FineScale Modeler November/December 2022

The time has arrived. November marks FineScale Modeler’s Build a Model Month, a first-of-its-kind celebration of scale modeling! So, head to your workbenches and get building. But there’s more to BAMM than just encouraging all of us to start cutting plastic and brushing paint. We also want you to get out there and proselytize; get the word out about the fun of modeling. Introduce the hobby to someone who isn’t currently a modeler. It can be a family member, distant relative, friend, or anyone else. Take a kit from your stash, find a place to work and build it together. If you are part of a model club, maybe you can organize a BAMM event to bring the fun to your community. When you’re done, share your stories with FSM. We want…

Remember, safety first This is not so much a Letter to the Editor as maybe a safety tip. Reading the July/August 2022 FSM and Darren Roberts’ article on building the resin Collect-Aire 1/48 scale AJ Savage, I was surprised that there was no mention about the possible health effects of resin dust. I always wet sand with lots of water to keep the dust down. I was particularly concerned with Photo 14 where he suggests using an abrasive bit in a rotary tool but doesn’t mention that it’s a good idea to wear a mask when doing so. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the article and the issue as a whole. I have numerous resin kits (Chorozsy-Modelbud, Planet Models, Uni-craft, etc.), so it’s always nice to see the inclusion of…

AIRCRAFT 1/32 SCALE Cheetah D SAAF Fighter from Kinetic Model, No. 48081, $99.99. WBR 1/48 SCALE Z-526AFS Akrobat from Eduard, No. 84185, $34.95. WBR “Jig Dog” JD-1D Invader with KDA-1 drone from ICM, No. 48289, $138.99. AH-1G Cobra Over Vietnam with M-35 Gun System Hi-Tech from Special Hobby, No. SH48230, $80.90. YAK-9T WWII SOVIET FIGHTER from ICM, No. 32090, $79.99. WBR 1/72 SCALE AT-6C/D & SNJ-3/3C Texan Training to Win from Special Hobby, No. SH72450, $22.70. Fouga CM-175 Zéphyr from Special Hobby, No. SH72323, $22.70. Avia S-199 bubble canopy from Eduard, No. 70151, $26.95. WBR The Ghost of Kyiv MiG-29 of Ukrainian Air Force from ICM, No. 72140, $39.99. Silbervogel suborbital bomber from Takom, No. 5017, $54.95. Silbervogel suborbital bomber and atomic payload suite from Takom, No. 5018, $73.95. TU-2T Soviet Torpedo from ICM, No. 2155, $31.95. ARMOR 1/35 SCALE Laffly (f) typ V15T, WWII German military vehicle…

Most modelers have a large stash of unbuilt kits, or closet insulation, as one of my friends refers to it. For older hobbyists, many of those kits can be old, simple, and devoid of the details we expect in today’s offerings. A good example is Tamiya’s 1/35 scale Daimler Mk.II scout car, known in service as the Dingo. Looking through my stash for a small, simple project, I came across one of these kits, first released in 1972. Opening the box revealed 70-odd plastic parts as well as an Eduard photo-etched metal (PE) set (No. 35143) and some resin stowage from Verlinden. The age of the Tamiya Dingo is highlighted in the simplified interior and the omission of suspension and drive components. The few details present would require reworking or were…

My friends know that I’m always up for a project that will get me thinking, researching, and doing a bit of scratchbuilding. After a couple of pretty straightforward builds, I was looking to shake off the ho-hums and thought replicating a burned-out vehicle may be just the thing. I had to decide how complex a subject I wanted to tackle. A closed-up armored vehicle, such as a tank, would have low complexity with only the rubber parts of the wheels and maybe its track pads burned away in a fire. Something like a cargo truck with a wooden bed would be more complex as the wood, tires, and interior appointments all go up in flames leaving behind a lot of intricate steel. Might as well go big, so I chose a…