BradG

I've tried masking fluid over silver paint and although it gave me what I was after at the time, it's a real pain to remove (see the Ki-84). Since then, I will spray an enamal base and use Tamiya thinner, Windex or hot on cotton buds or paper towel to work back the top layer of paint; Gunze colours (Ki-44 and 61). I've found this is much easier to control, gives a nice edge to the chipping and wear but also if you screw up, just repaint and go again.

Looks great. I built one of these and every sprue suffered severe mold misalignment. Nearly drove me crazy.

Why complicate things by slattering stuff on your model that I normally put on my toast? Just paint it green then use a good brush to paint on the large areas of paint chipping. You can make it as accurate as you want then.

Nice, although I was expecting 6'2 blonde chicks when I read the title.

Thanks mate. I pretty much watch it all day and yeh, the wheels just fell off and carnage ensued. There's a real chance for things to be all over tomorrow.

Yeh, I'm diggin it.

Ah ok that's good. It looked very much like a sharpie marker and I was going to say don't use those as the black ink will seep through the top layer of paint

Cool, it looks good. Did you use black paint or a texter/sharpie to shade the panel lines?

Looks cool.

Very nice mate.

Here is the only picture I know of;

Really really nice stuff.

That Heinkel interior would be great if you were doing a shot up aircraft, but if you're going to close up the fuselage, save your money as you can't even see most of the standard kit parts!

I'll be buying one of these so I can convert my LTD 1/48 one into a two seater. I want to build the one with the final instructions to novice pilots soloing painted on the fuselage under the cockpit.

LOL Nick, oh dear, you can always tell you're too close to the truth when people try to silence you, ay?

It's pretty common, I see it a lot in various clubs. I know one guy who can't build a model of anything unless he has a picture from both sides of the aircraft and another who couldn't build a model because he didn't know if it had a two or three blade prop. This never bothers me, I'll build a model off a profile or a picture, doesn't even have to be a good picture for me to build something. I even have plans to build a North Korean Ki-43 Oscar from reports that one was seen on an airfield in the early 1950's/.

Don't forget the Dragon 1/32 P-51D, that one can barely be given away by shops as I see it at ridiculous prices, but still not selling.

While that is true Mike, at what point does this figure become significant? 8%? 10%? If a company thinks people will buy their product despite some flaws and mistakes that are easily noticeable by those with some knowledge on the subject, why not make every reasonable effort to keep those people happy and iron out all the errors before metal is cut and gain more percentage points in sales. I doubt we will ever really know the answers though, unless we get a job in a model company!

Mmmmhmm, share the curiosities you both have. Judging how many customers were put off by issues in a kit is like picking next weeks tattslotto numbers as it's not just the members of the forum, it's all those who read that forum but are not members or who are told by their mates or modelling buddies. As for their message, well it would have been easier to just write 'suck it up fellas'. What about all the modelling magazines and hobby shop employees people may talk to? If bad publicity means nothing to manufacturers, why do some get so upset when a review is not favourable? An excuse like that also makes it very easy to simply forgive yourself for any failings of your product. Screw something up, pfffft oh well, people will buy it anyway. It's a dangerous business practise and I saw it happen at my old workplace, cost them tens of thousands. You know, even if it does mean I'm pissing in the ocean by hammering a kit when it deserves it, I'm still going to do it.

Yeh I'm being a bit cheeky putting this here, but you know, it's not a tank and but it is an LSM - Large Scale Missile. I got this when it first came out, half built it then put it back in the box for several years due to the poor quality molding (particularly on the missile itself) and pretty bad fit in areas. Just like every Trumpeter kit I've built, it's just plagued by mold slip and seams, especially on mating surfaces which for a brand new kit (I got it hot off the LHS shelf) is just crap. I built this off a black and white picture of an Egyptian SA-2 seen in a 1982 Born in Battle magazine.

Always wanted a 1/35 Stug so I picked this up today. Not a bad price ($45 AUD) and includes etch metal and a full set of metal side skirts. The version without the skirts was actually 5 bucks more, I dunno how that works out but when you pay about 20 bucks for an aftermarket set I think we modellers are getting screwed just a bit! I also found these decals for my 1/48 skyraider that I'd been after for years.

I don't like your chances of this as that is the box art of the old kit.

I am waiting for the 1/72 Type IX U boat...I know not an LSM but still big.

Gesus Rog, would you leave some for the rest of us! In all the turmoil of the last month I forgot I did buy something, the Hobby Boss 1/48 Avenger. I have a self imposed ban on buying Trumpeter/Hobby Boss kits unless they come at less than 50% of retail and I picked this up from a toy store that was relocating for 25 bucks down from 60. Now to find a nice firebomber conversion....

What's a plan? I just go with the flow and build what I feel like at any particular moment.