The Applenut Airforce (Warning, lots of pics!)

[Willybomb]

Gudday all.  Long time lurker, haven't done any modelling seriously (or otherwise) for around 25 years but when my partner got pregnant I decided to build a mobile of various warplanes for the nursery.  I don't have the skill or patience of you guys, but I'm pretty happy with how they've come out for the most part.  Thanks for the inspiration in the results seen here.

 

So, after a couple of months work, I've put together the following kits:

 

Sopwith Camel (Academy)

Spad XIII (From YEARS ago - painted over the ripped and dead decals.  The SE5a had two lots of decals, so the Spad got the US set, the SE5a got the Brits..)

SE5a + Albatros DIII (Italeri)

Spitfire Mk1 (Airfix)

Tiger Moth (Airfix) (oops, left the spru on the wing struts.  Should have looked harder..)

F-94 Starfire (Lindberg)

Harrier (Airfix)

A-37 Dragonfly (Hasegawa)

A-10 (Academy, plus Hasegawa bomb kit from circa 1990)

 

They're a little rough in spots, often due to kitbashing weapons onto the kits and retracting wheels that weren't supposed to be (Dragonfly and Warthog in particular).  Paints were either the Airfix paints that came with the kits, or Lifecolour acrylics.

 

I have a few others (Hasegawa Kfir in Isreali colours, Hasegawa Draken, Seahawk both from years ago that were in varying condition I didn't think were up to scratch) that aren't going up.  I have an Iroquois to build at a later date too...

 

I put it up today, and the baby will probably arrive tomorrow!  It's a little disconcerting that the A-10 is flying straight at the cot...

 

Thanks,

Willy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[baldwin8]

Unique way of displaying you work. Reading forums is one thing, but putting together plastic and following through is another. Sometimes we have to dig a little for inspiration.

It's easy to be overwhelmed with so much high level builds we see online and at shows. But we need to give ourselves a kick in the butt to move things along. I hope you will pass along your love of the hobby to your son or daughter, it's a great hobby to enjoy with our children.

 

Very nice efforts. Congratulations.

[jean]

Hi Willybomb,

 

I am most impressed with all your hard work and the way you have chosen to display it. It is very special to do that for your child. Congrats!

As for the A-10 flying straight at the cot, it is never too early to let them know that they should not mess around...

 

Great and lovely work!!!

JR

[Meatbox8]

What a great collection and terrific display.  Hopefully baby will get the aviation bug!  The F-94 is a curious thing, with the swept tail.  Oddly enough I don't think I've ever seen a picture of one that illustrates this until now. 

[Winenut]

good chance your child will catch the aviation bug.....and that's a bug you're happy for them to catch! 

 

Welcome back to the hobby.

 

I came back around my son's 5th birthday after a break of about 30 years (kit was a gift to my boy to encourage building things instead of staring at  screen).....the wife hasn't quite recovered 

 

 

[Willybomb]

That was a good idea Winenut.  I tried that with my 12 year old nephew, with both a Pacific Balsa kit at christmas a few years ago, and an airfix tomahawk for poops and giggles a little after that.  The Tomahawk was never started - he doesn't even know where that is anymore (I got the Spitfire to build with him ) and everytime we had to wait for the balsa cement to dry he ran off to the PS4.  It was like pulling teeth to get him to have a go.  That still needs completing too.

 

The F-94 is an impressive, yet disappointing model.  A grand total of 16 parts (I think I used 8 as I didn't bother with landing gear or associated doors), but a hell of a lot of detail with the rivets and generally a pretty good fit, with none worth mentioning in the landing gear, cockpit, or tailpipe (you can literally look down the exhaust and look out the air intakes.)

 

BTW, "Applenut" is our pet name for the baby to be (still hasn't arrived yet. SWMBO is waiting at the hospital!), if anyone was wondering where that came from.

[Newbie(kinda)]

My boys have 4 (wooden, not kits, and bought from a local 'craft' shop) WW1 bi-planes hanging from their bedroom ceiling, on white cotton so they appear to be 'flying'. And they look really cool, even at 16 and 14 years old. But what you've done...is just bl**dy awesome. Love it to bits!! And very best wishes to you and your, soon to be, family. Enjoy!!