plastic constructor

Fantastic photograph, I have one of the Canadair water bombers in the stash (oh no, I've come out of the closet), now you all know I'm not just a truck modeller. Nick.

Harriet, I don't suppose you would consider disposing of the kit to me would you ... drop me an email or PM please, I'm in need of a few spares ASAP! Nick.

OOOOOOOOh! Daz, bless ya, there are some kits in 1/35 scale that are a it too small for my mits matey, 1/24 was a nice scale for a bit of conversion, and this model demands a lot of it, including the front tow bar, rear fuel can carrier and the biggest conversion of the lot, the side panels ... better get on with it eh? Nick.

Oops! ... forgot to mention folks that the scale is 1/24 ... it's a conversion from the Italeri Fire Jeep Nick.

Ayup Folks, I need your help and I need it urgently. My daughter's boyfriend asked me if I could build a model of his dads Willy's Jeep as a present for Christmas, well, I agreed, and then got bogged down with the pressures of life. The model is just about complete and I'm in the workshop today beavering away, attempting to do as much to this jeep project as I can in order to finish it. But I've just discovered that I don't have the lettering for the following stensils ... ... can anyone help with either a decal set, a stensil or the name of the font used? ... many thanks in anticipation. Here's a couple of photos of the real thing ... .. and the progress so far ... ... hopefully it will be done today, we'll see? Nick.

Erm! ... let's have a truck build ... Nick.

Just to add a spot of history to these items. They originated from the Modelzone store in the Broadmarsh Centre, Nottingahm and were ex-demonstration models. They had passed their sell by date so to speak and were about to be thrown into the skip. Ian Sadler, of the IPMS (UK) Armour Group and I used to demonstrate model making techniques in the store, and as Ian is still a regular visitor to the store, he asked if the models could be saved and auctioned for the Notts / Derby Air Ambulance appeal. This was agreed and they were offered for auction with the permission of Ian Crawford, organiser of the model show held at Southwell Racecourse. The auction raised just under £200 and Ian Sadler rounded up the figure to £200 which has been donated to the above appeal. Nick.

I'm sure Edgar will elucidate once his site access is restored. Nick.

This is from Edgar, unfortunately he can't access the site at the moment, as far as he is aware, the colour was standard 'Cockpit Green' (Humbrol 78). Nick.

From Edgar, coz he can't get on here at the moment, the colour was Zinc Chromate Yellow. Nick.

Ayup Dave, First of all mate, I hope you get better and start to feel like sticking bits together soon. I look forward to seeing the racing truck rig, sounds interesting. When this build was first mentioned, I suggested a racing truck and was looking forward to taking part, but since then, I've changed jobs and started a couple of projects and I don't want to commit if I can't add anything to the build. However, I do have a couple of these kits and if I get the chance, I'll break open the Scania Racing Truck as there are a few bits and pieces I would like to modify or add, such as brake lines, plumbing and wiring, especially the cabin wiring behind the dash panel as in the real truck, this was visible. I hope to see you at a couple of shows Dave and just in case, I'll break out some of the old 'BP' Racing Year Books which were available for the truck racing enthusiast. Get well soon mate, Nick.

Ayup Dave, I think an Actros would be a better looking tractor unit for the trailer ... Nick.

Nige, try this site: http://www.army.mod.uk/rlc/units/150_regt/217_sqn_rlc_v_.htm ://http://www.army.mod.uk/rlc/units/15...sqn_rlc_v_.htm ://http://www.army.mod.uk/rlc/units/15...sqn_rlc_v_.htm there's also a contact. Nick.

Nice one Nige, that's a tidy little truck. Nick.

Ayup Nige, Excellent build. May I suggest you contact Peter White, editor of Truck Model World magazine, I'm sure he'd find it interesting. Incidentally, I noticed you used the slewing ring from the Turntable Ladder kit to use as a basis for the dolly on the trailer, what are you doing with the rest of the parts rom the kit? Nick.

Ayup Folks, I'm building a German flat railcar with a Flak 38 on board as part of a group build over on the IPMS (UK) Forum: http://ipmsuk.proboards20.com/index.cgi?bo...1097&page=1 The instructions suggest that the car should be painted matt black, I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if they were ever painted any other colour ... possibly grey? Nick.

Ah! ... in which case ... HOR01 - F39014 A07280 - 16 - 07 Nick.

OK Richard, by box code I presume you mean the bar code, which on my sample is 5014429072802. The plastic is light grey and is fairly pliable and translucent. There are also sink marks on the sprue junctions. I bought the kit from Mr Models at the Scottish Nationals last year, hope that helps. Nick.

Well said Jen. Nick.

I think before we dig ourselves a deep hole here, we should agree to respect each others views and leave it at that. This forum is a pleasant place to pass the time, and I believe Mike alows us all a long enough rope. I would hate to go down the road of one of the other forums where anything goes, and if you don't agree with the flow, you may as well not be there, and pity the poor modeller who makes a mistake elsewhere, because they're pilloried just for the fun of it. As for the varied reports of construction? ... I can think of 3 such cases, one on here, one on the ATF and one on the IPMS (UK) Forum. I also read a suggestion that some modellers with a close association with Airfix (whatever that means?), may have received a pre-production sample. Well, in this particular instance, I bought mine at the Scottish Nationals, and I know of one other who bought his sample likewise. If folks on another forum wish to commit themselves to childish behaviour, so what, this is a somewhat adult site, and I'd like to believe we would act like adults and treat everyone here, members and visitors, as equal. As far as I know, there's nobody on here with an axe to grind, that's what makes it such a pleasant base for discussion. Matt, I think you have the sense to back away from a kit which you believe will not give you any satisfaction whatsoever, based on your personal experience as a modeller, and i commend you for that. As for the kit itself, well, some have struggled, some have not, horses for courses, let's leave it at that. Mike, I move we close the thread. Nick.

Droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool! Nick.

Matt, Your skills are not in question, but if you don't have the enthusiasm for the kit, I agree, leave it alone. Talking to Airfix at SMW, they admitted that the kit had problems, well, that's half the battle, but I will eventually build mine. The last boat kit I built was the Revell Titanic, bloody awful in my opinion, but there you go, I did agree to build it for someone, I could (should) have said no. The Lifeboat though, it's an interesting subject and one I'd like to see on my shelf one day. Nick.

There's a simple answer to all of this. We're modellers, and as such vary in our age, experience and technique. A kit, is a kit, is a kit? ... until you open the box, examine the contents and decide wether you're going to stick to the instructions and painting guide supplied by the kit manufacturer, or use your experience to build and paint it as you wish. I've read some of the comments on a couple of other forums (and yes it's forums nor fora), and to be honest, taking the p**s seems to be a sport on one particular forum. Well, I would quite openly like to tell them that this is a hobby, and as such should be fun. We're not all perfect and we do make mistakes, some of us make more mistakes than others, but that's part of the hobby. I've seen a few of these models built, they all vary in colour and shade to some degree, but that's down to an individual perception of colour, nothing wrong in that, that's why we're all individuals. I've still to build mine, and I'll probably have my own fair share of niggles with construction, depending on my mood at the time, no doubt I'll curse and swear ... but will I? ... who knows until I open the box and get out the cutters and glue? To make comments about a kit on an open forum is one thing, and some of the comments have been vitreolic and of a personal crusade in nature, but be prepared to back it up. Manufacturers make mistakes (oh and how some manufacturers make mistakes). You have every right to contact a manufacturer and offer your suggestions to cure what you think is a fault with a particular kit, if done correctly, and in sufficient numbers, the manufacturer may eventually sit up and take notice. If a manufacturer consistantly produces questionable quality kits in both material and subject, then that manufacturer deserves to be taken to task, you can always vote with your wallet. If, as a modeller, you can't take criticism of your modelling, don't enter competition, it's the same with making a comment here or on any other forum. Let's remember that this is a hobby, and we all share this hobby for a variety or reasons. Let's get rid of the hunting pack and discuss the hobby as adults, in an informed and educated manner. Since being a member here, and also looking after the IPMS (UK) Forum, and also being back in the hobby after more years than I care to remember, I've seen some amazing models. Just when you think you've reached a certain level of competance, someone comes along with a model that just fills you with admiration for the modeller, and a feeling of 'if only I could build like that'. Now then, back to the bench and a certain 70's truck kit, bloody instructions, no part numbers ... snazzzzzzzzzzzzzzznfrazzzzzzn! Nick.

And a bit more ...

Well, I've started, and here's the pics so far. First of all, the obligitory box shot ... I'm not building as suggested on the box art, there's a set of Russian roundels in the kit, so that's the route I'm taking. The kit has been started, nothing major, so I don't have to pull anything apart. The fuselage halves need a bit of work before they can be assembled, especially where you can see the interior from the cockpit. There's a few nasty ejection pin marks on the interior of the fuselage, So, with that in mind, I've decided to do a spot of detailing. Here's the fuselage before detailing ... ... and after ...