fm.12.2015

FineScale.com

“STAR WARS”: BUILD YOUR OWN DROID

»

December 2015

WILDER

PAGE 32

10 PAGE OF IPMS S /USA PHOTOS , TIPS

MASTER MODELER ADAM WILDER SHOWS YOU HOW TO DISTRESS GREEN CAMO p.24

Model spinning props p.22

PLUS

Build a Bf 110G-4 nightfighter p.42 Easy winter camo for a biplane p.18

3 EXPANDED REVIEWS — PLUS 2 MORE! p.54

BONUS ONLINE CONTENT CODE PAGE 3

Vol. 33 • Issue 10

CONTENTS December 2015 • Vol. 33 • No. 10 Online Content Code: FSM1512 Enter this code at www.FineScale.com/code to gain access to web-exclusive content.

58

18

AIRBRUSHING & FINISHING

Bring a Swedish Gladiator to the fight Airfix’s little biplane in winter camouflage ANDERS ISAKSSON

22

22

24 24

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

5 NEW KITS

Page 54

Spinning propellers Put your plane in action

54

ROGÉRIO MARCZAK

• Tamiya Mosquito

Weathering green subjects A guide to distressing common camo

• Revell Germany C-54 Skymaster

ADAM WILDER

• Tamiya Panther Ausf D

32

SHOW GALLERY

IPMS/USA national convention An inspiring array of top models FSM STAFF REPORT

• ICM Horch 108 Typ 40 • Special Hobby Guardian

38

60

42

Build a Bf 110G-4 nightfighter Step by step into the Nachtjäger KAMIL FELIKS SZTARBALA

47 42

Perfecting a vinyl droid How to deal with unusual materials JAMES GREEN

66 47

56

FINAL DETAILS

Mesko a can-do punster This modeler really knows his beans

In Every Issue 5 7 12 14 50

Editor’s Page Scale Talk Spotlight New Products Reader Tips

52 Questions & Answers 63 Classified Marketplace 64 Hobby Shop Directory 65 Advertiser Index

On the Cover No one can depict the play of light or beat up a finish quite like Adam Wilder, whose innovative techniques have earned him international renown and revolutionized finishing for scale models.

MARK HEMBREE

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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 Mark Savage

Awesomeness x 10 pages!

LAST ISSUE I sang the praises of the International Plastic Modelers Society/USA show and convention. Now I’m here to “prove” it was filled with fantastic models.

We decided a 6-page, even an 8-page gallery of IPMS show models wasn’t enough. So we went with a 10-page gallery of beautiful builds, along with tips from the experts who made these models.

Not to toot our own horn too often, or loudly, but we’ll have even more finishing tips gathered at the show, along with photos, in our special pre-holiday publication, the Ultimate Guide to Finishing. Look for that on newsstands in November.

You’ll also notice a fun R2-D2 build in this issue, something a bit out of character for FSM. But

with the latest “Star Wars” movie hitting theaters in December, we want to encourage modelers of all ages and interests to build what they love. Who doesn’t love a droid?

Meanwhile we have an awesome Adam Wilder KV-1 build for armor fans and a magnificent

WHO DOESN’T LOVE A DROID? Bf 110G-4 nightfighter for aircraft modelers.

There’s also a quick tip story on how to create props that appear to be spinning. I know as a young modeler I would have loved to figure that out to make my planes look like they were really flying.

Most of us like to model as much realism as possible.

Finally, a staffing note. Those

with keen eyesight will have noticed a shiny new face in our staff photos below.

We welcome Elizabeth Nash to our team as Tim Kidwell moves over to edit Drone 360, a new Kalmbach Publishing title, about drones — what else?

We’re happy for Tim and excited to have a new young modeler on board. Oh, and for Tim’s video fans, he may appear in some future videos, once we fix the camera’s lens!

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 Mark Savage msavage @Kalmbach.com

Senior Editor Aaron Skinner askinner @FineScale.com

Associate Editor Mark Hembree mhembree @FineScale.com

Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nash enash @FineScale.com

Editorial Associate Monica Freitag mfreitag @FineScale.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

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December 2015 www.FineScale.com

5

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Editor Mark Savage Art Director Tom Ford Senior Editor Aaron Skinner Associate Editor Mark Hembree Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nash Editorial Associate Monica Freitag Illustrator Kellie Jaeger Photographer William Zuback Production Coordinator Cindy Barder CONTRIBUTING MODELERS Paul Boyer, Federico Collada, Andrew Cooper, Raúl Corral, Frank Cuden, Philip Gore, James Green, Joe Hudson, Karl Logan, Harvey Low, Rato Marczak, Chris Mrosko, Bill Plunk, Darren Roberts, Chuck Sawyer, Cookie Sewell, Bob Steinbrunn, Cristóbal Vergara, Jim Wechsler, Adam Wilder CONTACT US

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©2015, Kalmbach Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Title is registered as trademark. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews. Postmaster: Periodicals postage paid at Waukesha, Wisconsin, and additional offices. Send address changes to FineScale Modeler, Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612.

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Stop by your local hobby shop or go online to: autoworldstore.com! © RKO Pictures, Inc. WIZARD OF OZ: ™ & © Turner Entertainment Co. POLAR LIGHTS is a registered trademark of Round 2, LLC ©2015 Round 2, LLC, South Bend, IN 46628 USA. All rights reserved.

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ARA Press

SCALE TALK

The Spaceship Enthusiasts’ One-Stop Data Shop!

Your voice in FSM

6RYLHW 6PDVKXS Our two titles dealing with Soviet space programs available in this special combination offer.

Peter Alway's Twelve Soviet Missiles, a survey of Soviet military missiles from the 1950’s and ’60s, makes the perfect companion for our critically acclaimed N-1: For the Moon and Mars which tells complete story of the N-1 Superbooster.

Get both of them together at a significant savings!

x 235 Pages, 80 lb coated stock

x Smythe-sewn Hardcover binding

x Over 400 photographs and illustrations, most in color Not only does Moe know modeling, he writes history too. He feels knowing more about the individual plane’s pilot adds to his modeling experience.

x Over 100 pages of Dimensioned Drawings and hardware analyses

History makes modeling more fun I began modeling about four years ago. I had been retired for 15 years and thought I would take up the hobby. I always had an interest in World War II history, especially the planes. The first model I purchased was a 1/48 scale P-38 Lightning.

As I reviewed the contents of the kit, the decals for Marge, Richard Bong’s plane, caught my attention. I went to my computer and did some research on Bong, thinking I wanted to know more about him before I began assembling the aircraft. This resulted in Painting and packing redux

This is in response to two comments in the October issue: “paint inventory� and “packing models safely.�

Paint inventory (Reader Tips, Page 50): Like Dell Powers, I keep my paints in drawers — one for water-soluble and one

writing a short bio on him and adding his photo.

I now was much more interested in putting together my first model. I have completed about 34 models, all in 1/48 scale, and each is displayed with a short bio and photo of the pilot.

As a subscriber to FineScale Modeler, I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, which has greatly improved my modeling skills. Thanks for a fantastic magazine. – Moe Veldhuizen LaSalle, Ontario, Canada for enamels. I put a drop of paint on the lid of the bottle and, with a marker, print the name of the color around the edge of the lid. They are arranged from the lightest colors on the left to the darkest ones on the right.

Packing models (Questions & Answers,

x 34 Pages x Softcover, laser printed

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ARA Press 785 Jefferson Ave. Livermore, CA 94550 (925) 583-5126 www.arapress.com December 2015 www.FineScale.com

7

SCALE TALK Page 51): I have moved my growing collection many times. I have found shoeboxes ideal for most models. For larger models, I have gotten boxes from auto body and glass shops and even used women’s hat boxes.

Some boxes need to be cut down and taped.

I use torn and crumpled newspaper for filler. It weighs nothing, cushions well, and you have plenty on hand if you subscribe.

Plastic peanuts also are good, but they tend to sink to the bottom of a container and may have to be fished out from hard-toreach parts of the model.

– Dan Whitlock Lewiston, Idaho Now, the rest of the story

I am a longtime subscriber. For the first time I spotted a tiny hiccup in an article. In the September issue (Page 27), you write about a German staff car. It was, as you correctly stated, liberated by our crown prince of the Netherlands, Prince Bernhard (aka the Scoundrel of Orange).

However he was the son-in-law of Queen Wilhelmina, not Beatrix. He was

8 FineScale Modeler December 2015

married to the princess, later queen, Juliana, and their first daughter, also later queen, was Beatrix.

Otherwise, keep up the excellent work and magazine.

– Frans Harmsen Almere, Netherlands

Ed.: We stand corrected Frans, and thanks for the genealogy lesson.

Are dimensions needed?

I have been a longtime reader of FSM and I have every issue from No. 1 to the present.

I used to pick up each issue at various bookstores, but I’ve been a subscriber (it costs less) for more than 15 years now. I look forward to every issue and it always makes my day when each new FSM issue arrives in the mail.

I find FSM indispensable for its outstanding how-to articles, beautiful photography of fellow modelers’ work, and all the new product announcements. I especially enjoy the Workbench Reviews, which brings me to the point of this note.

Sometimes, but not always, the overall dimensions of a finished model are mentioned in the review text, and occasionally a familiar object, such as a paint jar, a modeling knife, or even the reviewer’s hand are shown in the model’s main photo. I find that this is a great help to give me an accurate sense of the size of a finished kit.

I would suggest that along with the data that is typically provided for each kit being reviewed, such as its manufacturer, scale, subject matter, and pros and cons, that the model’s overall assembled dimensions be given every time.

If a modeler’s display space is at a premium (whose isn’t?), then knowing in advance how big the model will be would be helpful. Along with this added dimensional information, I believe that always placing a ruler, pen, or some other common object in every model photo would be of great value.

Please continue to produce your outstanding magazine. FSM’s editorial staff has always been open-minded, and I hope my suggestion has merit.

REVIEWED: AIRFIX’S BIG-SCA LE TYPHOO N

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In each issue you’ll find: • Clear, how-to features on model assembly and finishing written by experts • Reviews of the hottest model kits and products • Tips and techniques for assembling, painting, and finishing • Inspiring photos of readers’ models

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December 2015 www.FineScale.com

9

SCALE TALK Thank you for a fine publication that has always had the rare quality of being worth many times its price.

- Pete Wilson Pittsfield, Mass.

Ed.: Well, readers, what do you think? Are model dimensions needed with each Workbench Review?

More track talk

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10 FineScale Modeler December 2015

A big shout-out and thank-you to Ernest Brown, U.S. Army retired, on the subject of tank tracks (April 2015, Page 9). Looks like I’ve been doing it right all along.

My dad was a WWII veteran (USMC, 4th Marine Division, central Pacific), and many years ago gave me a stack of pics on some of the things he saw while overseas.

In the stack are several clear pics (black and white) of Marine tankers and their rides. I used some of these photos to build vignettes. In these photos, the tracks of the Marine tanks were pristine (for tracks), and, just as Mr. Brown stated, some of the parts of the track were shiny from wear.

But in no circumstances were the tracks full of slop (Dad’s word). In some of the photos there was slop clinging to the suspension, but none on a working track. This was the case from Guadalcanal, very sloppy, to Iwo Jima, very sandy. Again, the suspension parts were dirty in some cases, but the tracks were clean and shiny where they met the ground. And, in the few color pics I have, they weren’t rusty either.

I always thought I was doing my tracks the wrong way from seeing photos of other modelers and their creations. And, make no mistake, they are masterpieces! But now I think I’m on (forgive me) the “right track.”

Thanks again for publishing Mr. Brown’s letter, and a big thank-you to him for his service!

What do you think?

Your comments and suggestions about FSM articles are welcome. Please e-mail your thoughts to editor@FineScale. com, or visit FineScale.com and click on “About Us” on the top bar. Then click on “Contribute to FSM” to share your thoughts. You also may mail letters to the address on Page 6. Please limit your comments to no more than 300 words, and include your name and location.

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SPOTLIGHT Compiled by Aaron Skinner

Meng produces last Soviet heavy tank “Most-wanted kit” available

L

ike its contemporaries, the American M103 and British Conqueror, the T-10 was designed as a heavy tank to complement medium tanks such as the IS-3 and T-54 in Soviet armor units. Introduced in 1953, the 52-ton vehicle armed with a 122mm main gun served for 40 years despite being outperformed by newer main battle tanks.

In our last “Most-Wanted Kit Survey,” the T-10 appeared in fourth place in 1/35 scale. Meng (www.meng-model.com) has responded with a terrific kit of the beast (No. TS-018).

Molded in dark green plastic, the parts show the high level of detail Meng’s armor kits are known for.

Rough-casting texture marks the hull and turret.

The road wheels, idlers, and drive sprockets sandwich polycaps, and the separate road-wheel arms are movable to articulate the suspension.

Working tracks wrap the running gear.

There’s no interior, but there are plenty of things outside, including fuel drums, storage boxes, tow cables, an unditching log, and smoke canisters. Photo-etched metal grilles finish the engine deck.

More storage boxes grace the turret as well as spare ammunition cans, gunsights, grab handles, and a beautifully molded KPVT machine gun. The hatches are movable. The main gun is molded in halves, then topped by a single-piece muzzle brake.

Decals mark four Soviet T-10Ms from the 1960s and ’70s, including one that took part in Operation Danube, the Warsaw Pact invasion of Chechoslovakia in 1968.

This is a terrific looking kit and fills a hole in Soviet armor collections. The kit costs $89.99.

12 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Legion Condor biplane in 1/48 scale

F

lying for the Nationalists and the Legion Condor, Heinkel He 51 dominated the skies during the first months of the Spanish Civil War but was soon outmatched by Soviet-built Republican aircraft.

It’s an attractive airplane with streamlined shapes that has been kitted before in 1/48 scale. Roden (www.rodenkits.com) has done a nice job on their all-new, all-plastic offering (No. 452).

The cockpit features detail inside the fuselage halves as well as a separate frame that holds the seat, instrument panel, floor, and controls.

Surface detail shows finely molded fabric detail on the wings and rear fuselage with engraved panel lines and rivets on the forward fuselage. Smart engineering has part of each landing gear strut molded together with a section of the belly, adding strength and eliminating alignment problems.

Decals provide markings for two Legion Condor fighters, one overall RLM 02 gray, the other in green-and-gray camo.

Roden’s He 51 costs $39.

BOOKSHELF Big-scale Spitfire build in detail

I

t’s hard to believe there’s a more detailed replica of a Spitfire than David Glen’s 1/5 scale masterpiece that graces the Royal Air Force Museum’s entrance hall in Hendon, England. Glen details the model’s 11-year journey from conception to completion in Spitfire in my Workshop (Brown & Brown, ISBN 9780-9526907-2-6).

The lavishly illustrated, 192-page hardcover breaks the project down by airframe section and provide insights and tips about scratchbuilding from almost every material imaginable — balsa, resin, plastic, brass, even knitting needles. It’s a fascinating read that’s equal parts inspiration and information. Visit www.spitfireinmyworkshop.net/book to purchase the book for £39.99 (approximately $62).

The nitty-gritty of WWI battle

F Massive online naval battles await

T

he folks responsible for the online combat games “World of Tanks” and “World of Warplane” completed the combat triple play with the September launch of World of Warships. Like the other Wargaming.net games, this one pits groups of combatants against others, this time at sea. The initial ships available are American and Japanese with an emphasis on World War II. German ships should follow quickly.

The game’s design favors easy website navigation and plenty of training opportunities to get you to sea quickly.

The game can be downloaded for free at www.worldofwarships.com.

or nearly six weeks in the late fall of 1918, the U.S. Army’s 26 Infantry Regiment fought German forces during the Battle of the Argonne Forest. This prolonged combat is the subject of Days of Perfect Hell by Peter L. Belmonte (Schiffer, ISBN 9780-7643-4921-8, $29.99).

Using the story of this single regiment, Belmonte illustrates the challenges of small-unit operations in World War I while humanizing the drama with letters and comments from soldiers who were there. Not at all a dry history, rather it’s an exciting and thrilling read full of insights about the battle.

Shining a light on the Starfire

D

eveloped from the T-33 trainer, Lockheed’s F-94 was a radar-equipped, all-weather fighter with an afterburning engine. The aircraft’s development and deployment with the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard is the focus of Alan C. Carey’s Lockheed F-94 Starfire: Air Force Legends Number 218 (Ginter, ISBN 978-09892583-9-5, $39.95).

Typical of Ginter’s reference books, the 161-page, softcover book reveals the inner workings of the plane with detailed photos and illustrations. Then it moves on to show all of the squadrons the Starfire served in, including the fighter’s deployment during the Korean War. The final part evaluates kits of the F-94.

December 2015

www.FineScale.com

13

NEW PRODUCTS Compiled by Monica Freitag

AIRCR AFT

1/48 SCALE KITS

1/48 DETAIL SETS F-86D/K Sabre landing gear (for Special Hobby) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

1/32 SCALE KITS

No. 48289, $16.95.

AF-2 Guardian landing gear (for Special Hobby) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

No. 48290, $17.95.

1/72 SCALE KITS Grumman A-6E TRAM Intruder from

HobbyBoss, No. 81710, $94.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. OV-10A/C Bronco from Kitty Hawk,

No. KH32004, $99.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

Fairchild NC/AC-123K Project Black Spot

from Roden, No. 058, $42.

Focke Wulf FW190 F-8 from Revell, No.

Heinkel He51 B.1 from Roden, No. 452, $39.

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

04869, $29.95. See a detailed review on p. 52 in the October 2015 issue of FSM.

Douglas C-54D Skymaster from Revell,

No. 04877, $49.95. See a detailed review on p. 56.

Kawasaki Ki 61-I Tei Type 3 fighter Hien (Tony) and Type 95 small sedan Kurogane 4WD (model 3) 244th Flight regiment with figure from Hasegawa, No. 07404, $54.99.

Lockheed U-2B/C from Combat Models. Check website for ordering and price information.

1/32 DETAIL SETS Sukhoi Su-24MR “Fencer E” from Trumpeter,

No. 1672, $64.95.

De Havilland Mosquito landing gear (for Tamiya) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,

1/72 DETAIL SETS

No. 32099, $22.95.

De Havilland Sea Hornet NF.21 from

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.

14 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Trumpeter, No. 2895, $48.95.

Boulton Paul Defiant landing gear (for Airfix) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No.

72110, $12.95.

F-8E Crusader landing gear (for Academy)

from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72110, $12.95.

1/144 SCALE KITS

T-72BA main battle tank from ModelCollect, Skoda PA-II “Turtle” from Takom,

No. UA72015, $17.99.

No. 352024, $34.95.

Bristol Type 175 Britannia from Roden, No. 312, $26. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

Chieftain Mk.5/P British MBT from Takom,

No. 352027, $66.95.

Whippet Mk.A British WWI medium tank

AR MOR

from Takom, No. 352025, $49.95.

1/35 SCALE KITS TOS-1A with T-90 Chassis heavy flame thrower system from ModelCollect,

No. UA72003, $17.99.

Chieftain Mk.11 British MBT from Takom,

No. 352026, $66.95.

Soviet T-10M heavy tank from Meng, No.

TS-018, $89.99. Tyrannosaurus Series. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. WWII E-75 heavy tank with 128 gun from ModelCollect, No. UA72029, $29.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

Chieftain Mk.10 British MBT from Takom,

SHIPS

No. 352028, $66.95.

1/72 SCALE KITS Soviet GAZ-AA cargo truck from HobbyBoss,

Krupp 21cm Mörser 10/16 German WWI/ II gun from Takom, No. 352032, $38.95.

No. 83836, $53.99.

1/72 SCALE KITS

USS Alligator 1862-1863 Union submarine from Flagship Models, No. FM17219, $60.

Opel 3.6-47 Omnibus model W39 Ludewig built, early from Roden, No. 807,

$42.

FWD Model B 3-ton lorry 1917 type production from Roden, No. 733, $12.50.

December 2015

www.FineScale.com

15

NEW PRODUCTS

SCIENCE FICTION

1/130 SCALE KITS

1/72 SCALE KITS

Batmobile from 1989 movie “Batman”

from AMT, No. AMT935/12, $24.99.

Satisfaction of Captain Henry Morgan

Three Stooges Curly‚ Gasser 1940 Willys Coupe from AMT, No. AMT939/12, $24.99.

from Lindberg Line, No. HL219/12, $26.99.

Ranger transgalactic survey craft from “Interstellar” from Moebius Models, No. 960,

1/350 SCALE KITS

$34.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

1/1000 SCALE KITS

USS John F. Kennedy CV-67 from Merit, No. 65306, $240. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. 1954 Hudson Hornet Club Coupe from

Moebius Models, No. 1213, $32.49.

1971 Ford Ranger from Moebius Models,

No. 1208, $34.99. The Ford Pickup Series.

USS Texas BB-35 from Trumpeter, No. 5340,

$114.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

Romulan Bird-of-Prey from “Star Trek: The Original Series” from Polar Lights,

1965 Plymouth Satellite from Moebius

Models, No.1215, $32.49.

No. POL934/12, $23.99. Snap-together.

Freuhauf tanker semi-trailer from AMT,

1/700 SCALE KITS

No. AMT918/06, $29.99.

AUTOS 1/24 SCALE KITS

American Knights - The Untold Story of the Men of the Legendary 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion, $25.95, by Victor

USS Tennessee BB-43 1944 from Trumpeter,

No. 5782, $54.95.

Failmezger, hardcover, 352 pages, black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-14-7280-9353. From Osprey Publishing.

MILITARY FIGURES

Convair Deltas — From Sea Dart to Hustler, $32.95, by

1/35 SCALE KITS BMW i8 from Revell/Revell Germany,

No. 07008, $39.95.

German Africa Corps Luftwaffe artillery crew set from Tamiya,

Nissan Sunny truck long body deluxe early version‚ from Hasegawa, No. 20267,

No. 35343, $13.50.

$42.99.

1/25 SCALE KITS 1957 Ford Del Rio Ranch Wagon 2 n’ 1

from Monogram, No. 85-4193, $23.95.

16 FineScale Modeler December 2015

BOOKSHELF

Bill Yenne, softcover, 216 pages, 344 black-and-white and color photos, ISBN: 978-1-58007-231-1.

From Specialty Press.

Days of Perfect Hell — October November 1918 (The U.S. 26th Infantry Regiment in the Neuse-Argonne offensive), $29.99, by Peter L. Belmonte, hardcover,

TOOL S

Craft scissors for plastic/soft metal

from Tamiya, No. 74124, $28.

240 pages, few black-and-white photos, ISBN: 978-0-7643-4921-8. From Schiffer Publishing.

See a detailed review in Spotlight, p. 13.

Scale Model Handbook: Figure Modelling Vol. 15,

$29.95, softcover, 50 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 2241-1054.

From Mr. Black Publications.

Cutting mat from Squadron Products,

No. 10610, $19.95. Self-healing, double-sided.

Spitfire In My Workshop, $62, by David Glen, hardcover, 192 pages, 240 captioned color photos, 20 mono images and diagrams, ISBN: 978-0-9526-9072-6. From Brown & Brown Design Studio. See a detailed review in Spotlight, p. 13.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA Gooney Birds from Aero Research, No. 2011, $12.95.

Airliner Series.

XF15C-1 Stingaree - Walk Around

from Peregrine Publications, No. 7, $10.

Manufacturer/Distributor Directory Aero Research Co. www.AeroResearchCDs.com

Moebius Models 386-734-3599 www.moebiusmodels.com

Schiffer Publishing 610-593-1777 www.schifferbooks.com

Brown & Brown Design Studio 44-01787 881157 www. spitfireinmyworkshop.net

Mr. Black Publications www.mrblackpublications.com

Combat Models www.combatmodels.us

Osprey Publishing www.ospreypublishing.com

Dragon Models USA Inc. 626-968-0322 www.dragonmodelsusa.com • Aoshima • Bronco • Cyber-hobby • Dragon • Fine Molds • Fujimi • G.W.H. • Master Box • Platz • Riich • Showcase Models Australia • Takom • Zvezda • Concord • Firefly Books • Nuts & Bolts Books

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

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

Great Planes Model Distributors

www.greatplanes.com • Italeri • Hasegawa

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, 262796-8776, 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.

Merit International 626-912-2212 www.merit-intl.com • Merit • AFV Club • Kinetic Model Collect www.modelcollect.com

Peregrine Publishing 516-759-1089 Revell 847-758-3200 www.revell.com • Monogram • Renwal • Revell Germany Roden www.rodenkits.com Round 2 574-243-3000 www.round2corp.com • AMT • MPC • Polar Lights • Lindberg • Hawk

Squadron Products 877-414-0434 www.squadron.com • Encore Models • HobbyBoss • ICM • Kitty Hawk • Meng • Super Scale International • Sword • True Details • Trumpeter Stevens International 856-435-1555 www.stevenshobby.com • AK Interactive • Freedom Model Kits • Hataka Hobby • IBG Models • Meng • MiniArt • Mirror Models • Mr. Black Publications • Noys Miniatures • Trumpeter • Lanasta Tamiya America Inc. 949-362-2240 www.tamiyausa.com

Scale Aircraft Conversions 214-477-7163 scaleaircraftconversions.com

December 2015

www.FineScale.com

17

IS

HING

AIRBRU

Bring a Swedish

ING SH

FIN

Finishing Airfix’s little biplane in winter camouflage • BY ANDERS ISAKSSON

M

ade obsolete by monoplanes even before entering service in 1937, the Gloster Gladiator served boldly in early World War II, acquitting itself well against other planes. Sweden operated several, designat-

ing them J 8 and equipping them with skis for Nordic winters.

My longtime desire to add a Swedish Gladiator to my collection was tempered by the inherent complications of building biplanes — aligning the wings and rigging.

1 I built the cockpit out of the box, but sanded the instrument panel flat to better represent the simple panel of Swedish Gladiators. It’s difficult to see much of this on the finished model, so I felt it was enough to base-coat the parts with Tamiya cockpit green (XF -71), then contrast a few areas with a lighter green from Vallejo. Details were brush-painted with Vallejo colors.

18 FineScale Modeler December 2015

However, Airfix’s 1/72 scale kit is cleverly engineered to solve alignment problems.

One of the releases includes skis and markings for a Swedish plane in Finland, although I used decals from Kora and Flying Colors Aerodecals instead.

2 In preparation for rigging, I drilled holes through the airframe with a .5mm bit at the positions shown in Airfix’s comprehensive diagrams. Then I could pull rigging lines through the holes and secure them from the other side of the parts after painting and assembly.

3 Before cranking up my compressor, I attached the clear parts. I love using Eduard’s masks because they speed the process considerably, especially for canopies with complex framing. First coat on the frame is the interior color.

5 The Swedish air force camouflaged Gladiators with olive green above and gray-blue below. I mixed Tamiya light blue (XF-23) with a little medium sea gray 2 (XF-83) for the latter and airbrushed the bottoms of the wings and lower half of the fuselage.

7 On the full-size fighter white paint was applied over the standard camo, but around the markings. I masked the spots for the decals, using a circle template for the national insignia.

4 Next, I applied a coat of Tamiya’s gray primer straight from the spray can.

To avoid fouling the strut attachment points, I masked them with Humbrol Maskol, gently dropping a small amount in place with a cocktail stick.

6 After masking the undersides with Tamiya tape, I airbrushed the upper surfaces with a mix of Tamiya olive green (XF-58) and khaki drab (XF-51). I sealed with a coat of clear gloss to guard against damage during subsequent steps.

8 I added a few drops of Tamiya olive green to flat white (XF-2), then airbrushed thin coats to gradually build the density of this “dirty white” camouflage.

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9 I applied decals next, piecing together the markings from the Kora and Flying Colors Aerodecals. The numbers on the nose had to cross deep trenches for the guns and didn’t want to lay down. So, I stretched them across, let them dry, then cut away the suspended sections and touched up the gaps with Vallejo white and a fine brush.

10 To replicate white paint worn through to reveal underlying color, I dipped a chunk of sponge in olive green paint. I blotted the wet paint from the foam on a piece of paper, then stippled the foam onto high-traffic areas around the cockpit and the wing leading edges. Done right, the result is subtly worn white paint.

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Masking individual panels and control surfaces refines the wear patterns.

To soften the sponge-applied chips, I airbrushed thin coats of the green camouflage mix.

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After enhancing the kit’s few recessed panel lines with an enamel wash, I used a green artist’s pencil to adds scuffs and paint chips around hatches.

Then I attached the upper wing and carefully removed the supports that Airfix molded into the interplane struts with a razor saw and sanding.

Using Airfix’s diagrams, it was easy to rig the biplane with elastic thread in two thicknesses anchored with tiny drops of super glue. I used thick Lycra thread from a craft store for the larger wires between the struts and the wings as well as the wires at the tail. Thin thread from Uschi van der Rosten rigged the cabane struts and ailerons in the lower and upper wings.

20 FineScale Modeler December 2015

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I carefully filled and sanded each rigging hole in the upper wing and painted it olive green, followed with white, and weathered it like the rest of the airframe. After a coat of clear flat, I painted the rigging dark gray. I drew paint chips with a silver pencil.

The Gladiator’s cowl ring doubled as an exhaust collector and was discolored from heat. I base-coated it with Tamiya spray-can bare-metal silver (AS-12), then airbrushed thin layers of Tamiya smoke, clear blue, and clear orange to give the ring a brownish copper appearance.

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I painted the exhaust pipes Tamiya flat brown, then applied brown and orange shades from Vallejo with a sponge to give them a coat of rust.

For deposits of soot and exhaust around the nose and engine as well as the belly, I airbrushed streaks of thin Tamiya NATO black (XF-69) in the direction of airflow. Tape protected the surroundings from overspray.

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I alternated dabbing and flowing AK Interactive Dark Streaking Grime around the engine and cowl to show fluid leaks and spills, focusing my efforts along panel lines.

I sprayed the skis with Tamiya bare-metal silver, then masked and painted the wooden sections with a mix of Tamiya flat brown (XF-10) and hull red (XF-9). I attached short pieces of Lycra thread, painted them dark gray, and attached the skis to finish my Swedish Gladiator. FSM December 2015

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1/165 Scale

Put your plane in action • BY ROGÉRIO “RATO” MARCZAK

To model propellers in motion, Rato chose a plane with a lot of them — Convair’s R3Y Tradewind, a fourengine turboprop with eight contra-rotating propellers. Revell’s original kit (scaled to the box it came in) is even older than the airplane (which was scrapped in 1958).

22 FineScale Modeler December 2015

I

know many modelers like to display their aircraft models in flight. But if it is a propeller-driven aircraft, how do you depict the props?

You can install tiny electrical motors to make them actually turn — there are commercial options for that — or you could devise a way that suggests motion.

For the second option, you can use clear discs, photoetched-metal items, or even cut off the blades and display the model with only the hub. I chose clear discs — and I’ll show you how to emulate turning props using Revell’s boxscale (1/165) Convair Tradewind flying boat, a turboprop with contra-rotating propellers.

1

2

Using a compass-type cutter, I cut discs of acetate. Cut a couple of spares, too, just in case.

Then secure coarse sandpaper (220 grit works well) to a plastic pad.

3

Using a compass point or a needle mounted in a pin vise, push through the disc’s center to the backing pad. Hold the needle there; with the index finger of your free hand, depress the disc and shuffle the acetate against the sandpaper.

Divide the circle evenly by the number of prop blades; make the sanding marks a bit wider than the blade.

Tip mask

Clear disc

Clear disc

Blade mask

Yellow paint

Black paint

4 Paint props before mounting. I cut card stock with a slot slightly larger than the blades’ width and tapered in the radial direction (to make the blur appear wider farther from the center). This mask should be raised about 5mm above the disc. Airbrush thinned black or dark gray paint from about 10cm (4"); rotate and repeat. Make marks that trail away from the blades.

6 I sliced the prop hubs to sandwich the acetate discs. In this case, two slices are needed because there are two discs per engine, representing the two contra-rotating propellers.

8 Having another set of “static” props abets the illusion and shows the Tradewind as it would look while taxiing. Convair’s seaplane did have problems with the props, but for my model these work fine!

5 Once the paint is dry, cut another mask slightly smaller than the clear disc to simulate the trail of yellow prop tips. Lay this mask flat (not raised) and airbrush the outer edge of the clear disc.

7 Once the hubs are painted the discs can be mounted. Use epoxy or a slowsetting glue to allow minor adjustments. Make sure the discs are parallel — no one likes an eccentric propeller.

9 There are other more realistic methods of simulating spinning props, like installing motors, but this is easy — and convincing enough for small scales in particular. FSM December 2015

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1/35 Scale

WEATHERING

GREEN SUBJECTS Master modeler Adam Wilder’s step-by-step guide to distressing a common camouflage

BY ADAM N.P. WILDER

I

have always enjoyed weathering models with green or olive finishes, because earth shades contrast well with the dark colors. Getting that right is important, but the application of different sheens — flat, satin, and gloss — with those earth tones is equally essential for realism. That’s what I did when I built Trumpeter’s 1/35 scale KV-1 Model 1942 with a lightweight-cast turret (No. 00360).

I enhanced the turret’s cast texture with a motor tool, soldering iron, and Tamiya putty thinned with liquid cement. After forming weld seams from stretched sprue softened with liquid cement and shaped with a knife, I replaced the engine grilles and fenders with Aber photoetched-metal items. The latter were easier than the kit’s plastic parts to bend and shape for authentic damage.

24 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Meet Adam Wilder

Monochromatic finishes can be challenging to paint but fun to weather. Here, adding layer upon layer of effects puts Trumpeter’s KV-1 on the front lines.

ADAM started modeling at 8, but got serious after high school. His main interest is Soviet armor of all eras, a fascination he credits to growing up during the tensions of the Cold War. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Adam moved to Europe to work for Mig Productions. Five years later, he was living in Moscow and started his own finishing-supply company, Wilder (www.wilder.su). With that established, he moved back to the States. He says the key to authentic models is mastering both construction and painting. Good building skills allow for more creativity and the ability to present common subjects differently. “Having a broad knowledge of painting and weathering techniques can permit you a variety of ways in bringing out the different details and contours of those themes,” he says.

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1 I painted the model with LifeColor acrylics using color modulation to emphasize contours, raised detail, corners, and recesses. The tank looks odd, especially topside, but weathering will tone down the effect.

3 I taped the stencil in place and used a toothpick to press it against the surface during airbrushing to ensure sharp edges.

5 I brushed a tan filter over the entire model to give the green a more olive tone and blend and reduce the contrast of the color modulation.

26 FineScale Modeler December 2015

2 To mark the turret, I cut a stencil from a photocopy of a vehicle profile. A metal straightedge guided the blade.

4 A few coats of Tamiya clear (X-22) mixed with Tamiya lacquer thinner gave the entire model a satin finish in preparation for weathering.

6 To further soften the modulation, I applied dots of artist’s oils over the model and blended them into the surface with a brush and a little thinner.

7 You can blend oils in targeted areas like I did in the corners, using dark brown to add shadows and depth around details.

9

8 Washes also can be used to add shadows around small details such as weld seams and bolts. You can make your own washes or use premixed products like I did. Either way, ensure they are thoroughly mixed.

10

After letting the wash sit for few minutes, I removed the excess and refined the effect with a brush and a little clean enamel thinner.

You can see that the filters and washes have softened the contrast of the color modulation.

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12

Chipping is a multistep process. I started by mixing a lighter shade of the base-color acrylic, dabbing it lightly and randomly over the surface with a bit of sponge. A little water dilutes the paint and softens the effect.

Using a 000 brush, I added more and larger light-green chips over the ones applied with the sponge. The fine brush gives more control for this step.

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13

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I painted brown acrylic thinned with tap water to add dark rust chips to most, but not all, of the light green chips. The key is to keep the pattern random and vary the width of the light-green edges.

I brushed rust washes to areas with a lot of chips, then blended them with enamel thinner.

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Speckling blends and enhances chipping effects. Dip a stiff brush into a thin rust solution and remove excess by flicking it onto scrap paper.

Then use your finger against the brush to lightly speckle the rust-colored paint over the turret and hull, creating fine paint chips.

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Streaks extending from spots and areas of rust finished this step. I painted spots of the color, let them dry a few minutes, then used a little thinner on a brush to extend them down the surface.

Now for some dirt. First, I applied textured earth to the lower suspension and running gear to represent areas of built-up mud. Think about the areas where dirt kicked up by the tracks would accumulate.

28 FineScale Modeler December 2015

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Next, I brushed gray dirt over the textured earth and onto the lower hull, then blended it using enamel thinner. Wilder Grey Dirt Spatter varies between satin and flat when dry, so it looks like slightly damp earth.

I applied enamel earth effects to the upper hull and turret, let them sit for a few minutes, then blended them with a little thinner. I used lighter shades in open spaces and darker shades in recesses.

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Rain marks were added to the hull and turret by brushing earth effects in streaks down the sides. Blending with enamel thinner softened the effects.

I applied dry, powdered pigments to the areas of built-up mud and anchored them with pigment fixer to give the mud a grainy texture.

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You can brush on pigments dry to blend rain streaks that may be too stark.

It doesn’t take much, and dry powders work better on flat finishes.

Before moving on to the darker, wet earth tones, I speckled a light earth color over the lower hull and running gear. A piece of paper protects the areas above the fenders from stray spray.

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I mix Wilder murky water, brown mud spatter, and dark earth pigments for a layer of fresh, wet mud.

I dabbed and brushed this mix onto upper surfaces of the running gear and flicked it from a stiff brush onto the lower hull.

A thin mix of the dark earth shade was brushed onto a few areas on the hull to provide contrast with the lighter earth deposits.

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Areas and streaks of wet effect on the hull and turret create a mix of sheens on the surface from flat to satin and gloss and produce a dynamic finish.

The metal tracks were weathered in layers like the rest of the model. I started by applying an oxidation medium to naturally rust the links.

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I mixed mud from buff acrylic paint, pigments for extra color, and plaster and sand for texture. I brushed a thick layer on the outer faces of the track.

On the inside faces, I applied mud only to the outer edge, because the centers would be polished smooth by the wheels. A little of the mix speckled onto the tracks adds incidental mud splashes.

30 FineScale Modeler December 2015

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I added dry pigments anchored with fixer and left the tracks to dry overnight. Then I applied some of the damp mud mixture I used on the hull.

Sandpaper exposed worn metal cleats on the outer surfaces of the tracks.

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For the inner surfaces polished by the wheels, I applied metallic pigments.

I finished the tracks with a light application of wet effect to add freshly deposited mud to the tracks. FSM

December 2015

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SHOW GALLERY

IPMS/USA National Convention 2015 Hundreds of modelers descended on Columbus, Ohio, in late July for the IPMS/USA National Convention.

With almost 3,000 models on the tables in the contest area, FSM Editor Mark Savage and Senior Editor Aaron Skinner had a lot to look at.

Here’s a sampling of the scale creations they photographed.

The 2016 convention will be in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 3-6, at the Metropolitan Convention Center. More info at www.ipmsusa2016.com

Want more inspiration?

We shot more than 150 models — too many for the magazine. See more at www.FineScale.com/OnlineExtras.

32 FineScale Modeler December 2015

▲ MARC SCHACHTER SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Tamiya’s 1/48 scale P-47D is a nice kit to begin with, but Marc went all-in with a 1,000-part scratchbuilt powerplant and engine compartment, including plumbing and wiring — only the crankcase from an Aires resin R2800 engine is sourced from the aftermarket. The cockpit, accessory compartments, gun bays, and gear doors are scratchbuilt, and Marc used an Aires resin main-wheel well and MV Products lenses for landing and recognition lights. To finish it as the eighth and final Thunderbolt named Bloom’s Tomb, he airbrushed Alclad II aluminum, then weathered it with oil and enamel washes. The work earned him the George Lee Judge’s Grand Award. ◀ JOHN BRUBAKER MESA, ARIZONA

In 387 B.C., the Serrones under Brennus sacked Rome and occupied most of the city for several months.

John modeled the Gallic leader with a 75mm Pegaso figure, using a full arsenal of paints for the colorful clothes — artist’s oils and acrylics, Humbrol enamels, and Mig Productions pigments. He marked the lines in the tartan and pants with a pencil and India ink.

▲ MARC G. MILLIS DAYTON, OHIO

▼ MARC ROCCA PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY

It wasn’t enough for Marc to detail Mirage’s 1/400 scale Type VIIC/41 U-boat with Mirage photoetched-metal decks, railings, and gun shield; he also wanted a unique display. After replacing the periscope with steel rod, he placed it upside down in a mold with a seascape bottom and poured in layers of clear resin, tinted blue.

Marc built Dragon’s 1/35 scale King Tiger out of the box and airbrushed the camouflage freehand with Tamiya acrylics. Mig Productions pigments and artist’s-oil dot filters weathered the finish.

◀ ALEXANDRE BIGEY PAPEETE, FRENCH POLYNESIA

Alexandre may have come the farthest (5,830 miles) to compete at the show, and he had one of the more unusual aircraft on display: Legato’s 1/72 scale Beneš Mráz Be-50 Beta Minor, a Czech sport plane from the 1930s. Sanding and filling evened out the wings.

Alexandre scratchbuilt the interior except the seats. He painted with Tamiya spray-can racing white decanted for his airbrush, and used red enamel for the trim.

December 2015

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SHOW GALLERY

▲ KEN BROOKS MEMPHIS, MICHIGAN

▼ LAUREN TURCO THORNTON, PENNSYLVANIA

Recalling his racing days, Ken modified Tamiya’s 1/12 scale Honda CR250R to match his Motocross bike. He painted with Testors Model Master acrylics and Alclad II lacquers, then weathered with washes, pigments, and pastels.

Lauren, 15, built Revell’s 1/72 scale SnapTite Millennium Falcon and enhanced the finish with hand-painted Tamiya acrylics. Dry-brushing highlighted raised detail around the exhaust and mandibles before Lauren applied an acrylic wash to the panel lines.

34 FineScale Modeler December 2015

◀ TIM SWISHER PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Tim spent a year backdating Hobbycraft’s 1/32 scale Nieuport 17 to a 16, including several attempts to get the anti-balloon rockets right. Other improvements include a scratchbuilt nose and cockpit, reshaped wings, a new machine gun, and rigging. Tim even carved the prop from a block of laminated wood. ▶ RICHARD PRICE LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS

There’s a lot of extra detail crammed into Richard’s 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth.

He painted the Trumpeter kit with White Ensign Models Colourcoats and Testors Model Master enamels, masking the disruptive camo with Silly Putty. Light artist’soil weathering finished the battleship as it looked after its 1943 refit in Norfolk, Va.

◀ LARRY DAVIS CANTON, OHIO

Larry finished Kinetic’s 1/32 scale Sabre as Glow Worm, an F-86F with 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force during the Korean War. He improved the kit with an Aires resin cockpit, Eduard details, and a scratchbuilt gun bay.

After a base coat of Alclad primer, the fighter received a layer of Alclad white aluminum; he masked different panels and sprayed them with other Alclad shades.

Codes and letters were masked and painted, and the aircraft was weathered with pastels. It sits on a fiberglass base topped by metal PSP matting and plaster groundwork.

December 2015

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SHOW GALLERY

â–˛ JOHN LEYLAND EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS

John rebuilt the bridge of Combrig’s 1/700 scale USS Minneapolis to its 1938 configuration, then put it in a display showing how the cruiser recovered seaplanes while underway. He detailed the hangar and folded the wings on some of the Curtiss SOC Seagulls. The ship was painted with Testors Model Master enamels and given light weathering. John modeled the sea with Liquitex acrylic gel medium colored with Testors Model Master paints.

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◀ SANDY MCRORIE TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

Sandy added a complete interior — engine, driver’s position, fighting compartment, and turret basket — to AFV Club’s 1/35 scale Churchill Mk.III, then modified the top so it can be removed to display the extra details. He painted the heavy infantry tank with Tamiya acrylics as a tank with the 14th Canadian Armoured Regiment (Calgary). ▶ JEREMY BACKLAND WHITMORE LAKE, MICHIGAN

Special Hobby’s 1/48 scale Fairey Barracuda never looked like this out of the box! After deciding to fold the wings, Jeremy cut them apart and scratchbuilt the folding mechanism and structures, as well as the wing flaps, landing-gear legs, doors, and bays, and cockpit details. He rescribed the panel lines and added rivets one by one, then masked the Royal Navy camo with poster putty.

▲ DUNCAN SCOTT MONROEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

▲ DAVID C. MORRIS OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI

Black Sun’s 1/72 scale Gunstar One consists of large hollow-cast resin parts. Duncan modified the missile doors, detailed the cockpit, and resculpted the pilots to match the ship seen in the 1984 movie, “The Last Starfighter.” Over a base coat of dark gray primer, he pre-shaded the model with dark green and white. The finish — several shades of gray and white pearl — is a combination of Tamiya acrylics and spray paints.

Games Workshop washes enhanced weapon-bay and cockpit detail.

Largely designed after the Caterpillar Sixty, the Stalinetz S-60 agricultural tractor saw widespread military service during World War II. David built Plus Models’ 1/35 scale S-60 out of the box and painted it with GSI Creos acrylics.

December 2015

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SHOW GALLERY

▶ IAN DOW LIVONIA, MICHIGAN

At 1/350 scale, the Danish three-masted training ship Danmark is little more than 8" long. But that didn’t stop Ian from cramming detail into Aoshima’s model, including anchor chains, full rigging and ratlines, windows, doors, and photoetched-metal railings. Several sessions of masking and painting gave the deck a realistic, multicolored wood appearance.

Ian applied Vallejo Water Effects to a piece of MDF for the ocean base. ◀ MARK D. SMITH AKRON, OHIO

It’s hard to believe that anyone built a real plane as delicately birdlike as the Etrich Taube — let alone a 1/48 scale model of it — but Mark did an outstanding job on Copper State’s kit of Germany’s first massproduced military aircraft. He added spoked wheels, airframe trusses, and a ton of detail to the cockpit, engine, and undercarriage, as well as rigging the monoplane with accurate turnbuckles. Painting the doped fabric involved a lot of masking, pre-shading, postshading, and countless translucent layers of acrylics.

38 FineScale Modeler December 2015

▶ MICHEL LAPERRIERE

L’ASSOMPTION, QUÉBEC, CANADA

“I love the navy planes,” explains Michel of why he built Hasegawa’s 1/48 scale F-8E. He added Aires resin and scratchbuilt details to the cockpit, engine, refueling probe, and wheel bays.

The Crusader’s camouflage is Tamiya and GSI Creos acrylics applied with an Iwata HP-C airbrush. ◀ TIMOTHY KIRBY ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Timothy added a bunch of photoetched metal to the engines and cockpit of AMT/ Ertl’s 1/32 scale Podracer from “Star Wars — The Phantom Menace.” He painted Anakin Skywalker’s speedster with Testors Model Master Metalizer gunmetal and buffing aluminum, then mounted the whole thing on a chuck of rock from his back yard.

▶ JOHN BONNANI PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

John’s father, James, started this Tamiya 1/35 scale KV-2 almost 30 years ago. “Due to multiple sclerosis, he was unable to build in the last years of his life,” John says. “It’s finished to thank him for the great times we had with this hobby.”

SHOW GALLERY

▲ MICHAEL CRANE AKRON, OHIO

▼ SUNIL GUPTA GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND

It’s early winter 1944 in Europe as a Sherman makes its way through the woods in Michael’s 1/35 scale scene. The tank, Dragon’s M4A1(76mm)W, is built out of the box, painted with Tamiya acrylics, and weathered with Mig Productions and Winsor & Newton artist’s oils and Mig pigments. The wooden-plaque base is covered in corkboard and plaster with Scenic Factory mud and pine trees with hand-placed branches.

Airliner-fan Sunil built Welsh Models’ 1/144 scale vacuum-formed MD-11 and sprayed it with Krylon primer before adding the livery of Belgian carrier CityBird. He airbrushed the wings, engines, and undersides with Testors Model Master enamels, then painted the upper fuselage with Daco CityBird green. Micro-Mesh’s sanding pads and polish brought the paint to a high shine. Daco supplied the decals.

40 FineScale Modeler December 2015

◀ JINYI “LILY” LIU PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

With full rigging, figures of Orville and Wilbur, and real sand, 15-year-old Lily recreated the moment the Wright Flyer first left the ground at Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 1903. She built Revell’s 1/39 scale kit out of the box. “It was really fun making this model!” she says. ▶ BOB STEINBRUNN STILLWATER, MINNESOTA

Bob’s beautiful 1/18 scale Duesenberg SJ Le Baron Dual-Cowl Sweep-Panel Phaeton started life as a 1960s-vintage metalbody kit. After removing all of the screw sockets, Bob replaced 468 plastic spokes with .015" steel wire, scratchbuilt spot and driving lights, and installed new lenses and windows. The hood opens and the convertible top is removable to reveal the detailed interior and added framing.

He airbrushed DupliColor colors to match a car at the Auburn-CordDuesenberg Museum in Auburn, Ind.

YOUR STEP-BY-S TEP

GEORGE ROMANO ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA

To model Apollo 11’s approach to the moon in July 1969, George built Dragon’s 1/72 scale command service and lunar modules out of the box. The spaceships were painted with Tamiya acrylics; radiation shielding is black Bare-Metal Foil painted gold. FSM

MODELING GUID EBOOK

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FINISHIN G

BUILD MORE RE ALISTIC MODELS OUR TEAM SHOWS YOU HOW!

Pick up our Ultimate Guide to Finishing to see more models from the national contest and learn some of the secrets behind them. Order your copy at www.FineScale.com/FS7 or by calling Kalmbach customer service at 800-533-6644 (international 1-262-796-8776).

December 2015

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1/48 Scale

Build a Bf 110G-4 nightfighter Step by step into the Nachtjäger

BY KAMIL FELIKS SZTARBALA

CONSTRUCTION Now, that’s thin

Gap filled with super glue

1 Filling gaps around the upper aft portion of the engine nacelles was easy, Kamil says. He prefers super glue for this: “It dries faster and is harder than most putties,” he says.

42 FineScale Modeler December 2015

2

Removed detail

Not so easy for the gun bay: The size and position of one of the machine guns prevented the top cover from fitting. Kamil had to cut off interior details and thin the plastic of the cover until it was nearly transparent.

3 The cockpit comprises dozens of plastic and photoetched-metal pieces. Kamil painted the interior silver, airbrushed it with RLM 02 grau (gray), and highlighted raised details with a 1:1 mix of gray and white.

Eduard’s 1/48 scale Bf 110 is a good one — although, like almost any scale model, it has its weaknesses. Reading reviews of the kit, Kamil found some of the rumors of difficulties were true. Other complaints were just rumors.

None of the scuttlebutt was enough to keep him from building the German nightfighter.

4 He hand-brushed details with Vallejo acrylics, installed Eduard’s colored photoetched metal, over-coated with gloss clear, and applied a wash of Van Dyke brown artist’s oil with Mig’s thinner for washes.

5 Next came a clear satin coat and weathering.

Scratched and worn paint reveals metal. Powder from Tamiya weathering sticks, applied with a damp brush, produced muddy stains. Then he combined the interior assemblies.

6 After joining the fuselage and filling the seam, Kamil used a razor saw and Trumpeter’s scribing tool to restore panel lines lost to sanding. A prominent panel topside is depicted with a piece of masking foil.

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7 “It took a little extra sanding behind the pilot’s seat, but I got the long canopy to fit,” Kamil says.

8

Wire connectors

To avoid damaging the delicate FuG Lichtenstein antenna during painting, Kamil made it removable by drilling holes and inserting thin wire for connecting pins.

PAINTING

9 First, Kamil airbrushed the canopy with RLM 02 gray; this color would be visible through the windows as the interior color under subsequent layers of paint.

10 After a base coat of silver, Kamil airbrushed flat black to pre-shade panel lines and certain riveted panels. He further varied the base by coating selected panels and details with thinned Tamiya blue (X-4).

11

12

He airbrushed thin, smudged trails on the wings with black, white, and blue paints, spraying mostly from front to rear.

The main color of the plane’s camouflage, both on the lower and upper surfaces, is RLM 76 lichtblau (light blue). Thin, translucent coats let the preshading show through. Kamil mixed in some white and sprayed highlights.

44 FineScale Modeler December 2015

13

14

On upper surfaces, Kamil painted RLM 75 grauviolett (gray violet) in similar fashion, tracing edges, then filling the space in between with a thin, translucent coat. Again, he mixed in a little white and sprayed highlights.

Soft-edged splotches at the rear part of the fuselage and the tail fins are RLM 83 dunkelgrün (dark green).

15

16

In the paint scheme Kamil chose, the lower surface of one wing was painted black. He started with Tamiya’s NATO black. Pre-shading disappeared under this dark tone, so he airbrushed shades of black and dark gray to accentuate details, spraying in the direction of the airflow.

A clear gloss coat prepared the plane for decals.

17

18

After decals were applied, Kamil sprayed another clear gloss coat to level the decal edges and help washes run more freely.

A Van Dyke brown artist’s oil wash settled into panel lines and recessed detail, defining them. Kamil applies a generous wash, then removes it with cloth and cotton swabs. After sealing the wash under a clear satin coat, Kamil is ready to apply weathering and final touches.

December 2015

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WEATHERING

19

20

Scratching with the sharp end of a tweezers exposed the silver underneath to depict chipped paint.

A wire brush produced the effect Kamil wanted on the prop blades.

21

22

Kamil painted dirt, stains, and oily patches with Mig Productions’ dark wash; LifeColor Tensocrom Oil Surface Effect, applied with a fine, longbristled brush, drew the oil and fuel stains out.

After a base coat of Mr. Metal Color buffable dark iron, Kamil applied colors from LifeColor’s Dust and Rust set with a sponge, mixing the colors on the surface while they were still wet. LifeColor’s transparent blue Tensocrom kerosene represented heat distortion.

Meet Kamil Feliks Sztrabala

23 Powder from a Tamiya “mud” weathering stick dirtied the underside and the tires. Exhaust stains are black and rusty pigment, brushed on. The powdery applications are sealed with a clear flat coat. FSM

46 FineScale Modeler December 2015

KAMIL HAS been a professional scale modeler for several years.

He enjoys building aircraft and AFVs as well as sculpting figures for various manufacturers. He also designs resin conversions and figures for KFS Miniatures. “Although building and painting scale models is my passion, I don’t collect them,” he says. “I build them for fun, and I’m only glad when collectors from around the world value my work.”

Indeed, you’ll find his work in modeling publications around the world as well as on his website, www.sztarbala.com.

1/6 Scale

PERFECTING A VINYL DROID Tips and tricks for dealing with unique materials

BY JAMES GREEN

After correcting molding flaws in the vinyl parts, James painted and weathered R2-D2 to match the droid’s appearance on Tatooine.

F

or my first vinyl kit, I tackled Elfin’s 1/6 scale R2-D2. I’d read up on the techniques for dealing with the medium, but I also had to overcome some challenges unique to the kit. The level of detail is excellent, but hollow-cast, soft vinyl is better suited to organic shapes than a machine with a cylindrical body, hemispherical head, and legs that are supposed to be straight.

Drawing on experience from other modeling projects, and a bit of engineering creativity, made it possible for me to get this little droid together.

Trouble Shortly after meeting R2-D2 for the first time, Luke Skywalker observes that, “You know, that little droid is gonna cause me a lot of trouble.” I had a similar reaction as I cut the vinyl pours from the parts.

Many of the parts were misshapen, as though they had been tossed into the parts bag and boxed while they were still warm from the molds. A small but prominent dimple marred Artoo’s head, his lower legs

were warped, the upper legs wanted to bow, and the open-topped body was slightly out of round and pinched at the waist like an old fashioned Coke bottle.

Rather than let the problems overwhelm me, I tackled each separately.

Body and head Warming vinyl can help reshape the parts. I ran hot tap water over Artoo’s body, then crammed it full of old newspaper and shop rags to reinforce the shape as it cooled.

But I had a permanent fix in mind.

After removing the stuffing, I blocked the top of the cylinder with a .030" styrene bulkhead. Then I filled the cylinder with 2-part builder’s epoxy poured through one of the leg openings. I did this in a series of layers about ½" deep, allowing each to set before pouring the next, until I reached the holes for the legs, 1.

Hot water and pressure from inside failed to fix the dimple in Artoo’s head.

Instead, I attached the dome to the body and bored out the lens on the rear of the head. After sharpening one end of a dowel

to a point, I carefully threaded it through the hole. To gauge the length of dowel required, I inserted florist wire into the lens and across the head, then transferred the length to the dowel. Then, I subtracted the height of the lens housing from the surface of Artoo’s head and reduced the dowel’s length accordingly. This ensured that the blunt end would be snug against the inner surface of Artoo’s dome when the wedge end was seated against the flange. A dental pick maneuvered the blunt end of the dowel behind the dimple pushing it out, 2.

I plugged the housing with epoxy putty and restored the shape of the lens.

Legs and feet The lower legs were so far out of shape that they would not slip over the ends of the upper segments. Attempting to heat and reshape was out of the question, so I cut away the offending spots. I restored the flat areas with sheet styrene attached to the vinyl with super glue gel. Plugs made from 2-part epoxy putty replaced the curved sections at the ends of the legs, 3.

December 2015

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Fill body below leg openings with 2-part epoxy.

Invert cylinder and shake bulkhead down until it seats.

1

Flex a circle piece of .030" sheet styrene to fit through the opening at the top of the body.

Hold bulkhead in place with a finger through a leg hole while securing it with super glue.

James bolstered the droid’s body with styrene and 2-part epoxy resin.

Open the lens housing on the head adjacent to the blemish.

A dental pick inserted through the lens positions the dowel’s blunt end behind the dimple.

Dimple

Insert the dowel through the opening.

Attach R2-D2’s head to the body.

Wedge-shaped end seated against bulkhead and flange.

2 Dimples are cute on kids but not droids: James fixed a blemish on Artoo’s dome with a clever brace.

Now the lower legs fit; I joined them to the upper legs with 5-minute epoxy.

To straighten the legs, I softened the vinyl with hot tap water and taped them to hardwood rulers as they cooled. Several layers of builder’s epoxy poured into the legs added rigidity to the limbs.

corner section designed to fit inside the pipe.

After dry-fitting and alignment, I attached the PVC fittings with 5-minute epoxy. Epoxy putty shaped with files, emery boards, and sandpaper blended the additions into the parts, 4.

Socket reengineering

Display base

When it came time to join the body and legs, it was obvious the vinyl sockets could not support the heavy, epoxy-filled droid.

An unrelated trip to a hardware store provided a solution — replace kit sockets with PVC pipefittings.

I returned to the plumbing department with Artoo’s body and legs for reference and found PVC parts that would, with modification, meet the need.

I removed the vinyl sockets from the legs, then cut replacements from PVC pipe with a razor saw and a miter box. The female sockets in the body are cut from the regular pipe. The male extensions on the legs themselves were cut from a 90-degree

With Artoo able to stand, I needed a display base with room enough for his buddy, C-3PO, to be added later.

I varnished a scalloped wooden plaque, then trimmed matte board to fit the top.

After spraying the board with gray primer, I attached it to the wooden base with craft glue.

I assembled Artoo and positioned him on the base to mark the location of his feet.

I drilled holes in the base to accept brass tubes secured with epoxy. Those pins fit matching holes in the astromech’s feet.

Finally, I masked the foot locations and the base’s exposed wood and applied Fleckstone paint, 5.

48 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Painting I primed all of the components with white to identify flaws. Because of the grainy epoxy putty and pebbly surface of the vinyl, I used copious quantities of Mr. Surfacer 1000 and careful sanding between repeated layers of paint to smooth everything.

I used Krylon spray paints — white, blue, and silver — decanting them so I could apply them with my trusty Badger 200 single-action airbrush.

After the final white coat, I masked in preparation for a coat of blue, 6.

More masking followed in preparation for bright silver. To cover the numerous patches on Artoo’s head, I burnished drafting tape over each spot, then traced the recessed outline with a pencil, 7. I transferred the tape to a glass cutting board and trimmed the masks with a hobby knife.

Finally, I hand-painted details such as the silver pushrod and recessed details on the legs, and the large black eye and glowing red-orange lights on his head. I also touched up the body colors.

Shoulder joins made from PVC pipe

Sheet styrene

Epoxy putty

Epoxy putty plugs

3

Hollow legs filled with epoxy resin

4

Keeping everything straight, James replaced sections of Artoo’s legs with sheet styrene and epoxy putty. Taping them to a board removed warping from the box.

5

To get Artoo on an even keel, James plumbed the model with PVC pipe fitting for the shoulder sockets.

Anchor foot: James used brass rod to give the little droid traction on a base covered with Flexstone paint.

Microscale Micro Mask covers hard to reach areas and seals edges

Glass areas coated with PFM

Grilles, vents, and recessed detail

6

7

After sanding many coats of Krylon white for a smooth finish, James masked for the blue.

Unweathered leg

The deep engraving provides a good guide for a pencil as James masks the numerous blue areas on Artoo’s head.

Pencil graphite weathering on body Watercolors enhance recessed detail

Pastel dust

Mounting holes

8

9

Drawing on experience, James used several pencils of different hardness to define Artoo’s details. Brushes blended the effects and mistakes were easy to fix with erasers.

The guitar strings’ wire windings are the perfect finish for the cables. Note the holes in the attachment points on the feet.

With all the space travel, carbon scoring, and escape-pod crashes on desert planets, a little droid gets a bit dirty.

Weathering

cables on Artoo’s feet, 9. Holes drilled with a pin vise anchored them.

Before final assembly, I added another layer of weathering using dark brown watercolors and pastels, especially around the droid’s feet, lower legs, and underbody.

After a final coat of Dullcote, I brushed Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM) over the lenses on the head.

I applied dabs of 5-minute epoxy to the feet, aligned the holes with the brass tubes, and pressed them down securely to the base. When the epoxy set, I mounted Artoo’s body into the slot of the center foot and held it there. Then, I pushed each leg

into its socket one at a time and rotated it until the thick tab on the end of each leg met the slot of its foot. I tweaked the alignment and secured it with super glue run into the joins with craft wire. Capillary action drew it into the gaps. Dullcote applied with a fine paintbrush hid any shine left by the glue.

There you have it: The droid I was looking for. The experience of building and finishing the vinyl kit not only challenged and sharpened my creative skills, but was a refreshing change from my usual diet of military subjects. Now, what did I do with that 1/6 scale 3-CPO? FSM

I shot two layers of Testors Dullcote lacquer as a foundation for multiple layers of weathering.

Pencils drawn along engraved lines and corners defined recesses; I focused the application around his legs and lower body.

Brushes smudged and blended the graphite for a grimy appearance. I corrected mistakes with a kneadable eraser and eraser pens, 8. Another layer of Dullcote protected the pencil from any smudging during handling.

Through trial and error, I measured and bent sections of bass guitar string for the

December 2015

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49

READER TIPS

By Mark Savage Keeping it clean!

One thing I do to keep my spray booth clean and the dust down is line it with paper. The best source I’ve found is a certain large online retailer famous for sending oversized, overstuffed boxes that contain tiny products. It is amazing how they pack!

One of the more common packing materials is large wads of brown paper off a roll.

These can come in 10' lengths or more and are 2' wide. They also have handy perforations every 3'. I straighten the paper and store it on a wrapping paper roll.

I then line the sides and back of my booth with the paper, held in place by clothespins attached to the outside of the booth. When my booth gets too much overspray buildup, or otherwise is dirty, I neatly remove the old paper and all that paint dust, then line the booth with fresh paper. Not only is this putting the paper to good use before it finally heads to recycling, but my spray booth is far cleaner and more effective — and my models have no dust in their finish!

– Mark Wilson Alexandria, Va. Cleaning an airbrush

When it is time to give my airbrush a thorough cleaning, I soak the air caps and needles in lacquer thinner. I then drain the sediment from the paint that came out in the lacquer thinner into a double-thick coffee filter to be disposed of properly. The coffee filter thoroughly cleans the lacquer thinner for the next use, so I can keep on using it.

– Dennis Cermak Frazer, Mich.

Cutting-edge technology

Having heard horror stories of modelers grabbing the wrong end of a hobby knife, or having one roll off the bench into a leg or foot, I decided to make a little device to 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.

50 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Need a little camo netting? That produce bag your potatoes came in is a good start!

Easy camouflage netting ere’s an easy way to make combat camo netting by using a produce bag you get when buying potatoes or other veggies at the grocery store. Just lay the empty bag over a board that you don’t mind getting paint on and spray it with some olive drab paint.

Bingo! You have all the netting you need for your next armor model or diorama.

H

– Jack Jones Williamsburg, Ohio keep my sharp things handy. It is an empty cold-cream container that I place Styrofoam in the bottom. The container is heavy enough to keep it from sliding about or turning over, and my contraption keeps my knives easily at hand while keeping them — and me — safe.

– Robert Gregory Williamsburg, Va. Bottoms-up glue solution

Some PVA adhesives are so viscous (Aleene’s Tacky Glue) that if you store them right-side-up, you spend a lot of time shaking down the material to get it out of the nozzle (think ketchup). So, I wanted to store it upside down. But what do you use?

After having bad luck with a plastic cup, due to the top-heavy bottle, I turned to trusty Chobani yogurt cups. They’re terrific for holding parts, but after cutting the

Flip that yogurt cup upside down and it easily becomes a glue bottle holder.

proper-sized hole in the bottom and turning the cup over, the Aleene’s sits straight, upside down, doesn’t tip, and is ready for use instantly.

– Myles Marcovitch Louisville, Ky.

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

By Aaron Skinner Thinning PFM Q What is the best way to thin Pledge

FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM) for airbrushing?

– Richard Fourzan El Paso, Texas A I don’t thin PFM, which allows me to achieve a glass-smooth finish by airbrushing it straight from the bottle at 15-20 psi. Some folks prefer to thin the clear acrylic finish with isopropyl alcohol (70-80% PFM and 20-30% alcohol). The important thing is to clean the brush immediately to prevent a buildup of the clear acrylic that could permanently jam it.

Moving advice

In the October 2015 Questions & Answers, I asked you to share advice and your experiences moving models. Here are some responses: Recently, I’ve started thinning my extensive collection of completed models collected during the last 36 years and have developed a decent shipping method.

First, I put the model inside a plastic bag; that way any dislodged parts are not lost.

Then I surround the model with more plastic bags inside a sturdy box. I have found the plastic wrappers newspapers are delivered in work best because they are so soft and pliable. The model is then enclosed in nothing that creates a hard spot or pressure point.

Essentially the model flies to the purchaser encased in soft plastic and air.

Toilet-paper tubes are great for protecting pitot tubes on aircraft noses — simply slip them over the front of the plane. If I’m really concerned about delicate parts, I’ll remove them and pack them in a separate bag. They can be easily reattached upon arrival.

I recently shipped an Otaki 1/144 scale C-5 Galaxy and an Aurora C-141 Starlifter without any damage occurring.

– Lynn J. Graves Jefferson City, Mo. I moved from California to Texas two years ago. I have models of several dozen airliners, a bunch of rockets, some ships, a lot of helicopters, cars, and more in a variety of scales.

I was able to fit most of the airliners into 2-quart freezer ziplock bags. Most of the others required two bags that I overlapped before taping them together. I put my 1/48 52 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Following the instructions, I painted Tamiya’s Mark IV with a mix of earth and deck tan.

John Plzak painted Takom’s Mark IV with khaki, then streaked it with earth and tan.

What color is tank brown?

Q I’m in a bit of a jam: I recently started Tamiya’s 1/35 scale British Mark IV tank. My problem is that, whether because of a curse, voodoo magic, or my hit-or-miss modeling skills, I’ve only ever had success airbrushing Testors Model Master enamels.

Is there a Model Master or Federal Standard number that is close to the correct brown for this land ship? All the research I could find on the Internet simply said the color was “brown.”

That’s like telling someone an aircraft is gray. Before I mess up this model with a horrible color — some photos on the Internet look like Israeli armor sand, others look like faded olive drab, and a couple are either green or earth brown — can you steer me toward an acceptable enamel equivalent?

– James McCubbins, Bowling Green, Ky.

A You’ve stumbled into one of the great mysteries of armor modeling, and one that is

debated and never answered with absolute authority. According to Dick Taylor in Warpaint — Colours and Marking of British Army Vehicles 1903-2003, Vol.1 (Mushroom, ISBN 978-83-89450-63-0), veterans described the color applied after the fancy camouflage became superfluous in the mud of the Western Front as drab brown, mud brown, or even milk chocolate. Most interpretations show it to be a light, almost tan brown. I thought Tamiya’s suggested mix of equal parts flat earth and deck tan produced a decent result. There are equivalents in Model Master enamels that you could mix — dark tan (No. 1742) and flat gull gray (No. 1730). Or you could replace the gull gray with sand (No. 1706). I think you’re close if you paint it light brown.

scale B-1 into a trash bag.

Then I placed a layer of loosely crumpled, fresh newsprint in the bottom of a large box. (An added bonus, since the paper was not printed on, you can use it for masking models or covering your workbench for spray painting.) After nesting several models on the paper, I added another layer of crumpled paper, followed by more models and more paper and so on until the box was full.

Depending on the size of the models, I was able to fit as many as three layers in a box.

After sealing each box, I wrote “place on top only” on all of them and gave explicit in-

structions to the moving crew. Out of more than 50 models packaged this way, only a few suffered casualties, mostly losing fin antennas that had originally been attached with white glue. All of the broken parts were contained within the bags, so not a single part was lost.

I also had two large ships in display cases — 1/350 scale USS Enterprise and USS New Jersey. I strapped them down with shoelaces threaded across empty deck space and secured with screws to the bases.

– Dale G. Elhardt Flower Mound, Texas

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Tamiya’s big Mosquito worth the buzz

W

e’ve waited a long time for a replacement for Revell’s good, but old, 1/32 Mosquito. Those hopes have finally been fulfilled in a big way by Tamiya’s Mosquito FB Mk.VI — one of the most common versions of de Havilland’s iconic “Wooden Wonder.”

The kit’s loaded with features, including a detailed weapon bay with 500-pound bombs and 20mm cannons. Wafer-thin cowlings attached with small magnets cover the complete Merlin engines. (The U.S. release provides optional clear-plastic cowl panels.) Two photoetched-metal frets of different thicknesses and printed masks (you have to carefully cut them out) round out the package. From the box, you can build one of two Royal Air Force aircraft in sea gray camo with dark green patches or an overall silver Australian bird.

The well-laid-out instructions bear 54 FineScale Modeler December 2015

careful study because of the many options — crew seated or not, flaps up or down, multiple positions for the weapon-bay doors. It’s easy to miss parts that need to be installed for a later step.

To break up the monotony of the large, green cockpit, I painted the interior in layers from a darker green to lighter green using Tamiya paints. Clear painting callouts and numerous decals make detailing the cockpit easy.

The clear-plastic panel is detailed with a photoetched-metal face and reverse-printed decals for the instruments and looks realistic. Photoetched-metal seat belts complete the comprehensive cockpit.

All the photoetched metal is stainless steel, not brass. But don’t worry: The parts that require forming, such as the belts, are produced from much thinner metal than those that don’t.

Tamiya has you install the four .303-caliber machine guns in the nose early. But the

gun cover fits well, so I left them out until after painting to minimize losses during handling and simplify masking.

All of the many interior subassemblies click into place and hardly need glue. The fuselage parts join nearly seamlessly.

The stabilizers fit snugly, but I noticed a minor misalignment in the horizontal stabilizer on my Mossie. I can’t tell where the error crept in; despite the excellent fit, it may have developed during installation of the vertical stab. So, be careful.

I built only one of the engines to display, so I left many of the detail parts off the second, using only what was needed to connect the prop, panels and exhausts. Pay attention to the instructions — especially which engine you’re working on — as many critical components are handed. Numerous magnets and metal plates are installed during engine assembly for the removable panels.

Two machine screws secure each engine to its firewall.

I encountered difficulty installing one of the pipes (Part 54). Pay attention to the drawings for details about which parts of the piping snake over and which parts snake under the engine mount.

Once complete, the engines and their nacelles fit perfectly. Tamiya molded a substantial wing center section as a single part, eliminating alignment problems. It’s a complex unit incorporating cockpit detail topside, gear-bay details underneath, and engine-mount details in front. Once again, the fit is outstanding with machine screws attaching the outer wing panels.

The landing gear is an excellent example of the kit’s fine engineering. The prominent treads on the wheels are molded as separate pieces, looking like chunks of Marvel’s The Thing. They install around the two-piece core of each wheel, eliminating seams in the center of the tread. A flat spot is included and a sturdy metal axle mounts them to the legs.

A jig aids alignment of the landing-gear struts, which slip over posts on the engine mounts. I left the legs off for painting.

The wing-to-fuselage joint mimics the real aircraft, with the fuselage center section cut out to accommodate the one-piece wing; the fit is flawless. Another machine screw, hidden behind the upper hatch, adds strength to the joint.

I was hoping to leave out all the weapon-bay detail during painting, but the shape of the round fuselage precludes adding the sides of the bay without the 20mm cannons installed. The detailed guns include mounts, ammunition cans and chutes, and heater hoses. The barrels are a cinch to align thanks to two photoetchedmetal guides — more thoughtful engineering.

Numerous items need to be addressed before sending the airframe to the paint shop. The propellers may be removed if you install the included polycaps. You can also

remove the spinners from the props, but if you do so you’ll need to fill joints on each blade.

The canopy frame was one of the last items I installed before painting. I assembled it prior to painting using the airframe as a jig.

With enlarged copies of color instructions as a mask, I painted the big Mosquito Tamiya medium sea gray and RAF dark green. I hoped to use the cowl panels as masks to cover the assembled and painted Merlin, but the magnets weren’t strong enough to stand up to the airbrush. I made a tent from business cards instead.

The decals went on well, but I suggest trimming as much carrier film from the large red “No Step” crosses as you can. The film is thick and noticeable. There are a large number of tiny stencils to apply, but the instructions are clear about placement.

Weathering was applied using Flory dark dirt wash. Then I attached all the bits and pieces, such as the landing gear and bay doors; the fits were first class.

I left the individual exhaust stacks off for easier painting and needed a lot of patience to get them all on and aligned at the end.

Install the nose-gun ammunition chutes prior to adding the ammo box, just like the instructions say — I didn’t and had fun dealing with the tight quarters. One of the wheel’s metal axle was loose and inclined to fall out, so I tacked it in place with a drop of super glue.

I spent 96 hours on the Mosquito and, with the exception of the individual exhaust stacks, it was a pleasure to build from beginning to end. Don’t let the complexity of this Mosquito bug you — even though it’s big, it won’t bite.

– Chuck Davis

Kit: No. 60326 Scale: 1/32 Manufacturer: Tamiya, www.tamiya.com Price: $281 Comments: Injection-molded plastic, 963 parts (122 photoetched-metal, 4 polycaps, 13 metal screws, 2 metal rods, 5 metal nuts, 16 magnets), decals Pros: Engineered for ease of assembly; outstanding detail and fit Cons: Individual exhausts difficult to install and align

December 2015

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55

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Revell Germany C-54 Skymaster

A

lthough designed to be a commercial airliner, nearly all of Douglas’ DC-4 production airframes were C-54s ordered at the start of World War II. Of the 1,070 built, only 80 were manufactured postwar as DC-4s.

There have been previous kits of the Skymaster in 1/72 scale, but Revell Germany’s new kit leaves them in the dust.

Boasting 352 parts and a “Skill Level 5” on the box, the new C-54 is a masterpiece of detail. This initial release provides parts and markings for postwar U.S. Air Force transports. Optional parts include two noses, opened or closed cowl flaps, alternate sets of carburetor intakes, raised or dropped flaps, and hinged control surfaces.

It took me a little while to decipher Revell’s codes concerning the various options. For example, the instructions show how to build three types of main wheels.

But which one do you use? Looking again, one set has a “99/100” in the diagram. Well, steps 99 and 100 are the marking diagrams for this kit. So this was Revell’s code for 56 FineScale Modeler December 2015

using this type of wheel for the Skymaster in these colors. Not the clearest at first, but once I figured it out it was smooth sailing.

Despite the part count, the kit went together without major fit problems.

However, I was surprised to find minor flash on some of the small parts.

Building the detailed interior involves at least 70 parts, nearly all of which will be difficult to see on the finished model. I wanted to see how it all went together, so I installed them all. As complicated as this was, all interior parts went together without trouble.

A novel reversible cabin floor is included. The attachment points for the provided web-style troop seats are on one side of the floor, slots for airliner seats (not included) on the other. Also inside are left and right cabin interior wall liners with uncovered structural detail. When the airliner version of the kit comes out, you’ll get covered interior walls and paired passenger seats to fit on the flipped floor. Clever!

There are outlined “knockout” areas in the fuselage halves and interior wall liners

for the cargo doors, crew door behind the cockpit, and observation windows for a future rescue version. I cut the doors out to show what I could of the finished interior.

The instructions suggest adding 70 grams (2.5 ounces) of weight to the nose and forward fuselage to keep the model on all of its wheels, but I went with the tailstand option instead. The nine-part nose gear is tricky to assemble but realistically complicated.

Building the wing, you have to decide whether to show the flaps up or down. To lower them, a small section of the trailing edge on each side of the lower half of the wing needs to be cut away and replaced with a new inner face. Four hangers hold each flap in the dropped position, but they are fragile and best installed when the model is nearly finished.

Step 33 of the instructions shows the small cylindrical oil coolers ( J92) going into the bottom of the engine nacelles. Flip them around so that the little flat spot is forward, not toward the back. The flat spot allows the firewall (K97) to fit into place.

Dry-fit and adjust the forward walls of each wheel well (N100 and N101) before gluing.

Each of the four engines comprises seven parts but, when finished, only three will be visible: the front face, prop axle, and exhaust stack. Each engine assembly fits very tightly into its cowl. You can choose opened or closed cowl flaps, too.

Most kits give you one set of landing gear wheels, but Revell gives you three different styles for the C-54, along with two types of main-wheel brakes and alternate main-wheel-axle spindle caps! Each main gear strut has 11 parts. All of the gear doors are molded closed; you have to carefully cut them apart along recessed lines to install them in the opened position. A couple of the small gear-door retractors (K186) were damaged in my sample.

I finished my model with Alclad II polished aluminum over Tamiya spray-can gloss black. The decals reacted well to Solvaset but seem to have a tenuous hold on the finish. I noticed that applying the starboard fuselage national insignia accord-

ing to the instructions places it over a couple of windows. It appears that the aft windows on the starboard side were added to the postwar airliner conversions and need to be filled for the military transport; too late to fix that on my model though.

Final assembly involves several antenna masts, pitot tubes, and adding monofilament wires. In Step 94, the portside pitot tube is shown as N189 — it should be N191.

Clear parts O86 in steps 89 and 96 are anti-collision beacons. They would be appropriate for the colorful late-1950s marking option (mistakenly dated as 1949 in Step 99), but should be left off for the Berlin Airlift Skymaster I chose.

I spent about 30 hours on my Skymaster. I will build another, but I’ll not bother with all the interior detail. I’m hoping either Revell or an aftermarket decal maker will produce markings for Sacred Cow, the presidential transport used once

by Franklin D. Roosevelt and for a couple of years by Harry S. Truman.

I recommend this kit for moderately

experienced builders, and commend Revell for providing everything an advanced modeler could wish for.

– Paul Boyer

Kit: No. 04877 Scale: 1/72 Manufacturer: Revell Germany, www.revell.de Price: $49.95 Comments: Injection-molded, 352 parts, decals Pros: Loads of details; complete interior; a lot of options; moveable control surfaces; separate flaps; good decals Cons: A few errors in the instructions; confusing diagrams

December 2015

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WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Tamiya Panther Ausf D

T

o my way of thinking, the Panther was a sexy beast!

Arguably the best tank of World War II based on firepower, armor, and mobility, it was hindered by poor mechanical reliability and complexity which limited production.

Tamiya’s Panther Ausf D is its first allnew 1/35 scale Panzer V since the release of the Panther G more than 20 years ago.

Seeing this kit brought back fond memories of Tamiya’s first 1/35 scale Panther A, which I built as a teenager in 1969!

Perfectly molded in dark yellow plastic, the kit features two figures, one-piece vinyl tracks, and separate hatches. Tamiya has also released three “Detail-Up” sets for the kit, including photoetched-metal engine

58 FineScale Modeler December 2015

grilles, a metal gun barrel, and separate track links. I used all three sets in building this model of review.

Construction starts with the lower hull.

The suspension arms have solid pins for positive alignment, but can be easily modified for articulation.

The kit includes the initial-production road wheels, with fewer interior bolts than later versions. Vinyl polycaps inserted in the wheels allow for easy attachment to the suspension arms. Plus they are free to turn, a helpful feature during track installation.

The idler arm is designed to be moveable, allowing adjustment of the track tension, just like the real thing. Smart!

The kit provides radiator and fan inserts to fill the space behind the open engine

vents. I attached the photoetched-metal grilles from the Detail-Up set, taking care to ensure they were lined up just right at the corners. This set really enhances the appearance of the engine deck, because operational Panthers always had the engine screens.

The driver’s armored visor and hull machine-gun port can be positioned open — a nice touch of realism.

The turret builds quickly and easily.

There is no interior detail in the basic kit, but the Detail Up metal gun barrel set I used includes plastic parts for the gun breech, coaxial machine gun, gunner’s sight, and elevation gear. The last helps the heavy metal barrel from pulling the gun down.

The one-piece vinyl tracks in the basic

Kit: No. 35345 Scale: 1/35 Manufacturer: Tamiya, www.tamiya.com Price: $60 Comments: Injection-molded, 259 parts (30 vinyl, 1 metal, string), decals Pros: Precise and thoughtful engineering; separate hatches; terrific molding Cons: Some details not accurate for marking options

kit are well molded with sharp-looking fronts and backs. I replaced them with Tamiya’s Separate Track-Link set for the model. Molded in ABS plastic with excellent detail, each link consists of a main body and an inner part for the guide horns that are glued together. The completed links click together to form workable, neatly articulated track runs.

I painted the Panther using Tamiya acrylics suggested in the instructions.

Kit: No. 12664 Price: $15.50 Comments: Turned-metal barrel and injection-molded plastic gun breech, 21 parts Pros: Barrel keyed to mantlet, and the breech parts fit well Cons: None

Kit: No. 12665 Price: $26 Comments: ABS plastic, 362 parts Pros: Sturdy plastic links click together after assembly, articulate realistically Cons: None

Decals provide markings for three tanks at the 1943 Battle of Kursk, the Panther’s baptism of fire. They laid down well over a semigloss base with a little decal solution.

My primary reference was Panzer Tracts No.5-1 — Panzerkampfwagen “Panther” Ausfuehrung D (ISBN 978-0-9744862-08).

The kit shapes up well against plans and photos, but the detail-conscious builder will note some of the kit features, such as the

Kit: No. 12666 Price: $6.75 Comments: Photoetchedmetal, 7 parts Pros: Parts fit perfectly Cons: None

armored fan covers, may not be appropriate for all of the marking options in the kit.

I completed my Panther D in 38 fun hours and the finished model met my expectations. The base kit will fit modelers of all skill levels, while the Detail-Up sets provide options for more-experienced builders. I definitely recommend Tamiya’s model to Panther enthusiasts and German armor modelers.

– Jim Zeske December 2015

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59

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

ICM Horch 108 Typ 40

U

krainian manufacturer ICM expands its catalog of 1/35 scale softskin military vehicles with a Horch 108 It represents a later version than the old Italeri kit; the most noticeable difference is the location of the spare tire inside the crew compartment.

The kit includes a detailed frame and engine, clear lenses for the headlights and spotlights, and rubber tires. The instruction book features clear assembly diagrams and color profiles for painting and decaling.

Decals are provided for four subjects, three in dark gray and one in panzer yellow.

Kit: No. 35503 Scale: 1/35 Manufacturer: ICM, www.icm.com.ua Price: $44.95 Comments: Injectionmolded, 209 parts (5 vinyl), decals Pros: Clear light lenses; detailed frame and engine; posable doors Cons: Hood cannot be posed open to show engine; brittle plastic complicates part removal and cleanup; tricky tire alignment

60 FineScale Modeler December 2015

All color references are for Testors Model Master paints.

Assembly starts with the engine. Watch the position of the exhaust manifold (A62) in Step 2; the tail goes to the rear (I put mine on backwards).

I didn’t spend a lot of time on the engine because there’s no option to display the hood open.

Although the frame is molded as a single part, the suspension and drivetrain are complex with many nearly identical parts.

Take your time and double-check the instructions during each step to ensure correct placement. It’s easy to turn the frame around or upside down. (Ask me how I know.)

The two-piece curved springs are fiddly to assemble but fit well and look great. I managed to get the delicate brake lines off the sprue without incident, but the exhaust pipe broke into four pieces during cleanup.

I left the wheels off the frame for painting, but noticed the frame seemed a little off-kilter. More on that later.

The fit of the multiple body panels is so good that no filler was required. The separate doors can be posed open. The trunk doors are also separate, but you’ll need to scratchbuild an interior to pose them open.

ICM doesn’t provide a spare-tire rim; instead, you use one of the regular wheels with nuts molded on. I improved its appearance by drilling out the bolt and the center hole, leaving a little rim to match a photo I found on the Internet.

There is no lip on the wheels to aid tire alignment, so take care installing them. I

carefully lined up the outside edge of each wheel flush with the tire and flowed thin super glue into the join from the back.

The only fit issue I ran into was the hood (B9). I thinned the rear of the part and filed the lip of the firewall cowl to improve, but not perfect, the fit.

I left the seats, guns, and spare tire out of the interior until painting was finished. I painted the frame and body separately, spraying them with Tamiya German gray, then joined the subassemblies.

To correct the chassis alignment, I glued the two lowest corners — front right and rear left — and left them to dry. Then, I inserted thin sheet-styrene shims between the frame and floor pan until all four wheels touched the ground.

Post-shading and weathering finished the body. The wood parts were base-coated with Tamiya desert tan. Then Van Dyke brown and raw umber artist’s oils were applied for the grain.

The windshield is hinged to be movable, but mine would not stay upright without being glued.

I completed my Horch in about 23 hours. The model closely matched the dimensions in David Doyle’s Standard Catalog of German Military Vehicles (Krause, ISBN 978-0-87349-783-1), coming up about an ⅛" short.

The small, delicate parts and complex suspension rule out beginners, but moderately experienced modelers should have no trouble producing a stunning replica of this important vehicle.

– John Plzak

Special Hobby Grumman Guardian

F

or some modelers, it’s Paper Panzers, for others Luft ’46, but what trips my trigger is what I refer to as U.S. Navy ’46.

Experimental designs, one-off prototypes, second-line World War II aircraft, and lesser-known postwar prop planes of the Navy are just too cool and have a strange, utilitarian ugliness. So, I was excited when I heard Special Hobby was releasing a 1/48 scale Grumman Guardian.

The Guardian started life as the XTB3F, designed as a torpedo bomber to replace the Avenger. With the war’s end, the Navy decided it no longer wanted dedicated torpedo and dive-bombers, so Grumman quickly redesigned the Guardian for antisubmarine warfare. Although it was the largest single-engine piston-powered aircraft to serve on U.S. carriers, it wasn’t large enough to carry both search radar and a weapon bay. Instead, Grumman developed two different aircraft from the same design: the AF-2W hunter and the AF-2S killer.

Special Hobby’s kit of the AF-2S Guardian is close to being a multimedia kit, with more than 200 plastic, resin, and photoetched-metal parts. The components for the -2W and -3S versions are included on the sprues. (One of the drop tanks for the -2W was short-shot in my example.)

Before starting construction, I thoroughly cleaned the parts. I also photocopied pages 2 and 3 of the instructions for easy access to the parts map, because are no part numbers on the sprues.

Starting with the well-appointed cockpit and sparse aft compartments means using photoetched metal. Although I’m a novice with the medium, I found the kit’s parts easy to work with. I folded the chart cases using two thin metal rulers. Paint the inner surfaces before folding them, because you can’t afterwards.

The resin radar scope for the instrument panel was oversized, so I made a replacement with wire, aluminum tube, and putty.

The kit’s cockpit exactly matches photos and drawings in Naval Fighters No. 20 — Grumman AF Guardian (Ginter, ISBN 978-0-942612-20-2).

I considered leaving the sparsely detailed aft compartments out, but the bulkheads bolster and help align the fuselage.

I think the instructions for the resin engine incorrectly flipped the individual cylinders between the front and rear banks.

I reversed mine to match references.

To attach the engine, I glued styrene blocks to the firewall, then pinned the engine in place with stainless-steel wire.

Pay attention to the engine’s alignment as it’s easy to get it off a few degrees. I sanded the firewall enough that I could rotate the engine into proper position.

The instructions don’t show the instrument panel being fitted, but it needs to be attached inside the fuselage before the halves are joined.

Despite test-fitting, I ended up with steps between the canopy and fuselage. I built up the fuselage behind the cockpit with several applications of Mr. Surfacer 500 to match the clear part. Sanding fixed a misfit between the cowl and body but damaged engraved Dzus fasteners on the nose; I engraved new ones with a small drill bit.

The auxiliary vertical stabilizers require special attention for correct alignment.

There was a gap between parts E6 and E7 and parts E13 and E12 in the landinggear bays where the wing fold would be.

Styrene bulkheads would close the gaps.

Aligning the panel lines produced a step at the starboard wing root — the top of the wing fit the fuselage perfectly, but there was a ⅛" gap underneath. I super glued the wing in place and filled the gaps with Bondo.

The main legs are flimsy for the size of this kit; cast-metal replacements would be an easy fix. The landing gear legs slot into place with a twisting motion but act like a hinge until locked in place with parts E3 and E15.

I painted the antiglare nose section with Testors Model Master interior black and mixed Tamiya gloss black, royal blue, and blue for a gloss sea blue camouflage.

The decals went down fine over a coat of Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish with a little help from setting solution.

Special Hobby’s Guardian needs just a little more attention than a mainstream plastic kit. It’s not for beginners, but patient, experienced builders can produce a greatlooking replica. It scales out almost perfectly and looks every bit as pretty as the real thing.

Now, Special Hobby: How about a 1/48 scale Douglas Destroyer or AM Mauler?

– Andy Keyes

Kit: No. 48135 Scale: 1/48 Manufacturer: Special Hobby, www.specialhobby.eu Price: $60 Comments: Injection-molded, 209 parts (36 resin, 36 photoetched-metal), decals Pros: Detailed cockpit and engine; accurate shapes; all possible external weapon loads are included Cons: Landing gear flimsy and hard to align; a detailed weapon bay would be great

December 2015

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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.

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

714-637-1211

Huge selection of model kits & accessories.

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

Visit: www.freetimehobbies.com for complete listing.

Monday to Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-2

FREE TIME HOBBIES

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

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

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

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

ANN’S HOBBY CENTER

405 E. Putnam Avenue

203-869-0969

HOBBYTOWN USA

DEAN’S HOBBY STOP

116 N. Washington Street

989-720-2137

MICHIGAN • Royal Oak (Metro Detroit)

New & Old Toy Soldiers, Historical Miniatures, Models and Figure Kits from Around the World. Our famous selection of hobby supplies includes scenics, paints, reference and more. www.michtoy.com

MICHIGAN TOY SOLDIER & FIGURE CO.

1400 E. 11 Mile Rd.

248-586-1022

NEW HAMPSHIRE • Dover Best plastic, resin & balsa kits from around the world. Scratch building & diorama supplies, reference books, large paint selection including Humbrol, Citadel & Testors

ELITE HOBBIES

#334 90 Washington St.

TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES

231-947-1353

FineScale Modeler’s Email Blast 64 FineScale Modeler December 2015

COOLTRAINS TOYS & HOBBIES

106 W. Main Street

HOBBYTOWN USA

11145 Turkey Dr.

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.

M-A-L HOBBY SHOP

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

856-435-7645

NEW YORK • Buffalo

SECTION 8 HOBBIES

716-824-1049

NEW YORK • Middle Island

MEN AT ARMS HOBBIES, INC.

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

HOBBYLAND

206 Graceland Blvd.

614-888-7500

OKLAHOMA • Owasso

Oklahoma’s largest plastic kit, paint and aftermarket inventory. Planes, cars, trucks, armor, ships, trains and sci-fi. Special orders welcome! Mon - Fri 10-7, Sat 11-6, Sun 1-5 Web site: www.topshelfmodelsllc.com

TOP SHELF MODELS

918-274-0433

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.

TAMMIES HOBBIES

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

Plastic Model Specialists. Large selection of rare & out-of-production models.

Large selection of detail parts. Largest selection of plastic models in South Seattle! www.skywaymodel.com

SKYWAY MODEL SHOP

12615 Renton Ave. South

206-772-1211

CANADA–AB • Calgary

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

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

CANADA–ON • Toronto 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

503-644-4535

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!

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

703-803-3103

SINGAPORE • Singapore

Complete full line hobby shop.

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

12024 SW Canyon Rd.

210-735-7721

VIRGINIA • Chantilly

CANADA–ON • Ottawa (Vanier)

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

119 S. Main St.

DIBBLE'S HOBBIES

1029 Donaldson Ave.

WASHINGTON • Seattle

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

Books and magazines.

1435 Lexington Ave.

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.

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!

134 Middle Country Rd.

972-438-9233

TEXAS • San Antonio

KENVIL HOBBIES

2243 Seneca St.

713-529-7752

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

Full service hobbies, a full line of HO, N, 3-Rail, military, cars, boats, planes, dollhouses, scratchbuilding supplies, plus details-details-details!

706 N. White Horse Pike

865-675-1975

TEXAS • Irving (Dallas Area)

NEW JERSEY • Kenvil

590 Rt. 46

717-898-7119

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.

108 S. Lee Street

600 PIXELS

MARKETING MESSAGE

603-749-0800

Say you saw their directory ad in FineScale Modeler.

SEND YOUR VERY OWN

CUSTOMIZED

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

TEXAS • Houston

OREGON • Beaverton

Let your imagination run wild!

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

210 East Front St.

702-889-9554

OHIO • Columbus

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.

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.

4590 W Sahara Ave Ste 103

PENNSYLVANIA • Landisville (Lancaster)

TENNESSEE • Knoxville

239-332-0422

GEORGIA • Blue Ridge

47 Dunbarton Farm Rd.

734-316-2281

NEVADA • Las Vegas

METRO TRAINS & HOBBIES

12951 Metro Parkway

MICHIGAN • Owosso

TALBOT’S HOBBIES

MODELCAVE

103 W. Michigan Avenue

Come visit our new store!

Plastic modeling kits.

Paint, tools, scenery, & accessories.

Scale model railroads & rockets.

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

CALIFORNIA • San Mateo

445 South “B” Street

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

FLORIDA • Ft. Myers

MASSACHUSETTS • Marlboro

Wide variety of plastic kits.

Old Nascar Kits - please call.

Mon - Sat 10-6. Closed Sunday.

14269 Imperial Hwy.

CONNECTICUT • Milford

MICHIGAN • Ypsilanti-Metro Detroit

65-6440-1890

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FineScale.com/Videos Video issue previews FSM Editor Mark Savage highlights what’s in the current issue.

FineScale.com/HowTo Massive story archive Search our collection of stories to find answers to your modeling questions.

International Plastic Modelers Society/ USA show into this issue. But you can see more, like Longmont, Colo.’s, Dennis Davison’s Sopwith Pup, in our Online Extra gallery. At the Home page scroll down to find Online Extras below the Welcome box.

Expanded IPMS/USA Nationals Gallery We crammed 10 pages worth of awesome model photos from the

New Product Rundown Editors Tim Kidwell and Aaron Skinner pick the hottest scale model kits, open the boxes, and tell you why they rock.

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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.

HobbyMex __________________63 Hornby America ______________10

ROLL MODELS www.rollmodels.com

MegaHobby.com______________51

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

Metro Trains & Hobbies _______63

763-545-0399

Micro-Mark _________________10

Alpha Precision Abrasives, Inc.____6 Model Rectifier Corp.__________68 ARA Press____________________7 Aves Studio __________________51 Bluejacket Shipcrafters __________9 Colpar’s Hobbytown USA ______63 Dean’s Hobby Stop ____________63

TOTALNAVY.COM

OldModelKits.com ____________63

www.TotalNavy.com

ParaGrafix ____________________9

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

Plane Crazy Enterprises _________6 Roll Models__________________65 Round 2, LLC_________________6

Dragon Models USA _______51, 67

Sprue Brothers ________________9

Evergreen Scale Models _________6

Squadron Mail Order __________11

Fantastic Plastic Models ________63

Tamiya America, Inc. ___________4

FineScale Modeler Books _______53

TotalNavy.com _______________65

FineScale Modeler on DVD_____62

Wargaming America ____________2

HobbyLink Japan ______________9

Zvezda USA __________________8

To advertise in the Website Directory, call Jim Hagerty at 888-558-1544, Ext. 549

Website Directory

Ad Index

FINAL DETAILS

By Mark Hembree

Mesko a can-do punster A

retired schoolteacher from Akron, Ohio, Jim Mesko is probably best known to modelers as an author of Squadron/Signal’s modeler-targeted “In Action” books. He’s an accomplished modeler himself, and serious when it comes to accuracy.

But if you find his work at a show, you’ll likely see his lighter side. His humorous pieces have brought him four gold medals from various contests.

What drove him to this? “A warped sense of humor, obviously,” he says. “If it makes them laugh, it makes me happy.”

And FineScale Modeler can take at least a little credit. Jim was inspired by a photo in the February 1992 issue’s coverage of the 1991 IPMS/USA national convention.

Longtime readers may recall how Bill Paul of Warner Robins, Ga., sandwiched vinyl lettuce and lunch meats in a DML 1/350 scale submarine to build his “Hero of the Soviet Union.”

The play on words is essential to Jim, and the pun can’t leave room for confusion.

“It has to be clear enough for people to catch it or you won’t get the laugh,” he says.

The inspiration for Jim’s latest opus, “The Creature From the Black Legume,” came from a Dan Piraro Bizarro comic strip and uses the Moebius 1/12 scale movie monster. Jim gave the finned fellow a good going over, smoothing seams and replacing sanded-off scales with fabric.

After painting the base coats, he applied a wash of burnt umber artist’s oils and followed with a pinwash to further define details. Dry-brushing lit up the lizard’s high spots.

After opening a can of black beans and washing it out, he determined the proper height for his creature and cut its legs to fit.

Thick foil, cut to the inside diameter of the can, made a lid that could be opened for the creature’s breakout pose.

Jim’s parting advice? “If you like black beans, be careful the next time you buy some at the store. Be very careful!” FSM

Show us your stash!

Unbuilt kits? Send a picture of your kit

cache to www.Contribute.Kalmbach.com

66 FineScale Modeler December 2015

Two NOTEWORTHY tanks come to life... through Academy’s Passion for Precision.

Evident in each kit is Academy’s obsession with detail, and a devotion to historical accuracy.

This M60 variant was nicknamed the “Starship” because of its many technological features. The new turret housed the 152mm gun/ LAUNCHER CAPABLE OF ÚRING BOTH conventional rounds, and the MGM-51 Shillelagh antitank missile.

Academy … a Passion for Precision

Features include: • Newly Tooled Parts- low PROÚLE TURRET COMMANDERmS cupola, engine grille and road wheels • Assemble with hatches open or closed • Photo-etched parts • Semi-connected tracks

(13296) 1/35 M60A2 U.S. Army Patton Tank

Following the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the German army appropriated 244 Czech made tanks for service with Panzer Divisions. Of those, about 20 were converted to command tanks which carried extra radio equipment. The Panzerbefehlswagen 35(t) Command Tank was equipped with a square frame, long range antenna set above the rear engine deck.

Features include: • Newly Tooled Part- Square frame, long range antenna • 4WO TANK CREW ÚGURES • Assemble with hatches open or closed • Choice of two sets of markings: German Light Tank Division, Poland, Sept 1939 and German 6th Panzer Division, France, May 1940

(13313) 1/35 Pz.Bef.Wg 35(t) German Command Tank See these kits at your hobby shop or visit us at www.modelrectifier.com