It’s amazing how few kits I’ve actually completed. Very few! They tend to either: get abandoned, put aside (usual), or finished roughly and given away. Well, I’ve actually finished a few this week, 4 actually. None of them are any good, but all of them are like the Curate’s Egg – good in places.
My Chematic, ex-Novo, ex-FROG, Gloster Pioneer/Whittle is done. Taken long enough! However, there was a 5 month modelling hiatus, due to moving (ironic that). It’s been interesting, and I’ve learned a lot. Basically, my basic modelling skills are really coming along, and I’m assembling, and sanding a decent model. Even my spraying is coming along. However, my masking of camo schemes, that are wavy and hard-edged, leaves a lot to be desired. Desire it I do! The basic problems are: not pressing down hard enough, so paint seepage under panel lines, etc.; not getting nice curves on a wavy camo; not being accurate enough in design. The last one is easy to solve, and maybe the first one. Guess the middle one will come with practise. I also bothed one coat. Made the classic error of spraying too thick, leading to shoulders where it met the masking tape.
The Airfix MiG-15, one of their earliest kits, was another challenge. It was Bare Metal Finish (BMF), and had terrible mishappen side. BMF is the hardest finish to get right, and, as I learnt the hard way, touching up BMF almost always make it worse! Again, masking was off beam, but getting better. I also learnt to always Future/Klear decals before masking over them… What pleased me is that, using copious amounts of filler, and different grades of sanding sticks, I finally had a decent model, one that hides the joints, even in BMF, and even where one part of the fuselage can fit in the other, so bad was the fit!
A Morris tractor unit, for a Bofors gun kit (sans Bofors gun), was an exercise in a quick, but slightly challenging build. Again Airfix, this time 1/76 (HO) scale. Nicely done, but, ouch, how were those parts supposed to fit, for the lorry base? Anyway, zipped it off, enjoyed the build, with complex (or fiddly anyway) suspension parts, and wacked it off in dark green. Not quite prototype, but, it’s missing bits, so, like the other models here, off to a friend’s son. I should point out, this kit was given to just muck around with.
Finally, another experimental kit for me, an armorfast M-10. Used for fun, and no decals with kit, it’s very simple, just a few parts to make a kit. Interesting experiment in weathering for me. It’s not as simple as it looks!
So, gradually getting better, but, whilst away, no modelling for me.
At the moment, working on the fake Russian Italeri stealth fighter. Going nicely, but those instruments. Yikes!In 1/72 scale painting them is a nightmare. Otherwise, a nice kit. Easy to build, this MiG 37B Ferret E kit. Just remember it’s a fake, so, no need to be too accurate. I’m using Revell SM374 for the interior. It’s a sort of blue-grey (more grey than blue), just because I have an open tin, and it’s a likely candidate for an aircraft interior colour. The real Russian aircraft are far more blue, but, as it’s a fake, who’s to say that it wasn’t this colour?
Another old 1/72 kit, in fact, Airfix’s 13th kit, the DH88 Comet racer. Nice so far, but the moulds are worn. The canopy lines, referred to in older reviews as being faint, are now completely gone. The air inlets are poorly moulded too. Time for this old soldier to put out to pasture. Huge wing root gaps. Used filler, then Mr.Surfacer 500. Botched it a bit, and will now need to sand back, and re-apply (touched Mr.Surfacerwhilst still wet. Not a nice sight!)
Another aircraft on my desk is an Academy 1/200 XB-70 Valkyrie. Poor fit, gaps, and some dodgy moulding. Also, decided to do it with stand, and guess what, stand doesn’t fit! Managed to get it to fit, in the end. This just being sprayed Mr.Surfacer 500, but ran out part way! How frustrating!
Also, a couple of Sweet Macchi’s that I started a couple of years back. Kept the parts, so will now fit what’s broken (one machine gun missing), and attach what’s fallen off (a prop here, a leg there). Just remember, this is 1/144 scale!
So, as I now seem to be completing models, let’s see what’s happens! Toodle poop for now!
