Category: design
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The Blank Slate Model

Few scale models are built on an original idea – nearly everything is a good or bad copy of something that already exists. The prototypes might have been just a one-off or even just a plan, but it was in someone’s mind before that of the modeller. However, there are exceptions. I think I have…
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Two Feed Gates Joined To A Sinkhole

By flash… The Far King L Scale Model Company has released its latest kit – a 1: 21.5th reproduction of the strutless biplane: the Christmas Bullet. It is tipped to be every bit as successful as the prototype. Modellers who are discouraged by other biplane kits will love the Bullet. The wings are cantilevered out…
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How To Achieve Air Superiority

Without firing a shot. Easy…spread propaganda that you have a new plane that is many generations beyond what your rival has. Produce propaganda and animated simulations of the aircraft and make it do things that are frankly impossible while claiming that you have hundreds of them in secret underground bunkers. Make accurate scale models of…
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Fairchild Argus – Part Four – Struttin’

An’ not wid no barbeque… I hope some readers are old enough to get that one. And I hope it gets past the social media censors. In any case, In any case the struts and braces on this Argus have come out splendidly. Not for lack of work, I might add – the wing braces…
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Fairchild Argus – Part Three – Outside

There are a lot more pictures of the exteriors of WW1 and WW2 aircraft because outside is where they kept the sunlight. The films were a lot less sensitive than modern day equivalents. At this stage of the build, KP have encouraged me greatly – the fuselage halves went together with no gaps whatsoever and…
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The Kit You Aways Wanted

To throw out the window. You saved for it, lusted for it, and finally got it. Now you are going to suffer for it. No pain, no gain, so look forward to the next three weeks as a period of unrelieved progress… First thing- are all the sprue trees there? If not, you can take…
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Pick On Someone Your Own Size!

And your own scale! Do you have models in your collection that are all different sizes? I do. Are they all different scales? Generally, no. This may not be a problem for you if you are a widespread modeller. But if you want a consistent collection that can tie together, you need to discipline yourself.…
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Sikorsky H-19 – Part Four – Utility

I often used to watch a television program in the 50’s and 60’s called ” Whirlybirds “. It featured adventures and rescues centred around two pilots and a Bell 47 helicopter – the US Army Sioux. I realise now that Hollywood made the 47 do a lot more than ever it could. It is a…
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Sikorsky H-19 – Part Two – The Common Colour

In scale model building the two most common colours are Thewrong Green and Thewrong Grey. I have elected to use the first of these as the interior shade for the Sikorsky. It is related to the inside colour of USAAF planes and is likely to have carried over to Army and Marines aviation after the…
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What Story Does Your Model Collection Tell?

If it is only one model, it says that you are just getting started – and that it is lonely for companionship. Time to go out and buy another kit. This is when you start to have a voice in the narrative. If you buy another model kit in the same scale, but of a…
