Category: Soviet aircraft
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Lavotchkin 5-FN – Part Three – Decalling The White Bird
The paint job on the Lavotchkin was simplicity itself – if you discount the fact that you spend a lot of masking tape doing it. Fortunately the bigger bits can be done with the cheap DIY store stuff instead of the thin hobby shop rolls. They do the details. Now, remember I was nervous about…
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Lavotchkin 5-FN – Part Two – The Russian Jig
It’s like an Irish jig…but with vodka. My first impressions of the Zvezda kit were not wrong – it is well-built. The cockpit was adequate, without being overly complex, and Ivan, the pilot, fit well into his seat. Unlike Airfix aircrew, I did not have to Douglas Bader him to get him into his seat…
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Lavotchkin 5-FN – Part One – First Russian
I was idling though a hobby shop that has few aircraft – they specialise in figures and games – when I remembered that they sometimes have cheap airplane kits. I think they are stocked as a sop to the shoppers rather than a serious attempt to earn money…but I am prepared to be condescended to…
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Macchi C.200 Saetta – Part Three – Fascist!
And proud of it – so proud that they wore a stylised image of fasces as an air force insignia on the Italian Air force planes in the early part of WW2. Of course it featured largely in political imagery as well and was promoted by Mussolini for all sorts of purposes. It went out…
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The Kids In The Candy Store
For a number of years I avoided going into hobby shops. Whether I thought they were passé or whether I thought I was more sophisticated…I don’t know. The result of this was I missed out on some of the really great hobby experiences – things that came and went while I was somewhere else. Now…
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Internal Report No.2 – Glorious $ 5 Plan
Wood morning Comrades. Is report of victory in Glorious $ 5 Plan. Polikarpov I-15 glorious Soviet fighter plane now complete and ready for display at Uszhitmi Air Display as soon as cows driven from field and mud dry up. Hero workers cheer valiantly as aircraft put on truck for transport to show. To valuable to…
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Internal Report No.1 – Glorious $ 5 Plan
Glorious $ 5 plan going to schedule. Aircraft will be ready for Uszhitmi. ICM plastic somewhat softer than bourgeois Airfix plastic, so worker need to be careful on trimming sprue. Would benefit from micro clippers as seen in Micro Mark catalog. But all fixable with putty. Leading edge of one wing not up to specification…
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Glorious $ 5 Plan
Wood Morning Comrades. Is tell you of Glorious new triumph of Party. Is begin $ 5 Plan as ordered by Glorious Leader. Is find ICM scale model of Polikarpov I-15 aircraft at IMPEX show in bargain basement 50% off no-one-want-me bin. Is pay price of $ 5.00 to capitalist salesman. Is rescue unopened new kit…
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Where Was That Blasted XF-68?
Yes, I paint model kits. Yes, I have more than one bottle of paint. Yes, I lose the occasional one down the back of the sofa… Now that I am building more model aircraft kits from different air forces I am getting more paints. Some are direct shades and some are mixtures. I have transcribed…
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The Stash – Part Two – When The Time Comes…
Ah, but when does the time come? Answer me that… If we admit first off that we have a stash of unbuilt models we can proceed. The model stash may be actual kits, homebuilt kits, scratchbuild ideas, or piles of raw materials. It may contain dead models from long ago ready for revision or cheap junk…
The Little World 