Sommaire pour January 2018 de FineScale Modeler

Crews hustle about the deck and propellers spin as the Akagi launches the first wave of fighters and torpedo bombers against Pearl Harbor. That’s the scene set by Dave Adamson’s 1/350 scale model of the Japanese carrier. The Parker, Colo., resident pulled out all the stops when he built Hasegawa’s Akagi with four of the company’s detail sets embellished with some Eduard photo-etch (PE). In addition to ladders and railings, PE replaced much of the kit plastic under the flight deck. Dave painted most of the 29-inch-long model with Testors Model Master enamels mixed with Testors Universal Enamel Thinner. He uses different ratios for flat — 3 parts paint and 1 part thinner — and gloss colors — 3 parts paint and 2 parts thinner. Using a dental compressor (a…

Working on a never-ending project? Tired of filling, sanding, dry-fitting, and sanding some more? I was — and there was no better medicine than a kit like Tamiya’s 1/48 scale P-51D (No. 61040). Relax, sit comfortably, put on some music, and enjoy the model. Released in 1994, it is a fantastic piece of engineering and a remarkable demonstration of detail and simplicity. Just two sprues provide everything you need for a really good-looking Mustang to add to your World War II collection. What got me going was a decal sheet from Eagle Strike (No. 48090, “Checkertail Clan Pt. I”) including three colorful Mustangs from the 325th Fighter Group operating in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO). I chose Stinker Pat (P-51D-15, 44-15131), flown in the 317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron by…

For no reason other than size, the A-3B Skywarrior is one of the most impressive U.S. Navy aircraft ever. Known as the “Whale,” the aircraft comes in different shapes for a variety of missions, which only adds to its desirability in model form. Relatively new, Hasegawa’s 1/72 scale Skywarrior has been released in a variety of guises — and you can get aftermarket bits to convert them into a bunch more. It features fully engraved panel lines with nice crisp detail. There is very little flash, few shrink marks, and the panel fasteners are well done with only the larger “bolt”-type fasteners and no rivets on show, fully appropriate for this scale.…

Revell’s new kit of the iconic early Spitfire features optional windscreens, well-illustrated instructions, and comprehensive decals with markings for one aircraft. Cockpit assembly was trouble-free. I painted most of the components with Testors Model Master RAF interior green; a brown artist’s oil wash popped the molded details. After applying the instrument and seat belt decals, I sealed the assembly with clear flat. The fuselage halves fit so well that I didn’t need filler to eliminate a seam. Be careful, though, as the tail wheel and fin antenna mast are molded on one of the halves and easily knocked off during assembly and painting. The wing fit well except for small gaps at the joins with the separate wingtips; I filled those areas with white glue. Both the wing and the…

Your voice in FSM Now that’s a big model I’ve been building models for 65 years, give or take. The latest project: Would you believe the front 28 feet of a full-size F-100D? The fuselage portion of the project started in 2006. The attached photo shows me in the “model” just after it was completed in July 2015. Steve Rettell taught me how to do the metal work — there’s no way I could have done this without his help. The vinyl decals were made by Jack and Beth Harrell, using my drawings as templates. My wife, Anne, painted the Statue de la Liberté details. This airplane was based in Chaumont, France, and the color scheme was carried in the 1958 William Tell Weapons Meet at Nellis Air Force Base.…

The Abrams tank seems to be a hot subject with kit manufacturers lately. Rye Field, Dragon, Meng, and Tamiya have recently come out with one Abrams or another in 1/35 scale. What we were missing was an Abrams in 1/48 scale — until now. Tightly packed in Tamiya’s box for the M1A2 are five trees of parts molded in tan plastic, all finely molded and flash-free. I was impressed at first glance: It was shocking to see that the antislip coating was molded into the parts, something the 1/35 scale molds lacked. The instructions are a 10-page foldout booklet. They include a recommended tool guide, paint-color callout guide (Tamiya colors only), and a separate sheet with a brief history on the Abrams and a decal placement guide. The instructions are…

Both Kittyhawk and HobbyBoss have graced us with newly tooled kits of the Su-17M3/M4 in close succession. Previously, there was only one option for building an Su-17 “Fitter” in 1/48 scale, that being the old KP/OEZ mold that has also been reissued by Eduard and Smer in recent times. Kittyhawk (KH) provides 766 parts, including 11 in clear styrene and 24 photoetched (PE) brass, versus 403 (13 in clear and 20 PE) from HobbyBoss (HB). You can choose from seven color schemes with the KH kit, two from HB. The KH instructions cover 19 steps in 34 pages. There are numerous faults in the instructions, including misnumbered parts, some parts not numbered at all, and several areas where it is not that obvious where parts go or how they assemble.…

The spirit of gift-giving is part of all the ways in which the holiday season is celebrated. Right alongside peace on earth and good will toward men (and women) are those true gifts born of selflessness, sacrifice, thoughtfulness, and compassion. In the spirit of the season, a few modelers will present their own special gifts representing hours spent for charity — builds destined for others’ shelves, keepsakes for someone else’s life. This year, one of those charitable modelers is Dale Stanek, of Sarasota, Fla., who challenged his own skills to build his first tall ship — for someone he didn’t even know. We’ll let him tell the rest of the story: “A co-worker was looking for a home for about two dozen model kits that his dad had. His dad…

Tiger F13 is a rolling contradiction — a hybrid tank cobbled together with components from motley vehicles from training schools and unit remnants. It comprises an early production turret with Zimmerit, a midproduction hull, and late-production steel wheels! A part of the Gruppe Fehrmann scratch unit, it saw action late in the war as part of last-ditch German defenses. Only a couple of poor-quality photos are known, but they prove that this tank did exist. I referred to the grainy images as I built Cyber-hobby’s White Box limited-edition Gruppe Fehrmann Tiger I (No. 6335). I also used Atak resin Zimmerit (No. 35032), designed for Dragon’s late Tigers. From the bottom up I replaced the kit tracks with workable plastic Modelkasten Tiger I Late tracks, which include a jig that holds…

For years, builders of modern naval aircraft in 1/72 scale have felt left behind when it comes to diorama accessories. So I was excited when Italeri produced a large Nimitzclass carrier-deck section (No. 1326). I had already built a Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat and thought I would be placing it on an assembled surface in no time. This was far from the truth… The good parts of the kit are: 1) the tie-downs on the deck look realistic; 2) there’s a posable hatch (opened or closed) for the catapult operator’s position; and 3) the carrier deck is made of a sturdy piece of plastic. The bad parts are: 1) the box art makes you think that you can make bow catapult No. 2, which you can’t; 2) the decals of the…

When I looked at the beat-up old Airfix 1/144 scale BAC-111 (No. 903178), it reminded me of just how long I’d had it — and when I opened it, the primitive kit emitted that familiar old-box bouquet. The British Caledonian decals had curled and yellowed over the years — a “someday” kit gone past its day. Nonetheless, I was able to obtain an ATP decal sheet for a Pacific Express BAC-111 that included windows and windshields. Calling up photos of the plane, I welcomed ATP’s guidance on changing the shape of the nose to make it more pointed. The wing fences would need to be relocated inboard, and ATP covered that change as well.…

FSM experts build and evaluate new kits Trumpeter M915 tractor and M872 trailer The M915 tractor was based on the Crain Carrier Company’s Centaur series of trucks and built under license for the military by American General. Powered by a 440-horsepower, 855-cubic-inch Cummings diesel engine, the 6 x 4 tractor can pull heavy loads on improved roads. Trumpeter’s new M915 includes an M872 flatbed trailer with a 40-foot container. Molded in light gray plastic, the kit features good detail and excellent fit. The curbside kit lacks an engine; only the lower part of the motor and transmission are visible underneath. The cab is molded in one piece. Clear plastic provides all of the windows and lights; the 24 tires are molded in a hard vinyl. Photo-etch (PE) is provided for…

The word big describes the fullsize Maus. It also describes Takom’s kit and its level of exterior detail. Most of the more than 700 parts go into the suspension and running gear; only 50 parts make up the hull and turret. The build begins with the suspension and road wheels. If you’re careful during assembly, the bogies should be movable. But it’s easy to get a bit of glue in the wrong spot and, given the large number of T road wheels, move to the next and fail to notice that one of the arms is stuck. Fortunately, the amount of travel is small, so it’s not a great loss. In fact, it’s probably easier to just go ahead and glue them in position. The tracks look great and work well,…