Luft46's Blog

Ok so WordPress changed things around, why…….. Who knows so this is the pithy version, went to this model show had a good time, bought a few magazines, found two old model catalogues for $1.00 and got some wallpaper for a current project and some ral artificial dirt from Mig. Had a good time, saw lots of models and took lots of photos. This show is going very well and entries are up so much they have added a third row of contest tables this year. Much better organised and nicer people than the Sydney version.

After many years of fighting the carpet monster I have finally vanquished him. I had been increasingly unhappy about the lost items as well as the occasional red back spider ( google it if you are foreign ) in my garage modelling area. I was discussing this with my wife who suggested carpet tiles that would have a relatively flat pile eliminating the grasping tendencies of the carpet monster. After moving my work benches a bit, solid construction equals bloody heavy, I removed the four rolls of carpet, but not without finding a half dozen redbacks and one with a million babies. Carefully squashing these got rid of the problem, the red back may have been downgraded from lethal recently but I hate them, mind you I am the only one who will shepherd the Huntsman spider outside when they come inside in summer. The above mess on my second bench is the result of a little garage tidy up, well that and half the house. I should be back to modelling soon.

This just arrived in the post today, I would do a more extensive post but every man and his dog have already done so. One for me and one for a friend. OTOH I am already having whif thoughts about different radar fits, just can’t help myself at times thought this is the most modelling I have done in weeks.

I’ve been working on too many real world projects lately including helping children with tests. Also putting in a path in the backyard and applying for a job so little inclination to model despite a four day weekend. The Tornado is now painted but needs a final touch up and the last parts added, maybe this week.  Below are shots of that and my workbench, note the real world intrusion on the right!

The desk has just been coated with raw umber oil paint and will need a few days to dry. The beige had two coats and as per advice the raw umber was applied with a bit of a kitchen sponge, due to the awkwardness of some shapes I used two brushes to apply this first on some parts and then finished off with the sponge. I am away for a few days so this will stop me fiddling with the oil paint while it dries.

After a rather long break I have been modelling again. Have slipped into doing a long planned vignette called ” But it’s refence material dear ” based loosely on figure painters, ok very loosely, it’s more of a pastiche than anything. I am also intending to spray tonight on the Tornado.

At the front is the desk with its first coat of Lifecolor Light Stone or beige  with to the left a computer monitor and to the right is my female figure and behind that is the office chair.

The end result of all this tidying up. Compare the cupboard to my first post.

The desk

FW Einsitzer w/ BMW 802 from Planet. This kit suffered a mishap today but is essentially nearly paint ready after a bit of work.

105mm Flak gun – just needs a bit of reassembly, will do over the weekend.

LWS on Steroids. This 1/72 resin kit from Milicast? Destined for a diorama set in John Baxters Luft46 universe. Following on from the 2009 issue by Hobby Boss of a 1/35 version I wanted to add two torpedos to the side, more Machine Guns etc for the Second assault on Stalingrad or the Volga or similar. This is set in the Volga boat strike story in his first book but from a different perspective.

Kora Panther Flak guns – this is stalled due to my slackness in getting some detailed Flak guns for this project that I need from Schatton Modellbau in Germany unless someone else does them in 1/72. Base vehicle is the Revell kit and I will do both versions  ( early and late ) in the same camo so I can swap them out as desired. Just need to restart this one.

AR E 377A manned version. This is a rather still born project to convert this plane over to a piloted version. It foundered on the lack of a suitable canopy and has been doing nothing for years now. Interestingly it does have the landing trolley parts so these go back to the He162/Ar E 377 project to help finish that one off. The rest can be a donation. On the right is what I want and the rest in the box can go.

B-17G for Germanified from Revell. A rather big undertaking this kit, not really many chnges to do, the bombs are now the equivalent German type and the ball turret will be replaced by a remote controlled one. This is for my Munchen 48 universe if it gets finished though it could be used elsewhere.

Seehund at Speyer. This 1/35 diorama is an attempt to reproduce this scene from 1988 and was started soon after. Unfortunately as the real sub on display is a somewhat mutilated version of this sub it has chewed time like nothing else. I am now using the Bronco plastic version after trying with the Verlinden resin one and it is still frustrating. Maybe if I went easier on myself this would get finished.

Lippisch P13B from Anigrand. the canopy on this one doesnt fit so I need to pivot it and detail the cockpit a little then paint. Not really much to do.

This is the AV Me 334 a rather average kit that needed a new canopy and with a bit of work a 262 canopy will fit though the first one fitted was a bust with the canopy fogging despite being futured. This kit is potentially doable but its not at the top of the heap.

Marder VI – this was an attempt to make a Marder like SPG based on the Dragon Maus kit fused with a number of other kits. The muse has well and truly left the building for this one and I will be passing it on to someone else shortly.

Heinkel P 1073 – Planet. Now I have decided that I will need to do this kit wheels up it looks doable. I could not find any suitable white metal u/c legs so this decision has been forced on me. It is back in the cupboard to follow up after the ready to paint kits are done.

Arado E580. Designed as a He 162 competitor from Planet suffers from a very average canopy that does not fit being overlarge. The canopy needs rcasting and new metal u/c and is off to the knackers yard. I have started on a master for a new canopy in Milliput but it needs more work before casting.

FW 190 F8/R-14 from Revell. This is a job for someone else that started out as a project with one of my sons that was never finished. It will need a paint cleanup but really nothing much to stop me finishing this kit at all. And a new propellor but I have a few of the Hase 190’s that I use for spares that can supply this. It will be in the next wave of projects. The model is on the first issue of Military in Scale that had this plane as a conversion in it. Sadly this magazine folded late last year.

Sanka Mark B from Bandai alledgedly in 1/72. This is a kit of a plane that bears some resemblance to the Shinden but was featured in an Anime film. Quite an unusual film, a very dark contemplation of a commercial war focusing on the pilots sense of futility, not easy to watch but good. This comes with two kits to the box, one will be enough with it paint ready now.

The next two will be packed away for the moment.  The first is the Hase262 combined with the Toad Resins C-2b conversion. The major problem with this is the fuel pipe under the tail. This was done in white metal and frankly needs replacing which is a fair bit of fabrication work which I do not feel like doing.
The second of these is the Double Swallow combing a 262 and a Hein, both of which had the nickname of Swallow. This idea of mine was realised in diagram form by a friend but nothing has been done in anger yet and it looks like it will be a while still.

Henschel P 135 – Airmodel – this is stalled because somehow I lost the main undercarriage bays and becaue it has really nice u/c legs and wheels I want to do it undercarriage down, I cannot find this kit on eBay or anywhere else so I can make a copy so for the moment it rests.

Okha 53 – Unicraft,  you get the picture from the brand name, needs the tailpalnes attached, impossible without much swearing and multiple repositioning attempts as I already know.

Dalek from Reshape in 1/8 scale. This is a dog of a kit that needs a repray of the cream colour after much masking and painting of the bumps. Not this year I think.