ClareWentzel

Really nice job. Love it. I will have to check it out.

Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive works well also. It gives a strong join. (Info picked up at our club meeting last night)

I use enamel paints for most of my work. The reason is that I have a vast collection of different colors and am too cheap to pitch them all to buy anything else. Also, I tried some acrylics when they first came out and had lots of problems. Enamel is easy to spray and I thin it with lacquer thinner. I use flat acrylic as a final top coat usually.

Ray, in simple terms, most model paint is flat or semi-gloss. When you apply decals over a flat surface, you can see a cloudy color below any clear area of the decal. Also, the decal will not stick as well. In effect, flat painted surface is a series of microscopic peaks and valleys. The decal sticks to the peaks. Future floor wax fills the valleys and gives the surface a smooth shiny surface. The decal will set down fully over a future coated surface. Also, once the model is coated with future, you can use acrylic paint for weathering and to bring out panel and control surface lines. Anything extra can be readily cleaned up with a wet q-tip. If you prefer a final flat appearance, then coat your model with flat acrylic after all your work. Hope this helps.

Looks like they have something for everyone.

WOW!! Gary. Great job. Really looks impressive.

I built the ESCI F-100D. ESCI is no longer in business and I'm not sure if their molds have been used by other manufacturers. You should be able to find one cheap on e-bay or other locations. I built it a long time ago and don't remember any problems. Here is a photo. Great shape. Very fine panel lines.

Welcome Marcel. I suspect that you will find people with more shelf queens than you have. What do you build?

I agree with Gil. I too use lacquer thinner to thin my enamel paints before I spray them. I do not use it into the paint bottles. If I ever feel like I need to make a bottle of paint (I have lots of old ones) more liquid, I will use the Model Masters thinner. I don't do this often.

Hi Schooner, Decal Solutions perform an important function in model building. It makes the decal, essentially a two dimensional object, conform to a three dimensional surface. If the decal is small, it probably doesn't matter but if the decal is large and the surface is curved in both dimensions, the decal needs help stretching or shrinking so that it fits the surface without wrinkles. Decal solutions available are Micro Sol and Micro Set from Microscale and Solvaset. I also believe that Testors now produces a Decal set. First, know that very thin decals may bubble up and really look terrible when some solutions are applied. Do not touch these decals. Usually they will shrink back down to the surface. On the other hand, some decals are very thick and may not react immediately to the solutions. Generally these can be made to conform by working the solution onto and under the decal with a brush. In theory, you wet the surface where the decal is to be applied with Micro Set then apply the decal and then, when it is in place, apply Micro Sol to soften the decal and get it to dry in place. To my way of thinking, Solvaset is a little more "hot" than the Microscale products. Generally, test the solution with an extra decal before you proceed. Recently, a member of our club has started using Sparkle Glass Cleaner as a decal solution. I have used it under and over a decal and it does a pretty good job. Check out my review of the L-29 Delfin. The white area on the nose of the airplane is one large decal. It was not a thin decal but I used Sparkle on it and it did a good job of conforming to the curved surface. Hope this helps.

It is looking great Gary. Very well done. Love the color of the original and the model. I used to live in Brazil and my wife drove a car that color. We believed that it was safer because everyone could see her coming.

Good jobs Duke. I particularly liked the Opel bus. I used to work with the Opel organization and I got a kick out of their WW II stuff.

Lots of interesting books from David Doyle books. Check it out. Clare

Great details Gil and Ron. I will remember this for my next checkerboard model.

Hi Rudy and welcome. I live on the other side of the state but may meet you at some future shows in the Detroit area.

Way to go Ed. Based on your photos, the finish is flawless. Sorry I missed the B o'H show.

I agree. The boxartden site could sure save me a lot of shelf space.

The key thing in the above discussion is that Greg and Gil are both happy with their P-40 birds. That should be the prime outcome of our hobby.

Wow. Very impressive! Well done but I agree with Gil. Send us a photo in 6 months.

Thanks for passing Neil's message. Looking forward to their new kits.

Looks like a good start. I was going to provide reference to my build of the C-46 a long time ago (http://clarescorner.com/C-46.html) but reading my notes, I noticed that I had contacted you before building the model. Have fun. I still love the overall, mean look of the C-46.

Looking forward to the list also.

Looks good Ed. If you can't find a base for it, you could mount it on the hood of an old Pontiac or Oldsmobile. :-)

Looks like fun.

a great photo.