Mark Deliduka

Sweet Ed! I hope that soon I can find a Box like that which does the same thing to me. Looking forward to seeing that one started.

Mark the first part of that is an E-mail address. Should we be E-mailing them for a list? There's no website and when I did a search for "Flagship Enterprises" nothing related to models come up. I'd be interested in seeing what they have.

I know! Right? Anyway, it's for someone else, so it's not like I'm going to keep it. LOL! Thanks for the compliment Bob! Stay tuned for more.

Thanks Gil! Just trying to make up for lost time...

That hood looks fantastic and I love the fire extinguisher. I can relate with the frustration of working on a kit for nine months. I like ot get mine done quick so I can move on. Maybe it's some of the residual ADD I have, but I always try to stick with it. Besides, with all the great updates, it doesn't feel like I've been following this for nine months. Believe me, your quality work is well worth the wait!

Ya know guys, when I mention that "comments are welcome" that means I'd love to read some replies from you guys. Then again, I've probably stunned and overwhelmed you all to speechlessness.... Just messing with you guys! I know there are some watching this so don't worry; that's why I have this latest update on my mostly small scale, out-of-the-box projects for you to peruse. I'll start with the Space Shuttle since there's only the one pic. Seems the bottom seam is atrocious, so I slathered a good amount of Mr. Surfacer 500 in preparation for cleaning this up: Hopefully tomorrow I can install the interior into this model and move on.... Next I went to work on my little Huey Hog helicopter that I've been neglecting for a while. I finished up painting the pilots and adding the main rotor stem: I also dry-brushed white on the instrument panel: I kept it simple since I didn't expect much would be seen through the windows anyway... Finally, I slapped it all together and set it up to dry: More to come on that later. I have a lot of touch-up to do on that. I'll also probably need to shoot another OD coat on it. Moving on, I also went back to another model I've been neglecting a bit. It was time to complete the cab for my Diamond T cargo truck. Before that though, I didn't like the gaps between the tanks on the running board and the forward fender. So, I took out the Mr. Surfacer 500 and added some to the gaps. Then I used Mr. Hobby Thinner to smooth it out so that I wouldn't need to try and get some kind of sanding implement in the corner: Next I added the windshield and door windows to this. Here's the windshields: Seems the Mr. Surfacer 500 got a little thin and opened up again. Gonna have to fix that... Windshields were kind of hard to see in that pic, here's another one: Then I added the windows to the doors: Don't know where all that dirt came from on those; I already got them cleaned off. I also noticed that they didn't include a window for the back of the cab. So, I used my Micro Crystal Clear to make one: While all that was sitting and drying, I went ahead and added the wheels to the chassis: Gonna be painting those wheels later on, possibly tomorrow. Finally, I got the cab finished: I didn't add the headlight guards on this because they are solid plastic and look terrible. I'm going to try and find some P/E mesh I might have somewhere to replace it on this model. Hopefully I have some. Finally, some more Fun With Dryfitting: Last but not least, a friend of mine on another Forums posted that he'd received a 1/48 scale Revell Stearman biplane and needed a builder to build it for him. I mentioned that if nobody else was willing to build it for him, I'd give it a shot. Long story short, he sent it to me. This is the box I got in the mail this week: Some nicely molded parts in this model. It looks pretty good in the box: After looking it over, I cleared my bench and got started. First off was the cockpits and interior: While that was drying, and while I was waiting to find out what scheme he wanted this done in, I painted black on all the black and metallic parts. The metallic parts will be dry-brushed with aluminum or steel, depending on what I'm painting: By the way, he left it up to me to choose the scheme so I'll do the one shown on the box top. Tomorrow I was supposed to help someone move, but the place he's supposed to move to isn't ready yet so I have the whole day free. The airbrush is coming out so I'll be painting the Stearman interior and several other models. Stay tuned for more! Meanwhile, comments are welcome; thanks for looking in.

He's gorgeous James! I have a Modeling Buddy, but she's a cat. She scratches at my Hobby Room door until I let her in; then she settles down and sleeps next to my feet as I model. The only time she doesn't like being in there with me is when I have the compressor running to airbrush.

That is a brilliant idea! Way to go!

I'm thinking the kit didn't fight him; he had to fight the distraction offered by the figure! LOL! Nice win Bob! Bike and figure both look magnificent!

Wow, what an incredible model! Your engine is spectacular!

Here's a short update from me. I haven't had the chance to get too much time on the bench so I focused on only a few builds. First off, I made some more progress on my USS New York. I got the whole superstructure assembled now. She's ready for fiddly bits: I left these open to see if there's anything I can put in them, but it doesn't look like the kit included anything. Unless I can see what should be here that I might be able to add; I'll be closing these openings with the P/E provided: Now lets do some dry-fitting to see how this ship is gonna look: This is going to be a great looking ship to add to my collection! Moving on, I decided it was time to focus on getting more done on my 1/72 scale Space Shuttle with Boosters. After all, it's been sitting on my workbench idly since February.... Back then, I'd only done the booster rockets themselves. The main tank had already been done by the previous owner who sold it to me. So, I pulled this out and sanded down the seams that the boosters had; filled a few gaps with Mr. Surfacer 500 and set them aside to dry. Next, I started on the cockpit of the shuttle itself: Not too much detail inside, but once it's painted up; it looked pretty good if I do say so myself: Next I completed the interior part of the cargo bay. I didn't worry too much about the appearance of this as the shuttle bay doors will be closed. I doubt they opened them once this beastie was attached to the boosters: I couldn't find my regular alligator clips; so I pulled these off the block they came with. After that, I figured I'd get a few more sub-assemblies done, like the wings: ...and the tail: Next I assembled the main fuselage of this beastie. She's a big one all right: The wings were only dry-fit to see how big this was going to be. After that, I set it all aside to dry, while I went back to finish the bottom of the booster rockets. I had two parts to add to the bottoms of these and one booster was somehow more oval than the other. It took a lot of help to get this to glue properly: Here you can see it next to the other completed booster tail: Finally, they both were completed once the glue had dried: Now back to the Shuttle itself. I installed the cockpit and some windows inside the fuselage. Looks pretty good in there. I hope once the glass goes in some of this can still be seen: For added stability, I installed the back engine plate to the end of this. I left off the nacelles so I could paint this black first before installing them: Now let's have a little more Fun with Dryfitting: Oh yeah, she's a big one all right.... After this, I had a little time left to start a model that a friend gave me after winning it at the IPMS Nationals in Columbus. This is my Trumpeter 1/2 scale Madge seaplane. I started out adding about thirty-five pieces to the forward part of the main flight deck; including the lower nose deck: Yeah, I had all that to add and I haven't even put in the pilot and crew seats yet! That's about when I ran out of time. So, thanks all for looking in, comments are welcome.

I know everyone has already commented, but I'm posting pics of Annie again, this time after the window masking is removed. Now, she is truly finished: Enjoy the new pics!

Bill, that is spectacular work! I can only dream of making something that smooth and shiny. Way to go, I bow to the Master. :smiley32:

Thanks Eric!

I like the idea of having optional filters for regions and geographical areas. That way anyone can focus on their own area.

Sweet! That is one incredible truck bed; I love the wood grain on it. Nice work on the license plate as well. Keep going man!

Now this...........I've gotta see! Okay, I guess I'd better get a start on this then.

Thanks Gil! Yeah, I had to join the "dark side". They have cookies! Ed,l I simply forgot to remove the masking from the windows. I was so thrilled to have finished this that I just overlooked it until someone on another Forums pointed it out. I have new pics taken of Annie without the masking; I need to get them posted soon. Gil, good one! LOL!

Thanks Chris! It feel great finally getting these done! Thanks Joseph! I appreciate that very much! I have one room of a two-bedroom condo with shelves along two walls that extend from two feet above the floor to one foot below the ceiling. Most all the 680 armor models are on those shelves along with my 400+ aircraft, 380+ ships and some other assorted models. The only ones not on the shelves are two armored trains and Dora because I have no room. Someday; when I get more boxes removed; I'll take a new pic of my Hobby Room. Thanks again for the great replies guys! Stay tuned for more.

I agree about knowing the base kit. I can see however that space is a bit at a premium. Still, I think it would be nice for someone to look into this possibility.

Welcome Kevin! I'm a member of IPMS Orange County here in the greater LA area. Would love to see you come to a meeting. We have a number of excellent modelers who would be a great help for your projects; including one guy who lights up his models extremely well. I would love to come help build a few things for you.

There are a number of pictures on the IPMS Orange County website showing all the winners. I think they are still getting all the pics together of the overall show. The slideshow at the top shows pics from Orangecon: http://ipmsoc.org

Nice Bob! But are they resin? I think I'll wait for plastic myself. The cost will be lower, for one; and I won't stab myself so many times for another. Thanks for the great links Bob, That gives one hope!

Today I finished up seven models. These are the two ships I was able to launch from the Maddog Manufacturing shipyards; the first ones in years! First off, this is the old Minicraft Spruance class destroyer that I got from my IPMS club's Distressed Kit Auction some time back. It was "severely started" as we like to say; the deck decals had even been applied! Anyway, I went to work ion this and got it finished up today, christening it the USS Caron. Here it is ready for the shelf: Right after this one left the slipways, I launched my USS Virginia. This; by the way, is another Modeler's New Years Resolution completed! The USS Virginia is now on her shakedown cruise with the USS Caron: These are two of the five models I completed today. The rest can be found in the Armor Forums. Feel free to check them out. Meanwhile, thanks for looking in, comments are welcome.

This brings me up to 680 completed armor models now. Let me start with a couple artillery pieces for my Italian and Russian Armies. This first gun is a rather toy-like re-pop from Water 1815 done by Italeri for wargame armies. I got it because th4e figures looked good ion the kit and this is the only way I was going to get a heavy gun in 1/72 scale for my Italian Army. Here it is completed and ready for delivery: I'll finish the troops up later, but this gun at least is completed. Next, My Russian Army took delivery of a couple pieces. First was this BS-3 anti-tank gun from ACE. I had lost this model some months back and even questioned whether I had actually started it at all. Then I found it after my extensive Hobby Room Cleanup. Here it is all completed: The second thing my Russian Army got was this T-90 tank with the welded turret. This model is from Modelcollect and has a metal hull. It went together like a dream. I'm glad to have this in my collection: Next, my US Marines received this LAV-25. This was a Trumpeter kit that I got from my IPMS club's Distressed Kit Auction. It was "severely started" as we like to say; a pic of the contents of the box can be seen in my Maddog Manufacturing Thread. This was finished completely without instructions as they were missing in the kit when I got it: I noticed I had a floating wheel back there. That got fixed already. Finally, my US Army took delivery of my M-65 Atomic Annie. This is the Dragon Black Label kit and I've been working on this for awhile. This has been one of my Holy Grails and now I have it in my collection: These are five of the seven models I completed this week. The other two can be found in the Ships Forums, so feel free to go check them out as well. Meanwhile, thanks for looking in, comments are welcome.