Mark Deliduka

Today I got to the workbench and got started on those train flatcars like I wanted. Here's my latest progress on everything today. First off, I hate when they make the sprue gates so big like this that they fill up the channel where the wheel is supposed to sit on the rails: I was working on two flatcars; one long and one short. I had to clean eight of those wheels! What a PITA! After doing all of those and getting the wheels and axles assembled, I built up the rest of the flatcars. These are by no means done; I have a lot of detail parts to add to these, as well as the side rails. However, you can see here the basic look of these little cars. Here's the short one: And this is the long one: There are four parts to that long flatbed that had to be glued flat. I'm still not sure I succeeded. Oh well, this one is done so far. After all that, I'd had enough of UM's trains so I took a break. I didn't want to fire up the compressor today to airbrush, so I decided to do a few simple kits and a couple of easy distressed kits. Here's the first of the simple kits. This is the 1/72 scale Hasegawa Huey Hog I started some time back. I found it again and went ahead and painted the interior of the cockpit and cargo bay: Later on I'll paint the pilots and drybrush the instrument panel. For now, I just went ahead and painted some of the other details, as well as the interiors of the fuselage halves: Once the pilots and IP are done this little bird will be ready to close up! Moving on, I picked up one of the first of the Distressed Kits I wanted to (re)start. This is a Trumpeter 1/72 scale LAV-25 that someone "severely started" before I got it in the Distressed Kit Auction at my IPMS club's June meeting. This is what it looked like when I got it: Notice everything is there....... except the instructions..... Oh well, I'm a model builder; I don't need no steenkin' instructions! I went ahead and finished fixing the suspension parts that had broken off: I kept thinking, 'what's up with this green color anyway?' but I went on and started the turret. Once I got the turret all assembled, I noticed a fairly large gap that I was sure wasn't supposed to be there. So out came some strip styrene that got cut up and placed in the hole to plug it: That will get sanded smooth later on. Here's a test shot showing the hull and turret together: That's gonna look pretty good when I finally cover that nasty green... The next Distressed Kit I got was actually given to me because they felt I'd do a better job on it that they'd already done. (Whaaaa...?) This is the Minicraft 1/700 scale spru-can that was; again, "severely started". The whole hull and superstructure as well as the masts were already built; and the masts and tops of the stacks had already been painted a gloss black. I started out by replacing the lost antennae on the masts and added the weapons to the hull. The previous builder had also added the poor decals which had already started flaking off. I hit them with Solvaset to lock the remainder of them down and then I re-painted the masts and tops of the stacks with flat black. Here is what it looked like when I got done with all that. The white parts were what I'd added to the masts: After looking at this, I noticed that I'd used the wrong type of gun on the front of this ship. I fixed that straight away: Next I painted the hull. Then I looked at several of the gaps on the superstructure and decided I couldn't live with those. Out came the Mr. Surfacer. I started out with the gaps on the forward superstructure under the bridge: Yes, I already fixed the drooping antenna... Then I filled the gaps around the hanger doors: All that will be carefully sanded down till it's smooth and then I'll paint the superstructure. Some gaps are still there, but I can't get to them with what I have so they'll just have to remain. Well, after doing all that work on that spru-can, I got motivated to finish off the USS Virginia, despite not finding the replacement parts someone had sent me. Out came more of the styrene strip and rods. Okay, remember this? This is where I stopped before: Well since that pic was taken, the masts had all broken off; the big square radar disappeared and several other parts broke off and disappeared. *cough*torpedo tubes*cough. Okay, after tearing apart the Hobby Room again looking for the square radar; I finally found the back of another one. I added the front of it using sheet styrene and then added the extra parts that made this radar: It looks like crap, but at least I got one on this ship again! I also added modified launcher arms to look similar enough to the ones in back that are still on; then I replaced the masts, and fixed the other missing parts: Then I touched up the paint a little more, and fixed a few more bits and bobs: I'm not sure why I posted that pic; it doesn't look much different than the previous one. Oh well, here's a stern shot I haven't included before: Okay, I guess I can now declare that ship ready for decals. Finally, I'll have that ship added to my fleet; after so many, many years of waiting! Okay, that's all I got done so far today. Tomorrow promised to be just as open for working on my Hobby so this time, I think I'll fire up the compressor and start shooting some paint. So stay tuned, more to come. Meanwhile, comments are always welcome, thanks for looking in.

My prayers go out to his family. May he rest in peace.

Airliner decals for a 1/72 scale 737 from Aurora. The kit decals are not very usable. Any airline accepted.

Brilliant job Mark! That is one big beast!

Thanks Gil! Maybe if I get another one, I'll give it a try.

Well, here's my scores I got at Orangecon. First off was a bunch of tools and accessories. The black case is supposed to hold sanding paper of various grits, but I may use it for holding sanding sticks too. I got it free for filling out a Tamiya questionnaire. Then there is the photo-etch kit of a maintenance stand I got for a couple bucks, along with some resin pup tents. The final thing that you can't see is a Tamiya weathering powder kit that I got in the raffle. They're all here: Next up is an old kit of Auroras Boeing 737 in 1/72 scale. I'd been trying to get this for awhile, and I finally succeeded. Now to get some decals for this bird since the kit ones are pretty well shot: I haven't forgotten my armor collection; I picked this one up as well. It is Revell of Germany's Boxer vehicle: Next I was able to get the Dragon USS New York in 1/700 scale for about $20.00 from my friend Sean: Finally, I got all these so I could finish my two Russian Armored Trains. These are models I'd ordered some time ago. My friend Dave was holding them until I got paid and then could pay him. These are the basic flatbeds first: Followed by two cars with AA gun towers on them and two others carrying a truck, a gun and a tank: Now I can really finish those Russian trains right! Okay, that's all I have for today, so stay tuned. I'm hoping to start on a few of those flatbed cars tomorrow.

Thanks guys for the great comments. I'm still euphoric over all these awards. Gary, our Orangecon awards are made by my IPMS Orange County club. One of the members has a wood shop in his garage so several months ahead of Orangecon; the club buys the wood and sends it over there. Then he cuts it, laminates it and several members join in for a 'sanding party' where everything is sanded smooth and then clear coated with a thin satin finish. The plaques and stickers are then added a few weeks before the show. Meanwhile, the larger, Best Of's and Them Awards are also built and finished for the contest. Someday I'll have to get a shot of the Themes and Best Of's.

That's an idea. I might just build it anyway for fun. use it like a 'pallet cleanser' so to speak.

Outstanding Mark! Way to go!

Well, I got back from Orangecon yesterday where I was able to pick up a lot of things I had bought before, but did not pay for. My friend brought them in so now I can complete even more of my Russian Armored Trains. I also picked up two more models that were pretty good deals, along with some accessories and stuff awarded in the raffle. But the real highlight of the day was getting four awards! That was a surprise beyond anything I could have imagined! Here they are... I got a Second Place in Ships; 1/451 and Larger with my German V-105 WWI torpedo boat: Then I got a Third Place in Small Scale Wheeled Vehicles with my Mack Tank Transporter with FT-17 tank: Then I got a Third Place in one of the splits: Sci-Fi, Star Wars Only, for my Finemolds Y-wing fighter: And finally, I got a Third Place in the other part of that split: Real Space for my Saturn V Rocket: Man, I'm stunned! That's the first time I've ever taken that many awards home from an Orangecon! WOW!!! Later on I'll try to post all my latest scores. Meanwhile, thanks for looking in, comments are welcome.

Sounds good Rob. Once I clear more off my workbench, I'll get started on the Tiger Models Abrams. You'll be able to follow it on my usual Thread.

Thanks Chris! I'm so glad to see you stop in. Stay tuned, more to come next week. Now I'm off to Orangecon today.

That explains a lot then Ed. In that case, I already have a Franklin Roosevelt kit in the stash. I'd intended to build all three models. I think I only have the Roosevelt to do. Thanks for the clarification!

Thanks Gil! I couldn't resist adding the face. Don't worry, there'll be no bleed-through here; There'a a P/E plate that covers the whole front of this that has all the detail on it. I doubt the marker will be able to bleed through that. It's also why I didn't do more to fix that seam down the middle of his face. Stay tuned, more to come.

Wait... There's a 1/547 scale Midway? I never new that! I want one! Time to head back down to San Diego again....

Wow, I can see a tremendous improvement! Well done! I can't wait to see it with flames!

Paul, lets get going then! I want to see some of your work soon. Here's a small update here from me. Maddog Manufacturing's main Factory has completed renovations and is open for business. The bench and the room is now clean and organized enough to start some work on the remaining Works in Progress I have going: The spraybooth is now cleaned off and ready as well. Here's the lineup of models needing clearcoat and/or paint: Two of those need the clearcoat for decals; the rest need paint. I'm hoping to be able to shoot paint tomorrow or the next day. Once I got the workbench and room the way I wanted, I decided to repair a number of models that had been broken during cleanup. There were about 17 of them and so I just repaired the landing gear, ordinance and such that had fallen off. No pics of that, I repaired them and then replaced them on the shelves. One the repairs were done; I re-started a couple models that I'd been wanting to move on. The first one was my Russian armored train. I got the main engine finished with all the main parts on it: This engine is now ready for all the Photo-etch that goes on it. You can see how happy he is to be getting the Photo-etch soon: Here's a shot of the rest of the train all ready for the photo etch: Finally, awhile ago, I had started about three Russian guns along with a British one. Sometime after starting all of them, one gun disappeared completely after I'd started it. After I had cleaned up and organized the whole room, I finally found this gun that had fallen back behind something. It had been half started, so I decided to finish it up. Here it is in front of the box it was in. Now it is ready for paint as well: And that is what I was able to get done before it was time to hit the sack. Now that I have a clean and organized room and my health; things should be picking up rather quickly now. So, stay tuned, more to come. Thanks for looking in, comments are welcome.

Nicely done! Thanks for the memories as well. I still have my Saratoga I built as a kid. It needs to go into drydock sometime for a few repairs.

Welcome back Brian! I know what it's like to have to cut back, but I'm glad things have improved enough for you to return. Lets see some of your models now.

Thanks for the compliments guys! Rusty I can't wait to get that Starship Troopers set done! Thanks Gil! I'm not quite back yet; I still need some more straightening out to do in the Hobby Room before I'm fully back at it. At least I'm feeling Human again! As for the designer of theT-90.. He was Russian after all...

I know how you feel. I was having a similar effect on my Saturn V when I tried painting it white. I went with a flat white instead and then clearcoated it afterward to make it a semi-gloss coat. I love Model Master enamel paints for airbrushing too.

My apologies for not posting anything for quite some time, but I've been fighting several illnesses that all hit me one after another; sometimes even running concurrently. Every time I thought I was recovering fine, everything came rushing back to me; beating me down harder than before. After several trips to the Doc and two different antibiotics; I've finally recovered enough to start posting something here for now. Some of this is actually work that I got done before I got sick, but never had the chance to post until now. Once I recovered enough to start building again, I got so fed up with the crap all over my workbench that I went to work cleaning it up. This has been a major effort that is still underway. I'll start with one of the train cars for one of my two Russian armored trains that I started to do before. I got the top and bottom attached and clamped it to dry: You can also see the two turrets for this car that were assembled and sanding a bit to improve the look on them. After it dried, I dry-fit the turrets to see how well they looked: I still have a lot of photo etch to add to this, but first, I taped off the top and added Mr. Surfacer 500 to the joint so I can fill the joint and sand it smooth without losing all the surface detail on the top half of this train car: Next up is another model I got more progress on before I got sick. This is my Russian T-90 with the welded turret. I got the turret assembled and added the main gun: Next I went to work on the upper hull. I added all the extra parts and the side skirts to this. Here you can see it test fit to the lower hull: Later on, I completed the turret, adding all the smoke dischargers and the Schtora fixtures. Here it is all complete except for tracks; ready for paint: In between these other two projects, I spent some 'down time' sanding and smoothing out this C-46 to get it ready for paint. I also had added the horizontal stabilizers on the tail and have been sanding and filling and sanding seams forever to get this ready for paint: Now, after several weeks of trying to clean and organize my Hobby Room, I'm still not quite done enough to do anything there, but an opportunity arose to go to the Hobby Day Hall for some modeling time. So Maddog Manufacturing started up again briefly in a satellite plant to make some progress on a couple models while the main plant is still undergoing renovations. Unfortunately, due to the demands of a comission job I took on some months back; I was only able to get work done on one model before it was time to head home. This is the IBG Diamond T cargo truck that I was able to start at the satellite plant. I got the chassis partly completed along with the engine: After that, I started on the cab, getting the interior done and the main hood on the front: That's about all I will do on that until I can paint the interior. Then I'll move on. As for that commission job? A friend has the Starship Troopers board game that has a ton of miniature Starship Troopers and Bugs (Arachnids for those fans of the movies) that needed to be built and painted. Well, they got built, for the most part: There are still a number of accouterments that need to be added to most of the troopers, but the bugs are done. Now to finish the troopers and get everything painted so I can get paid for this job. That's about all I have to show. I'm still working on the Hobby Room, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to post any progress again, but stay tuned. I do hope to be able to resume production soon.

Those are some pretty awesome scores guys. I was only able to afford one purchase; acquired with the help of a friend since I couldn't find it anywhere! Here it is: Tiger Models 1/72 scale M1A2 Abrams SEP TUSK II. They've had this version out for years in 1/35th scale, I finally get it in my Braille Scale: It even came with the free gift of a Mystery Egg Plane. I haven't opened this yet to see which one it is: That's all I got so far. If I can get paid I'll see if I can't pick up some more 'must have' models. Until then, I have to keep working on my hobby Room so I can finally get back to the bench.

That's an idea Neal. However, I'd love to see a 1/72 scale Saturn V launch tower complete with Crawler for the rocket I now have!

Neal, that is excellent advice. I hadn't thought about putting a gloss over a flat coat. I might have to try that next time. Then again, I'm not sure when I'll do another 1/72 scale Saturn V!