America. Not that Great (at Modeling).
***NOTE: I've seen a few comments around the interwebs accusing me of being a European troll or something. LOL. Talk about a failure of reading comprehension. But, to set the…
One Shot, and Only One
How long do you have to stick with a product before you can pass judgment on it? To some out there, it’s inappropriate to call a product crap when it completely and totally fails you out of the gate.
Screw that.
Look. Right now, we’re absolutely spoiled for choice. In the kits we build, the aftermarket we choose, the paints and tools we employ. It’s a total buyer’s market, and unless you’re being sponsored by some brand or other, you are under absolutely no obligation to stick with a product that does not meet your standards. (more…)
Painting & Weathering Study: Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless
With the Kingfisher out of the running for my upcoming magazine build, I’ve had to cast around for another suitable subject. The only real requirement is that the subject be painted in the tricolor camoflage worn by US Navy and Marine aircraft in World War II.
I’m hesitant to pull out HK’s B-25 for a PBJ-ification. Warmer weather is coming, and with it, the spiders that always cause havoc at the bench. My last go-round at an HK B-25 was delayed because the damn things kept building webs in the bomb bay. I also considered Tamiya’s F4U-1A Corsair, but they’ve kinda been done to death for the moment.
Then I had a thought. How about a Dauntless? Trumpeter makes a good kit. It’s one you don’t see built all that often, and when it is, it’s almost inevitably an earlier SBD-3 dressed up for Coral Sea, Midway or Guadalcanal. Which I totally get. In terms of historical impact, 1942 was the Dauntless’ year.
But…the SBD-5 was built in larger numbers than any other variant, and performed a workhorse role in the long slog to drive the Japanese back to their home islands. It has a quieter but still significant story.
Before I embark on the build (or even choose which markings I want to go with), I thought it’d be an interesting exercise to look at some examples of the SBD-5 in action, and note some interesting painting and weathering characteristics.
Nope: A Rant About Awful Engineering
When I started building models as a kid, I had no idea what I was doing. Gradually, that changed. And one of the first kits that I actually, legitimately tried at was Monogram’s venerable OS2U Kingfisher.
Since then, I’ve had a soft spot for the awkward floatplane. So when Kitty Hawk announced they would be making a new-tool Kingfisher – and in 1/32 scale no less! – I was thrilled.
When sprue shots and reviews started coming in, I was still thrilled. When I got the kit and briefly pawed through the bagged plastic, I was still thrilled. So thrilled, in fact, that I decided I was going to build this sucker for an upcoming magazine article. I even found a rather battered Kingfisher I wanted to tackle:
Then, I actually got started on it. The front and back halves of the R-985’s cylinder banks didn’t fit together because – get this – the locating pin was too big. Okay, annoying, but no real biggie. Drill the corresponding hole out a bit wider and viola.
And then I looked at what came next.
Really, Kitty Hawk? Really? (more…)
Let’s Talk About Photo References
So. The Scale Modelers Critique Group‘s Photo Reference Group Build kicks off on March 1, 2016. And as the start date looms, there have been some questions about photo references.
This post is intended to give a bit of guidance…but certainly reach out to Will, Jim or myself if you have questions. (more…)
Video Review – Tanmodel 1/48 RF-84F Thunderflash
Tanmodel (read my interview with founder Baris Tansoy) was kind enough to send me a review sample of their new 1/48 RF-84F Thunderflash, and I decided what the hell, let's…
The White Whale
I’m sure that more than a few modelers have a “white whale” of a kit. The one that got away…that went awry…that gnaws at you.
For me, that kit is Academy’s 1/32 F-16D Block 52+ Viper (or, alternatively, the F-16I Sufa…). My first go at this kit – in late 2013 – was cursed from the start. At the time, it felt like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Beginning with my ill-fated decision to use Eduard photo etch in the cockpit.
Bare Metal Variance
These days, we modelers face an embarrassment of riches when it comes to quality metallic finishes. But as good as many of them are, none of them seem up to…
Decals are Magic!
I’ve been in a decal state of mind lately. In part because I’m neck deep in the decal stage on my F-104, and in part because of some, let’s say heated discussion about the quality or lack thereof of certain decals.
Perhaps more than any other aspect of modeling, decals seem prone to disclaimers of your mileage may vary. Tamiya decals may work fine for one person, and terribly for another. One decal sheet may respond very well to Micro-Sol, while another’s decals shatter under the stuff. But try Solvaset or Mr. Mark Softer or some other option, and you get the opposite reaction. Some decals need very warm water to work, others don’t care, and still others fall apart in the increased temperatures. Even on the same decal sheet, major markings may perform wonderfully, while stencils may be prone to silvering despite all attempts at prevention.
This is because decals are magic. (more…)
Stalling Out
The Combat Workshop asks an interesting question for the first Sprue Cutters’ Union of 2016:
At what point of the build do you tend to stall?
Well, shit. That’s not really an easy question for me to answer, since it tends to bounce around depending on what I’m building. So…I can potentially stall out at multiple points. Which is a huge part of why my completion rate was 25% last year.
Let’s walk through them: (more…)
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