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Modeling manuals...


adfogel

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So, I have a few of the old Kalmbach books on "How build...", the first three VLS modeling books, a pair of the Osprey Masterclass books on WWII aircraft and finally Brett Green's Osprey book on building and painting aircraft. Along with these manuals I also have the Model Master Modeler's Technical Guide. I do use these books on occasion with the Kalmbach, VLS and MM books having gotten plenty of mileage over the years.

 

I'm curious as to how maany of you have any books like these and if so do you actually use them as intended? Even if you disagree with or are intimidated by the work of the author(s) does anyone out there enjoy what these manuals have to offer and do you apply it to the kits you build?

 

Curious,

 

Lee

 

 

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I still have Shep Paine's Building Dioramas book. I also had the IPMS Plastic Modeling Tips book (gave that to a new member), as well as the Kalmbach book on building vacuform models. I have the "Encyclopedia of Modeling" and one of the Verlinden aircraft books. As for "using" them.....well I've read them all and gleaned the techniques I needed from them. However, I think they've all served more to inspire me rather than actually "teach" me. All in all, I feel they've been very helpful!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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Whenever I am brave enough to paint a face, I still pull out the Shep Paine book as my guide.

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I have the three Gerald Windgrove books and I frequently read them. They are as much an inspiration as an instructional tome, though I frequently get ideas which translate to plastic.

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Funny this topic came up!

 

I am (still) in the process of organizing my books, and came across some of these. "Back in the day" I got much enjoyment out of them, and did learn a great deal. NOW, I never look at them, and actually forgot that I had a few. At this point, I am not sure if I am going to keep them, ,or pass them on to someone else who will enjoy them. I'm on the fence, but leaning toward putting them in the "go" pile.

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I have most of the Kalmbach books and many Osprey books. Look at them all the time. Great for regaining the ol modeling mojo. They make it look soooooooo easy.

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Tim: if you decide to dump your "how to" books, I heartily suggest giving them to newer members rather than selling them. It's just one of those "little" things that does you and them a world of good!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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I just bought 2 Bf109 modeling guides.

1. The Messerschmitt Bf 109, A Comprehensive Guide For The Modeler, Part 1: Prototype to "E" Variants (2005) and

2. Ibid, Part 2: "F" to "K" Variants (2007)

 

Both are by Lynn Ritger from SAM Publications

 

I have tons of the modeling books about German armor, especially the ones from ACHTUNG PANZER and Sturm and Drang.

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Funny this topic came up!

 

I am (still) in the process of organizing my books, and came across some of these. "Back in the day" I got much enjoyment out of them, and did learn a great deal. NOW, I never look at them, and actually forgot that I had a few. At this point, I am not sure if I am going to keep them, ,or pass them on to someone else who will enjoy them. I'm on the fence, but leaning toward putting them in the "go" pile.

Tim, my 11 year old nephew and now my 8 1/2 year old nephew are getting into modeling. I've been working with them since we moved back to KY last year and it's been a very positive experience. Long story short their father abandoned them (and their 3 other siblings) this past November and modeling has really been a big help in keeping them from focusing on being angry and such. If you do decide to get rid of any of your books (or old kits for that matter) I'd be more than willing to cover any costs. It's been a bit of a struggle but we're makin' progress with the oldest boys.:) Feel free to email or PM me anytime and I can explain more if you like.

 

I just bought 2 Bf109 modeling guides.

1. The Messerschmitt Bf 109, A Comprehensive Guide For The Modeler, Part 1: Prototype to "E" Variants (2005) and

2. Ibid, Part 2: "F" to "K" Variants (2007)

 

Both are by Lynn Ritger from SAM Publications

 

I have tons of the modeling books about German armor, especially the ones from ACHTUNG PANZER and Sturm and Drang.

 

Argh! I'm looking for Part 1! I've got Part 2 at least. Mind if I ask where you got yours as SAM Publications lists it as being OOP.:(

 

Later,

 

Lee

P.S. I've attached a few pics of the boys, Michael (11) and Anthony (8).

001Medium.jpg

 

158.jpg

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Good looking boys Lee, and I commend you on helping them through their situation with modeling. I do hope you get the books; they are some deserving boys.

 

That being said; I haven't had any of those books myself. For decades I just plugged along, learning real slow and building everything the same until I was able to join a club and go online. Then my models dramatically improved. Before that, I never even knew books like those existed.

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I have them, but mainly for references as opposed to a guide of how to model build.

 

In other words, I'll use it if it shows me how to convert an M4A3 105mm into an M4 105mm (just for example) or how to update a Tamiya T-72 into a more recent vehicle.

 

Not to show me how to bang up a fendor or apply mud in a more realistic fashion.

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Funny this topic came up!

 

I am (still) in the process of organizing my books, and came across some of these. "Back in the day" I got much enjoyment out of them, and did learn a great deal. NOW, I never look at them, and actually forgot that I had a few. At this point, I am not sure if I am going to keep them, ,or pass them on to someone else who will enjoy them. I'm on the fence, but leaning toward putting them in the "go" pile.

Tim, my 11 year old nephew and now my 8 1/2 year old nephew are getting into modeling. I've been working with them since we moved back to KY last year and it's been a very positive experience. Long story short their father abandoned them (and their 3 other siblings) this past November and modeling has really been a big help in keeping them from focusing on being angry and such. If you do decide to get rid of any of your books (or old kits for that matter) I'd be more than willing to cover any costs. It's been a bit of a struggle but we're makin' progress with the oldest boys.:) Feel free to email or PM me anytime and I can explain more if you like.

 

I just bought 2 Bf109 modeling guides.

1. The Messerschmitt Bf 109, A Comprehensive Guide For The Modeler, Part 1: Prototype to "E" Variants (2005) and

2. Ibid, Part 2: "F" to "K" Variants (2007)

 

Both are by Lynn Ritger from SAM Publications

 

I have tons of the modeling books about German armor, especially the ones from ACHTUNG PANZER and Sturm and Drang.

 

Argh! I'm looking for Part 1! I've got Part 2 at least. Mind if I ask where you got yours as SAM Publications lists it as being OOP.:(

 

Later,

 

Lee

P.S. I've attached a few pics of the boys, Michael (11) and Anthony (8).

001Medium.jpg

 

158.jpg

 

I bought both of them off of eBay last week and they are both brand new. Some guy out of NY was selling them at $39.00 a piece. I bought Part 1 then thought after 2 days I need to go ahead and get Part 2 which I did. SAM Pubs is the distributor and one was published in '05, the other in '07 so I don't understand why one is OOP. might try eBay and enter those words as a search term. Also check OOP books on Google. They both are AWESOME in detail, I figured well another book on just models and how they are built but these are so detailed with info I couldn't beleive the treasure I bought. Good luck finding the one you need.

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Tim, go tto Alibris. com and enter the words The Messerchmitt Bf 109, Part 1. They have BOTH of the books at $33.99 each!!! Go fella, run as fast as you can.

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Tim, go tto Alibris. com and enter the words The Messerchmitt Bf 109, Part 1. They have BOTH of the books at $33.99 each!!! Go fella, run as fast as you can.

 

Thanks, James! I have Part 2 and they had a copy of Part 1 left. It was $38 but well worth it as I believe it will only go up, up, up in value/price now that it is discontinued. MANY THANKS for the link!

 

Later,

 

Lee

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Good looking boys Lee, and I commend you on helping them through their situation with modeling. I do hope you get the books; they are some deserving boys.

 

That being said; I haven't had any of those books myself. For decades I just plugged along, learning real slow and building everything the same until I was able to join a club and go online. Then my models dramatically improved. Before that, I never even knew books like those existed.

 

 

Thanks, Mark... I sincerely apprecaite your kind words. Those boys have had a rough time of things all their life and I'm just trying to keep them focused on the positive things.

 

Later,

 

Lee

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Good looking boys Lee, and I commend you on helping them through their situation with modeling. I do hope you get the books; they are some deserving boys.

 

That being said; I haven't had any of those books myself. For decades I just plugged along, learning real slow and building everything the same until I was able to join a club and go online. Then my models dramatically improved. Before that, I never even knew books like those existed.

 

 

Thanks, Mark... I sincerely apprecaite your kind words. Those boys have had a rough time of things all their life and I'm just trying to keep them focused on the positive things.

 

Later,

 

Lee

 

When I married my wife 19 years ago this month, she had three young children ages 6, 3 and 2 with no help from their dads. I raised them as my own and gave them a much better life than what they would have had. The three year old is now a 22 yr old Army wife who I walked down the aisle and the 2 year old is now a 21 yr old PFC in Germany. It was quite a culture shock going from a single Army captain to a father of three in one "I do." Sort of like the Major Dad TV series with toddlers and pre-schoolers.

 

It took me a while to convince my Kentucky wife that Cs are not good grades and home work is important for kids to do. While the boys (6 and 2 yr olds) did not get good grades throughout school, the daughter did and eventually went to college before marrying.

 

Fortunately, the three kids we had together have a stronger work ethic with my firstborn (17 yr old) daughter a junior in high school and ranked 4th in her class and my 14 yr old son who is taking high school math classes while in the 8th grade. He will actually complete the mandatory math requirement for KY high school graduation before he gets into high school. I joke that it's the Asian blood in them that makes them so smart. But it has to be something, we've raised all six kids the same but the two Kentucky-blooded boys never did homework or study at all but my two teenagers now do homework that is much tougher than I remember doing even in college and they knock it out before dinner.

 

I'm also back to where I started 19 years ago with a 6 yr old of my own. It is nice that the older children can help him with his homework. I don't remember 1st graders getting daily homework for the previous five kids I raised.

 

Good luck with the boys. I know from experience that you can only give them a good environment, a strong role model and plenty of guidance but it's up to them to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.

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Wish I had boys...girls ideas of a pastime or hobby is going to the MALL! Of course, I also have a grandDaughter....no grandson. AAAGGGHHH

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Wish I had boys...girls ideas of a pastime or hobby is going to the MALL! Of course, I also have a grandDaughter....no grandson. AAAGGGHHH

 

 

That shouldn't have stopped them. My 17 yr old daughter had entered several kits back in 2004 at GraniteCon in Nashua, NH when she was 11 yrs old. She won 4 awards that day. My 22 yr old daughter loved to build some Pokemon pre-painted models way back. They used to sell them at Suncoast Movie stores (a video store in the mall). She had at least a dozen.

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  • 1 month later...

I use Modeling manuals as a brief refresher course before starting in on a project. This also holds for any older magazines that I have kept for that reason. That holds true for ANY model, whether it is a car or truck, aircraft or armor, or even a ship, like my FSM article on building Revells PT 109 kit.

 

Dave

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I have the three Gerald Windgrove books and I frequently read them. They are as much an inspiration as an instructional tome, though I frequently get ideas which translate to plastic.

 

I've got several of these how-to books and keep them around for much the same reason, reviewing them for inspiration, encouragement, forgotten, interesting, or untried techniques, whenever the bug bites. The model railroading guys are impressive across the board. A couple of my favorite books are STYRENE MODELING by the Evergreen folks and two books by John Alcorn: SCRATCHBUILT and THE MASTER SCRATCHBUILDERS. Truly awesome stuff in those. Some of it is intimidating. I will probably never build at that level, but it's all very inspiring, just the same.

Edited by VonL
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Sometimes I select a specific technique which the manual covers and I try it out on a test subject. In my case this is especially true of figure painting.

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