Stikpusher

Thanks Ed! It’s getting there, slow but sure. I had never paid much mind to the IDF M50 or M51 Shermans, but after building this one, they sure have grown on me. So today I started slinging paint. I did a heavier highlights coat of Model Master Acrylic IDF Sand I’ll let it dry overnite then do a thinner coat of the same color in the areas not covered yet. It should give a nice look…

Thank you Ed. It’s funny that we see plenty of Iraqi armor subjects built, though arguably fewer now than years ago. But Iraqi aircraft builds are a different matter. Which is a shame because between 1980 and 1991 the Iraqis flew most of the Soviet’s most modern types, as well as then current French types. So that alone makes for a nice collection to have MiGs and Mirages side by side in the same markings. I have several more Iraqi builds planned for the future, so keep watching for them.

Thanks Ed. Yes, the Sharpie and Gundam fine tip paint pens are a godsend for decal mishaps. Much easier to control than even the best paint brush.

Nuclear submarine kits are a good antidote… a lot fewer small fragile parts to go wrong… 😉

Very sharp looking build! Talk about some low profile markings on the Italy bird. That is a great collection of Shooting Stars that you have going.

Keep ‘em coming! Your work is most entertaining 👍

Thank you Pete! That is a sweet little project and I think that your scratch built effort is just as good as, if not better than, the 3-D printed Rover. I suppose my only remaining question is what did you use for the wheels?

Thanks Chris. The M51 is pretty impressive. From a tank that could only take on heavier tanks from the flanks or rear to being able to take out a then current Soviet MBT frontally three decades later is damn impressive. The HVSS suspension gave lower ground pressure than a T-34 and with the new Diesel engine, automotively it was a power to weight ratio that gave the Sherman mobility that the early M4 crews could only envy.

So I neglected to add my last few updates here… Firts up, I built the kit crew figures. I love the poses on these guys, very natural then I started priming… not realizing that I had forgotten to add stowage. So I stopped the priming, let it dry, selected some stowage items from my spares collections and epoxied it all in place then the next day I finished up the priming next up, base colors…

Well I’ve been adding more to the stash since my last update… Since Hobby Lobby was doing their 40% off a few weeks ago, and I had a bit of cash on me, and I’ve been wanting one for awhile now… then I had a $25 gift certificate that I’d won at IPMS for Andy’s Hobby HQ, so another one falls off the wish list and into my stash… and then the seller of this little piece on eBay sent me a reduced price special offer… how could I say no? that’s all for now…

I’m with you Noel. I’d rather spend a little more to maintain the privilege of having a local shop to shop at, as opposed to getting the cheapest price possible online.

Paul and Kevin, thank you for looking in and your kind feedback.

Excellent finish! Both the build and the base are top notch!

Truth be told, between the two clubs, I miss OC IPMS and the way it’s run by comparison. They run a tighter ship.

A great way to have two different variant builds of the same vehicle type in one scene!

Yeah I’m a bit late to the party here. But nice job in getting these past the finish line before the end of the year for these builds Mark

Well, that one is not gonna be a tail sitter… 😉 Thats a sharp looking rare bird! Very nicely done!

You finished this in October?! How did I miss this beauty? That looks excellent!

I thought that 2007 was a great show. Who has all the heartburn about it?

Amazing work! I almost feel like I’m in Palmdale at the factory seeing the real thing being built.

Looking very sharp!

Don’t forget that they also appeared in The Empire Strikes Back during the Battle of Hoth. Nice work and thank you for showing the interior!

Great looking build of Endevour Pete! Especially with all the details and upgrades that you have added!

That’s a great diorama Pete! Again, your attention to detail is fabulous. Everywhere you look is a mini tale of that moment in time.

Pure excellence in modeling! The scratchbuilt Agena is beautiful! I remember seeing the big glossy photos of that in Life way back when, and too young to quite comprehend what I was looking at. Seeing your build brings back those memories, but gives a far better vantage of the events.