Made a New Year's resolution to get back to painting little guys.
Just right of center, standing near the edge, is the subject. He's one of those oh-so-familiar Monogram kit guys.
A little tweaking and some flat coat is next up.
January 15, 2015
December 31, 2014
End of the year guest spot
I've got a friend and occasional partner-in-crime name o' Tory Mucaro. He's the most versatile model builder I know and no matter what subject he takes on, his finished pieces impress the hell out of me. Not only does the guy have skill, but he has imagination I'm quite envious of. He sent me this today, and I thought it was cool enough to present here. (Don't know if I've mentioned it here or not, but I've got a small stash or model car kits. I've done some work on a few of them, and I can see how one could loose themselves to model cars. Airplanes I'm always going to worry about. Model cars don't seem to have the same effect. Anyhow, until I can squeeze in the time to finish one of my own, Tory will inspire me with his work.)
Tory: As most of you know, every year my model car club holds its annual Christmas Build Contest, whereby one kit is chosen at the previous year's Christmas party and you can build it any way you see fit. This year was the Revell sort of reissue of the old Monogram Sizzler Dragster called the Slingster. It is basically the same kit, only scaled to 1/25 rather than the original issue's box scale of around 1/20th. It is a sweet little kit with a whole load of optional parts and build configurations. The end panel of the box has an illustration of the Bantam Coupe version finished in orange and it immediately reminded me of one of my favorite modern day Hot Wheels styles, the Way 2 Fast twin engined dragster. So as has become my MO of late, I decided to"scale up" yet another die-cast toy as if it were a real vehicle.
I was able to obtain a second engine from a fellow club member who wasn't goingto use it in his build. The kit engines only have plated valve covers and headers so I finished the block, trans and blower assemblies in high gloss black and gave them a coat of Alclad II Chrome. The top of the body is open in the stock kit form so I filled it to accommodate the checker graphics. The grill and fuel tank are from the Revel '32 Ford 5 window coupe kit, as were the wheels and front tires. The slicks are from an old AMT '65 GTO kit and were slightly opened up to fit the 5 spoke chrome wheels. The orange paint is from a 15 year old pint can of Sherwin Williams orange toner lacquer left over from my freelance days. It was still good and yielded a super bright and very high-gloss orange finish. The checker decals were made in Adobe Illustrator and printed on Micro Mark Clear decal film applied over a Tamiya gloss white top.The body and grill shell were finished in 2 part clear urethane. The chassis and under body were finished in Tamiya Gun Metal spray lacquer.
December 25, 2014
Merry Christmas, all.
As always happens from about the middle of December, work on models has slacked way off. Too many other holiday-related distractions. Of course there are always distractions, (2014 has been particularily full of them) but approaching holiday seasons are especially good at keeping me away from the bench. Not entirely away, however. Here's that EC-121 close to a paint job:
C-124 No.2 is not too far behind:
This one has been just as fussy to build as the first one. Precise fit is quite absent throughout. The styrene square on the left replaces a corner that got rounded out somehow. The other shim is just a shim. There were more of those needed at the base of the vertical stab.
Especially irksome are the engine/cowling assemblies. So of course there are four of them to deal with. Getting them good and round in the front, then aligning scoop blanking pieces (significantly oversize) and aligning engine faces is frustrating enough. Then you have to mount them on the wing, where the fit is typical. Blending cowls into their places with the seam so close to those exhaust stacks takes some very focused sanding. And again, times four. I think I've got them pretty tight. A soon-to-be applied coat of silver will reveal what's left to be done.
Then there's been the matter of the TF-102's open belly. Shown here is a balsa (mostly) vacuform master that took some time to perfect. Well, I'll find out how perfect it is or isn't once I suck some plastic over the thing and fit that into the model's belly.
Also in the works to accompany this TF is a 72nd F-106A that will require an open canopy, which means vacuforming a new one. Making my own canopies has always, always been one of my least favorite modeling activities. The clear part is pretty easy, if you start with clear sheet stock. My problem is my perfectionist tendencies, and desire to have my vac clear pieces look like Falcon/ClearVax brand of clear pieces. How the hell does Tore Martin do what he does? How does he avoid the blemishes and imperfections? I understand he uses female molds, but does that make all the difference? Does he start with magic clear sheet stock that repels all dust and hair? I dunno. I just press on with my own procedure, tweaking as I go. Someday, maybe, I'll crack this particular nut. Someday, maybe, I'll look forward to pulling out the Mattel machine and heating her up. Not today.
Shown here is one I did for a project of my own. This is the blown version, which Hasegawa as yet, doesn't supply. Under a coat of Future, I'm calling it acceptable. The fact a good portion of what is seen here will be under paint in the end is also in my favor.
And as for distractions 2014, here's a significant one. Meet Louie, essentially McGregor's replacement. He's been a bit more stress than we bargained for, but after six weeks, we think he's going to work out. It's been so long since we had a young cat, we kind of forgot what kind of naughty energy they bring to the table. Also, he will not be allowed to roam outside, which means nearly all of his naughtiness is expressed under our roof.
November 05, 2014
October 07, 2014
Hasegawa kit?
Found this on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/WorldsLargestDistributorofMiGParts?fref=nf
No suggestion that it's NOT a model, but the bumps over the main gear location alone raises a flag with me. As does all the stencilling -- that stuff is never that distinct on the real thing, nor are the precise panel lines everyplace. There are some other points as well. Just sayin'...
And then this arrives. http://www.bigscalemodels.com/planes/f4%20phantom/f4_phantom.html
Thank you Dan!
September 16, 2014
A couple model plane diversions
Haven't put in the kind of quality time at the model bench as I'd like for a couple of weeks. Pets have been the reason. My good friend Tory asked me to do a drawing of his family's westie that passed recently after 17 years of companionship. I said of course. Never mind that I hadn't done any of this kind of work in about a year and a half. I needed this kind of assignment to force me back into my drawing/painting chair. So I took on dear Noel. She was easily the biggest portrait challenge of my career, so far. She was anything but the ideal subject to reaquaint myself with the two-dimensional realm.
If Tory wasn't counting on me, I'm sure I'd have abandoned this one. In the end, I'm happy (more importantly Tory is happy) with the result, and I learned quite a bit in the process -- always a good thing. Size is 8 X 10.
Near the end of this project, unfortunately, one of our cats developed a serious health problem. His ordeal lasted about five days with multiple vet visits. By yesterday morning, I made the call to send him on his way to cat heaven. McGregor (a.k.a. Mister Bud, Buddy Boo, Buddy McBoo, Boo Cat) gave us 12 years of good company. He showed up as a severely matted, stray adult, and after a decidedly unfriendly reception, still insisted on hanging around. He impressed me with his stubbornness and his bad-ass attitude. We provided him chow, and he became one of the family. He took his full story to the grave, of course. Where did he come from? How did he find us? Did he have some sense he could win us over?
He won Molly and me over completely. The other cats -- not so much. He could be a jerk, but mostly he was a sweet, affectionate, big, big handsome fellow. Maybe I'll do a proper portrait of him some day. He certainly deserves one. So-long, Bud Cat. You are loved to bits.
As soon as I can manage, my focus will return to normal on the styrene at hand. Stay tuned.
March 30, 2014
What it's all about
Just trying to keep my customers satisfied,
Satisfied.
--Paul Simon
(Photo by: John O'Hagan)
March 12, 2014
More bench time robbed from me
Yesterday, 3:00 p.m.
Today, 3:00 p.m.
Yesterday. (Back yard with dog paths.)
Today.
More than eight inches of wet, heavy snow to move. Move snow. AGAIN. Sad to say, no one works on my models for me when I leave the bench to deal with Mother Nature's latest gift. Sometimes I'd like to throw Mother Nature into a bonfire.
They predict no more of this nonsense for the forseeable future. That's nice. We'll see what kind of interruptions the model building gets from other sources.
December 16, 2013
So a guy walks into an online modeling forum with a question.
"Are the tailplanes on Revell's Tempest too small?"
Damned simple question, isn't it? Kind of a yes or no thing, it seems to me. Think he can get an answer? No, it becomes a discussion of the merits of the kit. The thread has gone cold after multiple authoritative and opinionated posts. Is the answer there in code? Being as thick as I am, I need it spelled out. Yes? No?
Since I too have a Revell Tempest in the works, I'm curious. I also happen to have the book The Hawker Typhoon and Tempest, by Francis K. Mason. Being old-school, I go to the book, model in hand, to see how it compares to photos. (Keep all your stinkin' drawings.) What do I find on page 116? The perfect picture. On top of that, whether by accident or design, it's so close to 1/72 scale that it takes my breath away! -gasp!-
About those tailplanes? How 'bout we just lay the kit piece on the drawing and see what happens?
Yep, looks undersized to me, and the shape is a bit off. Equally interesting is the front end.
Revell missed the bulged shape of the chin by a good measure. And the wingtips aren't square enough. And the ailerons are too small. And there's no indication of lights. And the exhausts need replacing. And, and,.....
What do I think? So what. I stuck this thing together as a trip into nostalgia-land, and I plan on finishing it. It looks more like Tempest than it does anything else. How's that for rationale? I could never mistake it for a Typhoon or Fw.190. (Full disclosure -- I've also got an original Revell '190 in the works. There's an "interesting" interpretation.)
I built my first Revell Tempest ages ago when modeling was a pure experience of gluing pieces together without question and painting the result and slapping on the decals that came in the box. I did these things about as fast as I could so I could have a new model plane to play with. Nobody ever looked over my shoulder and questioned what I was doing or why I was doing it. Those were some happy days.
So, my answer to the simple question: "yes." Was that so tough?