SkyKing

A friend of mine has a 1/35 die-cast model Jeep and wants to decal it as a Jeep that might have been assigned to his father, a 7th AF B-24 pilot based on Saipan, and is wondering what the bumper markings might have been on such a vehicle. He asked me, but I’m out of my element here so am asking the experts. This begs the question: Who actually “owned” USAAF vehicles? The base motor pool? The Base Unit? The Group? The Squadron? Would a Jeep have been permanently assigned to a Group or Squadron? Or would it have have been drawn from the motor pool as required? And, finally, who makes suitable 1/35 letter/number decals for such markings? Thanks in advance for the help.

The very mention of the name "Rapidograph" brought back memories (mostly fond) of my days as a draftsman for the (then) Texas Highway Department while attending the University of Texas. They are still produced: https://www.dickblick.com/products/koh-i-noor-rapidograph-pens/ And as Gil indicates, they will last indefinitely if properly cared for, although they can be a beech if not. They are intended for inks and not paint, although I suppose you could use water colors in them. I only used them with black India ink way back then.

Have you tried a Google search? I did ("new Bugatti Veyron model kit"), and the only thing that turned up was the Airfix Quick Build kit.

I don't have the kit in question (wrong scale for me) but I'm assuming that the item to be painted fuselage color is some engine component or something engine related in the engine compartment. In this case you could probably paint it any metallic "silver" color. On another forum, one modeler has suggested a 50/50 mix of Tamiya Chrome Silver and Tamiya Aluminum to replicate a natural metal finish. Both these colors are available as non-spray paints. But keep in mind that Tamiya's bottled paints have a much larger grain size, so you won't get as smooth a finish as you would using Tamiya's spray cans. One solution is to remove all the items from the sprues for which no color is specified, mount them on a piece of cardboard, and spray them all at once with the AS-12.

I subscribe to his channel. Some good stuff.

I have often wondered how both Airfix and Revell could have screwed up their 1/72 P-51D kits from those years so badly. They look almost like some kid's badly drawn version of the airplane. Surely there were some more accurate references available back then. Your model turned out far better than that kit deserved.

I have som 60-year-old Humbrol paint that is as good as the day it left the factory. If you make sure the rim of the tin and the inside of the lid are clean before putting the lid back on, and apply a little pressure to the lid to make sure it is sealed, there is no reason why Humbrol won't last indefinitely.

Besides aircraft of the Texas Air National Guard, how about decals for Texas Highway Patrol vehicles of various vintages (1/24, 1/25)? The Texas Highway Patrol have also operated various aircraft, including a Navion (1/72). Some of the smaller, lesser known Texas-based airlines might be good subjects (1/72, 1/144); the major ones are commercially available. I'll see if I can stir up some photos. The Department of Public Safety was very helpful when I was looking for a photo of the car my late dad drove when he was a License & Weight Inspector, and they probably have more in their archives. Here's a list of ships with Texas-related names: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:United_States_Navy_Texas-related_ships

1/48 scale 500-lb bombs have been produced by Squadron (TD48503), Eduard (EU648081), and MK.1 Design I (catalogue number unavailable). Between these and Nick's offer, you should be able to find what you need.

If you have access to a lathe, you could turn the bomb body from acrylic rod. The fin assembly can be make from sheet styrene. But I think you have miscalculated the 1/72 dimensions. The overall length of 90.4 in would be 1.25 in (90.4/72) or 31.9 mm (90.4/72 x 25.4) in 1/72 scale. Length of bomb body would be 0.97 in or 24.7 mm in 1/72. Diameter of bomb body would be 0.32 in or 8.2 mm in 1/72. A 500-lb AN-M64A1 General Purpose bomb has an overall length of 59.16 in or 1.24 in or 31.5 mm in 1/48 scale, and a body diameter of 14.18 in or 0.30 in or 7.5 mm in 1/48 scale. So I think you could use some 1/48 500-lb bombs as substitutes for 1/72 2000-lb bombs. The differences are probably too small to be noticed by anyone without a micrometer.

I logged on at about 3:30 CDT and had no problem.

I've long thought that OOTB has outlived its usefulness, given the advances in kit design and manufacturing since the category was established way back then, and given the exceptions which are allowed which have really turned it into "OOTB+". I'd like to see it eliminated. Redefine OOTB as strictly OOTB: Use only what is in the box, built per kit instructions with no major modifications to the parts (rigging and antennas allowble if suggested by the kit instructions). Put OOTB entries in the same categories as the others. If only the basics of construction and finishing are judged, then it's entirely conceivable that a well-done OOTB entry can beat a poorly built super-detailed model with a lot of aftermarket stuff. Perhaps a partial solution is to create new categories for older kits: "Classic kits" (those over 25 years old), "Antique kits" (those over 45 years old), and "Vintage kits" (those over 60 years old), and allow whatever improvements the modeller wishes, from none to an all-out maximum effort.

Those of you familiar with the Dallas-Fort Worth area will know of M-A-L Hobby shop in Irving, which has been at the same location since 1948 and which has also been a vendor at many past IPMS national conventions. I just learned this past Saturday that owner Ed Seay Jr, was diagnosed with dementia a little over a month ago and is now in a long-term care facility. The business had apparently been affected by his condition for some time. Another local modeler reports that the building has been sold and will be transferred in phases. The N-track railroad club which is in one of the 4 or 5 store fronts will have 18 months to make other arrangements. Local modelers and friends of Ed have been working there for the last four Saturdays cleaning out the back warehouse and have found lots of old new stock items which either Ed Sr or Ed Jr put away and forgot. A hundred or so Squadron In Action and Detail & Scale books will be going to Half Price Books, with the proceeds to go to support Ed’s care. A lot of original material has been donated to the Frontiers of Flight museum in Dallas. I had not seen Ed in about 6 weeks, and he seemed to be his usual self then, so I was stunned and truly saddened at the news when I visited the shop last Saturday. Back in the '70s, I and other modelers in Wichita Falls made regular monthly visits to M-A-L. Its closing marks — for all of us who knew Ed and his father and mother — the end of an era.

Tamiya Fine Surface Primer, White. Use from the spray can or decant for airbrush use. When it's fully cured, polish it to a smooth, satin finish. Apply decals, then a final semi-gloss or gloss coat.

Found at a local hobby shop's going-out-of-business sale: A KP Il-10 kit sent to Jim by a Czech modeler during the Cold War. (Photo by Scott Copeland)