Life in Plastic (Styrene, specifically)

Another Dart

I've been messing with this Hasegawa kit for awhile. I've always got an F-106 of some description in the works. Can't seem to help myself.

This one is different from any of the 72nd jobs that have come before in that I've cut the wings free of the belly center section and will attach them separately. Why? On both their '106 and '102, Hasegawa's way leads to slightly drooping wings. (As seen below on another Dart model that's been with me a long, long time.)

Go ahead and lay a straightedge on that trailing edge and see where the tips end up. (Below the horizon, folks.) It's a flaw in the kit (not one of those fatal flaws) and not dramatic, but enough for a Delta Dart purist like me to want to fix.

Eventually she'll be on a stand in-flight, so that means closing up holes on the bottom. I've got one of those Aeroclub closed missile bay door pieces created to fill the hole here. I did some trimming and test-fitting and decided to cut my own piece of thick styrene. I didn't think this would take any more time than making the Aeroclub piece work to my satisfaction. (Don't ever let someone tell you aftermarket items are quick-fix time savers. Pure bullhooey.)

As has become my habit in this scale, I've sanded off all the raised surface detail and don't plan on replacing any of it. I may suggest some panel lines with paint way up the road. Oh and the numbers you may have noticed? Those are my time notes. I keep track of the time that goes into these jobs. Unlike those happy, carefree hobbyists, I'm always working against the clock. However, in the case of this one, I stopped tracking after the brass rod into wing effort was done. I realized there was a faster way, and I'll attempt that on the next one of these that I do. There will be another.

Viggen/Gripen

January 2012, 1/72 Heller Jaktviggen & Italeri Gripen

Both essentially out-of-the-box with kit decals. Gripen decals were good, Viggen decals were horrible. Unfortunately, as good as they looked on the sheet, I didn't imagine they'd refuse to react to any softening agent in the arsenal. Some of the corners of some of them are literally superglued to the model. In this day and age, such a state of affairs is simply inexcusable. The good news is there were few to go on, as I had no replacements. (I don't know that any exist for gray Viggens.)The decal stage truly spoiled the final chapter on this one. (I did repaint Heller's orange with proper day-glo.) All raised surface detail has been sanded off.

Gripen was typical Italeri with deep surface detail and soft fit. Fit of the canopy in the closed position was just bad. Thank goodness a clear canopy wasn't a requirement.

More images in Model Shots.

Two more Saabs

Put a paint job on these two last night.

Don't know the FS numbers for the grays on these Swedes, but the Gripens look slightly darker (newer/fresher?) than the Viggens. So I just added a bit of white to the Viggen grays. And boy-oh-boy did the gloss paint show off some serious scratches. They will require some damage control.

They shouldn't take long now...

Voodoo Twins done

January 2012 -- 1/72 Matchbox F-101B X 2

Lord have mercy, how these two dragged along.

The sharp eye will notice they aren't exactly twins, but that was deliberate.

For some reason, No.13 here had a black outline around her ANG shield -- very non-standard. Want a challenge? Do that black outline in 1/72nd scale. If there's a decal printed that way, I'm not aware of it.

The bird on the base was done with some scanning and printing on white decal stock. (And some intricate cutting and trimming.)

Next!

Royalty check means Happy New Year

Fattest royalty check yet arrived on this last day of 2011. So good to know my little book is still being taken seriously by some people somewhere. Go little book, go.

Hunt Sisters

Had another detour to the 2-D department. Another Christmas gift, but pretty close to home. Right at home, actually. The little one holding the ball is my wife Molly...long ago. The other is her sister Fran. Merry Christmas Molly.

 

 

Voodoo twins

The guy who requested this pair has departed from the radar. Temporarily, I'm hoping.

Regardless, this is the time of year when Hawx Planes/Art virtually shuts down. The week before Christmas I generally acknowledge there's something going on other than work that I should pay attention to. Happens every year. Must force myself to shop. Must.

F-102A Delta Dagger

December 2011 -- 1/79 (?) Revell F-102A

Here's the so-called Purina Checkerboard Special.

Much custom decal work here. Truly could not have done this one without my computer and printer. I received the kit built and because the canopy was salvageable, I wanted to keep it clear if I could. Revell provided a reasonable pilot figure, but he lacked an oxygen mask. I shaped some epoxy putty on the guy's face and stuck a curved bit of sprue in it for the hose. Canopy fit to the airplane was anything but precise.

It's not a perfect rendition of 41396, but until someone does a proper decal sheet for Hasegawa's or Monogram's Deuce, probably the closest you'll see. More images in Model Shots.

'nother short-tail Deuce

Couple teaser shots of another one of those Revell oldies...

Can we get back to airplanes now?

Mitzi done, signed. Evidently I misread light reflection on her chin as white fur. Oh no, all black face, I'm told. Way easier to make white black than black white.