Current Projects

USMC LAV-R - Figures
2010-09-02
Wow.... Two posts in one week for the same project!!!! I have painted the face and arms of anothe...
Rebel Snowspeeder - Finishing Touches
2010-08-30
Finished up the Snow Speeder over the past few days. Since the last post I have: - Touched up the...
Basement Project - Finishing Touches
2010-07-28
Been a very, very long time since I did any work. About 4 months ago I put in 2 of 3 window sills....
BSG Viper - Finished
2010-01-25
The Viper is done! I added chipping and soot and fluid stains and a few "close calls". The chipp...
F-86F Saber - Finished - Finished
2010-01-10
I used artists oils for a wash and various stains/streaks. I am overall very happy with this build....

Last 10 Models

T-34 85
A T-34 85 built strait from the box. I don't really like the tracks, they are very stiff and even i...
Ford Pickup Truck
Not much to say here. Build from the box. I am not really a car guy but I do enjoy one now and the...
T-34 Model 1942
This is Tamiya's T-34 Model 1943, the old motorized kit. I built it strait from the box. I experim...
SU-122
This is Tamiya's SU-122. i Built it strait out of the box and painted it in the standard Russian da...
Infantry Tank MkII "Matilda"
Tamiya's old (really old) Matilda. I built this strait from the box and painted it in a desert sche...
M24 Chaffe
Italeri's old M24. Nothing special, just built it strait from the box....
M60A1 (1)
Tamiya's old M60A1. I built this one about 18 years ago. On of my older models. My M3 Stuart is m...
KV-1 (2)
Tamiya's old KV-1. I damaged the fenders and depicted it with a damaged idler and busted track....
Jagdtiger (2)
This is DML's Jagdtiger (mid 90's version). I added the Tamiya engine to it and a minor detailing o...
T-34 Model 1941 in winter whitewash
This is Tamiya's T-34 model 1941. I built it to test applying white wash camo. I first spayed the...

BLOG

Sep 26, 2009 21:39 Drooling and Praying
At the local hobby shop today there was a treasure trove of goodies behind the counter. But they are not for sale, yet. They are currently on hold, the owner of them not sure if he wants to sell them to the hobby shop. This treasure trove of after market goodies is enough to make any armor modeler... well... blow his load!

We are talking FRIULMODEL workable tracks, lionroar wheel sets, and enough Verliden sets to fill an entire display counter! Thin resin zimeritt, metal barrels, replacement tank road wheel sets... to much to list...

While I would hate to have to see any modeler part with this golden fleece of goodies... well... the greedy side of me really wants some of these!!!!

Only time will tell!
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Sep 14, 2009 21:58 Best laid plans and all....
I had planned to start applying decals today. Not to be. It is 10pm and I have just finished work for the day. I fear that this is going to be the norm for the next few months.

On the plus side I found some good color pictures to use as referece to add some color to my Phantom cockpit. How if I can just find the dame for the Saber and Zero. Oh yah... and next aircraft I do this BEFORE in install the cockpit!
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Sep 13, 2009 17:17 Clearcoating and Phptographing
Between photographing my models today I also applied clear coat to all three aircraft. I will give it until tomorrow evening before I start applying decals.

This is always the stage that I worry most about. It can make or break a model. I have had more than one model encounter a bad reaction to either the gloss coat or the ensuing flat coat at the end of the decal process. So far though the three projects have gone well. I used Tamiya's gloss coat and applied two coats to each one. Now I just wait for 24 hours.

Once this is done its down to the wire and the decaling process. I am using the kit decals for each of them, nothing fancy.
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Sep 10, 2009 23:17 Site Update Random Image is now Rotated automatically
The image on the left is now automatically rotated every 4 seconds. This is done with a combination of PHP and Javascript. No flash or anything fancy like that.
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Sep 09, 2009 00:05 My built models
Most of these are already in the Gallery, but not all. I arranged them on shelving by subject.
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Sep 08, 2009 08:53 Progress on a number of projects
This past weekend I made good progress on all four builds plus got more shelving up for models.

I put up a 10ft X 16in shelf in the basement and moved a number of models scattered around the house to it. Made room on the book case for books. I still need another 2 10 foot shelves plus some shorter ones if I am to get all my models on shelves and leave some room for expansion.

I finished the base coats on the bombs for the Phantom, touched up the speed brakes and landing gear and have the stripes painted on the Sparrows. Just need to mask the black stripes and then paint the whole thing white.

Got the pilot painted for the Saber and touched up the landing gear. Painted the canopy and frame.

On the Zero I touched up the grey and masked and painted the cowl black. Masked the Canopy (that was a long one task).

Detailed updates later tonight with pictures.
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Sep 06, 2009 18:21 I love Trumpeter
They are releasing a LAV III!!!!!!!!!!

Now I can get rid of one of my Strykers and I won't need to buy the $150+ conversion set. Canadian's in Afghanistan dio here I come!
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Sep 05, 2009 09:07 Site Update
A number of changes over the past few days. The biggest change is how new members can sign up.
I now keep track of your last log in and activity. You can see who is currently logged in on the member page (the Name will be BOLD).

Member Sign Up is now automated. Clicking the Sign Up button along the top will take you to a form where you can sign in. Once you enter your details an email will be sent that contains a link to activate your account.

The layout changed a bit as well. Removed the "login" content box on the left and added the login fields to the menu bar on the top. I also removed the links from all the Blog/Models pages to allow for larger images.
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Sep 04, 2009 23:00 After 2.5 years.... I am modeling baby!!!!!
My stuff was packed away for so long I forgot what I had. I have now worked on models for 5 of the past 6 nights and it's awesome. I feel kind of rusty. Getting the right mix of paint to thinner, the right pressure.

Painting faces is going to be the hardest thing to get back into. Airbrush shading, washes.... so much to get used to again.

The first glitch was the airbrush. I love my Paasche, it puts out a fine line when the paint is mixed right. But it needs to be cleaned well. I have taken to cleaning it and leaving it apart between sessions.

Spraying metallic Tamiya paint was also a challenge. I am not totally happy with the results, and I really had to clean the brush well after that one as metallic flakes tended to migrate the subsequent paint jobs I did. Airbrushing back also did not work so well today.
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Sep 01, 2009 00:22 Next Project
After I finish up with my current group of Projects I think I will build another Diorama. My last real Diorama was the Large 2ftX2ft diorama with 4 vehicles, 2 buildings and about 17 figures. It has also been years since I built a "combat" scene and I think I want to build one like that again.

However.... I have about 20 figures of German troops marching that I have from a Winter 43 Diorama that I started about 10 years ago and then abandoned for a while. When we moved I finally gave up on it and tossed the diorama base. I may want to use them in a diorama. I have many German vehicles built and ready for paint. I have an sdkfz222, sdkfz232, StugIII Ausf C, Panther D....

I have about a dozen figures from an old Arnhem Dio that I was going to do that are posed for combat, an Early M4 Sherman Conversion, M3A1 Halftack, M10.... that could go into combat themed Dio. I could use the M4 and M10 along with the figures and do another Canadian or British. I would need to get more figures if I were to do US troops.

Ideal I would like to use up stuff I already have started. As well, I have about a dozen Plaster building sets, some city buildings, some rural and lots of rubble...

Or maybe a combination... turn the StugIII into a knocked out vehicle, have the M10 using it and a building for cover as it sits watching down a street while troops advance up the street....
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