If you build one of these racks, think twice about the size before you start — the more paint, the heavier it will be.

George labels his sprues with masking tape to make them easier to find.

Hard-to-see letters

It can be hard to see the molded-on letters used to identify sprues. And the more complex the kit, the more sprues you have to sort through. I make the task easier by wrapping a tab of masking tape around a leg of each parts tree and writing the letter large on it with a marker.

– Bill Meyer Hudson, N.Y. Vinyl roof for your sedan

I’ve seen various ways to model vinyl roofs for cars of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, including some pricey spray-on adhesives. But here’s a cheaper and simpler way to replicate this vintage automotive feature: After primer, dab (don’t stroke) Liquid Paper correction fluid onto the roof ’s vinyl area. The stippled texture looks just like a vinyl top in 1/25 scale. Let it dry 24 hours, gently sand off any peaks, then mask and spray the desired roof color. After the paint has dried, brush on a coat of Testors Model Master flat clear lacquer to give it the proper sheen.

Edge the roof with self-adhesive foil to replicate chrome trim.

– George Ireland Enumclaw, Wash.

In Bill’s basement, exposed floor joists are a boon in the quest for modeling space; a hanging paint rack saves space and makes colors easy to find.

cially if left uncapped overnight. To prevent both problems, I remove the brush from the cap and drill a hole the same size as the brush stem. This is also the same diameter as the glass tube of the Flex-I-File TouchN-Flow glue applicator. Spills are eliminated without giving up work space, and evaporation is negligible, even if the cap is left open overnight. It is also a handy place to keep the applicator. When I am done for the day, I remove the applicator and blow air through it before storing it. Then I cover the hole in the cap with tape.

Parts catch

I lost so many small parts that I took the lid from a box of envelopes, turned it upside down, and put a paper towel inside. The sides give some lateral protection against the part that pops into the air because it thought you were squeezing it too tight with your tweezers.

– Cory Pride Langley, British Columbia, Canada Wear down those tires

– Rob Loughran Windsor, Calif.

– Cliff Field Hewitt, N.J.

Minimize glue spills

Realistic rain

We know liquid-glue spills can be catastrophic. These glues also evaporate, espe-

I was doing a diorama of a Sherman tank driving across a bridge in the rain. My 4-year-old grandson said, “Papa, make it rain. You know: Throw some water in the air and let fall down.” So, I put some Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish in a spray bottle, tuned the nozzle to a fine mist, pointed the tip up over the model and gave it a squeeze or six. When it was all done, the result looked like rain. I even had drips coming off the bridge and tank. Don’t use too much, though: It will soak the dio.

I find sanding seams or unwanted tread from vinyl car and airplane tires difficult.

So, I bought a tapered rubber stopper from my local hardware store. I drilled the center with a ⅛" bit and inserted a ⅛"-diameter bolt about an inch longer than the stopper from the narrow end. I ran some super glue into the hole before putting the bolt through, just as a little insurance to keep the stopper from spinning around it. Then I added a washer and nut and tightened the bolt on the wider end.

Next, I taped 220-grit sandpaper to my workbench. I chucked the stopper in a cordless drill, seated the tire on the stopper, and spun the tire while dragging it lightly over the sandpaper.

I find it produces reasonably realistic wear. Just remember to flip the tire around on the stopper to get the wear even!

– James Gourgues Altoona, Fla.

– Rod Millard Greenville, Mich.

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.

54 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Black foil tape makes quick and tidy work of de-icing boots on Glenn’s Hawkeye.

Black leading edges

Instead of masking and painting the black de-icing boots on the leading edges of aircraft wings, use flat black foil tape. I bought a roll on Amazon.com ( JVCC AF22BLK). It’s 2" wide. Just measure, trim, and apply. It looks great.

– George Athanatos Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, Greece

Displaying models e’ve all seen examples of hanging models on the wall using picture hooks. But, oh, the holes! Old houses with plaster walls often had a picture rail installed near the ceiling. A hook could be looped over the lip of the rail and the picture was suspended from the hook with wire. This prevented damaging the plaster, which probably couldn’t hold the picture anyway.

I created my own picture rail: I took trim used to finish the exposed edge of paneling and installed it about 2" from the ceiling with the slotted edge facing up, leaving about ¾" from the ceiling.

Then, using Christmas ornament hooks and monofilament line, I suspended models from the rail. No holes in the walls!

Added advantages are that the models are clearly displayed and easy to take down, put back up, or rearrange in any grouping or configuration I want. I currently have 74 models hanging, and folks who see them for the first time are really impressed!

Down and dirty antenna

– Richard Davenport Lansing, Mich.

– Glenn Hoover Gloucester City, N.J. Easy boot stripes

Painting boot stripes on 1/700 scale waterline ship models can be a pain without masking, but masking is fussy on such small-scale ships. I use Tamiya color pens or felt-tip pens (depending upon the color and thickness I need). I hold the length of the pen firmly on my workbench, touch the otherwise finished model to the pen tip, and carefully drag the ship’s side along it from stem to stern. And there it is: a perfectly straight boot stripe.

W

Need a quickly made, durable, short antenna? Rather than use sprue, which is very easily broken, take a disposable dental pick, such as a Denteck Triple Clean, and apply a thin coat of super glue to the floss part. Then spray it with accelerator. Once it hardens, paint it the desired color and snip the length of antenna you need. (Use a sprue cutter; a knife will cause the floss to fray.) Your antenna can’t be longer than the length of floss on the pick, but it works well for small jobs.

Grabbier tweezers

The always useful twist-tie

When working with small, fragile parts, my tweezers would send the piece flying and I’d have to go searching for it. I took a pair of fine tweezers and covered each tip with ½" of heat-shrink tubing (used for wiring).

I shrank the tubing down tight with heat from the tip of a soldering iron and a little super glue. Now the tweezers hold the part and don’t damage the finish.

I use twist-ties from the produce section of my local grocery store to hold small parts while I am painting. They are an inexpensive way to do this; I’m 16 years old and can’t afford to buy many different clamps. I just connect one end of the twist-tie to the part and the other end to a piece of the sprue tree. I can also shape them to make small stands.

– Brian Yerich Stamford, N.Y.

– Richard Daymont Gulfport, Miss.

– Bradley Kommeth Webster, N.Y. April 2015 www.FineScale.com 55

WORKBENCH REVIEWS FSM experts build and evaluate new kits

Tarangus’ much-anticipated Viggen worth the wait

S

eeking a fighter capable of operating from short, improvised airstrips, Sweden turned to the Saab 37 Viggen. The delta-wing aircraft featured large canards to aid low-speed handling. The turbofan engine was equipped with a thrust reverser, allowing the aircraft to back up under its own power.

The Viggen served the Swedish air force

in attack, fighter, and reconnaissance roles from the early 1970s until the 2005.

For years, the only 1/48 scale Viggen was an ESCI kit from 1982. (It’s been reissued by Ertl, Revell, and Airfix over the years.) Raised panel lines and poor interior detail required a lot of TLC to turn it into a showstopper.

Sweden-based Tarangus is a natural

The kit’s separate reverse-thrust petals can be posed open, closed, or drooped as seen here.

56 FineScale Modeler April 2015

choice to produce an all-new Viggen. Its previous releases included the Saab Lansen and Safir in 1/48 scale, and a Tunnan in 1/72 scale. Those were short-run kits; the Viggen is not. Tarangus delayed the kit’s release in its determination to get it right.

And, for the most part, it has.

Note: There are a couple of errors in the instructions released with the first editions of the kit, but Taragus has errata on its website.

This initial release is the JA 37 allweather fighter version.

The gray plastic features sharp, engraved panel lines. Sprue attachment points are small and I saw no sinks or ejector-pin marks. Molded locators aid alignment.

Features include: full intakes all the way back to the fan; good exhaust detail, with separate thrust-reverser petals; and a wellappointed cockpit with a decent representation of the Saab ejection-seat, although no harnesses are included.

The cockpit goes together quickly and fits neatly into lines engraved inside the upper half of the forward fuselage. Check reference photos on Tarangus’ website (http://www.tarangus.se/all-new-viggenmodel/reference-gallery-JA37-viggen/) for details of painting the seat and instrument panels.

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One word of warning: The seat appeared to fit fine when I installed it in Step 5 but interfered with the canopy in Step 31.

After removing it, I discovered the base is a mite too wide to fit all the way down into the tub. I sanded the lower edges until it sat firmly on the floor. Also, pay attention to part numbers; the kit includes a tub and instrument panel for earlier Viggens, and they look similar. (On the upside, the presence of these parts and the shorter tail indicate an AJ 37 is likely on the way. An extra seat and controls mean we might get a two-seat SK 37 trainer.)

It’s clear the designers know the aircraft.

To accommodate the uprated engine of the JA 37, Saab extended the fuselage by 10cm between the canard and wing. Tarangus uses a ring between the forward and rear fuselage to stretch the plane.

A lot of parts combine to make the fuselage — nose and cockpit, fuselage extension ring with intakes and engine fan attached, and the rear fuselage with the engine sandwiched inside — but it fits pretty well.

The dorsal ridge, molded with the cockpit section, and the one-piece lower wing form a sturdy structure. I had to sand the area around the extension ring for a perfect fit. Then I filled the forward of the two lines because only the rear one is visible on the full-size plane.

The wings, canards, and tail needed just a touch of filler. None of the control surfaces are separate — not a critical omission, although it would have been nice to pose the canard flaps down as often seen on grounded Viggens. The trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer is over-scale.

The instructions indicated the model would stand on all three legs without extra weight. I added a small fishing weight to the nose cone just to be sure.

Several scoops are added to the fuselage

in steps 30-34. They fit the cutouts fine, but the bottoms need sanding to sit flush with the surface.

After I installed the extra flap-actuator fairings, ventral fin, cannon pod, and fuselage pylons, the Viggen was ready for paint.

I wanted to apply the wicked four-color splinter camouflage, but deadline pressure forced me to paint my JA 37 in the later two-tone gray. I used Tamiya acrylics, weathering along the way with mottled lighter and darker shades. The engine section and wheel wells were painted with Testors Metalizer lacquers.

The decals have minimal carrier film and laid down beautifully over a coat of Tamiya clear gloss acrylic. Be careful, though: The adhesive liquefies quickly. A couple of stencils floated off the backing paper and onto the blotting paper while I was tending to the model — and they stick to the first place you put them. A bit of water on the surface can help; a dab of saliva works even better. Micro Sol settled the markings into most details.

The biggest problem with adding the decals was that the panel lines on the large marking diagrams don’t always match the lines on the model. There are a lot of stencils on the weapon pylons, and orienting them correctly is challenging. Photos are a big help.

The spindly main gear has a lot of parts, and it’s easy to misalign something. I used slower-setting cement for extra working time. The join between the upright and the crosspiece that the wheels attach to is a weak spot. I flowed in super glue and left it overnight to be sure the wheels didn’t collapse or toe in under the weight.

The only stores are a centerline fuel tank. It would have been nice to add missiles or pods to the other pylons.

The finished model looks like a Viggen.

A couple of things mar what could be an excellent kit. They include the aforemen-

tioned thick trailing edges, which can be thinned with sanding. The probe on the leading edge of the tail is way over-scale but easily replaced with wire. The fuselage pylons have vertical, straight front and rear edges, whereas they should slope as shown in the marking illustrations. Again, they wouldn’t be hard to trim and sand.

The instructions show two lights on each wingtip, but photos of JA 37s show only the small rear lights in place. I painted over the forward ones after installing them, but I wish I had discovered it earlier and blended the parts properly. No mention is made of attaching the upper position strobe, but is included on the clear sprue.

None of the problems listed are dealbreakers — they all have easy fixes — and the finished model looks terrific. It doesn’t fall together, but rewards careful construction and basic modeling skills. I enjoyed the 25 hours I spent building my Viggen, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from Tarangus.

– Aaron Skinner

Kit: No. TA4803 Scale: 1/48 Manufacturer: Tarangus, www.tarangus.se Price: $98 Comments: Injection-molded, 156 parts, decals Pros: Good surface detail, cockpit, and engine; comprehensive decals and marking instructions; mostly good fits and engineering Cons: Thick trailing edge on tail; no underwing stores; misshapen fuselage pylons

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 57

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Tamiya Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) Lang

T

he Jagdpanzer IV/70 was based on the reliable Panzer IV chassis but armed with the deadly 75mm gun from the Panther tank. In the last months of World War II, its low-slung design and hard-hitting gun made it a deadly opponent on the battlefield.

Tamiya’s new Jagdpanzer IV was a great surprise. It’s something of a reprise of one of Tamiya’s classic kits from the 1970s. The molding of the dark yellow plastic, typical of Tamiya’s German armor, is clean and faultless. The kit features two crew figures and movable hatches. Tamiya sells a separate detail set with gun-breech details and a metal gun barrel.

Following the instructions, I started by installing the suspension parts in the lower hull. Tamiya’s engineered a neat system in which the upper hull can be attached later.

The fit of the upper and lower hull is so good it almost didn’t need cement. In fact, I wouldn’t cement the hull top in place until the end of construction. This will allow you to install the figures, hatches, and the commander’s scissor sight more easily. I pre-

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58 FineScale Modeler April 2015

painted the hull top and installed it in the final step of assembly.

The gun mount moves realistically. It’s cleverly designed so the gunsight and armored cover move in unison.

Bogie wheels assemble from four parts.

Each has a vinyl keeper, which makes for a snug connection between the wheel and the axle. The kit features standard rubber-tire bogies as well as the steel-rimmed resilient versions (installed to cope with the noseheavy weight of the vehicle).

The one-piece vinyl tracks have excellent detail. They represent the late-war tracks and aren’t borrowed from Tamiya’s other Panzer IV kits. They can be glued with regular liquid cement.

The kit features a comprehensive collection of pioneer tools, which were prominent on these vehicles. After having flown through the assembly of the vehicle’s major components, I was surprised at how much time I spent painting and installing the tools!

I painted my kit with AK Interactive’s 1945 German Late War Colors set.

The decals applied well on a gloss coat with a bit of decal-setting solution. Decals are provided for three vehicles.

My primary reference was Militaria No. 242 Panzer IV/70 by Janusz Ledwoch (Wydawnictwo Militaria, ISBN 978-837219-242-4). I also found the Panzerwrecks series (from Panzerwrecks Publishing) very useful, as there are photos of Jagdpanzer IVs sprinkled throughout the various volumes.

I completed my Jagdpanzer in 28 hours.

As I expected from a Tamiya kit, it was an enjoyable build.

While this release doesn’t cover new ground as a subject, it’s beautifully detailed and great fun to build.

– Jim Zeske

Kit: No. 35340 Scale: 1/35 Manufacturer: Tamiya, www.tamiya.com Price: $73 Comments: Injection-molded, 283 parts (32 vinyl, decals) Pros: Excellent fit and detailing Cons: No interior details

GWH Handley Page Victor B.2

T

he Victor was the last of a trio of Royal Air Force bombers that provided Britain’s nuclear deterrent during the early 1960s. They were collectively called the “V-Bombers” — the Valiant, Vulcan, and Victor.

Following its Vulcan, GWH brings us a Handley Page Victor B.2. Like its predecessor, this kit is a beauty, with finely engraved surface detail and nicely detailed wheel wells and speed-brake bay. The speed brakes can be posed open or closed. Decals provide a choice of three RAF bombers during the 1960s.

With only 78 pieces, the 10-step assembly is straightforward and quick with clear instructions. However, I deviated from the construction sequence in a few places to facilitate painting.

As I expected when, as recommended, I installed the speed-brake assembly in Step 1, I subsequently broke two of the hydraulic arms. This faux pas complicated attaching the starboard speed brake. I suggest installing only the bay’s center wall (E13) and cutting the retraction assembly (E11) in half at the mounting ring. Then, you can install each half along with the hinge (E12) after painting.

GWH did a great job with the overall fit. The wing-to-fuselage joins are so precise that a layer of paint will inhibit fit.

I drilled holes in the inner faces of the

wings and a corresponding indentation on the fuselage to insert sticks for painting.

I needed a little filler on the intake splitter plates, and the clear parts needed sanding for a better fit. I applied a little too much pressure to the canopy (G2) when gluing it and cracked it. Luckily, the crack followed a frame and was easy to mend with Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM).

There’s a full-size color four-view painting guide for the camouflage. After gray primer, light and dark grays pre-shaded the model.

The Victor is replete with bumps and curves, so my frisket masks for the grayand-green camo didn’t work very well; I resorted to painter’s tape.

I used the Gunze Sangyo paints recommended in the instructions for the upper colors. Contrary to the guide, I painted lower surfaces with Tamiya flat white, which research indicated was a more likely color than the called-for light gray.

GWH’s decals have improved steadily over the last few kits I’ve built. With a touch of Microscale Micro Set and Micro Sol, the markings settled nicely into recessed detail without silvering.

I sealed the model with PFM mixed with a little Tamiya flat base for a semigloss sheen.

I enjoyed the 25 hours I spent on the

Victor — most of it masking and painting — and I’m pleased with the result. It makes an attractive companion to the Vulcan.

Because of the many tiny parts and complex camouflage, I recommend this kit to modelers with a couple of builds behind them.

Don’t let us down GWH: Release a Valiant so I can complete my small-scale V-Bomber collection.

– Phil Pignataro

Kit: No. L1004 Scale: 1/144 Manufacturer: GWH, www.lionroar.net Price: $49.99 Comments: Injectionmolded, 78 parts, decals Pros: Excellent surface detail; detailed wheel wells and speed-brake bays; terrific decals Cons: Clear parts need sanding for a flush fit; canopy is fragile

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 59

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

ICM ZIL-131 Soviet army truck

T

he ZIL-131 was one of the main Soviet/Russian trucks for most of the latter part of the 20th century.

Production started in 1967 at the Ural Automotive works (AMUR) and continued until 2012, when the company went bankrupt and ceased operations. Several variants were built on the same chassis, including a tractor-trailer and a civilian version, the ZIL-130.

ICM’s ZIL-131 is the first injectionmolded kit of the truck in 1/35 scale.

Molded in tan plastic, it comprises more than 200 parts. Clear parts, including light lenses, are well molded. Eight tires (only seven are used) are molded in soft vinyl and show excellent tread pattern, only to be marred by a fine but difficult-to-remove mold seam.

Five sets of markings include a white U.N. peacekeeping scheme and seven national insignia for the cab doors. The multicolored decals are slightly out of register. A 20-page instruction booklet provides nearly 100 construction steps, but each step is small and well illustrated.

The frame is a multipiece assembly, but its flat top allowed me to use a squaring jig

60 FineScale Modeler April 2015

to ensure alignment. About midway through the chassis assembly, the instructions switch to the engine.

The molding of the motor is a basic, rough approximation of the major components. Step 19 shows the pulley piece, A48, attached to the wrong spot on the engine; if you look at Diagram 24, you’ll see where it belongs. While the lack of engine detail may disappoint some modelers, you can’t really display the hood open without scratchbuilding a set of scissor hinges.

Absent is a third air cylinder that goes on the outside of the frame just under the passenger side step. It’s a surprising omission; ICM’s 1/72 scale ZIL-131 has it.

The box art doesn’t show it, but the kit comes with a front winch. However, no cable is provided; you’ll have to find your own.

Engineering of the suspension is a plus: Strong, positive attachment points mean that if you built the frame flat and square, the suspension should wind up with all six wheels firmly on the ground as mine did. I left off all of the wheels until painting and weathering was complete.

Step 58 shows the spare-tire rack

attached to the wrong spot; actually it should go farther forward, over the fuel tanks. I left it off until final assembly.

The cab interior has all the basic detail; decals depict the instrument cluster. My decals were out of register, spoiling the effect, but that’s difficult to see with the doors closed. Speaking of doors, they are molded separately but need to be glued shut unless you devise hinges for them; none are provided in the kit. While the driver’s door fit well, the passenger door sat too low. I may have slightly misaligned the windscreen frame, Part B2, but it is hard to see how, as it was a positive placement. I had to cut apart some of the seams and glue the doors to the back of Part B16, lining them up at the top one side at a time. Once the driver’s door was firmly glued, I used rubber bands and clamps to hold the passenger door and back in place until the glue set, eliminating the gap.

My cargo bed was slightly warped. After gluing the underside supports, I placed the bed on a piece of glass and added weights to hold it flat while it dried. Somehow I managed to reverse the two fender pieces (parts C9 and C19) and did not discover

my error until the bed was painted. Luckily, I was able to remove the fenders with a fine razor saw and reattach them in the correct position. You can build your bed with the seats either up or down; mine are up.

Looking at dozens of pictures of the ZIL-131, I saw none with the canopy bows stowed as in the kit. I left mine off, filling in their location holes.

I painted the frame, wheels, and sparetire rack with Tamiya semigloss black. For the bed and cab, I used Tamiya’s dark green 2 (XF-81) as a base. The wood cargo bed looks heavily distressed (especially the inside) in many photos. To achieve that effect, I sprayed the bed with several gray and tan tones and used the hairspray technique to chip the green top coat.

The decals are very thin and fragile but responded well to Microscale Micro Set and Micro Sol solutions. Pigments and oil washes finished the bed.

All in all, it took about 22 hours to build my truck. The finished kit exactly matches dimensions posted on Wikipedia. If you want to add extra detail to your model, I highly recommend the walkaround photos at Prime Portal (www.primeportal.com).

Aside from the quibble about sparse detail in the engine compartment, the fit of the cab, and a few other minor issues (many of my own making), it was an easy build. I really like how my ZIL-131 turned out. It’s great to finally see some models of these important but oft-neglected subjects. If ICM produces any of the other variants, I’d be happy to add them to my collection.

– John Plzak

Kit: No. 35515 Scale: 1/35 Manufacturer: ICM, www.icm.com.ua Price: $54.99 Comments: Injectionmolded, 231 parts (8 vinyl), decals Pros: Clear lenses provided for lights; good tread detail on tires; strong, solid attachments for suspension to chassis Cons: Lack of engine-bay detail; instrument-panel decals out of register; seams on tires difficult to remove; headlight brush guards are too heavy; no cable for winch

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Relive Saturday morning cartoon fun with the Quest jet on your computer. Download the image at www.FineScale.com/OnlineExtras.

Moebius Models “Jonny Quest” jet The Dragonfly

P

remiering in prime time in 1964, “Jonny Quest” was one of cartoon giant Hanna-Barbera’s attempts to produce a realistic science-fiction adventure series — quite a change from the studio’s standard cartoons (“Tom & Jerry”) and comedic TV series (“The Flintstones”).

The series followed Dr. Benton Quest, his son Jonny, Jonny’s best friend Hadji, and their pilot/bodyguard Roger “Race” Bannon on their worldwide adventures.

The original series included 26 episodes, and lived on in Saturday-morning reruns for decades after its original broadcast.

Although some facets of the show aren’t exactly politically correct by today’s standards, the series is available on DVD and it’s still great fun to watch.

The Quest’s jet appears in just a few episodes, but it features prominently in the series’ action-packed opening and closing credits. Although a few cast-resin garage kits of the ship have been available over the years, this is the first injection-molded model of the aircraft.

With only 10 parts, the basic airframe goes together quickly. The parts arrive bagged and most are molded in off-white plastic. Some have a slightly pebbly surface, but they smooth out easily after a few passes from a medium-grit sanding stick. A single sheet of instructions is included. The fit is particularly nice. Stout alignment pins connect the fuselage halves, and the wings and canards attach via sturdy tabs, ensuring correct alignment and dihedral. After just a bit of filler and a little sanding, the model was ready for paint. I spray-painted the model with Tamiya Fine White Surface Primer.

The clear canopy is the kit’s only disap-

pointment. The framing (particularly on the sides) is soft and poorly defined, making masking difficult. I sanded things smooth using a fine-grit sanding stick and painted the entire canopy white. When the white was dry, I masked new framework with thin strips of tape and airbrushed the windows flat black. There’s no interior detail, so there’s nothing to miss using this technique.

The 2"-long pitot/antenna is thin and delicate; Moebius thoughtfully supplies two of them in case there’s an accident. The two-piece engine exhaust has a clear insert that will make lighting the engine a breeze.

Speaking of clear parts, the retro two-piece stand holds the 12"-long model securely and features a Jonny Quest decal. No landing gear is included.

I spent a weekend building the model and had a great time doing it. It’s a great (and long-awaited) addition to my sciencefiction collection.

– Matthew Usher

Kit: No. 946 Scale: N/A Manufacturer: Moebius Models, www.moebiusmodels.com Price: $34.99 Comments: Injection-molded, 14 parts, decal Pros: Good fit, simple construction, foolproof wing alignment Cons: Soft detail on canopy

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 61

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BUFFCON 32 SCALE MODELING SHOW

Sunday, April 12, 2015 Scan Here

WWW.MEGAHOBBY.COM

Specializing in hard-to-find & OOP kits.

We have over 8000 kits in stock from old Aurora to new releases. Please contact us for a FREE catalog. Please specify cars or military.

Check with me before you sell.

We Buy Collections!

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www.deanshobbystop.com dean@deanshobbystop.com

Classified Marketplace

What’s New? Watch the New Product Rundown

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www.FineScale.com FL, VENICE: Annual Model Contest & Show. Hosted by IPMS/ Wings, Wheels & Keels Model Club, at Woodmere Park Auditorium. Saturday, March 28, 2015. Free Admission. Contact Randy Whitacre 941-627-3880 or Ken Zuk 941-323-7862. E-mail: mazkaz102@verizon.net

This section is open to anyone who wants to sell or buy scale modeling merchandise. FSM reserves the right to GA, MARIETTA: 2015 Atlanta Con, Lockheed Martin Loedit undesirable copy or refuse listing. For FSM’s private cal Lodge 709 Union Hall, 1032 South Marietta Parkway. records, please furnish: a telephone number and a street NEW DATE: Saturday, March 21 2015, 9:00am-5:00pm. Admisaddress.

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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).

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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.

sion $5.00/person, 12 and under free. $10.00 unlimited model entries. For more information go to http://ipms-atlanta.org or contact Bill Johnston at 678-308-7308 or bjnga1952@gmail.com

MA, TAUNTON: MassCar Model Club presents the 27th Annual Model Exhibition Contest & Vendor Show. Holiday Inn, Bay Road @ Exit 9 on Route 495. March 15, 2015, 9:00am-4:00pm.

Admission: $8.00, under 12 Free. Door prizes, coloring contest and make & take event. Information: www.masscar.com or Harry at 508-285-8080 NV, LAS VEGAS: IPMS, Las Vegas Best of the West 20 Contest and Swap Meet. NEW VENUE: Riviera Hotel and Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Saturday, April 18, 2015, 9:00am4:30pm. $10.00 fee includes 3 entries. Under 18 free entries.

Facebook “Best of the West IPMS Las Vegas.� E-mail Joe Porche, jwporco@embarqmail.com or 702-296-9976. Rules/ Registration Forms/Room Rates IPMSLV.ORG/ PA, PITTSBURGH: Three Rivers IPMS will host TRICON their annual 1 day model show on March 21, 2015 at the Beattie Career Center, 9600 Babcock Boulevard, Allison Park, PA 15101. For more information go to www.tripms.org or contact Scott Scariot, trekmanscott@outlook.com or 412-492-8378.

Send Your Ads To: FineScale Modeler – Classified FOR SALE Marketplace, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Phone toll-free: CANOPY MASKING AND MORE! WWW.EZMASKS. 1-888-558-1544, Ext. 815, or fax: 262-796-0126. COM List $3.00. Chris Loney, 75 Golf Club Rd., Smiths Falls, ON, Canada K7A 4S5. 613-283-5206, ezmasks@gmail.com E-mail: onlineclassads@kalmbach.com SHIP AND AIRCRAFT MODELS. Built for display. For additional information contact, Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ CA, BUENA PARK: Kit Collectors Exposition & Sale, UFCW 07605. www.rayguinta.com Hall, 8550 Stanton Ave. Sunday, March 15, 2015, 9:00am-3:00pm.

Admission $5.00, children under 12 free w/adult. Thousands of THOUSANDS OF MODEL KITS for sale. All types from rare, hard-to-ďŹ nd model kits and collectibles! Information: Edie Old Aurora to new releases. Send a 70¢ SASE to: Dean Keller, 714-826-5218 or SASE to Kit Collectors Expo, PO Box 38, Sills, 116 N. Washington, Owosso, MI 48867. Specify MiliStanton, CA 90680, kitcollectorsshow@yahoo.com Facebook at tary List. Phone: 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: Buena-Park-Model-Kit-Collectors-Expo dean@deanshobbystop.com

COMING EVENTS

The Knights Hall 2735 Union Rd. at William St. Cheektowaga (Bualo), NY www.ipmsniagarafrontier.com for details For more information, call 716-934-2161 evenings email: schulenberg.richard@yahoo.com

“Since 1969�

"Your Spare Time is Our Business"

COLPAR’S HobbyTown USA PLANES • ARMOR • CARS • SHIPS • SCI-FI

We carry a huge inventory of plastic model kits from around the world! Full Line of Detailing Accessories.

Airline models, Decals, Books, Promos, Die Cast Collectibles, Historical & RPG Games & Miniatures, Airbrushes & parts. Large Paint and Tool inventory.

Full line R/C department. We ship worldwide.

www.colpar.com COLPAR’S HobbyTown USA To order call: 1-800-876-0414 1915 S. Havana St. For information: 303-341-0414 Aurora, Co 80014

WANTED A BIG BUYER OF AIRCRAFT, Armor, Sci-Fi, Resin, Hybrid or Plastic kits. We buy collections whether they are small or large- Worldwide as well. Call Don Black toll free 1-866-4627277. Don Black, 119 Bernhurst Road, New Bern, NC 28560.

E-mail don@donblack.com 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 CASH FOR UNBUILT, 1/48th scale plastic model early WWII, Lockheed Hudson. Robert Van Vranken, 2025 Twin Sisters Rd., FairďŹ eld, CA 94534-9718, 707-425-6893.

CASH PAID FOR PLASTIC MODEL COLLECTIONS. Call Tracie in Michigan 248-814-8359. Fax: 248-814-0385 E-mail: ightlinehobby@yahoo.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 speciďŹ cation, including conversions and scratchbuilt.

Call BC Models for quote and information at 913-385-9594 or visit www.bcmmodels.com FINESCALE MODELER AUTHOR and IPMS medalist will build your favorite aircraft, specializing in metal ďŹ nishes. Contact John Adelmann at 563-556-7641 or jjadelmann@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

Closing Dates: Published 10 times a year.

Jan. 2015 issue closes Oct. 14, Feb. closes Nov. 7, Mar. closes Dec. 10, April closes Jan. 7, May closes Feb. 17, July closes April 14, Sep. closes June 15, Oct. closes July 8, Nov. closes Aug. 10, Dec. closes Sept. 9.

April 2015 www.FineScale.com 63

For advertising information, call: 8 8 8 - 5 5 8 - 1 5 4 4 • J i m H a g e r t y, e x t . 5 4 9

Megahobby.com carries over 250 Manufacturers and over 30,000 Hobby related products. We have a complete Paint Store with all the tools and books you will need to build great models. Visit the website and you will be impressed! Place an order you will be a customer for life. Call Megahobby Toll Free to speak to a knowledgeable sales person. (888)-642-0093.

Selling online since 2000! We buy collections.

Sponsored by IPMS Niagara Frontier “The BuCon Boysâ€?

Modeler’s Mart

FULL CIRCLE

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.

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.railandspruehobbies.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

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

818-716-7847

CALIFORNIA • Garden Grove

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

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.

Old & rare kits, largest selection in military kits, rockets, & 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-Wed 10-6 Th-Fri 10-9 Sat-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 Tues - Sat 11-6, Sun 12-5. www.HQHobbies.com

HQ HOBBIES

394 New Haven Ave., Unit 1

203-882-1979

FLORIDA • Ft. Myers

Come visit our new store!

Plastic modeling kits.

Paint, tools, scenery, & accessories.

Scale model railroads & rockets.

Mon-Sat 10:00am-6:00pm. Closed Sunday.

METRO TRAINS & HOBBIES

12951 Metro Parkway

239-332-0422

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

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

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

Wide variety of plastic kits.

Old Nascar Kits - please call.

Mon - Sat 10-6. Closed Sunday.

14269 Imperial Hwy.

CONNECTICUT • East Windsor

714-637-1211

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

MASSACHUSETTS • Norton

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

CALIFORNIA • San Mateo

MICHIGAN • Owosso

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

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

TALBOT’S HOBBIES

445 South “B” Street

650-342-0126

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

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.

248-586-1022

MICHIGAN • Traverse City

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.

ANN’S HOBBY CENTER

405 E. Putnam Avenue

989-720-2137

MICHIGAN • Royal Oak (Metro Detroit)

1400 E. 11 Mile Rd.

203-869-0969

MODELCAVE

103 W. Michigan Avenue

TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES

NEVADA • Las Vegas

HOBBYTOWN USA

4590 W Sahara Ave Ste 103

ELITE HOBBIES

603-749-0800

#334 90 Washington St.

NEW JERSEY • Kenvil

KENVIL HOBBIES

973-584-1188

NEW JERSEY • Magnolia (Camden) Huge foreign & domestic model selection all scales. Automobiles, aircraft ship, books, wargames, scenery, diorama supplies, parts, tools. Open 7 days

AAA HOBBIES & CRAFTS

706 N. White Horse Pike

856-435-7645

NEW YORK • Buffalo

231-947-1353

SECTION 8 HOBBIES

2243 Seneca St.

716-824-1049

NEW YORK • Middle Island

HO & N, Lionel trains.

Complete line of plastic kits, military and architecture supplies.

Open 11am-6pm M-F, Sat. 10am-5pm www.gandgmodelshop.com

G & G MODEL SHOP

2522 Times Blvd.

MEN AT ARMS HOBBIES, INC.

134 Middle Country Rd.

631-924-0583

NEW YORK • Upr Eastside GR Manhattan 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

1435 Lexington Ave.

OHIO • Columbus

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

M-A-L HOBBY SHOP

108 S. Lee Street

HOBBYLAND

206 Graceland Blvd.

614-888-7500

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

918-274-0433

OREGON • Beaverton

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.

DIBBLE'S HOBBIES

1029 Donaldson Ave.

TAMMIES HOBBIES

503-644-4535

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

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

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

DENBIGH HOBBY CENTER, INC.

14351 Warwick Blvd.

757-874-5708

We are a full line hobby shop. Huge model selection. Gundam, supplies, tool, educational, kit, parts, kite, game. Huge selection, paint, train & R/C items. www.galaxyhobby.com

GALAXY HOBBY

19332 60th Ave. W.

425-670-0454

WASHINGTON • Seattle

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

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) One of Canada's leading model shops.

Complete line of military & aircraft kits, decals, paints and accessories.

Free parking. On Parle Francais.

HOBBY HOUSE, LTD

80 Montreal Rd.

613-749-5245

717-898-7119

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

HOBBY BOUNTIES & MORGAN HOBBYCRAFT

865 Mountbatten Rd #02-91/92

Call Today to

find out more!

600 PIXELS

210-735-7721

VIRGINIA • Chantilly

CANADA–ON • Toronto

Complete full line hobby shop.

Z, N, HO, O, Lionel, and LGB. Open Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5.

1-888-558-1544 Jim Hagerty, ext. 549 600 PIXELS

972-438-9233

CANADA–AB • Calgary

Great selection of model kits, accessories, detail parts, magazines, tools & paints. www.hobbylandstores.com

FineScale Modeler’s Email Blast

713-529-7752

WASHINGTON • Lynwood

Excellent selection of lead miniatureshistorical and fantasy. Plastic models, wargames & modeling supplies.

Books and magazines.

106 W. Main Street

865-675-1975

VIRGINIA • Newport News

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!

12024 SW Canyon Rd.

HOBBYTOWN USA

11145 Turkey Dr.

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!

119 S. Main St.

East Tennessee’s largest plastic model selection. 8,000 sq. ft. of hobbies & toys.

Located in Knoxville’s premier shopping destination. Turkey Creek Area.

Open 7 days a week.

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

CUSTOMIZED

64 FineScale Modeler April 2015

702-889-9554

NEW HAMPSHIRE • Dover

590 Rt. 46

TENNESSEE • Knoxville

TEXAS • Houston

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.

SEND YOUR VERY OWN MARKETING MESSAGE

734-316-2281

PENNSYLVANIA • Landisville (Lancaster)

Let your imagination run wild!

Aircraft, ships, cars, armor, special orders, diecast cars, dollhouse miniatures, model railroading Z to G and more...

210 East Front St.

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

OKLAHOMA • Owasso

DEAN’S HOBBY STOP

116 N. Washington Street

MICHIGAN • Ypsilanti-Metro Detroit

65-6440-1890

IPMS Niagara Frontier Chapter _63

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.

Alpha Precision Abrasives, Inc.____7 ARA Press___________________11 Colpar’s Hobbytown USA ______63 DeAgostini-Model Space ________9 Dean’s Hobby Stop ____________63 Dragon Models, USA __________67 Evergreen Scale Models _________4 Fantastic Plastic Models ________63 FineScale Modeler magazine

TOTALNAVY.COM

IPMS Northern Virginia Scale Modelers _________________11 JAC Hobbies _________________65

www.TotalNavy.com ALL SHIPS, ALL NAVIES, ALL KINDS We are an ebay seller (718) 471-5464

Kalmbach Publishing Co. ________8 MegaHobby.com______________63

ROLL MODELS

Micro-Mark __________________7

www.rollmodels.com

Model Rectifier Corp.__________68

We carry the best from A-Model to Zotz and 43,000 items in between! Find it with our easy-to-use search engine.

OldModelKits.com ____________63

763-545-0399

Pace Enterprises _______________7 ParaGrafix ____________________4

JAC HOBBIES

Plastruct, Inc. _________________7

www.jachobbies.com

Roll Models__________________65 Sprue Brothers ________________4

Aircraft, Armor and Ships Excellent products, prices and service equal more value for your dollar! (208) 861-6851

Squadron Mail Order ___________3

Digital ___________________51

Strike Force Hobbies __________63

FineScale.com ________________51

Tamiya America, Inc. ___________2

Full Circle Hobbies ____________63

TotalNavy.com _______________65

Hornby America _______________4

Zvezda USA __________________4

To advertise in the Website Directory, call 1-888-558-1544, Ext. 549

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April 2015 www.FineScale.com 65

Website Directory

Ad Index

FINAL DETAILS

By Mark Hembree

A really detailed B-17E

A pole barn in northern Illinois holds a rare treasure: A Boeing B-17E destined to fly for the first time since the 1940s. As three paint jobs were stripped away, two names emerged: Tangerine (a Jimmy Dorsey hit, No. 1 in May and June 1942) and Desert Rat (likely from 1943 in North Africa).

Mike Kellner holds the original crew-hatch frame. A replacement will be fabricated from aircraft-grade, heat-treated aluminum, possibly provided by a vendor in Georgia. “They have a 5,000-ton press,” Mike says. ”I guess you put a car in there and it comes out about an inch thick.”

Mike Kellner enjoys building scale models, and a few of them have won trophies. But detailing them only goes so far with him. He doesn’t care to add photoetched-metal parts — despite having a barn full of steel and aluminum that one day will be a complete Boeing B-17E. “There’s nothing in there I have to pick up with tweezers,” he says. “I like building models, but I don’t make them a lifetime work.” Gesturing toward the barn, he says, “That’s my lifetime work.”

Indeed, Mike’s primary build has become a way of life.

He says, “It started out with wanting to fly one and honor the veterans who flew these things and did things it’s hard to believe people could do. That took a breed of characters that I’m not sure exists much in this country today.”

In 1984, Mike traveled to LaGrange, Maine, to get his

www.FineScale.com See more of the restoration and our interview with Mike Kellner.

first look at what photos showed was a restorable airframe. But nothing in the pictures prepared him for what he found there — moss-covered wings and a brutally scarred fuselage section with trees growing through it.

It had been owned by a man who started a scrap-metal business for his sons. Sometime in the 1950s they lost interest in the enterprise, and the B-17 began to fade into the forest.

So, the salvage began as a logging operation. Trees were felled, access roads were cut, and the original price of $7,250 immediately began to rise.

A mobile-home trailer — minus the home — was modified to carry the plane’s remains to northern Illinois. “It took us about 6 years to get it all here,”

66 FineScale Modeler April 2015

Mike says. “We’ve really gotten most of our work done in the last 20 years.”

The enormity of the project is astounding. In a small, heated part of the barn, blueprints and manuals fill shelves and cover a table next to a massive 3M microfilm reader that offers a jumbo view of Boeing plans.

Much of the aircraft will be refabricated. “The spars will need to be replaced, the longerons, almost all of the heavy stuff,” Mike says. “We saved what was original, but if you’re making it fly it’s got to be perfect.”

The FAA must approve every single part in a process far more stringent than wartime production. Mike says, “We asked the FAA, “What do you want to see?” and they said,

‘made to the original specs,’ which was fine. OK, we got the original specs. And they said we could use the original inspection specs — until they read them,” he says, laughing. New guidelines were developed.

However, Mike says the restored aircraft will exceed standards. “The last thing I want to think of at the end of the runway is, ‘Should we have done this better?’ We’d have been done 15 years ago if it was just going to be cosmetic.”

So, when will it be done?

"That’s the No. 1 question,” Mike says. “Actually, No. 2.

Everybody wants to know what it costs, and then, when is it going to be done.

“I’ve never really sat down and figured it out — and, halfway, I don’t want to. If we get more money, this could be done in a couple of years.”

As for when, Mike says, “Thursday. That’s what we’ve been saying since the beginning. It’s getting closer.” FSM

academy ... A Focus on Military N EW

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A Passion for Precision

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While some companies pride themselves on making all types of kits, Academy’s laser focus is on creating military with spot on scale accuracy. We strive for shape and contours that are blueprint perfect. When possible, you’ll find Cartograph decals and photo-etched parts; details that are crisp with subtle, ultra fine panel lines… no glaring gaps; surfaces that are pleasing to the eye and smooth to the touch…

1/48 F-4J Phantom II VF-84 Jolly Rogers (12305) and just the right amount This Vietnam era, U.S. Navy aircraft has detailed cockpit, a full of parts to assure detail complement of external stores, photo-etched parts, Cartograph decals. without being tedious.

On rare occasions when we venture into categories other than military, we approach them with the 1/35 Tiger 1 “Late Version” (13314) Features include photo-etched engine same consistent quality, and of course, our Passion for Precision. If you grille mesh, Cartograph decals. Newly think your skills match our passion, see these kits at your hobby shop and tooled parts include late version road wheels, upper hull surface, upper turret visit us at www.modelrectifier.com surface and hatches.

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Academy … a Passion for Precision

1/35 T34/85 Factory 112 Production (13290) The kit accurately captures the robust 85mm gun and three- man turret. Photo-etched engine grille and Cartograph decals included.