Ralph Nardone

Another resource is the Airliner Modelling Digest at Yahoo Groups. Under the files section (you'll have to register to have access), there is a veritible cornucopia of conversion information. http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=airliner+modeling The basics of the Boeing 737, and the kits to use in 1/144 scale: The -200 is a lengthened -100. Use the Airfix kit with fuselage mods as required. The -400 is a lengthened -300 and the -500 is a shortened -300 (the -500 was intended as a -200 replacement, or so I once read). Use the Daco kits, or the Minicraft kits. Daco's fuselage is shaped better.... The -600, -700, and -900 are all based on the -800 with shorter or longer fuselages. Use the Revell AG kit, modified as appropriate. In order to build a -700 in 1/144 scale, start with the Revell 737-800 kit and make the following cuts to the fuselage: Forward of the wing, but aft of the baggage hold door: Remove 18.7mm (0.74") Aft of the wing, but forward of the baggage hold door: Remove 19.75mm (0.78") Remove the tail bumper and fill the hole. Add filler as needed. Now, if you want to make life easy, check out Contrails Models: http://www.drawdecal.com/contrails.htm The choice is yours.... In 1/72 scale, Welsh/Proteus did some mixed media kits of the MidGen 737's that were quite nice. Aurora did a so-so 1/72 kit of the Classic 737. I don't think anyone has done 1/72 kits of the NextGen 737's yet.... Hasegawa has done several 1/200 737's, ranging from the -200 to the -300 or -400. I don't do narrowbodies in 1/200, so someone else will have to elaborate. Ralph

When they first appeared, they carried a lifetime warranty. A few years ago they changed it to three years. Check with Testors, since yours had been replaced three years ago. I used to be a proponent of the Aztek, but their quality slipped--badly--a few years after they made their debut. The tips go erratic, the bodies leak, and then they changed the warranty. I switched back to my Badger 150 and 200 and haven't had near the same amount of problems that I had with the Azteks as they got older. Ralph

An alternative to the Alclad black primer is the Tamiya spray can gloss black. Dries in about an hour to a nice shine. I'd wait overnight before I shot the Alclad on, but the results are quite nice. Ralph