FineScale.com
AIRBRUSHING: FADING STRIPES ON A LIGHTNING
»
March 2016 p.20
DETAIL A JAGDPANZER KARL LOGAN NAILS IT WITH ZIMMERIT, PHOTO-ETCH, MUD, AND MORE p.22
HOW TO Create a super Cessna Skymaster p.46 Correct a WWII Italian tank p.36
SCRATCHING OUT A HARDENED AIRCRAFT SHELTER p.28
5 KIT REVIEWS p.54
BONUS ONLINE CONTENT CODE PAGE 3
Vol. 34 • Issue 3
CONTENTS March 2016 • Vol. 34 • No. 3 Online Content Code: FSM1603 Enter this code at www.FineScale.com/code to gain access to web-exclusive content.
18
18
20
FORM & FIGURE
Painting dark leather Different base coats for contrasting belts
WORKBENCH REVIEWS
JOE HUDSON
5 NEW KITS
AIRBRUSHING & FINISHING
Fading invasion stripes My Little Pig looks every bit a silk purse AARON SKINNER
22
22
28
Zeroing in on a Jagdpanzer Detail Dragon’s 0 Series JgdPz IV
• Merit International Fokker Dr.1
How to build a hardened aircraft shelter Making a Mirage feel at home
• Horizon Models Mercury spacecraft
Correcting a Carro Armato Improve Tamiya’s Italian medium tank BILL MORIN
36
42
• Airfix F4F-4 Wildcat
KARL LOGAN
JEAN PAUL POISSEROUX
36
Page 54
• Master Box Austin Series III armored car • Polar Lights Wicked Witch of the West
Painting a sci-fi ship for realism Serious modeling for an anime subject FAUSTO MUTO
46
Detail a Cessna Skymaster Advancing a forward air control aircraft FRANK CUDEN
42
52
SHOWCASE
Deep dive Scratchbuilding the H.L. Hunley DAN JAYNE
66 46
In Every Issue 5 7 10 12 32
Editor’s Page Scale Talk Spotlight New Products Reader Gallery
60 62 64 65 65
Reader Tips Questions & Answers Classified Marketplace Hobby Shop Directory Advertiser Index
FINAL DETAILS
On the Cover
MARK HEMBREE
Karl Logan has a way with weathering and modeling hard-working armored fighting vehicles. But what’s right for a prototype? Follow along as Karl finds the range on an 0 series JgdPz IV tank hunter.
Amassing your stash
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FineScale Modeler (ISSN 0277-979X, USPS No. 679-590) is published monthly (except for June & August) by Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187. Periodicals Postage is paid at Waukesha, WI and additional oices. Postmaster: Send address changes to FineScale Modeler, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement #40010760.
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4 FineScale Modeler March 2016
EDITOR’S PAGE By Mark Savage
There’s a method to our madness YOU MAY WONDER how the heck we go about selecting stories for each issue of FineScale Modeler. While there’s always a bit of flexibility up to the last minute, we do have a system. First, we are constantly sending you surveys to make sure the stories we run meet your needs and expectations. That’s one guide. Second, we attend many shows to see what you are modeling and to watch for changing trends. We gain a lot of feedback at these events, and occasionally find a new author or two. Third, we get a lot of e-mails (not so much snail mail anymore) from you about what you want to see in the magazine and on the website, including which models you wish the manufacturers would create. (More on that in an upcoming issue.) We’re communi-
cating with readers around the world constantly. For instance, this week I had e-mails from Serbia, England, and Canada. Fourth, we have opinions. Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but we
THIS WEEK I HAD E-MAILS FROM SERBIA, ENGLAND, AND CANADA have favorite subjects too. So a Russian tank here, a P-38 there, may creep into the mix (See Airbrushing & Finishing, p. 20). But we’re always looking for a mix of stories — aircraft and armor for sure — and we try to mix up the eras as there are fans of World War I and II equipment, plus many of the younger modelers who prefer Vietnam and Iraq war vehicles. Some even want civilian aircraft and airliners.
Your Editorial Staff
We’re always looking for strong ship models, and sci-fi has grown in popularity at shows the past couple of years too. The latest “Star Wars” movie certainly will help keep that fire stoked. We also see figure painting and fantasy figure modeling growing. Not every story is for everyone. We know some of you only model in one genre. But it’s our aim and hope that, no matter the subject, you’ll find a few new modeling tips to help you learn, grow, and have more fun.
editor@finescale.com
FineScale.com to be open! For a limited time, Feb. 15-22, our website will be open to all modelers, not just subscribers. Visit us at www.FineScale.com.
Off the Sprue! Favorite meal?
Editor Mark Savage msavage @Kalmbach.com
Senior Editor Aaron Skinner askinner @FineScale.com
Associate Editor Mark Hembree mhembree @FineScale.com
Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nash enash @FineScale.com
Editorial Associate Monica Freitag mfreitag @FineScale.com
Elizabeth: Rare as rare can be lamb, with mint jelly. Monica: Steak, medium, hot off the grill. Mark H: Prime rib (rare) with Yorkshire pudding at Christmas, Indian leg of lamb anytime. Aaron: Big bowl of chili. Mark S.: Eisenhower steak (cooked right on the coals), or lamb chops on the grill.
Contact Us Editorial: FineScale Modeler 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612 262-796-8776, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Fax: 262-796-1383 editor@finescale.com Website: www.FineScale.com
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March 2016
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5
Editor Mark Savage Art Director Tom Ford Senior Editor Aaron Skinner Associate Editor Mark Hembree Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nash Editorial Associate Monica Freitag Illustrator Kellie Jaeger Photographer William Zuback Production Coordinator Cindy Barder
NE
CONTRIBUTING MODELERS Paul Boyer, Federico Collada, Andrew Cooper, Raúl Corral, Frank Cuden, Phillip Gore, James Green, Joe Hudson, Karl Logan, Harvey Low, Rato Marczak, Chris Mrosko, Bill Plunk, Darren Roberts, Chuck Sawyer, Cookie Sewell, Bob Steinbrunn, Cristóbal Vergara, Jim Wechsler, Adam Wilder
W
!
CONTACT US
Customer Sales and Service 800-533-6644 Advertising Sales 888-558-1544 Group Sales Manager Rick Albers, Ext. 652 Ad Sales Representative Jim Hagerty, Ext. 549 Ad Services Representative Jen Zalesky, Ext. 620 SELLING FINESCALE MODELER MAGAZINE OR PRODUCTS IN YOUR STORE
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Sleek. Simple. Smart. Powerful 3-Speed Adjustment For Multiple Uses. Powers All Gravity-Feed Airbrushes.
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Phone 800-558-1544, Press 3 Outside U.S. & Canada 262-796-8776, Ext. 818 Fax 262-798-6592 E-mail tss@Kalmbach.com Website www.Retailers.Kalmbach.com KALMBACH PUBLISHING CO. President Charles R. Croft
Vice President, Editorial, Publisher Kevin P. Keefe Senior V.P., Sales & Marketing Daniel R. Lance Vice President, Consumer Marketing Nicole McGuire General Manager Brian J. Schmidt Advertising Director Scott Bong Corporate Art Director Maureen M. Schimmel Art and Production Manager Michael Soliday Circulation Manager Cathy Daniels Single Copy Specialist Kim Redmond ©2016, Kalmbach Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Title is registered as trademark. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews. Postmaster: Periodicals postage paid at Waukesha, Wisconsin, and additional offices. Send address changes to FineScale Modeler, Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: single copy $6.99; U.S.: 1 year (10 issues), $39.95; 2 years (20 issues), $74.95; 3 years (30 issues), $94.95. Canada: Add $8 postage per year. All other international subscriptions: Add $12 postage per year. Payable in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank. Canadian price includes GST (Canada Publication Mail Agreement #40010760, BN 12271 3209 RT). Letters, new releases, and new-product information are accepted as gratis contributions to FineScale Modeler. Feature articles and scale drawings are paid for on acceptance. All other submissions are paid for upon publication, at which time FineScale Modeler obtains all reproduction rights unless otherwise agreed. Instructions for submitting features, photos, and drawings for publication are available online at www.FineScale. com/contribute. Unsolicited material will be returned only if postage and envelope are provided. FineScale Modeler is not responsible for the safe return of unsolicited material. Printed in U.S.A.
6 FineScale Modeler March 2016
SCALE TALK Your voice in FSM The opposite of Repulsed
I recently read “Build a better Repulse” in the November 2015 issue. While I have built a few ships over my many years, I am definitely not a ship modeler. However, I recognize excellence, and I was extremely impressed with Chuck Bauer’s workmanship and attention to detail on his Repulse. I’m sure there are many really good shipbuilders out there, but I think Mr. Bauer sets a high bar for others to try to meet or beat. The photos were also superb. (Thank you, Mr. Nelson.) And thank you, FSM, for exposing us to such incredible and gifted talent. – Allen Kerns Cincinnati, Ohio A closer look at tail codes
The picture of the F-16C/J modeled as a UAE F-16E has been bugging me since I first read the Reader Gallery in the May 2015 issue. I finally Googled USAF Tail Codes and found that the “AZ” tail code and the “Sunrise flash” are used by the 162nd Fighter Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard based in Tucson, Ariz. I don’t mean to disparage the fine work done by Mr. Johnson, but I thought he might want to update the markings to make it a true representation of a UAE aircraft. – Paul Libby South Burlington, Vt. [Ed.: You are not wrong Paul, the tail codes and stripes are those of the 162nd Fighter Wing. UAE pilots trained with that unit in Tucson and several Desert Falcons carried UAE insignia and Arizona ANG tail markings at that time.] Putting those plastic bags to work
Reading the December 2015 FSM, I zeroed in on a question: Are model dimensions needed? Yes, and it would be helpful to show a 6" or 12" ruler with the model. Here’s my model-moving advice: I have found that smaller models (cars, etc.) can be carefully enclosed in sealed plastic bags (produce bags from the market work well) and then stacked one on top of the other in large boxes. Sure, an antenna or mirror might break off, but they are captured in the bag and, surprisingly, that breakage is less than you might expect and easily fixed. Finally, keep up the great work — you get better with each issue. – Doug Paris Sunriver, Ore.
Cheerios box bulldozer
R
ight now I am finishing a model to look like a “Little Oliver” front-end loader OC-3 that I saw along a road. After measuring the tracks and size of the body, and taking some 40 pictures, I built it out of Cheerios boxes! I still have to age it and put on the gauges and hoses, but then I will be done. Like all the scratchbuilt models I have done over the years, I will always find that I have made a mistake building it. But that is the fun and the challenge of building it from scratch. None of my models will ever be as good as a plastic model, but I have fun drawing out the plans and then building it. – Dennis Balchin Kenora, Ontario, Canada
Where was Shep Paine?
I picked up your November issue and saw Aaron Skinner’s spotlight on Shep Paine. The article was very good, but I really feel Shep should have graced the cover this time. I mean, this guy was like the Frank Frazetta of the model world. Everybody learned something from this guy. He was a real 3-D artist. His dioramas set and still set the standard. Shep was a master of his craft — he should have been given the cover. – Joe Guaimano Manasquan, N.J. Are your loads legal?
The F-15E Strike Eagle built by Raúl Corral in the November 2015 issue has a big mistake. The load of six Mk.82 bombs on the right CFT is an illegal configuration with stations 2 and 8 carrying tanks. The configuration is legal if tanks are not installed. Station LC/RC5 (left/right conformal) cannot be loaded with wing tanks because the munition will impact the tank during release. I’m a retired U.S. Air Force weapons loader and maintainer and worked Beagles
(bombing Eagles) at RAF Lakenheath during Desert Fox and Allied Force. Something about the CFTs doesn’t look right, either. Many photos of aircraft at air shows have loads that look cool but aren’t legal to fly. The main point is, make sure your loads are “legal.” During monthly load training we would load some crazy configurations. These multiple munition mixes, like a Mk.82 on a TER with a Mk.20, for example, were so we could quickly meet monthly requirements. We did this so crews could get back to the flight line quickly. Static display loads were set to make a really cool display during open house. – Scott Podeyn Albuquerque, N.M.
Raúl Corral’s response: “I am impressed by how some real experts can pick up errors by us simple modelers. It is great to have this input from F-15 professionals! To be honest, I only checked one reference for my project, which was at www.f-15e.info. The bomb load is named ‘Loadout #4 - Old Style_CAS.’ “Thanks again for your input, Scott! Really appreciated.” March 2016
www.FineScale.com
7
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Father and son give thanks
I
wanted to thank FineScale Modeler on behalf of my son, Max, my wife Pam, and myself for publishing our “Paying It Forward� article on building models with kids in the January 2016 issue. Having grown up in the Bronx reading Kalmbach’s Model Railroader magazine with my dad, the fact that young Max and I have been published as a father and son has a deep significance for us. Just yesterday, we walked into our local hobby shop and Max was asked to autograph our article! Thankfully, stardom has not gone to his head. “Since recently,� he said, proudly looking over the cover of the magazine, “I have started to model more, and it makes me happy to build models with my dad, who is very encouraging, no matter what!� Max is now 10 (time flies!) and is currently working his way through a fairly sophisticated Gundam model, which fits right into his love of complicated technology and model building. My thanks to Senior Editor Aaron Skinner, who was a great help in getting the project underway. I’ve been a fan of his articles and modeling skills for years and
Feelin’ Form & Figure
Seeing Joe Hudson’s excellent article on painting skin tones ( January 2016), I saw that he adheres to an important practice — he doesn’t allow clothing to be shiny. I rarely hear about this rule, but I do see it violated over and over again. Except for special items, cloth is never shiny. When I was a kid back in the ’50s and wool suits were common for men, having a shiny suit was a sign of someone too poor to replace their overly worn suit!
have always appreciated his superb work on sci-fi, airplanes, ships, and just about any subject that he chooses. Also, longtime FSM contributor Hal Sanford was the first to show me that “serious� modeling can indeed be combined with a sense of humor! Last but not least, our longtime pals at the L.A. Miniaturists have encouraged, inspired, and taught us for years, making this hobby truly a “family� endeavor at the club. Despite the attraction of electronics, Maximilian and I both hope that this article will inspire grown-ups to share the hobby with the youngsters who will one day be the next generation of model builders, contest participants, and FineScale Modeler readers! P.S.: Max tells me that he is rarin’ ta go on a new article — who knows what the future holds? – John & Max Brosnan Burbank, Calif. I have wanted to demonstrate how controlling gloss can enhance a figure by taking identical airplane pilot’s heads painted in gray, finishing one’s clothing in matte gloss and the other’s with matte on the flight suit, eggshell gloss on the oxygen mask, and high gloss on the visor. This would show how much definition you get from controlling gloss. Nothing makes a figure look fake more than glossy clothes. – Donald Woolery Rockford, Ill.
Simple is good
I recently noticed in your October 2015 issue the advertisement of Lindberg Models’ Tabletop Navy kits, which proves that there are reasonable kits to be had — not just high-priced ones. I have been building models of all kinds since the 1960s, and Lindberg Models is still a favorite of mine. The manufacturer has great value and authenticity. I recently built the HMS Hood for the second time and found the fit, tooling, and instructions to be as great as it was in 1963 when I built it with my uncle. A kit does not have to have hundreds of tedious parts to be a good build. Airfix, Monogram, and Revell still prove this today, along with the Lindberg line. Thank you for your great magazine. – Ray Zalenski New Haven, Conn.
check out our great spring 2016 naval kits!
Small models equal more models
I have written to you folks before, and have enjoyed your magazine immensely — excellent articles, tips, and reading in general. I also receive more than 30 technical and military periodicals each month (required reading to keep up), so I have a lot of resources. I also, like most modelers, have limited storage space for completed kits. So, I have been buying 1/350 scale aircraft sets from Trumpeter. Each has five to seven models that I can paint, detail, and store on one shelf in one of my glass cases. I can paint them in various ways to match pictures and photos of the real aircraft. While not as detailed as 1/72 and 1/48 scales, if I mess one up I just start another. Thanks for all these years of information. – Scott Clay Grand Rapids, Minn.
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Today March 2016
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9
SPOTLIGHT Compiled by Aaron Skinner
All-new Heinkel from Airfix Graceful bomber’s outline and details captured well
W
BOOKSHELF
orld War II Germany produced many iconic aircraft, including the unique Heinkel He 111. The twin-engine plane, with its stepless greenhouse cockpit, was the Luftwaffe’s primary bomber in the early war years. Although surpassed by advances in technology, the airplane soldiered on until the end. In the same way, Airfix’s original 1/72 scale He 111, first released in 1962, soldiered on through multiple reboxings. Now, Airfix has made that kit obsolete with the release of an all-new 1/72 scale Heinkel He 111P-2 (No. A06014).
The kit has all the hallmarks of recent Airfix releases, including fine recessed panel lines and fasteners. The comprehensive interior features a detailed cockpit and navigator/bombardier position with seats, controls, instrument panels, and nose gun. Aft of that position is the bomb bay with vertical racks but no bombs. Farther back is a cabin for the dorsal gunner, ventral gunner, and radio operator. Structural detail molded inside the fuselage is complemented by inserts and more equipment. Crystal-clear canopies and windows show off the interior. I like that the small cabin
windows on the fuselage attach from outside, so they can be added after painting. The solid fuselage attaches to the wings with the aid of short spars. Detailed wheel wells and multipart engine cowls finish the big wings. The landing gear, bomb-bay doors, control surfaces, cockpit hatch, and dorsal gun shield are all posable. Cartograf decals provide markings for two 1940 bombers, one in France and the other in Norway. The latter is restored in a Norwegian museum. More info: www.airfix.com. The kit costs $29.99.
Under the Falcon’s skin
W
ith its big belly intake, the F-16 is instantly recognizable. More than 4,500 Fighting Falcons have been built, and they serve with 25 air forces around the world as fighter and ground-attack aircraft. That widespread use and variety of markings make the F-16 attractive to modelers, and scores of kits are available in almost any scale. If you want to detail one of those kits, check out Viper Under the Skin by Ioannis Lekkas and Ilias
10 FineScale Modeler March 2016
Gkonis (Eagle Aviation, ISBN 978-61881376-4-6, $29.99). The 100-page, softcover book is a comprehensive walkaround with more than 400 photos of Greek one- and two-seat F-16s. Details revealed include the cockpit, avionics, landing gear, armament, and more. In most cases, multiple angles are shown. Caption information is minimal, mostly differentiating the version of the plane in the images.
Markings for transports and seaplanes
C
aracal Models releases decals to cover the latest kits as well as some that have been around a while. The recent batch includes markings for Revell’s 1/72 scale C-54. There are four options on the sheet (No. CD72035), including two Blue Angels Skymasters, a World War II transport on Tinian Island, and the aircraft that made the last run of the Berlin Airlift. For Hasegawa’s 1/48 scale Learjet 35, there’s a sheet of six U.S. Air Force C-21s (No. CD48096). All are overall white with dark blue trim and flashy tail bands. Also for a Hasegawa kit, a sheet of markings for 1/72 scale Martin SP-5B Marlins (No. CD72040) includes five American and two French navy patrolers. Finally, we have a sheet to mark Modelsvit’s 1/72 scale Beriev Be-12 (No. CD72038). It provides markings for three Russian navy aircraft, two Russian firefighting planes, and an Egyptian flying boat. Printed by either Cartograf or Microscale, the sheets come with color diagrams. Each set costs $13.99. More info: www.caracalmodels.com.
Versatile sanding bars help in areas big and small
E
ven the best-fitting model requires sanding to smooth out joins and paint. But it can be difficult to reach all areas of a model with sandpaper or traditional sanding sticks. To solve that, John Vojtech of UMM-USA has designed a set of sanding bars. Milled in aluminum, each UMM VojTech bar features a long, flat side. The ends are beveled at different angles, as are the upper surfaces. The sturdy bars are available in six sizes, from fine (5mm wide) to 2X large (27mm) to fit just about any model or shape.
To use the bars, wrap a strip of sandpaper around one end and hold it in place with your thumb and forefinger while sanding. Unlike sanding pads or sticks, the aluminum will maintain its shape and rigidity under any circumstance, including wet sanding. The points work perfectly to clean up grooves, such as control-surface outlines. The 90-degree sides will square openings in a snap. The individual bars cost $6.95 for the fine up to $10.95 for the 2XL. Or you can purchase a set of all six for $55.95. More info: www.umm-usa.com.
Ideas from a master
Revealing Revell’s history
F
T
ederico Collada is familiar to FSM readers as the author of several terrific painting and weathering stories. Now, he’s collected his tricks and ideas into FCModeltips 1 (ISBN 978-84-608-2887-7, $29). The 120-page softcover comprises 21 chapters covering subjects such as sagging vinyl tracks, hand-painting camouflage, printing wood planks, and dry mud. The information is communicated through clear photos with detailed how-to captions. More info: www.fcmodeltips.com.
his is not the first book about Revell and its models, but Jean-Christophe Carbonel’s The Story of Revell Kits Vol. 1: 1950-1986 (Histoire & Collections, ISBN 978-2-35250447-4, $24.95) is a fun read. Jammed with photos of kit boxes, catalogs, and advertising, the 92-page softcover traces major items as well as some lesser-known and unreleased things. It charts the company’s kits in chronological order year by year. The writing is a bit disjointed, but the images more than make up for it. March 2016
www.FineScale.com
11
NEW PRODUCTS Compiled by Monica Freitag
AIRCR AFT 1/32 SCALE KITS
P-47D Thunderbolt Razorbacks PTO Part 4 from
1/72 SCALE KITS
Thundercals, No. T-004, $22. 19th FS, 333rd FS/318th FG, Pineapple Air Force. Options for 6 aircraft.
Heinkel He111 P-2 from Airfix, No. A06014,
$29.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. Dassault Mirage IIIC from Italeri, No. 2505,
$119.99. Look for detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.
1/48 SCALE KITS
Sukhoi Su-30MK/ MKK Part 1 from
Caracal Models, No. CD48088, $13.99. Six marking options for multi-role Flankers.
Sukhoi Su-30MK/ MKK Part 2 from
Soviet dive bomber Petlayakov Pe-2 from
Blohm & Voss BV P178 torpedo jet bomber w/LTF5b from Bronco Models, No.
GB7003, $38.99.
Caracal Models, No. CD48089, $13.99. Six marking options for multi-role Flankers.
Zvezda, No. 4809, $44.99. Look for detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.
De Havilland Mosquito PR.XI from Airfix,
USAF C-21 from Caracal Models, No. CD48096, $13.99. Six marking options for C-21 (Learjet 35) USAF service for Hasegawa.
Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat from Airfix, No. A02070, $9.99. Look for detailed review on p. 54.
F-16C/D “Dark Vipers“ from Caracal Models,
1/72 DETAIL SETS
No. CD48093, $13.99. Five marking options for USAF F-16C/D Block 50/52 glass V scheme.
Junkers Ju 88 landing gear (for Zvezda)
No. A07112, $34.99. D-Day 1944-2014 70th Anniversary.
1/48 DETAIL KITS Saab J21 A-3 landing gear (for Pilot Replicas) from Scale Aircraft Conversions,
No. 48294, $15.95.
1/48 DECAL KITS AF-2 Guardian from Caracal Models,
No. CD48078, $13.99. Eight marking options for Special Hobby. F-15A/C Hawaiian Eagles from Caracal
Models, No. CD48091, $13.99. Four marking options for 199 FS F-15 Eagles.
12 FineScale Modeler March 2016
from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72118, $15.95. Boulton-Paul Defiant Mk.I/NF.II/ ASR.Mk.I from
XtraDecal, No. X48157, $10.50. Mk.I N3340 YD-D 255 Sqn RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey 1941; Mk.I N3437 EW-K 307 (Polish Night Fighter) Sqn RAF Jurby IOM 1941; NF. Mk.I V1110 RA-H 410 Canadian) Sqn RAF Drem 1941; Mk.I V1116 JT-H 256 Sqn RAF Colerne 1943; ASR.MK.I V1121 BA-O 277 Sqn RAF Stapleford Tawney 1942; NF.Mk.II AA583 ZJ-M 151 Sqn S/Ldr R.C.Haine RAF Wrexham 1942. Alternative markings for the new-tool Airfix kit due April 2016.
Short Stirling landing gear (for Italeri) from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72119, $20.95. Dornier Do 17 landing gear (for Airfix)
from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72120, $15.95. F4D-1 Skyray landing gear (for Tamiya)
from Scale Aircraft Conversions, No. 72121, $13.95.
1/72 DECAL SETS Beriev Be-12 “Chaika” from Caracal
Models, No. CD72038, $13.99. Six marking options for Modelsvit kit.
Royal Saudi AF, King Faisal Air College, Saudi Arabia 1968; Mk.82 418/8 Sultan of Oman AF G-BAWF/277 at Paris Air Show 1973; Mk.82 408/8 Sultan of Oman AF Dhofar 1975; Mk.82 404 Sultan of Oman AF Masirah, Oman 1994; Mk.82 404 Sultan of Oman AF Masirah, Oman 2001; Mk.83 04/Z2 Botswana Defence Force 1990; Mk.83 K167/110 Al-Quwwat, Kuwait 1980; Mk.83 K167/120 Al-Quwwat, Kuwait G-AYVK/461 at Paris Air Show 5/6/1971; Mk.83 NZ6364/64 14 Sn R New Zealand A Ohakea Air Base 1980; Mk.83 502 FTS South Yeman AFMk.84 301/B FTS Singapore AF, Tengah, Singapore 1972; Mk.84 301/B FTS Singapore A and more.
StuG III Ausf F with 7.5cm L/48 “last production” from Dragon, No. 6756, $67.99.
1939-1945 series, Smart Kit. SP-5B Marlin from Caracal Models, No.
OTHER SCALE KITS
CD72040, $13.99. Seven marking options for US and French Navy Marlins for Hasegawa. C-54 Skymaster Part 1 from Caracal
Models, No. CD72035, $13.99. Three marking options for USAF/USN C-54 Skymasters for Revell. P-51D Mustang from Airfix, No. PLA06, $19.99. Quick Build.
Panzerkampfwagen II (F1) SdKfz 122 with UE trailer from Bronco Models,
No. CB35090, $52.99.
Avro Shackleton Part 2 MR.2 from
XtraDecal, No. X72237, $10.50. WG557 Empire Test Pilots School Farnborough 1964 dark sea gray/white; WG557 T-L 228 Sqn RAF St Eval 1955 medium sea gray/ white; WR961/U 204 Sqn RAF Majunga 1971 white/DSG;WL758 37/E 37 Sqn Operation Musketeer, Suez 1956 Overall DSG with black/yellow stripes around rear fuselage and wings; WL758 38/V 38 Sqn RAF Hal Far 1966 white/DSG; WL738/204 204 Sqn RAF Ballykelly NI 1957 Overall DSG with black-andwhite fuselage bands.
AR MOR 1/35 SCALE KITS
PzKpfw IV mit Panther F turret from Dragon Models, No. 6824, $72.99. 1939-1945 series, Smart Kit.
PzBeobWg II Ausf C 2 in1 from Dragon No.
6812, $62.99. 1939-1945 series.
Avro Shackleton Part 1 MR.2 & AEW.2
from XtraDecal, No. X72235, $10.50. AEW.2 WL747 47/8 Sqn RAF Lossiemouth 1979 Overall dark sea gray; MR.2 WR964 204/Q 204 Sqn RAF Ballykelly 1953 white/DSG; WG554 A/A 42 Sqn RAF St Eval 1953 medium sea gray/white;WL741 42/D 42 Sqn RAF St Eval 1960 white/DSG. Artillery tractor Pavesi P4/100-30A from
Plus Model, No. 449, $175.80. Contains 221 resin parts, photo-etched metal, and decals.
BAC Strikemasters Worldwide from
XtraDecal, No. X72238, $10.50. Mk.80 G-AWOS at Farnborough Air Show 1968; Mk.80A 1120 Royal Saudi AF, King Faisal Air College, Saudi Arabia 1970; Mk.80B 902/1026
German 3-ton 4x2 cargo truck with 2cm FlaK 38 2 in1 from Dragon, No. 6828,
$57.99. 1939-1945 series. Smart Kit. March 2016
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13
NEW PRODUCTS 1/72 SCALE KITS
MILITARY FIGURES
FANTASY FIGURES
1/24 SCALE KITS
OTHER SCALE KITS Thor from Dragon,
Samantha sitting with hand on knee
No. 36013, $29.99. Marvel HeroMix bobblehead Series One.
from Master Box, No. MB24006, $9.99. Master Box. Pin-up series No. 6.
M103A1 Heavy tank from Dragon,
No. 7519, $26.99. Armor Pro.
1/100 SCALE KITS Captain America
1/35 SCALE KITS
German artillery crew - Special Edition M3 Lee US medium tank from Zvezda,
No. 6264, $4.99. Snap fit, no glue required. Designed for use with Art of Tactic game.
from MiniArt, No. 35192, $15.99. WWII Military Miniatures Series.
from Dragon, No. 36012, $29.99. Marvel HeroMix bobblehead Series One.
SHIPS 1/35 SCALE KITS
German motorcyclists, WWII era from Master Box Ltd., No. 35178, $17.99. Master Box Ltd.
Wherry from Plus Model, No. 457, $19.40.
1/48 SCALE KITS
Laser carved wooden parts and photoetched sheet.
US light tank M3A1 Stuart from Zvezda,
No. 6265, $4.99. Snap fit, no glue required. Designed for use with Art of Tactic game.
Pilot La-5 from Plus
Model, No. AL4059, $11.50. Plus Model.
www.FineScale.com featuring reviews, product information, photo galleries, and more!
14 FineScale Modeler March 2016
1/100 SCALE KITS Black Falcon pirate ship
from Atlantis Toy and Hobby, No. AMC-6003, $27.98.
1/700 SCALE KITS
OTHER SCALE KITS
HMS Victory (Meridian Trafalgar range)
from Navy Models & Books, No. MT1, $36. Resin hull. Metal masts, spars, lifeboats, and anchors.Photo-etched ratlines. Sails template.
“Battlestar Galactica” Cylon Raider from Moebius, No. 959, $34.99. Includes two complete kits. “Space: 1999” Eagle transporter from
MPC, No. MPC825/06, $108.99. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM. USS Lake Erie CG-70 from Dragon, No. 7142, $29.99. Modern Sea Power Series, Premium Edition.
1/700 DETAIL KITS Sails for first rates (Meridian Trafalgar range) from Navy Models & Books, No. MTC05,
$15. Photo-etched metal.
Manufacturer/Distributor Directory Aero Research Co. www.AeroResearchCDs. com
Airfix
AUTOS OTHER SCALE KITS
253-922-7194 www.airfix.com www.hornbyamerica.com
Atlantis Toy and Hobby www.atlantis-models.com
Caracal Models www.caracalmodels.com
Volkswagen Beetle from Airfix, No. PLA06,
1/72 SCALE KITS
“Battlestar Galactica” Viper Mark VII from
Moebius, No. 958, $34.99. Includes two complete kits.
www.greatplanes.com
www.round2corp.com
• AMT • MPC • Polar Lights • Lindberg • Hawk
Hannants 44-1502-517444 www.hannants.co.uk
Scale Aircraft Conversions
• Xtradecal • Xtrakit
214-477-7163
Horizon Models
scaleaircraftconversions.com
www.horizon-models.com
610-853-9131
www.wingswheelswaves.com
Dragon Models USA Inc. 626-968-0322 • Aoshima • Bronco • Cyber-hobby • Dragon • Fine Molds • Fujimi • G.W.H. • Master Box • MiniArt • Platz • Riich • Showcase Models Australia • Zvezda • Concord • Firefly Books • Nuts & Bolts Books
574-243-3000
• Italeri • Hasegawa
Casemate Publishers
www.dragonmodelsusa.com
SCI-FI
Round 2
MCW Automotive/ Military Finishes
www.casematepublishing.com
$29.99. Quick Build.
Great Planes Model Distributors
Stevens International 856-435-1555 www.stevenshobby.com
• Trumpeter • Meng • Noys Miniatures
Merit International 626-912-2212
Squadron Products
www.merit-intl.com
• Merit • AFV Club • Kinetic
877-414-0434 www.squadron.com
• Encore Models • HobbyBoss • ICM • Meng • Roden • Super Scale International • Sword • True Details • Trumpeter
Moebius Models 386-734-3599 www.moebiusmodels.com
Navy Models & Books www.navymodelsandbooks.co.uk
Osprey Publishing 212-850-2294 www.ospreypublishing.com
Plus Model
Thundercals Thundercals@yahoo.com
38-7220111 www.plusmodel.cz
March 2016
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15
NEW PRODUCTS
MISCELL ANEOUS
US Marine Corps Recon and Special Operations Uniforms & Equipment 200015, $18.95, by J.
1/35 SCALE KITS Cable reels small from Plus Model, No. 4049,
$18.80.
The History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 1 193942, $39.95, by
Thomas Anderson, hardcover, 304 pages, all black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-1-4728-08127. From Osprey Publishing.
Kenneth Eward, softcover, 64 pages, all color photos, ISBN: 978-1-4728-06789. From Osprey Publishing.
Cable reels big
from Plus Model, No. 4050, $18.80.
The Story of Revell Kits Volume 1 1950 - 1986,
European Theater of Operations 1944 US Infantryman versus German Infantryman,
$18.95, by Steve Zaloga, softcover, 80 pages, color renderings, all black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-1-4728-01371. From Osprey
Plastic barrels from Plus Model, No. 466,
$21.80. Plus Model.
BOOKSHELF
Publishing. Viper Under the Skin — F-16 Fighting Falcon,
F-51 Mustang Units of the Korean War,
$29.99, by Ioannis Lekkas and Ilias Gkonis, softcover, 100 pages, all color photos, ISBN: 978618-81376-4-6.
$22.95, by Warren Thompson, softcover, 96 pages, all color photos, ISBN: 978-14728-0866-0113 Combat Aircraft. From Osprey Publishing.
From Eagle Aviation. M48 Patton vs Centurion — IndoPakistani War 1965, $18.95, by
David R. Higgins, softcover, 80 pages, few color photos, mostly black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-1-4728-10922. From Osprey Publishing .
Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III, $22.95, by
Greg VanWynarden, softcover, 96 pages, few color rendering, mostly black-andwhite photos, ISBN: 978-1-4728-0843-1 Aircraft of the Aces. From Osprey Publishing.
16 FineScale Modeler March 2016
$24.95, by JeanChrisophe Carbonel, softcover, 80 pages, all color photos, ISBN: 978-2-35250447-4. From Casemate Publishers.
Burma Road 1943-1944 (Stilwell’s assault on Myitkyina),
ELECTRONIC MEDIA Stearman Special Series from
Aero Research, No. 4007, $12.95.
PAINTS
$21.95, by Jon Diamond, illustrated by Peter Dennis, softcover, 96 pages, all black-and-white photos, ISBN: 978-14728-1125-7. From Osprey Publishing.
www.FineScale.com FineScale Modeler magazine receives new products from a variety of manufacturers on a daily basis and we are now able to share all of them with you through our interactive exclusive FSM product database. Click on the Product News link at www.FineScale.com.
MCW military finishes from MCW Automotive/Military Finishes. High quality lacquer paint in various colors. $7.50 per bottle, $15 for spray. Look for a detailed review in an upcoming issue of FSM.
March 2016
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17
Different base coats provide cowboy with contrasting belts
E
UR
FOR
Painting dark leather
M&
FIG
BY JOE HUDSON
D
ating back centuries, leather has been used for belts, straps, and fasteners. Whether modeling soldiers or civilians, the chances are you are going to need to paint tanned hide. The same techniques can apply to livestock harnesses, upholstery, and tie-downs. In addition to packing a six-shooter, Andrea Miniatures’ 54mm Tom Doniphon features a leather belt, gun belt and holster, and large chaps. I’m going to start with the belts.
1 After cleaning the metal parts, I filled gaps with Aves Apoxie Sculpt and sprayed the model with Vallejo light gray surface primer. I glued a metal pin in one of the feet so I could easily mount the figure in a pin vise I used as a handle for painting. Then I placed it on a piece of wood to dry.
3 For the first highlights on the upper belt, I mixed in more woodgrain along with water to form a glaze. Gradually building up layers produced a reddish brown. 18 FineScale Modeler March 2016
2 Varying the base coats on the belts adds contrast. I mixed a small amount of woodgrain with chocolate brown for the upper, lighter-colored leather. The holster and gun belt are a 1:1 mix of black and leather brown.
4 I mixed a little orange brown with the previous highlight color and painted it along raised edges with a fine brush.
5 Adding a little Japan uniform WWII to that mix provided the final highlight color, which I applied sparingly to uppermost edges.
7 I added mahogany brown to the base mix and brushed the first round of highlights onto the exposed surfaces of the holster and gun belt.
6 Using a fine brush, I painted black into shadows on the holster and the undersides of the belt.
8 Adding a little more mahogany brown lightened the mix for the next round of highlights at the upper surfaces of the holster …
Vallejo Model Color paints used 70.828 Woodgrain 70.846 Mahogany brown 70.871 Leather brown 70.872 Chocolate brown 70.923 Japan uniform WWII 70.950 Black 70.981 Orange brown Note: Several of these colors are included in Vallejo’s Wood & Leather set (No. 70.182).
9 … as well as the belt. Be sure to pick out the edges of all of the straps so they stand out against the underlying surfaces. FSM
Next Belts done, Joe moves on to finish the gunfighter’s leather chaps.
March 2016
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Fading stripes for a Careful work makes My Little Pig look every bit a silk purse • BY AARON SKINNER
O
pening Eduard’s 1/48 scale “P-38J over Europe,” Erik Zabel was drawn to markings in the box for a camouflaged Lightning from late 1944 with invasion stripes. For him, the cool thing about the subject was that, although the black and white stripes had been removed from the upper surfaces, a hint of them remained. The Eduard kit combines Academy’s plastic with resin and photo-etched metal. “It was not a simple build, but yielded a nice result,” Erik says. After priming the model with light gray, he preshaded panel lines and recesses with aircraft interior black; he used Testors Model Master enamels throughout the project, mixing them with Model Master enamel thinner. “When airbrushing, I always use the brand’s own thinner,” he says. “Then I use plain old lacquer thinner for cleaning.” Erik paints camouflaged subjects with a fine-tip Badger Sotar powered by a Master Airbrush 1⁄5-horsepower compressor. He sets a variety of pressures, depending on what he’s spraying — 15 psi and sometimes higher for large areas, but no more than 25 psi. “For fine lines, like pre-shading or exhaust stains, I set the pressure about as low as my gauge will go, which is less than 5 psi,” he says. “The key is thinning the paint enough to flow through the fine-tipped airbrush at that low pressure.” For post-shading, he dials the pressure up a little to 5-10 psi. With the pre-shading done, Erik airbrushed a mix of camouflage gray and neutral gray over the underside of the airplane, taking care to keep the layer thin to show the pre-shading. Olive drab followed on the upper surfaces, applied lightly to reveal the pre-shading. He mostly freehanded the demarcation between the gray and green, but applied tape in a couple of spots. Then he airbrushed lighter shades of gray and olive drab onto panels and other spots to create highlights and give the paint a mottled, weathered appearance. Finally, he masked and painted the unique red panels on the nose, wings, and cowls. After masking and painting the invasion stripes, Erik airbrushed thin olive drab over them, alternating the density and leaving some of the black and white showing through. Over a protective coat of Testors Model Master clear gloss lacquer, he applied the decals and a wash of dark brown and gray artist’s oils thinned with mineral spirits. More oils around the engines and landing gear replicate oil and grease stains. A coat of Testors Dullcote sealed the finish before he added exhaust stains, paint chips, and pastel dirt. FSM
20 FineScale Modeler March 2016
Pastels: After spraying clear flat, Erik brushed on powdered pastel chalks behind the guns and around the engines.
Using decals from the kit, Erik marked Eduard’s 1/48 scale P-38J as My Little Pig, flown by Lt. Jack M. Jarell Jr. of the 485th Fighter Squadron, 370 Fighter Group, in France in late 1944.
ING SH
IS
AIRBRU
Exhaust stains: With his airbrush set at 5 psi, Erik sprayed thin streaks of light gray and brown enamels behind the superchargers on the booms.
HING
striking Lightning FIN
Meet Erik Zabel Panel lines: Erik preshaded panel lines by spraying aircraft interior black — actually a very dark gray — along them. After adding camouflage and decals, he applied a wash of artist’s oils and mineral spirits to further emphasize engraved detail.
Invasion stripes: After masking with Tamiya tape, Erik airbrushed white then black for the D-Day identification markings. Spraying thin layers of olive drab, he faded the strips to look as if the paint had been stripped. The stripes are still faintly visible.
Chipping: Using a silver Prismacolor pencil, Erik drew paint chips along panel lines, leading edges, and engine nacelles. Make sure the pencil is sharp, he says.
From St. Paul, Minn., Erik, 48, doesn’t remember how old he was when he built his first model. He started with Legos, then built car kits when he was about 10, but it was “Star Wars” kits that really captured his attention. “I modeled a lot in my youth, then gave it up in the teen years,” Erik says. He got serious again about 12 years ago, spurred by new techniques and the variety of kits available. “I love to build any subject matter as long as it’s a cool model,” he says. “There are so many great kits to choose from now that I can’t stick to one genre.” An epidemiologist studying health care quality improvement, Erik is a member of the RPM and Twin City Aero Historians model clubs. “I have a wonderful wife who is supportive of my hobby,” he says. They share a house with two dogs and two cats, which makes painting challenging because of flying fur.
March 2016
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1/35 Scale
Zeroing in on a
Jagdpanzer Details for Dragon’s 1/35 scale 0-series Jagdpanzer IV • BY KARL LOGAN
Resin Zimmerit, Schürzen, and lots of dirt and mud put a German tank hunter in the thick of things.
T
he Jagdpanzer IV was an effective, deadly tank hunter design — low and sleek and ballistically-shaped, with a formidable gun that could take out most enemy tanks at up to 1,000 yards. In the modeling world, this has been a popular offering from Tamiya for years. But Dragon upped the ante by offering the rare 0-series prototype with its rounded, cast upper hull. Since this design was more expensive and difficult to produce, it was later changed to the sloped, flat shape that is more familiar. The prototype was armed with the 75mm PaK 39 L/48 gun and twin 22 FineScale Modeler March 2016
7.92mm MG42 machine guns firing through ports in the front hull. This feature was later reduced to one. Dragon’s kit offers photo-etched (PE) Schürzen, or side skirts, as well as a metal barrel. Since the vehicle was supposed to have Zimmerit as well, I picked up ATAK’s kit, which includes a nice resin mantlet, rear panel, and machine gun shields with cast Zimmerit.
Getting started It’s best to rough up the back side of the resin Zimmerit to give the glue something to grip, 1. I taped a piece of 400-grit sand-
paper to the desk to hold the Zimmerit sheet, then used a smaller, folded piece to remove glossiness from the back. The Zimmerit was applied with 5-minute epoxy putty, and later, the gaps were filled with super glue using a precision tip. You can tell where there is no glue by the lighter color, 2. You don’t need to thoroughly darken every tiny spot, but be mindful of the edges, where it may accidentally chip off. The Jag’s curved hull required that I dip the resin Zimmerit in hot water — microwaved in a coffee cup for two minutes — to form the bend.
1
2
First thing, I rough up the back of my Zimmerit so it will stick better to the Jagdpanzer.
3
4
Wrapping Zimmerit around the turret left big seams that I made into weld seams with reshaped .040" styrene rod. I also had warped parts of the exhaust; I replaced them with strip styrene and tube.
The problem of the curved sides holding a long piece of bent, delicate resin Zimmerit has been handled by giving you two smaller pieces of Zimmerit to wrap around the curve. However, this leaves a large seam. Since this seam is right over a weld seam, I used .040" styrene rod and ran a No. 11 blade over half of it a few times to create a half-round shape I used to plug the seam. By softening the styrene with liquid glue, I was able to etch weld marks to simulate a weld seam. It’s not the optimal rendition; I would have preferred Zimmerit without a seam. But in fitting the piece, it was either fix it here or be 2mm short of Zimmerit on the rear hull and still have a pesky seam to deal with (although it might not have been as large). That would have been a more annoying fix. At least this makes the Zimmerit coat look appropri-
I attach the Zimmerit to the upper hull with 5-minute epoxy and fill gaps with super glue. The curved hull is a challenge, but the resin is easy to bend after dipping it in hot water.
I added details to the commander’s hatch, including grab handles, a wooden head pad, a corrected hinge, and a circular plate around the periscope, with bolts.
ately thin with the weld seam showing through. Though the machine-gun hatches in the hull are already opened, I chipped a little more Zimmerit off the neat circular openings to show wear. The rest of the front has a lot of little pieces that you have to carefully trim and apply. I spent a good hour test-fitting, trimming, and chipping Zimmerit to let the front brake drum and transmission hatch outlines show. The Germans wouldn’t have put Zimmerit over the hatch outlines — nor covered the screw holes that provided access to the interior transmission housing — so I drilled them out from the rear and cleaned them up from the front so they were visible. I also added a spare-track rack upfront, completely missing the fact that the kit supplies one. Oops! I dented the muffler using heat from a
candle. However, I also warped the retaining straps around the cylinder as well as the exhaust outlet, so had to replace them with strip styrene and tube, 3. The kit also gives you a metal barrel. But I’ve never bought into this detailing fad, so I just used the plastic one, which fit perfectly into the ATAK-supplied, Zimmerit-laden mantlet. I also added proper detailing on the commander’s hatch; it needed a corrected hinge, a circular plate around the periscope with bolts, a grab handle and a wooden head pad, 4. Even though they’re my least favorite part of modeling, I committed myself to doing some PE tool holders on the rear deck. This required me to plug all the holes with stretched-sprue “flowers” stuck into the open holes for the kit-supplied plastic tools, 5. I omitted two supports for the skirts March 2016
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5
6
Plastic tools came with the kit; I added PE tool holders, but first had to plug all the holes on the rear deck with stretched sprue “flowers.”
7
8
To assemble track links I lay out two lengths of masking tape, sticky side up, and stick the links to the tape.
that are molded on the rear fenders; the 0 series didn’t have these. Instead, the siderear skirts are mounted on two U-shaped supports that I easily made from strip styrene. More details followed: Cleaning rods were added, and racks made from spare PE. The right rack has a cloth strap and buckle made from lead foil and a buckle shaved from a kit piece. A pair of “mystery projections” I noticed in reference photos looked like spare-track brackets had been added near the rods, 6. For further detail, I added a tail reflector from spare PE, including a side reflector left over from a 1/ 24 scale Dodge Charger detail set. Then I detailed the wood block taken from the excellent Tamiya On-Vehicle tools set. I added the mufflersupport bolts to the rear rail that runs along the hull’s tail. So, I corrected my own repair job there, adding Verlinden resin bolts. Lastly, I didn’t like the weight of the PE 24 FineScale Modeler March 2016
The end result included cleaning rods and racks made from scrap PE. Additionally, I made a cloth strap and buckle.
With the links all lined up on the tape, I smear liquid cement over them and wait about 45 minutes. Then they can be lifted as a single piece.
skirts So, I traced them and cut new ones from .010" styrene card. I did use the PE hanger brackets on the back of each skirt piece, though. I attached them to masking tape for ease of painting. The wheels were stuck on Popsicle sticks and the individual link tracks were fashioned in the same manner as my usual method. (See the December 2008 FSM.) I lay down two lengths of masking tape, sticky side up, then stick as many track links as I need along the tape, 7. I then smear a liberal coat of Testors liquid cement over them and wait about 45 minutes for drying to start, 8. Now they can be picked up as a single track length and positioned over the wheels to dry overnight. Only the inside return rollers should be glued on, allowing the tracks to be slid on and off. Stuffing balls of tissue paper under the fenders helps induce track sag between the rollers, 9. The tracks are then slid off so the wheels can be painted.
Painting tips Painting began with a spray coating of Tamiya gray primer, 10, and then a base coat of Testors Model Master schokoladenbraun. The wheels, 11, also got a coat of Polly Scale zinc chromate primer beforehand. I wanted the inner races to be red primer, a detail occasionally seen on some Panzer IVs and StuG IIIs. Next, I applied a coat of straight Tamiya dark yellow (No. XF-60), which was sprayed leaving a little brown showing on the panels’ edges, 12. Normally I shoot a lightened coat of dark yellow now, but instead I laid down a nice wavy camo scheme of Tamiya field gray (XF-65, a version of panzer green), darkened with about 30% Tamiya JA green (XF-13). I then warmed up and lightened the green by adding straight yellow (XF-3) and green (X-5), then spraying it inside the lines on the upper hull and skirts only, 13. The camo on the lower hull was left
9 Attach only the inside return rollers so you can still slide the tracks off. I use tiny balls of tissue to introduce sag between the rollers. Then I can slide the tracks off to prepare for painting.
10 I begin painting with gray Tamiya primer. It coats well and sets up the model to easily accept the several paint layers that I’ll add.
11
12
Next up is a layer of Testors Model Master schokoladenbraun. Then the wheels are treated to a coating of Polly Scale zinc chromate primer.
I follow the brown with a layer of straight Tamiya dark yellow, but make sure to leave brown at the panel edges.
13
14
Another coat, this one a wavy camo look provided by Tamiya field gray, becomes more green as I mix in 30% JA green. I follow that with light coats of straight yellow and green.
Next, I add white to the dark yellow and highlight inside the dark yellow patches for a bright and deep two-tone finish.
March 2016
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25
15
16
To create a wavy camo scheme of white under the barrel, I use putty atop the barrel and spray white on the underside.
Weathering begins on the lower hull with various Mig oil paints dabbed on with a medium brush.
17
18
Wheels are hand-painted with Model Master dark dull gray. An artist’s pencil adds a bare-steel look to the inner faces.
Tracks require weathering: I start by hitting all the contact points and wear areas with dark metallic gray, a mix of Testors steel and black oil paint. Testors silver enamel is dry-brushed on contact spots and salient points before rust and dirt are added.
unaltered, as it would be in less light in real life. Finally, I added white to the dark yellow and sprayed a highlight inside of the dark yellow patches. This made for a morevibrant two-color finish, full of chromatic depth, 14. The side skirts hangers were glued on with white glue, and removed after airbrushing to leave bare plastic for eventual re-gluing when the tracks had been properly installed. There are well-known photos of British Firefly tank barrels that bear a disruptive wavy camo scheme of white under the base coat, designed to fool the eye by inverting what would be perceived as shadow. I figured the Germans might borrow this technique at some point, so I masked the barrel with putty and sprayed the pattern in white, 15. Sparse decals were added when the paint had dried. I do not use gloss under my decals, instead pressing them into place 26 FineScale Modeler March 2016
using liberal amounts of Solvaset and a water-wetted brush to seal them to the surface without silvering.
Weathering process I started weathering on the lower hull with a mix of Mig Abteilung 502 buff and basic earth oil paints. This was dabbed on with a medium brush, 16. The wheels were patiently hand-painted with Model Master dark gull gray, 17 and a large artist’s pencil was used to add graphite “bare steel” to the inner races. The wheels and sprockets got the same weathering as the hull. Mig’s Oil and Stains was added to simulate a leaky seal. When weathering the tracks, I hit all the contact points and wear areas — the inside wheel track, outer track faces, and bottom of the guide horns — with dark metallic gray, a simple mix of Testors steel
and black oil paint, 18. The tops of the guide horns and tracks, as well as the contact points for the sprocket teeth, were drybrushed in Testors silver enamel. The outsides of the tracks have various shades of oils added for a variety of dirt and rust effects. The tracks were then added to the model, 19. Now it was time to tint the basic colors. I used Abteilung 502 buff to add lighter tones to the center patches of dark yellow and blended them in with a dry brush. I also used the buff for some streaking, drawing it from dots and down the sides of the model and the upper hull edges. Next, I added chipping using a combination of acrylic Model Master raw umber, black, steel, and rust. I applied it with a small piece of sponge. For modeling a relatively new prototype, I tried not to do the usual full rust-out on the muffler, but rather
19
20
Now it’s time to put the tracks back on the Jagdpanzer and get down to the final finishing details that will make this piece ultra-realistic.
Not wanting the muffler to be too heavily corroded, I applied just a few patches of rust.
21
22
Mud creates more realism, so I made a slurry of brown Russian earth and dry European mud mixed with pigment fixer and slopped it onto the suspension with an old brush.
Bullet holes seemed appropriate, so I added them to the Schürzen with an awl.
applied patches of rust around dents, 20. I then used some of Wilder’s new pigment and products to add dirt and dust to the suspension and wheels. I chose a combination of brown Russian earth with dry European mud, mixed with a bit of pigment fixer to create a slurry, and applied it to the suspension using an old brush, 21. I added dry mud to create a lighter top layer and scrubbed some of the pigments off with a damp brush after they had dried. This revealed hints of the camo pattern on the lower hull. At this point, I added the spare tracks to the front hull. I painted them acrylic raw umber and used Wilder’s rust tone pigments to weather them. I added the Schürzen mounts and the spare wheels on the rear, and applied more detail-chipping around the hatches. To create more realism on the Jagdpanzer, I added bullet holes to the side
Schürzen by drilling through the thin styrene with an awl, 22. I then started weathering the holes by drawing raw umber oils into streaks. Next, I used Polly Scale concrete to add chipping to the skirt edges and made scratches across their faces. I knew I was close to being finished, so I randomly spattered with Wilder’s pigments of Russian brown earth and track dark brown: I mixed them with mineral spirits on a stiff brush and flicked the bristles to transfer the pigments to the skirts, then used craft paints (light cinnamon and raw sienna) to add rust streaks, concentrating on the bullet holes after highlighting them with light tan. I put a little Wilder’s black metal pigment on the tip of my finger and rubbed it on both the muzzle brake and the front spare track section, then added grease and oil stains to a wheel or two from Mig’s
appropriately named enamel weathering mixture. Lastly, I put a Dragon figure in the hatch dressed in a reed green denim uniform. I painted this with craft store paints, a combination of Folk Art dark gray (No. 426) and Apple Barrel pewter gray (20580) with Italian sage (467) for highlights. The figure got the pink-piped collar tabs and unadorned shoulder tabs, as well as a lowvis chest eagle. Ultimately, I felt as if the Jagdpanzer was missing something; I e-mailed a friend for advice. My award-winning modeler friend suggested darker mud splashed on the skirts to better define their individual segments. His advice was right on: After adding darker fresh mud with oil paints, I sat back and looked at the model and knew that this Jagdpanzer was done. Sometimes it takes more than one pair of eyes to see the finish line. FSM March 2016
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1/72 Scale
How to scratchbuild a
HARDENED AIRCRAFT SHELTER Making a Mirage feel at home BY JEAN PAUL POISSEROUX
Clever scratchbuilding puts PJ Productions’ 1/72 scale Mirage IIIE outside a hardened aircraft shelter in 1970s France.
D
isplaying a model in a diorama gives it context and a better sense of scale. When I built PJ Productions’ terrific 1/72 scale Mirage IIIE, I fulfilled a dream of putting it into a French air base scene with a hardened aircraft shelter and apron. Thanks to Internet, friends, and personal research over 20 years, I compiled the data I needed.
Refining the information I cross-referenced photos taken from the ground against online information and aerial photos. I used a geographical image search tool to calculate the size of the hangar — 19cm wide and 38cm long in 1/72 scale — and made note of a circular concrete apron surrounded by grass in front.
I transferred the dimensions of the pavement to a computer, printed it out, and attached that to a 101cm x 63cm section of 60mm-thick styrene foam with spray-mount adhesive. Sections of Faller model railroad grass mat attached with stick glue added realism to the vegetation.
Hardened aircraft shelters protect aircraft from all but direct hits. I modeled mine after this French example.
Gimme shelter For the roof, I used 19cm PVC pipe cut in half. As luck would have it, the thickness of the pipe is very close in scale to the shelter walls/ceiling. I cut the door from 5mm foamboard and constructed the external girder framing with Evergreen H-column styrene (No. 283), 1. To model the rear wall, I printed it on paper that I glued to cardboard and then to the
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PVC pipe, 2. Cutouts make room for a jet-exhaust deflector and vent.
Ventilator blues I built the exhaust vent and entryway behind the hangar with sheet styrene, basing them on plans drawn from photos and my best guesses on the dimensions, 3. To reinforce the shelter, dozens of tubular arcs run
across the ceiling. First, I printed the skin of the tubes on paper. Then, I removed the copper core from 6mm insulated electrical wire — you’ll need at least 5m of wire for this — to get pliable but sturdy tubes, 4. I inserted wire from a coat hanger to use as an axle, 5, and rolled each tube through white glue, then attached the paper skin. Rolling it several times over a hard surface pro-
10cm
2.5cm
3.3cm
m 4c
3.7cm
4.5cm
1
3mm 12cm
The shelter’s door is heavily reinforced from outside. I built the structure with Evergreen H-column styrene.
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Behind the shelter, I added jet-deflector and entrance-door structures built from sheet styrene.
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Behind the wire, you can see a page of printed structural details that will wrap around the plastic tubes.
6
Just like on a rolling pin, the coat-hanger wire allows the insulation to roll freely.
motes adhesion. It’s a timeconsuming process, 6. I drilled 53 6mm holes 2 mm apart in two strips of 2mm x 10mm styrene and glued them to the bottom edges of the hangar’s sides. These guides align the arcs as I secure them with super glue, 7.
2 A no-smoking warning — DEFENSE DE FUMER — graces the shelter’s rear wall. A door can be located either left or right of the exhaust vent.
Shine a light French shelters are lit by fluorescent bulbs that I made with 2mm x 2mm clear plastic cut into 20mm pieces, 8. I made electric boxes for both sides of the shelter using chunks of eraser, styrene, and wire, 9 and 10.
Six hours of patient work paid off with 53 reinforcing arches for the shelter.
To replicate an exhaust on the ceiling, I bent 4mm wire and wrapped it with aluminum foil. The fronts of many shelters are clad with tiles. I drew a weathered tile front on a computer and printed it on cardboard. I cut that out and
attached it to the front of the shelter. Even with the door open, the interior is dark, so I installed a 50cm strip from Inspired LED (www.inspiredled.com). I painted all but four of the LEDs black to block the light, then gray to match the
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Lights
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8
To help align the reinforcing arches, I drew lines across the shelter’s roof.
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I ran two styrene strips along the ceiling and attached seven bulbs to each, spacing them 3cm apart. Five fluorescent tubes near the back were attached 2cm off the floor.
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Blocks of eraser provide boxes for the electrical system; bits of styrene and wire added details.
These photos show the locations of the electrical boxes inside the shelter.
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LEDs mimic light from fluorescent bulbs near the back of the shelter. Note the aluminum-foilwrapped wire exhaust on the ceiling.
After covering a lavender branch with dried herbs attached with stick glue, I added tiny bits of green-sponge foliage.
I built the tractor mostly from plans, but a 1/48 scale resin kit helped me get the proportions right.
ceiling. Glued in place, the strips’ remaining LEDs are close to the location of the fluorescent bulb, 11. I hid the switch under the grass mat and a tree made from a lavender branch, dried herbs, and chopped sponge, 12.
Beast of burden To complete the airfield scene, I scratchbuilt a 1/72 scale TracMa tractor using photos and a 1/48 scale resin tractor kit as a reference to get the correct dimensions, 13. The lower body is .1mm sheet styrene, the
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seat cushions are chunks of eraser, and the cab is clear plastic from a cake carton — I save everything that might be useful, 14. I punched the tires out of an eraser. Fortunately, L’Arsenal makes a 1/72 scale SOCEA ground
power unit kit (No.7204) in resin and photo-etched metal, 15. I added black-coated wire to the GPU and painted it and the tractor green. I scratchbuilt a tow bar with 1.5mm styrene rod and 1mm wire for handles and axles, 16.
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5m
7c
m
m
8m
m
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I built the tractor’s cab with panels of clear plastic from a food container; the windscreen and other windows were masked before painting.
L’Arsenal’s 1/72 scale GPU is a terrific resin kit with photo-etched details. I added only black insulated wire.
The tow bar is a simple but terrific addition to the scene.
3cm
3m
1 m .7c di m am et er
1cm meter 1 mm dia 4mm diameter 2mm thick
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Carved and sanded sprue made perfect tanks for the portable fire extinguisher. I added wire, thread, and balsa details.
A bright red finish makes the extinguisher cart pop on the finished display.
Finishing touch: a maintenance ladder made from styrene rod and strip and painted aluminum.
Preiser ground crew stand by as PJ Productions’ Mirage IIIE taxis out of a hardened aircraft shelter. Research and crafty scratchbuilding provided a graphic context for the French fighter.
The wheels are punched from part of an old eraser.
Hang fire I scratchbuilt the extinguisher cart with eraser wheels, wire frame and arm, balsa for the cone, thread for the hose, and
scraps of sprue for the tanks, 17 and 18. The ladder was made from 2mm styrene rod using photos for dimensions and shapes, 19. A few figures come from Preiser’s 1/72 scale modern air crew set (No. 72520); the
Mirage pilot is from PJ Productions (No. 721112). With the Mirage and the rest of the elements in place, my scene looks like it’s straight from Nancy-Ochey air base in northeastern France sometime in the 1970s. FSM
Print the details Download files for Jean Paul’s air base, back wall, reinforcement-arch wraps, and tiled face; print them at home; see his photos; and read about building PJ Productions’ Mirage at www. FineScale.com/OnlineExtras.
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READER GALLERY
▲ PETE BAVE WEST JORDAN, UTAH
▼ STEVE BAK FRANKLIN, WISCONSIN
Always good to hear from Pete, a frequent contributor to Reader Gallery with a knack for realistic model photography. This is the Heller 1/72 scale kit of Lockheed’s Constellation, “the sexiest-looking ’liner ever built!” he says.
Making a graceful return to the hobby after a 20-year absence, Steve built Academy’s 1/48 scale Grumman TBM-3 Avenger and gave it an in-flight pose. He airbrushed the exterior with Testors Model Master enamels and used Tamiya acrylic colors to hand-brush interior details. The antenna wire is EZ Line.
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▲ AREND HOOGERVORST KLOOF, KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
▼ JOHN SOH ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
Making an extra effort to model one of the terrifying features of the Stuka, Arend added propeller blades to the gear-mounted dive sirens. He handbrushed Trumpeter’s 1/32 scale Junkers Ju 87B-2 with Humbrol enamels.
Enthusiastic about Tamiya’s 1/350 scale kit, John says, “The newly tooled Yamato, combined with the Pontos photo-etched metal set, allows the ship to be detailed to the max in 1/350. Since the ship is painted in IJN gray (Kure Arsenal), care was taken to paint all details such as machine guns and planes while the ship itself was pre-shaded.” He weathered with artist’s oils and stained the wood deck to match the weathering.
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READER GALLERY
▲ CARMEL ATTARD IL-MOSTA, MALTA
▼ SEAN PEARSON ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
Carmel says, “It’s the old 1/72 scale C-47 Airfix kit. I fixed the nose using Plasto putty and added resin skis, metal landing gear legs, and recently issued Airfix decals, which created a stronger, more durable base for later weathering effects.”
Sean bought AFV Club’s 1/35 scale LVTP-5A1 partially built and converted it to an LVTE-1 engineering vehicle. He says the most difficult part was the mine plow, which he scratchbuilt with styrene stock using scaled down plans he found on the Internet. Explaining the details, he says, “Like the LVTP-5, the LVTE-1 was vulnerable to mines. Crews would line the floor of the vehicle with sandbags, and often everyone but the driver would ride on top.”
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SEND US YOUR PICTURES! Shouldn’t your model be in Reader Gallery? FineScale Modeler is always accepting new material from around the world. Upload high-resolution digital images (preferably unedited, RAW format) with complete captions at www.Contribute.Kalmbach.com, or send prints or CD-ROMs to FineScale Modeler, Reader Gallery, 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Be sure to tell us the kit manufacturer, model, scale, modifications, paint and finishes used, and reason for choosing the model, along with your name and address. We look forward to seeing your work!
◀ EDUARDO CORIA MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
This 120mm resin figure sculpted by Jeff Shiu represents a Sixth Army German machine gunner during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942-43. Ammo belts are glued to thin strips of lead foil to give them a flexible look. The snowy base is covered with baking soda; Eduardo painted with Vallejo acrylics.
▶ JUSTIN McCOY
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
To finish his 1/25 scale Revell ’41 Chevrolet pickup as a well-worn work truck, Justin began the painting with a base coat of Krylon camo brown. He says, “I start with an enamel undercoat whenever possible, as it creates a stronger, more-durable base for later weathering effects. Daler Rowney FW inks add color to the rust.” Justin airbrushed acrylic paint for the body color, then scrubbed and stippled with foam to reveal the brown underneath. AK Interactive rust and Gravel & Sand Fixer provided further distress in the finish. Basswood risers top the truck bed. ◀ MARCELO PABLO VISINTIN PIANELLA, PESCARA, ITALY
An Argentine modeler living in Italy, Marcelo built Italeri’s 1/48 scale kit as an SH-60 Seahawk of the Japanese navy, “without added extras and materials that I had at home,” he says, although he added photo-etched items from Flightpath for the flight deck. He finished with GSI Creos Mr. Hobby acrylics.
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1/35 Scale
Correcting a
Carro Armato Aftermarket parts and ingenuity improve Tamiya’s M13/40 medium tank BY BILL MORIN
Bill’s old Tamiya kits of the World War II Italian M13/40 medium tank went unbuilt for years. But an improved Tamiya reissue inspired him to give it a try. He found it still had a few of the old kit’s quirks — but not enough to keep him from turning it into an enjoyable project that went on for years.
M
any of Tamiya’s older kits were known to have only approximate dimensions and details. The 1974 kit of the Italian Carro Armato M13/40 medium tank was one, with an out-of-the-box build yielding an unlikely combination of features from both the M13/40 and the later M14/41. In 2008, Tamiya issued an updated kit (No. 35296) with all the original parts except for the rubber-band tracks. Included were new link-and-length tracks, figures, and detail parts in styrene, along with an aluminum main gun barrel, new decals, and a small photo-etched (PE) fret. While these new “add-ons” replaced inferior original parts and provided additional details, 36 FineScale Modeler March 2016
major components like the hull retained the original inaccuracies. Thus, the box yielded a better model, but one which was still not quite accurate.
Plastic, resin, metal, and glue I used Royal Model’s resin and PE “Italian Carro Armato M13/40 (Final Production) Conversion Set for Tamiya” (No. 609) to correct several of the Tamiya kit’s shortcomings. Preferring articulated, individual-link tracks, I replaced the kit’s link-and-length tracks with Friulmodel’s white-metal “M11/39 M13/40 Semovente M40 75/18 M40 M13 M14/41 M15/42 M42” tracks (No. ATL-18). Black Dog’s resin “Carro Armato
Accessories Set” (No. T35005) gave me a good start on stowed equipment for the exterior. Figures in the Tamiya update are a great improvement on the 1974 kit, but I opted for the different uniform variations of MiniArt’s Italian tank crew (No. 35093). I used Testors or Tenax-7R liquid styrene cement for plastic bonds. To join other materials — white metal or PE — I used both thick and thin super glue when alignment was not an issue; for more fiddly parts, I turned to Devcon 5-minute liquid epoxy. Its working time is just right for aligning and adjusting parts without risking damage or destruction that can occur when super glue sets too quickly and must be redone.
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Along with the tan kit parts, we see Royal Models’ gray resin conversion parts and Friulmodel’s white-metal track and drive sprocket.
With conversion and detail parts of various manufacture, test-fitting is essential — as Bill found when he had to remove the kit’s radiator cover from between the PE grilles.
PE gun sight Royal Models Turned-metal barrel
Tamiya
3
Friulmodel
Punched bolt heads
Kit and aftermarket parts converge with styrene, resin, and white metal. Pencil marks indicate future location of sandbags. A punch and die produced bolts for the tow-hook mounts.
Running gear — there’s boring, and then there’s bor-ing Tamiya used small dimples to represent the road wheels’ lightening holes; I opened them up with a pin vise. It wasn’t difficult. But though the wheels are small, each has 16 holes to open, and there are 32 wheels — plus spares! While the pin vise was out, I bored out and adjusted the hinges on the Friulmodel individual-link white-metal tracks — all 440 of them (two per link). After that, just enough of my sanity remained to cut the track pins. I replaced the wire Friulmodel provides with snippets of .020" brass rod. After adding the first of the Royal Model resin conversion parts for the upper hull, I began installing the suspension components. Friulmodel’s metal drive sprockets replaced the kit’s. Then I assembled and installed the tracks, 1. Before assembling the upper-hull superstructure, I brushed a heavy coat of craftstore flat black acrylic on the upper hull’s inner surfaces to make sure no bare plastic would be visible through any openings.
4 More metal adds firepower to the Tamiya turret.
I jumped right into adding other details without properly considering whether my desired resin stowage items would fit as they should. Sure enough, I had to install the radiator cover twice, 2. I made sure I didn’t repeat that mistake as I continued, adding kit parts, resin, and PE, along with some styrene punch-and-die bolts and a bit of brass tubing, 3. As with the hull, I painted the turret interior with flat black acrylic. The metal gun barrel and PE machine-gun sight were welcome details topside, 4.
Stowing the stowage Black Dog’s resin stowage is nicely done, but not perfect. While the outward-facing surfaces of the jerry can/tarp array for the hull’s right side look great, 5, the casting is designed to rest on the full fenders of Tamiya’s kit. A later tank like mine (on which all but the forward fender sections were deleted) requires a bracket or shelf for the cans. Consequently, they sit higher than intended, exposing blank areas on the back of the resin part.
Still, there was no way I wasn’t going to use that beautiful casting. After fabricating a .015" sheet-styrene shelf for the cans, I used epoxy putty to fashion an extra tarp to conceal the resin part’s blank spot, throwing a length of chain on top for good measure, 6. There were other issues with the resin castings for engine-deck stowage. Portions of the ropes depicted in the large, central bundle were too fragile to withstand handling and were easily broken, 7. Another single-piece array of four jerry cans goes on the rear hull plate. As with the previous bunch, the bottoms of the cans are designed to rest on a portion of the tank (in this case, the step behind the radiators). Because the ends of the resin part’s bracket had broken off, they were too short to attach to anything. Also, the filler necks/ caps on all four cans were damaged beyond use, and all the handles were broken. However, Tamiya’s updated kit provides new cans which also feature separate filler necks, caps, and handles. Since the resin casting was a “must use” item, I shaved off March 2016
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Additional tarp
5
6
Bill liked the detail of the resin-cast jerry-can rack on the outward-facing surfaces. However, its position exposed blank areas on the back side.
He hid the blank back of the resin-cast jerry cans and tarp with an epoxyputty tarp of his own, topped with chain.
Rubber tubing
Kit’s jerry cans
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More details were needed to cover damaged parts of another resin casting of engine-deck stowage.
the damaged resin and used Tamiya’s plastic parts, 8. An L bracket made from .015" sheet styrene provided both a base for the cans and a rear panel for attaching the cast bracket. The fact that Tamiya’s plastic jerry cans were now incomplete didn’t mean they had to go to waste, especially since the port side of the engine deck was relatively bare. I used styrene angle stock to make simple, rough brackets to hold two more cans lying on their sides with the pour ends facing inward. I fabricated a bundle of “stuff ” from epoxy putty wrapped in a piece of latex surgical glove and positioned it so the cans can be seen while their missing parts are strategically covered. I rediscovered some flexible Verlinden rubber tubing I obtained in Germany in the early 1990s and figured that stretching it slightly over the stowage before tying it off would replicate tie-downs. After pressing an indentation into the putty/glove bundle and carefully filing others into appropriate locations on resin items, I used two pieces of the smallest tubing to help tie down the heavy load. 38 FineScale Modeler March 2016
Styrene stock
Kit’s handles and caps
Piled-up stowage on the engine deck, with several adjustments and additions Bill made using kit parts (tan), aftermarket resin (gray) and racks made from styrene stock (white).
Painting and finishing When I read or hear debates about the “correct” color for military hardware, I recall my time as a mechanized infantryman. I sometimes marveled at how different our vehicles could look despite standardized painting. And this was the 1980s and ’90s, when processes were far more evolved than in the 1940s. My color choices are “in the ballpark.” I seldom concern myself with paint ratios or exact color shades. I’ll name what I used here, but not in ratios. I started by priming the entire model with spray-can Testors Model Master flat black enamel, 9. Next, I hit the top of the turret with Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer lacquer from a spray can. When that dried I applied a circular mask to form a typical Italian air recognition symbol, then airbrushed a custom-mixed tan brown that looked about right for Italian armor, 10. A heavy dry-brushing with medium dark green craft acrylic paint depicted the vehicle’s original European finish showing through worn areas of paint applied for
North African action, 11. Compare the dry-brushed portions with the engine deck stowage and you see the color difference. After selectively hand-brushing Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM) where I would put decals, I chose markings from the Tamiya kit. The decals settled down with applications of Microscale Micro Set and Micro Sol. I followed with a top coat of PFM, 12. A “dot filter” — dots of artist’s oils placed on the model, then whisked away with a brush damp with odorless mineral spirits — left warm traces of colors to lend depth to the surfaces, 13. I hand-brushed most of the details with craft acrylics, with a few exceptions: Testors Model Master chrome silver enamel was applied to the insides of the headlights; rusty items received repeated washes of Testors flat brown enamel and odorless mineral spirits to build the color intensity; and I picked out the contact surfaces of the tracks, drive sprockets, and idler wheels with Tamiya metallic gray acrylic (XF-56), 14. Using as many colors as possible makes
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Flat black primer is the ultimate in pre-shading, providing shadow and depth to overpainted items.
Bill primed the turret top in white and applied a circular mask for an airrecognition mark. Then he overpainted with tan brown, à la Italian armor.
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Most dry-brushing aims for highlights, but Bill used it to portray green paint beneath an overcoat of desert color.
Bill hand-brushed PFM to form a gloss bed for better decal adhesion. When that dried, he applied Microscale Micro Set, the decal, then Micro Sol to soften it to the surface. After that dried, more PFM sealed it.
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“Dot filters” of artist’s oils lent warmth and depth to the base paint.
Painting stowage and details in situ, Bill hand-brushed craft acrylics, Testors enamels, and Tamiya acrylic paints.
the model look lively, but there is a point where it can become garish. The first time I think I might be going too far, I know it’s time to stop. You can always add more later.
Stowage and lights I dry-brushed the stowage items (including the sandbags) with lightened shades of the same acrylics I used to paint them, then
applied multiple washes of Testors Model Master raw umber enamel and odorless mineral spirits, 15. After a spray-can overcoat of Testors Dullcote flat clear, I set about “turning on” the headlights. The kit supplied old-fashioned moldings with no clear lenses. So, I filled each receptacle with 5-minute epoxy and, holding the model nose-up while the
epoxy set, ran the side of a No. 2 pencil around the edge of the lens and the headlight mount. The gleaming lens contrasts with the flat finish, 16.
Figments of pigments Dry-brushing can create illusions of light, shadow, and dimension. But I thought I’d try for similar effects using various Vallejo March 2016
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15
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Dark washes deepen details. “No formula here,” Bill says. “I simply apply and repeat the washes until it looks right.”
A right-sized drop of 5-minute epoxy forms a clear headlight lens, a detail the kit doesn’t provide.
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Bill’s tank was more or less finished, and all he had to do was write the article. Instead, a three-year pause ensued.
Yikes! With a shelf life considerably shorter than three years, the rubber tubing Bill had used for tie-downs went to pieces …
pigments applied with a wide, soft brush. The pigments build up in corners and crannies, just as mud and dust do, and they can tone down and unify washes. Pigments adhere to vertical surfaces for a ground-in, dusty effect or can be built up to accent raised details with a translucence more subtle than paint. All these effects can be achieved with a light touch, definitely an advantage at this stage of the model with delicate constructions already in place. Once I had dusted to my satisfaction, I added a radio antenna made of .020" brass rod to finish the tank, 17 — or so I thought.
Rescue from the shelf This section could be titled, “Why you shouldn’t wait three years before finishing and taking photos of a model for FSM.” Life interfered with my hobby while my model languished in a storage cabinet. But I was determined to finish the model and this article. I figured I could wrap things up in short order. What could possibly go 40 FineScale Modeler March 2016
wrong with a model that was safely stored and untouched the entire time? Well, remember that flexible rubber tubing I used for tie-downs? Forget it. I won’t be using that again, because the tubing disintegrated, 18. Also, the clear epoxy headlights were badly yellowed, 19. No matter: I saw this as an opportunity to make my model better than it had been. During my modeling hiatus my wife had “put away” many of my supplies, including my stock of nylon string. However, my mother-in-law came through with some beige embroidery thread I used for new tiedowns, 20. Raw umber enamel washes and pigments blended the new additions into their surroundings. A new narrative repaired the headlights: In the North African desert, it was common to cover the headlights to prevent glinting reflections that could disclose the tank’s location, not to mention inadvertent activation of the lights at night. While there were factory-made covers, they were quickly damaged, destroyed, or lost in the
field, where they would instead be covered with sandbags, helmets, or whatever material was available. I made replacement covers using tissue soaked in white glue and water, 21, and painted them with colors I hadn’t already used, the randomness enhancing the “rolling junk pile” effect I wanted. Again, washes and pigments blended these into their surroundings, 22. Now I could finally say the build was done. But that didn’t mean I was finished.
Mustering a crew Nothing better expresses what a small tank this was than a scale figure or two. Dryfitting revealed that no more than two of the MiniArt figures I was using would fit comfortably on the tank. Scale figures usually depict Italian tank crews in their standard long, leather tanker coat over blue or tan coveralls. MiniArt’s set provides figures in both types of coveralls without coats, and I used one of each, also mixing and matching separate heads by
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… and the epoxy headlight lens looked yellow and dull.
Bill replaced the rubber-tube tie-down with embroidery thread he tinted with raw umber washes and pigments.
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The best repair for the headlights was concealment. Tissue soaked with white glue replicated fabric covers.
Washes and pigments blended the additions with their older surroundings.
REFERENCES
Italian Medium Tanks in Action, Nicola Pignato, Squadron/ Signal, ISBN 978-0-89747-426-9 Italian Armored Vehicles of World War Two, Nicola Pignato, Squadron/Signal, ISBN 978-0-89747-475-7 SOURCES
23 Although the M13/40 was classified as a medium tank, Bill notes, “It’s astounding that this represents only half the crew that had to fit inside one of those things!” He mixed and swapped parts of MiniArt Italian tankers.
selecting the ones requiring the least amount of cleanup and having the most facial hair, saving myself some prep time and avoiding extensive face-painting as well — not my forte. Since I’m not exactly a world-class figure painter, I am a huge fan of the simplified face painting technique described by
Resin and photo-etched conversion set, Royal Models, www.royalmodel.com White-metal individual-link track, Friulmodel, www.friulmodel.hu Resin stowage and accessories, Black Dog, www.blackdog.cz Italian tank crew figures, MiniArt, www.miniart-models.com Eye decals, Archer Fine Transfers, www.archertransfers.com
Jim Wechsler in his October 2009 FSM article, “5 Steps to Paint Fantastic Faces.” However, I replace the Model Master enamels he uses with a couple of Testors “square bottle” enamels, GI wood (No. 1141) highlighted with light tan (No. 1170). I also use eyeball decals from Archer Fine Transfers (No. AR99001). The
remaining painting is done with craft-store acrylics followed by raw umber washes and finished with Dullcote, 23. Finally — after decades of avoiding the earlier version of this kit, then a three-year delay in completing this one — I finished the project. Talk about taking a long time to build a model! FSM March 2016
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Painting a
SCI-FI SHIP for realism
Serious modeling for an anime subject BY FAUSTO MUTO
Treating Hasegawa’s space battleship Arcadia like any other model, rather than a pre-colored snap-together kit, shows that realistically depicting a spacecraft with a great-looking model requires commitment and hours of work.
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cience-fiction modeling provides a forum to stretch creativity and try something different. That’s especially true for subjects from anime — Japanese animation — that often includes fantastic spaceships, vehicles, and big robots. Many anime kits are molded in different colors and designed
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for easy assembly, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t serious models. I took that approach when I built Hasegawa’s 1/1500 scale Arcadia, Captain Harlock’s ship as seen in the 1979 film “Galaxy Express 999.” The kit, part of Hasegawa’s Creator Works series, comprises 12 sprues of plastic parts in sev-
eral colors and includes a stand. The kit could be built without painting, but I don’t recommend that for two reasons: First, although the engineering covers many of the seams, there are a few that will remain visible. Second, careful painting can produce a remarkably realistic finish.
1 I airbrushed black into recesses, such as those around the bow, vents, and the opening aft of the deck. This creates depth at these joints and ensures color coverage in hard-to-reach spots.
3 I sprayed the model with Vallejo black primer (74.602) to reveal any problems and begin pre-shading. Then I masked the wooden areas — the stern cabin and deck — with tape and liquid mask.
5 I mixed Vallejo Model Air yellow (71.002) with field green and airbrushed some panel centers on the upper surfaces of the ship. You don’t need to be neat here because subsequent layers will blend the shades.
2 Barring a couple of delicate antennas and the clear parts, I glued all of the parts before painting. I filled a few gaps, notably between the wing halves and the base of the masts, with 2-part epoxy putty.
4 I continued pre-shading by spraying metallic paint, using darker shades around the belly and lighter shades above. The shine gives life to the Vallejo Model Air field green (71.093) that comes next. I sprayed thin layers of green, starting along panel lines.
6 Next, I sprayed all of the recesses and some panel lines on the ship, as well as larger areas underneath, with a mix of Vallejo Model Air black (71.057) and field green. March 2016
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7 Finally, I sprayed the entire ship with thin coats of field green, gradually building density and blending the panels.
9 To paint the wooden sections of the ship, I dry-brushed a heavy layer of Vallejo Model Color hull red (70.985) over the black primer. Progressively lighter dry-brushed coats of amaranth red (70.829) and light orange (70.911) highlighted molded detail. I also hand-painted the skull-andcrossbones emblems with successively lighter shades, starting with light brown and ending with white for highlights.
8 The bow and adjoining panels are a lighter green, so I used Vallejo Model Air camouflage green (71.022) for the basic color. Yellow and field green changed the shade for highlights and shadows.
10 I prepared the model for decals with a coat of Tamiya spray-can clear gloss (TS-13). Another coat protected the markings from subsequent weathering.
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Artist’s oil washes emphasized panel lines. I mixed dark green with a little black for the green sections, dark brown for the wood. After applying a thin layer over the model, I let it sit a few minutes, then removed excess with a cloth.
I let the oil washes dry for a couple of days, then airbrushed the model with GSI Creos Aqueous Hobby Color clear flat acrylic (H20).
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Modeling anime: Opening a world of wonders ANIME — JAPANESE ANIMATED films and TV series — includes a lot of genres. Sci-fi is one of the most popular: Classics like “Macross,” “Starblazers,” and “Mobile Suit Gundam” have been joined by newer titles such as “Cowboy Bebop,” “Appleseed,” and “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” Outside Japan, enthusiasm for anime exploded in the 1980s. Model companies were quick to respond. Bandai is the big dog in the market, with hundreds of “Gundam” kits in its Gunpla series, as well as kits from “Starblazers,” “Cowboy Bebop,” “Evangelion,” and a couple of Hayao Miyazaki’s films. The popularity of the long-running “Macross” franchise has produced kits
from numerous manufacturers, including Bandai, Nichimo, Arii, and Hasegawa. The last continues to release new versions of the ships, and recently launched its Creator Works label for kits from other anime, such as “Captain Harlock” and “Last Exile.” Aoshima sci-fi heritage includes Gundam kits as well as “Space Runaway Ideon,” “Future Boy Conan,” and more. Fine Molds has turned its attention to Miyazaki’s films with kits from “Lapüta: Castle in the Sky” and “Porco Rosso,” and has reboxed tank kits under license for the popular “Girls und Panzer” series. The engineering of these kits is outstanding, often featuring multiple colors of plastic on the same sprue, snap-
together construction, articulated limbs, and alternative weapons. The subject matter is endless and colorful, with something to appeal to just about any taste. The quality of recent releases is as good as any modern kits, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore painting and weathering techniques. Master modeler Mig Jimenez published a book in 2015 demonstrating how the latest armor finishing techniques can make a gigantic Gundam fighting suit look like it just walked off a battlefield. Next time you’re browsing a hobby shop or website, wander through the anime kits. Chances are, you’ll find something fun and challenging. Let’s jam! – Aaron Skinner
Adding the antennas and installing the yellow-tinted windows finished the Arcadia. FSM March 2016
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1/48 Scale
Detailing a
Cessna Skymaster Tips for advancing a forward air control aircraft • BY FRANK CUDEN
When the U.S. Air Force’s Cessna O-2 Skymaster surpassed the U.S. Army’s Cessna O-1, it was a case of the Duck following the Bird Dog. Also known as the Oscar Deuce, the O-2 could carry flares, guns, and rockets. It was chiefly for forward air control, although a few carried speakers and dropped leaflets for psychological warfare. Large lettering on this plane’s wings carried a friendly message for aircraft above.
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ometimes you see a scheme on an aircraft and you have to build it. Such was the case for me and the 1/48 scale Testors Cessna O-2 (No. 514). Originally issued by Hawk (No. 565) as a civilian Cessna Super Skymaster, it morphed into the military version some years later with the addition of gun pods, marker rockets, various antennas, and props without spinners. With a couple of parts from Heller’s 1/50 scale kit (No. 408), I had the makings of a model project. A few years ago, the Experimental Aircraft Association’s magazine Warbirds featured an O-2 restoration with DON’T SHOOT across
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the wings. Thinking ahead, I filed the article for future reference. With help from my friend Greg Drawbaugh of Draw Decals (which now offers these unique markings in both 1/48 and 1/72 scale), I got the decals I wanted. Just as I began working on the Testors kit, I ran across True Details’ resin interior for the O-1 Bird Dog (No. 48514). I bought two so I could use parts of them for more detail than the kit provided. In my photo references was an image of an M16 mounted on the left in the cockpit and a good shot of the radio “tower” in back, presenting additional detail opportunities. Now I was ready to begin.
True Details resin
Reheat Models brass scraps
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Guide holes
I modified pieces of the True Detail resin sets to “imaginate� an interior. Testors’ military version depicted additional windows with decals; I used them as an outline to drill several holes in the plastic before cutting it open. I vacuum-formed all windows on the model, cutting them to fit the holes.
3 I outlined the overhead windows with a pencil and drilled holes before cutting out the plastic. I added a sheet-styrene bulkhead aft and resin soundproofing material, matching, cutting, and fitting various pieces to the walls.
5 More detail-painting and placard decals from my spares further enhanced the cockpit.
2 There was more resin to model the radio gear; I added copper wiring. A Reheat Models set (No. RHO3) provided webbing for seat belts and shoulder straps along with brass buckles.
4 After interior paint, a black wash gave dimension to the quilted soundproofing on the walls.
6 The instrument panel received throttles and mixture controls made from sprue with a drop of white glue for the knobs; additional instruments came from Reheat (No. RHO9). The lower panel of the instrument-panel T was another Reheat item (No. RH13O). March 2016
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Ballast
7 I hammered a few fishing sinkers flat and glued them in the nose for ballast, then glued the finished cockpit to the right fuselage half.
9 I joined wings, booms, and fuselage, attached the main-gear strut, and mounted the nose wheel slightly cocked to the right.
8 It seemed logical to mate the wings to the tail booms first, although it was a bit tricky to get the booms aligned with the fuselage.
10 I was happy that the wing-to-fuselage struts easily matched their locating holes to position the wings.
Exhaust
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Masking all those cutouts would have been more difficult; with my vacuumformed windows, I was able to use the kit windows to block paint from the interior.
I made the rear-engine vent doors from sheet styrene and used styrene tubing to extend the exhaust.
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Antenna mounts
Light shade
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Front-engine exhaust vents were made the same way.
Antenna “foot pads” were made from thin sheet styrene. (I glued antennas later to avoid knocking them off sooner.) Shaped from sheet styrene, blinds on the inside of each wing’s landing light block their glare from the pilots.
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Most O-2s were painted ADC gray (FS16473). (Others were painted black, presumably for night operations.) Testors ADC gray enamel lightened with flat white worked well.
When the paint had dried for a couple of days, I masked to airbrush Testors white enamel topside. A light overspray with lacquer thinner immediately afterward not only accelerates the drying time but ensures a smooth gloss for decals.
Coaming
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After two days, I masked to paint the tail tips and antiglare panel with Floquil engine black. I also edged the window openings with Testors Model Master interior green.
The last thing I painted before decals was the dark gray cockpit coaming. I also added brake lines just aft of the main landing gear strut and mounted the tires. March 2016
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Mike Grant rivet decals were a nice touch topside.
I gently dragged an artist’s B drawing pencil along recessed panel lines.
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To further reduce glare from the landing lights, each light fairing was painted black.
Rivet decals are really handy for fine detail, such as the rivet line across the tips of the vertical tails. The small, red strips between the lower tails and rudders are gust locks. I used Testors burnt umber on the exhaust pipes.
Gunsight
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I made up a gunsight with clear styrene and mounted it on the coaming in front of the pilot’s seat, edging the gunsight glass with Tamiya clear green to make it look like plate glass. Clear pieces were given a coat of Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish, let dry, then attached with white glue.
Rolling a bit of kneaded rubber into a conical shape allowed me to gently pick up each clear piece and place it without smudges. Sway braces came from a 1/72 scale Italeri B-57B Canberra. Vent “holes” on the minigun pods are just black decals I cut using a punch-and-die set. I painted the nose of each pod with Testors Model Master burnt iron.
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Tie-downs
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Two small rings visible under the booms just forward of the tail are for tiedowns. They came from a Detail Associates HO scale railroad parts set.
A “towel bar” antenna came from the Heller 1/50 scale kit; it was thinner than the one offered in the Testors kit. The blade antenna is a kit part, but I stretched black sprue for the whip antenna.
Stretched sprue Heller 1/50 scale Fishing line
Vacuum-formed windows
Sheet-styrene vent
Light shade
Rivet decals
Rivet decals Gust lock
It was satisfying to complete this O-2, something I’ve wanted for a long time. It proves that Testors’ long-standing kit can be made presentable with patience and some “imagineering.” FSM
March 2016
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SHOWCASE By Dan Jayne
Photos by Chuck Stewart
DEEP DIVE
Scratchbuilding the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley
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any FSM readers will recognize Dan Jayne’s name but more likely associate it with one of his famous cutaway models, frequently aircraft. This time, Dan digs deep into his modeling treasure chest to scratchbuild the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley, which he then gave to his photographer friend Chuck Stewart to display. Stewart marvels at Jayne’s work and notes the sub was simply a fun “filler” project between Dan’s various cutaway builds. “His ‘just for fun’ projects are my ‘never in a 52 FineScale Modeler March 2016
million years could I build that’ project,” says Chuck. First, some background on the Hunley, which set a number of firsts in its short career. Most notable, the Hunley was the first sub to sink an enemy ship, the USS Housatonic, about five miles off Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 17, 1864, 152 years ago. An explosive charge was mounted on a spar mounted on the sub’s bow. The torpedo was to go off after the sub backed away, but it’s unclear if that happened on the night the Hunley sank the Union’s steam-powered sloop-of-war.
But the Hunley, built in Mobile, Ala., had another first that is noteworthy, if not a source of pride for any involved. The sub sank three times in its first six months after launch. It first sank in August 1863, claiming five of the eight men aboard. The following October, the sub sank again, killing all eight aboard, including its creator, Horace Lawson Hunley. Amazingly, the Confederates raised the sub for a second time (no small feat), and even more amazingly found more volunteers to sail it. Imagine what it would be like inside a cast-iron tube 5' high and 4'
The detail in the hull, its texture, and its rivets are well executed. Jayne used .040" styrene sheets for the bulkheads that were stacked and then drilled to make a strong .25" tube. The bulkheads were then double-sheathed in .015" styrene sheets.
Dan Jayne steps back from his usual cutaway model building to scratchbuild the first submarine to sink a ship, although the Hunley also sank — three times!
wide. Illumination inside was by daylight or candle, and the men had to hand-crank the propeller shaft to power the sub. This was not something for the claustrophobic. The brave crew on its final dive, however, didn’t get to celebrate the victory of the Housatonic’s sinking, as the sub sank for the final time after its successful mission. All on board were lost. The exact reason for the sub’s sinking remains unclear. Jayne’s Hunley is 1/35 scale and 100% scratchbuilt except for the sailor, which is a Tamiya FAMO figure.
This dramatic aft view shows the sub’s rudimentary rudder. There’s some debate whether the Hunley used a two- or three-blade propeller, but most sources agree on three, thus Dan’s choice. Check out the texture on the prop here.
The original Hunley was 39.5' long with a top speed of 4 knots. The real sub was raised in 2000 and is on display in North Charleston, S.C. The sub was never officially commissioned by the Confederate states but was seized for their use when Hunley and the sub’s private builders brought it to Charleston by rail. FSM March 2016
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WORKBENCH REVIEWS FSM experts build and evaluate new kits
Meet the new pride leader from Airfix
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on’t confuse this Wildcat with Airfix’s ancient mold from the 1960s. This new Wildcat has beautifully executed recessed panel detail, a good cockpit, complex landing-gear structure with separate parts if you want to pose the gear retracted, a well-formed engine and prop, fine decals, and the “right” look for this famous feline fighter.
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Best of all, you get a choice of extended or folded wings for carrier stowage! While the wing-hinge mechanism could have been more detailed, I suspect that would have made attachment and support difficult. Perhaps the best thing about kits from the “new Airfix” is their ease of assembly. Everything fits as it should, although it takes time and careful alignment to get
through the pretzel logic of the landinggear assembly. Airfix’s current assembly instructions are great, as the next panel in a sequence shows in detail the proper finished location of the previous step. The only weakness in these instructions is the company’s continuing penchant for using simple number callouts for Humbrol paints — suggestions for color choices even
as simple as “black” would be of great assistance to beginners. I had to find a Humbrol color chart to see that Airfix recommends interior green for the cockpit; references suggest the color should be the darker bronze green. However, the exterior color and decaling diagrams are in full color and very helpful. I don’t know about the red-and-white striped tail hook; it doesn’t appear in any of the photos I could find. After fiddling with the landing gear, building was a snap. Airfix gives you two canopies — onepiece closed and two-piece opened, with the slide-back portion enlarged to fit over the Wildcat’s roll-over spine. Airfix provides two sets of wings — folded and extended. I decided to fold one wing to check the fit of both positions.
Airfix molded a flat, triangular gluing surface on the bottom of the folded wing’s outer portion. This mates with the little dropped triangular door that covers the hinge and helps support the wing when it is folded back. A separate strut ties the folded wing to the tail plane. I used Testors Model Master enamels and mixed my own blue gray upper camouflage color. The decals provide markings for two aircraft and are perfectly printed, but I had trouble getting the large fuselage insignias to conform to the compound curves of the rear fuselage. Not counting time for paint to dry, only 12 hours were needed to finish my model. With all of its features and at an affordable price, Airfix’s Wildcat is the new top cat in 1/72 scale. – Paul Boyer
Kit: No. A02070 Scale: 1/72 Manufacturer: Airfix, www.airfix.com Price: $9.99 Comments: Injectionmolded, 58 parts, decals Pros: Beautifully recessed detail; good fit; folded-wing option; open and closed canopy; complex landing gear is well done Cons: Interior detail color info keyed only to Humbrol paint numbers; no color names except for exterior schemes
March 2016
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WORKBENCH REVIEWS
Merit International Fokker Dr.1
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amous as Snoopy’s nemesis, the Fokker triplane gets much more press than its importance should warrant. Designed in response to Sopwith’s three-winged fighter, the Dr.1 was not produced in large numbers. But it’s notorious as the mount of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen. Merit joins the fray of World War I models with a new, big-scale Dr.1. The two marking options include one of Richthofen’s, albeit not the most famous overall red airplane. Most, if not all, Dr.1s were delivered with a distinctive streaked fabric camouflage; Merit provides decals of the scheme that cover most of the airframe. A small photo-etched fret supplies con-
Kit: 62403 Scale: 1/24 Manufacturer: Merit International, www.merit-intl.com Price: $68 Comments: Injection-molded, 133 parts (10 photo-etched metal), decals Pros: Detailed engine; great scale for the subject Cons: Streaked camo decals don’t fit; poor guns
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trol horns for the plane and cooling jackets for the machine guns but, oddly, no seat belts, a noticeable omission in this scale. Construction of the interior tube frame quickly ran afoul of some oversize cross members. Fortunately, the problems were near the tail and can’t be seen on the finished model, so I just removed them. The cockpit includes controls and other items, but there’s no representation of the plywood triangular frame stretching down the sides from the engine mount. The engine mount is supplied, but none of the associated accessories are included. It’s not a big deal, because they won’t be seen anyway, so I left mine out. The fuselage closed up easily and only needed a touch of filler near the tail to even out small sink marks. The rudder is designed to be sandwiched between the fuselage halves, allowing it to move — a nice touch — but the control horns are not included. I attached both the bottom and middle wings and cleaned up the roots. The lower wing had a bit of anhedral. I flattened it and supported it across the fuselage with tape until the glue dried to fix that. I sprayed the underside, including all three wings and the struts, with Tamiya light blue. I left the struts off to avoid masking them. Then, the upper surfaces were sprayed with Tamiya khaki to cover any problems with the decals. The streaking looked too tan. But more importantly, many sections were seriously undersized, as though they
were designed in 2-D and didn’t allow for wrapping around things. The lower wing decal is especially small and really shouldn’t be used, leaving painting your own streaking the only option. The upper wing decal did not have separate ailerons and was quite long — I cut it into sections by color and it fit OK. The forward fuselage decal would be extremely difficult to fit around the wing root, so I just left it off. The rear section is too short, but it’s tucked under the tail. The machine guns are simple, with almost no molded detail. The PE jackets go over molded jackets, somewhat defeating the purpose. The upper wing and struts all fit well — actually the struts on my model aren’t even glued in place. The engine is a highlight of the kit, fits well, and even includes separate pairs of molded spark plugs. I left it and the cowl off until final assembly. The Dr.1 is light on rigging, so I added a few wires using stretchy nylon EZ Line. Be aware that the cutouts for the horizontal stabilizer control lines are incorrect — they should be at an angle, not perpendicular to the stabilizer. I spent roughly 25 hours on my kit and was disappointed. The decals are flawed and the detail on the guns simplistic, and neither can be easily corrected via the aftermarket. Builders will want to consider painting their own “streaking” and maybe adding their own detail. – Chuck Davis
Horizon Models Mercury spacecraft
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f you grew up in the 1950s and ’60s, then you’ll remember America’s first spacemen, the Mercury 7 astronauts. They became heroes even before they became “spam in the can,” squeezed into tiny Mercury capsules placed atop somewhat unreliable Redstone and Atlas boosters. Newcomer Horizon Models’ Mercury spacecraft provides duplicate 25-part injection-molded sprues and photo-etched frets along with a single comprehensive decal sheet. Display stands are included. From the box you can build two complete models of either the manned capsules and “boilerplate” capsule-shaped test payloads. Or you can do what I did and build two manned ships and two boilerplate craft, the latter without the heat shields. The instructions are printed on the back of the box and have clear assembly draw-
ings, but are incomplete when it comes to marking the different capsules. Also missing is the placement of the escape rocket pack to the truss tower; it’s nothing that even a beginner can’t figure out, but it is odd that it’s missing. Horizon captured the corrugated texture of the capsule’s skin by molding the exterior in three sections. These are added to the heat-shield base, a central core, and a parachute housing at the top. PE appliques provide the different view ports of the various capsules. Escape-tower wiring and retrorocket straps are also PE. I decided to build my manned ships as Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 and John Glenn’s Friendship 7. The instructions link the differences in the capsules to the mission codes, but don’t connect the codes to the ship names, forcing you to seek additional
references. The Wikipedia entry on Project Mercury helped a lot, but for quick reference, here’s the short list: Alan Shepard’s suborbital Freedom 7 was MR-3 (MR = Mercury/Redstone) and was a twin round-porthole style capsule. Gus Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 was MR-4 and had a single squared window view port. The remaining manned Mercury missions were launched on Atlas boosters (MA) and had the window view ports: John Glenn’s Friendship 7 (MA-6); Scott Carpenter’s Aurora 7 (MA-7); Wally Shirra’s Sigma 7 (MA-8); and Gordon Cooper’s Faith 7 (MA-9). The instructions point to the position of each capsule’s name decal, but don’t show where the “crack” in Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 is located, even though it is on the decal sheet. The decals worked fine, but the items representing the radial stripes on the nozzles of the retro-rocket pack on the Atlas capsules are too small. I painted the boilerplate shapes as well. Simple “United States” decals are provided for Big Joe (the first Mercury/Atlas test), and “MR-BD” (the last Mercury/Redstone booster development test). It didn’t take long to build and paint these four capsules, just 14 hours total. Each is easily the smallest model in my collection as the capsule (without escaperocket tower) is just 1.5" long. Horizon’s Mercury capsules are a fine salute to the dawn of man’s exploration of space. I wonder what Horizon will do next? – Paul Boyer
Kit: No. 2003 Scale: 1/72 Manufacturer: Horizon Models, www.horizon-models.com Price: $34.95 Comments: Injection-molded, 78 parts (28 photo-etched), decals Pros: Good fits; great surface detail; full selection of decals; fine PE; display stands Cons: Incomplete markings instructions; a few omissions in assembly drawings
March 2016
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WORKBENCH REVIEWS
Master Box Austin armored car
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ith the current plethora of World War I tanks, it seemed inevitable that kits of armored cars would soon follow. Master Box complements its delightful 1/72 scale British Mark I tanks with an Austin Series III armored car. Designed in the United Kingdom, the 5-ton vehicle was mostly used by Russia during WWI, and by several combatants during the Russian Civil War. Molded in medium gray plastic, the parts show crisp panel lines and petite rivets. The one-piece hull and corresponding chassis are terrific. Small items, such as the leaf springs and machine gun look good for the scale. Sprue attachment points are small, which minimizes damage when parts are removed. Mold seams are minimal, and I found no sink marks. The kit does not include clear parts.
Polar Lights Wicked Witch of the West
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olar Lights’ Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” has been on my mostwanted kit list since I saw it at a hobby show a couple of years ago. At that time, the company planned to release it as a plastic kit. Instead, it went with resin, which proved a great choice for producing detail and ease of construction. The kit’s quality is noticeable in the packaging, with a sturdy flip-top box decorated on the top and sides by stills from the movie to refer to during painting. Inside, the parts are cushioned by a die-cut foam liner, so there’s no worry about broken parts. The kit includes optional hands and a broom for an alternate display. Cast in white resin the parts are nearly
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perfect straight from the box, showing only minor mold seams. A couple minutes of scraping and sanding and the parts are ready for painting. The sculpting is terrific; I held the finished model up to photos from the movie and the resemblance is spot-on. The kit designers made life easy, keying the parts so alignment is a snap and making sure each assembly is snug. It also means you can paint the parts before assembly. I cleaned all of the resin parts with degreaser, then sprayed them with a light coat of primer. I thought the base looked a little plain, so I pre-shaded the joins between the plates with flat black. A coat of light tan came next, followed by green and yellow washes.
The hardest part of the project turned out to be the vignette that fits inside the crystal ball. Highly detailed and roughly 1/48 scale, it’s the centerpiece of the scene — so a little extra effort here really pays off. I painted Dorothy and her companions with Vallejo acrylics. I sprayed the crystal ball’s base and the display’s nameplate with aged bronze, then sponged on brass Rub ’n Buff for an antique metallic sheen. I brush-painted the flying monkey with Vallejo gaming colors and washes. The little guy is complicated, but the part breakdown eases painting and assembly. Finally, I was ready to paint the main attraction, the Wicked Witch. I started with a base coat of Humbrol yellow green on her face and hands, then added shading and detailing with artist’s oils and pastels. I sprayed her costume with dark gray primer, then darkened shadows with flat black. After some quick masking, I sprayed the cumberbund and hat band with semigloss black for contrast. This is one of the best resin kits I’ve built. It will appeal to fans of “The Wizard of Oz” as well as to monster modelers. The scale and subject fit right into the pantheon of old Aurora figures. I spent about 30 hours on it, most of that painting, and had a lot of fun. I’d love to build another and add a back wall to the scene and some fiber-optic lighting to the crystal ball. – Jeff LaMott
The tiny decal sheet features at least eight vehicles, including armored cars from the German Freikorps, Austria-Hungary, Ukraine, Finland, the Russian Provisional Government, and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. An unmentioned set of marking on the sheet appears to be for a British armored car. Vague part locations in the assembly instructions hampered assembly. For example, in Step 1, Part A21 — I think it’s part of the transmission — and the exhaust (Part A19) appear to mount on the outside of the frame. However, a glance forward at Step 2 shows the parts’ correct locations. Keep an eye on the next step and you’ll have no problems. Fit is pretty good. The keyed rear axles are a little loose in the differential, which can affect the fit with the springs. I attached the axles to the differential, then attached the
drivetrain to the chassis while the glue was wet. That allowed me to adjust the fit and alignment. The only other problem I encountered was a couple of thin parts, like the steering rod, breaking during removal. They were easily fixed on the model. I assembled the vehicle in about an hour, but left the wheels off for painting. I airbrushed the car with Ammo of Mig Jimenez acrylics with a little post-shading and oil washes for weathering. The thin decals applied perfectly and responded well to Microscale Micro Sol. Attaching the wheels finished the build; they’re not the snuggest fits, so I flowed in a little liquid cement and left the vehicle on its roof overnight to ensure strong joins. I enjoyed the five hours I spent building and painting Master Box’s little Austin. It’s an easy kit and would make a perfect weekend project. Now I want one in 1/35 scale. – Aaron Skinner
Kit: No. MB72007 Scale: 1/72 Manufacturer: Master Box, www.mbltd.info Price: $22.99 Comments: Injection-molded, 43 parts, decals Pros: Great detail for scale; good fits; a lot of marking options Cons: Brittle plastic; vague instructions
Kit: POL903/06 Scale: 1/8 Manufacturer: Polar Lights, www.round2models.com Price: $160 Comments: Resin, 22 parts (2 injectionmolded plastic) Pros: Great fit; detail and design make for easy painting Cons: Base is a little plain
March 2016
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READER TIPS By Mark Savage Easily wash resin parts
Most modelers know that resin model parts must be thoroughly washed and rinsed before priming or painting. But how to safely deal with tiny bits and pieces that don’t come attached to a sprue? Try putting them in a metal tea strainer or infuser meant for brewing loose tea. These can be bought for a couple of dollars at most stores carrying kitchen gadgets. They come in different shapes and sizes but are generally round, made of steel mesh, and have a long handle. Simply pop the resin parts into the infuser. Then you can safely wash and rinse them without fear of having them end up someplace down deep in your plumbing system, nevermore to be seen. – Dave Musikoff Pasadena, Calif. More on model packing
Years ago as a teenager I had to move more than a hundred 1/72 scale model airplanes. My simple solution was to find several corrugated cardboard boxes of various sizes and cut up some to act as insert dividers, making sure they fit tightly edge to edge inside the carrier box. I would then cut out the shape (airfoil) of one wing in one divider with a hobby knife and make a mirror image cut in the other divider. Placing the wingtips in the dividers not only kept the dividers from moving, it also kept the wings from moving and the airplanes from contacting anything else. I was able to get maybe 15-20 airplanes (mostly World War II fighters) into each box by just cutting out as many airfoil slots in the dividers as they (or me) could handle without any part of any airplane touching another. For further sturdiness, I would cut smaller cross pieces and interlock them as needed on the dividers. It helped to have airplanes of similar size grouped so the dividers were parallel. Once all the wings Have a tip or technique to share? Send a brief description along with a photo to tips@finescale.com or visit FineScale.com and click on “Contact Us.” Tips are paid for upon publication; if you live in the U.S., we’ll need your Social Security number to pay you. FSM obtains all publication rights (including electronic rights) to the text and images upon payment.
60 FineScale Modeler March 2016
Ready-made paint shelves and more
J
ust found a useful workbench accessory in the beauty section of a well-known online retailer: acrylic shelves used to store fingernail polish. The two I purchased have five risers each, with closed ends and a lip on each shelf. Each unit holds 90 bottles of Vallejo eyedropper-sized paint bottles — which I favor — and also holds Testors Model Master paints. I am sure other paint brands will fit as well. The footprint on the bench is relatively small too. Another plus is that the shelf units can be joined together by substituting slightly longer screws. Here’s another tip on premade items that help on any workbench: I found a handy set of four plastic beakers by OXO in the kitchen department of a local store. The smallest is 1 teaspoon; the largest is 2 oz. These are safer than equivalent laboratory glassware, and their flanged bottoms make them harder to tip over (another plus when modeling). – Paul Trimble South Bend, Ind. were inserted in both halves of the dividers, the whole formation of airplanes was placed inside the carrier box and sealed with tape. Several hundred miles in a moving truck caused practically no damage. Cost? Nothing. – Richard Farrell Robbinsville, N.J. In praise of acetone
I just found a new way of using acetone. I managed to slop some thick super glue on a resin model (it oozed out where two parts bonded. Rather than trying to sand, I wrapped the part in a paper towel and drizzled acetone (fingernail polish remover) on the towel, keeping it moist but not dripping
wet. In a half-hour, the super glue had melted away. Saved me a lot of work, with no muss or fuss. I also use acetone to remove excess putty. I get Bondo glazing putty at an auto store for a fraction the cost of “hobby putty” and when I need to, I use it like putty. But instead of sanding, I lightly dampen a paper towel with acetone (not anywhere near as much as for super glue) and wipe it off. Fantastic! It remains in scratches and gaps but disappears where you don’t want it. My wife’s not happy to lose her nail polish remover, but my models are ecstatic to not be sanded! – Ned Barnett Las Vegas, Nev.
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS By Mark Hembree Faux wood finishes Q How does one create a wood-grain effect
on plastic spoked wheels, such as wagon wheels and old cars? – Dr. Bill McDade Carlsbad, Calif. A There are a few different ways of doing a faux wood finish, depending on the wood and the grain you want to replicate, and with a little practice they’re easy to do. One way is to paint a base coat of flesh or tan enamel. When that’s dry, brush on Tamiya clear orange (acrylic in a bottle, X-26), stroking in the direction of the grain. That will give you a slight suggestion of grain and a realistically wooden look. Another way is to hand-brush acrylic light tan, let that dry, then brush over it with burnt umber artist’s oil. Let that sit for an hour, then drag a brush across the area, stroking in the direction of the grain. You can twist the brush for knots in the wood and other effects. Experiment with the look you want. If the grain doesn’t look quite right, you can rectify it by adding a little thinner to the brush and pulling the dark artist’s oil around a little. The latter effect was described with pictures in Chuck Davis’ story in the September 2014 FSM. Airbrush beauty tool Q I’ve seen infomercials for “Luminess
Air,” a makeup airbrush that comes with a small compressor. It’s offered for only $20 for a 30-day trial period. If you decide to keep the airbrush/compressor, it costs five payments of $60 each (so, $320 altogether). Has anyone tried one of these for plastic Got a modeling problem? Our Questions & Answers column is here to help. E-mail questions@finescale.com, or visit FineScale.com and click on “Contact Us.” We are not able to conduct lengthy research, such as answering questions on markings and unit histories. We publish letters of general interest in the magazine; however, mail volume and space limitations prevent us from printing every question. Please include your name, town, state, and a daytime phone number.
62 FineScale Modeler March 2016
Matching spray-can and bottle paint colors
Q I am writing about a problem I have with paints. If a can of spray paint says it’s German gray, then why isn’t a bottle of German gray from the same manufacturer the same color? The brushed-on paint is darker than the spray. I would like to brush touchups, but I can’t. The paint companies all say to de-gas the can paint. That is easy enough to say, but it is messy and I have to get a jar to do it. So, why are these paints not the same color? – Terry Cornell, Bowling Green, Ky.
A
I, too, have noticed there can be a color difference between bottle and spraycan paint. There may be several reasons: For starters, how thoroughly you shake/mix the paint can make a difference. Also, while I can’t address the manufacturers’ formulas, regardless of paint chips or naming convention the bottled paint and the spray-can paint are not the same medium. You may find that, depending on how you apply it, one dries at a different rate from the other. This can account for color differences before both paints dry completely — and that can take several days, perhaps as long as a week. It depends on how thickly the paint is applied, which influences not only drying time but also how much of an underlying color may show through.
models (as opposed to the Victoria’s Secret variety)? Were the results any good? – William Spikes Wichita Falls, Texas A I am not familiar with the Luminess product, but I have seen others that looked similar. They may work like a charm, but I don’t know anyone who has used one. The main drawback I can see is there’s no way to adjust the pressure: Looks like the
It’s true that you can de-gas spray paint and use it to touch up either by hand or with an airbrush. However, this works better for some paints than others. For instance, touching up with de-gassed Testors spray-can flat black didn’t work at all for me. On the same model, though, Tamiya’s spray-can paints were great for touchups. I found I could spray a little on an index card, brush it on fairly thick (don’t be shy), and if it was still sufficiently fluid when I applied it the paint would level as it dried and blend right in, with the brush strokes disappearing. That’s the surest way to get a match — use the same paint. However, if the touchup area is small and the edges are feathered, even a slight difference may go unnoticed.
compressor is either on or off. It appears a double-action airbrush comes with it, but $320 does not strike me as a bargain. You can get a good airbrush and a compressor with a regulator and perhaps even a water trap and an air storage tank (for more-constant pressure and less pulsation) for less money than that. If any readers are using one of these kind of compressors, please drop me a line and let me know how it is working for you. FSM
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BUFFCON 33 SCALE MODELING SHOW
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COMING EVENTS CA, BUENA PARK: Kit Collectors Exposition & Sale, UFCW Hall, 8550 Stanton Ave. Sunday, March 20, 2016, 9:00am3:00pm. Admission $5.00, under 12 free w/adult. Thousands of rare, hard-to-ďŹ nd model kits and collectibles! Door prizes, snack bar. free parking. Information: Edie Keller, 714-826-5218, PO Box 38, Stanton, CA 90680, kitcollectorsshow@yahoo.com Facebook at Buena-Park-Model-Kit-Collectors-Expo BS Twitter @Kitcollectors CANADA, BRAMPTON, ONTARIO: Torcan 2016 Model Contest. Century Gardens Recreation Centre, 340 Vodden St. E. Sunday, May 1, 2016, 9:00am-5:00pm. General Admission $5.00, children 12&under free. Contestant Admission: Adult $15.00 includes 3 models, $2.00 each additional entry. Junior $7.00 includes 3 models, $1.00 each additional entry. Hosted by Peel Scale Modelers. Visit www.TorcanModelShow.com or info@peelscalemodelers.com FL, VENICE: Annual Model Contest & Show, IPMS/Wings, Wheels & Keels Model Club, at Woodmere Park Auditorium. TerriďŹ c models and an outstanding rafe! Saturday, April 2, 2016, 9:00am-3:00pm. Free Admission. For information contact John Cleary 941-807-0003 E-mail: boston4550jpcwwk@yahoo.com or Randy Whitacre 941-456-5062. For vendor information contact rickamend64@gmail.com 941-628-4576
64 FineScale Modeler March 2016
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FOR SALE CANOPY MASKING AND MORE! WWW.EZMASKS. COM List $3.00. Chris Loney, 75 Golf Club Rd., Smiths Falls, ON, Canada K7A 4S5. 613-283-5206, ezmasks@gmail.com
Specializing in hard-to-find & OOP kits.
We have over 8000 kits in stock from old Aurora to new releases. Please contact us for a FREE catalog. Please specify cars or military. Check with me before you sell.
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SHIP AND AIRCRAFT MODELS. Built for display. For additional information contact, Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ 07605. www.rayguinta.com THOUSANDS OF MODEL KITS for sale. All types from Old Aurora to new releases. Send a 70¢ SASE to: Dean Sills, 116 N. Washington, Owosso, MI 48867. Specify Military List. Phone: 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com
WANTED A BIG BUYER OF AIRCRAFT, Armor, Sci-Fi, Resin, Hybrid or Plastic kits. We buy collections whether they are small or large- Worldwide as well. Call Don Black toll free 1-866-4627277. Don Black, 119 Bernhurst Road, New Bern, NC 28560. E-mail don@donblack.com AIRCRAFT, ARMOR, SCI-FI, FIGURES, AUTO, ETC. Buying kit collections, large or small, worldwide. Top prices paid. Call Jim Banko 610-814-2784 or mail list to 122 Independence Ct., Bethlehem, PA 18020, fax 610-439-4141. E-mail: cth1@prodigy.net I WANT TO BUY YOUR UNBUILT MODEL KITS. Any size collection. Dean Sills, 116 N. Washington St. Owosso, MI 48867. 989-720-2137. Fax: 989-720-0937. E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com MODEL CAR AND TRUCK KITS. Unbuilt or built. Any size collection. Good prices paid. Please contact: Fred Sterns, 48 Standish, Buffalo, NY 14216. Phone: 716-838-6797. Fax: 716836-6057. E-mail: fsterns@aol.com YOU WILL NEVER FIND TIME TO BUILD ALL THOSE MODELS. Unbuilt kits, diecast aircraft, military books. Milam Models, 519 DiLorenzo Dr., Naperville, IL 60565, Phone: 630983-1407, jetpilotpaul@aol.com
MISCELLANEOUS 1ST AND ABSOLUTELY THE BEST MUSEUM-QUALITY MODELS. IPMS Nationals winner building aircraft and armor to your speciďŹ cation, including conversions and scratchbuilt. Call BC Models for quote and information at 913-385-9594 or visit www.bcmmodels.com FINESCALE MODELER AUTHOR and IPMS medalist will build your favorite aircraft, specializing in metal ďŹ nishes. Contact John Adelmann at 563-556-7641 or jjadelmann@yahoo.com
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ALASKA • Anchorage
907-277-7778
ARKANSAS • Jacksonville
Headquarters for scale hobbies. Models; N-HO-O trains; gaming; tools; paints, etc. Discounts & special orders. Open 10-6, closed Sundays and Wednesdays www.railandspruehobbies.com
RAIL & SPRUE HOBBIES
501-982-6836
CALIFORNIA • Burbank
818-848-3674
CALIFORNIA • Canoga Park
Kits, plastic & wood, Slot cars & toys. Rockets, paint, glue and tools. Trains from Z to O. Mon-Tues 10-5, Wed-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-5, closed Sun & Big Holidays. www.scalemodelstuff.com
SCALE MODEL STUFF
818-716-7847
CALIFORNIA • Garden Grove
Rewards program for 10% back on purchases. Plastic aircraft, armor, ships, cars, decals, books, paints, tools, miniatures war-games. Mon-Thur 11-8, Fri 11-midnight, Sat 10-midnight, Sun 11-7 www.brookhursthobbies.com
BROOKHURST HOBBIES
12188 Brookhurst St.
714-636-3580
CALIFORNIA • Hollister
Model planes, car, ships & figures. Model train scales: Z, N, HO, O & G. Paints, tools. R/C & parts, incl. service. Craft & educational kits, supplies, products. Clinics available. Tu-Sat 11 -6; Sun 12-4. www.debbiebartunek@mac.com
B.C.T. HOBBY & CRAFTS
201-C McCray St.
831-635-0537
CALIFORNIA • La Mirada
R HOBBIES
860-627-7811
860-646-0610
CONNECTICUT • Milford
HQ HOBBIES
203-882-1979
239-332-0422
FREE TIME HOBBIES
706-946-1120
HAWAII • Kailua, Oahu
562-777-9492
New Products, Old Kits & Great Service! Everything you need to build plastic models Armor, Aircraft, Ships, Cars, SciFi and more. M-F 10:30-6pm, Sat 10:30-5pm, Sun 12-5pm www.militaryhobbiesonline.com
MILITARY HOBBIES
714-637-1211
808-262-0211
MASSACHUSETTS • Malden (Boston)
HOBBY BUNKER, INC.
781-321-8855
THE SPARE TIME SHOP
508-481-5786
MASSACHUSETTS • Norton
HARRY’S HOBBIES & COLLECTABLES
508-285-8080
800-876-0414
Ad Index
Alpha Precision Abrasives, Inc.
989-720-2137
MICHIGAN TOY SOLDIER & FIGURE CO.
1400 E. 11 Mile Rd. ARA Press
We believe that our readers are as important as our advertisers. If you do not receive your merchandise or a reply from an advertiser within a reasonable period, please contact us. Provide details about what you ordered and the amount you paid. If no action is obtained after we forward your complaint to the advertiser, we will not accept further advertising from them. FineScale Modeler magazine, 21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187. he Advertiser Index is provided as a service to FineScale Modeler magazine readers. he magazine is not responsible for omissions or for typographical errors in names or page numbers. Acrylicos Vallejo
DEAN’S HOBBY STOP
New & Old Toy Soldiers, Historical Miniatures, Models and Figure Kits from Around the World. Our famous selection of hobby supplies includes scenics, paints, reference and more. www.michtoy.com
COLPAR HOBBIES
1915 S. Havana St.
17 9
M-A-L HOBBY SHOP
603-749-0800
108 S. Lee Street
590 Rt. 46
Scale modeling from beginner to expert. A wide selection of aircraft, armor, autos, figures, ships, & sci-fi. Lots of reference material, detail parts, decals, tools, & eight lines of paint. Open Tues-Sat 10am-6pm.
KENVIL HOBBIES
DIBBLE'S HOBBIES
973-584-1188
1029 Donaldson Ave.
NEW JERSEY • Magnolia (Camden)
Minutes from Dulles Airport & New Dulles Air & Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center. PLASTIC! PLASTIC! PLASTIC! Kits for aircraft - armor - ships - cars Daily 12-8; Sun 12-5. www.piperhobby.com
AAA HOBBIES & CRAFTS
PIPER HOBBY
856-435-7645
13892 Metrotech Dr.
Plastic model specialty shop. New and old kits, foreign, domestic, books, paints and other accessories. We also buy collections. www.dhcinc.com dhc@dhcinc.com
DENBIGH HOBBY CENTER, INC.
716-824-1049
14351 Warwick Blvd.
Plastic Model Specialists. Large selection of rare & out-of-production models. Large selection of detail parts. Largest selection of plastic models in South Seattle! www.skywaymodel.com
SKYWAY MODEL SHOP
631-924-0583
12615 Renton Ave. South
Specializing in R/C models and accessories, helicopters, planes, cars, trucks, boats, plastic, die-cast & model rockets. M T W F 9:30-6, Th 9:30-8 Sat. 9:30-5 www.modelland.com info@modelland.com
MODEL LAND LTD
212-987-4765
3409A 26 Ave. SW
248-586-1022
HOBBYLAND
One of Canada's leading model shops. Complete line of military & aircraft kits, decals, paints and accessories. Free parking. On Parle Francais.
HOBBY HOUSE, LTD
80 Montreal Rd.
614-888-7500
8
Large selection of new & out-of-production kits. Accessories & finishing products. Servicing the hobbies since 1986. We buy kit collections. www.wheelswingshobbies.com
TOP SHELF MODELS
WHEELS AND WINGS
918-274-0433
1880 Danforth Ave.
OREGON • Beaverton
Old kits & latest releases. Good selection of unusual model kits & accessories. We stock electric trains & slot cars. Open 7 days, 1pm-8pm. In the Katong Shopping Centre. www.hobbybounties.com
Complete full line hobby shop. Z, N, HO, O, Lionel, and LGB. Open Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5.
TAMMIES HOBBIES
HOBBY BOUNTIES & MORGAN HOBBYCRAFT
503-644-4535
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65-6440-1890
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416-752-0071
SINGAPORE • Singapore
Cedar Creek Trading Post
Dean’s Hobby Stop
613-749-5245
CANADA–ON • Toronto
Oklahoma’s largest plastic kit, paint and aftermarket inventory. Planes, cars, trucks, armor, ships, trains and sci-fi. Special orders welcome! Mon - Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun 1-6 Web site: www.topshelfmodelsllc.com
12024 SW Canyon Rd.
403-249-1661
CANADA–ON • Ottawa (Vanier)
206 Graceland Blvd.
119 S. Main St.
206-772-1211
CANADA–AB • Calgary
JAN'S HOBBY SHOP, INC.
1435 Lexington Ave.
757-874-5708
WASHINGTON • Seattle
MEN AT ARMS HOBBIES, INC.
134 Middle Country Rd.
703-803-3103
VIRGINIA • Newport News
SECTION 8 HOBBIES
2243 Seneca St.
210-735-7721
VIRGINIA • Chantilly
Huge foreign & domestic model selection all scales. Automobiles, aircraft ship, books, wargames, scenery, diorama supplies, parts, tools. Open 7 days 706 N. White Horse Pike
972-438-9233
TEXAS • San Antonio
OKLAHOMA • Owasso
MICHIGAN • Royal Oak (Metro Detroit)
Large inventory of models from the world over! Detailing accessories, research publications, games, trains, R/C, tools, and supplies. Easy access from D.I.A. http://www.colpar.com
Imported & Domestic Aviation Books & Plastic Kits. Paint, Decals, HO, N trains, R/C, U/C airplanes. Mon 1-6, Tue-Wed 12-6, Thur-Fri 10:30-7. Sat 10:30-6. www.malhobby.com
ELITE HOBBIES
#334 90 Washington St.
713-529-7752
TEXAS • Irving (Dallas Area)
Great selection of model kits, accessories, detail parts, magazines, tools & paints. www.hobbylandstores.com
We moved! Thousands of model kits from old Aurora to new releases. Mon 4pm-7pm, Tues - Fri 11:30am-5pm. Sat 11:30am-4:00pm E-mail: dean@deanshobbystop.com
COLORADO • Aurora
2522 Times Blvd.
OHIO • Columbus
6,000 model kits, old and new: Autos, armor, planes & sci-fi. Reference books & supplies. Open T-Th 11-7, F 11-8, Sa 10-5. Rt. 495 to Rt. 123E, behind Dunkin’ Donuts. www. mymummy.com E: mummy@mymummy.com
116 N. Washington Street
G & G MODEL SHOP
702-889-9554
Visit our in-house Aircraft Model Museum. Foreign and domestic plastic and wood kits. Open 7 days.
Your source for plastic models, die cast and all supplies needed to finish your latest model. Mon-Sat 9:30-6, Sun 11-5. www.talbotstoyland.com 650-342-0126
HO & N, Lionel trains. Complete line of plastic kits, military and architecture supplies. Open 11am-6pm M-F, Sat. 10am-5pm www.gandgmodelshop.com
HOBBYTOWN USA
4590 W Sahara Ave Ste 103
865-675-1975
TEXAS • Houston
NEW YORK • Upr Eastside GR Manhattan
MICHIGAN • Owosso
TALBOT’S HOBBIES
11145 Turkey Dr.
Excellent selection of lead miniatureshistorical and fantasy. Plastic models, wargames & modeling supplies. Books and magazines.
CALIFORNIA • San Mateo
445 South “B” Street
HOBBYTOWN USA
734-316-2281
NEW YORK • Middle Island
Largest store in area, easy access via I-93, Rt. 1, and the T. Complete line of model kits & supplies, plus toy soldiers, figure kits, games, etc. Shipping available. Info: hobbybunker.com
250 E. Main St., Rt 123
MODELCAVE
East Tennessee’s largest plastic model selection. 8,000 sq. ft. of hobbies & toys. Located in Knoxville’s premier shopping destination. Turkey Creek Area. Open 7 days a week.
WNY’s largest selection of models!!! We specialize in models. New, old, rare and vintage. Tons of detail and weathering products, paint, tools and so much more!
WELLER'S HOBBYCRAFT
Rt 20E Main, Post Rd. Plaza
Your single stop model building shop. Michigan’s largest selection of new and vintage kits in all genres plus everything needed to build them. Wed - Sat 11-8, Sun 12-5 Visit us on Facebook. www.modelcave.com
103 W. Michigan Avenue
717-898-7119
TENNESSEE • Knoxville
NEW YORK • Buffalo
Wide selection of plastic model kits, paint, books, magazines and tools. Located on the beautiful windward side, a scenic 20 minute drive from Honolulu. Mon - Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun 11-2
33 Exchange St.
MICHIGAN • Ypsilanti-Metro Detroit
Full service hobbies, a full line of HO, N, 3-Rail, military, cars, boats, planes, dollhouses, scratchbuilding supplies, plus details-details-details!
Huge selection of model kits & accessories. Ships, Armor, Aircraft, Figures, Cars and more. Visit: www.freetimehobbies.com for complete listing. Monday to Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-4
767 Kailua Road
106 W. Main Street
NEW JERSEY • Kenvil
GEORGIA • Blue Ridge
47 Dunbarton Farm Rd.
COOLTRAINS TOYS & HOBBIES
231-947-1353
Best plastic, resin & balsa kits from around the world. Scratch building & diorama supplies, reference books, large paint selection including Humbrol, Citadel & Testors
METRO TRAINS & HOBBIES
12951 Metro Parkway
TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES
210 East Front St.
NEW HAMPSHIRE • Dover
Extensive selection of armor kits & Verlinden accessories. Military, auto & aircraft plastic models. Photo-etched parts. O gauge train sets. Open Tues - Sat 11-6, Sun 12-5. www.HQHobbies.com
394 New Haven Ave., Unit 1
Large Selection New & Used Kits Military books, tools, paint, airbrushes Full line hobby shop open Tue - Thur 10-6, Fri 10-7, Sat 10-4 www.CoolTrains.com
While in Las Vegas, come see our wide selection of models and detail accessories. Less than 5 miles off the Las Vegas strip Hours Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-6, Sun noon-5.
TIME MACHINE HOBBY
71 Hilliard St.
Let your imagination run wild! Aircraft, ships, cars, armor, special orders, diecast cars, model railroading Z to G and more...
NEVADA • Las Vegas
Stop in ONCE! A customer for LIFE! We have 10,000+ models, tools, supplies, 23 paint lines, 50 model mags, 5,000+ books. Est. in 1973, open 7 days, Th & Fr 'til 8. Visit us @ www.sparetimeshop.com
CALIFORNIA • Orange
830 E. Lincoln Ave.
CRAFTEC HOBBIES
144 North Road
MASSACHUSETTS • Marlboro
Wide variety of plastic kits. Old Nascar Kits - please call. Mon - Sat 10-6. Closed Sunday. 14269 Imperial Hwy.
Old & rare kits, largest selection in military kits, rockets, & cars. Exit 45 off I-91. 10 minutes from Bradley Air Museum. www.craftechobbies.com or Visit us on Facebook.
Come visit our new store! Plastic modeling kits. Paint, tools, scenery, accessories, & scale model railroads. Mon - Sat 10:00am-6:00pm. Closed Sun.
BURBANK’S HOUSE OF HOBBIES
7259 Canoga Avenue
CONNECTICUT • East Windsor
FLORIDA • Ft. Myers
Large selection of plastic kits, paints, and supplies. Special orders no problem Visit us in person or online www.houseofhobbies.com Secure online ordering
911 S. Victory Blvd.
203-869-0969
Largest hobby shop in NE. Military, cars, trucks, plastic models, diecast cars, trucks. Planes, RC planes, cars, trucks, slot cars, rockets, Breyer, Detailing supplies, games! Mon-Wed 10-6 Th-Fri 10-9 Sat-Sun 10-6
ANCHORAGE HOUSE OF HOBBIES
1200 John Harden Dr.
ANN’S HOBBY CENTER
405 E. Putnam Avenue
PENNSYLVANIA • Landisville (Lancaster)
MICHIGAN • Traverse City
Planes, tanks, cars, ships, rockets, plastic and wood kits. Trains. Authorized Lionel dealer & repair. Die-cast, RC, slot cars, structural and diorama supplier. Special orders welcome.
CONNECTICUT • Manchester
www.anchoragehouseofhobbies.com Alaska’s best hobby supplier since 1964. Two stories, 6,300sf, 1st floor all R/C, 2nd floor general hobbies, plastics, trains, slot cars, telescopes & more!
2803 Spenard Rd.
CONNECTICUT • Cos Cob
4
Roll Models
6, 64
Round 2 LLC
9
Sprue Brothers
6
64
Deluxe Materials, Ltd.
9
Dragon Models USA
67
IWATA-Medea
6
Evergreen Scale Models
9
MegaHobby.com
4
Fantastic Plastic Models
64
Model Rectifier Corp.
FineScale Modeler Binders
61
OldModelKits.com
Strike Force Hobbies
64
Tamiya America, Inc.
2
TotalNavy.com
64
68
Xuron
61
64
Zvezda USA
March 2016
www.FineScale.com
4
65
FINAL DETAILS By Mark Hembree
Amassing your stash To build or not to build … is not really the question
About 25% of FSM Senior Editor Aaron Skinner’s estimated home stash of 800 kits: He has not set a completion date but has definite plans for all of them.
How many kits do you have on your shelves, waiting to be built? Do you intend to build them all? If so, do you expect to complete them in your lifetime? And another, more important question: Does that really matter? If you’re a modeler, you already know the answer — which is that the question is
www.FineScale.com Upload your images and text at www.Contribute.Kalmbach.com
irrelevant. Regardless of how many kits you already have, when you see a kit you want you’re going to buy it (unless it’s too expensive, in which case you may buy it anyway). It doesn’t matter if you finish all the kits you have before fate clips you from the sprue of life. Just having the kits is part of the fun. To someone who does not build models, this may be hard to understand. I suppose a spouse, significant other, or
66 FineScale Modeler March 2016
anyone else with stock in your household space deserves at least an answer. But what will you tell them? You could say that models are collectibles that accrue value with time. That may even be true for a few kits — but, as you know, that’s not usually the case. Personally, I’ve never really understood collectors — people who buy chairs you can’t sit in, musical instruments you’re not allowed to play, or kits shrink-
wrapped in boxes you’re not supposed to open. What’s the good of having these things if you can’t use them? To some, they may be a shrewd investment; to most, they’re not. So, what is your answer? How do you justify amassing your stash? Send us a picture of your collection and tell us when you plan to complete all those models — or why you intend to keep all those kits anyway. We’ll understand. FSM
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Sci-fi, Auto, Truck, Aircraft & Ship Modelers MRC's Radio Control Light Genieâ„¢ Changes Model Lighting Forever...
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exterior lights • Sequential lights for 5&/S p 3TAR 3HIPS WITH ÛICKERING STROBE OR ÛASHING LIGHTS p #REATURES WITH ÛASHING LIGHTS FOR EYES p &IRE ÛICKERING FOR ÚRE BREATHING ALIENS Auto and Truck Modelers • Headlights • Turn signals • Emergency vehicle lighting • Reversing lights • Truck running lights • Interior lighting p WAY ÛASHERS p SIGNAL TRAFÚC LIGHTS
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Aircraft and Ship Modelers p 3EQUENTIAL ÛASHING RUNWAY LIGHTS p "LINKING WING LIGHTS p 2OTATING BEACON p 4AXIING LANDING LIGHTS p #OCKPIT lighting • Under belly strobe light • Fire effect for jet turbine exhaust • Interior & navigation lights for ships (Item #025000)
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Sci-Fi Modelers… now, enjoy special lighting effects at economical pricing • Engine, navigation, interior &
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Here are a few applications for Light Genie. We’re sure you’ll come up with more.
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Light Genie’s 12 light outputs and 20 lighting effects bring models to life as never before. You’ll control: • On-off • Brightness & dimming • Flickering • Flashing • Strobe • Beacon p !LTERNATING ÛASHING LIGHTS • Sequential lighting • Fire-effect ÛICKERING !ND WITH A WIRELESS RANGE of over 90 feet, there’s no need for manual controls at the base of your MODEL
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