Category: 1:72 scale
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BGC – Part 1 – And Now Something For The Squaddies

Or to be more particular – for the Royal Canadian Artillery. My research into airfield defence finally paid off when I discovered that there was a standard way on the prairies to provide cover for training bases – or rather there were two standard ways: Either do nothing at all or call in a semi-autonomous…
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If it Was Blue…Who Could?

Fans of Rowan and Martin may recognise that line, and bless Dan and Dick for the joy they brought us. But colour theory is not as simple as that – particularly if you are going to venture into the Little World. I did just that tone afternoon when I tried to organise my Tamiya and…
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The Stash – Part Two – When The Time Comes…

Ah, but when does the time come? Answer me that… If we admit first off that we have a stash of unbuilt models we can proceed. The model stash may be actual kits, homebuilt kits, scratchbuild ideas, or piles of raw materials. It may contain dead models from long ago ready for revision or cheap junk…
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The Cup Runneth Over

It’s often the little things in the Little World that loom largest. Now I’m not going to suggest that I’m a cheapskate. A penny-pincher. A scrooge. But I encounter things in daily and modelling life that press my Frugality Alarm button something chronic. And paint wastage is one of them. Paint from model shops is…
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Was You Ever On The Congo River?

Blow, Boys, Blow!* I have just had the thrilling experience of talking with someone who has personal knowledge of RCAF Wet Dog in Alberta. It’s the closest contact I have had so far with this legendary BCATP airfield. I met the chap at the IPMEX show yesterday – the plastic modellers convention held at Cannington…
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Nakajima ‘ Kate ‘ – Part Seven – One From Column A And One from Column B…

I’m never completely prepared for the end of a build. Whether it is a 1:18th scale post office or the newest of the 1:72nd scale aircraft, the final touches seem to sneak up on me. I just put down the brush or the knife and then…realise that I should not pick it up again. I’ve…
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Nakajima ‘ Kate ‘ – Part Six – Hold My Coffee…

It’s the sober version of ” Hold my beer…” but you can get into just as much trouble anyway. I have a plan. So, you’ll reflect, did Ludendorff ( and didn’t that work out well…), but I hasten to add mine is peaceful and productive. And it revolves around something that revolves around. Okay, enough preparation.…
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Nakajima ‘ Kate ‘ – Part Five – Well, That Escalated Quickly…

It seems like just this morning I went out to the Little Workshop with a cup of coffee and looked at the bare grey plastic of the latest Airfix kit. Then I started to do this and that and suddenly it was 9:00 at night and there it was in camouflage. It shows the value…
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Nakajima ‘ Kate ‘ – Part Four – The Basic Structure

Or ” When Does An Airplane Start To Live? ‘. Okay. You’ve done the interior painting. You’ve stuck on the instrument decals. You’ve decided whether or not you’ll spend an extra month trying to put in photoetched seatbelts, pilot’s clipboards, and spare chewing gum dispenser ( US aircraft only).* Everything that could be sub-assembled and…
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Nakajima ‘ Kate ‘ – Part Three – The Sub-Assembly

I once wrote that there are always some areas of model building that are a chore – something we approach with a groan and leave with a cheer. And it’s different for each modeller. Well, the same applies to certain stages that are a real pleasure. Oddly enough, for me it is completing sub-assemblies. It’s…
