Have You Liked Doogs’ Models on Facebook Yet?
I don't really make much hay about it over here, but Doogs' Models has its own dedicated Facebook page, which as of today just crossed 3,000 likes! Now, that's a…
1/35 Tamiya Challenger 1, Part 1
The last few months have been tough ones. After finishing off the Hasegawa Ki-84 toward the end of October, I hit a rocky patch marked by an ultimately losing battle with Academy’s 1/32 F-16I Sufa kit. The Trumpeter Me 262 lives on, but I’m currently stuck waiting for some materials before I can move it into the painting stage, so I’ve opted to go for a nice, simple build in the interim.
And there is nothing more simple and straightforward than a 1980s-vintage Tamiya armor kit.
I’m not a huge fan of modern armor – the M1 Abrams bores me to tears, and the Leopard 2 and Challenger 2…meh. But for some reason I absolutely adore the original Challenger 1. Like all proper British designs, it manages to look at once both sleek and rough around the edges. And it has (had) more going for it than just its looks. Despite a generally poor reputation, the Challenger kicked all kinds of ass in Desert Storm, where it matched and even exceeded the US Army’s vaunted Abrams.
While it’s greatest exploits took place in the desert, I’ve chosen to go with the traditional European camoflage, and to attempt something I’ve thus far shied away from – setting this tank on a base. My inspiration comes from the picture below, of a Challenger cruising down a muddy track through a snowy field.
Scaling Back…
Earlier this year, I abandoned 1/48 scale in favor of the larger 1/32 scale. For the most part, I've had no regrets. Among World War I and World War II…
So Many Choices…
With the F-16 transitioning to the Shelf of Doom, I've got some slack space on the bench. So what should I tackle next? I'm torn between a stupid number of…
Sprue Cutters Union #22 – The Stash
The Combat Workshop's "Sprue Cutters Union" is akin to a group build, only with blog posts instead of builds. Every week, a new topic will be tossed out, and participating blogs…
Poland on Ice
I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to...well you get the idea. My first go at a modern jet, a Polish F-16D built from Academy's 1/32 F-16I Sufa, has…
2013 – The Year in Review
The year is wrapping up and 2014 is just around the corner, so it's time indulge in that time-honored tradition: the retrospective! 2013 has been a year of upheaval and,…
1/32 Trumpeter Me 262A-2a, Part I
Part I | Part II| Part III
When the Academy F-16 build began running into roadblock after roadblock, I started searching about for something else to share the bench. And damn did I ever vacillate. Until I somehow stumbled upon this profile of a Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a:
It seems this particular specimen was left abandoned in a field in Austria after its port maingear collapsed.
I’m not sure if I’m going to try to tackle this sucker as a diorama setup yet, or just build it as is, but either way it’ll definitely be a looker. I’ve even got an idea of how I’m going to tackle all the puttied panel joints, but I’m going to save that until I start painting.
For now, on with getting this sucker off the ground! (more…)
1/32 Polish F-16D Block 52+, Part II
Part I | Part II| Part III
This Kit is Cursed
You know those kits where nothing seems to go right? Not because it’s a bad kit, not because it’s fighting you in any specific way, just…because.
That’s where I’m at with this F-16. There’s nothing wrong with the plastic per se. Some of the kit’s engineering is questionable, but there’s nothing (so far) that’s insurmountable. Rather, the problems have been of a random variety…PE gone bad, paint misbehaving, the regulators on top of the seat-mounted O2 bottles snapping off.
I could box this kit and move on. I’ve thought about it. But I’ve put too much into this kit to back out now. So on we go.