Category: Box Art
-
When You Have Done All You Can

Stop doing. The number of times a good model has been converted to a flawed embarrassment by that ” one more little touch “…The extra coat of varnish. The touch up paint. The superglued aftermarket part. You know you flubbed it instantly – yet the moment before you could not see to quit. Self-realisation at…
-
Bristol F.2B – Part One – The Dogfight Half

Bitterly disappointed as I was upon opening the Airfix box, I decided to soldier on. I had been expecting a Fokker triplane as well as a Bristol F.2b that were shown on the box top. Inside the box were decals for both planes, instructions and call-out for both, but no Fokker. Instead I got a…
-
Build Your Own Desires

Not those of others. You’re on this earth for a limited amount of time, and if you are reading this, you’ve used up a lot of it. Strive to make the most of the rest by doing what you want to do, in your own way. As long as it is legal and moral –…
-
Heinkel He-111C – Part One – Notabomber

I once made a safari in the wilds of the northern suburbs to buy a supply of models – I was fearful that a shop was closing and wanted to scour the shelves. It would seem I was misinformed – the shop will probably carry right on for aeons. I doubt they will repair their…
-
Fokker D.XXI – Part One -SOOTB Fighter

I have so few Dutch aircraft in my collection that this stash buy is a real asset – Let us hope the kit is up to MPM standards. New MPM standards, I hasten to add. The canopy is clear injection and there is only the wretched resin propeller boss and separate blades to gloom the…
-
Curtiss H16 – Part One – King Kong

Well, just look at the box art. This is undoubtedly the most bizarre illustration of a seaplane that I have ever seen. It holds together in an artistic sense if you are prepared to forget the horizon and just let the illustrator have his, or her, head. The kiddies balloons loose above the Chrysler building…
-
If It Was On The Box Top…

It must have been real. If it was in a book, it must have happened. If it was an illustration, it must be accurate. Right? Well, that is how I used to predicate my modelling. I bought the kits, read the library books, and thumbed through the magazines at the drug store to get my…
-
The 1/285th Scale Model

Don’t let those pedants force you to 1/350 or 1/200 or anything else. If 1/285th was good enough for the 1950’s it is good enough for now. All we need is for the kit manufacturers to cut new moulds to this scale and box them. We desperately need another MISSOURI and BISMARCK…preferably with box art…
-
Sikorsky H-19 – Part One – So Many Choices

The Sikorsky S-55, or H-19 Chickasaw was a helicopter of many armies and air forces. The decal sheet of this Italeri kit provides for France, USMC, USCG, and Royal Navy. Other issues in the past supplied RCN and the USAF. Just a little googling suggests Indian Air Force, Turkey, Israel, and Chile are possible with…
-
Boeing B-17G – Part One – Academy

Or is that Minicraft? The box for this old B-17 lists both companies and a recent announcement from Academy in South Korea says that the assets of this older American company have been acquired by them. This box looks to be slightly old and slightly squashed and the instructions date the Academy sheet at 1992.…
