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Poor Quality Landing Gear Legs

I apologise to the readers of this column for leaving them to their own devices these last few days. I have not been arrested for debt or run off to shack up with a popsy. I am in hospital connected to one end of a septic leg… It is getting better and I have cheered…
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Wash Your Twiddley Bits
As a kid modeller i never washed the parts for a plastic model kit before assembly. It was open the box, play with it for a week with hot sticky finger, and then on with the cement. When I got to the painting age it was on with the painting. Then on with the decals.…
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Out Of The Box

” Oh he’s just built that out of the box “… If you ever hear this you are entitled to sneer, but be careful where you direct your lip. The speaker is using the word ” just ” to belittle the modeller. There is a suggestion of lack of skill or imagination. Possibly a financial…
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Vultee Vengeance – Part Five – We’ll All Pull Together

Our winches between our knees. As they say in the recruiting posters ” It’s Men’s Life In The Target Tug Crews “. It sure is. Of course the men are nervous gibbering wrecks who shy away from sudden movement and loud noises, but that’s beside the point. Someone has to tow canvas cones behind an…
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Vultee Vegeance – Part Four – Lacquer

Now before you start writing in to the editor to complain about the appearance of the heading image, let me remind you that I am the editor. And there is nothing wrong with the image – it is a plain and simple Vultee in conservative colours. It’s your eyes that are wrong… The new target…
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Vultee Vengeance – Part Three – How Green Was My Vultee

If the fumes from the paint don’t kill me, the bad puns will. Probably through the agency of enraged listeners seeking me out to stop them. Actually, I am very proud of this one, as it involves real thinking and research. As I am building a Vultee Vengeance in RAF or RAAF service ( not…
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Vultee Vengeance – Part Two – The Assembly Line

I am never loathe to accept advice from people who really know how to do something well. Not so sanguine about being told off by those who have never done something themselves, but I’ve learned to put up a poker face and not react. Eventually they go away and I can get on with it.…
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Vultee Vengeance – Part One – The Show Special

When I went to this year’s WASMEX plastic model show I promised myself that I would only get one thing. Of course, I was a liar and a fraud; I purchased three things. The last of which came off the stash today and out in front of the camera – the Special Hobby 1:72 Vultee Vengeance.…
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There Is No Humour In Scale Model Building

I do not mean to suggest that the activity cannot lighten the heart – that people cannot devote their spare time to it and come away happier. Many of us do, and want the good feelings to continue…in spite of the unwise purchase of kits that have gotten very bad reviews. No, what I mean…
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The Lure Of the Rattle Can

Every model maker has probably used an aerosol paint can at some stage of the game – if not as a final coating, then at least for undercoats. The cans that we get from the hobby shop are somewhat small, and can be pricey, but are generally first-quality paint and can go on with good…
