Table of contents for November 2018 in FineScale Modeler

A club group build of Whippet tanks inspired John Werwie’s World War I diorama, called “The End.” “As I began to research the Whippet, its lore, development, and history triggered a deep emotional need to portray the history of this era,” he says, “perhaps because my grandfather served in WWI.” After building Meng’s 1/35 scale Whippet out of the box, he sprayed it with Brite Touch gray primer to prepare the surface. Although the Vallejo Model Air colors used on the Whippet are designed to be applied straight from the bottle, John added a little Vallejo acrylic thinner, testing the consistency and flow of the mix on scrap plastic or poster board; it usually takes 5-15% thinner to spray properly, he says. In addition to learning the nuances of the…

Lately I have been into World War I modeling subjects. I’m sure it has something to do with these kits being somewhat of a challenge to build, the number of different schemes to choose from in painting them, and that there are so many new kits now on the market. So I jumped at the chance to build and add detail to Roden’s 1/48 scale Fokker D.VII, a worthy replica of one of the most successful airframes of The Great War. Modifications and subassemblies When I compared Roden’s kit to my references for a later-model D.VII, I noticed several minor discrepancies that could be handled with minor modifications to the kit’s parts. But the corrections began with repairs, filling ejector-pin marks, and trimming mold seams. The major modification was to…

6/8 Number of Frecciaclass destroyers lost of the total built What do you do if you’ve built the only two kits of Italian ships in 1/350 scale and you want more? What do you do if you’ve been building model kits for 15 years and you find it less and less challenging? What’s the next natural step if you find yourself superdetailing all the kits you build? The answer is obvious: Scratchbuilding. That’s what I did to model the Italian destroyer Saetta. Here are the lessons I learned from my first scratchbuild. Attitude and tools Good enough is good enough. The first thing to do is to dump the idea of building the perfect model. Modeling is a learning process, and imperfections, setbacks, and minor failures are part of it.…

FRANCISCO GUTIERREZ SANTIAGO, CHILE Operating under the alias of “Block50,” Francisco super-detailed HobbyBoss’ 1/48 scale A-6E Intruder with folding wings, open access, and plenty inside. CHRIS FILTZ WAUSAU, WISCONSIN From Lindberg’s Jolly Roger series comes the spooky 1/12 scale “Hex Marks the Spot.” Chris hand-brushed and weathered with craft-store paints and The Army Painter paints and washes. REMCO TIJMONS WORMER, NORTH HOLLAND, NETHERLANDS The Soviet MiG-3 was better at high altitudes than below 16,000 feet — which, unfortunately, is where it usually fought and was outclassed by the German Bf 109. Remco dressed Trumpeter’s 1/48 scale plane in winter camouflage. LIM EWE GEN PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Lim took his Meng 1/72 scale F-102 outdoors and got a well-lit shot that has his Delta Dagger looking sharp. WES BEATTY…

Bell Aircraft created the P-63 to overcome the Airacobra’s shortcomings. Their efforts resulted in a bigger, better, and faster fighter, which is often described as the P-39’s big brother. Although the Kingcobra was only used in training by the U.S. Army Air Forces, more than 2,000 ended up in Soviet service through Lend-Lease. Dora Wings, a new Ukrainian company, released the 1/48 scale Kingcobra as one of its initial releases. At first glance, the eight small sprues, a photo-etched (PE) fret, and slightly chunky landing gear legs had me thinking this was a short-run kit. But a closer look at the parts convinced me of the contrary. The recessed panel lines are so petite, I feared they would disappear under the primer, base, and finish coats I apply for a…

The Junkers D.1 is an unusual aircraft given the time it was conceived. The original design goes back to 1912, but the D.1 didn’t enter service till late 1918. With its single cantilever wing and all-metal construction, the D.1 looks more the part of an inter-war aircraft than a WWI fighter. I had never built a Wingnut Wings kit before, but I’d heard amazing things and had high expectations. I was not let down. The box contains four gray spruces, a small fret of photo-etch (PE), and gorgeous Cartograf decals. There’s also an exceptional booklet, with colored instructions, photos of the real aircraft, and an illustrative history of Junkers aircraft leading up to the D.1. Five variants can be built — they are all displayed on the box side. I…

It's been four years since Kitty Hawk released its first 1/48 scale Voodoo. Since then, modelers have been expecting and hoping for other versions which have finally arrived in the last couple of months including the two-seat F-101B and this kit, the dedicated reconnaissance platform RF-101C (No. KH80116; $70.99, which includes optional nose parts to build G/H variants. Finely recessed panel lines and tiny rivets mark the airframe, including the modular fuselage and the new nose parts. Clear parts supply the camera windows in the nose. Be aware that some molding problems encountered in the initial kit are still present, including sinkholes on the speed brakes and a missing tab on one tail-plane. In common with the previous Voodoos, cockpit panels are replicated with photo-etched (PE) plates and decal dials.…

Before I saw the photo reference book Canadian Leopard C2 MEXAS in Afghanistan, by Anthony Sewards, Rick Saucier, and Miloslav Hraban (MPA Publications, no ISBN), I had little knowledge of this tank. But after thumbing through the book, I came to really appreciate the beefy look the added armor gave to the sleek Leopard 1. I knew I wanted to build this bad boy. When Takom released a MEXAS Leopard (No. 2003), I bought it — and then it sat on my shelf for years, waiting but not forgotten. I wanted to update the Takom kit, but in an economical way. I’ve found the easiest way is to use the update set from Legend Productions (No. 1272). You still have to mind your references and chosen time frame to combine…

BRIAN CAVET PICAYUNE, MISSISSIPPI Brian improved Tamiya’s 1/48 scale F-14A with Eduard photo-etch in the cockpit, Cross Delta self-adhesive metal tail stiffeners, Def.Model resin wheels, and a Quickboost TCS pod. After priming the Tomcat with black enamel, he pre-shaded random panels and panel lines with white as well as different shades of gray and blue. Then he airbrushed thin layers of the final camouflage shade, letting the other colors show to mimic F-14 weathering. TOM RODGERS COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS To model one of the more than 90,000 motorcycles built by Harley-Davidson during World War II, Tom built Italeri’s 1/9 scale WLA out of the box and painted it with Vallejo Model Air acrylics. After treating a base coat of rust and aluminum with Ammo by Mig Jimenez chipping fluid, he airbrushed…

When I was young, the neighborhood kids and I would spend hours building models and then, of course, playing with our creations — big fun! The only problem was that almost everybody on my block was older than I, and therefore, more “in the know.” Example: If I called an elevator a flap, I’d be set upon by the older boys. It became important for me to differentiate a drive sprocket from an idler wheel and a deck from a floor. So with the help of technical manuals and other books with plenty of pictures, I diligently learned the correct nomenclature. Here are some of the most often misidentified or unidentified parts on a tank. Turret basket vs. bustle rack The open stowage bin at the back of a tank’s…

Israel’s current main battle tank, the Merkava, (chariot in Hebrew) entered service in 1979. Since then, the design has undergone several updates leading to the Mk.IV with enhanced protection and modular armor for quick repairs. The latest tanks, Mk.IVMs, are fitted with the Trophy active protection system that can intercept incoming rockets and missiles. Meng’s Mark IVM packs in the details, including crisp, slide-molded machine-gun barrels and perfectly formed V-shaped belly armor. Despite the relatively high parts count, the kit builds rather quickly. The seams on the hull virtually disappear with many components joining along welds seams. The Merkava’s suspension is a neat combination of torsion bars and external springs. The kit’s parts, including slide-molded springs, provide for a convincing working suspension. Unfortunately, most of this terrific detail won’t be…

To capitalize on gains made in the Spring Offensive, on July 15, 1918, 23 German army divisions attacked French positions around the city of Reims. The offensive, known as Operation Friedensturm (Peace Storm), was designed to draw Allied troops from the Flanders front in preparation for a larger offensive that, it was hoped, would force the French to seek an armistice. Allied troops on the eastern flank of the assault held their ground but the defenders to the west on the south side of the Marne River around Dormans faced a sustained assault. Stosstruppen (storm troopers) led the way as German soldiers overran the French lines and established a bridgehead. The success was short lived as British and American reinforcements arrived and the Allies attacked the German salient three days…

The main mission of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet was to carry nuclear bombs to the Soviet Union. However, it was only a threat — the jet never flew as a bomber in combat. The B-47E was the definitive variant, with more than 1,300 produced. Also, B-47Bs were modified to E standards, which included upgraded engines and racks for Jet-Assisted Takeoff (JATO) bottles along with several other changes. Academy’s 1/144 scale B-47B/E (No. 12617) originated as a Hobbycraft kit. There are construction options and decals for two versions: a B-47B, No. 51-2212, 306th Bombardment Wing; and a B-47E, No. 51-2320, 441st Bombardment Squadron/320th Bombardment Wing. Despite its small scale the kit’s details are great, with finely engraved panel lines. I used color modulation to heighten the details, subtly darkening the undersides…

Every once in a while, there appears an out-of-the-ordinary scheme for a model. Enter a Douglas A-20G Havoc with interesting nose and tail art and an interesting history. MPM 1/72 scale Havoc (No. 72539) was already in my inventory when I saw Kits-World’s A-20G decals (No. KW72146) that included a bare metal Havoc. Little Chief, with its expansive starboard-side nose art and a distinctive skull and crossbones on he rudder, immediately prompted me to build the kit. A little history: During World War II, Little Chief flew with the 321st Bombardment Squadron, 90th Bombardment Group. Stripped of much of its armament, the Havoc carried the “fat cat” designation for flights from New Guinea to Australia to secure booze and food for the troops. Assembling subassemblies The MPM kit is molded…

Northrop originally designed the F-5 as a low-cost alternative to other supersonic jet fighters of the late 1950s and it was widely exported to countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. Developed in the early 1970s, the F-5E Tiger II added more powerful engines, greater fuel capacity, and a larger wing as well as improved radar. The 450-part kit is crammed with details and options, including two nose types that can be left off to display the radar, detailed cannon bays, open or closed auxiliary intakes on the rear fuselage, separate control surfaces and speed brakes, and optional resin or plastic afterburner nozzles. Also in the box is a selection of underwing stores: two sizes of fuel tanks; AIM-9B and -9E Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles, and Mk.20 and…

Growing up in the 1970s, the F4 Phantom was the coolest plane around and has since remained one of my favorites. Airfix recently introduced an all-new tooling of the Spey-engined Phantom and it’s a beauty! I was surprised at the size of the box for a 1/72 scale kit, but it’s packed to the gills with parts. Molded in soft blue-gray plastic, they feature excellent surface detail and finely recessed panel lines. Out of the box, there are three basic build options: in-flight, ready for a catapult launch, and stowed. Three marking options also are provided and the decals include airframe stencils — and there are a ton of them. The 111 assembly steps may seem daunting. Study the instructions carefully and decide which version and options you wish to…

OK, so we headed to Phoenix, Arizona, in August for the IPMS/USA National Convention. Yes, that’s right, to Phoenix, THAT Phoenix, in summer. We knew it would be hot — really hot — and it was. How’s 107-109 degrees Fahrenheit every day sound? There was even a dust storm one evening. But we’re tough, so that didn’t bother us or the other modelers attending the International Plastic Modelers Society nationals because the show was a couple floors down in the convention center. Nice and cool there. But heat, that stifling heat of an Arizona summer, was a major topic of conversation. It started at the club meetings and on the forums months before, folks talking about those who had left models in their cars or trucks when attending the last…