Table of contents for March 2017 in FineScale Modeler

For two decades, Grumman’s feline fighters dominated U.S. carrier decks. The line that began with the Wildcat culminated in the F11F Tiger in the mid-1950s. (The ultimate Grumman naval fighter, the Tomcat, entered service several years after the Tiger was dismissed.) Hasegawa’s 1/72 scale F11F, which has been around since the early 1980s, is widely considered to be the best Tiger. The initial release featured the later long-nose variant, but some subsequent kits contain a resin nose to backdate the fighter to the early version. I built one of those with cockpit and wheel-well details from Obscureco (No. 72026), then finished it as a trainer with high-visibility patches. Despite never being used in combat, one F11F was shot down — by itself. On Sept. 21, 1956, Grumman test pilot Tom…

GARRICK BALIARIS PEARL CITY, HAWAII Caracal decals marked Garrick’s 1/48 scale Tamiya F-15C as one of the Hawaiian Air National Guard, stationed 20 minutes away from his home. SEAN PEARSON ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA Without the benefit of an aftermarket set, Sean set out to leave the doors ajar and scratchbuild an interior for his Trumpeter 1/35 scale M1117 using sheet styrene and Eduard photo-etched diamond-plate flooring. He used thin wire and solder for electrical lines and thermoformed a steering wheel with styrene tube. Parts from Sean’s spares and a basket built from styrene rod helped detail the turret. The anti-IED antennas are from Voyager. GRANT DALZELL COOMINYA, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA Modeling an old, retired aircraft was Grant’s aim with Trumpeter’s 1/32 scale MiG-17PF. He added Techmod decals for Polish markings and painted…

Obviously kits consist of individual parts. But the object of finishing them is to make them look like a solid object. The best way to do that is to eliminate gaps between the pieces. Sanding will take care of minor problems. However, if the parts don’t quite meet or are mismatched, filler may be needed. Putties remain the go-to for this kind of work. But there are several types and they can be useful in different ways. Let’s look at three main types and how to use them. Solvent-based putty Stinky and sticky, these putties contain organic solvents like toluene and acetone, 1. Like plastic cement these solvents can melt styrene, so they adhere well. They’ve been the gold standard for filling gaps pretty much since modeling became a serious…

The Soviet/Russian T-72 main battle tank is quickly approaching 50 years of service. Its longevity, much like the M1 Abrams, has been accomplished by several major updates in armor, armament, and electronics. The latest upgrade, the T-72B3, entered service in 2013; so far, more than 600 T-72s have been upgraded to the B3 version. The T-72B3 has seen action in Ukraine, where several were captured and used by Ukrainians. If you are a collector of Soviet/Russian armor models, you are in a golden age, with new kits released seemingly every month. Meng has expanded its modern Russian armor range with the addition of this T-72B3. The dark green plastic moldings show excellent detail. A small photo-etch (PE) fret has screens for the engine deck and includes a metal wheel mask.…

Unsung heroes of World War II, Flower-class corvettes took the battle to German U-boats while escorting North Atlantic convoys. Based on a commercial whaling ship, the 205' vessels served in large numbers with British and Canadian navies. All of the parts are medium gray styrene except for a single clear sprue; a tiny card holds black thread for rigging and railings. The instruction book’s 101 steps feature a logical progression and clear drawings. I noticed one error: In Step 46, part G-453 should be E-453. The kit provides sharp decals for a single Canadian corvette, the HMCS Snowberry in 1943. Construction starts with the hull, which went together perfectly. The decks fit the hull with no need for filler. The deck’s locators were spot-on, but be careful not to sand…

Working with Accurate Miniature’s 1/48 scale SBD-5, Marty Sanford built a well-used Dauntless from VB-10 aboard USS Enterprise in 1944. He piled on details, including: parts from an Eduard Zoom photo-etch (PE) set for an SBD-3; Ultracast resin seats for the pilot and gunner with late-war harnesses; Master 1/72 scale .50-caliber barrels to simulate the twin .30-cal. mount in 1/48; Attack Squadron dive flaps and wheels; Quickboost exhausts; and Yagi antennas scratchbuilt from steel wire and plastic rod. But the real magic is in the camouflage and markings. Marty favors Tamiya acrylics. “I enjoy mixing colors to achieve a match to published paint references, and then to weather them, first by pre-shading and then panel fading,” he says. “This is strictly an interpretive process, often based on studying photos of…

The M3 GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) was developed by the U.S. Army in 1941 as a self-propelled antitank gun for use by newly formed tank destroyer battalions. It featured an M1897A4 75mm gun mounted on an Autocar M3 halftrack personnel carrier. First used in the Philippines and North Africa, it was quickly replaced by the fully tracked, more-substantial M10 GMC. However, it continued with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific, where it was effective against Japanese tanks. Most of the M3s still in the States were sent back to the factory for conversion to M3A1 personnel carriers. The remainder of the unwanted M3s in North Africa were offered to the British and Canadians, who used them in armored car regiments in Sicily and Italy. The American heavyweights became known…

The Merkava Mk.IV’s turret shape reminds me of a floating manta ray. Such a unique design was hard for an AFV lover like me to resist. While I had to scratchbuild the protective balls and chains, most of my time was spent weathering. I wanted to create a roughed-up beast, complete with wear, tear, chips, and washes. Highlighting all the details was well worth the effort. About Karel Sutt “I started modeling as a youngster, building mostly 1/72 scale WWII aircraft. Since then I’ve built everything, including several stone castles for my garden. Now I focus mostly on WWII German armor, with a few modern tanks now and then — like this Merkava! When I’m not modeling, I manage a power plant. I live in Louny, Czech Republic, with my…

Friends ask why I gravitated to 1/72 scale. Well … I can complete models in less time; the work is a bit more relaxing; and there’s a fascination with detail in something so small. So, I took a crack at the Harley-Davidson WLA from Academy’s 1/72 scale WWII Ground Vehicle Set No. 6 (kit No. 13408), using Eduard photo-etch (PE) that was designed for it (No. 22 121). Total accuracy in this scale is impossible, so I had to choose my details: spokes, drive chain, and certain wires and plumbing would not be feasible. But the PE helped. The hardest part was removing plastic without inflicting damage. Breaking a handlebar led to new ones made from brass rod, bent to shape with plastic rod for the handgrips. I drilled out…

Platz’s new Japanese Eagle can be built in either the Multistage Improvement Program I or II configuration. There are markings for seven aircraft. Exquisitely molded light gray plastic parts feature recessed panel lines and outstanding surface details. Raised details on the side consoles and instrument panel highlight the cockpit. Decals are also provided for the panels, but no mention of them is made in the instructions. The five-piece ejection seat looks OK but would benefit from seat belts. The wellappointed electronics bay behind the seat will only be visible with the canopy posed open. The painting directions lack detail, and photos weren’t much help. I ended up referring to the instructions for a larger scale kit from another manufacturer. Pay close attention to the notes throughout the instructions, including some…

During the mid-1990s, nothing said excess more than the fuelthirsty Hummer H1. Based on the military HMMVW, it boasted second-to-none off-road capabilities, high ground clearance, and aggressive approach and departure angles. There wasn’t much that could stop a Hummer. Arnold Schwarzenegger took notice and bought a fleet of them. Meng’s H1 is the first in 1/24 scale. The rather large box is filled with eight sprues; parts are crisp and clean with little flash. I noticed many ejector-pin marks, but most will be hidden. The body parts are molded in red plastic, which is kind of a bummer; they will need to be primed for any other color. The well-laid-out instructions are easy to follow, but there are a few errors. A brief history of the Hummer as well as…

Spotlight Two great kits and something for the wall Eduard (www.eduard.com) has a reputation for creative marketing ideas when it comes to kits, from Weekend Editions, with no photo-etch (PE), to Royal Editions with multiple kits and extras like resin parts and a beer glass, and Limited Editions with another company’s plastic, new decals, and detail parts. The latest variation is strikingly unique. EduArt kits combine existing plastic parts with Eduard details and beautiful covers by noted artists. A limited edition print of the box art is the pièce de résistance of each kit. Dawn Patrol (No. 11102X) is a perfect example. The cover and 19" x 11" print by Koike Shigeo show American ace Frank Luke in a SPAD 13 chasing German pilot Günther von Büren in a Fokker…

The German battlecruiser SMS Seydlitz went down in history as a ship that took some terrible beatings but gave as good as she got, and more. She fought with distinction in World War I before being scuttled along with the rest of the German fleet at Scapa Flow in June 1919. Combrig’s resin kit is a good model that produces a worthy replica. The instructions are inadequate, though, so good references are essential for a successful build. 21 Number of heavy shells that hit SMS Seydlitz in the Battle of Jutland. The hull The kit can be built as a waterline model or with a full hull. I prefer the latter, putting the ship on a stand, so I must take on the task of concealing the joint between the…

The late 1980s brought an arduous program of update and modernization to the 2nd Escuadrilla Aeronaval Antisubmarina (Naval Antisubmarine Squadron EA2S) of Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina (Argentine naval aviation, the flying branch of the Argentine navy). For EA2S’s Grumman S-2 Trackers, the most visible differences were the engines and underwing features. The original piston engines were replaced by turboprops; underwing reinforcements enabled the plane to carry antisubmarine torpedoes. At the same time, electronic systems and sensors were modernized and the landing gear was strengthened. I based my project on a Revell boxing (No. 04629) of the Hasegawa kit. The molding has raised panel lines and lessthan-exquisite details. Just three sprues, including a small one for clear parts, comprise all the pieces in the kit. Still, it was an excellent…

The SdKfz 182 Tiger II, or King Tiger, needs no introduction; almost every model company has had a go at the ultimate German tank of World War II. Takom takes its swing at the famous behemoth and brings something great to the table: the first all-plastic kit to include a full interior and all of the engine components. A nice touch is the scale-thick exterior panels that mimic the King Tiger’s armor. That adds to the scale appearance of the fighting compartment and heft of the finished model, which is noticeably heavier than most plastic kits. The first thing I noticed on opening the box is the sheer number of parts; 17 full sprues’ worth. Some steps require parts from several sprues, so you may need extra room if you…

Like many modelers, I had been hoping for a kit of a C-141 in 1/144 scale to add to my evergrowing collection — and now Roden has released a new tooling of a C-141B! The eye-catching box art shows a Starlifter in its landing configuration. I was a little surprised by the low parts count when I opened the box (not that that’s a bad thing). Molded in medium gray plastic, the kit comprises only 62 parts. Surface detail is finely engraved and consistent. Engine detail consists of a tailpipe trapped between two halves which include the molded-on pylons and a separate intake piece. Each engine is molded on a separate sprue; on one of mine, the tailpipe was “short shot” and missing most inner detail. Landing-gear struts are typical…

The KTO Rosomaks are an 8-wheeled multipurpose family of vehicles similar to the German Boxer in operation with the Polish Army. The KTO stands for Kotowy Transporter Opancerzony, Polish for Wheeled Armored Carrier, and Rosomak means wolverine in Polish. This is a licensed-built version of the Finnish Patria Armored Modular Vehicle which has seen service in Chad and Afghanistan, where the Taliban nicknamed it the “Green Devil.” The originals, painted NATO green, were hard to knock out and had potent firepower. This is IBG Models’ first release in a series and features the 30mm ATK MK 44 chain gun. The model is molded in pale yellow plastic; a clear sprue includes lights, front light covers, and armored windows. Vision blocks are yellow. Two photo-etch (PE) frets are included with RPG…

What modeler hasn’t thought, “I’d love to do this all the time,” or “I wish I could get paid to build models.” I know I have. Well, be careful — it won’t be what you expect. I received a call from a Hollywood director (no one I’d ever heard of) who got my name from a local hobby shop. He needed some models built for dioramas he was setting up for camera locations, etc. Great. Willing to pay — fine. Needed 10 models by Friday — it was Tuesday morning. As fellow modelers in my club in Burbank, Calif., who have worked for the entertainment business say, directors want it yesterday. Turns out he had 10 Trumpeter 1/35 scale Russian BM-21 Grad Multiple Rocket Launchers (kit No. 01013). Each kit…