Category: Scale Models
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Scale Modeller’s Adolescence

If you have not experienced an adolescence of any sort yet, you may wish to loosen your clothing and put down newspapers over the good flooring… Scale modellers pass through adolescence any number of times. There’s the original one that breaks the voice and soils the sheets, and that’s a lot of fun. There’s the…
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Bristol Type 130 Bombay – Part Four – Hot Little Feet

I really should hie myself back to the hobby shop that supplied this Valom model and see if they have any more inter-war British aircraft. This one has proved delightful. SOOTB, and grateful for the opportunity to do it. The moulding was fine and the decals superb. I did not even object to the W/T…
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Bristol Type 130 Bombay – Part Two – The Inside Job

I’ve learned to do as I’m told…mostly. I do pay attention when the makers of a kit instruct me to build the aircraft cockpit first. Dropping one in after the fuselage is joined is very rarely an option. It can be done with some Soviet fighters where there is a large opening at the wing…
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Lordy God Almighty

Our hobby is on the side of the angels. And also on the side of science and the law. As scale modellers we have endured the sneers and taunts of people ever since out first kit. Now we have vindication – our interest in scale models is of benefit to mankind. Okay – I hear…
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The Plastic Himalayas

Or how to get over the hobby humps. Modellers are camels – we all have humps. whether we are making plastic kits, model railway layouts or doll houses, we come to a point when it all seems too much. Our kit build is stretching out week after week as we fight the photo-etched brass –…
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Use It Or Hoard It?

What do you do with the valuable old kit? If you have been stashing or buying for some time, you will eventually stumble across an unbuilt kit that is actually valuable in some respect: a. It has climbed in resale value as it has aged and other similar kits fallen by the wayside. If you…
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Fairey Swordfish Mk I – Part Three – Wings Over The Workbench

I walk in awe of the people who build scale model biplanes and then rig them. They have condemned themselves to the sort of stage act that used to involve Chinese jugglers, bamboo poles, and spinning bowls…and then added the sort of things that would make a spider burst into tears. I don’t know what…
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Fairey Swordfish Mk1 – Part One – Wheels At Last

And not before time. I made a model of the Fairey Swordfish from the new Airfix mould some time ago and promised myself to do another on wheels – this time with torpedo armament. The previous one was on floats and in pre-war colours. This was so pleasing that I have decided the new model…
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Mig 23 Flogger – Part Two – Homeland Defender

I have gotten jaded in my old age – the effect of having internet images to turn to. I no longer follow the maker’s colour call out slavishly if there is another scheme that attracts the eye. The fact that the decals may not be exactly right is of little consequence. Don’t judge me. Thus…
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MiG 23 Flogger – Part One – Swinging Wing Again

From what I read, the MiG 23 was a bit of a Soviet bust…nowhere near as successful as the previous MiG 21 on the world market. Not my problem. This 1/144 model was kindly donated and looks like it will build up well. It has the swing-wing feature of the period, and in this case…
