Stikpusher

Mark, this project is just what the doctor ordered... along with two fingers of bourbon 😉 I only got in an hour or less in at the bench this morning, so some quick work. Based off what I was told regarding inaccuracies in this kit, I sanded the shape of the sides to correct the profile of the rear wheel area Then I built and added added the radios, antenna mount, and dash area One more longer session and gluing will be complete. Then comes the fun part... painting!

Bob, this is the Monogram issue of the kit. It was originally an Aurora mold that Monogram acquired when Aurora folded. Monogram retooled the molds a bit, adding wheel wells, a cockpit, and some other goodies, like they also did with the F-111. I built the Aurora A-7 long ago, but it was given to my kids to play with once they came along years later. Good diversion to keep them from playing with dad’s then recent and current builds... Thats too funny about an Aurora category at contests. Might as well add Lindberg there too... 🤣

Thanks for the heads up on the You Tube Somua videos. I will have to check those out! And you’re welcome for the Mr Surfacer information.

You’re welcome. If there was no luck with Pennsylvania, I was going to suggest looking up the model on display in the Arizona Memorial. That model is supposed to be super accurate.

I think there is some slight difference in the mount framework. A Greek AM company called Slingshot Models made one, but it does not appear to be in business anymore. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/slingshotmodels-ssm35004-m48-patton-early-type-commanders-cupola--235070

That turned out really well! 👍 I had no idea that Frog did repops of Academy kits. The things that one can learn here...

I could find no clear photos of this area on USS Arizona. However, this is her sister ship, USS Pennsylvania, at Mare Island during refit a few months after Pearl Harbor in a photo that I found on Navsource. If you look closely at the forward end of the funnel, you can see ladder rungs.

David, Pete, Gil, Mark, and Rob, thank you one and all for the welcome here! Mark, old friend, you do know that this is all your doing... 🤨 Rob I have noticed it can be kinda quiet around here. But it has more activity than one site that I’m on... lol! Pete, in spite of life getting in the way, I usually end up finding time for this somehow... scary...

Chris and Bob, thank you for looking in and your kind words. Bob, I’ve never watch Chieftains Hatch, but have heard good things about the show from a friend. I’ll need to check it out sometime. I used Mr Surfacer 1000 for the texture, that’s all that I have onhand here currently.

Thanks Gil. This is indeed at best a mediocre kit. But who says we can’t give those a nudge up? Thanks Mark. The grime is very easy to do- pencil along the raised panel lines, then smudged in tje direction of airflow using a cotton ball. The perfect technique on light color subjects with raised panel lines.

At the very least, there is a different cupola. It’s similar to the Urdan, but with an attached mount for the .50 similar to the type used by the M113. I want to say that the early muzzle brake was the same tube type as used on the M47. But I’d have to look at references to confirm that and any other differences.

I’m feeling the modeling urge flow again to start a new “quick” build to knock out before the year ends, so I started this little one on Saturday evening. After two hours I had the engine, suspension/drivetrain, and most of the main basic assembly completed I should have construction done in a few more days then be on to painting immediately after that...

I recently retired and moved right before all this COVID madness started, so that has effected me far more than the virus lockdowns and such. My workbench was not established for a month or so after moving into the new home. The next complication was we moved with only personal items, not our old furniture. So the lockdowns delayed getting new stuff there. Only recently have I started to furnish my new hobby display room, so now when I complete a build that I’ll have somewhere to put it. I haven’t really bought any new kits, as I have a substantial stash (moving helps you realize that). But I have been going to the local shops here where I now live for supplies and accessories. I have two shops that are now approx a 45 minute drive, as opposed to having two shops that were 15-25 minutes away. So I plan my trips now to buy up more supplies to take into account that it’s not so convenient to zip over to the shop for more supplies. I’m spending more on those runs, but not popping in is frequently. Aside from when the shops were closed to in store shopping, the whole COVID thing has not had much impact one upon my model building situation. The only related area that has had some impact is in club meetings. Pre COVID, at my old home, I was a regular attendee at my local IPMS and AMPS Chapter monthly meetings, as long as my personal schedule allowed. Work tended to interfere. Since I moved, the lockdowns and regulations have not allowed any local clubs to meet, so I haven’t had a chance to attend a meeting and check out the local modeling scene. Hopefully that will change in the near future once the vaccines start flowing and gathering restrictions are lifted.

This is the last aircraft model that I started and completed a few months back. It’s the old Monogram A-7B. I did a few add ons in the cockpit, and changed out some of the kit ordnance using Hasegawa items based off of photos that I found online. Markings are from a couple decal sheets that I cobbled together to build a VA-95 bird off USS Midway during Operation Linebacker in Spring and Summer of 1972.

New kid in town again, so I figured I’ll jump in with both feet. This is my most recent armor build completion. It’s the old Heller kit built mostly OOB. I did add cast armor surface texture to the hull and turret using Mr Surfacer, some scribing to replace or enhance kit details in a few spots, and replaced the co ax machine gun barrel with some Albion tubing. I painted with Humbrol enamels, used the kit decals, and used Model Master acrylics for the weathering dirt & dust.

Ok, being a new kid in town I’ll play along with some theme photos. These are builds from a couple of years back, AMT’s 1/48 P-40F, and Airfix’s 1/48 BF-109F, both marked as in North Africa during that time.

We now have nearly every main production variant of the Pershing/Patton family in 1/35 injection plastic, aside from the original basic M48. But how about the other AFVs of mechanized combat arms, the infantry and artillery that served alongside the Patton’s during the 50’s and 60’s before the M113 and M109 came into service? The M75 and M59 APCs, the M53 and M55 SPGs, the M114 and M56 would all be great to have to sit alongside the Patton’s.

One more option is to get some styrene rod of the same diameter to scratch up a replacement section. You can cut away the damaged side, drill out the glue contact points into receiving sockets so that they will not be butt joined, then attach the replacement section. The part will have to support some weight down the road. It looks to be the upper attachment point for the mud flap on a Mosquito landing gear.

US Army enlisted troops in WWII wore their rank chevrons on both sleeves. They are supposed to be centered midway between the elbow and top of the sleeve. Unit patch was worn on the left shoulder.

I’d love to see a new 1/48 Grumman F11F Tiger, preferably the long nose variant. Most of the other USN carrier based jet fighters that served between Korea and Vietnam have been covered in mainstream company recent new tool kits aside from the Tiger.

Mark, I saw your builds in the new Journal, congrats to you on all of them!

Hello everyone, Ive been building plastic models since I was a small boy and never really stopped. I build mostly military models:land, air, & sea, and also dabble in sci fi and real space kits. I was in IPMS/USA from the mid 70’s thru mid 80’s, but then let it laps while I was off working for Uncle Sam (although I continued to build models). Fast forward to about 15 years ago and I joined OC/IPMS and had a ball there with a great group of modelers. Recently with all the lockdown madness I decided to rejoin IPMS/USA. I am now retired and have plenty of time to partake in this great hobby. I’m looking forward to getting to know the folks here.