2017 - A Year in Review

With only a few days until I head home for a 3 week break it’s time to call the 2017 modelling year Done. Whilst compiling this post I’ve realised I've had a record number of completions. Quite surprising noting I’ve had a few long periods away from the bench, I guess ignoring the family helps

First of the bench in 2017 was Kinetic’s 1/48 Sea Harrier FRS-1. Not a bad kit but it does need a bit of work to get a good result.

 Second was the 1/48 Eduard Spitfire Mk VIII in the markings of RAAF's lead ace GPCAPT Clive Caldwell,

The Eduard Spitfires are probably my favourite 1/48 scale prop kit. This is the third one I've built and all have been enjoyable builds.

Up next is the 1/48 Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf, J. I do dabble in 1/48 armour. I like the scale as it goes with most of my aircraft builds and they are generally simple builds. This was built for the NSW Scale Model Show’s “Panzer Tracks” Trophy 

Next was the 1/48 Eduard Messerschmitt BF-109F4. I built this kit as I could not sell it, plus it annoys a mate whenever I build a “loser plane”. I did like the mish mash scheme on this aircraft.

IMHO the Eduard 109 is not quite as easy a build as the Spitfires but they’re not far off. Much of the PE in the profilpack is a waste of time so I think I’ll stick the weekend editions for any future builds.

My favourite build of the year was Tamiya superb 1/48 F-14A Tomcat in VF 41 “Black Aces”  markings. This is the best engineered kit I’ve ever built to date. I really hope they do the whole family, but you never know with Tamiya….

A you probably know a mate and I did a trip to the US together to visit a few museums and air shows. We also went flying in a B-17

But some idiot kept getting in the way of my photos.

I did get to see a Skyhawk fly again

[url=https://flic.kr/p/D2PYFY][img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4513/24305877878_bfc5bde43e_o.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/D2PYFY]IMG_6182[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/143601220@N05/]Calum Gibson[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/D2PZ53][img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4491/24305879158_a6eee5ab54_o.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/D2PZ53]IMG_6122[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/143601220@N05/]Calum Gibson[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/ZJdEuf][img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4483/37890099422_681684217b_o.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/ZJdEuf]IMG_5870[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/143601220@N05/]Calum Gibson[/url], on Flickr

Shortly after we returned I finished a Hasegawa 1/48 Douglas A-4K Skyhawk. I wanted to use one of the coastal kits blurred bases. I’ve chosen a 2 Squadron RNZAF aircraft as I served on that Sqn in 1990’s.

Seventh was the Kinetic Mirage IIIO. This was a challenge build for 2017. Bruce , as usual, didn’t finish in time.

The kit is same quality as the Sea Harrier FRS-1. It takes a little bit of work but does build up into a nice model. I wasn’t fan of the Mirage before building this but I’ve grown to like the aircraft. There a couple more of the RAAF schemes that take my fancy along with a Argentine one.

Eighth was a refurbishment of a kit I first built a long time ago. So whilst I didn’t actually assemble the parts in 2017 it was stripped back repainted and weather and placed on a new base. It is the 1/48 Tamiya KV-1.

I used this as test bed for dust techniques

Lying of the shelf of doom for a couple of years was this 1 / 4 scale M4A1/M203 rifle. I had been painted but I couldn’t really be bothered putting much additional effort into it so I gave it a quick wash and some dry brushing. I just need to find a way to display it

Last for the year was the 1/48 Haseagawa Henschel Hs 129. This is a pretty simple build, the worst bit being painting the spinners. I made masks for the main national markings rather than sue decals. I also spent a bit of time experimenting with bases.

So that’s it for my 2017, a bumper year of modelling along with a great trip or 2. Next I’m going to try some 1/32 models so this should reduce the number of completions but should be an interesting challenge to try out the larger scale.

Hope everyone has a happy Christmas 2017 and a great 2018.

If you’re interested in more photos of the models there pages for each build at this blog. Or if you want to see more aircraft photos from our trip mine are here

1/48 Henschel Hs 129

After three jet builds this year I felt like something quick and easy . Nothing in the stash from the good guys took my fancy so I pulled out my double boxing of the Hasegawa Hs 129 and Ju 87. The Hs 129 looked like the more simple of the two. Reading a few reviews confirmed this.

The aircraft I chose was an aircraft from  9 Ground Attack Air Wing 10 (anti-tank) Company Eastern Front: July 1943

The Kit

• 1/48 Hasegawa Double Boxing of the HS-129 and Ju-87G (HSG 07409)

The kit is pretty simple to build and is reasonably detailed straight from the box (minus the lack of seat belts

Aftermarket

• Generic Loar Roar Luftwaffe Seatbelt

Decals/Markings

• Kit decals for the Swastika, L and stencils
• I made masks for the national markings

Paints

• Mr Color Lacquers main colours, (a Bit of Tamiya for the black green as well)
• Mr Hobby for the yellow
• Vallejo Acrylics for details
• Gaianotes  for the Gloss coat
• Dullcoate for the flat coat

Weathering

• Artist Oils for the wash
• Coloured pencils, pigments, pastels and Tamiya Weathering sets for the various streaking / grime marks

The Base

• The surround is made from cheap skirting from Bunnings. 
• The grass is just a mat. I've been experimenting with static grass but IMHO for 1/48 scale the mat is just as good if you want a field with short grass. 
• Sand bags were from the Tamiya Set
• Other vegetation was from various products I've collected over the year.

Build Threads

• Facebook Album

I figured I'd stick a 1/48 Tiger I next to the HS-129 to give a comparison of size.