Stikpusher

It took a few days longer than intended, but it still is my first completed build of 2024. A very nice little kit, and a subject that made me want to learn about it. IBG’s Model 1897 75mm Field Gun, Modified 1938. and for a sense of the size of this gun Thanks for looking… comments & critiques are welcome.

Thank you Jean! I’m sorry that I missed your kind feedback until now . Very much appreciated!

Pretty sneaky with your title... 🤔😉 Very nice work on your Blue Angles F11C

So your basic technique here was apply one color, mask off, then apply the second color, remover the mask, and apply a tinted clear coat?

I had thought about doing a conversion of the Lindberg kit into the long nose version. But in the long run, I most likely would stick with the short nose instead. And yes, some detailing scratch work would be in order! Very nice work on your rework of the Lindberg Tiger Gil. 🫡

Well it's either wait or look for the old Lindberg kit... 😮

What company is DB? It's not a name I recognize from a mainstream company such as Tamiya, Hasegawa, Trumpeter, Hobbyboss, ICM, Airfix, Revell, etc...

The last single seat Grumman carrier based fighter! Very nice work on the glossy Blues scheme. I do wish that one of the mainstream companies would do a new kit of the F11F in 1/48 injection plastic.

Very nicely done! It looks much better than the one I saw in real life out in the Mojave Desert years ago sitting in between fire seasons on some facility. That one was dusty, old, and tired looking.

I'm with Gil... that is some superb work on the camo! Bravo!🫡 Hard to believe that this is a mid 70's vintage Revell Japan kit with that surface detail. Way ahead of the then current detail trends...

I found this tidbit regarding the putty on the "This Day in Aviation" website/blog Several hundred of the early production P-80 Shooting stars had all of their surface seams filled, and the airplanes were primed and painted. Although this process added 60 pounds (27.2 kilograms) to the empty weight, the decrease in drag allowed a 10 mile per hour (16 kilometers per hour) increase in top speed. The painted surface was difficult to maintain in the field and the process was discontinued. I will have to remember it when I tackle the Hobbyboss P-80A in my stash one of these days... 🤔

Very nice work! IIRC, I had read somewhere that the gray P-80’s were finished with having panel lines puttied, sanded smooth, and sealed with the paint scheme for maximum speed performance. What paint did you use for the gray?

Now that is some hardcore model building! A completed kit within 24 hours! Not to mention being built to a high standard! Wow!!! Bravo!!!

Gil and Mark, thank you for looking in and your kind words! I forgot to add this guy to the Class of 2023, my 1/35 Longest Day Beachmaster

Here is this past year's crop of completions from my workbench First up is the old box scale MPC Snap Tite AT-ST Scout Walker. I modified it to have the vision port flaps open. This was a Shelf of Doom rescue. For my 1/48 aircraft collection I completed Heller Etendard IVM Monogram F-84F Thunderstreak Monogram Blue Angels F/A-18A Hornet Academy Spitfire Mk. XIVe FR In my 1/35 Armor collection I added these completions Eastern Express B-4 203mm Howitzer Takom M3 Lee (early production) started by another modeler who died and completed as part of a tribute build to him for IPMS Nationals. Tamiya M151A2 TOW jeep, converted to IDF configuration Thanks for looking

Your Connie turned out gorgeous! Nice to see that she gets in well in the display case with other large four engine types.

Very nice work on the skin tones!

Very nice work! Wasn’t the USS Rueben James sunk before actual US declaration of war against Germany in December of 1941?

I missed this back in April. Wow! Love your NMF work on this build.

Thank you Tony. I do appreciate your kind feedback.

I finally wrapped this one up yesterday. I set out on this thinking that it would be an easy change to alter this kit from US to IDF configuration. It turns out that what was envisaged as a quick few weeks build turned into something quite a bit more involved. Part of that was me, increasing the detail on the TOW system and the radios, and of course modifying the stowage of most everything else in the vehicle. From looking at photos, it looks like the IDF modified these jeeps several times over their service lives, and I went with something of a mid life configuration, based upon photos from Lebanon in 1982/83, combining features seen on several different TOW jeeps. I used AK Real Colors for the IDF Sand Gray and Humbrol & Vallejo for most all of the detail work. Thanks for looking... comments and critiques welcome...

"comrade... hold my vodka..." 😉

Wow! You sure improved those two tractors from the simplistic tug in the kit into a well detailed model. Bravo!!!

Thats some beautiful work on the old girl! Those Aurora biplane kits were so enjoyable!

An old friend, now long gone, went through NATO’s International LRRP School when he was assigned to 2/325 in Italy back in the mid 80’s. Part of their training and exam testing was on identifying vehicles at least by basic type off of very little being visible, say such as a tarped vehicle on a railroad flatcar. Only portions of the lower hull, road wheels, and tracks would be visible in the photos, everything else covered by a tarp. Better have paid attention in class to know what you’re seeing…