Show your Revell/Monogram builds

cbaltrin

Sounds like we have a bunch of volunteers for the next Mogoram Mafia GB!

 

sounds like you may be right about that.  :)

Shipwreck- yeah, I suppose I do sound like a modeller. Lol

although I really like it when a kit practically falls together. That's a nice change on occasion. But if it goes together for me, then it does so for everyone else and then all of the skill has to go into the finish for that sense of a job well done.

Not that there is anything wrong with that lol.

Among my earliest memories are those old Monogram kits from the 60s that came in baby blue boxes with typically good box art. I spent a few years acquiring as many of those as I could find via eBay, I think there is maybe 2-3 that I don't have such as the pylon racers (a 72nd scale Bearcat and Mustang that could be built around a cardboard? Pylon structure). 

To date I have built the Bearcat, the Airacobra and the Wildcat. I did the first two out of the box but I back-dated the cat to a yellow wing pre-war F4F-3, scratching out the cockpit, the gear bay and the rear portion of the engine. It turned out pretty well. It was an example of what a modeler should do with a given canvas, and those old Monogram kits are at least good starting points for great results.

I am sure there is a lot of nostalgia involved with these kits, but I truly do enjoy building them and giving them (in most cases) much needed updates.

All I have in my collection is old Monogram and Revell from the 70s, and enjoy building them. The only other kits I build are the old Testors kits and MPC Star Wars kits of the 70s.  Do to having too many of these old kits I have to keep my builds simple, also I don't mind the old raised details. The raised details make it tough to fill and sand so I just do my best to make sure my glue joints are nice and clean, its the best I can do.

CB, your 190 looks very sharp in those colors! Nice!

Shipwreck, that is too funny that the rep said those words. I think that the real advantage of their kits are that the novice or master can each build the same kit using their own particular level of skills and be happy with the results. And the Marauder, a great kit... I did one three summers ago now and got carried away on a scratch built interior for the areas that were not covered with the kit... she turned out beautifully, but much of the work is barely able to be seen. But I know it's all there... Mine was an older boxing so the fit was just fine for the most part.

Ahh, found some pics of my 190...  I do have to build the 109 eventually. Someting ominous looking about the monogram 109E.

M. Brindos

I grab a classic kit whenever I can find one. There's something magical to me about completing one of those kits I never could build quite right when I was younger. 

I like the challenges they bring and I like the feeling of accomplishment when I'm done with all of the sanding, and the paint and decals are completed.

Mike, you are talking like a modeler. I was speaking to a Revell rep about the problems of building some of the old kits; he said that is called modeling! I am currently modeling a Mono B-26, ie. filling and sanding. I have stack of the classics including 4 B-25s. When I get a 55 or 60% Michael's coupon; I go and buy a kit of something! There is a lot of modeling per dollar with those kits.

Lol! Get some sleep... and dream of those old white box Monogram kits...

Yeah! I had the Zero once and it travelled with me, incomplete, for years, but I always wanted the 109 and 190. 

Ive got a few of the classics in my stash (P-51D, Dauntless, P-47D Razorback) and I plan on grabbing up more when I have a chance. I've found the B-25J, Me-262, and the Saber in two different places.

Not sure what else I'll find eventually, but they're like Pokemon and I've gotta catch 'em all! Lol

edit: almost forgot I just picked up the Stuka G1 last week! Now that brings back memories!  :D

edit2: ... And the F4U-4 is in the stash as well. I think I might be tired lol. Sleepy time.

Man those are some of their early 1/48 kits... you can consider them a blank canvas for lots of scratch work, or kits from a simpler time...

I grab a classic kit whenever I can find one. There's something magical to me about completing one of those kits I never could build quite right when I was younger. 

I like the challenges they bring and I like the feeling of accomplishment when I'm done with all of the sanding, and the paint and decals are completed.

I'd really like to get my hands on that 109, the 190, and the Zero again.

cbaltrin

You know, I've thought the matter through several times, and I can say that I would be perfectly happy building old Monogram (and a few revell) kits for the rest of my life. What say you?

 

right... all they need to do is fill a few gaps in certain eras and types... They have the Air Force side of the 50s covered for the most part. But the Navy side sure could use a few more kits from them.

scigs30

Here are couple of my recent Monogram kits and Revell builds. The Focke Wulf is a 70s kit that went together real nice.  My builds are simple OOB builds, no filling or extra details. I have one simple goal in mind, build planes from the 70s and 80s and there are a lot to build.  The Focke Wulf is airbrushed using my Testos Airbrush, Testors enamels from square bottles. The Goshawk is also another 70s Monogram kit airbrushed with Testors enamels.  The enamels airbrush really nice but they limit me to airbrushing in the garage due to the smell.  I really wanted to start airbrushing inside to speed up my builds so I recently switched over to Testors Acyrlics.  They airbrush really nice and dry fast, best part is no smell and easy clean up.  The Monogram ME109 is another 70s kit airbrushed with acylics but I used Testors acyrylic primer so there was some lifting during the masking process.  The Revell P40 is my second attempt with Testors acylics and this time I used Testors fine grey primer from a can and there was no lifting of paint what so ever.  To really test the acylics I did not use Tamyia tape, I used regular Scotch masking tape and still no lifting. For the gloss cote on the acylic builds I used Testors acylic gloss airbrushed, decals added with testors decal solution and finally shot with Testors acylic dullcote.

 

Those builds really take me back, Cigs!  I love the 109, especially.  That was one of the first airplane kits I ever built.  Did you use a heated screwdriver tip to flare the ends of the axles over the wheels?

I've got a couple of those kits in my stash now, for use in a what-if collection.  I don't give away the subject, but I will modify the landing gear on the kit as part of it.

I really like your P-40B, too, that's one of my all-time favorites.  All really great builds!

Best regards,

Brad

More good stuff! Keep 'em coming guys.

Scigs30,

Those look nice. I especially like any late model Biplane like your Goshawk, and the P-40 (and its uncles the P-36/Hawk 75) is also another favorite of mine.

Your painting also looks great, and I have to admit that its fun sometimes to just build something strait out of the box (or at least fairly close to strait out of the box).  Even if not 100% accurate they can make some really nice looking models, as your examples show.

Pat

Nice work Cigs. 109 and 190 are favorites of mine. Got a 190 build in the sand scheme. Want to do the other schemes as well. All in all I currently have The 190, P-51D and P-47D bubble top in my built collection. Hope to add the P-39 and P-40 and P-47 Razorback this year.

Here are couple of my recent Monogram kits and Revell builds. The Focke Wulf is a 70s kit that went together real nice.  My builds are simple OOB builds, no filling or extra details. I have one simple goal in mind, build planes from the 70s and 80s and there are a lot to build.  The Focke Wulf is airbrushed using my Testos Airbrush, Testors enamels from square bottles. The Goshawk is also another 70s Monogram kit airbrushed with Testors enamels.  The enamels airbrush really nice but they limit me to airbrushing in the garage due to the smell.  I really wanted to start airbrushing inside to speed up my builds so I recently switched over to Testors Acyrlics.  They airbrush really nice and dry fast, best part is no smell and easy clean up.  The Monogram ME109 is another 70s kit airbrushed with acylics but I used Testors acyrylic primer so there was some lifting during the masking process.  The Revell P40 is my second attempt with Testors acylics and this time I used Testors fine grey primer from a can and there was no lifting of paint what so ever.  To really test the acylics I did not use Tamyia tape, I used regular Scotch masking tape and still no lifting. For the gloss cote on the acylic builds I used Testors acylic gloss airbrushed, decals added with testors decal solution and finally shot with Testors acylic dullcote.

I've lost track of any posts I may have made in this thread.  So I apologize if these are repeats.  But these are a couple I've finished over the past couple of years.

All in 1/48.

First up, the P-47D bubbletop:

In August 2006, my friend Brian Spruyt won this kit in our club raffle, and gave it to me to build, since he only painted figures.  I started it and planned to give it to him, out of gratitude.  Sadly, the next month, he passed away.  I had started the kit, but it languished for years, assembled, seams cleaned up, awaiting painting.  Last year, our club set an annual build theme of "Shelf of Doom", to pick out one or more builds that stalled and resolve to finish them.  This was one of mine.  I regret that I wasn't able to give it back to Brian.

Next up is the Hawker Typhoon.  I started this more recently, in 2014, for one of our Monogram Mafia builds.  This is another one that stalled, then, at the point of painting the RAF camo scheme.  I selected this as my second SoD build and finished it.

It's a relatively simple kit, with a low parts count.  I got this as a bagged kit on eBay, no instructions or decals, and I built it without instructions.  The only hard part was confirming which landing gear strut was which, but I checked photos to make sure.  And that pic reminds me that I popped the seam on the underside of the fuselage, having finished painting, and when I was applying the decals.  A little too much of a pinch, and pop!

And one more, the F4F, finished in Atlantic ASW camo.  I started it in 2013 and I think I finished it in 2014:

I tried to add some additional detail to the cockpit, including a gunsight:

And here's Hasegawa's short 'n' dumpy USN pilot in heavy weather gear, to help give a sense of scale:

Much as I am a Monogram fan, and look back with deep nostalgia for building these kits when I was a kid (b. 1946), I do concede that this kit presents problems, especially of fit.  If you want to assemble the wings extended, it's a given that there will be some serious gaps to fix.  On this one, they ended up on the underside of the wings.  But it's still fun--I have two in progress now on my bench.

Thanks stik!

PJ, that looks very sharp. You really went to town on the finish. 

Thanks cb. I have about 3 of these in my stash for future builds. They are fun to work with.

I took another peek here and man the quality of the builds is just incredible! Specially cb's painted markings and ortiz's NMF just to name a few. These old Monogram/Revell kits are just too fun to put down. Amazing that a couple of you guys have builds going back to 65. The oldest build I have goes back to about 1974 or so. It's the Esci 1/9 BMW DAK motorcycle with side car that my brother bought for me at Orange Blossom Hobbies in Miami.

I just completed this old Monogram F-14A repopped by Revell as a Bobcat. The mold is getting worn cause some parts have a poor fit but just need some TLC to correct.

Agreed!

I wholeheartedly concur!

O, that is absolutely gorgeous!!!