fm.03.2018

FineScale.com

ADDON PARTS DRESS UP A HURRICANE

p. 26

March 2018

MAKE AN ABRAMS POP USE FILTERS, OILS, SALT, AND PHOTOETCH p. 20 Karel Sutt builds a distinctive M1A2 – p. 20

HOW TO

Create sails for plastic ships p. 30 Detail a tired garage-sale triplane p. 45 Fill gaps with super glue p. 52 Apply disc camo to a Jagdpanzer p. 40 BONUS ONLINE CONTENT CODE PAGE 3 Vol. 36 • Issue 3

+ 7 KIT REVIEWS p. 56

PAINTING FOR MAXIMUM DETAIL! p.16

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CONTENTS

ONLINE CONTENT CODE: FSM1803

March 2018 /// Vol. 36 /// No. 3

Enter this code at www.FineScale.com/code to gain access to web-exclusive content

63

FEATURES

KIT REVIEWS

16 Form & Figure

56 Takom M3 Lee

Hand-painting charges a war elephant OLGA KROPOTOVA

58 Meng F-35A Lightning II

18 Airbrushing & Finishing Field-camouflage a Zero like a pro AARON SKINNER

18

20 Advance an Abrams

59 AFV Club HAWK MIM-23 60 IBG Models PZL.23A Karaś

Details and weathering for an M1A2 KAREL SUTT

61 Trumpeter F-106A Delta Dart

26 This Hurricane’s a breeze Easy alternatives from the aftermarket ANDERS ISAKKSON

62 Sword FJ-3 Fury 63 AFV Club F-CK-1 Ching-kuo

30 Sails for plastic ships Shiny styrene is for landlubbers JOHN HAZARD

IN EVERY ISSUE

34 Show gallery Military Miniature Society of Illinois

5 Editor’s Page

40 Disc camo for a Jagdpanzer Stencils and weathering are key KENNETH CHILDRES

45 Build an aged Dr.I

7 Scale Talk

39

A bargain find of a fancy fighter ERNEST URTIAGA

10 New Products 50 Reader Gallery

52 Builder Basics 54 Questions & Answers

Filling gaps with super glue AARON SKINNER

55 Reader Tips

66 Final Details Memories of a Marauder RON DENNING

40

64 Modelers Mart/Classifieds

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, PO Box 62320, Tampa, FL 33662-2320. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement #40010760.

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EDITOR’S PAGE

By Mark Savage

Modelers need to stick (sorry) together!

Recently I received a nice email from Richard Bong, the highest-scoring Skip Paetz, co-founder of the Red fighter pilot in World War II and a Mill Model Club (redmillmodelclub.

Medal of Honor recipient. The club com) in Virginia. This group meets at draws from Southeast Wisconsin and the awesome Military even the Chicago suburbs.

Aviation Museum just south Not all clubs are so of Virginia Beach. Like lucky. Most need new Clubs fuel many clubs today, the group members and modelers our hobby had been meeting in a who will help run meetand help hobby store, until it closed ings, organize events, even bring new — no surprise there. do a little recruiting. people Skip says the club conClubs fuel our hobby and into it. sists of about 20 members help bring new people into — again not a big surit. That keeps it healthy and prise, as there are many small clubs encourages kit makers to continue across North America. Naturally, producing new items for us modelers.

Skip desperately wants more memSo I’m urging you to join and parbers, especially active ones. As he ticipate in a local club. I’m betting notes, the members pay no dues, just you’ll learn something — and also get together to share ideas and techmake some lifelong friends! niques with old and new modelers. *** Now a word from our sponsor: If you’ve Skip is not alone in his wish. still got a few dollars crumpled up in Locally, we’re members of the your pockets or wallet after the holithriving Bong Club, which receives days, consider buying our new DVD, ribbing about its name. But that FineScale Modeler: 10-year Collection. comes from Wisconsin native

A Skyraider at the Military Aviation Museum!

It just became available and covers every issue from 2008 through 2017.

That’s recent!

Take a look at it, and our new tool selection, at Kalmbach’s Hobby Store.

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editor@finescale.com

Off the sprue: Your favorite winter Olympic sport?

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

Love the downhill skiing, men or women. It’s about the speed, the bravery, the athleticism, and the beauty of the mountains. Plus I like to see some of the smaller European countries get a shot at a medal!

I haven’t watched many Winter Games since Katarina Witt hung up her skates, but downhill skiing is a blast.

You can get hockey elsewhere, so I’ll say downhill skiing (amazing) and the skeleton — like luge except you lead with your face!

All about that fancy, dizzying figure skating and fear-of-heightsinducing ski jump. Gosh, some of the things people can do … and at those speeds, too!

I like two: the luge and bobsledding. Timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks — and steering with your calf? What? That’s crazy fast stuff on ice!

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SPECIAL EMAIL & WEB ADDRESSES Ad Sales adsales@FineScale.com Letters to the Editor editor@FineScale.com New Products mfreitag@FineScale.com Reader Gallery Contribute.Kalmbach.com Reader Questions questions@FineScale.com Reader Tips tips@FineScale.com ©2017, Kalmbach Publishing Co., all rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Printed in the U.S.A. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for new subscriptions and address changes. Subscription rate: single copy $6.99; U.S. 1 year (10 issues), $39.95; 2 years (20 issues), $74.95; 3 years (30 issues), $94.95.

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6 FineScale Modeler March 2018

SCALE TALK

Your voice in FSM

1

2

3

4

R2-Can-2 After seeing Final Details’ “can-do modeling” story ( July 2017 FSM), I knew I had to send in my 1/1 scale R2-D2 made from soda cans.

He is 100% aluminum, consisting of more than 1,400 cans and some aluminum roof sheeting.

We spent four months building the Star Wars droid and it was definitely a family project. My children, Evelyn, Michael, and Neil (affectionately known as the “soda-can model elves” for their hard work behind the scenes) all played a part in the process, as well as my wife, Cindy, who put up with hundreds of cans cluttering up the kitchen each and every day.

A long-awaited build Your November Scale Talk call for feedback on kits readers would not have tried as youngsters got my attention.

In my family bookcase, there is a U.S. Navy cruise book. For years, it drew my attention with stories of men on long overwater missions. Inspired by this, I wanted to build a true PBY “Black Cat,” a flying boat painted for night patrols.

A buddy sold me Monogram’s 1/48 scale PBY-5A kit for $10. Over the course

First, we had a paper model pattern created for the project, which we took to a local printer who enlarged it to 1/1 scale.

We then began building the body with layer upon layer of cans, 1. (If you look closely on the inside, you can see Shasta root beer cans.)

The legs were reinforced with some aluminum sheeting, since they would be supporting Artoo’s weight, 2. We started with Coke cans and paneled over them with Pepsi products, since those can colors matched what we wanted.

Next, we began work on Artoo’s head with an all-can construction carefully overlaid with aluminum foil tape to cre-

ate that shiny luster he is known for, 3.

Then we used colored duct tapes to create various panels and details.

Once assembled, he was entered into the IPMS Dragon Lady Event in 2013 and won Best of Show, 4.

This was our fifth IPMS award for can modeling! Before this, we set the unofficial record for the largest soda-can model ever built with an 8-foot-long MD-80 airliner that went on display in Yuba City, Calif., several years ago. Our 6-foot SR-71 Blackbird is hanging in the ready room for the reconnaissance squadron at Beale Air Force Base.

– Roy Greenwood North Fork, Calif.

of two years, I struggled to complete a decent model of Rankin’s Raider, the plane flown by the commander of VP-81. To weigh down the nose, I packed in 39 pennies (Sculpey II clay was actually melting the styrene). I drilled out the wheels and added wire braces to support the weight. I sprayed it with Testors gloss black from a can, then airbrushed Testors dark gray enamel, post-shading with lighter exhaust streaks. A Prismacolor silver pencil worked great for paint chips. Only four decals were needed — all stars and bars — as these aircraft lacked most markings. I hand-lettered the name. Once it was complete, I entered it in Dayton’s IPMS contest.

The model was offered to the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio, and they accepted it along with a painting I did. It was a very rewarding kit, as I build so few these days. Not something I’d have likely tackled in my youth!

What tools are essential to you?

– Ralph Weilant Perrysburg, Ohio

– Stephen Hagen St. Louis, Mo.

I wanted to add a couple of ideas to the list of 35 essential tools you ran in the November issue.

1) The right light bulbs are mandatory when painting. Always look at the temperature rating in Kelvins (K) on the bulbs illuminating the model. Light bulbs rated at 2700 K give off a warm light, making all colors appear warm. Contrasting bulbs, with a 5000 K rating, make colors appear cooler with a bluish cast.

Perception is everything: I always go with the “daylight,” or 5000 K, bulbs. They are my choice because their light does influence my color choices.

2) A synthetic bristle brush is what I use to hand-paint water-based paints. It does not absorb the water in the paint and will not become limp as a natural bristle brush would. I save natural bristle brushes for oilbased paints.

www.FineScale.com

7

SCALE TALK Corrections

Everyone needs a little encouragement I would like to give a shoutout to Dave Adamson’s beautiful build of the Japanese World War II carrier Akagi ( January 2018 FSM) What a beautiful model it is!

Also, I want to thank Dave for proving age should not be an excuse for quitting this wonderful hobby. Before seeing this story I was going to use the age card (along with eyesight problems) to stop building models.

Well, you have shown me that my age should not matter and that I should not stop. Great job, Dave! Thank you again from this soon-to-be 69-year-old modeler for giving me the kick in the butt I needed.

– Bill Simpson Tampa, Fla.

Between the fashion shows in Milan and Bill Gates’ 56th housewarming party, our editor was a tad busy this season. To cope, he outsourced several of his projects to a team of highly trained, mostly continent specialists (above). We would like to correct a few of their errors: – We misspelled Gus Agustin’s name in the feature of the Midwestern Model Ships & Boats Contest and Display 2017 found in our special issue, Great Scale Modeling.

– The squadron designation for the T-2C shown in December’s EagleQuest 2017 Show Gallery should be VF-43.

– We ran the wrong caption under a photo from EagleQuest in GSM. Here’s the photo with the correct caption.

German Candia Memphis, Tennessee Starting in 1992, British troops deployed to Bosnia as part of a United Nations peacekeeping operations. German built AFV Club’s 1/35 scale FV107 Scimitar as one part of that operation, painting with Tamiya acrylics and weathering with artist’s oil washes. To crew the reconnaissance vehicle, he added Verlinden resin figures.

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Online Extras Download a PDF to see how Jim Wechsler built the UH-1C Huey atop the ATC(H) seen in February’s Vietnam War issue. Click on the search button and type Huey PDF.

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NEW PRODUCTS Compiled by Monica Freitag & Aaron Skinner

Spotlight

ICM’s big-scale Ishak packs in the detail

P

olikarpov’s diminutive I-16, nicknamed Donkey (Ishak) by Soviet pilots, proved its worth in the Spanish Civil War and the battle of Khalkhin Gol. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, more than a third of Soviet aircraft were I-16s.

ICM’s 1/32 scale I-16 (No. 32001, $68.99) represents the Type 24 variant with four ShKAS machine guns, tail wheel, and two cockpit doors.

The gray plastic parts are marked by delightfully restrained ribbing on the fabric-covered airframe sections and raised metal panels with

AIRCRAFT KITS

petite fasteners. The separate control surfaces are movable.

Cockpit detail includes structural frames, seat, controls, and an instrument panel with decal dials. Up front sits a pretty well-appointed engine with pushrods, intake manifold, exhausts, and mounts,

and movable intake shutters on the cowl.

Decals provide markings for four aircraft.

More info: www.squadron. com.

1/48 SCALE

1/32 SCALE Mikoyan-25RBT Foxbat Russian Air Force from Hasegawa, No. 7462, $99.99.

Nakajima C6N1-S Night Fighter Saiun Myrt 302nd Flying Group from Hasegawa, No. 07458, $64.99.

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin from Wingnut Wings, No. 32073, $79.

1/35 SCALE Stuka Ju 87B-2/R-2 Picchiatello from Italeri, No. 2769, $44.99.

1/72 SCALE North American P-51D from Airfix, No. AO5131, $26.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

AH-6J/MH-6J Little Bird Nightstalkers from Kitty Hawk, No. KH50003, $56.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

KA-6D Intruder from Italeri, No. 1405, $23.99.

Avro Shackleton AEW.2 from Revell, Messerschmitt Bf109 G-6 from Tamiya, No. 61117, $53. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

No. 04920, $44.95. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

Polikarpov I-153 Finnish Air Force from

X-29 Shin Kazama Area 88 from Hasegawa, No. 64753, $39.99. Creator Works.

Welcome new manufacturers Green Strawberry www.greenstrawberry.cz

Hasegawa, No. 7461, $51.99.

10 FineScale Modeler March 2018

1/144 SCALE

Scammell Pioneer R100 artillery tractor PZL.23B KaraĹ&#x203A; Polish light bomber early

from IBG, No. 35030, $74.95.

from IBG, No. 72506, $17.

USAF B-47 306th BW(M) from Academy, No. 12618, $27.

ARMOR KITS 1/35 SCALE

Messerschmitt Me262A-1A from Airfix, No. A03088, $16.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

KTO Rosomak with OSS-M turret from IBG, No. 35034, $79.95.

Model T 1917 utility WWII Australian Army car from ICM, No. 35664, $43.99.

M4A3E8 Sherman Easy Eight Korean War F-15J Eagle 201SQ Chitose Air Force Base 60th Anniversary from Hasegawa, No. 0265,

from Tamiya America, No. 35359, $54.

$47.99.

Mitsubishi G4M2A Type 1 Attack Bomber from Hasegawa, No. 0263, $51.99.

T-72BI Russian main battle tank from Meng, No. TS-033, $88.99. Tyrannosaurus Series.

M1 Abrams MBT from Panda Models, No. PH35030, $55.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.

J-15 Chinese Navy 2017 from Hasegawa, No. 0264, $52.99.

LKW 5t mil gl from HobbyBoss, No. 85507, $107.99.

More at www.FineScale.com Check out our Workbench Reviews, details of books and decals, New Product Rundown videos and more.

www.FineScale.com

11

NEW PRODUCTS Spotlight

Takom tackles late-production Lee

F

ollowing its M3 Lee Early, Takom has released a 1/35 scale kit of the medium tank’s late production version (No. 2087, $50).

The kit shares many parts with the previous one including much of the hull and turret. The body panels feature

sharply molded panel lines and crisp rivets. There’s nicely rendered cast texture on the turret, main gun sponson, and final drive covers.

New parts include tool boxes for the engine deck and stamped road wheels in place of the previous kit’s open wheels. The large side hatches

were removed on late M3s in favor of an escape hatch in the belly. Also replaced are some of the suspension bogie parts and the air cleaners.

Decals provide markings for three 1st Armored Division Lees in England in late 1942, and a captured tank in

1/72 SCALE

German service with large crosses and whitewash camouflage.

More info: www. takom-world.com.

1/35 SCALE Russian armed forces tank crew from Meng, No. HS-007, $18.99.

Human Series.

SdKfz 265 Kleine Panzerbefehlswagen from Italeri, No. 7072, $14.99.

Tye 89 Japanese medium tank Kou from IBG Models, No. 72040, $19.95.

FIGURE KITS 1/8 SCALE Wonder Woman Batman v.

Superman Dawn of Justice from Moebius Models, No. 1015, $150.

Maschinen Fireball SG & SG Prowler (2) Chevrolet C30A General service steel body from IBG Models, No. 72054, $21.95.

from Hasegawa, No. 3516, $34.99.

1/72 SCALE

1/24 SCALE

Japanese Navy Airmen set from Hasegawa, No. 3516, $17.99.

44M Zrinyi I - Hungarian 75mm assault gun from IBG, No. 72050, $22.95.

American mechanics (1910s) from ICM, No. 24009, $23.99.

12 FineScale Modeler March 2018

SHIP KITS 1/530 SCALE

USS Oriskany — Essex-class Carrier from Revell, No. 85-0318, $26.95.

Sauber Mercedes C9 from Hasegawa, No. 20306, $49.99.

Richard Petty Race Team from AMT, No. AMT1072/06, $63.95.

SCIFI KITS

GAME MINIATURES

1/32 SCALE

1/56 SCALE

Subaru Legacy GT touring wagon from Hasegawa, No. 20304, $49.99.

Battlestar Galactica Colonial Raptor from Moebius Models, No. 962, $69.99.

1/144 SCALE Char B1 BIS Platoon from Warlord Games, No. 402015501, $80. WWII Bolt Action. Plastic

by Italeri.

Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 1992 Safari Rally from Hasegawa, No. 20307, $72.99.

2001: A Space Odyssey — Discovery XD-1

Marder ZUG from Warlord Games,

from Moebius Models, No. 2001-3, $199.99.

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

No. 402012023, $80. WWII Bolt Action.

AUTO KITS

Toyota Celica 1600GT 1972 Nippon Grand Prix from Hasegawa, No. 21267, $56.99.

B

1/25 SCALE

1/24 SCALE

Battle for Berlin from Warlord Games, No. 409910020, $320. World War II Wargame Action.

Gremlin X from AMT, No. AMT1077/12, $28.95.

BMW M6 GT3 2016 Spa 24 Hours Winner from Platz/NuNu , No. PN24001, $40. www.FineScale.com

13

NEW PRODUCTS 1/144 SCALE

Lockheed C-141B Starlifter from Roden, No. 331. Contact your local dealer for price.

from Warlord Games, No. 452418606, $32.

British Starter Army Waterloo Campaign

ARMOR DETAILS

28MM SCALE

from Warlord Games, No. 309911005, $135.

Black Powder Napoleonic Wars 1789-1815.

1/35 SCALE

Konflikt '47 British Automated Carrier

OTHER SCALE

M270 MLRS German tracks from French starter Army (Waterloo Campaign) from Warlord Games, No. 309912005, $135.

Black Powder Napoleonic Wars 1789-1815.

Konflikt '47 Japanese Infantry with compression rifles from Warlord Games, No. 452211281, $32. Bolt ActionOther.

Friulmodel, No. ATL110, $32. 190 links, two sprocket wheels, wire.

FV432 family from Friulmodel, No. ATL114, $32. 180 links.

SCIï&#x161;ºFI DETAILS 1/32 SCALE

British Starter Army Peninsular Campaign from Warlord Games, No. 309911006, $135.

Black Powder Napoleonic Wars 1789-1815.

Doctor Who First, Fourth & Tenth Doctors from

Doctor Who Fifth, Eleventh & Twelfth Doctors from

Warlord Games, $32.

Warlord Games, $32.

AIRCRAFT DECALS 1/32 SCALE Colonial Viper Mk.II (for Revell and Moebius) from Green Strawberry, No. 00815, $22.39.

1/144 SCALE French Starter Army Peninsular Campaign

Millennium Falcon grilles (for Bandai) from

from Warlord Games, No. 309912006, $135.

Black Powder Napoleonic Wars 1789-1815.

Green Strawberry, No. 01715, $16.

14 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Cessna O-2 Skymaster from Roden, No. 630.

YT-1300 Millennium Falcon (for Bandai)

Contact your local dealer for price.

from Green Strawberry, No. 01616, $24.50.

BOOKS

1/400 SCALE USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D (for AMT) from Green Strawberry, No. 03717, $35.

1/2700 SCALE

America's First Rocket Company: Reaction Motors Inc. $39.95, by Frank H. Winter, hard cover, 301 pages, black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-1-62410-444-1.

From American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Panther Tanks German Army and Waffen-SS Normandy Campaign 1944, $22.95, by Dennis Oliver, soft cover, 64 pages, color and black-and-white, ISBN: 1526710935.

From Pen & Sword Books Limited.

Star Destroyer (for Zvezda and Revell)

from Green Strawberry, No. 03417, $47.90.

Resin detail set with photoetch.

Dornier Do335 Pfeil/Arrow, $79.95,

C-130 Hercules - A History, $39.95, by

by J. Richard Smith and Eddie J. Creek, hard cover, 288 pages, all black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-1-90653-750-0.

From Specialty Press.

Martin W. Bowman, hard cover, 320 pages, all black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 147386318X. From Pen & Sword Books Limited.

Konflikt 47 Resurgence, $30, soft cover, 100 pages, all color photos, ISBN: 978-1-4728-2650-3.

From Warlord Games.

soft cover, 248 pages, color photos, blackand-white photos, ISBN: 978-90-8616236-9. From Lanasta.

Scale Model Handbook Figure Modeling 19, $18,

from Green Strawberry, No. 03517, $25.90.

Star Destroyer engine bells (for Zvezda and Revell)

Mitchell Masterpieces Volume 1 - An illustrated history of paint jobs on B-25s in US service, $35,

soft cover, 50 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 2241-1054. From Mr. Black Publications.

Scale Model Handbook Figure Modeling 20 - WWI & WWII Special Volume, $18, soft cover, 50 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 2241-1054. From Mr. Black Publications.

PAINT The Spitfire - An Icon of the Skies,

Tornado GR1 An Operational History, $44.95, by Wood effect set from True Earth, $30.

Michael Napier, hard cover, 246 pages, all black-and-white photos, ISBN: 1473873029. From Pen & Sword Books Limited.

Wartime Standard Ships, $34, by Nick Robins, hard cover, 178 pages, all blackand-white photos, ISBN: 978-1-84832376-6. From Casemate Publishers.

$44.95, by Philip Kaplan, hard cover, 231 pages, color and black-and-white photos, ISSN: 1473898528. From Pen & Sword Books Limited.

Churchill Tanks British Army NorthWest Europe 19441945, $22.95, by Dennis Oliver, soft cover, 64 pages, all color photos, ISSN: 1526710889. From Pen & Sword Books Limited

www.FineScale.com

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Headdress: I went for luminous colors to lighten the overall appearance, and used a light beige base to complement the saddle blanket. I fused elements of various historical ornaments to create the pattern.

16 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Elephant: Most people think of elephants as being gray, but their skin is actually pale brown. I started with a base mix of medium gray with touches of burnt sienna, ocher, and white. Then I applied dark brown washes, adding a little black for the deepest recesses.

Next, I dry-brushed with a mix of white, a little ocher, and a touch of burnt sienna. The paint should be as thick as possible for this step.

Saddle blanket: For the dominant shade, I chose dark red to complement gold on the howdah. Once the figures were in place, I delicately textured the fabric with lighter red highlights and burgundy recesses.

charge a war elephant Every piece of fabric and clothing shows a different pattern

I

enjoy working on figures that combine ornate clothing with pictures painted on tapestry, carpets, or blankets. That led me to build a Siamese war elephant. These beasts usually wore carpets covered with landscapes or characters, exotically decorated textiles, and elegantly gilded structural components.

Used extensively in the BurmeseSiamese wars, elephants carried a crew of three. The man at the front was not the animal’s driver but the main warrior, armed with a long halberd. The driver actually sat in the rear, behind the howdah, responding to directions given by the man in the basket using peacock feathers.

Working with my mother, who runs Nevskaya Miniatura in St. Petersburg, Russia, I drew up the design and had it sculpted in sections by three different artists. Then it was cast in tin. (It will soon enter mass production as an exclusive painted figure, available from Nevskaya Miniatura or myself.)

I cleaned the metal with acetone to remove any oily residue that might interfere with paint adhesion. Then I applied Tamiya metal primer and let it dry for about 12 hours.

To paint, I prefer acrylics from Andrea, Vallejo, and Jo Sonja — the last mostly for washes, as it blends perfectly without producing obvious gradients.

Months of research helped me decide on appropriate colors and patterns for 16thcentury clothing. That was on top of the months dedicated to refining the sculpt, and then the actual painting.

Adding black glazes is one of the most common mistakes in miniature painting.

Shading a color such as yellow, blue, or red with black kills the vibrancy with a pale, dirty finish. Instead, I use other dark shades.

For example, when shading yellow, try burnt sienna or red-brown mixed with ocher. For red, use burgundy or even a bit of blue in the darkest shades. Just be careful

Umbrella: I figured a white or light-colored umbrella would provide more effective sunlight protection. I painted it with light gray first, then used ocher for the patterns and around the edges as trim. Finally, I detailed the patterns with light yellow.

Meet Olga Kropotova

Figures: To harmonize the riders’ clothing with the palette of the elephant, I used dark red and yellow as a base. Yellow complements many colors, including green, blue, violet, and gray.

For the driver (in the back), I chose a yellow shirt to set off the elephant’s skin; the quiet blue of his pants went well with the yellow. I limited the patterning for the driver’s clothes, as he is of a lower rank than the other two riders. For the signaler in the howdah, I chose a light palette that matched the elephant’s skin.

The warrior (in front) wears armor with golden scales, so I added violet to go with the gold.

with the tone; all paints behave differently when blended.

Try to harmonize your colors and tones.

For example, blue goes well with yellow or orange. Yellow complements green, red, or gray. By contrast, cold green is a poor match for warm orange.

Pay attention to the brightest shades and try to limit each figure to a single vibrant tone.

Major colors should be similarly vibrant; too many compete for attention, while none leave the figure pallid and dull. FSM

“Many people ask me if I’ve studied art,” says Olga. “They are surprised when I tell them I studied some economics but never received any formal artistic training.” The St. Petersburg native, who now lives in Munich, Germany, says she owes her creativity to her mother. “She’s the most talented painter and sculptor I know,” Olga says. But it was after many years and several jobs that had nothing to do with art that everything clicked.

The final push was taking several painting lessons. “Oil painting led me to miniatures, as I found myself toiling at tiny details,” she says. Preferring fine brushwork to broad strokes, she turned to the banner on a 90mm knight. “I loved it and soon realized it was my calling,” she says. “That was five years ago.”

www.FineScale.com

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AIRBRUSHING & FINISHING

By Aaron Skinner

Field-camouflage a Zero like a pro Low pressure, thin paint, and practice make it perfect

I

n early 1943, the Japanese Navy directed that fighters be camouflaged with dark green upper surfaces over the pale gray-green used overall on the planes to that point. New aircraft were painted at the factory, but many already in service were painted in the field, often in a haphazard fashion.

John Maher built one of those field-modified aircraft when he finished Tamiya’s 1/72 scale Mitsubishi A6M2b Type 21. It represents a Zero from the carrier Hiyō, detached for land-based operations in April 1943.

“Tamiya’s Zero is state-ofthe-art,” John says. “It literally clicked together, although I used a jig made out of Lego to make sure everything was properly aligned. I completed this model in three weeks.”

He used Tamiya acrylics throughout the project, first mixing the flat camouflage colors with an equal measure of Tamiya clear (X-22) and then mixing 3 parts of that paint with 7 parts GSI Creos Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.

“It flows much better, and it’s easier to see the color hitting the surface as you’re shading or freehanding a camouflage pattern,” he says. “The resulting semigloss finish also aids in the application of filters and washes by being the right balance of something for the filters to grip while still being smooth enough for the washes to flow.”

Mimicking the way the full-size aircraft was painted, John base-coated the model with gray-brown mixed by adding a few drops of buff (XF-57) to IJN gray green (XF-76) to match the shade of early A6Ms identified in Combat Colours No. 9 — The Mitsubishi Zero (Guideline, no ISBN). He made a highlight shade by adding 25% white (X-2). Then, rather than decals, he painted the national insignia using masks cut by a friend, Tony Bell.

He freehanded the green camouflage — olive green (XF-58) — using paper masks to protect the insignia.

“I used 12 psi for both airbrush sessions,” John says.

“The first was with my Badger 150; with this I applied the gray-brown and its highlight shade. This brush is a suction feed, so this is a relatively low pressure. But because the paint is so thin, it flows nicely for the layering needed to blend in shades of a color. For the application of the fieldapplied green, I needed the precision of an Iwata Custom Micron. This brush is a gravity-feed, so 12 psi is a relatively high pressure, which aids in getting nice, fine lines.

But you must keep the brush moving or you will get paint splatters.”

He powered the brushes with compressors from the same manufacturers.

Finally, he airbrushed the tail number through another mask from Tony Bell. FSM

18 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Washes: After a focused application of Mig Productions brown wash around the engine and lower fuselage, John flowed on an overall wash of 502 Abteilung dark mud (ABT130) mixed with odorless thinner. To seal the finish, he used a mix of 7 parts Vallejo clear flat and 3 parts Tamiya acrylic thinner.

Primer: John always primes his models with GSI Creos Mr. Surfacer 1200 mixed with an equal measure of hardware-store lacquer thinner. “This step identifies glitches and provides an even surface for the Tamiya acrylics,” he says.

THE NEED FOR SPEED

(Maximum speeds for the Zero and its Grumman opponents)

318 mph: F4F-4 Wildcat 332 mph: A6M2 “Zero” 380 mph: F6F-5 Hellcat – United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 (Naval Institue Press, ISBN 978-0-87021-968-9) and Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War (Putnam, ISBN 978-0-370-30251-5)

Decals: The only decals John used on this model represent the instruments and dials in the cockpit. He used kit decals for the main panel, and Airscale decals for side consoles.

Chipping: Between primer and the camouflage colors, John airbrushed GSI Creos Mr. Color Silver (No. 8) along the wing roots.

Next, he mixed equal parts Vallejo liquid mask and water and dabbed it along the walkways with a sponge. After painting the camouflage, he removed the masking with a flat toothpick ground to a sharp edge with a rotary tool.

Filters: John started weathering with filters.

He applied Wilder NitroLine bright ocher filter for Panzer yellow (AW-NL-11) to the graybrown areas. The green spots received Ammo

by Mig Jimenez brown filter for dark green (AMIG1506).

Meet John Maher WHEN JOHN STARTED building models in grade school, his interest was divided evenly between armor and aircraft. “My dad got me interested in models and he had a fairly large HO scale train layout, too, so I was exposed early on to a variety of modeling subjects,” says John. But high school and university quashed his modeling, and he didn’t return to the hobby until the mid-1990s. “This is

when the quality of kit engineering just got so much better and, at the same time, we saw the rise of the aftermarket for photo-etch and resin parts that made really detailed models possible for those like me who have limited scratchbuilding capabilities.” When he first got back into modeling, John focused on aircraft, but new painting and weathering techniques got him back into armor. “What’s

really exciting is using some of the techniques I’ve learned doing armor on aircraft,” he says. After graduating with a degree in history and political science from the University of Toronto, John started a career in the application software industry. He now markets and sells Enterprise Resource Planning systems for IndustryBuilt Software. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

www.FineScale.com

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Advance an Abrams Details and weathering create a distinctive M1A2 /// BY KAREL SUTT

Construction should have been straightforward for this well-engineered kit, but I found more references than expected — and the more references, the greater the compulsion to improve.

It would be a half year before I finished.

M

any generals have passed through U.S. military history, but few have been honored with a tank designation. The last was Gen. Creighton Williams Abrams, who took his place alongside generals Grant, Lee, Sherman, Pershing, Patton, and Sheridan.

The namesake tanks of all the aforementioned are represented in 1/35 scale. I decided to share my workbench with Dragon’s Abrams M1A2 SEP (No. 3536), and I was well prepared — in addition to the photo-etch (PE) parts in the kit, I had Eduard’s PE set (No. 36006) and eight reference books!

20 FineScale Modeler March 2018

1

2

The vinyl “rubber band” tracks have nice detail on both sides. I put two holes in each end connector with a heated, blunt needle.

Before

3

For nonslip surfaces, I sifted fine sand through a close-mesh sieve onto surfaces I painted with Hercules water-based adhesive.

The arms of the bustle rack got extra work as I cut them up to make the hinges look functional.

After

Kit part

Detailed

4 I drilled to deepen and correct the shape of the openings in the smoke-grenade launchers.

5

6

Top: I shaved the tow-cable ends to open the eyes and allow them to be threaded. Lower: the unmodified kit parts.

I’m not an Abrams expert, but I would guess Part U35 is a bullet splash guard. Anyway, I cut and detailed it according to photos.

Original

Thinned

7 I sawed off two molded footholds from the skirts and replaced them with steel wire, using electrical-wire insulation for ends.

8 Rather than use PE for lift handles on the engine deck, I trimmed the plastic molding to shape.

9 To detail the handles, I wrapped .11mm wire around a drill-bit shaft and cut half-rounds …

Sprue

10 … flattened them, then used them for springs on the handles.

11 A .3mm bit in a pin vise made ventilating holes around the 120mm gun’s bore evacuator.

12 On the skirt fasteners, I drilled holes and used inserted stretched sprue for belaying pins. This pays off when PE securing chains are hung. www.FineScale.com

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Nuts

Cable

13

14

15

On each of the two brake lights, I added two nuts and electric cable.

I made a Counter-Sniper/Anti-Materiel Mount (CSAMM) above the main gun from plastic and metal scraps …

… and added a conduit and reinforcing elements, finally gluing five elements into one unit.

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17

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I used an extra part (right) to carve a xenon spotlight that goes to the right of the CSAMM.

For the searchlight’s mount, I scored thin sheet metal …

… then cut and folded it to form.

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21

Fine wire provided the necessary cable and nice detail.

I made two more boxes the same way for the bustle rack.

A razor saw refined the metal ammo belt’s connectors.

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23

24

I deepened ventilator holes in the machine gun with a .5mm bit in a pin vise.

The scrap heap is my best source of materials: I formed brass sheet and carved plastic …

… to make grips for the machine gun.

22 FineScale Modeler March 2018

D

C C A

B

D

B

25

A

26

27

The drawing shows how I made a rotating mount for the 7.62mm M240B machine gun …

… and here are the corresponding pieces before applying glue.

I thickened wire with Mr. Dissolved Putty to make a remote-control cable for the loader’s machine gun.

28

29

30

A coarse emery board and a light wash put mileage on the road wheels.

Molded grab handles on the turret’s back were replaced with brass wire.

I made a spare-wheel mount for a spare road wheel using a track’s center guide and couplers plus metal scraps …

Bolts

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32

33

… and attached it to the turret’s stowage rack.

I found no info on attaching the second spare road wheel to the turret top — I just used a track’s center guide “bolted” with steel wire.

I added towing chain and bent wire to make eyes for the chain, closing gaps with Mr. Dissolved Putty.

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35

36

I primed with two light coats of Mr. Surfacer 1000 heavily thinned with Mr. Color Thinner.

Tamiya paints followed.

NATO camouflage begins with a lightened shade of NATO green (adding 25 drops of flat white to 15ml of green).

NATO brown and NATO black were similarly lightened and airbrushed freehand. Weathering will darken and dull these colors. www.FineScale.com

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37

38

39

Four filters were applied using 502 Abteilung oils mixed with AK Interactive odorless thinner.

Use a large flat or round soft paintbrush to avoid drenching the model. I let each of several coats dry before adding another.

More 502 oils produced fading, and oil-dot filters were blended with mineral spirits until almost removed, the brush traveling top to bottom on vertical panels and circling on wheels and horizontal surfaces.

From my AK Interactive stockpile I randomly applied rainmarks (074), dark streaking grime (024), streaking grime for DAK vehicles (067), and rust streaks (013). I protected each effect with a coat of gloss varnish.

40

41

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To add paint chips, I dipped a bit of sponge in artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil, wiped off excess, and lightly dabbed surfaces. I used a fine brush to add subtle scratches, and a makeup applicator for corrections.

I diluted AKâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s wash for NATO camo vehicles (075) with AK odorless thinner (050); I can recommend it to anyone who is being nagged about fumes from modeling.

Periscopes were framed with Tamiya flat black; optical coating was a mix of Tamiya clear colored with a few drops of Tamiya clear red, airbrushed from behind so the front stayed black.

43

44

45

Silver pencil brought out cast numbers on the rear hull.

Painting tracks off the model is easier. After priming, I painted track blocks with Tamiya rubber black and end connectors and center guides with a 4:1 mix of Vallejo light rust and beige red.

Avoiding the rubber, I applied filters and a black-brown wash, highlighting guide horns and screw heads with a metallic mix of silver and black. Then track pads were tinted with AK heavy chipping and airbrushed with lightened rubber black, most of which I brushed off.

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46

47

48

I stained the heat shield with Vallejo flat brown, light rust, gunmetal blue, dark vermilion, and deck tan, let it dry, coated with hairspray, then airbrushed rust shades. Warm water and a toothbrush produced “corrosion.”

Sprinkling NATO green with rock salt and dabs of liquid mask, top-coating with Vallejo desert sand, then rubbing to remove the salt and masking revealed the base coat and gave add-on skirts proper wear.

More AK rainmarks lent tonal variety to frontal armor on the turret; excess is easily removed with mineral spirits on a large paintbrush.

Engraved

49

50

51

I dusted the hull’s front and rear plates with lightened Tamiya rubber black and rubbed most of it off for a hazy effect.

Photos of the commander’s cupola showed a rough flange that I depicted by engraving Dragon’s molding.

Decals from DEF.Model (No. DD35002) labeled the ammunition boxes.

Nonslip texture

Ammo box CSAMM

Spare-wheel mount Engraving

Wheel carrier

Gun grips

Lift handles

Distressed skirts

A final application of Mr. Hobby Flat-Matt Topcoat finished the painting and weathering.

It’s good to revisit a familiar kit and improve it with your own research and scratchbuilding skills — it added a lot to this model. FSM

Reshaped launchers

Detailed end connectors

www.FineScale.com

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Making a

Hurricane

seem like a breeze Extra enjoyment with easy alternatives from the aftermarket /// BY ANDERS ISAKKSON

A

relatively new kit, the Airfix 1/48 scale Hawker Hurricane Mk.I (No. A05127) makes a great model when finished. However, as easy as modern kits can be to build and finish, I find the various detail sets and precut paint masks these days can make life even easier and add complexity to your model.

For my Hurricane, I chose the markings of a machine belonging to 17 Squadron based at RAF Debden as it looked at the beginning of the Battle of Britain in 1940. Except for an occasional decal, the markings are painted using masks from Montex.

I decided to improve the already fine details of the kit with accessory sets from Eduard consisting of photo-etch (PE) for the cockpit (No. 49726), pre-cut masks for the clear parts (No. EX468), and resin wheels (No. 648229) and exhaust pipes (No. 648230).

The Airfix injection-molded parts were good, but I found the Eduard resin offered a little extra detail and realism.

1 After Tamiya gray primer, the cockpit was airbrushed with Tamiya interior green (XF-71). I sprayed an Eduard seat separately.

26 FineScale Modeler March 2018

2 Specific areas were masked and followed by Tamiya silver aluminum directly from the spray can (AS-12). Pre-colored PE improved the instrument panel; PE seat belts lend scale thickness and detail.

4 Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an easy improvement: Drilling deepened the wing openings for each machine gun.

6 Eduardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-cut, self-adhesive painting masks are precisely designed for the framework on the kit parts.

3 Before proceeding with the rest of the airframe, I added the delicate reflector sight atop the coaming.

5 Control surfaces come as separate parts and thus can be posed. I reinforced the rudder with short segments of piano wire super glued in tiny holes.

7 I masked the cockpit interior, then airbrushed a layer of interior green to show the framework as seen from the inside.

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8 Next, a layer of Tamiya light gray primer formed a uniform base for the top coats and showed remaining surface flaws. Bits of sponge are used to mask the receptacles for landing lights.

10

9 I begin the classic British camouflage with GSI Creos dark earth (H72); this will be followed with Tamiya RAF dark green (XF-81). Both shades were mixed with a little lighter color to subtly vary the surfaces.

11

Pre-cut paint masks from Eduard are a real timesaver. This particular set was probably designed for the Hasegawa kit, but Eduard has since released a set made for the Airfix kit (No. 473).

With masks in place, I applied the dark green for the topside camouflage.

12

13

Then I masked topside and sprayed underneath with Tamiya sky (XF-21) mixed with a few drops of Tamiya flat white (XF-2).

Painted markings take more time than decals, but you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to deal with gloss coats and carrier film. Roundels were painted with Montex masks and Tamiya color mixes that I eyeballed.

28 FineScale Modeler March 2018

14

15

Next came the squadron letters along the fuselage sides, painted light gray. Easy enough: Actually, the paint planning — what to paint and in what order — is what takes most of the time.

The only regular decals I used were the Popeye cartoon from Montex, the yellow fuel-warning patch on the port wing, and red canvas-tape sections that cover the wing guns before each combat mission.

16

17

After a thin coat of flat clear unifies the decal and paint finishes, artist’s pencils simulate scuffed and chipped paint. In a few areas of heavy wear, a silver pencil replicated exposed metal.

A thin wash of Tamiya NATO black and selective pinwashes with AK Interactive dark streaking grime emphasized rivets and panel lines.

Eduard cockpit details, canopy masks Masks, painted markings

Airbrushed exhaust streak

Decals

Montex camouflage masks Resin wheels

I painted the propeller, spinner, antenna mast, and other small details separately and installed them last. Exhaust streaks are airbrushed in multiple thin layers of Tamiya royal gray (XF-80) and Tamiya flat black. The antenna wire — elastic Lycra thread from Uschi van der Rosten — was super glued in position and brush-painted flat black to finish a fun project. FSM www.FineScale.com

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Revell launched its 1/96 scale USS Constitution in 1965, but the kit’s just a kid next to the real thing — at 220 years, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. White plastic sails just wouldn’t look right on Old Ironsides. But here’s a way to make them look like they belong.

Photos by Bill Hottinger and Jane Indreika.

Modeling sails for plastic ships Shiny styrene has no place on the seven seas /// BY JOHN HAZARD

30 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Yard

Cringle

A

B

A cutaway at the top shows thread glued to the top of the core and tied to the yard. Florist wire is on the side of the sail.

Cutaway at the bottom shows florist wire and light brass wire combined to form a cringle.

Footloops

C

D

Attaching reef points: In this front view, the starboard edge of the sail is shown uncovered.

L

ike many builders of period ship models, I found that making realistic sails was difficult. Cloth sails always look wrinkled and limp.

Plastic sails are too flexible and brittle to hold tightly strung rigging.

After much mumbling and muttering, I hit on a solution that involves two counterintuitive approaches: One is laminating the sails by putting cloth on both sides of a core of either plastic (from a ship model kit) or manila folder stock; the other is to use various kinds of wire to curve, reinforce, or stiffen the sails.

This creates sails that retain a rounded shape and are firm enough to hold taut rigging. As a result, they seem to tug at the rigging and billow in a stiff imaginary wind.

Preparing the core Cut the shape of the sail from the core material. (My example shows molded plastic supplied by Revell’s 1/96 scale USS

Footropes hanging from the yard: If you are afraid of heights, this is no place to be.

Constitution.) If the sail is to hang from a yard (horizontal spar attached to a mast), the top of the core should be cut to match the taper of the yard, 1 (illustration, p. 42).

All the preparation of the sail core is done on the back (concave) side. Super glue a strong thread to the back of the core as close to the top edge as possible, A. This will keep the core from tearing loose when the finished sail is attached to the yard. If the yard to which the sail is to be attached is too fragile or flexible to handle the tension needed for rigging, use 22-gauge piano wire here instead of thread, 2. Super glue lengths of 22-gauge florist wire along the sides and bottom of the core, leaving ⅛inch openings at the lower corners of the core. This wire stiffens the core yet allows it to hold a curve, 3.

Make two cringles (the eyes at the lower corners of the sail to which rigging is attached) by bending 2 inches of 32-gauge brass wire around a good-size needle and

twisting a couple of times to form a tiny loop. Spread the two ends into a V. Super glue the cringles to the lower corners of the core along the inside of the florist wire and a little past the core’s corner, 4, B. Some plastic sails have raised lateral bands across the front, leaving indentations in the back. Fill these indentations with paper strips so the back of the finished sail will be smooth, 5. The core is now ready.

Building the sail on the core Prepare some thin, tightly woven white cotton cloth to cover the core. Stain the cloth evenly with Minwax wood stain: 1 part golden oak (210B) to two parts natural (209). Cut pieces of cloth to fit both sides of the core. Be sure the cloth’s weave is square to the shape of the sail; leave an extra ¾ inch all the way around.

Before attaching the cloth to the core, draw “stitching.” This is done with a .7mm mechanical pencil. To get straight, precisely www.FineScale.com

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1

Yard

Back of sail

D

12

2

Core 6

A 5 9 3

7

Core

B 11

13

Front of sail

Yard 4

8

C

10

Rigging the staysails 14

F 17 15

16

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E Mast

E Two stages of preparation for the wire used as stays.

spaced lines, tape the cloth to a self-healing cutting mat that has a grid. Then draw vertical lines very lightly at ¼-inch intervals.

Pressing harder, draw each stitch along the vertical lines, about 10 stitches/inch, 6.

The cloth surfaces can now be attached to the core. Spread a thin film of white glue on the entire front (convex) side of the core.

(Careful: If the glue is too thick it may bleed through the cloth. Likewise, do not thin the glue with water.) Attach the cloth to the core, leaving no air pockets. Do the same to the back of the core, being sure the cloth is glued tightly around the wires and thread at the core’s edge.

Trim the overhanging cloth to the edges of the core. Tack loose edges down with small dabs of white glue.

Corner reinforcements can be made by gluing small pieces of cloth to the corners on both sides of the sail. When they are in place, pencil the stitches on them, 7.

Add reef points (short lengths of rope on the front of a sail that sailors use to furl it), C. For each row of reef points, cut a ⅛-inch-wide cloth strip a little longer than the width of the sail. As before, cut squarely to the weave of the cloth. The reef points are ⅜-inch-long cotton threads; they are attached to the strip every ¼ inch by dipping one end lightly in super glue and laying it on the strip with tweezers. Then, with white glue, attach each strip to the sail and trim the edges, 8. Turn the sail over and, on the back of the sail, draw horizontal stitch lines corresponding to the stitches holding the bands on the front of the sail, 9.

The sail’s rough edges can now be finished. Cut a ¼-inch strip for each of the four edges, allowing a little extra for each.

Fold each strip along its length, wrap it around the edge of the sail, and attach it with white glue. Trim excess from the strips, mitering them at the four corners of the sail. Be sure to keep the cringles clear, 10. Add stitch marks on all four edges on both sides of the sail. The entire sail can now be aged with a light wash of Testors flat-black enamel.

F This stout wire rigging cannot be bent by the weight of the sail.

To prepare the finished sail for attachment to the yard, drill small holes at ⅜inch intervals across the top, being sure to stay below the thread or wire at the top of the core, 11.

Attaching the sail to the yard Paint the yard with a flat brown or black.

Use 28-gauge black annealed wire to fashion and install footropes on the yard, 12, D. Also attach any blocks (pulleys) to the yard if they will be needed later for rigging. Tie the yard to the sail using coat thread with single overhand knots touched with super

Meet John Hazard

JOHN STARTED BUILDING period ship models in the early 1950s, making do with balsa, dowels, and the toxic glue of that era. Since then, being busy with many other things, he has built only a few models, all of them sailing ships kitbashed from plastic kits. He spent four years building Revell’s 1/96 scale USS Constitution and its 30 sails, working sporadically and often batting away Yoyo, the cat that wanted to help with the rigging. He tells us his wife, Colette, is a lovely and patient woman.

glue and trimmed, 13. The completed yard and sail unit is now ready to be mounted on the mast.

Attaching the staysails Staysails hang from a stay (a heavy rope placed between two masts to brace them).

On the model, the staysails are created in the same way as before. But the stay itself is modeled with wire instead of thread so the weight of the sail will not pull it out of shape. Usually, .032-inch piano wire is sufficient, although a slightly bigger gauge may be necessary if the sail being hung is especially large. Before cutting the wire, precisely measure the distance between the points where the ends of the stay will connect to the two masts. Then add an extra ¼ inch at both ends.

To prepare each end of the wire: Fold ¼ inch of the wire back on itself, 14, and pinch a 4-inch piece of coat thread within the apex of the fold. This thread will serve to attach the wire to the mast, 15, E. Wind another piece of thread around the folded part of the wire, super glue it, and cut off the loose ends. This will hide the fold in the wire and simulate the seizing that holds a real stay, 16. Paint the wire flat black. Then attach the sail to the wire with coat thread, 17, and tie the ends of the wire to the two masts, 18, F.

The rigging is up to you Most sailing ships include detailed rigging plans. A sail is not complete until it is connected to all the lines sailors need to control it from below. In fact, rigging may be the most interesting aspect of a ship model for the builder as well as the viewer.

I’ve given you better-looking sails. Now it’s up to you to hoist them! FSM www.FineScale.com

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SHOW GALLERY

MMSI 2017

Artistry and creativity were on full display at the Military Miniature Society of Illinois 43rd annual Chicago Show in Schaumburg, Ill., in October. Hundreds of figures, as well as aircraft, armor, and dioramas, filled the tables.

When it came to taking photos, FSM’s Aaron Skinner had plenty of choices.

▶ DANIEL STERN

MENOMONEE FALLS, WISCONSIN Probably the smallest scale figure on the tables was Daniel’s 1/1000 scale Godzilla; he’s not sure who made it, but it marks the 60th anniversary of the giant lizard’s first movie. Daniel painted the monster with acrylics and weathered with pigment washes.

34 FineScale Modeler March 2018

▼ SUSAN WACHOWSKI

HUNTLEY, ILLINOIS After posing a Reaper Miniatures 28mm Star Mouse with a garagekit stargate on a scratchbuilt base, Susan painted light and shadows to show an explorer emerging from a gate in a dark room. All of the colors used were Reaper's Masters series acrylics.

▲ JEFF BURNS

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA After resculpting the back of Young Miniatures’ 1/9 scale Daimyo warlord to support a new banner, Jeff finished it with artist’s oils and acrylics. The patterns on the cloak, lapels, and banner are all hand-painted.

◀ MICHAEL BEDARD

COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA Michael painted Nuts Planet’s 1/10 scale Queen of the North with Winsor & Newton artist’s oils using a method favored by the Flemish masters. He applied monochromatic base coats, then brushed the colors on as thin glazes to build their density. www.FineScale.com

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SHOW GALLERY

KRESTON PECKHAM MENASHA, WISCONSIN For 303 days in 1916, French and German armies battled for control of the land along the Meuse River near the town of Verdun. In the end, the French regained all of the ground lost to early German advances, but at a huge cost to both sides; estimates of total casualties exceed 700,000 for the battle, with more than 300,000 killed.

Kreston modeled the horror of that battle with 54mm figures from Warriors painted with Winsor & Newton artist’s oils.

▲

ROSS SINGLETARY COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS

Ross painted JMD Miniatures’ 1/10 scale welder with Jo Sonja artist’s acrylics. He marked the pattern of the plaid with a pencil before painting the stripes and squares.

▶

JIM ROBINSON WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

This brightly colored warrior is a Celestial Vindicator from Games Workshop’s Age of Sigmar series. Jim made a banner from winebottle foil, then painted the 28mm figure with acrylics.

36 FineScale Modeler March 2018

WENDY RAFALSKI DORR, MICHIGAN Wendy painted Infinity Shape’s 54mm Hawkeye with Vallejo, Andrea, and Reaper acrylics using a wet palette, layering, and wet blending for flesh and buckskin.

Bondo and plasticine give the Last of the Mohicans a base with a view.

▲ CHIP REMBERT

BRIGHTON, MICHIGAN Chip’s Confederate cavalryman is a 54mm figure from Michael Roberts, with a faithful canine companion from Andrea Miniatures. After spraying them with Tamiya fine surface primer, he hand-painted Vallejo acrylics. The groundwork is Vallejo earth putty with a resin stone wall on an oak pedestal.

▲ PHIL KIRCHMEIER

WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN

▲ LARRY PETERS

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN To finish Pegaso’s 1/9 scale bust of a kamikaze pilot, Larry hand-brushed Winsor & Newton artist’s oils, and inks.

“U.S. sailor, 1953 — same era and ship my father served on as a bluejacket,” says Phil of his 54mm vignette. Using a Hecker & Goros figure, Phil replaced the head with one from Hornet, sculpted a new hat from 2-part epoxy, then painted with acrylics. Working from plans of the USS Missouri, he scratchbuilt a base with styrene for the bulkhead and balsa for the deck. www.FineScale.com

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SHOW GALLERY GARY RASMUSSEN CLAWSON, MICHIGAN A 1/35 scale vignette drawn from the work of Otto Dix built by Jason Whitman inspired Gary to model a World War I scene in 1/16 scale. He scratchbuilt most of the groundwork and figures, and added accessories from Jon Smith Modellbau. Dix, a WWI veteran, painter, and printmaker, produced many harsh depictions of the war, including the triptych Trench Warfare, which has many of the elements in Gary’s vignette.

▲ FRANK BEHRENS

AURORA, ILLINOIS “My father likes B.B. King, so I painted it as a gift for him,” Frank says of Kings Figurines’ 54mm figure. He painted the blues legend with Golden and Reaper acrylics and ran a wire to Lucille, King’s guitar. ▶ MIKE BLANK

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN On July 4, 1187, Saladin’s armies defeated a Crusader army, including several hundred Knights Templar, at the Battle of Hattin. Mike modeled the knights’ last stand with scratchbuilt figures painted with several brands of acrylics.

38 FineScale Modeler March 2018

▼

GEOFF WALLER TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS

Geoff painted Michael Roberts’ 100mm figure of a British soldier in Afghanistan in 1879 with Vallejo acrylics.

▲ BOB BETHEA

AUSTIN, TEXAS Ready for class, a girl leaves a school bus robotic suit in Bob’s 1/20 scale vignette. He’s not sure of the source of either the student or the Maschinen Krieger suit, but he painted the girl with Reaper and Vallejo acrylics and airbrushed the suit with Tamiya acrylics. He designed and printed the school bus livery on a computer.

◀ JOE FURIOSO

DEARBORN, MICHIGAN Joe calls his vignette of a German sergeant in France “A Nightmare on Elm Rue.” He painted the Andrea Miniatures 90mm figure with Andrea and Vallejo acrylics over Humbrol enamel base coats. www.FineScale.com

39

Disc camo

for a Jagdpanzer Stencils make it easy, weathering makes it real /// BY KENNETH CHILDRES

T

he SdKfz 162, more commonly known to modelers as the Jagdpanzer IV, was designed as a replacement for the Sturmgeschütz (StuG) III/IV assault gun.

Moving away from the intended role of infantry support, the new design was purely a tank hunter — and seen as redundant by some, since the StuG was quite capable of doing both.

Nevertheless, the Jagdpanzer IV fulfilled its role effectively.

Wanting to do something quick for an upcoming show, I selected the 1/35 scale Tamiya kit (No. 35340).

To keep the project manageable, I added only a few simple upgrades. First was a set of Friulmodel late-model Panzer III/IV tracks with 230 links (No. ATL-28) to 40 FineScale Modeler March 2018

replace the kit’s rubber-band tracks.

Second came a set of Uschi van der Rosten stencils for the distinctive disc camo. This design made an appearance dur-

ing the Ardennes offensive in late 1944 through 1945. It was most commonly seen on Jagdpanzer IVs and Panthers.

Within a matter of hours, I had the bulk of the kit built. I removed the hinged fender sections and thinned down the remaining sections to replicate damage. I also removed one front fender up to the fighting compartment.

The Friulmodel tracks were put together according to instructions. I spent a little time cleaning them up and drilling out the pin holes to accept Armor Farm Track Wire (no longer available).

With that, I was ready to spruce up the exterior.

1 Before painting, I rolled out a foul-weather cover made of Aves Apoxie Sculpt on a piece of glass. A rubber paintbrush coaxed the sheet into place. Once it was dry, I added lead foil and thin wire tie-downs.

3 This green camo is a combination of NATO green, cockpit green, and yellow green. This hue covers a third of the tank. I prefer not to follow a specific ratio when mixing paints, lest all of my models look the same.

5 Applying the intricate disc camo was a breeze with the masks from Uschi van der Rosten. Starting on the sides, I airbrushed thin layers of dark yellow. Then I cut the masks in half to use on smaller areas.

2 I used Tamiya paints (except where noted), mixing a good amount of clear (X-22) into each color. The yellow base was mixed from buff, dark yellow, and white, then diluted with lacquer thinner.

4 This red brown color is made from NATO brown and a shot of the yellow base mixture. Like the first green color, the red brown is applied to a third of the model.

6 After stenciling the entire vehicle with dark yellow, I carefully repainted the exposed patches within the yellow camo to restore contrast.

www.FineScale.com

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7 I replaced the kit’s decals with dry transfers from Archer. Applying them was a simple task because the only markings on the tank are the Balkenkreuz. A light coat of Vallejo semigloss clear sealed them.

9 Next, heavier scratches were added with Vallejo camo black brown, depicting the metal beneath. It’s easy to go overboard, but further weathering will help tone down the chips and blend everything.

11 Weathering began with oils. I use a piece of cardboard as a pallet because it wicks the excess oil out of the paint, making it dry faster with a flat finish.

42 FineScale Modeler March 2018

8 The key to realistic weathering is to keep chips and scratches in scale. I used a sponge and tiny paintbrush to add pale tan abrasions. These superficial scratches go down only to the base paint.

10 Wanting to apply mud in a realistic pattern, I sprayed Vallejo hemp on the running gear, taking note where the paint fell and built up. After cutting it back with acrylic thinner, I had a light map to follow.

12 Wilder Deep Shadow Wash accentuated details. I don’t use this as an overall wash, which would overly darken the surface; instead, I apply it as a pinwash for accents, which is much more sightly.

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So far, so good. Methinks more dirt and mud is needed if this is supposed to be a well-used tank.

For my mud concoction, I mixed AK Interactive pigments with plaster and AK mud enamel. This mixture was splattered onto the model with a short, stiff-bristled brush.

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To show dry, damp, and wet mud, I mix progressively darker shades and layer them on and around the running gear.

AK dark mud was mixed with enamel gloss and airbrushed onto the wettest parts of the lower hull. A thinner version of this mud mixture was lightly flicked onto the sides of the upper structure.

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The Friulmodel tracks, including the spares, are given a quick soak in blackening solution. Once everything is dry, a 600-grit sanding stick is gently rubbed across the cleats of the track to make them shine.

A blunt pencil rubbed on the inside face of the tracks imitates steel worn from contact with the road wheels.

www.FineScale.com

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I painted the exhaust in rust tones with Vallejo acrylics. The muddying of the rear end extended the tankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dirty appearance all the way around.

My tarp was cast in resin as an aftermarket item by Tiger Model Designs.

I painted it with Vallejo gray-green over black primer. Oils and pigments added shadows. Muddy boot stamps from Caliber 35 finished the look.

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The most boring part of the process was painting the road wheels. After that, I gingerly wrapped the tracks around the running gear. A few dots of bright orange on the spare links represent fresh rust.

I weathered the tools in place with Vallejo acrylics and Humbrol Metalcote for steel. The barrel was painted dark gray to show the heatresistant primer sometimes seen on replacement barrels.

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I think a missing fender would certainly allow clods of mud to be flung up onto the lower part of the barrel as the tank traveled at speed.

Organic trash and dirt on the glacis plate includes crushed leaves, twigs, dirt, and pigments carefully placed and secured with Mig Productions pigment fixer. A few washes completed my Jagdpanzer IV. FSM

44 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Detail and paint a Fokker Dr.I A bargain find produces a fancy triplane fighter /// BY ERNEST URTIAGA

W

hen it comes to garage sales, a little sifting through the clutter can turn up true gems. One Saturday I was hunting around various yard sales — finding a lot of nothing — when toward the end of the day I spotted a distinctive Revell box next to some stacked junk. Closer inspection revealed it to be a 1/28 scale Dr.I kit.

The box had seen better days. The fuselage was partially built but appeared to be complete. A quick inventory revealed that the rudder had long ago gone AWOL. Just behind the Dr.I was another Revell box, a 1/28 scale Sopwith Camel.

The box looked brand-new with all parts present and in mint condition. Also in the box was an IPMS/USA Scale-Master decal sheet for the Dr.I, the Camel, and a Spad XIII. The asking price was $2 for each kit. After pointing out the Dr.I’s missing part and partially built fuselage, the price was negotiated to $2 for both kits and the decals — score!

With a little photo-etch (PE) and a lot of TLC, a good representation of World War I German ace Hasso von Wedel’s Fokker Dr.I was possible. www.FineScale.com

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1 I would have to correct the asymmetrical ailerons found on the early production aircraft to model a Dr.I with a standard aileron configuration. To reshape the inboard trailing edge of the right aileron, I placed the left upper wing face down on a sheet of paper to trace the inboard section of the aileron.

4 Just as with the aileron, I added stretched sprue for rib outlines. Once the glue had dried, I lightly sanded the ribs.

6 The prior builder did a good job assembling and painting the fuselage, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather do my own painting and detailing. I drilled through the firewall with a pointed sanding stone on a motor tool.

46 FineScale Modeler March 2018

2 A small piece of styrene was cut to shape with a No. 11 blade and super glued. To show a faint rib outline, some sprue was stretched over a candle and secured with Ambroid ProWeld thin glue.

3 I traced the kitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rudder decal, which is the same size as the missing rudder, and transferred the shape to a plastic card the same thickness as the vertical stabilizer. Then the rudder was carefully cut out and sanded to shape.

5 Dry-fitting the bottom and middle wing revealed some misalignment along the leading edge.

This was fixed by carefully removing a thin piece of the wingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back edge where it sits on the fuselage. By removing this piece, I could now properly align the wings so both leading edges looked correct.

7 The plastic was sanded away, exposing the forward interior of the aircraft. The cockpit in these early planes was pretty basic.

Ammunition boxes for the Spandau machine guns and the interior bracing you see here were never offered by the Revell kit.

8 Bracing was added to the interior sides with stretched sprue. I built the ammo box from plastic card and painted it Humbrol steel.

In my paint stash I found a light green reminiscent of the color applied by the Fokker factory to several interior and exterior parts.

Oil washes of raw sienna brought out molded side details. The compass and instrument faces were dry-brushed.

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I used acrylic paints from here on out, except as noted. The seat and cushion were painted leather. Several oil-paint washes gave the leather a used look. The belts were made from wine-bottle foil and painted tan.

The engine was painted Humbrol polished steel and lightly buffed with a cotton swab. I plundered my stock of wires salvaged from electrical cords, computers, radios, and monitors, for spark-plug wires.

A sharpened toothpick applied super glue to attach the wires. The plugs were painted with Polly Scale dirty white, and the exhaust pipes with Testors copper enamel. A wash of Tamiya smoke thinned with rubbing alcohol brought out the engine details.

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This aircraft had laminated propellers made from carefully selected wooden boards glued together like a big sandwich. When dry, they were shaped, sanded, balanced, and sealed with varnish. To represent this lamination, I first painted the prop with Model Master wood.

Once that dried, I brushed burnt umber in the direction of the grain to show the darker lamination.

Burnt umber artist’s oils mixed with thinner made a dark wash. About 15 washes were brushed on, building up the wood tone layer after translucent layer until it looked rich and dark.

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Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM) was brushed on the blades to prepare them for decal application. The Axial propeller decals were applied with Solvaset setting solution.

(Note: the A should be pointing to the boss, not away.) Another coat of PFM sealed and added sheen.

The boss was painted with Humbrol polished steel. When that dried, I polished it with a cotton swab. Again, a wash of Tamiya smoke thinned with rubbing alcohol brought out the details.

According to my research, the landing gear cover was made from plywood and didn’t have rib details. I carefully sanded off the kit’s raised lines and added small squares of plastic sheet to represent the jack pads used when changing wheels.

www.FineScale.com

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I fixed some simple issues on the cowling by first removing the locator pins. The center (propeller) hole was too big, so I covered it with a styrene disc and punched a smaller hole for the prop shaft.

A thin strip of metal foil with rivet detail made with a ponce wheel was added to the molded lip to represent the wire that tightened the cowling around the fuselage.

The underside of the fuselage is missing an inspection cover. I rectified this with a strip of foil from a wine bottle. Pressing a thin brass tube into the metal simulated screw heads.

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The bottom fuselage is missing the laces running from behind the landing gear, along the bottom center of the fuselage, and back to the tail. To replicate this, I laid two strips of tape on either side of where the lacing should be …

… and scribed this lace pattern into the plastic with a sharp pin, using the tape as a guide.

The inspection window on the top wing over the main spar is made of .010-inch styrene sheet, sanded thin. Later, a data decal was applied, followed by a layer of PFM. It shows its inspection date and acceptance by the Zentral Abnahme Kommission, or ZAK.

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The kit’s machine guns are very simple with little molded detail. I cut off the molded cooling jackets and replaced them with PE from a detail set by Tom’s Modelworks. Two barrels fabricated from stretched sprue were glued inside the cooling jackets as subassemblies.

I kept the kit’s plastic machine-gun receivers and added styrene sheet and brass detail to them. Both muzzles were cleaned up, drilled out, carefully removed with a razor saw, and added to the cooling jacket front.

I had two 8mm ammo belts in my stash. I trimmed the belts to size and painted them with Humbrol brass, then super glued them to the Spandau guns.

48 FineScale Modeler March 2018

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The Dr.I’s underside was painted light blue, the top and sides a natural linen, and a dark green was applied diagonally with big brushes, leaving a green-streaked pattern.

The dark green is a mix of Humbrol black green with a couple of drops of dark earth.

Using a wide brush wiped almost dry on a paper towel, I brushed the color on at an angle.

The designation I needed was DRI 183/17, not the FI 102/17 supplied. Using a No. 11 blade, I carefully removed the unwanted parts from the decal, applied it with PFM, and let it cure.

Then I painted on the missing letters and numbers with an 18/0 brush.

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The other decals settled in with several applications of Solvaset. A word of caution: This solution is strong and will melt the decals to the surface to make them look painted on.

Make sure you have the decal where you want it — once the solution is applied there is no turning back! The decal will fall apart if you try to move it.

Burnt umber oils showed castor-oil stains and streaks around the engine area.

The Dr.I’s only rigging is located on the axle cover and the area in front of the cockpit, making it a simple detail task. The rigging is clear nylon thread secured with a small drop of thin super glue and painted Humbrol silver.

This was my first WWI aircraft build, and I must confess that I have been bitten by the EAB (Early Aviation Bug). With some scratchbuilding and missing details added, this old kit gets a new lease on life — and a spot on my shelf! FSM www.FineScale.com

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READER GALLERY

▲ BEN GRAY

▼ SCOTT HARVIEUX

FREDERICK, MARYLAND Ben writes, “My father served in the Pacific on a Liberty ship from 1943 through 1946 as a gunner’s mate. After my sister found a picture from 1944 with his gun battery, my brother-in-law sent me a Trumpeter 1/350 scale kit to build my dad’s ship, P. H. Burnett.” Ben used Gold Medal Models photo-etch, rigged with EZ Line, and scratchbuilt pulleys, blocks, and other features from styrene stock. He painted with Testors Model Master colors he says are a near-perfect match to spec.

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA “Few have dominated their sport as Valentino Rossi has in Moto GP racing,” writes Scott, who built Italeri’s 1/6 scale 2003 Honda RC211V as Rossi’s ride at Valencia in his last world championship with Honda.

He stripped chrome from the frame and its molded features and repainted with Testors Model Master aluminum. Same for the prepainted fuel tank and rear fender, which are refinished with a mix of Testors Boyd aluma pearl and medium green.

50 FineScale Modeler March 2018

▼ DARRELL MENZER

SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN “Between Missions” is what Darrell calls his 1/48 scale vignette featuring a Hasegawa P-51D, Bandai Willys jeep, Tamiya 2½-ton 6 x 6 fuel truck, and Verlinden USAAF fighter pilots. He cited six FineScale Modeler articles for advice on modeling the Mustang, and Kalmbach Publishing’s Model Railroader magazine as his guide to static grass for the base.

▲ MIKE WALSTON

BRADENTON, FLORIDA A year ago, Mike’s model won FSM’s Imperial March Madness with 55% of the vote. He writes: “I modified Revell’s 1/2,256 scale Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Republic Star Destroyer, adding a flight deck to the top that would appear later in The Clone Wars. I cut open the fuselage top and made doors from 1⁄16-inch plastic. Cutting 36 slots for hangar bays, I backlit them with blue and white LEDs.” Mike designed details for the landing strip and hangar floor in CorelDraw and installed similar details and LEDs in other parts of the ship. ◀ DONG PHUONG

DA NANG, VIETNAM A figure from MasterClub is entrenched in Dong’s 1/35 scale scene from the Battle of Verdun. “I wanted to show a scene of daily life,” says Dong, “gloomy and swampy.” He built the base and finished with airbrushed enamels and handbrushed acrylics, and artist’s oils for washes and weathering. www.FineScale.com

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BUILDER BASICS

By Aaron Skinner

FILLING GAPS with super glue

The powerful adhesive is also great for eliminating voids

BY AARON SKINNER

S

uper glue (known formally as cyanoacrylate, or CA, glue) is a multipurpose modeling adhesive essential for joining nonplastic materials, such as resin and photoetch, where solvent glues won’t work. Some builders even use super glue in place of conventional model glue for assembly.

But super glue also is a terrific and versatile filler that can quickly eliminate most seams. Unlike old-school modeling putties which can take hours to cure, super glue sets within minutes — or instantly, with the help of accelerator. Plus, super glue dries at least as hard as plastic, so it can be scribed; putty has a tendency to chip at the edge of a scribed line. That hardness also means it accepts paint like plastic, so filled areas completely disappear.

Here are a few tips and tricks for using super glue as a filler.

1 For most filling, I use medium-viscosity super glue. Squeeze a little onto a disposable palette like a coffee lid and replace the cap immediately.

52 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Super glue is available in three basic viscosities — thin, medium, and thick — that take progressively longer to set. Thin glue dries within a few seconds, whereas the thick stuff can take up to a minute.

2 A round toothpick works perfectly to apply the glue. After breaking off a tip, I split the shaft about 1⁄16 inch with a hobby knife.

3 For fine gaps that should remain panel lines, like the wing root on Hasegawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1/72 scale Beaufighter, I touch the applicator to the seam and let glue flow into it. Done right, it may not need sanding.

5 To speed setting, I use accelerator. Dip a micro brush in the thin liquid and touch it to the surface above the join so it runs into the glue. If you touch it directly to the glue, it will set in the brush.

7 The joint is blended when the glue and plastic appear uniformly dull; unsanded glue is shiny. To restore the recessed edge of the flap that was partially filled, I draw a razor saw or scriber along the line.

9 For larger gaps, sprinkle baking soda or Deluxe Materials Rocket Powder into the gap before or after glue is applied. In addition to speeding drying, these additives add bulk to the cement.

4 Large gaps and those in areas that should be solid, such as the joins under the Beaufighter that cross the flaps, require more glue. I let it flow across a little of the surface on either side of the join for easier blending.

6 After blotting away accelerator, I immediately sand the filler. It sands easily now; but if you wait too long, the glue becomes extremely hard and difficult to remove without damaging the surrounding plastic.

8 Super glue is perfect for filling pinholes in resin, like these on the road wheel of an APC kit. The glue flows into the holes and naturally levels off. Larger voids may need a second application.

10 Super glue is clear, so it can be difficult to see not only where you are applying it but where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve sanded. One solution is to add a little powdered graphite to color the adhesive. FSM www.FineScale.com

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

By Mark Hembree Masking tape unmasked Q “Masking made easy,” by Pat Villarreal (Dec. 2017 FSM) looked like a cool article and could actually prove useful for a project or two. However, what the heck kind of tape is it? It’s thin and dispensed from some kind of holder with a pull/cutter edge.

Otherwise there is no clue to generic type, brand, or source. Please advise.

– Jeff Hartman Kansas City, Mo. A Not stated in the article, but obvious in the pictures, the yellow tape is Tamiya’s thin tape, generically known as kabuki tape. Tamiya is not the only brand, but it is probably the most popular for its pliability.

Thanks for asking. We’ll keep trying to get it right (or explain it again in the next issue if we don’t).

Stash for cash?

Q What is the best way to sell model kits?

– John Pabst Broadway, Va.

Once you’ve chosen a kit, you won’t need much to start building it: styrene cement, white glue, super glue (with debonder, of course), parts clipper, sanding sticks and paper, hobby knife, and a tweezers. A purpose-bent coat hanger serves as a paint stand.

What is a good way to start?

Q

What is the best subject to choose for a first model? A tank? An airplane? (Biplanes look difficult.) What would you recommend?

– Lindsey Woodworth Carbondale, Ill.

A

This is a dangerous one to answer. As soon as I say one is easier than another, people who build that one will let me know I am not taking their models seriously. But here goes …

First off, build what you like. You’re probably more familiar with it, and knowing what it’s supposed to look like when it’s done is a great advantage.

For that reason, and perhaps for parts count, a simple car kit might be a good bet. If you can put a one-piece body on a chassis and mount all four wheels, aligned, without getting glue all over everything, it will look pretty good. What makes expert car modelers experts is how they can elevate basic components to excellence.

But painting an auto can be tricky.

Some may prefer to start with armor because, unlike cars, armored fighting

54 FineScale Modeler March 2018

vehicles don’t require a showroom shine.

And they are frequently one color. A 1/35 scale Sherman or a Stuart (Tamiya makes easy-to-build kits of both) with one-piece vinyl tracks might be a good place to start.

Still, armor, airplanes, ships, and many car kits may have a daunting number of parts and complexity that will make you wish you had chosen a biplane.

Some manufacturers will indicate a system of skill levels on the box, and a few even have a beginner’s series of kits, such as Revell’s EasyKit and HobbyBoss’ “Easy Assembly” series. These can be an easy entry into the hobby.

Visit FineScale.com for articles to get you going: “Start — or restart — your modeling” provides an overview of what you’ll need, and our FSM Basics series will fill you in on modeling fundamentals.

A We make no business recommendations.

However, if there’s a better way to sell your models than eBay — other than opening a hobby shop that attracts a lot of people — I am not aware of it. Several venues are available for this, mostly online, but we don’t have clear advice to offer on that.

I can tell you that when people ask the best way to deal with a large heirloom collection (usually after the modeler is set to move out of his home or has passed away) we suggest they contact a local modeling club. I have seen a few collections like this move through our local club by auction. It takes a lot of time and effort, and, believe it or not, the stuff doesn’t move that fast or for very much.

Sorry I don’t have happier news. On the other hand, this may confirm what I suspect you already know — that your model collection is more valuable to you than anyone else. FSM GOT A MODELING PROBLEM? Our Questions & Answers column is here to help. E-mail questions@finescale.com, or visit FineScale.com and click on “Contact Us.” We are not able to conduct lengthy research, such as answering questions on markings and unit histories. Mail volume and space limitations prevent us from printing every question. Please include your name, town, state, and a daytime phone number.

READER TIPS

By Elizabeth Nash

A flexible brace for sandpaper Monitor as photo backdrop I use a 27.5-inch by 15.5-inch flat screen computer monitor as a photo backdrop for my models. This simple six-step process makes it easy: 1. Take a photograph or find an existing photograph that would look convincing as a background for the model. For example, I took a picture of the Ogeechee River to serve as the background for a model steamboat. Or I’ll use cloudscapes for aircraft models. Keep in mind that if you use images from the internet in a published photo, you may have copyright problems.

2. Display the image on the monitor using the full-screen function.

One problem with this method is that a moire pattern is sometimes visible (a series of curved lines which appear in a digital photograph on a monitor). Moving the camera back and zooming in helps get rid of this pattern.

– Timothy Canney Savannah, Ga.

Recycle e-juice bottles Hold onto the bottles that once held e-vapor/juice/liquid for electronic cigarettes and use them for mixing and storing paint for airbrushes. I repurpose all my bottles and they have always worked well.

– Jack Jones Williamsburg, Ohio

Masking with foam 3. Position the model or diorama in front of the monitor.

4. Put the camera on a tripod about 5.5 feet from the screen.

5. Zoom in until the subject almost fills the view finder. To reduce blur, set the timer on the camera shutter and stand back.

For those oddly shaped openings that need to be masked, try using foam from the fabric section of your local craft store.

I find that it cuts easily with a sharp knife. You can then use a knife point or other pointed tool to stuff the foam into the opening.

The foam is easy to remove, too.

– Jim James Winter Garten, Fla.

6. Take lots of pictures!

Detail painting with a Sharpie HAVE A TIP OR TECHNIQUE TO SHARE? Send a brief description along with a photo to 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.

As a new modeler of aircraft, I have found the most difficult part of the build is painting the trim on the canopy.

Recently, I discovered a unique and easier way to accomplish this task: A finepoint Sharpie black permanent marker easily details the small trim. All of my canopies look great, thanks to this pen.

– Larry E. Linley, USAF MSGT Ret. Springville, Ala.

While browsing through my local auto-parts store, I came across a useful tool for wetsanding my models: a semihard rubber rectangle that is used for spreading auto body putty and resin.

In the photo above, I have placed two pieces of this rubber on their sides to show that one edge of the rectangle is already beveled.

First, I cut the rubber piece into different widths. Next, I cut my sandpaper to match the rubber’s width and long enough to wrap around the piece 1.5 times — the extra bit of length helps me hold the sandpaper in place.

The rubber is just flexible enough to allow the sandpaper to do its job without harming the plastic.

Now I am able to get into tight spaces that were impossible to reach before and sand to my heart’s content.

– Terry Davis Bremerton, Wash. www.FineScale.com

55

WORKBENCH REVIEWS FSM experts build and evaluate new kits

Takom M3 Lee

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s war heated up in Europe, Africa, and Asia, the U.S. military realized it needed better weapons to meet the threats. The M3 medium tank was developed from the M2 light tank design but carried a 75mm gun. Because the U.S. did not have a turret capable of holding the gun, it was mounted in a sponson on the right side of the hull. A smaller turret carried a 37mm gun, sometimes with a .30-caliber coaxial machine gun (as on this model).

Although the M3 was fast becoming obsolete, it still proved an effective weapon against the Germans in North Africa.

Named Lee in U.S. service, the M3 with British modifications was dubbed Grant.

For decades, modelers have desired a better model of the M3 tank â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and now 56 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Takom has taken up the challenge and produced a decent M3 Lee. While the lower hull is conventionally molded as a one-piece tub with front and back plates, the complex upper hull comprises several panels that take great care in assembly. There is a good representation of the cast-metal surface and casting marks where appropriate. The suspension is accurate and features link-and-length plastic tracks. A small photo-etch (PE) fret includes the engine grille and delicate guards for the headlights. Decals are for four Lees: three in U.S. markings and one Lend-Lease Soviet vehicle.

The small instruction booklet has good diagrams and a full-color guide for painting and markings. But my 65-year-old eyes wish the instruction booklet was larger.

I started with the lower hull. The suspension assemblies are tricky but with care they are operable, though not sprung like the real ones. I left off the running gear until after basic painting.

Rather than follow the instructions, I took Chris Mroskoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice from an FSM New Product Rundown video and built the upper hull assembly as a separate unit in one sitting, using glue that set fast but allowed time for fitting (I used Weld-On 3). I left off details until the upper hull was together. Everything fit well, with only two tiny gaps at the rear plate that were easily filled with a bit of putty.

The main gun has a linkage that I think is supposed to move the gunsight (atop the hull) as the gun is traversed; my gun and sight both move, but they do so indepen-

dently. The PE fits well, and there’s even a form for bending the headlight guards.

The turret is a quick build. While all of the hatches on the vehicle may be posed open and have detail on their undersides, there is no interior.

Ever since seeing the short-lived reverse national markings in a photo from 1930s war games, I’ve wanted to do a vehicle in that scheme. The decals are a little thick; I had to use Micro Sol, Solvaset, and a hair dryer to make a decal conform to the turret top. If you look closely, you’ll notice the edges of the blue serial-number decals.

I installed the running gear, then attached the tracks. A jig is provided to produce the slight sag behind the drive sprockets. Not all of the single track links are the same: 12 of them (L3) have right-

angle end connectors and are used for the sag in the upper run. The rest (L4) have connectors angled for the bends in the tracks (nice touch). The tracks fit well, but the movable suspension complicates their installation.

Aided by good fits and the one-color paint scheme, I spent only 18 hours on my M3 Lee. The finished model matched published dimensions.

While it’s not a difficult build, beginners might have problems with the upper hull.

Still, thanks to Takom, modelers finally have a worthy M3 Lee. Takom has already announced several M3 variants, including a Grant, an M31 recovery vehicle, and a late Lee. I suspect I’ll add them all to my collection.

– John Plzak

Kit: No. 2085 Scale: 1/35 Mfg.: Takom, www.takom-world.com Price: $50.99 Comments: Injectionmolded, 331 parts (28 PE), decals Pros: Link-and-length tracks; clear headlight lenses; mandrel for forming PE headlight guards Cons: Tricky multipart upper hull; decals a little thick, small placement diagrams

www.FineScale.com

57

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Meng F-35A Lightning II

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here is a plethora of F-35s available to modelers in various scales.

I’ve built two so far, the wonderful Academy 1/72 scale kit and now the equally beautiful 1/48 scale Meng kit of the A variant.

Upon opening the box you are treated to several blue-gray sprues, an instruction booklet, a beautiful decal sheet by Cartograf for two aircraft, a separate color guide, and a small fret of photo-etch (PE).

Weapon pylons for the wings are provided, but no weapons for them. Only test aircraft had these, which rendered the aircraft’s RCS (radar cross section) more visible. I’ve read complaints that the tape to seal the panel gaps is too thick, but less depth would make masking difficult. Since it took me 16 hours to mask and paint this kit, I’m glad the tape is a bit thick.

The cockpit is the first order of business.

There isn’t much there — just like the real one. Seat belts are PE, and the 20 x 8-inch PCD (Panoramic Cockpit Display) is a fully lighted decal. Separate throttle, side stick, rudder pedals, and multipart ejection seat are detailed and fit well.

Wheel wells and landing gear are simple and well represented. Instructions say to attach the landing gear and wheels (which are not bulged) before joining the fuselage top and bottom, but I deviated from that.

The wells fit great in the lower fuselage.

Intake tunnels to the compressor blades are designed so well that when you glue the halves together there is no visible seam.

58 FineScale Modeler March 2018

Hats off to Meng, since this can be a chore on other models. A large stiffener is provided to keep the intakes aligned for a seamless fit into the lower fuselage.

After gluing the cockpit into the upper fuselage, I cemented top and bottom. Open and closed refueling doors are provided.

Next is assembly of the wings and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. The only option here is the horizontal stabilizer, which can be posed at 0 degrees or 10 degrees down. One complaint with the kit is that the vertical stabilizers have a 50% insert that gets glued in. This incorporated some of the details, and I had to remove the RCS tape to remove the seam. I looked at photos to see where the RCS tape would be and painted it back on.

The only other complaint involved the two PE parts that are supposed to re-create what’s inside the exhaust nozzle.

The exhaust tube is a single-piece affair, with great-looking turbine blades and nothing else. The PE fits just aft of the exhaust tube and looks to cover any detail inside. I understand this: Not many people know what the exhaust really looks like. Meng was trying to do its best. But I would have left it out, just because it looks better.

The weapon bays are well detailed, with separate parts that enhance the overall detail, and beautifully reproduced options of either GBU-35s or AIM-120Cs. But since I like a “clean” look, and the fit of the doors was so good, I decided to close them.

Separate closed doors also are available for the nose gear, but not for the main gear.

I cemented all the external bits, such as pitot tubes and other sensitive items, before painting. Painting is straightforward but tedious — 16 hours — because of masking.

Color callouts seem accurate, but they are for AK Interactive and GSI Creos Acrysion paints. I used Testors Model Master gunship gray and dark gull gray.

I wanted an F-35 in 1/48 scale, and this is it. The model has wonderful fits and great details. It’s the first Meng kit I’ve built, and I would gladly build another. It looks great in a collection.

– Caleb Horn

Kit: No. LS-007 Scale: 1/48 Mfg.: Meng, www.meng-model.com Price: $69.99 Comments: Injectionmolded, 233 parts (3 PE), decals Pros: Great details, fits, and decals; full intakes; clear instructions Cons: Fitting vertical stabilizer inserts removes detail

AFV Club HAWK MIM-23

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ince aircraft first appeared over the battlefield, ground forces have sought protection. The U.S. Army put the Homing All-The-Way Killer (HAWK) system in service in 1959; the U.S. Marine Corps followed suit in 1960.

Missiles were designated MIM-23A, the launcher M192.

AFV Club now has released the first 1/35 scale plastic kit of the HAWK system, with injection-molded parts in dark green, vinyl tires, a small photo-etch (PE) sheet, two polycaps, and a vinyl hose. Crisply molded, the parts show no flash; all knockout marks are well hidden. There are several mold seams to clean up, but make sure you don’t remove any of the fine detail.

There are many microscopic parts, and AFV Club has included extras for some of them in case they disappear. Paint callouts are for GSI Creos, Humbrol, Revell, and LifeColor colors. Four marking choices are shown in color profiles, with five side views of the trailer and four side views of the missile. Two photos show placement of cables that are represented by the vinyl tubing. A color sheet of the box art also is included.

Before starting on the trailer, you will have to decide on showing it deployed or in transport mode; I chose the deployed version. Assembly started with the outrigger arms, which were then sandwiched between

the floor of the trailer and the upper part of the one-piece trailer. Caution is needed around the outriggers, which stick out from the trailer.

Removing delicate parts from the trees is troublesome, especially parts E21 and the hand brakes C26 and C27. I broke C27 and replaced part of it with wire. Oddly, many of the parts for the transport mode are on one of the three A sprues, thus leaving many parts in the box.

The lack of air-brake cables is curious: They are shown in the artwork and in the detail picture in Step 19, but not in the assembly. I used left-over vinyl tubing for these. If you show the model deployed, the remote launcher box is included. But you will have to supply the cable to attach it to the trailer.

The launcher unit is straightforward.

But in Step 17, instead of gluing the end connecter (E24) to the vinyl tube I glued it to the launcher; I glued the vinyl tubes after painting.

Assembly of the missiles is where the engineering of this model really shines. The rockets are molded in halves, and the mold seam is covered by molding strip. The nose cones fit so well I left them off to paint separately. Control fins remain movable by sandwiching them between the body of the missile and the tail cone. Two different wings are included in the kit, but the directions do not specify which ones go with which markings. After studying the painting diagrams, I deduced that A14 is for

Kit: No. 35283 Scale: 1/35 Mfg.: AFV Club, www.afvclub.com.tw Price: $67 Comments: Injectionmolded, 278 parts (7 PE, 5 vinyl), decals Pros: Easy assembly; excellent detail Cons: Many small parts; balky decals

marking choice B, while A15 is for the other three sets of markings. I did leave the wings off for painting; they snapped into place afterward.

The four marking choices are: USMC during Desert Storm; U.S. Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis; Republic of China (Taiwan) air force; and Israeli air force. I chose the U.S. Army markings.

The decals were in good register, and even some of the smallest stencils were legible. I did have some silvering; multiple setting solutions got those decals to settle.

This model was the perfect change of pace, with a relatively low parts count and easy assembly. I spent 29 hours on it, mostly for painting and decals. If AFV Club will release some of the support vehicles, we’ll have a complete battery.

– Mike Scharf

www.FineScale.com

59

WORKBENCH REVIEWS

IBG Models PZL.23A Karaś

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n all-new tool from IBG Models of Poland represents the PZL.23A Karaś, primary reconnaissance and light bomber of the Polish air force at the onset of World War II. Molded in light tan plastic, the parts feature fine recessed panel lines and excellent surface detail. Clear parts are thin with crisply molded framing that should aid in masking. A small fret of photoetched (PE) parts complement the plastic details; a decal sheet with two marking options completes the inventory.

Instructions are excellent, with CAD renderings of the individual parts and assemblies clearly showing each of the 13 steps.

Painting guidance is minimal, so try to find some good references. (I didn’t have much luck in that respect.)

Work starts with the interior parts, beginning with the rear gunner’s mount.

The individual parts are all well done, but some are quite small and have no real positive locating points. I drilled a small hole in the top of the machine gun to locate the tiny PE sight. The main floor comprises three pieces which took a little jigging to keep them aligned while the glue set. Most of the interior was painted khaki as instructed, with details picked out as I thought appropriate. There is a decal for the instrument panel and two other panels, but no mention in the instructions as to placement. One appears to be for the box which mounts inside the canopy, and the other for the box mounted under Part B16. Make note! When assembling the box (radio?) to 60 FineScale Modeler March 2018

mount inside the canopy, make sure the open end of the box is down. I didn’t, and now you can see the open end through the canopy. The completed cockpit is well detailed right out of the box.

Construction of the wings is normal, with a full lower section and upper halves; fit is near perfect and trailing edges are nice and thin. The instructions would next have you attach the completed cockpit to the center section of the lower wing, then add the fuselage halves one side at a time. I chose the more conventional method of gluing the fuselage together, then inserting the cockpit, and had no trouble. There was a slight gap along the top of the wing-toroot join, but it was easily remedied by supporting the wingtips on some blocks and balancing a small weight on top of the fuselage, then flowing Tamiya thin cement into the joint.

There are a couple of options for the landing gear — completely faired or open — but no information is given for the open version, although that’s what is shown in the box art. I did need just a touch of filler on the seam after attaching the belly-gunner cupola. A small PE support for the tail skid and optional bombs complete the model.

Using Testors enamels, I painted aircraft gray underneath and Afrika khaki topside.

Decals went on well but were rather unresponsive to setting solutions and didn’t suck into the details as well as I would have liked.

The model matches published dimensions and is easy enough for a beginner who has built a few kits.

Part of what I like most about doing reviews is that I am introduced to subjects and manufacturers that I probably would have overlooked. I must admit this one isn’t something I would have given a second look — but that would have been a shame, because it’s really a gem of a kit. The fact that it’s probably not something you’ll see at many shows is pretty cool, too! I’m impressed with the quality and detail, and I really enjoyed the entire process. I know IBG has a PZL.37 medium bomber in the works, and I definitely will have to check it out!

– Mike Klessig

Kit: No. 72505 Scale: 1/72 Mfg.: IBG Models, www.ibgmodels.com Price: $21.95 Comments: Injectionmolded, 86 parts (15 PE), decals Pros: Excellent surface detail, fit Cons: Some very tiny bits; minimal paint instruction

Trumpeter F-106A Delta Dart

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rumpeter’s F-106A features recessed panel lines and options that include a choice of open or closed canopy and weapons bay.

The inner surfaces of the speed-brake petals have molded-in detail but aren’t separate parts, and no operating mechanism is included in the kit. An armament package of AIR-2A Genies, IR-guided AIM-5F Falcons, and radar-guided AIM-5G Falcons is given, plus the trapeze-like launch rails to display the Falcons in the extended load-or-launch positions. The launch rails aren’t designed to be posed retracted.

The cockpit builds up into a nice little module, though the seat could use lap belts and more detail. Decals and raised detail for panels and consoles are excellent. The area behind the cockpit is a shelf with no detail except the canopy actuator, but once the canopy’s in place it’s not very visible anyway.

There’s nice detail in the wheel wells and the missile bay. The nose gear strut has to be built into the well box, so it is extended for the rest of the build, which potentially gets in the way of handling. The cockpit and nose wheel well are tight fits and have to be sandwiched together into the fuselage halves.

My sample kit had fit issues: The left

intake didn’t fit well, but the right one was perfect. The three-part wing’s lower center section fit poorly around the lower intakes and exhibited a mismatch with the outer wing surfaces. Other fit issues were smaller, such as a few locating pins that didn’t fit their receiving holes in size or spacing and had to be sanded or trimmed to fit. The upper wings fit the area-rule fuselage contours perfectly. The multipart landing gear is nicely detailed and looks terrific when built up, and there’s nice detail on the wheel well doors, though the inner main gear doors lack actuating rod mechanisms. The lower rotating beacon is absent.

Trumpeter has taken the welcome step of listing five paint equivalents for each color in the painting and markings guide — a nice touch which helps eliminate guesswork. I used Tamiya acrylics and chose the Michigan Air Guard scheme from the kit’s three decal options.

I deemed the blue of the first insignia I applied too light, so I substituted aftermarket insignia for the remaining three. The decals worked great, though the black ones with their single ink color were thin and tended to fold back on themselves. The overstrike decals with multiple layers of ink (like the yellow) were hardier and easy to apply. All settled into the recessed detail

Kit: No. 01682 Scale: 1/72 Mfg.: Trumpeter, www.trumpeter-china.com Price: $47.95 Comments: Injection-molded, 121 parts, decals Pros: Nice decals, cockpit; multipart gear and missiles Cons: Fit issues with the lower-wing center section and some of the locating pins

just fine. Stenciling was provided.

The windshield on my sample wouldn’t fit well until I removed the radar sight and recorder from the glare shield and sanded down its base a little.

Accurate in outline and appearance, Trumpeter’s Dart scales out well. Not a complicated kit — the fit issues I had just feed the old argument of “modeling” versus “assembling.” This one took me a little longer to complete (22 hours) than others its size and qualifies as a modeling project.

– Walt Fink

www.FineScale.com

61

Sword FJ-3 Fury

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or decades I’ve been pining (sometimes loudly) for an injectionmolded FJ-3 Fury. Finally, Sword has come to the rescue with its new Fury family of kits. Released simultaneously with the similarly missile-armed FJ-3M and the slightly different FJ-2, Sword’s Furies fill a significant gap in U.S. Navy jet fighter model collections Sword’s Fury, like many limited-run plastic kits, is not a precision-fit kit. Nearly every part needs work to attain an acceptable fit.

The cockpit interior is adequate and features a two-piece resin ejection seat with no harness. There is a noticeable lack of detail behind the seat, though.

Kit: No. 12550 Scale: 1/72 Mfg.: Sword, swordmodels.cz Price: $29.99 Comments: Injectionmolded, 79 parts (2 resin), decals Pros: Fine recessed panel line details; good interior; proper wing for this type; good shapes; colorful markings Cons: Subpar fit overall; poor intake trunk and nose-gear strut; missing notches on wingtips for navigation lights; wriggly decals

62 FineScale Modeler March 2018

The fuselage halves line up pretty well, but the intake trunk is too round in cross section to fit properly into the lips of the rectangular intake of the fuselage. Work on improving the fit of the intake trunk before closing the fuselage, and don’t worry about the trunk reaching the rear bulkhead underneath the cockpit. The instructions don’t mention it, but I added a little weight to the nose.

I am impressed that Sword reflects the different intake and wing shapes in its Fury kits. The FJ-2 kit comes with the smaller intake and early narrow-chord, slatted wing (although the aerodynamic slats are molded shut), while the FJ-3 and FJ-3M kits come with the taller intake and wing with the “6-3” chord, fixed, and cambered leading edge featured on late -3 Furies. This kit’s wing also has finely molded barrier catchers molded to the leading edges (although there should be an additional one near each wingtip). They are really tiny and thin, and you’ll have difficulty preserving them through all the gluing and seam-sanding.

Also on this wing are mid-span leadingedge fences, little horseshoe-shaped items separately molded on the sprues. All of the fences in my two -3 Furies arrived broken.

Just as well — their openings were too narrow to fit around the leading edges of the wing. There were no indicating lines or slots in the wing to determine where the fences should go; after further study, I found I had glued mine on about ¼ inch outboard of the proper locations.

Interestingly, there are clear lenses for

the wingtip navigation lights but no notches for them on the wing. The notches are on the FJ-2 kit’s wing, though. I just painted my lights.

The main gear struts and doors are OK, but the nose-gear strut is molded with the oleo cylinder completely compressed. To make up for that shortfall, the section above the oleo is way too long. I had to cut off about 4mm from the top to make the model sit right. Also, the instructions show the placement of the separate oleo scissors on the left side of the strut and the damper spring on the right; they are opposite. But it’s an easy fix, as there are no designated holes or pins for them.

Fitting the canopy is a problem. The part that covers the pit behind the seat has a shallow-peaked ridge along its length that prevents the sliding canopy from fitting, either opened or closed. I shaved off the ridge. The front edge of the windscreen fits poorly to the top of the nose and requires careful filing.

The last hurdle was the decals.

Beautifully printed, Sword’s decals are thin but too supple — moving them into position made them warp, tear, and fold over on themselves.

Despite the problems, it sure is an attractive model! Now that I know the problem areas, I’ll do better next time. I clocked 28 hours on my first Fury. It’s about a scale foot too long, and photos show the kit’s cannon ports are molded a couple of millimeters too far back on the nose. So, for my second Fury model …

– Paul Boyer

AFV Club F-CK-1 Ching-kuo

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esigned and manufactured in Taiwan, the “Ching-kuo” Indigenous Defense Fighter came into existence due to a U.S. arms agreement with China. However, the inspiration and influence of the F-16 design is obvious.

Taiwan is the only operator of this aircraft; both single- and two-seat versions have been produced and have seen service.

AFV Club presents a new tool of this interesting little aircraft in 1/48 scale; previously, the only one was a basic representation from Zhengdefu.

Opening the box reveals a lot of parts for such a small aircraft! Some are tiny and require extra care to ensure they do not fly into oblivion. The gear-door actuating arms are particularly small, and I must confess the miniscule throttle is MIA. Closer inspection reveals several exterior surfaces have a general roughness that demands sanding if you want a smooth surface to paint.

A big letdown of this kit are the resin instrument panel and side panel — almost as though the master were some porous foam, with soft detail and rough texture.

There is beautifully molded plastic for these parts, but they are for the F-CK-1A, not the F-CK-1C called out on the decal sheet.

Otherwise, cockpit detail is sharp, accurate, and receives paints well. Photo-etched or fabric seat belts would be the only thing worth adding.

Construction was a breeze: Everything fit well with just the smallest smear of filler

in a few areas where sprue attachment points marred the finish.

If you want the canopy closed, the inner canopy rails (Part D11) will prevent it; omit the rails and the fit is fine.

Interestingly, there are no alignment pins for the missiles on their rails. A diagram shows where the end of the missile should be, but there is no other indicator.

The missile rails have nice detail on their faces (though it is hidden by the missiles themselves). Somehow, the slots that are supposed to accept the separate forward fins on the AIM-9P4 Sidewinder and TC-1 Sky Sword are not long enough for the fins. The centerline-mounted TC-2 Sky Sword II missiles are mounted on trapezes that can be either retracted or extended.

Air-to-ground munitions will have to be obtained from other sources.

Detail in the wheel wells/undercarriage is well done. The mount of all parts is solid and secure, and can wait until after painting. Air brakes can be shown deployed or closed.

The air brake on the F-CK-1 (and F-16) has a small “eyelid” cover in front of the brake panel on the underside. This is the only kit that I am aware of that correctly depicts this cover as a separate piece, allowing it to be correctly set in the open position.

AFV Club has a novel idea of supplying a sheet of red vinyl to make Remove Before Flight tags. You cut the material into thin strips, punch a hole in one end, and apply

Kit: No. 48108 Scale: 1/48 Mfg.: AFV Club, www.afvclub.com.tw Price: $60 Comments: Injectionmolded, 222 parts (9 PE, 4 resin), decals Pros: Mostly easy construction Cons: Rough exterior surfaces, poorly cast instrument panels

decals to both sides for the appropriate script.

The kit’s decals worked quite well and responded favorably to GSI Creos Mr. Mark Softer and Mr. Mark Setter. There are four sets of markings provided, all of which are for the -C (or MLU) version of the aircraft.

This is a terrific little kit that occupied approximately 30 hours of enjoyable bench time. There are no real pitfalls to watch out for during construction, since everything fits pretty well.

I’ve wanted to add this aircraft to my collection for years. AFV Club has brought us a kit that is easy to build and reflects the design and look of the aircraft very well. I will more than likely build a two-seat F-CK-1D as well!

– Matthew Walker

www.FineScale.com

63

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Send Your Ads To: FineScale Modeler â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Classified Marketplace, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Phone toll-free: 1-888-558-1544, Ext. 815, or fax: 262-796-0126.

E-mail: onlineclassads@kalmbach.com

Closing Date: April 2018 closes January 15, May closes March 15, July closes April 19, September closes June 18.

COMING EVENTS FL, VENICE: 23rd Annual Show and Contest, IPMS/Wings, Wheels & Keels Model Club, at Woodmere Park Center. (Just off Jacaranda Blvd.,Exit 193 off I-750) Saturday, March 24, 2018, 9:00am-3:00pm. Outstanding RafďŹ&#x201A;e! $10.00 entrance fee for unlimited models. Free Admission. For information contact Randy 941-456-5062. For vendor information contact John 941-807-0003 or email: boston4550@yahoo.com NV, LAS VEGAS: IPMS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best of the West, Prelude to Phoenix Nationalsâ&#x20AC;?. Eastside Cannery, 5255 Boulder Hwy. Saturday May 5, 2018, 9:00am-4:30pm. $10.00 for 3 entries, $2.00 each additional, free unlimited display. On-site model review booth.

Get your models tunded-up for the Nationals. Facebook â&#x20AC;&#x153;IPMS Las Vegasâ&#x20AC;?. Vendors, more info; ipmslv.org or 702-296-9976 OH, WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB: April 7, 2018. Hope Hotel and Conference Center. Scale Model Show hosted by Wright Field Scale Modelers. RafďŹ&#x201A;e, Special Awards, Huge Vendor Area, Seminars, and more, just minutes from the National Museum of the US Air Force. Full details at www.wrightcon.com. Contact: Brian Duddy, 937-331-8135, or contact@ipmsdayton.com

www.colpar.com COLPARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HobbyTown USA To order call: 1-800-876-0414 1915 S. Havana St. For information: 303-341-0414 Aurora, Co 80014

WI, MADISON: Mad City Modelers 23rd Annual Model Show, Madison Labor Temple, 1602 S. Park Street. Saturday, March 3, 2018. 9am-4pm. Theme Award - The 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. 57 Categories; 13 Best Awards; Huge General RafďŹ&#x201A;e + Grand Prize RafďŹ&#x201A;e.

Food on site, vendors, and slideshow awards presentation. Info: Bill Wedeward (920) 478-8214; williamwedeward@yahoo.com or madcitymodelers.clubhosting.org CANADA, BRAMPTON, ONTARIO: Torcan 2018 Model Contest. Century Gardens Recreation Centre, 340 Vodden St. E. Saturday, May 26, 2018, 9:00am-5:00pm. General Admission $5.00, children 12 & under free. Contestant Admission: Adult $15.00 includes 3 models, $2.00 each additional entry. Junior $7.00 includes 3 models, $1.00 each additional entry. Hosted

by Peel Scale Modelers. Visit www.TorcanModelShow.com or info@peelscalemodelers.com

FOR SALE ATLANTIS MAIL ORDER HOBBY SUPPLY Deep Discounts on Thousands of New kits, Discontinued and Closeout items. Send $2.95 to 9 Connor Lane Unit-G Deer Park, NY 11729 OR CALL 631-499-6733 M-F 11-4PM est. You can also visit www.atlantis-models.com to order the Catalog.

ATTENTION KIT BUILDERS: If you are missing something in your collection check this out! Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over 500, (some hard to ďŹ nd) models, 1/72 and 1/48 scale, plus over 100 decal sets available to be sold individually at fair prices. For a complete list categorized by scale send a SASE for $1.61 to: Bob Twistol, 5005 Briar Oaks Circle, Orlando, Florida 32808. Questions?

Call 407-491-1586 or E-mail jetpilotf105@yahoo.com AVIATION ART STORE Famous American, Allied and Axis Aviator limited edition prints. Rare signatures of French, Italian, and Japanese aviators. Aviationartstore.com CANOPY MASKING AND MORE! WWW.EZMASKS.COM List $3.00. Chris Loney, 75 Golf Club Rd., Smiths Falls, ON, Canada K7A 4S5. 613-283-5206, ezmasks@gmail.com NEW! WOODEN SHIP MODEL KITS BlueJacket Shipcrafters, Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest maker of wooden ship model kits has launched several new kits including the Pauline sardine carrier, USS Cairo ironclad civil war gunboat, the Revenue Cutter of 1815, the J/24, and coming soon, the Perry! Visit us at www.bluejacketinc.com to see these and our more than 75 other ship model kits for everyone from beginner to master craftsman.

Experience Wooden Ship Modeling!

SHIP AND AIRCRAFT MODELS. Built for display. For additional information contact, Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ 07605. www.modelshipsbyrayguinta.com THOUSANDS OF MODEL KITS for sale. All types from Old Aurora to new releases. Send a $.70 SASE to: Dean Sills, 116 N. Washington, Owosso, MI 48867. Specify Military List. Phone: 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com

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

E-mail don@donblack.com AIRCRAFT, ARMOR, SCI-FI, FIGURES, AUTO, ETC. Buying kit collections, large or small, worldwide. Top prices paid. Call Jim Banko 610-814-2784 or mail list to 122 Independence Ct., Bethlehem, PA 18020, fax 610-439-4141. E-mail: cth1@prodigy.net I WANT TO BUY YOUR UNBUILT MODEL KITS. Any size collection. Dean Sills, 116 N. Washington St. Owosso, MI 48867. 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com MODEL CAR AND TRUCK KITS. Unbuilt or built. Any size collection. Good prices paid. Please contact: Fred Sterns, 48 Standish, Buffalo, NY 14216. Phone: 716-838-6797. Fax: 716-836-6057. E-mail: fsterns@aol.com

MISCELLANEOUS

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

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

Visit FineScale.com today!

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

ALASKA • Anchorage

907-277-7778

ARKANSAS • Jacksonville

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

Discounts & special orders.

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

RAIL & SPRUE HOBBIES

501-982-6836

CALIFORNIA • Burbank

818-848-3674

CALIFORNIA • Canoga Park

Kits, plastic & wood, Slot cars & toys.

Rockets, paint, glue and tools. Model trains.

Mon 10-5; Tue - Sat 10-6 Closed Sun & Major Holidays. www.scalemodelstuff.com

SCALE MODEL STUFF

818-716-7847

CALIFORNIA • Garden Grove

Rewards program for 10% back on purchases.

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

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

BROOKHURST HOBBIES

12188 Brookhurst St.

714-636-3580

CALIFORNIA • Hollister

Model planes, car, ships & figures. Model train scales: Z, N, HO, O & G. Paints, tools. R/C & parts, incl. service. Craft & educational kits, supplies, products. Clinics available. Tu-Sat 116; Sun 12-4. www.debbiebartunek@mac.com

B.C.T. HOBBY & CRAFTS

201-C McCray St.

831-635-0537

CALIFORNIA • Orange

New Products, Old Kits & Great Service!

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

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

MILITARY HOBBIES

830 E. Lincoln Ave.

714-637-1211

CALIFORNIA • San Mateo

Planes, tanks, cars, ships, rockets, plastic and wood kits. Trains. Authorized Lionel dealer & repair. Die-cast, RC, slot cars, structural and diorama supplier. Special orders welcome.

ANN’S HOBBY CENTER

405 E. Putnam Avenue

203-869-0969

TIME MACHINE HOBBY

71 Hilliard St.

860-646-0610

CONNECTICUT • Milford

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

HQ HOBBIES

394 New Haven Ave., Unit 1

203-882-1979

METRO TRAINS & HOBBIES

12951 Metro Parkway

239-332-0422

HAWAII • Kailua, Oahu

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

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

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

WELLER’S HOBBYCRAFT

767 Kailua Road

808-262-0211

MASSACHUSETTS • Malden (Boston)

Largest store in area, easy access via I-93, Rt. 1, and the T. Complete line of model kits & supplies, plus toy soldiers, figure kits, games, etc. Shipping available. Info: hobbybunker.com

HOBBY BUNKER, INC.

33 Exchange St.

781-321-8855

MASSACHUSETTS • 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

MICHIGAN • Owosso Thousands of model kits from old Aurora to new releases. Mon 4pm-7pm, Tues - Fri 11:30am-5pm. Sat 11:30am-4:00pm E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com

DEAN’S HOBBY STOP

116 N. Washington Street

TALBOT’S HOBBIES

650-342-0126

Ad Index

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

MICHIGAN • Traverse City

OREGON • Beaverton

Let your imagination run wild!

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

TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES

210 East Front St.

231-947-1353

MICHIGAN • Ypsilanti-Metro Detroit

Your single stop model building shop.

Michigan’s largest selection of new and vin-tage kits in all genres plus everything needed to build them. Wed - Sat 11-8, Sun 12-5 Visit us on Facebook. www.modelcave.com

MODELCAVE

103 W. Michigan Avenue

734-316-2281

NEVADA • Las Vegas 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.

HOBBYTOWN USA

4590 W Sahara Ave Ste 103

702-889-9554

NEW HAMPSHIRE • Dover

ELITE HOBBIES

603-749-0800

NEW JERSEY • Kenvil

KENVIL HOBBIES

973-584-1188

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

AAA HOBBIES & CRAFTS

706 N. White Horse Pike

856-435-7645

NEW YORK • Middle Island Excellent selection of lead miniatureshistorical and fantasy. Plastic models, wargames & modeling supplies.

Books and magazines.

MEN AT ARMS HOBBIES, INC.

134 Middle Country Rd.

631-924-0583

NEW YORK • Upr Eastside GR Manhattan Visit our in-house Aircraft Model Museum.

Foreign and domestic plastic and wood kits.

Open 7 days.

JAN’S HOBBY SHOP, INC.

1435 Lexington Ave.

989-720-2137

212-987-4765

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

Not just trains. Academy Models, AFV Club, Bandai, Hobby Engine, Morgan Cycle, Revell Monogram, Tamiya & More! www.

FactoryDirectTrains.com

FACTORY DIRECT TRAINS

7 GLENN BRIDGE RD STE B

800-990-3381

OKLAHOMA • Owasso

Oklahoma’s largest plastic kit, paint & aftermarket inventory. Planes, cars, trucks, armor, ships, trains & sci-fi. Special orders welcome!

Tue - Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10-5, Sun 1-4:30 Web site: www.topshelfmodelsllc.com

TOP SHELF MODELS

119 S. Main St.

503-644-4535

OREGON • Hillsboro Full service hobby shop.

Over 6,000 recently acquired models.

All the supplies you need to build your model. www.hillsborohobby.com

HILLSBORO HOBBY SHOP

345 E. Main St.

503-648-3788

Large Selection New & Used Kits Military books, tools, paint, airbrushes Full line hobby shop open Tue - Thur 10-6, Fri 10-7, Sat 10-4 www.CoolTrains.com

COOLTRAINS TOYS & HOBBIES

106 W. Main Street

717-898-7119

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

2029 Southwest FWY

713-529-7752

TEXAS • Irving (Dallas Area)

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

590 Rt. 46

TAMMIES HOBBIES

12024 SW Canyon Rd.

TEXAS • Houston

Best plastic, resin & balsa kits from around the world. Scratch building & diorama supplies, reference books, large paint selection including Humbrol, Citadel & Testors #334 90 Washington St.

Complete full line hobby shop.

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

PENNSYLVANIA • Landisville (Lancaster)

NORTH CAROLINA • ARDEN

MICHIGAN • Royal Oak (Metro Detroit)

Your source for plastic models, diecast and all supplies needed to finish your latest model.

Open 7 Days - Call for Hours www.talbotstoyland.com 445 South “B” Street

CONNECTICUT • Cos Cob

Plastic modeling kits.

Paint, tools, scenery, accessories, & scale model railroads.

Mon - Sat 10:00am-6:00pm; Closed Sun www.metrotrainsandhobbies.com

BURBANK’S HOUSE OF HOBBIES

7259 Canoga Avenue

800-876-0414

FLORIDA • Ft. Myers

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

911 S. Victory Blvd.

COLPAR HOBBIES

1915 S. Havana St.

Largest hobby shop in NE. Military, cars, trucks, plastic models, diecast cars, trucks. Planes, RC planes, cars, trucks, slot cars, rockets, Breyer, Detailing supplies, games!

Mon-Wed 10-6 Th-Fri 10-9 Sat-Sun 10-6

ANCHORAGE HOUSE OF HOBBIES

1200 John Harden Dr.

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

CONNECTICUT • Manchester

www.anchoragehouseofhobbies.com Alaska’s best hobby supplier since 1964.

Two stories, 6,300sf, 1st floor all R/C, 2nd floor general hobbies, plastics, trains, slot cars, telescopes & more!

2803 Spenard Rd.

COLORADO • Aurora

918-274-0433

Imported & Domestic Aviation Books & Plastic Kits. Paint, Decals, HO, N trains, R/C, U/C airplanes.

Mon 1-6, Tue-Wed 12-6, Thur-Fri 10:30-7.

Sat 10:30-6. www.malhobby.com

M-A-L HOBBY SHOP

108 S. Lee Street

972-438-9233

TEXAS • San Antonio

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 10am-6pm.

DIBBLE’S HOBBIES

1029 Donaldson Ave.

210-735-7721

WASHINGTON • Seattle

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

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

SKYWAY MODEL SHOP

12615 Renton Ave. South

206-772-1211

CANADA–ON • Ottawa (Vanier) One of Canada’s leading model shops.

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

Free parking. On Parle Francais.

HOBBY HOUSE, LTD

80 Montreal Rd.

613-749-5245

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

Run your Retail Directory ad in the next issue of FineScale Modeler!

Call 888-558-1544, ext. 815 for more information.

Alpha Precision Abrasives, Inc._ 9

Glenn Hoover Models ______ 64

ParaGrafix Modeling Systems _ 4

ARA Press_________________ 4

Hobbylink Japan ____________ 9

Proxxon, Inc. _______________ 6

Aves Studio ________________ 6

Hornby America ____________ 4

Roll Models_____________ 6, 64

Colpar’s Hobbytown USA ___ 64

IPMS Niagara Frontier Chapter 64

Squadron Mail Order ________ 2

Dean’s Hobby Stop _________ 64

MegaHobby.com___________ 64

Tamiya America, Inc. _______ 68

Evergreen Scale Models ______ 4

Michigan Toy Soldier Co.____ 64

TotalNavy.com ____________ 64

Fantastic Plastic Models _____ 64

Micro-Mark Tools __________ 4

Xuron Corporation __________ 4

FineScale Modeler Books __ 8, 67

Oldmodelkits.com _________ 64

www.FineScale.com

65

FINAL DETAILS

By Ron Denning

Memories of a Marauder

“Dear Carolyn and Robert, Ronnie wants to thank you for the model airplane you gave him for Christmas …”

T

hat’s what my mom wrote to my cousins after Christmas 1954.

(Incidentally, don’t ever call me Ronnie.) I had received what I was sure was the biggest model airplane in the world — a box scale (1/46) Aurora plastic kit of the Martin B-26 Marauder.

The box was almost as long as my arm.

I couldn’t wait to get at it. Being only 6, I was forbidden a knife of any kind (except at my grandparents’ house; when my brother and I would visit, Grandpa would give each of us a pocketknife to use while

More at www.FineScale.com Ron, from Kansas City, Mo., is a longtime FSM contributor and an expert modeler whose hobby has not damaged fine furniture in years. You can see more of his models in Reader Gallery at FineScale.com.

66 FineScale Modeler March 2018

we were there). So my dad removed the pieces from the sprue, trimmed them up, and gave me the kit. I was not a great reader in kindergarten, but the plans were easy to follow — no words, just the illustrations.

After a bad experience with glue on the kitchenette table (boy, that stuff really melted that plastic tabletop!), I was assigned to a newspaper-covered plateglass-topped desk in the spare bedroom.

Bad choice: I was well underway when my bottle of liquid glue toppled over and the entire contents went cascading under the newspaper, over the edge of the desk, and wicked under the plate glass onto the desktop. (Boy, that stuff really melts a wood finish!) I tried to hide the mess as long as I could. But my brother snitched on me. So I was banned to the basement workbench.

I finished up the B-26, my dad helped

with the decals, and there it sat on my dresser … but, being 6, I didn’t leave it there for long. I had to play with it. Over the next few days it was in the maintenance hangar several times. Eventually, the Marauder became gearless, gunless, and propellerless (if that’s a word).

I don’t really remember the ultimate demise of my Marauder. Like most real Marauders after the war, it probably went to the scrap heap.

About 50 years later, I discovered oldmodelkits.com and found an Aurora B-26 at an extraordinary price. I had to have it. The decals were unusable, so I hand-painted the markings.

The old B-26 Marauder sits again on my dresser, and I still want to pick it up and play with it. Instead, I look at it, remember my childhood, and tell my kids the stories.

That’s what old guys do. FSM

Out of This World Modeling

Adventures in

OTHER 1 6 WORLDS FUN

PROJ

ECTS!

In the all-new book, Out of This World Modeling, FineScale Modeler’s Aaron Skinner and other modeling experts explore the popular genres of science fiction and fantasy. The book features detailed how-to instructions for building iconic figures, ships, and vehicles from pop culture, including “Batman,” “Star Wars,” Star Trek,” anime (Gundam), and more!

You’ll learn techniques for painting and weathering, airbrushing, scratchbuilding, lighting, and other effects.

Whether you’re new to scale modeling, an experienced modeler, or somewhere in between, there are a variety of projects for every skill level.

Out of This World

MODELING

16

exciting projects from the worlds of science fiction and fantasy comics, film, and TV

Edited by Aaron Skinner

#12807 • $24.99

P31296

Buy now from your local hobby shop!

Shop at KalmbachHobbyStore.com