Category: research
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This Model Ain’t Makin’ Itself…
The lazy modellers guide to workflow. We are told that youthful modellers in the 1970’s used to buy a kit at their local shop, have it together by teatime, and destroyed by the next morning. I think this is one of those old-guy stories that is made up of fibs, lies, and political promises. I…
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Lockheed Hercules – Part Five – Paint By Numbers
The Bob Ross School Of Aircraft Camouflage Or how I learned to hate the RCAF airframe finishers. Because they used three colours on the CC-130. They only did it this one time, but that was one time too many. The three-grey camo for this plane is a one-off. It was apparently thought to be something…
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Can A Manchester Or Lincoln Be That Far Away?
I am a solid fan of the Airfix company’s plastic model kits. I cannot remember ever having a really bad, unbuildable one from them. Some of their offerings could be a little crude, but they were of their time and reasonably priced withal. They did concentrate on British marques and that was fine – they…
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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…
The Little World 