[2024 National Convention Update]

I'm already bookmarking restaurants lol.

 

[2024 National Convention Update]

This, to me, seems like a very positive change. Really hope I can get the week off from work.

["White 12", Hans Langer.]

Tamiya 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6

 

Bf 109 G-6, “White 12” of II./JG 51, Central Italy.

 

Flown by Hans Langer, this interesting G-6 had “NOT YOU” painted across the tailplane. This addition was not authorized by the pilot who promptly got shot down by P-38s on his next mission. Langer survived and naturally directed his crew chief to never paint any such inscriptions on his machine again. Opposed the 17 August Schweinfurt Raid. Shot down two B-17s on this raid. Shot down at least six times, first time by a P-38 in N. Africa.. His first victory, a Spitfire over Malta on 31 March, 1942. Another Spitfire, his 4th, downed at Map Quadrant 47441 (N.Africa) on 1 December, 1942. Another Spitfire on 19 May, 1943. During the Sicilian campaign, he was known to have downed a Boston II 20 km southwest of Marralle on 11 July, 1943. He was credited with a B-17 15 km southwest of Udine, in northern Italy, 19 December, 1943, and another 70 km SSE of Ferrara on 12/28/43. Bowers/Lednicer, 58 victories.

 

Improvements include:

Added rivets to entire airframe.

Masked and painted all markings except data stencils and unit markings .

Quinta Studios #72037 interior decals.

Ceramic wire antenna aerial.

Anti-vibration cones molded from plasticard.

Kannonenboots from AZ Models kit #AZM7819.

Cannon barrels drilled open.

MRP acrylic lacquers airbrushed through Iwata HP-C and Custom Micron-C.

I just realized the rudder should be white, so back in the paintshop she goes this weekend.

[1/48 Grumman F2F-1 Barrel]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!

[What category?]

Is it BKB? Aftermarket?

[Tamiya 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 (again).]

6 hours ago, ghodges said:

As I said elsewhere, MOST impressive James! And that's quite the ambitious goal to get enough done for a collection considering all of the extras you're throwing into the mix. Still, if they come out near as nice as this one, you'll have no problem picking any of them to take with you! Thanks for sharing!

 

Gil 

 

On 5/15/2023 at 6:31 PM, Stikpusher said:

That’s one very sharp looking Gustav 66Fox 👍🏼 Bravo on painting nearly all of the markings yourself! That seems to be something of a growing trend.

 

Thank you Gentlemen. I hate decals so this has been a fun skillset to learn. My goal is to build as many as possible. I just ordered 5 sets of Quinta cockpit stickers directly from them in Russia, as no one else has them in stock (I may have bought them all lol). I hope they arrive quickly. 77 days....

[Tamiya 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 (again).]

And yet, another '109 completed. My plan is to finish as many of this kit as possible between when I started last month and the IPMS/USA National Convention. Then I will enter the 5 most "OK" ones in the "Collections" category. I figure it'll be fun to lose in a whole new category!

Improvements include:
Added rivets to entire airframe
Masked and painted all markings except gun covers and unit badges.
Quinta Studios #72037 interior decals.
Ceramic wire antenna aerial.
Anti-vibration cones molded from plasticard.
MRP acrylic lacquers airbrushed through Iwata HP-C and Custom Micron-C.

 

 

[Slovak Gustav! 1/72 Tamiya Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6.]

Thanks, Gil. It's such a great kit.

 

[Slovak Gustav! 1/72 Tamiya Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6.]

Tamiya Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Slovak Squadron 13 in combat on 26 June 1944.

Improvements include:

Added rivets to entire airframe
Masked and painted all markings except octane triangle & data-late.
Quinta Studios #72037 interior decals.
Ceramic wire antenna aerial.
Anti-vibration cones molded from plasticard.
MRP acrylic lacquers airbrushed through Iwata HP-C and Custom Micron-C.

Not enough superlatives to praise this kit. It's an absolute pleasure to build.

[The Finished Spitfire]

On 4/25/2023 at 7:31 PM, Dakimbrell said:

The name plates I make on the computer at home. Sometimes I use the Microsoft Publisher program and sometimes a greeting card publisher program picked up Office Depot. I actually got the idea some 15 years back from John Charvat of AMPS.

I print it on photo paper and then cover it with laminate material or clear packing tape. Once cut out of the paper, the edge was colored with a marker to match the background. (Cover it before cutting it out of the paper.)

It was then glued onto the base with clear Elmer's glue.

I also use the same program to make a sign for a diorama, too.

Dak

Thanks, man, I appreciate it.

[The Finished Spitfire]

That's a great looking Spitfire! Also, where did you get the nameplate from?

[WTB: Revell 1/192 Westinghouse Atomic Power Plant # H-1550 (released 1959-1961)]

There is a mint condition, complete kit on display at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. It's behind glass....

[2023 Convention Pre-Registration Opens March 1st]

I think it sucks that you can no longer see who else has registered. It was fun looking at who all is going to be there.

[ICM 1/48 Junkers Ju-88A-8 "Paravane"]

On 2/19/2023 at 7:06 PM, ghodges said:

Sweet looking build! That had to be an unwelcome addition to the plane in view of the pilots..... and probably not their idea! Is there any record of whether it actually worked without damaging the plane? Congrats, and thanks for building for the reviewer corp.

 

Gil 

Outside of the info provided in the instructions' intro, I couldn't find ANYTHING about these variants. I think only a few were modified, and they were very difficult to fly. An unsuccessful program. I'm scratching my head over why they didn't just shoot the balloons down like they did in WWI?

[ICM 1/48 Junkers Ju-88A-8 "Paravane"]

On 2/19/2023 at 3:56 PM, Mark Deliduka said:

Wow! You did a sensational job on this James! Way to go!

 

Thank you for your work on the Reviewer's Corps as well.

Thanks, Duke, I appreciate it.

[ICM 1/48 Junkers Ju-88A-8 "Paravane"]

This was built for an IPMS/USA Reviwers' Corps article to be published soon. The kit is very detailed, and goes together well. I added some Eduard PE seatbelts, but otherwise it's OOB. The paravane blade was intended to cut the steel cables tethering the barrage balloons over London during the Battle of Britain. Those crazy Germans and their ideas....

 

 

[Anybody eat at Cody's Restaurant & Bar?]

On 12/8/2022 at 10:13 PM, AZRhino said:

Because it is asked in the "About the IPMS/USA National Convention" sub forum? And the restaurant is less than a mile from the 2023 convention hotel?

Precisely.

[Gaspatch Henschel Hs-123 B1]

Beautiful model. How do you create the photo plate for the base?

[Maddog Manufacturing 2023 Grand Reopening]

WOW!!!!!!!

[First completion of the year!]

Sorry to hear about your health issues, Pete. Glad to see you post something super-cool.

 

[The Year In Review 2022: Electric Boogaloo.]

5 hours ago, Mark Deliduka said:

James, that is a highly respectable model count, especially given the incredible quality of all of them! You may feel that your skills are not improving but your work still far outshines mine, even after almost 52 years of continuous building! I can only boast quantity over you; I'll never be able to match this quality! After seeing these, I can't wait to see what you do next year!!

 

I love these year end reviews, hopefully more people start posting theirs too! It is such a thrill seeing all the models people built in a year!

Thanks Mark, your work is great! I love seeing peoples' year-end reviews too.

 

[The Year In Review 2022: Electric Boogaloo.]

Here's what I completed in 2022...9 pieces (1.3/month). Certainly not as prolific as my years in the 2000s, but I've learned to slow down and address the minutia more closely. Still, I feel like the older I get, and the more experience I gain (20+ years not counting the 10+ as a kid) the worse I get. I suppose with my busy work schedule and Homelife, 9 is pretty damned good. Goals for 2023 include mastering the Cameo Silhouette 4 plotter/cutter, as the plan is to mask/paint as many markings as possible. Also, a 1/32 Bf-109 extravaganza with all the Barracuda Cast resin detail parts made for this particular kit. Cheers!

 

 

 

[1/32 Hobbyboss B-24D Liberator]

Well, that’s gorgeous!

[Tamiya 1/72 Chance-Vought F4U-1A Corsair.]

On 12/9/2022 at 12:41 PM, ghodges said:

Dunno....can't see the problems and I like the oddball scheme with the painted out red surround. Bet it looks great on your shelf! Thanks for sharing!

 

Gil 

Thanks Gil, I appreciate it! Regarding the blue surrounds, I found this:

 

"The Insignia Red outline was replaced with an Insignia Blue outline through the amendment of Army-Navy aeronautical specification AN-I-9 on 14 August 1943. This was followed by an amendment to Technical Order 07-1-1, issued on 24 September 1943, for units in the field. On some US Navy aircraft in the Pacific the blue outline was lighter than the insignia blue."

[Tamiya 1/72 Chance-Vought F4U-1A Corsair.]

Tamiya 1/72 Chance-Vought F4U-1A Corsair. Piloted by LT(jg) Doris "Chico" Freeman, VF-17 Jolly Rogers. He would claim two victories with VF-17 and an additional seven with VF-84.

Improvements include:
Quinta Studios Cockpit.
Aires Landing Flaps.
Ceramic Wire Antenna.
Blanked off Trailing Edges.
EagleCals decals.

The oil tapes and wing walks are Tamiya decals from the kit, and were the worst Tamiya decals I've ever used. Shattered, tore, etc. The oil tapes are silvered around the edges, despite my best efforts. Oh, well...on to the next one.