Clunkmeister

If I bring my wife, all will be calm.

I took specific care with the Revell by sanding the internal structure to the point of where I had to shim it up to fit the joined halves. Just like doing a resin kit. I was able to keep close clearances with the fit of the wing and scoop that way. I did use a Yahu panel on the Revell, simply because I had one and wanted to try it. So far so good for all.

My feelings on AM are mixed. Is it model assembling or model making? AM can add greatly to the level of realism achieved, if used correctly. Too much, “AM because it’s AM”, often creates hurts rather than helps. Proper Plane’s products are truly amazing. I have no doubt that I could make a passable propeller if I learned the skills, but with my lack of time and my absolute unwillingness to go through the learning curve right now, I’ll either use the kit prop or buy AM. Wingnut props are actually decent. Roden, Special Hobby, and Hobbycraft props? Not so much. The ones I’ve done turned out decent enough. But my ability to paint decent laminations is variable, depending on the brand of fine Scottish whiskey I have in the tumbler. But above all that, I’m one of those guys who loves what’s coming out of central and Eastern Europe these days, and I’ll support companies like this to my last dying breath. Same with the Germans and the Japanese. They’ll get my money. I just refuse to choose to feed the big red dragon if I don’t have to. Keep it coming, folks. These parts are truly amazing.

Tuesday here as well.

Paul, you can see deck equipment, derricks, racks, and davits for a multitude of boats. I assume some of those are rescue launches and others are extra lifeboats. I’m not surprised she’s in shallow water. They tried hard to beach her, but fell slightly short.

To add to this are my personal views. Seeing work like this gives me great hope for our hobby. No longer is China the big monster supplier as they are in other areas. Japan, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia are now giving us some of the best models and AM we’ve ever had. It’s a good time to be a builder of a Large Scale Model.

And what a package it was! In certain niche areas of our hobby, there are names that are spoken with almost mythical reverence. Aviattic’s Richard Andrews is one, and another one is a gentleman named Alexey Belov WW1 and golden age aircraft lovers like myself look at him as an almost mythical figure, the force behind what we know as Proper Plane. Alexey IS Proper Plane, a small aftermarket supplier of some of the most unique, niche, and singular products on the market today: laminated, hand carved and finished wooden propellers for early aircraft. These propellers are absolutely some of the most amazing works of art I’ve ever seen. Ever. There have been plenty of reviews here on LSM and other places on Proper Plane, and until now, with the possible exception of the IBG PZL P.11c, I have not only never been so ready for a product I’ve heard all about, the quality of the product actually took my breath away when I first saw it Pictures will follow over the weekend, but if you’ve never seen these props and manifolds, be prepared to have your mind blown. No pictures do these things justice. None. Whatever these guys are doing in Kyiv, if most definitely involves a time machine and a shrinking machine. This work is breathtaking to see. I give you a few pictures to look at, and I’ll show you some resin wheels a d woodgrain this weekend.

They’re all GREAT kits. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses

A. Uract, to me, is in the eye of the beer holder. All three kits have been praised for their accuracy, but there ARE differences, mostly with the stuff under the skin.

Tony, I’ll be there. Gotta see this in person. Yes, the Air Cam is actually 65K for both engines, gearboxes, accessories, and props. Now, the props don’t even feather, so who on earth would fly a real twin with non feathering props. Seems like a quick way to the scene of the crash. That Air Cam is a 120K project. I’m just as well to finish the Black Hole.

The big three Mustang kitmakers Zoukei-Mura Revell of Germany, Tamiya F-51 We’re looking them over, building all three at the same time, documenting the good, the bad, and the ugly. And there’s much of the first, and a bit of the other two. Any guesses which one comes out on top? The results will surprise you. I’m not a panels open guy, I don’t like toylike features, and I like having both tails All three manage to pick my butt at times

Do it, Paul. Both those ships and those who served on them are heroic war heroes. I’ll probably do it someday as well. The extra deck machinery on Britannic makes for some interesting model making. But there’s absolutely zero fought both those ships are Harland and Wolff creations.

I thought about it, but not as Titanic. To me, Titanic is not only cliché, but also a gravesite, a d I’d never build Titaanic anymore than I’d build a graveyard. HOWEVER, people forget that Titanic had two almost identical sister ships, Britannic and Olympic. Both of those ships are extremely interesting. Britannic never ran as a civilian liner, instead it was impressed by the RN and served with distinction as a Hospital Ship until striking a mine and the Captain desperately trying to beach his ship on a Greek island. The heroic crew saved all but thirty, but only 5 were buried, with most of the rest lost being in two lifeboats that ran through a still turning propellers and were chopped to bits. They had cast off from the ship before the order was given. Olympic served on the transatlantic run she was designed for, was nicknamed “Old Reliable” for her trouble free service, but time caught up to her and after being hopelessly outdated by newer steam turbine liners, she met her end around WW2 when she was paid off and scrapped. also, Olympic served as a troopship, complete with an awesome dazzle paint scheme. Either one of those amazing Ladies can be built from the Titanic kit. Britannic in her white hospital ship colors with bold red crosses would make one seriously striking display. Olympic looks identical to Titanic with the exception of a very minor difference in one of the dining halls and promenades. Not much more than a name and pennant change would create Olympic. The Trumpeter kit has MUCH potential IF you let your imagination run… Britannic…. And Olympic, both in her White Star livery, and her dazzle scheme. Pure history here, folks.

I use the line myself. Not on everything, but on a lot of stuff. I like MMP. The paint is very different than all others, it’s water based, and I’ve had some adhesion problems if I mix products. Use their primer, and their reducer let’s it flow better as well. mMP paint is thick. You must thin it go airbrush it, and a little goes a long, long way. Use their thinner, follow their recommended mixes and vary it to your taste.

Now you’re gonna force me to finish that Deuce, and get that black hole up in Oklahoma back in the air. You get a new plane, I get an empty wallet. You just threw out the challenge flag. Funny about low and slow, but I had looked into the Air Cam a while back. Twin engines, a massive useful load, slow and fun. I really, really like that thing, but it’s one high dollar homebuilt. twin 914s, twin reduction boxes, and twin props. But no feathering? But sitting g almost on a beam is too much for me. Even sliding the hood back on the T-6 freaks out my wife, so getting her into the Air Cam would be an exercise in futility.

Tony, hmmmm. This does look a bit, ummm, Bellanca-ish. Or, hang on, it’s not Bellance anymore, Champion? Ish? Heck, whoever makes the bloody Citabria, those guys! like the Citabria had a kid.

I’ve had one on the bench awhile. Nice kit, but the cowls seem fiddly. It almost seems like it was designed to be displayed all opened up. I’ll check your WIP.

Has anyone here actually finished one? If so, your thoughts? It’s a ton more work than Tamiya, but a ton more detailed as well. I’ve seen the finished models at IPMS shows, and to me, they’re dead on accurate like the Tamiya and RoG P-51D-5NA. Funny how just up to 8-9 years ago, we had plentyof awesome kits of WW2 fighters, but no accurate P-51, but now we have three companies that have decent Mustangs that look amazing and assemble precisely.

Great review is right! I’ve been anti g for one of these come into my LHS for a few months. I guess I’ll need to go to eBay or another online retailer. life goes on.

Reston Peace, Dale. You’re not in torment any more. All the Blessings, from Texas! Fly west, Dale.

This galloping POS will finally come off the hot rod SOD and get brought back in for completion. 35 Ford 3 window coupe that’s been beating around my place for 25 years or so. It had a 2” chop put in the roof years back, which definitely helps get rid of the bubbletop look. Plus the canvass top opening has been filled as well. The frame is original Ford, but has been boxed and a Mustang ll front end and narrowed 9” rear installed. Unfortunately, the Mustang front end is not what I want. It’s going back to a traditional Ford solid axle front and will keep the 9” rear. That, along with some rear fender skirts will give it the early 50s custom taildragger cruiser look I want. Powertrain is 1957 Ford 292 with a T5 gearbox. 292 has the rear T-Bird sump, PCV system, and front timing cover mount like a flathead. An electric cooling fan will be used, as there isn’t enough room with the 292 to use the engine driven fan. This thing’s been on my mind for many, many years... The completed car is similar to what I have in mind, y’all except that the blue car hasn’t had the top chopped like mine has.

Yes, the emphasis is now more on the LARGE, rather than just the scale multiplier. So a 1/72 An-225 is absolutely welcome in the main area. Its a serious attempt to be more inclusive and not disqualify people. One model a few of us have built or are going o build is the 1/48 Vickers Wellington. 1/48 is as big as you’ll find unless you scratch it or go vac, so as fast as I’m concerned, BRING IT! That U-boat will look stunning!

That’d be oh so cool! A taped together NZ Corsair -1A is to me, the ultimate that can be done with the Tamiya kit. 213’s birds were worn, but the NZ kites were absolutely trashed.

Nice to get this off the SOD. I’m fascinated by VMF-213. They took a kicking all through the Solomons, yet kept going strong. I see a few of these in my future. Another VMF-213 bird, an FAA kite, and absolutely an RNZAF -1A The funny thing on Tamiya... I actually don’t like the builds. They just seem too.... click and paste for my normal build style. But,.. it’s exactly what I need right now, and these turn into one awesome completed model. Tony told me many, many times,.. in the doldrums, build a Tamiya. Well, no doldrums, just big pressure in life cleaning up after the storm.

I love this... it’s ME!