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Aichi Seiran – Part Three – The Dance Of the Spray Booth

I have numbered the photos today for the new members of the club who wonder how to spray paint things without injury. It is not possible – expect to lose a lung at some stage of the game. In the meantime, No.1 is the Seiran in grey undercoat – in this case Mr. Surfacer 1200.…
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Aichi Seiran – Part Two – The Trolley

This is quite the most detailed trolley I have ever seen. Seaplanes and float-planes are wonderful birds in the air and slippery fish on the surface of the water, but sad encumbrances back at the air base. Unless they are amphibians like the USAF Albatross, they cannot land on their own wheels and need something…
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Aichi Seiran – Part One – A Bargain

And a Tamiya bargain at that – you don’t see many of those around the shops these days! I cannot say whether this Aichi Seiran float plane model was inexpensive because it was unpopular, or unpopular because it was an old kit, or an old kit because it was inexpensive…that sort of circular logic is…
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Stupid Science Theatre

France, Stein, and the Temple Of Thinners A scientific exploration of how to ruin paint. All you ever wanted to know about nothing you cared about. We have all been to a hobby shop or a club where advice was being given out. We’ve been told we need Product A to spray Product B from…
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Model, Toy, Or Artefact?

When you pick up something from the Little World, you are often faced with the problem of classifying it. That is, if you regard it as a problem. I don’t, but I am unscientific. This is a result of my circulation; my blood goes down one leg and up the other… This may be a…
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Gloster Gladiator Mk I – Part Three – The Mandate Of Heaven

Or of the Gloster Aircraft Company. The Gladiator is complete and ready to join the Swu Ping Provincial Air Army. The delightful thing about the SPPAA is that they have a variety of paints with which to decorate their aircraft. Oh, they do follow the guidelines provided by Nanking, but Nanking is a long way…
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Gloster Gladiator Mk I – Part Two – One Day’s Work

Every fortnight or so I visit a private home for a friendly scale modelling session with a group separate from my normal modelling club. The experience can be quite different. I enjoy the routine of each experience, but I keep them separate in my mind. Oddly, one of the other participants in the home sessions…
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Gloster Gladiator Mk I – Part One – I’m 14 Again

The last time I built an Airfix Gladiator I was 14 and had 50¢ to spend. I am older than that now, and richer, and glad to see that Airfix have kept up the pace – issuing this new kit a couple of years ago. It is vastly more detailed, with weighted tyres, alternate propellers,…
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Lima Beans And Spinach

Some people like lima beans. Some like spinach. Some cannot stand either vegetable*. If they are in a restaurant it’s easy – they don’t order either. If they are eating at the family table or someone else’s house the problem becomes more difficult. They may have a heaping helping steaming there on the plate and…
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Styrene Broker – Part Two

The scale market’s answer to Madoff and Ponzi. In case you are wondering what the answer should be, ” No ” is safest. Anyone who has seen a pyramid or junk bond scheme in operation will recognise the game as it develops. We’re after a better class of broker here. I have disposed of many…
