Sure living out of a suitcase sucked.. but reality (work, school, the mundane chores of life) just don't seem as much fun as travelling the world checking out new stuff and experiencing new things. But I guess thats life.
I promise I''ll post up pictures of the modelling/military things I saw when away over the next few months but now it's time for some modelling (one of the few things I missed when away).
The subject for my model club's, (IPMA), yearly group build is Twin engined. it's only a small club so a loose theme means more people can get involved and still build something from their area of interest. I've chosen the new Revell Ventura in 1/48 scale.
This is first new tool aircraft from Revell USA in quite a while and it's been pretty well received, particularly as it's very cheap for a new tool twin kit. I was obviously interested in it because the RNZAF used a lot of them in the SWPA WW2, plus 487 (NZ) Sqn RAF flew them in Europe with Squadron Leader Leonard Trent RNZAF being award a VC for his leadership of a disastrous raid over Amsterdam in May 1943. I'll build a European theatre aircraft later , but this one is going to be a weathered SWPA RNZAF aircraft, not sure which one as yet.
I couldn't build this straight from the box, so I grabbed some after-market to address some of the few errors in the kit. I got the Loon Models Props (because they are one piece units) and the Mike West Open Cowls and exhausts.
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| References, Kit and other bits. |
I hate masking so the mask set was a good investment considering the cost (under $10). I've got all the decal sheets, the only one ruled out is Slippery Sam as the serials on the decal sheets are wrong. Plus there is doubt over the colour of the wording.
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| Choice's Choice's |
He uses this technique cutting resin parts from casting blocks, and it works really well in that application, but I thought I'd also give it a go on plastic.
Basically you drill the holes nad use a piece of cotton in a sawing motion to cut the piece out, If you take care you can follow lines quite closely. You do need to use heavy duty cotton, especially on plastic. It does work reasonably well although I did snap the cotton a few times.
The hardest bit is finding a way to hold the part. I'm using a little vice I built as part of my avionics training 25 yrs ago... it finally came in useful for something :-)
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| Scoops applied and Nacelles assembled |
To get the basic shape of the internal of the fuselage so I could cut a piece of plastic for an internal bulkhead I used a piece of thick solder. I then pulled this out and placed it on some evergreen white card
Using plastic and bits from the spares box and unused parts from the kit I added some structure. RNZAF aircraft on operations didn't fly with 2 pilots, the co pilots seat was removed and replaced with a jump seat. The jump seat is in the kit but marked as not used.
Once I was happy I painted everything Tamiya flat black. Once this dried I applied a light coat of model master interior green.
Some spare PE form an old spitfire set was used to dress up the sidewalls and other scratch-built parts. The pilots seatbelt was from that set was also used (not accurate but I'm not bothered). I also used some decal placards to add a bit of interest to the sidewalls
Details were picked out with various Vallejo acrylics and then a coat of Mr Color Clear (lacquer) from the aerosol can was applied. A wash of Tamiya enamel brown was used to provide some shadows/grime and then a flat coat of Gunze flat acrylic was used to tie everything together, proof you can mix paint types as long as you're careful
The kit decals and instrument panel were used, it is one of the best instrument panels I've seen. No need for after-market here.
