Category: Colour Schemes
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Beaufighter TFX – Part Two – The 50’s Revisited

The quality of the Airfix Beaufighter is actually quite good when you get to the cut and glue stage. You must imagine the insides, but then you do that when you study anatomy as well and at least the kit doesn’t smell of formalin. All seams fit well, though I suspect the silver plastic used…
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Fokker D VII – Part Five – The Starter Kit Ended

My determination to make a starter kit in period style has resulted in a delightful model. It was not all retro-perfect. I did resort to a computer program and an inkjet printer for the lozenge-pattern decals. I did add little licks from several paint pots that Revell did not supply. And I did poke a…
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Fokker D VII – Part Three – A Kid At The Club

True to my original promise, I started the Revell Fokker D VII as if I was an adolescent. I took it to the club and set upon it with the pots of paint supplied; one red and one blue. I also cracked three other colours from the general stock to improve the details, but the…
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Fokker D VII – Part Two – Not That Much Of A Kid

My resolve to build the Revell Fokker as if I was fourteen has foundered somewhat. The basic paints did not go anywhere near being enough to make a good representation and the decal sheet was a nightmare. As I needed to ring in more paint I decided to reprint the decals too. The novelty of…
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Fokker D VII – Part One – I’m A Kid Again

I have decided to try the Retro Challenge. I want to see if I can be a kid again. I’m not sure if I was good at youth the first time round but I did have fun. And now I get a chance to do it again – specifically to build a kit as if…
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Polikarpov U-2 – Part Three – Time To Box Clever

When you are confronted with a complex model design – multiple wings or complex landing gear – it pays to stop and think. You need to get your sequence of painting and assembly right to avoid making hard work even harder. Or worse – to avoid the risk of spoiling vital parts. No-one likes to…
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Craquelure

The word is from the art world and it describes a fine network of lines or cracks in the surface of an oil painting. This is observable in most famous paintings in galleries and is not considered a fault. However, when it invades our scale model workshop it is to be deplored. We may be…
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The Big Local Scale Model Exhibition – Part Seven – Tanks For The Memories

At one time I would have regarded armour models and military vehicles with only minor interest – I am an aviation modeller. Yet, the need for prop vehicles for my airfields, and then civilian vehicles, has meant an increased recognition of the little machines. And recently a dollar purchase of a Polish armoured car in…
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The Big Local Scale Model Exhibition – Part Four – The Mysterious Models

I use the term ” mysterious ” here in a purely personal sense. The subjects that are covered by many modellers and gamers are out of my experience, and I can only gaze upon them with wonder. I hope they will do the same for me – even if it is just wondering if I…
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Lockheed CF-104 – Part Three – Cold Lake

The pattern for 702 is a photo of an interceptor in the early 60’s parked on the hardstand at Cold Lake CFB in Alberta. This is a front-line air defence base as well as a training and exercise area. It protects the rest of Canada from Edmonton… The scheme at the time featured plain polished…
