ClareWentzel

Welcome aboard Bob. Good looking models. Racing cars are always fun plus, it looks like you do a fun kit from time to time.

Very impressive!!! It will be a shame to apply the body and cover much of this detail.

Great looking model Ron. What did you use for the rigging? It looks very realistic.

A good looking build Z. It really has a used look. Well done.

Check out the method that I used for spraying in the basement. http://clarescorner.com/Spray_booth.html I had good luck with this simple booth. The filter collected the overspray and seemed to collect most of the fumes from the solvents as well. In the interest of full disclosure, I now use a Pace Spray Booth and I have plumbed it to the outside through the rear wall of the house. This is the overall best solution.

Man!! Have you checked the Testors display at your LHS lately? There are still a LOT of colors. They seemed to have eliminated the Russian stuff but most of the other colors are still around. When I saw this list, I checked out my LHS and found that they had sold off most of the eliminated colors separately. I spent about 15 minutes looking at the racks before I found this out. Keep the faith. Plus, it always helps to have a good stock of your own.

Thanks guys. It is off to the work bench again.

What is the best way to straighten resin parts that are warped. I have some missiles that have warped fins. The fins are thin so I want to be cautious. Should I use hot water or just try to over bend them so that they are straight? Looking for suggestions.

Mike's son got it right. Also looking forward to the movie.

Wow!!! Great job Ron. Impressive looking model and also the real tank is neat.

Way cool!!!

You are applying decals the same way that I do although I use Testors MM for my base coats. One thing to think about - do you have to use Microsol? I only use Microsol in case I need a decal to fit a complex surface. One other suggestion - Have you applied some more Future over the surface when everything is dry. This will usually eliminate any clouding effect. I then usually apply a flat clear acrylic topcoat to finish the model.

Wow!!! Great cockpit Gil. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the build. I particularly liked the disorganized way that the belts looked. I suspect that you did a fair amount of work making them look right.

Looks great. Enjoy!!

Sounds like an interesting proposal. It can probably be developed although, as we all know, judging of models may be even more subjective than judging ice skaters. In any case, I am sure that your daughter had a good time. Sorry that I missed the competition. Where was it held? Wings stadium or the rink on N Ave.?

From what I've seen in various polls, I'm strictly average when it comes to my stash.... Piker!!! The bottom line: I don't NEED any more kits! I know what you mean. Doesn't mean I won't get more though..... :D Now you're talking!! GIL

Sounds good Nick. I have been using Vinyl Spackling Compound for some time. It can be thinned and cleaned up with water but I feel that it is too soft and the texture a little course. How does your putty compare?

Got my shirt today and it was worth the wait. Thanks guys. Also, I appreciated the e-mail that I received yesterday from Mr. Misiolek stating that they had been mailed. Good job guys.

Ed, I can understand your reaction. I saw the kit at the Nats and fell in love with it. Then, when Sprue Brothers were celebrating the Kansas City World Series win, I took advantage of them and ordered the kit. Of course, I had to add the Eduard PE set for the interior. I have always felt that the C-54 started my interest in airplanes. During late WW II, my mother worked for Douglas on the C-54. She would crawl inside the wings and back up the riveter. I stayed with an aunt of hers and as a 4-year old, would make crude drawings of a 4 engine airplane whenever her aunt wrote a letter to her. Good looking kit. I can't wait to start on it.

Like most modelers, I too have a reasonable case of AMS or OMS (old modeler syndrom) in my case. I have a data base program with all of my paints listed. The key thing in the future is that we will have to be more careful when we shop to replace a color or add a new one. Model on. BTW, I like the idea of buying all of the greens or grays to make sure that you have the right one but have you seen the price of paint? ;-)

Glad to have you here Steve. Lots of people with similar backgrounds here plus, it is a friendly and very knowledgeable group.

Michael, thank you so very much for passing along this sad news. I knew Gordon for many years. I first met him on a business trip to London in the late '60s. Jerry Campbell was starting to do business with Gordon so he asked me to look him up and buy dinner for him and his wife. As it turned out, I had dinner with Gordon & his wife at their house. Two very gracious people. I remained in contact with Gordon after he & Jerry parted. I continued to get Rareplane kits when I lived in Brazil and Venezuela and in fact, Gordon introduced me to a modeler in Venezuela, Armando Gil who loved building and collecting like we do. Gordon really advanced vacuum formed modeling when he started using female molds to make his models. The plastic is drawn into the mold and all of the surface detail that is built into the mold is imbedded into the outside of the part. Most other vacuum formed models had the plastic being drawn around a male mold, similar to the Mattel toy, with poor surface detail. Gordon would smile when he told me that the models that he built for advertising photos were only finished on one side. He said "I usually don't have time to finish both sides of the model."

Come on Nick. I am old enough that I do know my colors but l can't tell gloss from flat by looking at the bottle. The key thing now is we have to be more careful buying paints. A good thread. Also, I have over 160 bottles of MM paint. I can't tell them all apart.

What a fantastic job you are doing Bob. Keep up the good work.

Nice Bill. Love the airplane plus you did a good job on the NMF. Good panel differentiation.