Category: research
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Canadair CT-116 – Part Three – Cold Lake Toy Fighter
All Good – after several false starts and a few execrable errors, the Cold Lake CT-116 is ready for the apron. I patterned the build after an internet image of a 116 over the Alberta tundra. The in-flight shot was perfectly exposed and opened all the markings up beautifully. The model could be measured and…
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Beaufighter TFX – Part Three – Lights, Camera, Ection Already

The Israeli Beaufighter you see here – D 171 – was part of a group of five planes that were purchased in the UK in the 40’s by Israeli agents. They were supposed to be used by a film company in Scotland to make a documentary on Coastal Command. They were given permission to fly…
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Fokker D VII – Part Four – The Sweet Lozenge

Well, I claim privilege. This is my column and my model and I can break step when I like. I stopped being 14 years old long enough to operate the computer and the printer and printed out that decal sheet you saw in Part Two. It was coated with a matt varnish and left for…
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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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Westland Wallace – Part Three – A Life Of Their Own

Plastic models seem to take on a life of their own. And it may not be what the maker intended. I blame the restless nature of the modeller and the ready availability of the internet to supply pictures and histories. You start out with a bog-standard box designed to do nothing more than attract money…
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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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Isuzu TX-40 – Part Three – Now You Don’t

But the Isuzu is there in full glory. And the people at Hasegawa have been thoughtful enough to provide a hand trolley and two ground crewmen to push it, plus 5 fuel drums. This has been one of the best little mojo builds I’ve encountered in a long time. Every part went on it and…
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Katyusha M13 – Part Three – Whooshin’ Rooshians

The wartime accounts of the use of rocket trucks by the Soviets are quite spectacular. Stories of mass attacks that caused whole vilages to disappear are rife. These rocket artillery pieces may have been restricted to 5-8 miles range but the effect of 16 of the rockets falling simultaneously – even if the target circle…
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Yuron – Yurown Design Bureau

This is the new decal printing company that I have started to use now that every other specialist firm has decided to pack it in. I can look at Scalemates all day and see what once was printed, but as far as being able to actually get the sheets…? I might as well be asking…

