Artful69

... That will be along shortly no doubt ... If I can get WWII ETO markings in the kit or AM I'm in!! Rog

Okie-doke ... we're on the same page ... I have been advised that there is dry-time issues with the paint because it's either full-gloss or semi-gloss ... unlike the flat Tamiya paint. Is this something that any of you have run into? With Tamiya stuff ... it's paint, decals, semi-gloss or flat clear coat, park ... no dry time issues ... although I always leave the subject at least overnight before decal application. I really am comfortable with Tamiya for a number of reasons ... one of the main ones being, of course, that it's a known quantity ... Won't ever touch another enamel ... so it's acrylic or bust ... besides the RLM Mr.Hobby stuff ... are there any other RLM paints I should look at? And thanks for the tip there Carl ... I can put the multi-grips away!! Rog

ok fellas ... I probably should have been more specific ... F-nose who Gunze is?!? But this is the one I was looking at ... http://www.mr-hobby.com/en/itemDetail.php?iId=83 If this is what you're all referring to as well ... then Awesome! and thanks for the feedback! Rog

... Specifically acrylic paint. I've loved using Tamiya acrylic's ever since I first used them ... They apply well and are time efficient on preparation ... and especially clean up!! However ... They have no "specific" RLM colours ... and this vexes me. Well, not really - but I've always gone picking out the colour of "best fit". Quite by accident (while online browsing today) I discovered that Mr.Hobby do an acrylic paint WITH specific RLM colours. Has anyone used both? ... the price looks comparable ... Are the RLM colours more or less accurate? How do they compare in use and finish? Rog

Hahaha ... Bow before our awesome nerdiness SBY 2199 is EPIC!! Rog

Today ... I had the last two expected parcels turn up .... and one unexpected parcel - more on that later. First up a couple of books that I ordered from Amazon ... They kind of look like a Vol.1 and 2 set ... a few black and white pictures but mainly text. Then a parcel from BNA Modelworld ... Some battery operated paint stirrers ... A four air-brush holder stand ... A cleaning pot ... A decent set of brushes for detail work ... and ... another piece of the RAAF puzzle ... Yesterday ... I got home to find a FedEx missed delivery notice ... with a tracking number I'd never seen. Now the only 2 FedEx numbers I DID have were from some orders from Amazon that are still showing "Shipping Label Created" from a month ago. Amazon refunded the money from these two orders - on the expected delivery date - because they were advised that they could not fulfil them. Each order contained 2 books ... the first was for a book on the A-20G and the He.219 ... the second order was for books on The B-25 and The Bf.110 and Me.210 and 410. While I was waiting for the refunds to clear I ordered the same four books again (plus another) through Booktopia (and I must say that the service and level of communication has been amazing with these guys) ... at every change in the process I get an email alert - much better. Meanwhile at some point a week or so ago ... a NEW label was created by Amazon and these items shipped to me ... somehow?? ... As you can see ... they are fairly chunky and about the same size as the Classics books. They weren't packaged very well ... no packing materials inside that destroyed box ... I'm pretty sure the ratty dust covers are the result of that sad effort. So I guess I have a couple of spares now ... some food for the e-Bay sales maybe?? So ... like I said ... that's it for the incoming packages for now ... except for the Booktopia order ... but I have no idea when that will show up. There's a few random tools that I'll be needing (like a CA glue applicator) ... and some AM (like RAAF decals for the Super Hornet) ... but I'll get them organised when I organise the next round of kits. There is the upcoming Academy F/A-18A's on order ... plus the HS.129 stuff from ZM and a Lanc' (I'll decide WNW or HKM once the WNW kit hits the market) And now I hear that the RAAF have Growlers as well as the F's!! ... stay tuned! Rog

Yeah ... I've seen some of that art work - the battleships and carriers are great! ... What scale are your Zero's? Rog

Yeah ... she turned out to be one of my favourite characters ... along with Akira Yamamoto. Rog

I love this SBY 2199 remake ... Got a couple of '72 scale kits to go with it a while back ... No Gamilian Czvark for Melda though Rog

... Now isn't that funny ... The three main things I notice most about the B-24 (in no particular order) are: The huge twin paddle tail, the clunky roller-doors in the bomb bay and the really odd mis-happen turrets that look like they were just shoved on as an afterthought. Like: "oh crap, we better give these poor bastards some sort of protection ... here you go mate ... good luck!" ... I had never even known what a Davis airfoil looked like ... until a bunch of you more astute individuals pointed it out! ... I might give Iain's "airfoil remedy" a crack if he gets to releasing a template to work off. But in the end I'm not sure I'll be all that concerned. Some people were concerned about the half-assed looking engines ... but while they really do look dodgy on the sprue ... looking at the cowl - I'm not going to see much at all through there so - meh! For those madly desperate for a maintenance and repair dio' I'm sure Eduard or someone will launch the appropriate Brassin cowl and engine gear. The frosted turrets worried me until I saw one polished out - even the seam doesn't look THAT bad on one fixed and assembled ... If I can find some clear drying stuff to stick 'em together (I think my normal plastic glue dries opaque?!) I should be set! ... I do know what you mean though ... about issues with a kit really bugging you ... I'm not a complete accuracy basket case ... but I do tend to notice some wildly off shape issues ... like, forgetting "nose-gate" on the HKM B-17 ... it just looks a bit chubby to me, you know? ... like it's developed a taste for a drive through diet. The Hobby-Boss Mk.V Spitfire looked very misshapen (although my HpH correction set should go a long way to fixing that one up) ... The Trumpeter F-thru-K Bf.109's look a bit too pointy, yet assembled and painted they turn out quite nice (and are pleasant to build, with no real vices in the engineering or fit department) ... Yet for whatever reason I can shrug off the Bf.109E's mistakes more easily. The more recent Revell Mk.II Spitfire had accuracy issues over the place ... but it was mainly the chunky look about it that disappointed me most. Still I haven't built one yet - so I may change my mind at a later date! ... I Still haven't got the Barracuda correction works for it either. Rog

Do ... you won't regret it ... Revised and updated but otherwise basically the same book as the Classics Publications one ... Other works are in the pipeline including the Ar.234 and the He.219: https://www.chandospublications.co.uk did you mean this one? ... with the separate upgrade sets? It comes out to about 600mm give or take ... if I'm not mistaken? ... the 350 would be a fair size bigger!! Rog

I gotta be honest ... I never the Trumpy kit that way ... is there heavy detail? - sure! ... but with a coat of paint it looks like a nicely detailed, accurate and well fitting rendition in this scale ... I certainly thought it was well worth the bucks, time and effort anyway!! Most of the "poo-poo-ing" came from the traditional anti-Trumpeter-Hobby-Boss crew ... I haven't looked at the Revell kit yet ... It'll be interesting to see what they've done better with 10 years+ better technology available!! Rog

Ok ... so ... back to models ... Today a LARGE parcel arrived from Model Hobbies in UK ... With a few kits inside First ... The rather decent Fw-190 ... "Sturmbock" edition ... I didn't get the Hasegawa version of this so it's the only Sturmbock in the stash. Then the (apparently) "better-than-Trumpeter" Me.262A ... we'll see ... Next ... another Mirage ... RAAF Decals - BUT different time period Decals are from 1983, whereas the Italeri kit I bought earlier has the 1966 markings ... and finally an F/A 18.F Super Hornet ... I need some RAAF markings for this one ... and some of that non-existent AM!!! ... Rog

Aww crap ... I’m on my phone and the original thumbnail was too small to see ... good luck!! ... be good to do a Space Battleship Yamato conversion!! Rog

Looked at em ... not sure about pulling the trigger just yet! Though I’ve got SOME organising to do ... that’s for sure! Rog

At least it’s not a 200 scale ... better chance of hiding a pool being craned into the back yard!!

If I’m not mistaken that’s the new Chandos Publications Version ... an update of the old Classics one? ... I’ve got it ... can’t quite justify $500 odd on the original collectable!! Rog

For what ever reason ... I forgot to post this last night!! ... And now ... we get to the GOOD story. Every now and then ... you come across one of those bargains ... Where the seller either doesn't know the value of what he/she has ... or really just doesn't give a rats. ... And for whatever reason - No-one else has seen it! Well ... every week or two I jump onto e-Bay and run a couple of searches ... Sometimes for kits or other stuff I'd like ... sometimes to see what some of my rarer kits will sell for ... other times looking for Classics books. For the last little while I've been monitoring several sellers with the Me.262 4 Volume set. Going rate is about $800-$1000 AUD plus postage. A couple have sold ... and a couple more sellers have listed theirs. Bear in mind ... these values are in AUD ... not USD. Then ... about 2 weeks ago I saw an auction lot on e-Bay ... The ad reads: "Assorted books on the Messerschmitt Me.262" The thumbnail picture shows a bundle of books - and there, buried at the bottom ... are the 4 Volumes of the Classics Pubs set!! No bids ... at opening $250 ... The seller is based near Sydney ... Listed as "Collection only" with less than 4 days to go ... I'm thinking ... it can't hurt to ask, right? ... So why is he not offering postage? ... Well - all of these books will add up to - like 9Kg - which will make postage costs HUGE! ... Calculated at about $36!!! Oh really? ... well ... If your prepared to pack 'em each individually in double bubble wrap and send a sturdy box to Perth ... I'm in for the cost. You only have to send the 4 Classics books too ... I was really hoping to move the lot though, he says ... no worries - What will you accept? Well if I can just get the starting bid I'll be happy! Tell you what, I said ... How about I give you $300 exact ... you can keep the additional books and resell if you want ... and if the postage costs you less than $50 by the time you've packed everything you've made more than your original $250 asking. Deal!! ... But I'm sending you the lot ... Well ... okay then ... if you must So today this arrived: And now ... they are happy sitting with the rest of the family Happily ever after ... Rog

Hey Jeff ... The single unit is a "Dynamic Power" one ... just like the Compressor and tank ... The other is called VidaXL ... Obviously haven't tried them yet ... but apart from books and model kits ... everything was bought off a site here in Australia called My Deal. A whole bunch of different stores - on the one site ... kind of like a budget mini Amazon or e-Bay. Rog

I haven't assembled it yet ... so I'll make sure to post a "workbench" shot when I do ... but ... if you open out your hand (handshake style) and measure elbow to fingertip ... thats about the length of one of the two arms. The stand is about 700-800mm tall before sticking the lamp on it and the lens is just under 130mm diameter across with the host of LEDs surrounding that.

Ok so ... a couple more packages arrived during the last couple of weeks ... I was forced to abandon any real modelling work for about 3 years ... the stash room just became storage ... But now I'm gearing up again First I grabbed an airbrush spray booth ... and then this box arrived the next day ... Containing a new LED driven magnification lamp, with some interchangeable lenses 3, 5 and 8 diopter and optional wheel stand ... Along with a few tools ... I only bought this knife set because it was cheap and had the small Vernier ... I'll get a proper steel one later Then - a few days later - 3 packages arrive ... My new airbrush compressor with tank ... along with a couple of cheap airbrushes. I have a Paasche V/L ... so I want to see how these compare ... but basically I wanted separate airbrushes - a lightweight one with a 0.2mm needle, a versatile one with 0.3mm - 0.5mm and gun with 0.8mm ... I haven't got the gun type yet ... but the Paasche has an 0.8mm suction action and some big a$$ jars ... ready for a couple of 4 engined heavies. Rog

Straight from Murphys Laws of the Universe binder 1st ed page 387 ... "If there is an absolutely inopportune time for an event to occur ... there is a 99% probability that it will - at that particular moment" Mine arrived with clear turrets ... I hope yours weren't in that first frosted batch. But more to the point ... I hope your more precious parts survived kit-stash insertion!!! Rog

That there my friend is a collectors item and will fetch a small fortune at an eBay auction!! nice work! Rog

Another fond memory of a high impact incident with the round filing cabinet ... The old Revell Bf.110C-4 ... no amount of putty and re-scribing could ever fix that masterful puzzle of engineering ineptitude. I remember wishing I’d hung onto it if only to show the Dragon kit to it - “see ... with a little more effort, this is what you COULD have been!!!” Rog

lol ... Young Aleisha's dad cursed me roundly when she asked for a Tamiya Spitfire for her 15th birthday ... the H&S Airbrush came on her 17th with squeals of joy from her and more dark looks from her parents in my direction. Her dad was voicing concerns about his 19y/o daughter moving interstate to study at university some 3400+ km's away with all the hormonal males around ... I said "relax Geoff ... unless they discuss tolerances and performance output optimums on the DB.601 ... or list the top ten German aces by number of arial victories ... they haven't got a hope!" Rog