I Challenge You!
Sorry , Don and a few others , you are NOT on the list ! This is for those of you who Think you are good and constantly get bashed at model contest venues . What do I challenge you to do ? It's simple .Build a very detailed " Paper " ( they are called " Card" In Europe and the U.K. ! ) model ship or piece of armor , plane or car . You think they are for kids ? Think again !
If you can successfully build one of these and NOT cheat on parts , then your next plastic model , should , Blow the competition away ! Don , knows what I mean .he , like me has built in many venues .he , like me has had his disasters .BUT , and this is important ,He , like me did NOT let this stop him from building kick-butt models as we've all seen .
Are you up to it ? I would suggest if you are to obtain a sailing ship ( Waterline ) and a modern type vessel .When I get all pinched up with plastic I build Wilehelmshaven's issue of the " Conti - Belgica" . She's a container ship . Why ? Well you have to build everything on the ship out of flat , printed sheets of heavy paper . Yup , when you finish her , containers and all , you can overspray her in flat clear craft paint and never lift a brush if your cutting was right .
They use very common sense techniques for assembly .Believe me I know . I got challenged once out in California to prove that the " Paper " method of frames and decks was better than " Plank on frame" or " plank on bulkhead ". I had an H.O . ( 1/87 ) scale tanker under construction at the time . I simply got that six foot wonder out and gingerly stepped up on it and let it bear all 200 pounds of me ! I did not think for a minute what would happen .Eggcrate type construction is very strong , even in paper ! Or in this case .020 plastic sheet .
All the parts are included in the kit . Printed paper sheets ( anywhere from three to fifteen or twenty ,) depending on the ship and scale . That's right my friends , you have to make those masts and gear by rolling up paper parts .Try that with a three stepped 1/200 German Warship model main gun barrel from WW-1 ! ( The KRONPRINZE ) which you,ve heard me talk about before .
Try it , and I bet ,you'll either love it or hate it , BUT you'll be a better modeler for it . The nice part of paper modeling is this too . No noxious paint fumes and the use of either ELMERS or ALEENS " Sticky " glue and both are water soluble til set .
I have done a " Paper " plane and I was surprised . It was from a printing house called " SCHREIBER " And it even had a metallic finish ! It was a large airliner . I am going to say it was 1/48 but I could be wrong . Mine had " Lufthansa "markings , I believe .(I left it hanging from the ceiling in the craft room at the Martinez, Ca. V.A. Facility .) Anyway , when I finished it , I could see room for improvement (strengthening the landing gear for instance ) .BUT , it did NOT , From a foot or two away , look like paper.
It was a blast to build too ! I need you to accept this challenge .You will surprise yourself .You will also gain insight into using " Found " items for replacing ,possibly weak paper parts .AND you Can use P.E. on them too ! Well , good luck on this adventure .I think you'll find it a relaxing difference from plastic and help you over " Modelers Block " if you are at that point . Last point .When you do it , follow the instructions to the letter .And remember art class in school .There's many simple shapes used and they are as simple as the cone , rod , and cube . Bye ! P.S. You can include your children if you have any of the right age ,who express interest in " Watchya Doin , Daddy ? " Great family time , that !