Model kits

[the lancaster kicks ass]

just wondering, does anybody apart from me make the little plastic model kits, you know, like airfix and revell, if you do could post back, thaught it would be interesting.................

 

[Anonymous]

I've made plastic models of some different types (sci-fi and planes mostly), but lately I've started putting lots of work into my planes, specifically a 1/48 Tamiya F4U-1A, and this summer I will do a F4U-5 or F4U-5NL (Revell I think). After that I'll probably get a Tamiya F4U-1D, and so on until I have all the variants I can find of 1/48 Corsairs.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

cool, any tips?

 

[Archer]

Take your time (my -1A took several months, although a month or two was waiting for the spray paint to arrive), paint the cockpit before putting it in...don't try to do touch-ups with spray paint unless you mask everything else off (my -1A canopy has a bit of white paint on it, luckily only noticeable up close). Spray paints are the best for the exterior, I used the Tamiya aircraft sprays, expensive but really good finish. Use ground charcoal/pastels for weathering (I got a really nice effect around the gun ports). Use gloss paint or a gloss varnish before adding decals, it makes them look better, and then use a dull varnish afterwards to seal the decals and any other final details (used on my -1A and read from a book, seemed to work fine). Do a bit each day, once you've painted something, leave lots of time before doing something else to it (I would build a bit and paint, then play computer games or read for several hours or would wait overnight to let it dry fully). Next time I'm at home I'll see about getting a few pictures of it.

There's a few other things I haven't tried but want to, but I can't find the right stuff to do it. One thing I read (I worked in a hobby store) shortly after finishing my -1A was how to get the lines between two colours to be blended. You simply use paper cutouts of the areas you don't want sprayed and attach them with blue tack a little above the body so some of the spray will make it under the cutout slightly.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been building models since I was 12, and I still do it at 21 and in college! Luckily the girlfriend doesn't think I'm a nerd, hehe. I started with the humble Monogram SNAP-TITE B-25 and eventually built the Tamiya 1/48 Lancaster (one of my few forays into the 1/48 market -- it was on sale) I believe I have 75 - 80 1/72 models at the moment...including 8 Spitfires

-- Chris

 

[kiwimac]

Not at the moment. I have three kids under 8 who insist on "helping"

Kiwimac

 

[Hot Space]

I use to when I was a Kid..............but that was many Moons ago now

Hot Space

 

[Archer]

I mostly did 1/72 modern planes, then I got Battlefield 1942 (one of the few games that I can fly in that my friends don't hate since they can be good ol' groundpounders ) and got back to WWII planes, got CFS2, and decided the 1/72 Corsair I got wasn't good enough. I was going to get the 1/32 Corsair, but I decided it was too big for my desk, so now I'll eventually have a lot of 1/48 Corsairs

If anyone really wants a nice Mustang, Spitfire, or Stuka (I think there was a Stuka) I've seen the Mustang and Spitifre kits for a 1/24 scale model. They look sweet, lots of details, rubber tires, and lots of other goodies from my quick looks through them. I can't comment on how accurate everything is (meaning the details most people wouldn't care about, like the proper gauges in the right spots) since I don't know what either of the cockpits, the gear bays, treads on the wheels, etc look like exactly from memory and their sizes...

Unfortunately they cost $130 Cdn or so (and there isn't a Corsair)

 

[Rafe35]

I have done F4U-5NL Corsair model from Revell and took me a while to finish up. Archer, I am also planning to buy Tamiya Corsair Model and I dont know what to get lol, check on the site: http://www.tamiya.com

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Not at the moment. I have three kids under 8 who insist on "helping"

Kiwimac

by help do you mean sniff the glue?

 

[cheddar cheese]

not everyones like you lanc....

 

[Archer]

I have done F4U-5NL Corsair model from Revell and took me a while to finish up. Archer, I am also planning to buy Tamiya Corsair Model and I dont know what to get lol, check on the site: http://www.tamiya.com

I have the Revell F4U-5/-5NL sitting under my desk at home to be built in the summer. It's great, I'm friends with the owners of the hobby store in towns son, so at a trade show my friend saw it and the store got it specificly because they knew that I'd buy it

I did the F4U-1A from Tamiya and it went together well and looks great. All their Corsairs are based on the same parts (ie my -1A came with the cockpit for a -1/-2, a radar pod for the -2, canopies for -1A and -Ds, and fuel tanks for early and -1D models. The only thing I don't like about it is my paint job is good, but still looks pretty bad...so I think I'll be getting a new -1A after I build a -5, -1D, and a -1 or -2, or both. Unfortunately I haven't found any -4s in 1/48 yet The Tamiya kits are quite expensive, but compared to the 1/72 planes I built they are much better quality. Their aircraft spray paints are also really good, but again, expensive.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been building models and painting miniatures since the '60's but I haven't done any lately; I've found that 3D models don't take up as much room, never require dusting, can't be broken by beastly children, and can be animated, to boot!

 

[ahanswurst]

I have built most of the US series of WW2 fighters and Bombers and also a balsa wood P-51 rubber band powered model that actually flew without breaking. The detail of any of the Japanese models is the best. I just purchased another plastic P-38 model recently and I see by the box it was made in China. I was surprised to see how detailed the parts were. There was very little flash but trimming was no problem. The P-38 was easy to assemble and it looks quite good. I hang them from my basement ceiling and they are fun to look at and be an armchair pilot.

 

[kiwimac]

Virtual modelling sounds like it could be fun. Does anyone have suggestions for how a rank beginner might start?

And Lanc, keep on sniffing that glue, dear chap!

Kiwimac

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it gives me...........................funny dreams *staring*.....................

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i just finished my lancaster, yey!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

I have built most of the US series of WW2 fighters and Bombers and also a balsa wood P-51 rubber band powered model that actually flew without breaking. The detail of any of the Japanese models is the best. I just purchased another plastic P-38 model recently and I see by the box it was made in China. I was surprised to see how detailed the parts were. There was very little flash but trimming was no problem. The P-38 was easy to assemble and it looks quite good. I hang them from my basement ceiling and they are fun to look at and be an armchair pilot.

is that a Revell P-38 ahanswurst? the one that can be a fighter (Richard Bong's) a nightfighter or a pathfinder? i want to get that one but i dont know if i have the patience...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it's woth it if you do it right.................

 

[ahanswurst]

The Revell P-38 is not too hard to assemble. My P-38 was a Chinese model and no name. But I liked the Revell P-38 model because of the decals included. I painted all of the parts while they were still connected to their plastic trees. Then I cut the pieces off and touched up the area. It takes a long time but the finished P-38 looks good. So try it what do you have to lose ?