Great Scale Modeling 2019

ROBERT MORRISON CARROLLTON, TEXAS Robert’s clean French air force fighter is Kinetic’s 1/48 scale Mirage 2000 built out of the box. He masked the sharp-edged camouflage with Tamiya tape, and airbrushed the model with Tamiya acrylics mixed with Mr. Color Thinner. Model shows and contests range in size and scope. Some attract a couple hundred entries whereas large national events can see thousands of scale creations crowding the tables. For modelers with entries, these shows are a chance to test their skills. But entering is not the only reason to travel to a contest. There’s the camaraderie of visiting with fellow hobbyists and discussing the ins and outs of your latest builds. And, of course, there’s the vendor room with the chance to pick up either the latest offerings or…

HAAGEN KLAUS FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA To detail Kitty Hawk’s 1/32 scale OS2U Kingfisher, Haagen added Eduard photo-etched metal to the cockpit, engine, interior, and exterior. After painting with MRP and AK Interactive colors, he applied Yellow Wings decals to mark it as a pre-war patroller at Naval Air Station Sitka in Alaska. Hundreds of modelers headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee, in August for the International Plastic Modelers Society/USA National Convention. The result was a contest room crowded with thousands of terrific models. FSM editors Mark Savage and Aaron Skinner hit the highway south from Milwaukee to enjoy Moon Pies and photograph scores of scale masterpieces. You can see more in the January 2020 FSM on sale December 3. Visit KalmbachHobbyStore.com to get a copy. Next year’s convention will be July 29 to…

RICHARD REGGIO HAMMOND, LOUISIANA Richard’s only addition to ProModeler’s 1/48 scale SB2C-4 was Eduard photo-etched metal seat belts. Using Tamiya acrylics, he pre-shaded the Helldiver’s camouflage to show fading in the Pacific sun. Other weathering includes artist-oil washes and pastels. MARK WALCOTT SNYDER, OKLAHOMA Friulmodel metal tracks ground Trumpeter’s 1/35 scale Tiger I, which Mark airbrushed with Tamiya acrylics as a tank from the 505th Heavy Panzer Battalion in 1944 France. He applied an artist-oil wash to add grime overall, then removed much of it. JOHN PATTISON ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO You may not respect Cartman’s “authoritah,” but you have to admire John’s finish on the South Park character. The uniform is hand-painted and the sunglasses were airbrushed. DENNIS ROSSKO CARROLLTON, TEXAS Dennis finished Fantastic Plastic’s 1/144 scale resin kit of…

DAVE OLSZEWSKI CORAOPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA Dave improved Revell’s 1/83 scale ARC-170 with scratchbuilt rear guns and an astromech droid, then painted it with Testors Model Master and Tamiya acrylics. The battle-worn finish on the Star Wars ship started with airbrushed streaks and post-shading; then he painted chips and flowed in a thin wash to pop panel lines. If you are into science fiction, horror, fantasy, or comic book subjects, you need to be at WonderFest USA. Held in Louisville, Kentucky, the weekend after Memorial Day, the two-day event features a gigantic vendor room filled with fun kits, guests, seminars, and special events as well as the Amazing Model Contest. The 2019 show featured a record number of models in the contest with 824. That’s where FSM editors Mark Savage and Aaron…

GREG HANCHUK BEREA, OHIO “Go home” is the title of Greg’s 1/35 scale diorama of a Russian checkpoint in Grozny during the First Chechen War in 1995. The focal point is Trumpeter’s 1/35 scale T-72, to which Greg added missing details, MasterClub tracks, and a turned-metal barrel, then painted with Tamiya acrylics and AK Interactive Real Color acrylic lacquers over black primer. Muddy groundwork is blue insulating foam covered with cork for the road and clay, and decorated with Vallejo earth effects. Figures from Evolution, MasterClub, and Paracel populate the scene. Buffalo, New York, played host to the annual international convention of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society in May, attracting hundreds of modelers and their scale tanks, trucks, and more. FSM editors Mark Savage and Aaron Skinner jetted into…

JEFFREY CAMPBELL EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA To display a Viking at rest, Jeffrey modified Hasegawa’s 1/72 scale S-3A with resin folded wings from Wolfpack Design. Other aftermarket sets upped the ante, including Steel Beach engine FOD covers, a Pavla bomb bay, and Eduard torpedoes. He painted the U.S. Navy antisubmarine aircraft with Testors Model Master acrylics using engine gray as a shading base with light gull gray for the topcoat. Members of IPMS/Mad City Modelers have conducted their annual show in Madison, Wisconsin, at end of winter for 24 years. The 2019 show also was the IPMS Region 5 regional contest and attracted builders from across the area. FSM drove to the show and shot these photos. The 25th annual show will be March 7, 2020, at the Crowne Plaza in…