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Thank you Gil! I did something quite similar as you described. That was the best result I got; perhaps I didn't work it long enough. Thank you Ron! Yes, some of that thin metal would help tremendously. I'll be on the lookout for it when I go shopping next.

Thank you Gil! My perseverance was challenged quite a bit with this kit, but I am thrilled I got through it. Thank you Carlos! She's beautiful from three feet away at least. And yes, so many people have mentioned that this bird looks so much better with the nose up.

Thanks Gil. I do have a couple of Takom tanks waiting and am working on an old Vicker's Vimy. These are sideline kits when I am not working on my main project.

A while back, I obtained a couple of tin printers plates. (They were used before the days of Xerox, laser printers, etc.) They are thin sheets of a tin like metal about the size of a legal pad and can actually be cut with an Exacto, although it's the last thing that particular blade will ever do. It's thin enough to be bent to just about any shape yet being metal is strong enough to hold that shape. Now, I know that you probably won't be able to find any of this stuff anymore (but if you do hoard all you can get.), but you can get very thin sheet brass and/or aluminum from K&S products. It may cost a bit more than plastic (or any PE product) but a little bit will last you a very long time if used for small parts such as your track return guides.

The drooping nose is a cool factor on the Concorde, but she looks so much sleeker when it’s raised! Beautiful looking build Mark!

Oooo.... pretty! I think your dropping it and putting the nose on "up" was a happy accident as I agree it looks much more graceful that way. Congrats on your perseverance! Gil

Nice progress Duke, as always! You didn't say how you were trying to shape the plastic strips you showed but implied you weren't getting the results you wanted. I've found I can bend thin sheet strips like that around a paint brush handle. BUT, you don't just "bend" it.... you bend it to get a curvature started and then holding between your thumb and forefinger take the thinner end of the paint brush handle and using thumb pressure with the other hand PULL the handle along the length of the strip, causing it to curl tightly around the handle as you pull and (hopefully) imparting even greater curvature to the strip. It'll never curl up as tightly as the handle due to the "straight memory" of the plastic; but it might help you get tighter curls if needed. If you're doing this already... oh well. If not, hope this helps! Gil

Welcome back Ron! Although I have a great interest in WWI, I never seem to build as much as I should. Hoping I can live vicariously through a few of yours. Prop your feet up, make yourself at home, and let us know how we can help you have more fun modeling! Gil

It's been a pretty good couple weeks and so we have enough for a new tour. This one will be a bit shorter but there is still lots to see. So, make your way to the trams and all aboard! In our first stop in the Hangar, we have a number of projects moving forward, including another troublesome model like the Concorde, but that is further in. First we have progress on this Israeli S-199. We completed the wing assembly which consisted of ten parts and dry ft that sub-assembly to the fuselage: Since it fit so well, we added the cockpit from underneath; after adding the instrument panel first, and then cemented everything in place. The canopy was added here too: Since masking the canopy was so difficult, even on the plane, it was removed and paper towel was used to mask the interior so that the base color could be applied. It was then glossed for decals after the paint had dried: Finally here in the last bay we have the troublesome B-66 Destroyer. After multiple spraying, sanding, stripping, spraying etc. I finally decided to just move on. The silver coat was good enough so it was polished and decals were applied: That is it for this short tour of the Hangar, now on to the Shipyards where small progress was done in our workshops building the weapons for the PT-15 MTB. Here is the second of the 20mm guns for this boat; the first had been built before: We also completed the torpedo tubes (mostly); one part went missing. I intend to build these with one set of tubes closed and the other set of tubes open and ready to fire: That is all we have here for now. On to the Motor Pool where we've been working on a number of projects that need to be finished. In this first bay of the Motor Pool, we have the British Achilles tank destroyer. This will be the first one of these I ever built. It's a UM kit so another tough fight here. First the running gear was installed: The kit included photo etch strips to bend into shape and cemented to the top of these bogies. Naturally, as with all UM kits of Shermans and Sherman variants, these photo etch parts go AWOL no matter how hard I try to keep them from disappearing! So this time I wasn't waiting to find them; I have too many UM Shermans sitting incomplete because I'm waiting to find these parts! I figured I'd try plastic styrene strip. It was more difficult that I expected but I forged ahead, starting with getting a basic bend done and then cementing them to the bogies: When these were dry, they were bent over and the other ends cemented down. Once they held, I added the upper run of track to push them down: You can see they look very misshapen, not at all like they were supposed to be. But they are ON, and with enough paint and weathering, they will be darn near impossible to see. Hey it was an experiment that partially succeeded, I don't know if I'll try it again, but the opening there is possible. While that sat and simmered, the turret was completed with all but the ready ammunition: By then, the tracks were dry enough so I completed the track runs for both sides: All that is really needed now is the oversized bolts to be added to the turret and upper hull and this is ready for paint: In the next bay we have the Egyptian Su-100 assault gun. This kit provided resin parts to replicate a vehicle used by the Egyptians, so they were added to this. The full run of tracks were added as well: It's amazing; this model is from the same company as the Shermans and yet it goes together so much better than any of their Sherman kits! Anyway, this was got it's tan base coat and later a gloss coat to ready it for decals: Following this is the Syrian StuG III completed and ready for paint after I added the track runs to this: Because of all that photo etch, this was primed with a black primer to hopefully seal all that Zimm so the brass color doesn't shine through and that the base paint holds: Sinister looking vehicle right? Where's that Haunted Tank?!! Base paint went on well and looks great so far I think. Then the gloss was applied for the decals: Now I wish I knew how to build the spacial monut they made for the Italian SAFAT machine gun that they mounted on this. All the pics are too far away, fuzzy or both to get a clear view, and any search attempts to find it went every which way but where I wanted it to go. That leads us to the last Syrian tank, the PzIV in the next bay. As you can see, about half of the tracks had been installed while I went looking for the same type to complete these track runs: I wanted to replace those Godawful vynil tracks that came in this kit. Searching for the same type of track that was already on it resulted in enough to finish these track runs. The turret shurtzen went on as well: Finally a base of tan was appplied and later the gloss for decals: Last but not least, the Ratte had been creeping along as Rattes do, I now have four of 16 bogies completed: And that completes our short tour for today. Thank you all for looking in, comments are welcome!

For those unfamiliar with HMH Publications’ line of Duke Hawkings books, they are a series of softcover tomes featuring detailed walk-around photos of individual aircraft types. Their focus leans heavily towards aircraft in European use, with forays into common US aircraft. Today’s book is the first in the Duke Hawkings Presents line: Eagles Rock - 48th Fighter Wing - Where Combat Airpower Livesby Michael Stephan. View the full review

Thanks guys. I will take some pictures of a couple I finished. Keep in mind that both models were damaged by Daisy Maids and their feather dusters, Even after they were told to stay away. Did what I could to repair. My main project is Blue Jacket's USS Olympia. As far as plastic goes I am working on Revell's USS Mission Capistrano. I am just starting on it so I don't have much to show. Ron W.

Welcome back.

Yes, after a long hard fight, I can now declare this bird done! This is the 1/72 scale Revell British Airways Concorde SST. It's got 11 coats of white and clear on it. The nose had broken when this fell a few days back, so I glued it in the raised position, mostly because I like the way it looks that way: This beastie is nearly three feet long, so it was darn near impossible to photograph! These are the best I can do for now. Thank you all for looking in, comments are welcome!

Thank you Jean Marc! I do have more to post soon.

Now there's a familiar name from the past! Welcome back Ron! Looking forward to seeing what you've been working on!

Glad to have you back in the fold. I like your areas of interest as they match mine pretty nicely. I hope we will see some of your work here in the future.

Welcome back, Ron!

Hi, I am Ron Wilkinson from Herriman Utah. I was an IPMS some years ago and had let my membership lapse but I have come back. I do mostly pre-WWl ships, merchant vessels and WWl armor and aircraft. Ron W.

First I'd like to thank you for following this WIP, it's quite appreciated ! BANDAI 1/48 MACROSS VF-1S/A AIRCRAFT MODE (APR 15th )..Today I done the antenna cover and started the work in the nose electronic and radar section ! If you like to follow the WIP on this project ,Just follow this Google link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jEtQtXgwPi8L8RVf9 Enjoy !

LLLLLLLLLLLLooking great as usual ..Keep them coming !

Thank you for following the 'WIP' on this project ,it's quite appreciated ! (APR 15th)...Today ,I completed the framing of the clear section and the weathering ! If you like to see the complete WIP on this project , just follow this Google link : https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yor8v3Q9pGkybXLh6 If you are curious and like to view the other WWII GERMAN sub I have done in 1/48 , just follow this link : https://goo.gl/photos/PM4EWugGVMb8Fzgm9 Enjoy ! jmarc

Thank you Gil!

Charlie’s Plastic Models has produced four 3D printed caddies for modelers, each with different holes, receptacles, and spaces to accommodate various modeling supplies we use in our hobby. My review sample was billed as the “Finishing Caddy” without Micro Set/Sol holes (for those bottles). The photo of this item from his website (www.charliesplasticmodels.com) shows it containing appropriate items like panel washes, Solvaset, cotton swabs and brushes [Photo 1]. I saw another great possibility for my sample and turned it into “Gluey Louie” by loading it with more basic tools to stick one bit of plastic to another: two kinds of liquid cement, CA, and applicators from The Glue Looper. [Photo 2] tweezers and small clamps. This may not be exactly what it was intended for in the first place but boy, it works for me. View the full review

Reviewer’s Comments:Charlie’s Plastic Models has produced four 3D printed caddies for modelers, each with different holes, receptacles, and spaces to accommodate various modeling supplies we use in our hobby. View the full review

Carnation Revolution Volume 2: Coup in Portugal, April 1974 is a part of Helion and Company’s Europe@War series, No. 39 (HEL 11844). This is the third book about Portuguese forces that I have read, authored by José Augusto Matos (he co-authored Sanctuary Lost, Portugal’s Air War for Guinea 1961-1974, Volume 1, with Matthew M. Hurley, reviewed, and the first volume by authors José Augusto Matos and Zelia Oliveira. For those who have not read Volume 1, or the previous review, a recap is necessary as the title states, this book is the second volume of this coup that re-shaped Portugal’s future and starts where the first volume leaves off. View the full review