Category: Australian aircraft
-
Curtiss Shrike – Part One – Down From The Shelf
This Dragon Models kit of the Curtiss A-25-A has been sitting in Hobbytech for ages. In the early days I would have put it down to a high price…but this has been surpassed by Czech kits since then. Or to the odd-looking box art. But this is no worse than some Eastern European stuff. Or by…
-
The Anorak And The Typo
One of the exhibitors on our stand at the recent WASMEX model show put out a series of delightful 1:48th scale fighter planes. They were RAAF and Luftwaffe types of the WW2. I cannot say who moulded the kits but by the time they had passed through the hands of the modeller, they were beautiful.…
-
I Remember Air Travel…
And that lovely crispy bacon you got before the war… The local airlines used to get a yearly contribution from me to visit Sydney or Melbourne. Not last year, and not this one, and maybe not next year, either…but hopefully some year after that. I hope the Sandowne Park model expo is still going then.…
-
Inspiration
A wise person takes inspiration from others. Thus, some politicians keep the works of Jesse James, Attila, and Torquemada handy for quick reference. Scale modellers, too, can benefit from contemplating the work of others. This is one of the chief benefits of a scale model show – as well as access to sausages on a…
-
Australian Hurricane – Part Two – The Fairly Green Machine
The RAAF wartime colours of Foliage Green and Sky Blue were not shown on the DK decals sheet that prompted the construction of this Hurricane, but they crop up in innumerable other sets of decals and aircraft profiles. As I have not done one exactly like this, it became the logical choice. And fortunately most…
-
Australian Hurricane – Part One – The Oncer
I was surprised as I could be to see a set of markings on an Australian 1:72 decal sheet that were purported to be for a Hawker Hurricane. I thought the RAAF never had them here in Australia. As it turned out, I was nearly right – they had one. The plane, V7476 was sent…
-
Time Warps Again
WRITTEN DURING THE AUSTRALIAN SUMMERTIME, WHICH IT IS NOT RIGHT NOW… Well, it’s the hot dry weather, isn’t it. You should see what the front door is doing. I used to think it was made from MDF board but now I suspect it started life as a Möbius strip. But back to the time warpage.…
-
Airbrushing Outside The Box
My learning curve with the airbrush was a bit steep a few years ago. It has become easier lately, but occasionally jags upward again. To be fair, it’s me kicking it up. I continually decide that I need to improve upon proven techniques. Even if I got a good result last time. I seem incapable…
-
Sandown Park 2019 – Part One – Silver
Well, there we were, folks – Sandown Park in Melbourne for the 2019 model exhibition. Plenty of parking, real live motor cars circling the track, and a large canteen area set aside for the punters. What more could one want? One of the first tables that caught the eye after I rounded the Wall O’…
-
The Vacuum Forms
If you want to put the fear of God into someone, just say vacuum-form. They will either go very hot or very cold, and you must be prepared for them to pull the lever on the ejector seat. You may end up talking to yourself and landing the thing yourself… The vac-form kit seems to…
The Little World 