Any military modeller outthere?

RE: More questions

Ah yes, the dust problem!! I had a shade over 50 aircraft hanging from my ceiling!! I’ve now got them all parked away in the top of my wardrobe. I was forced to do so because I left home for university and my parents didn’t want them there anymore!! So, I have my own personal AMARC now 🙁

Anyway, I was nothing more than an amateur while it lasted. I got into “BIG STUFF”, including 1:48 B-1B, C-130 and a 1:72 B-52H. Expensive, but fun to build!!

RE: More questions

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-04-02 AT 03:37 AM (GMT)]For the space problem I used to hang my aircraft from the ceiling. Make sure they are out of reach of the younger members of your family and they can last quite some time… ( my less sucessful models seem to disappear around Guy Fawkes day… November 5 is the only day in NZ that we celebrate something with fireworks…).

With the brush marks problem I used to use paint thinner and 3-4 coats of paint. Previously I’d give the model a coat of paint an have the plastic colour come through when the paint dried. When thinned and given multiple coats this problem goes away as does problems with brush marks.

Some other websites with models include:

www.victorymodels.com

www.dragon-models.com

A website with good books for modelers is:

www.concord-publications.com

and both books and models:

www.aviapress.com

(if you have $US160 just waiting to be spent you can buy a 1/72 scale BEAR).

Of course while they have good Russian content, they also cover other airforces as well.

RE: More questions

Squasher,

the undercarriage will generally bear the weight ok. A dab of superglue under each wheel helps as well. If the model requires weight in the nose for balance, just leave it out. Another idea for heavyweight stuff is to drill a single hole beneath each wheel and a corresponding hole in the wheel. A trimmed down rivet can then be pushed through the base and superglued into the wheel. The main problem with hanging aircraft is dust. Keeping them clean can be a pain but one seconds rough handling sees your a/c minus all the little fiddly bits which you went to such lenghts to in the name of accuracy and detail.

Regards,

kev35

RE: More questions

Squasher,

Brush stroke problems eh?

A couple of tips.

1. Buy and use top quality brushes, preferably the sable hair type. Expensive yes, but the results will be worth it.

2. Always paint in one direction where ever possible.

3. Make sure the paint you are using is mixed to the right consistency, and if its too thin, a second coat will be needed.

4. Use larger brushes, especially on large areas.

Hope this will help.

Regards, Glenn.

RE: More questions

Kev,

great idea on the wall hangings, never really thought of that ! Will try it out. Just hope the under carriage will be able to take the stress over a period of time.

Awaiting a cockpit

I’m awaiting (for more than 6 months now) a BlackBox cockpit for an 1/48 Hasegawa A7E… I called the shop today, and they -again- told me it hadn’t arrived, certifying me it was on order (for which i do have some doubts x( ). Do you guys know a solution to force that shop to recieve it??? (I could buy it directly through the web, but i’d need a Visa card… And I don’t have one 🙁 )

RE: More questions

brush strokes………………………

the wider the brush you can use, the better, and have the brush as flat as possible always helps.

heres a webstore that you can order stuff from;

http://www.greatmodels.com

definitly go to ARC website(as mentioned above) there is a sponsor there that works out of japan, so maybe that’ll be good fro ya squasher

coanda

RE: More questions

Hi,

Avoiding brush strokes? A good question. I find that just using extreme care goes a long way toward reducing the problem. The ultimate way is to use sprays but I imagine you’d have difficulty getting those as well.

As for mounting models on a wall I first select a suitable size picture frame, something just large enough for the undercarraige to sit comfortably on. After discarding the glass I then make a baseboard to fit the frame, painting or decorating the base to the finish I reguire, e.g. tarmac, concrete, grass, sand etc. When this is ready I mark on the base where each of the wheels will touch the board. I drill two tiny holes where each wheel will touch the base. Using the finest fuse wire I can find, I wrap a strand over each wheel mounting and thread each end through one of the holes tying the two ends together at the back of the board. Once tied insert a cocktail stick under the knot and twist gently until the correct tension is maintained. This is surprisingly strong and can even hold the weight of something as substantial as a 1/24 scale Hurricane. (Only problem was I dropped the frame when hanging it and, despite Hawker’s claims to the contrary, my Hurricane was a write off after a fall of just eight feet!. Three months work destroued in 1 and a half seconds.) If you wish to see the underside of the model, to view a bomb load for instance, try mounting the model over a mirror or fix a mirror to the base you have made to show off the underside.

Hope this is useful.

Regards,

kev35

More questions

Thanks Glenn and Coanda, mail orders and getting it from abroad are always ready options. Was just thinking if there were any ingenious alternatives.

Anyway, my modelling is now unfortunately restricted due to lack of paints. My best model was an F-4 1:24 in Vietnam Jungle Camo – shark mouth and all. Another good one was a Mirage 2000 with Exocets and two Magics.

I have two further queries here:

1. How do u avoid Brush strokes ? generally in my models u find an uneven finish to the paintwork and can also trace the path of the Brush.

2. How do u put up a model on its belly on a vertical wall.? That seems to be the best place to put them out of reach of my 3 yr. old nephew. Further, all my desks and tables already have various things on top of them, therefore lack of space is another issue for me.

Thanks and Regards,

Squasher

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Does anyone else out there use water colours?

I’ve found they can be quite useful for weathering effects and also in use on dioramas. Another useful item in creating dioramas can be soil and sand, giving both texture and colour. An example of this is the use of builders sand to recreate the red dust and clay of Vietnam. I saw it used very effectively on a diorama depicting the perimeter of Khe Sanh during the siege of ‘Tet’ 1968.

Regards

kev35

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Ah yes the water-based stuff, forgot about that. They should be able to send that in the post. Definitely look for mail ordering something Squasher.

Regards, Glenn.

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

if your really up for it there is always mail order, there are larfge modelling concerns on the net that will happily ship across the world. any acryllic(water based) paints that you can get would be useful, although matching them to the real things could be interesting!! I think the way to go is bulk buy and ship from abroad, america or australia for example, you can also get foreign shipping for the modelling magazines out there, there are three that i would recommend to anyone interested in aircraft(mainly military). i’ll get hte details and any email addresses if your interested. maybe you know some other modellers who would be happy to club together and get things in from abroad- that would cut the shipping cost down, i’ll try and find somewhere for you.

i have been modelling since i was seven too i think!) and i’m now 20. i really only model aircraft, of all types from first world war( those lozenge camouflages are soo cool!) to present day aircraft, mainly in 1/48 your f18d should come out well if its the italeri one. there are lots of aftermarket accessories that can help with detailing, eduards photo-etched frets are very good and well recommended( ffor the extrememyl lazy out there, they are now doing already painted sets such as seat straps and cockpit interiors!1 and can be exceptionally cheap! I like an adequate amount of detail on my aircraft, so i’ll usually shell out for a resin cockpit or seat, if its neded instead of making the kit as is, if its lacking in the interior department.

i can only think of one bad thing about modelling- painting white on any other colour(come to think of it white too!).

unless of course you spray your nice new bright white cooker with enamel testarossa red, and dont realise until you’ve finished the job and its gone hard…………….

or shaking the tin of paint with the top not quite secure, and spattering it all over the kitchen tiles, and the kettle(it never did come off the kettle)…………..

coanda

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Sorry Squasher, can’t think of any, and even if there were some others I doubt you would get the same level of variety/colour choice as you would with the likes of Humbrol, Testor, etc. You would probably spend more time mixing paints than building kits. You may have to do with what you have and mix anyway, or somehow get an order together from overseas. This is tricky though as that kind of material is often no-go in the post. Best of luck with it.

Regards, Glenn.

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

No real dedicated Model shops out here Glenn. You would generally find Models in Supermarkets, toy shops etc. Somehow these guys always forget to stock up on paints and if they have them its not off a great variety and u have to make do with whatever is on hand. Therefore my query reg. any other form of commercial paints that could fit the bill.

rgds,
Squasher

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Squasher,

Not really. But I am surprised that they should be so hard to get over there if models are easy. Model shops over there, what are they like?

Regards, Glenn.

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Hey Glenn,

whilst getting models in India is not a problem, getting the right paints is not so easy. Do you know any substitute paints that can be used on Plastic which I could use in lieu of ‘normal’ modelling paints?.

cheers,

squasher

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Thanks guys,from the sound of it im quite sure that both of you must have won something in the local competition.Modelling is small here in Malaysia. Maybe because of the perception of the masses who perceived it as waste of time and money.Modelling equipment/model kits price also do not help a lot cause their a bit expensive.There is only about 300 active military modeller nationwide and most of us are aging fast(30-50yrs old).I am proud to say that most of my tanks are quite good,maybe certain fine details is needed.It is the a/c that might give me a headache.At the moment im trying to build RMAF FA18D using Italeri 1/48 kit.I’ll keep you guys posted.

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Glenn’s right, gon’t overdo the detail. When I first started (too many years ago) I found it best not to worry too much about the result, just relax and take pleasure in the actual building of a kit. It won’t be long before you start to get really good results. After 30 years, I’m still only a dabbler, I don’t think I’m up to competition standard.

Advice?
1. Enjoy the research, you can learn a hell of a lot about the type you’re building and it always comes in useful.

2. Become a magpie. Keep all you spare bits and any household items you think may be handy, you’ll be surprised what you can do with rhem.

3. Look after your tools and particularly your paints, I’m still using paints bought 20 years ago.

4. Accept and don’t get disappointed if you screw anything up, it’s a learning curve that stretches to infinity.

5. Simply enjoy your hobby.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-03-02 AT 09:26 AM (GMT)]Tomel,

Have fun with it. I have been a military modeller since the age of about 7 (I am now 32), but have not done much in the last few years as I have been very busy with travel, work and all manner of things, including moving house a few times.

I have always speciallised in 1/72 & 1/48 scale WW2 aviation but I have dabbled into small scale (1/72 & 1/76 scale) AFVs and 1/350 warships.

I want to expand into 1/48 jets and 1/350 & 1/700 scale modern warships when I get around to regular modelling again, until then I still have loads of gear, paints, tools and kits packed away, and I still buy all of my favourite modelling magazines and have done for years now.
My fave is FSM from the US, or Fine Scale Modeller, followed by the UK mags Scale Aviation Modeller, Scale Aircraft Modelling, Tamiya, and Scale Modellers International. Of course, I have been a regular reader of the only true Australian magazine of its kind – ModelArt Australia (ex-Plastics Modeller) – which first appeared in 1988. So, I have been able to keep up with all the developments and new releases in the hobby despite the fact that I have not done any for a while.

One thing I have learned is that you can never have too many references, and the various magazines are worth the investment, especially several of them. Good tips and so on.

Determine the best labels/brands of kits and tools and stick to them I feel, this will mean less work in the long run. Hasegawa kits from Japan are IMO one of the best you can ever get your hands on and make excellent models out-of-the-box.

Same goes for those references. There are collections of books out there solely designed with the modeller in mind. I can name some of them, but scanning a good book store or model shop will reveal the good stuff.

Don’t overkill on detail. Its always tempting to super-detail basic kits but work within the scale and make sure things can be seen, or are doable. Of course if you are entering a high stake competition, go for it, but often less is more.

Have any other questions? Fire away.

Regards, Glenn.

RE: Any military modeller outthere?

Thanks man,superb site.