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Polish Tankette – Part Three – Tankietka
I am starting to be impressed with the IBG company’s approach to scale modelling. The first club day saw a little of the inside compartment started; the engine block and radiator shell. The parts separated cleanly from the sprue trees and dry fitted perfectly. the plastic is very slightly soft – eminently cuttable. Think a…
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Polish Tankette – Part Two – Better Than Nostalgia
Remember that great nostalgia we got before the war – it always fried up crispy and you could go from here to Sydney on it for 17 shillings… Well, I never went to Sydney for 17 shillings, but I did go to Don’s Hobby Shop in Calgary on Saturday mornings and spent my pennies on…
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Polish Tankette – Part One – A Gem Off The Shelf
This kit is the second venture I’m making in 1/35 scale – and this is a deliberate choice, rather than a chance purchase. The little Polish armoured car kit that I bought for a dollar proved to be so much fun to build that I determined to add more to the Stein’s Military World museum.…
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Is A Miniature Builder Bound To Drive A Small Car?
Or live in a small house? Or wear tight shoes? Well, no, but there is probably some connection here somewhere, if only we could avoid it. What correlation is there for the model builder with the real size of the world? Now we all know about scales – from universal ones, to maverick ones, to…
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Systematic Modelling
A fine concept. Except most of what I do is Système D. In case you are unclear about the classifications, let me explain: a. Système A – By the book. Follow the correct pathway to do anything, and expect that the correct outcome will eventuate. b. Système B – By the current fashion – even…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Five – Yellow Widow
Well, I like it. It has flaws, but then so do most of the things I love. The prototype for this build was apparently bought by Ranchers, Inc. in Boise Idaho in 1963 and converted to a water bomber – or fire tanker in the North American parlance. It did not last long, stacking it…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Four – White Widow
Before you think this has gotten political or I’ve lost my mind, let me assure you that there is a very good reason for painting the P-61 Black Widow white. Before I go into that, notice how smooth the basic structure ( despite the rivets ) is. There was surprisingly little putty needed – or…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Three – Swings And Roundabouts
Every airplane design has compromises and so does every kit. Some are adequately addressed and some are not – what you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts. In the case of the P-61, the twin tail booms made of two pieces each ( double the seams ) mean two chances to get…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part Two – Hot Weather Modelling
I’ve grumbled before about the limitations of scale plastic modelling in very hot weather – and a fat lot of good it has done me. So, rather than sit and moan, I have decided to sit and cut plastic. Inside – in the A/C at my Saturday afternoon group. I can’t paint but I can…
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Northrop Black Widow – Part One – ‘Tis A Gift…
And ’tis the only thing gifted about me – the ability to attract free model aircraft. This one is from a lady in payment for some Christmas family pictures. Again, it is a case of telling the client the scale I model in and letting them go and pick out something they fancy. So far…
The Little World
Close focus on the world of scale models
The Little World 