Dick Montgomery

How about some pics as the build moves forward? I'd like to see this!

Gracias Amigo! I'll be working on "comtemporary" stuff for a while.... a couple of 1/48 B-29s. Those models are only 20-25 years old and only one kit had any work done on it. Please don't tell the Restoration Society that I'm straying...

How about hanging it from the rear view mirror in the Sport Family Truckster? You could start a new fad and we'd finally be free of the fuzzy dice!

Indeed, Gil. The most important result of a modeling project should be "fun". Even the shark is grinning!

At the end of seventeen days the restoration of this 50 year old kit is almost done. The only remaining work is to add some color in the two "cockpit" areas and then coat the whole smash with Future. Figured I'd share it now... Lots of fun to restore models but the seams on this one were a bear. The model is 24" long and thus too big for my small photo booth. The pics in the slide show (URL below) don't really do it justice. The base is a small Magic 8 Ball and I'll have to find an enclosed storage space to repel dust and keep the model safe. http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z295/dm...nt=cd613e31.pbw

Is that like "puppy dog" cute? Machines of War cannot be "cute"! Models of Machines of War cannot be "cute"! At best, we can call it a failed "concept" aircraft that had to spend more time in the wind tunnel.

Dan at danmccann@alaweb.com writes that he was a mechanic on NF-104 #760. He bought the Hase F-104G kit and the Cutting Edge NF-104 conversion but is concerned about attempting the job himself. He is looking for someone who can do the job for him. Dan is located in Alabama. Please contact him directly by using his email shown at the beginning of this post. Please do not respond to this post since it wasn't Dan that posted it. Respond to Dan's email if interested.

I've been working on the seams on this beastie. While the reissued Glencoe kit was re-engineered and the seams aren't as nasty, the orginal Strombecker kit is loaded with seams. Anyway, I'm well into the process to make the seams go away and should be able to get the subassemblies reassembled very soon. You can view a short slide show of images here: http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z295/dm...nt=7a72ae62.pbw

It has long been a part of my personal “Leadership Strategic Plan†to encourage and promote “best practices†among local modelers and clubs that help IPMS achieve its Mission Statement, which is “By Modelers – For Modelersâ€. IPMS Eastern Carolina Plastic Modelers has made available a presentation that, in my opinion, represents one of these “best practices†examples. Please use this link to watch an excellent video demonstrating a technique for modeling water. http://www.ecpmod.com/articles_new/bv_maki...king-water.html Just think, for a moment, about the effect that modeling (pardon the pun) this demonstration in your own club may have. Advertising your club’s meeting, and highlighting this kind of live demonstration on flyers in the local hobby shops, has the potential of drawing new members. (And, of course, greeting your visitors with a club information sheet and an IPMS brochure would be a very good thing!) Anyway, I think you can see where this kind of club activity could invigorate your membership, attract new members, and expand the skills of your current membership. And isn’t that the universal goal of all IPMS clubs? Very well done to the members of IPMS Eastern Carolina!

Last night I disassembled some of the parts. The original builder did not glue the two boom arms in place so they simply slipped off the center section. One of the big issues with this restoration will be seams. All of those cylinders making up the center section have seam lines that will need to be filled. And the manner in which the assembly goes together will make it very difficult to get a sanding tool in such a small and confined space. On restoration I like to honor the original intent of the kit by not adding any detail...otherwise I'd be lighting this project with some fiber optics and LEDs. It appears the original builder used a Sharpie to add some black lines. I'll need to take those off as well as remove the decals. That's easy. There is no surface detail to worry about so other than massive amounts of seam work the basic "build" ought to go rapidly.

And here we go again. I like to restore old models and this is definately old. Got this one in an estate sale....see a few "before" images here. http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z295/dm...%20Strombecker/

Next up is another Czech Model....an XP-56.

Thanks for the pat on the back. Good photography always overcomes mediocre modeling. If one has ever build a Czech Model one knows that it is a cross between a vacuform and a Matchbox kit. The kits always provide some nicely done interior resin parts but the rest of the kit will need much TLC just to make it presentable. Thing is...they produce some really fastinating subjects and they do it in a scale that I can work with....1/72 gets a bit small for old eyes. And the bottom line is that no one held a gun to my head when I bought the kit. I knew what I was getting into. All in all, Czech Models ain't for rookies but then they are not that tough either. I've got a few more Czech Models and I am looking forward to getting to them.

Yes sir. I've often relished the idea of visiting your event since it takes place in a museum. Its a bit of a drive from central Texas...but one can always hope.

Just finished this Czech Models XP-55.

David, would it restore your confidence in me if I reveal that there is a 1/72nd model in progress, just two feet from my computer? Bf-109G-6 no less!

The fact that it is 1/72 makes your original question even more significant! 1/48 th scale? I'd have been there! 1/72nd scale? yawn....

Thanks! I needed the E15K1 nomenclature for some records I keep on Box Art.

Can you identify this airplane? It would be appreciated if you provided a very specific ID, such as P-51D, or B-25J... Thanks!

Ok, Youngin's. I'm going to go back to the late '50s and early '60s, when Space Models were Space Models, not this Star Wars stuff of today.... My all time fav is the Revell "Space Station". kit # H-1804, I believe. I also like the old Mongoram Space Taxi the funky Strombecker stuff that looked like a collection of flying pipes.

Thanks guys! I'm a better photographer than I am a modeler, and I know how to hide most of the flaws from the camera. The metal finish is ALCLAD. I do indeed have a Salmon kit (same story...it is a built-up that will need some TLC) and its not far from the front of the line for restoration. Got an F-84 cockpit from a bud some weeks back and that will go into the Salmon.

Thanks for the suggestions, the identification, and the history. I am building a website I call "Box Art Archive" and this image was one of those submitted. Now I can properly ID the manufacturer. Gracias!

Can you help me to identify the company that manufactured this model?

Before the change to this new forum I was sharing some images of a restoration project of a Lindberg XFY-1 Pogo, 48th scale. That thread was lost. Rather than consume a bunch of IPMS electrons by posting those same images here I've provided a link to a PhotoBucket Album. The model had been sitting in storage for almost 40 years when I found it during the liquidation of an estate. It wasn't in terrible condition and the major parts were all present so I thought it would be fun to restore it. This isn't the first time, nor the last, that I've restored a classic model. I find the process very satisfying and fulfilling. Anyway, now that I'm sure we are all getting misty-eyed....here is the finished product. You can see additional images of the restoration project by visiting http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z295/dm...2048th%20scale/

And we're back! I'm getting withdrawl so lets see some of those projects that are on the workbench.