MikeMoore

If you attended the Chattanooga Scale Modelers show last weekend, please take a moment to visit our site and read an important announcement regarding the awards. You will find it here: Chattanooga Model Show award announcement We've also posted results and will have photos up soon (and also sent to Mark Aldrich for inclusion here). Thanks Mike Moore Show Chairman

Add me to the list of those spammed by this guy. I got at least 5 unsolicited emails in the last 2 days, and as others have pointed out in other places, there is no where noted to "unsubscribe" or "opt out". All it's done is pretty much guarantee I won't be visiting or subscribing. Mike

I can think of 3 kits currently residing on the metaphorical shelf of shame. First, and longest resident, a 1/48 B-29. Got it completely rescribed, and the fuselage is together, and then lost interest. Probably been there for about 3 years. Second up is a 1/48 Hasegawa FG I Phantom. Don't really know quite what happened to this one. It's still on the bench, just can't quite get the mojo going to get'er done, which is very odd since it's very close to my favorite stage, painting. And third is a 1/48 Tamyia Hetzer. A disastrous first attempt at the "hairspray" method of winter white wash doomed this one (dropping ONE track link, and needing to buy a second kit (tamiya didn't have the sprue available) didn't help my mood either!). Mike

The Chattanooga Scale Modelers are pleased to announce that our first show ever is less than 2 months away. We're working hard to make sure this one is both a little different and successful. If you can make it to Chattanooga in January for a Model Show, we'd love to see you. We also still have vendor tables available. When - January 22, 2011 8am to 5pm Where - East Brainerd Church of Christ Contact - Mike Moore: maxwinthrop@yahoo.com And for complete information, including "pre-registration", entry forms, vendor information, contest format and judging criteria, please visit our website: www.chattanoogascalemodelers.com Thanks, Mike

Drafting linen huh? Looks good Chris. Where do you get that linen? I use lead foil for my straps, which can make for a painting challenge. Nice fixes. Mike

It's looking good Don...what type paint and airbrush set up are you using? Mike

Only one right now Eric...I looks GREAT! A huge improvement in look and style. It gives a great impression of IPMS getting current. Nice Job! Next time I see you, you better be wearing plaid pants...and I'll just call you Rodney...you get no respect! Mike

Looks good Gil. I'm with Mark....That Kfir is going to look good in color! Mike

I was apparently going through the "old galleries" and clicking on "walkarounds". My gracious friend Mr Aldrich, in a much appreciated effort to avoid publicly pointing out my stupidity, sent me a PM and gave me a map to find my way to the new stuff. I must be sniffing too much lacquer thinner, 'cause despite some folks thinking there may still be signs of intelligent life in my skull, I am really starting to have my doubts! None the less, thanks for the vote (or at least partial) of confidence Ken! Mike

Annoyingly, no. I can get to them with the links Eric posted above, but when I try to get to them by clicking on the Galleries button on the home page I can't find them. My wife is clearly right, I'm an idiot. Mike

What am I doing wrong? I can't find either the new armor or aircraft galleries you're posting about Mark. Mike

Hi Gene, I know there are lots of folks out there who swear by Milliput, but I've never liked the stuff. It seems to have some shelf life problems that other epoxy putties don't have, such as the components getting hard and more brittle. I suspect your curing problems are due to either not mixing the product well, not getting enough of the catalyst part in the mix, age of the product, or maybe a combination of them. I use MagicSculpt two part epoxy putty and love it. I know plenty of other guys who feel the same about the Aves products. Shelf life doesn't seem to be an issue with the MagicSculpt, I've been using the same batch of MS for going on 6 years now I think. I think you'll find that they all have that sticky issue. The best way to deal with that is wet fingers and/or tools. Hope that helps some. Mike

While I'd love to see one, I doubt Eduard is re-tooling their kit. As far as $100 for a Profipack, with the issues that kit has, that's just insane! Mike

As John mentioned, I think you'll find that the Grandt Line turnbuckles aren't what you're looking for. Aircraft turnbuckles are very streamlined, and the barrels are only marginally bigger in diameter than the rigging wires themselves. The ideas you'll find at the Bob's buckles site are much more appropriate for rigging WWI aircraft. Although I didn't use Bob's Buckles, I did very similar things when I rigged a DH2 earlier this year. (if this picture proves anything, it proves that macro photography isn't always the modeler's friend!) The line shown in this picture is .004 monofilament. It's available as fly fishing "tippet" line or as "invisible thread". The tubing I used is called Micro tubing, a fly fishing tidbit I found. It's nice because it's about the right size and is easy to cut to length. The downside is it's very flexible and elastic. I ended up with one or two turnbuckles that didn't quite straighten out all the way under tension. Here's a link to some: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...equestid=116143 Click on the "size" drop down in the gray box and you'll see the sizes it comes in, again I used the "micro" size. This method works well for "closed" barrel turnbuckles. There are also Photo etched turnbuckle examples out there. Both Eduard and Part have them in 1/48, which believe me, is plenty big for 1/32. The only problems I've found with them is that while they do look like open barrel turnbuckles, they are flat in profile (all etch is), aren't really completely accurate as the threaded ends of the rigging don't show in the middle and they are harder to work with as the rigging thread binds on the etch loops when you try to pull it tight. I'm not exactly an illustrator, so I don't have anything done on the computer, and my hand drawn sketch of how I did the turnbuckles is a little rough, but if anyone wants a PDF of my handdrawn sketch, drop me a PM with you email addy and I'll send it out. Mike

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure you will! What's that they say about the best intentions?????? But seriously, why mess with success? Mike

VERY nice Ken. With all of the Tamiya spits on the table at Phoenix, and the different Marks I understand they may be releasing later this year, it looks like Omaha better count on a split just for the the Tamiya Spits! Mike

You got it Jim. Mike

That looks REALLY nice. I like it a lot. The only critical comment I'd make is the "magnetic" stowage. When I use those smaller bags from the Tamiya stowage sets, I use foil strips super glued to them and wrapped around something to "hang" them. Once they are on, it's pretty easy (especially if you're a figure painter) to paint them in situ. Even the bigger tarps don't look quite right, as the straps binding them obviously don't go around a slat on the trucks structure. But aside from that SMALL detail, it really looks great. Mike

I agree with John, it looks really nice. Mike

Thanks Chris...if you come to our show in Chattanooga, you can see it live. Thanks Mark, I appreciate the comments. There were a lot of Shermans there, and most of them looked really good, so I wasn't really too surprised not to place. And I agree, it was a blast seeing Jim's model there as well. And nicer to meet him, a gentleman indeed! Mike

Hey Mark, Thanks! It was great meeting you and putting a face to the name. I hope you guys are having a nice trip home. And yeah, it is how judging works! There were a lot of really nice Shermans entered, so I really didn't hold out much hope. I just thought it was a fun project and it was fun to support a new award. I hope the decal sheet theme award keeps going. Mike

Hey Rob, sorry I missed you there, and thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately, the judges didn't agree so much. But more importantly, it was a fun build and will look great on my shelf! Mike

And here she is...almost complete...just a few touch ups and she get's boxed for the flight Wed. If you go to PHX, you'll see her on the table!

Hey Mike, Welcome here! I've seen your post over on HS. Hopefully we'll cross paths in PHX, and hopefully, you'll find some reasons to hang here a bit. Mike Moore

Damn, now that looks great. You taking it to Phoenix? I'd love to see it up close! Mike