The end of another year means the usual year in review post.
2024 has been a bit of slow year for me modelling wise with other
parts of life keeping me away from the bench.
So this year there were only six kits moved from the stash the cabinet. And three of those were started in 2023.
First in 2024 was the 1/48 Kinetic Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter.
The Kinetic Starfighters are
perfect for that palette cleanser build. They kit is well detailed, good
fitting and simple to assemble. Marking
options and colour schemes for the Starfighter seem endless as well.
I went for a TF-104G this time from JaboG 33 , Luftwaffe 1983.
Those dayglo tanks look good against the classic Luftwaffe Cold War Camo.
For more of the TF-104G go here.
Next was the only armour piece for the year, the 1/48 Tamiya Panther Type G.
This was depicted as the famous “Cuckoo” operated by 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards British Army - Netherlands 1944/1945. It was built as an entry for the 2024 NSW Scale Model Show's Panzer Tracks Trophy. The theme being "In Enemy Hands".
A pretty straight forward build. I also had a go at adding a water feature to base. That creek was expensive in the end as I spent a fortune buying the resin etc for the water. I need to do some more water features as it was much easier expected.
For more of this build see here.
Third for 2024 was the 1/48 Tamiya F-4B Phantom II
This was depicted as an aircraft from VMFA 323 United States Marine Corps operating from Chu Lai Air Base, South Vietnam (1967-68).
I consider this build my best to date. Virtually everything ended up how I’d hoped. The model even picked a Gold in aircraft master’s at ScaleACT 2025 which made me very happy. It helps that kit is the best engineered kit I’ve ever built.
I still hope Tamiya
will do some long Phantoms now they got that stupid F-35 family out of their
system.
See more of this build here.
Fourth was the Arma Hobby 1/48 Hurricane IIc.
While the Tamiya F-4B might be the best 48 scale kit I’ve built, Amra’s 48 scale Hurricane II is my pick for the best 48 scale Propeller aircraft. Detail is amazing and fit is excellent. Yes, they are expensive but it’s a premium product.
This one was depicted as an aircraft flown by Squadron Leader Denis Sharp DFC RNZAF based operating from Tamu in Burma in December 1944.
Sharp had an amazing career and life. You can find out more about him and this build here.
Number five for 2024 was the 1/72 Airfix Armstrong Whitworth Whitley GR.Mk.VII
After 2 excellent build experiences with the F-4 and Hurricane I was bought back to earth when I tackled Airfix’s Whitley
While not horrible, Airfix’s 2015 Whitley took a bit of effort to wrestle into submission. Built from the box bar the tail gun barrels this one was remarkably popular on my Facebook page and blog getting lots of interest. In the end I am happy to have a Whitley in my 72 Scale Bomber collection.
More on the Whitley here
Last for 2024 was the 1/48 Eduard Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5
This was depicted as an aircraft flown by Karl 'Charly' Willius of 3. / JG 26, Dno, in the Soviet Union early April 1943.
The aim with this build was to construct a little scene or vignette. I have been doing a lot of scenic bases over the past few years but I wanted to do a little bit more.
Eduard's retooled 190A’s are the best of their current generation of kits (of those I’ve built). This one went together with virtually no filler and no fit issues.
The base was inspired a YouTube video from Pasmo and the Figures were ICM (Tamyia re-box) modified a bit
More of the 190 is here
What didn’t get finished?
First off, the Fly 1/48 Strikemaster (again). I made some progress and got nearer to painting. I fitted the weapons pylons I designed and 3D printed. I was fixing some scribing but the plastic is like concrete which makes it hard scribe. Overall it’s such an awful kit and was sucking the joy from me so it went back into the box. Surely Airfix will do one 48 scale at some stage.
The other kit that went nowhere 2024 was the 48 Scale Tamiya Abrams with a 3D conversion to make an Australian M1A1. I just haven’t felt like doing armour this year so it’s languishing in the box for now. Perhaps in 2025 I’ll get back to it.
2025 builds
Well I have few ideas floating around but I’m not one to plan out what I am going to build each year. I tend to go with the flow.
As it is probably the oldest kit in my stash, I dragged out the Accurate Miniatures Avenger, and was about to start it before being diverted to an Airfix Lightning. It will be my third and final one of those. A nice kit for its age but it still needs a decent amount of work. The Lightning will be a buddy build with Bruce at Bruce's Deplorable Scale Models (BDSM) , Odd choice of name for a modelling blog but who knows with that guy.
I’d like to do one of Eduard's P-51B’s and perhaps their new P-40E. I’ve thought about ICM's Beaufort and B-26 as well. But my stash is a little jet heavy so I need to get a few more jets in the cabinet. That said jet builds always seem to take longer than I anticipate and hence this affects the completion rate.
So who knows? Not me. We’ll just see what ends up in the cabinet in 2025.
Finally, if you got this far, well done. Merry Xmas and happy new year
