Getting back into modelling, need advice on a few ?? re' specific kits, airbrush...

[Aquarian]

Hello everyone and thank you for your time.

It has been some years since I made a model. Over the past 2 months I have been seriously considering spending time building models. This is a huge decision that involved my moving things into storage (expensive), attaining specific furniture, major purchaces including a work station, quality airbrush, ventilation etc.
I have a decent collection of unmade kits, paints tools and so on. And much also that was destroyed in a flood, including unbagged models with their instructions, decals etc. (so many mouldy boxes and instruction sheets).

I was considering a high end Aztec airbrush. A guy I used to buy kits from, Chris Wauchop got very good results. I gather it is a good choice??

I am also unsure how to begin with regards to difficulty of build, availability of spare decals instruction sheets and so on. I also wish to be interested in the subject matter of my first build, but then not defeated by it by becoming bogged down in something beyond me.
The projects I am considering are as follows (some reviews have been found on the net, others not):
Historic plastic models 1/48 scale Petlyakov Pe2 (series 205/359)
Special hobby 1/48 scale Arado Ar 96 b. (vac form canopy has yellowed. How to fix?? Toothpaste?)
Accurate minitures 1/48 scale Yak I.
Italeri 1/72 scale DC3.
Hasegawa 1/48 Hayabusa KI 43, II (happily I have resin wheels, etched seat belts)
Azur 1/32 Dewoitine D520.
Azur 1/32 Polikarpov I16.

That is a short list thus far. I have been unable to find a review for the Pe2. I also have a Tamya D520 an Aeromaster sheet for it but no instructions for the D520 sheet pt 2.

Of course there are other kits including mainstream kits such as 1/32 Hasegawa Me109s, Fw D9, Stuka. Trumpeter 1/32 Mig 19s, one and two seater. Italeri 1/48 Gripen in need of decals.

The kits first listed are my first choice. Airbrushes, online retailers, compressors etc are all things I can use advice with.

Many thanks. I have been reading this forum for some time and have faith that I can find help here.

 

[Aquarian]

Additional kits that interest me that have destroyed decal sheets and instructions include:
AM Tech 1/48 scale Henschel HS 123A. Decal sheet ruined, instructions in bad condition.
Hasegawa 1/48 Dausalt Breguet Falcon 10. Needs decal sheet.
1/48 Firefly Mk I. Grand Pheonix kit. Kit is early version with deep chin. No box, instructions, decals and canopy. Kit has resin cockpit. Limited run high quality kit. Do not want to waste it.
Academy 1/48 Su 27. No instructions, decals, canopy etc.
Hi Tech 1/48 Dewoitine D 501. All parts undamaged, need a review or advice.
Heller Etendard 4 M, 1/48 scale. No instructions or decals.
MPM FW 189. 1/48 scale. No instructions or decals.

There is a lot more. Advice on where to find instructions, good decal choices etc is all welcome. I do know to visit Revel for online instruction sheets. Unsure where to find Tamya, Hasegawa etc. (so many fine models lost decals and sheets. Think Skyraider, Beaufighter etc etc.

Again many thanks. Sorry to break this into 2 posts.

 

[Wurger]

There is a lot of such questions and answers had pasted before in the forum. But briefly it can be answered again,

An airbrush.... it would be nice if it was a double action one with a few interchangeable nozzles of different diamaeters. Let' see ... of 0.2-2mm it should be enough for most of painting works.

A compressor ..... giving the air pressure at 0-6 PSI with possibility of adjustment it for different kinds of paints/enemels. Also a moisture trap is welcome.

A model / models.... most of kits offered these days are complex. Generally the larger scale the more details. But there are quite basic ones too. The most important feature for your model should be it's scale if you take into consideration collecting of them. There are two scales that are very popular , the 1/48 one and the 1/32scale that has become more popular recently. Of course bigger models need more room for thier displaying. Additionally prices for kits of each scale should be taken into consideration as well. The 1/48 scale is the most popular in all the world. There are many aftermarket accessories and decal sets available. So I would suggest the scale for your collection. However the 1/32 one sounds very interesting too. A first model shouldn't be quite complex though. The Hasegawa 1/48 Hayabusa KI 43 kit and accessories sound very good but I won't recommend it for the first attempt. ALso the Arado 96 with the yellowish conopy. There isn't any way for fixing that. Just the styrene foil got yellowish because of the poor material it was made of. You have to replace it with a new one ether aftermarket one or made from scratch by you. Accurate minitures 1/48 scale Yak I is a nice model but with a couple of mistakes that should be corrected. However , made OOB looks very nice and I would suggest it as the first model. Also I would like to suggest making something to "warm you up". The Italeri 1/72 scale DC3 sounds very good. Italeri models are quite basic usually but are of a qood quality and fitting. The DC 3 model isn't too small like others of 1/72 scale and you shouldn't have any troubles with assembling and painting of the kit. So here you are my opinion.

 

[Wurger]

Many aftermarket decal seets are offrered by on-line shops for modellers. Just use Google.
As far as these assembling instructions are concerned... you can post a request for a particular manual in the Modelling Books and Magazines section where such applications are sent usually. I'm sure there is someone who can help.

 

[Aquarian]

Many thanks Wurger.

 

[Wurger]

You'r wecome Mate. Do you need to know anything else ? Feel free to ask.

 

[Aquarian]

There is much I need to ask. Not wishing to take up too much time I will consider them carefully before asking more. Tomorrow I must clear all the flood damage, arrange everything into organised something other than chaos.
I will follow your advice and read the forum further in greater detail. I am building up to some serious modelling and am not rushing. Everything will be carefully planned. I am thrilled at the prospect of modelling again. I am also excited by this website and it is the only one from a number of choices I wish to turn to. I have enjoyed my reading thus far.

 

[T Bolt]

Welcome to the forum.
I may be able to help you out with MPM FW-189 I built it here a few months back as part of the Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt Group Build http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/10-focke-wulf-messerschmitt/done-fw-189-a1-v7-1h-me-fw-group-build-28949-2.html
I scanned the instructions at the time so here they are:

 

[Wurger]

Glenn, it would be better to post it as a PDF file.

As I said there always is somebody who can help

 

[vikingBerserker]

Great info fellas, and welcome back to model building Aquarian.

 

[Aquarian]

Thank you very much.

Glenn, thank you. I have already saved the shots of the instruction sheets. I very much enjoyed your thread and read every post. I have left a comment there offering my appreciation.
Stunning!

 

[Aquarian]

As I said there always is somebody who can help

Indeed! It is one reason I chose this site.

 

[brucejscott]

Welcome aboard Aquarian. Good luck with the flood damage. Had to clean up after two of them. Never any fun.

 

[Aquarian]

Thank you very much Bruce.

 

[T Bolt]

Glad I could be of help

Glenn, it would be better to post it as a PDF file.

Wojtek, back when I scanned them the scanner I had would only do pictures. I had tossed the originals so that's all I had. I think my new all-in-one will do PDFs so I should be good now.

 

[Wurger]

OK.

 

[Aquarian]

Hello again.
An important area for me to discover is online modelling retailers. So far I have found a few that are very limited. I know of Hannants in the UK and they have a fine catalogue, but I would appreciate more options.
Many thanks again.

 

[Wurger]

I think Wayne Little is the man you should ask about on-line Hobby Shops in OZ.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Welcome to the asylum Aquarian, and glad your back building models. I got back into it after a long absence.

 

[Aquarian]

Again, thank you everyone. I will attempt to find some photos of past builds to post on the site. Those I have found over the last few days were destroyed in the flood damage which occured while I was away.

I am also interested in international retailers as well as Australian. I wish to make use of the strong Australian dollar.

Thank you all. Allen.