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Sorry, but your first model is just not complicated enough. Well, now I have to go shoot myself. Make sure you keep posting photos. So my survivors will know why I offed myself.

Actually it works best if you use an "Old Guy" computer!

Yes! I look forward to buying you a beer! And we can discuss whether the line between passion and insanity is raised or recessed. Regards, Nick

Like all Air Force pilots of the era, T-38 was the fastest. Loved that bird. From there went to KC-135A's -- Big jets

http://culttvman.com/main/a-modelers-guide-to-painting-the-starship-enterprise-by-gary-kerr/ http://culttvman.com/main/a-modelers-guide-to-painting-the-starship-enterprise-pt2-by-gary-kerr/

After seeing this figure on the Nats table.....Had to have one.....

The MK44 Queens 'B' Knight is a variant of the MK44 designed and released as a kit by Takaaki Saito of LoveLove Garden. I was enamored with the design when I saw the first images he posted of the master. I picked this kit up as a Christmas present to myself at the end of 2017. It took a few months before I could build the kit but it wet together quickly once I started. The Hasegawa MK44 line of kits are a breeze to build and the resin add-ons from the LLG kit make this a unique looking mecha. The only change I made was adding the shoulder armor plates from the GrobberHund Altier to the hull sides and replacing the kit hand with an unused claw from the KingKrote kit. A couple of smoke launchers were drilled out and wires are from 0.015" solder wire. The model was painted with Tamiya acrylics and weathered with oils, enamels and pigments. I made extensive use of oils to filter the base colors and add some interest. Additional images can be found here: MK44 Ausf G Queens 'B' Knight

Another completed build that was started over a year ago. It's an NHRA class Super Comp dragster build using a Revell top fuel kit as the base. The body and chassis has been shortened to better represent the dimensions on a super comp car. The graphics are fictitious in nature and were created on my home computer and transferred to decal film. The scoop is a resin piece that I created the master for using Renshape. And, the engine, interior and chassis is loaded with added details for wiring, plumbing, etc. If you go to my Fotki link you can see the entire buildup in pics. which also shows the change in graphics after a failure in clear coat application. http://public.fotki.com/1320wayne/my-drag-models/sportsman-cars/super-comp-dragster/

Real Life has kept me away from the workbench over the last 7 months, but more free time recently allowed me to finish the Accurate Mini kit of the Vindicator.

The M42 Duster is finished! It will go into the GJ VAMC display case later this week, at which time I'll take some photos of our 2 cases and post them here. The Duster was a challenging build, but turned out pretty nice! I added an M60 instead of the .30 cal MG and also a few pieces of stowage. Weathering was purposely kept to a minimum, and all the interior photos of the turret I found showed that everything was painted OD. The decals (except the stars) were from that Tamiya kit that I have now disposed of. Please check out the photos and tell me what you think.

I did find the Batmobile on eBay for a decent price. My local Hobby Lobby has listed the Tamiya Gama Goat for $12.49 on clearance. I bought two. They were regularly $49.99 so it was 75% off.

Rusty says it best and I wish I could instill that attitude in all my model buddies. While I go to contests and enter models I no longer worry or care about not winning. I still chat and discuss when something wins that I feel shouldn't have (as all modelers tend to do). My theory or mentality is that if I win I was fortunate enough that 3 fellow model builders (hopefully) thought my entry was better than the others presented on that day and time. If I don't win.....Guess what? I will still build models to the best of my ability and will still enter contests until I can no longer build.

Personally, I've never thought of them as smelling pleasant; just stronger or not so strong. And, I've always used enamels and lacquers which have the heaviest fumes. That said, I do have a "fondness" for the smell of paints, thinners, and glues; but I think it's simply because I associate them with the fun of model building; not with any direct olfactory stimulation. To paraphrase Robert Duvall in "Apocalypse Now"...."I love the smell of Dull Coat in the morning".... GIL

IMO, FWIW, this is an over-read of the Guidelines which appear to be far more concerned with speech than markings. The simple rule for nose-art/figures/scenes used to be, that if it didn't have to go behind the curtain, it would be OK -- it would after all be sitting on the contest table for all to view.

Hey Ron...First off...I think you'll enjoy build scale cars, if you like 1/1 cars. OK..to try and answer your questions... Personally... I strip all the chrome(using concentrated laundry bleach...Clorox is what I use) from every build that I do. The Chrome that's applied to most of the the kits are way too brite for the smaller scales. I will leave the chrome for 1/12th and larger builds. To re-chrome....I shoot a Black or Blue High gloss base coats. Alclad II has Chrome that has a little learning curve. You can use Alclad polished Aluminum as it works good too. I also use ALSA Mirror Chrome which has a small learning curve but does not rub off when dry. If you want to leave the chrome and just touch up where it was cut from the sprue...then you can use a small paint brush( 3 0 or smaller) and a dab of Model Master Chrome Silver #FS 17178. Model Master has another chrome paint but it's not as good. I've used both and this one works the best between the two. Put a small amount of paint in a mixing pallet and add a drop or two of Lacquer thinner. Don't mix it in just let the thinner hit the edges of the paint and then load you brush and apply to the spot on the part. NOW...since MOLOTOW has come out with 3 paint pens and a refill bottle...all one has to do is just touch the part with it and it's rechromed. But...the small down side of it is..it takes at least 3-4 days for it to dry. It's is remarkable how well this paint looks when applied. If you can work with the dry time...then Molotow is the way to go. You can do a search on the web and watch a a few videos that's out there on it. Well Ron...I hope I've shed a little light on the chrome thing for you. Just remember there's no right or wrong..it's what ever works best for you. Gary

Links restored. There was an issue on their web server. Eric

Thanks to Valdimer, who usually posts this. Here is the awards presentation from the IPMS USA 2018 awards banquet. The winners are posted in the reverse order - after the slide with the name of the category next model is the third place winner then second and then first. Awards Presentation

Has to go to Steve and ALL the member volunteers of the area chapters that selflessly gave of their time and effort to put on another STELLAR show!!!!!

Wow quite the undertaking. The lighting/operating would have stopped me in my tracks. Outstanding work so far. It’s good you’re including a boat as to give people a visual for its size rather than just listing dimensions. I’ll be following this one. 😄

Hi, Peter, This is a great way to introduce yourself to us. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and yours is a whopper. I know I will enjoy seeing your work-in-progress pictures. Thanks for alerting us to this project. Welcome to the Forum. Ed

Mark, Thanks for very for providing this photo coverage of the Nats. I look forward to seeing the pics very much!

Here the models presented in this contest are shown in the best possible way. I hope you like it

Arrived today! SO Cool...

It is now completed! This is the Glenco 1/48 scale J2F-2 Grumman Duck representing VMF-2 that patrolled the Caribbean Ocean off the Virgin Islands. The Duck’s were used for patrolling areas and performing search and rescue of downed pilots. More photos can be seen in the Gallery page on my blog: https://davidsscalemodels.com/gallery/1-48-j2f-2-grumman-duck/

The Be2C gets a bit of a bad rap in as much as it was very good at what it was designed for when it was designed, but it was used for the wrong purpose way after it shouldn't have been used at all. It was an excellent recon/spotting a/c, being very stable with good range. However, being stable is the last thing you want in a fighter, but with no other designs ready, the British were forced to use it as just that and accordingly they were shot out of the skies in droves. When better designs finally replace it in the front line in France, it found a home for a while with the Home Defense Forces during the first Blitz by Germany's dirigibles. They were modified in some cases with the front cockpit being filled with an extra fuel tank and then faired over. The m/g was also moved to either a mount just in front of the pilot facing up or in the case of this model, into a Ross mount on top of the wing. While they had mixed success, a night fighting Be2C brought down the first dirigible shot down over England, earning a VC for it's pilot, Lt. W. Leefe-Robinson, in 1916. Here's a Be2C piloted by Flt. Sub. Lt. Buck out of RNAS Eastchurch in Sept. 1916. Painted all black with the white of the insignias and fin flash eliminated, and converted with a faired over front cockpit and top of the wing gun mount. The kit is Airfix's new tooled and very nice kit that goes together like a dream.