1945 GB

Go Ken, a diorama... I have not done one yet, just a few bases. So I am always impressed when others put them together. Looking forward to the progress. And dioramas also mean figure painting which....

...Stik seems to have mastered, the crew are looking serious and ready for action, and sitting very well in the SU 76. They (and their mates from the other week) are all looking very good. Those Russians...

...made some great tanks including Eric's which is looking really good, the whitewash has got to a great stage of weathering, I have followed the technique, and am partway through Mig's youtube. One day I aim to try it on my own Stalin, which dwarfed the...

...Hetzer, another model in my stash that I look forward to making, so I am looking forward to Dan's build. I like the idea of those tiny little tank busters 'sailing' around Europe like...

...Corsairs, which Brandon is doing his usual deep development of the colour scheme, just as with the Spitfire, coming along very well. Heard the early variants of the Corsair were touchy and hard to get into line like...

... Airfix's Black Widow (best I could do) but Bish is doing a great job in straightening out an older kit. You have done well getting the level of detail into that cockpit; I don't have...

...that much patience, which is why I am calling the Shinden complete. The kit was water damaged (no box or instructions) and the decals were useless. Not even bathing them in Microscale liquid decal film helped. With no Japanese text decals in the spares box, the plane was finished with minimal markings. As a prototype it would be kept looking pretty.

Except in this case, as in early flight testing, the plane over-rotated on trying to take off, and the propeller hit the runway, bending it up a bit (film's on Youtube, must be true). And this why wheels were added to the vertical stabilisers after this.

So I had to bang up the propeller a bit to portray the incident. 

In retrospect, the damage is not dramatic enough in this scale, I should have made it look more serious. Or photographed it better...

So there it is. It is a good basic model for it's age and can be done up pretty well. It took me six months to complete, with work getting in the way being my main excuse. At the end, I just wanted to call it done and so it is...

Thanks again to our fine hosts, Bish and Stik, for keeping us going along, and thanks to all the contributors who add to my meagre knowledge of model making. I will continue to watch, and throw the odd word in here and there.

And I have got my model in mind for the '46 GB too, so see you all next year.

Piers

Piers that looks very sharp! Such a beautiful aircraft. And I do like how you added the pranged propeller to represent the historical incident.. Very nice touch indeed!

Ken, the dio is coming on nicely, looking forward to seeing it come together.

Piers, now that looks nice. I think the damage looks just fine. Thank you for building it here and I hope you'll keep dropping in and posting. I have one build planned for next year as well.

Piers, the Shinden looks great.

Thanks Bish/

Along with everyone else

And Happy Modeling

BrandonD: Every now and thing that happens to all of us, a little thing here and there
turn out to be big problems and frustration.  But your Corsair is coming along nicely.
Going through something similar  on my Cyber-hobby 1/32 Bf 109, the part were the engine
mounts to the airframe was bent or warped, so I'm assembly that part differently so
construction is taking longer.

Thanks Bish:  Good looking P61, have not fully mastered masking canopy's yet.  Yours
looks excellent.

Thanks Greentracker98: Your ol' reliable jeep is getting there, a well driven jeep over
the years would have some lose springs.

Stikpusher: Figures are looking good, adding figures to a build I think enhances a
vehicle or aircraft.

EBergerud: Looks like your tow cables are turning out good, they do look a little stiff.  But I think they look great, and the white wash to.  I have two Cyber Hobby StuG III's, wondering if some parts like your tow cable won't be included.

Thanks Iostagain: Yeah the little Hezter is coming along well, if I can get some
materials together for a base I'll have it hiding in an old building or some other
thick cover.  And have it waiting to ambush the next tank or vehicle column.

I like the damage effect to your Shinden propeller, I think it turned out well.  
Pilot looks to be bundled up good.

Started work on my Easy Eight, the lower hull or "bath tub" is constructed differently.  It takes longer but I like this different way in construction.  I used Testors bottles to hold the parts while drying.  There was some injector marks on the inside that had to be removed.

Thanks Dan. There is a real trick to masking these types of canopy's. Its called cheating and using Eduard pre cut masks.

Nice to see this started.

Ken: The dio is going to be great. I'm anxious to watch you paint it up and put it all together.

Piers: Your Shinden is definitely stunning. Your paint job is really slick and clean and quite well done. I love the damaged prop effect. You did an excellent piece of work in making it look realistic.

Dan: Good to have you going here. Appears your off to a solid start.

Having had family in and out visiting has made progress on the P-47 a tad slow. Yet, I'm moving steadily along with the cockpit. I hope to have some progress pics up here soon.

Happy Independence Day to everyone. Don't over do it on the brats.

Dan, I agree about how figures enhance a build. At least as long as they are of similar level of quality. Your Sherman is off to a great start.

Well I am starting a simple base for my Suchka. A basic Hobby Lobby plain plaque, edging painted black with craft paint, and then a Tamiya cobblestone surface added to the top. The stand is a bit too small to add anything more for atmospherics, but at least gives a cityscape impression.

Perhaps I can add some rubble or other debris... almost done!

anyways awhile back somebody here mentioned both EBs IS2 and my Su-76 being "behemoths". It was pointed out that the 76 was a smaller vehicle built on a light tank chassis, and I mentioned that I would take some photos of my 76 and IS2 together once I had the 76 done (which it pretty much is now), so here are a couple. This is the original Dragon issue of the IS-2.

that looks good on that base Stik. I have not seen those Tamiya products before, is that card?

Just a short up date from me this week. Progress has been a bit slow, but we are going away tomorrow for a week's holiday in the Netherlands, and I wanted to get the primer on so I could see how much more clean up was needed. It needed a bit more filling and sanding along the tops of each boom, top of the fuselage and around the canopy's. One od thing though, when I was spraying, both of the tail fins came apart. I know they had been glue and had been handled plenty before this point, but they ease apart at the seam. But it was an easy fix. So here it is after priming and touching up where needed.

I was able to get a coat on black added to the top, but have left it in the spray booth and will do the underside when we get back.

Thanks for looking, and see you all soon. I will leave you all in Stik's capable hands. (you poor souls  )

Your Widow is shaping up nicely there Bish. I am looking forward to seeing the black warpaint on.

As far as the Tamiya base goes, yes, it is some sort of texture medium printed onto a cardstock backing. They have a few different patterns of cobblestone available. I used some for my Panther build base last year.

Thanks stik. And I will have to look into that. I have some similar stuff from Verlinden, but always handy to have other options.

Its real easy to use. I just use rubber cement to attach it to the wooden plaque base. Here is the base I did for the Panther that I built last year using a different pattern of the cobblestone.

Stik: That's an excellent base you have there. I have the same thing in the cue to put together for my 1/72 Hellcat. Wood plaque from Hobby Lobby and the card stock USN carrier deck from Squadron. Those card stock replications are actually really nice.

Bish: Your P-61 is looking really sharp. Certainly going be sweet with the black on it. Have yourself a grand holiday.

Thanks Bish: Yeah those pre-cut masks sure do make masking easy.  Only used a few in the
past.

Thanks Joe Rix.

Thanks Stikpusher: Nice looking base for your Su-76. My next trip to HobbyLobby, I'll be
picking up a base for my Sherman and Hezter.

Bish: Your P-61 is looking good.  Guess it's a good thing the tail fins came apart with just
primer on,  primer always brings out primes out little problems for the main coat goes on.

Been work on the crew members for my Hezter, remember in past group builds other members would mount there figures on sticks for easier painting.  Decided to give it a try, found some thin metal rods and drilled holes using a pin vice.  There working out good. 

Here's the progress on my Hetzer, had a little trouble with figuring out how to mount and glue the main gun holder.

The two half's do fit very good.

The engine grill is in place, there's a sold metal piece under the mesh grill with a slot down the center.  Going from left to right.

And as for the Easy Eight, have not run into any problems what so ever.  This is one of those builds where everything fits together perfect.

Lower hull or "bath tube"

And in the rear a nice compartment for drop in one of those Wright R-975 engines.

The putty you see will be on the inside, there was a tiny gap.

Okay  here another addition to the dio.  Hope you like it I built the sign last night after seeing a lot of pics of these on google images.

Here's an idea that crossed my mind earlier for cobblestones. It's styrofoam rolled between my fingers so they come apart in the little balls. I want your opinions on this everyone. Thanks I did have one problem with these. That was breathing to hard near them. LOL

I like the concept of the diorama indeed. But I am not impressed by the styrofoam balls. (of course I am so new to dios and groundwork that my two cents is literally worth about that much, if not not as for actual expertise) If there is a Hobby Lobby or Railroad Hobby store nearby, I suggest a trip to one of those to look for some ballast or groundwork stuff to make your rubble. If not, some simple gravel of an appropriate texture will work.

I am using  gravel, some of which that I crushed up a bit more, for street rubble/debris on my Berlin base for the SU-76

I will add a bit more as I just got back from Hobby Lobby and found some course RR Ballast of a decent color there to add...

Thanks Stik

Your 2 cents is more than what I have/had. That's why I asked. I'm thinking now a mold. I seen one last night made by Js Works Modeling. I know Stevens international has it. I'll also be looking at the ballast.

There is a little hobby shop about 25 minutes drive away called Hobbiest Paradise. He doesn't have the room that the big stores have. But he makes the most of what room he does have, and if he doesn't have it, he'll order it from Stevens. He marks stuff down from Stevens price and he doesn't charge the shipping fee. So, I try to buy from him.

That sounds like the perfect compromise- you can special order from him at a marked down price, not pay shipping, and support your local shop. And I am a die hard supporter of the little shops!

This is the "ballast" stuff that I found at HL in the train scenics area

and here is some thrown in with the crushed gravel that I added to my cobblestone base

and a couple of overall views

I am just going to add another airbrushed on coat of dust tomorrow to tie it all together, then I will call this done...

OK, I am calling this one done. This morning I did the final light dust coat. Overall I am happy with how it looks, although I can tell where I rushed things to get this done.

Bish, thanks for hosting such a great GB!

Stik, that is a really amazing job you did on the whole thing. Simply magnificent. GREAT WORK!!!

BK

Thank you Brandon. On my next one I'll do better. I rushed this one too much.

Stik, that looks great, excellent work and a fine job with the crew figures.

I can't tell with the photos here, but did you add any dust effects to the surface of the cobble stones?

regards,

Jack

That came out quite spectacular Stik. Excellent work all around. I've got to admit that I'm rather envious of your skills if this is what you turn out when you feel rushed. Thanks for taking us along with you.

Jack, I did indeed airbrush on some dust to the base when I did on the suspension areas as well to try and tie it all together. Unfortunately. The blast from that blew a bunch of the debris away that had not glued down with the rest... It's there, just quite subtle.

Joe, thanks for your compliments. I rushed the basic build and of course, the little stuff I missed doing that are glaring to me. But the figures and base were done at a more relaxed pace, and thankfully, they distract from the oopses ;)

It's been a while since I posted, so I did want to compliment all of you on the fine work going on:

Joe--how's the cockpit coming along?  Made a good start of it.

DantheMan:  Working on both a Hetzer and an Easy Eight !  Coming along nicely.  

Ken:  well-done on the jeep and progress on the diorama.  I think your sign looks especially good.

Bish:  that's turning into a great looking Black Widow--very sinister and dark looking.  I knew a lady years ago from the state of Indiana; she went out to California during the War and built those things.  We used to talk about her war experience in the plants, and she always thought the P-61 was a beautiful looking aircraft.  She's since passed away.

Brandon:  great recovery on the Corsair; your pre-shading looks very effective

stikpusher:  what a great looking vehicle and crew you've put together; you got exceptional results

EB:  nicely weathered tank; looks suitably warlike and grubby

lostagain:  that is an excellent Shinden; very unusual looking plane; neatly done pilot too

I have been plugging away on USS Shangri-La.  It's taken a lot more fussy scratchbuilding of parts than I expected and removing some details, but there's been some progress.  I'm using Hasegawa's USS Ticonderoga as a base.  She and the Shang were sisters, but there is enough difference to be visually very distinct.  

Maybe I'll be at the point of posting photos soon, but a lot of it so far has been tedious cleaning up of itsy-bitsy, tiny little parts--not much interest there.

Then, to top it off, I went today for a routine procedure at an ophthalmologist, and came away with a schedule for cataract surgery at the end of August and into September.  And up to this point, I just thought I needed new contact lenses. 

On the plus side, if this works, I'll have a lens implant and won't need contacts or glasses anymore--except maybe for reading. 

Anyway, nice work, guys!

OK guys, I have the front page roster updated with Lost's Shinden and my Suchka. If I have missed adding anyones completed work, let me know!

CMK, thank you for the kind words. Best of luck to you on your upcoming optical procedure coming up.

Who's got more work to share here?

Well, I been trying to catch up on the forums the last couple of days, so guess its time I chimed in here.

Check, thank you, and I must agree, it is a nice looking aircraft. I bet that was some experience working on them, and must have been hard work during the war.

And I know we will all wish you the best for the surgery.

Stik, now that is nice. I really like the dust effects on the lower parts, and those figures look very nice, I do like the stubble, I have yet to master that.

I got the underside of the 61 painted this morning, the only modelling I have done since getting home. I had painted the top the night before leaving. Despite using Tamiya gloss black, it has come out some where between matt and semi gloss, I can never seem to get a good gloss finish when spraying Tamiya acrylics. So I will give it a coat of future tomorrow before decaling. Hopefully some pics at the weekend.

Thanks Bish. The "5 o'clock shadow" is just an oil wash of burnt umber... It gives a very convincing look I think. I really enjoyed the final stages of this one- the figures, the weathering, and the base... Expanding my horizons here...

An oil wash, think I might have to try that one. I have been using grey paints but can never seem to get it right. I really like the look you have got there. And its always good to expand.