-
Douglas Boston MkIII – Part Two – The Multi-kit

I remember the AMT model car kits of the 1960’s with fondness – particularly the 3-in-1 kits that allowed you to build a stock vehicle, a hot rod, or a custom car. I never met anyone who ever built a stock model… The kits seemed to give a lot more value than the dedicated one-car…
-
Douglas Boston MkIII – Part One – A Plum

Every so often a piece of ripe fruit – a plum of a model kit in this case – falls right into my lap. Upon reflection, it might have fallen to me 8 months ago when I was in Melbourne, but no matter – it has plopped down now, and I am delighted. I build…
-
Model Zen – Part Three – Scale Model Buddha

Nearly at an end – though a dedicated follow of Zen would ask which end… WHERE will tell us the location of zen: ” Everywhere, and nowhere. But mostly in the everywhere of nature. Nature has been going longer than we have and will be going longer than we will. It has the final say…
-
Zen Modelling – Part Two

We need to question two more servants about this zen business. Here’s WHEN to fill us in on the schedule: ” When do you seek zen enlightenment? When you don’t have it. When you feel all up and down and jangled and iffy and nothing seems to satisfy you. That’s the time to contemplate what…
-
The Zen Of Modelling – Part One

Go google ” Schopenhauer’s Workshop ” and ” Inch High Guy ” weblogs on your computer. Open the sites and explore some of their posts; it will be well worth your time. They are enthusiasts just like you and produce superb models – they also produce a lot of fun for themselves. You can share…
-
A Childhood Ambition Realised

No, I will not be a fighter pilot, or a movie star, or a rich man. But I think I can say that I am acheiving a childhood ambition with my aero modelling. Not flying models, you understand – scale plastic models that sit on a shelf. My experience with flying models was and has…
-
Republic Thunderflash – Part Five – Box Art

I tips me lid to the artist who painted this Republic RF-84F Thunderflash on the kit box. His rendition proved to be the most helpful reference I could find for this aircraft. I find colour call-outs fun to look at as snapshots of what one might make from the box. But I still want other…
-
Republic Thunderflash – Part Four – £ 1 + 1d.

In for one, in for the other. I have decided to see if black-basing has any merit as a technique. The Thunderflash is a sleek enough aircraft and there will be some variations of the metal finish needed. Time to see if this vaunted paint technique actually does anything. That’s a smooth black but I’m…
-
Republic Thunderflash – Part Three – The Czechpit

A czechpit is similar to a cockpit except it doesn’t fit. This is not surprising – after all you would hardly expect a cockpit tub from a Republic RF-84 to fit – say – a Boeing 747. Or a Stinson Reliant. Or a Spitfire Mk XIV. You would, however, think it would fit a Republic…
-
Republic Thunderflash – Part Two – I Know That Shape…

It’s a codfish. The Republic F-84 fuselage is a codfish – particularly when it is the Recon version with side intakes instead of an open nose. Not that this is a bad thing – fish swim through water well and the Thunderflash swam through the air just fine. If something looks like is should fly,…
