Peterpools

I've been trying to reach John b by email the past three days but I have not heard back yet. Does anyone have John's cell number - please send me his cell number by a pm. Has anyone heard from John this past week?

Chris Amazing progress and the decal/stencil work looks awesome. Solvaset is a very strong setting/solvent and I rarely use it except when nothing else worked. 99% of the time I use the Micro system and numerous applications of Micro Sol will do the trick. If not, I carefully use Gunz Mr Setter and Mr Softer. The stronger setting solutions do have the potential of dissolving paint and I try not to let it sit outside the decal or puddle up if I can help it, as I've had the same issues a few times. You hit the nail right on the head, as the decals are old and who knows how they were stored over the years. Yup, I used the same number of decals on my missiles for my Tomcat build and it takes time, but they do look brilliant when done. Just go slow and don't rush it.

Hubert Very well said but the issues of so much of what I need to order for a particular project is becoming more and more frustrating. I do try to do what Scott suggested and buy AM that I might need in the future, but that strategy gets to be very expensive and in the long run, the AM stash is overflowing with items that most likely will never be used or needed. Such is the rational for our large stashes to have the kit we want on hand when we THINK we might want to build it. I'm willing to bet for the most of us, we will never get around to building even half our stash as the years and time keeps moving forward. Newer kits immerge which renders a lot of the older kits 'old hat' and 'obsolete'. I have friends from past club days whose stash numbered well over 300 - 600-700 kits and they seem to show up at shows and competitions trying to sell off a good portion at a loss to just recuperate some of the money invested, as we never could imagine what the future of the hobby would be. Yes, the Hub and Spoke system of parcel delivery is costly but that's the system they use. Personally add a few more days to the delivery process and lower the price. Yes, completely agree the real issue is the smaller cottage companies just can't meet the demand and the large online vendors need to put a substantial; size order together to lower their shipping costs and restock cost. For me the time an item is out of stock just seems to be 'forever' and then the hunt starts. I've pretty much stopped ending my searches with buying on ebay as the prices there are just too high. I do look and if I should find what I need at a reasonable cost, I'll buy it but more and more, I pass this option buy. The future for the younger modelers is 3D printing and just buying the software to print out an item at home. For me, those days will never happen as I'm a Baby Boomer and for the most part, that technology is way about my/our abilities. Yes I can even see the day, most kits will be 3D printed at home, the world is changing.

Kev Looking mighty good, a stellar build. What a terrific finish as the cammo and markings looks fantastic.

Rob Can't wait for the fun and the journey to begin

Paul Agreed and right with you. Your reasons for leaving panels and hatches closed ... saves a load of work in correcting the kit's inaccuracies and without questions, parts have a nasty habit of falling off over time.

Carl Some mighty nice 'pickups"

Thanks Paul Will be checking the site out.

Thanks Carl and absolutely agree. The only reason I went as far as I did with the Merlin, I just hadn't made up my mind even that far into the build. At least I saved myself all the work of painting and doing the plumbing. John b sent me a great article on how to build the P-51 with the cowling panels on and closed up and just using the basic block as well. These days, I'm pretty much done with building aircraft, with their cowlings off and the engines on display, which works well for dioramas but for display, the classic and beautiful lines of the aircraft get lost. Even my Tamiya Mossie has both Merlin's on display and looking back, isn't the display look I should have gone after. I know it's possible to have the cowl panels removable; I just don't have much luck doing it that way. One of the many reasons I've become such a Kotare fan is no engine - keeps the cost down and affords me the look I'm after right out of the box. I guess, I'm just getting pretty lazy in my old age.

Hubert - absolutely. Still, the best way to learn. As we always say, we're our best critic.

Chris Sorry for being late to the party and as far as the decal issue goes, your fix did the trick, as I thought is was a lot of trapped air under the decal. Why so much air actually remained under the decal is a mystery but for me, I just keep working at removing any bubbles I see before I let the initial Mico applications dry. Could have been something in the water that reacted with the solutions and the decal, l trapping the air - who knows. Thanks for the update on the how to's when using Zotz Decals. I have a few old sets, never used and now I know what and how to do. .

Scott Considering all the work and 'part fixing' you had to go through, just the few 'redo's' is amazing. Looking mighty good.

Awesome build and the Fiat absolutely has the look and feel of an everyday commuter car.

Rob We're right on the same page and looking forward to those upcoming projects. I'm patiently waiting for Kotare's next Spitfire release, the Mk V, to be released late this fall. I enjoyed building their Spitfire Mk1a (mid) kit as the detail and finished model rivals Tamiya in every aspect except including a engine, which at this stage of the game, I really don't want and am happy none is included wih the kit.

Hubert Macro photos are the best way to see how we're doing and what needs to be fixed. Of course, I won't say a word.

Kev Looking good and fingers crossed the missing gear leg issue get solved.

Hubert, looking mighty good and way better then my humble attempts.

Paul Some mighty nice new items for sure. I'm going to check out Plaza Hobbies today and if shipping isn't bad and their prices that good, just might give them a try. Do you have the link, it would be very appreciated.

Scott Right with you and it just seems this is how everything functions today. When it comes to preparing for a build, I try to buy what I need to fill in what I already have for the build and if I can't buy everything as a single order, maybe two different vendors if it is the only way splitting the initial, I either shelve pr postpone the project. The only other option as Chris said, is to go 100% what's in the kit box. Back in the days, the 1970's when the hobby took off for me, there was virtually no AM except for decals and maybe a bit of resin - Verlinden. If you wanted to detail your build; it was called scratch building. Just seems right now we're almost forced to buy any kits and AM when they are first released, knowing that when we need them down the road, most likely they will be OOS or OOP. One thing I absolutely put my foot down is split shipping from multiple locations or pay for BO items a second shipping charge. Shipping is way too expensive as it is.

Chris Right with you and those shipping charges profits are eye openers for sure. Just canned the two upcoming projects until what I need is available without knocking myself out and finally settled on my next project where everything I needed was in stock form just one vendor all ordered and hopefully nothing winds up backordered.

I've been trying to purchase AM and even the kit (s) themselves for two projects I want to start. No matter how many venders I checkout, I'll need to order parts of each project from two or three venders, making shipping insane and price for putting the build together ridiculous. I know it's not the vendors fault(?) but the hobby in general. I have builds on hold waiting for AM, projects that I'm still wondering if all the pre-build effort is worth it and projects that I've just given up even trying to put together. Yes, it is possible to find what you want but as I keep adding up the individual shipping costs, it becomes as expensive as nearly the kit itself and as expensive as a lot of the AM as well. And then there is ebay where you can find a good deal of what is needed but will seem to pay a premium price and quite frequently one of the most expensive options. Maybe it is just that there is too much AM and stocking it is just too expensive. In many cases, It seems the hot' items that finally come into stock, sell out nearly just as quickly and then you need to wait for another restock which at times is months or more, if you miss ordering it for whatever the reason.

Who knows how the Fiat was parked when they took the photo. Like most, after I park, I almost never straighten out the wheels, just leave it as it is and thusly the photos never show the actual 'showroom' position.

Scott The Cutlass is looking mighty good as her paint work continues. 🏆

Chris, right with you as I have the same issue with my Tamiya Mustangs, out of three built, one with the cowlings off and two permanently glued on. Once a model is in my display case, it's never touched as dust is not a problem and rarely when someone wishes to see my collection, they are amazed that I actually built the models, look and leave after a few minutes. Such is just the opposite when company looks and has wonderful comments about my photography. Seems unless you are actually a model builder or a pilot, most people just have very little interest in them.

Gus Completely agree. While a a registered Tamiya fan Boy, the cowling panels were really meant to be left off or help in place with magnets. Their P-51 removable cowl panels fit a lot better as I have two of my three Mustangs closed up. Right with you in that now that I'm over with showing the Merlin's and engines in general, The Kotari Spitfire is at the top of my Spitfire list and I'm eagerly waiting their Spit Mk V to be released.