Finally stopped lurking

[Tom Zeller]

Hello,

 

I've been looking in on you folks and finally decided to join you. I've been reading some very helpful posts already and hope you won't mind if I ask some questions of my own. I'm an experienced model builder but am diving into new territory with a couple large projects both related to my pursuit of a masters degree in military history. I have to do something to keep me out of trouble since I retired after 35 years in the US Army Field Artillery! My big project is to show the influence of wartime on aircraft development and what better way to show that than to use the only Allied aircraft built before, during, and after the war which is, of course, the sainted Supermarine Spitfire. I'm building almost all of them to include the prototype 224 and the 300 as well as the Schneider Cup floatplanes to trace their lineage fully. As if that wasn't enough to keep me busy I'm also doing a paper on the aircraft of the Battle of Britain and will be building most of those aircraft too. Hey, I like to stay busy. So you can see how I landed myself here. I hope I don't drive you kind folks crazy!

 

Kind Regards,

 

Tom Zeller

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome Tom ... fellow yank here. WW2 planes are my main subject. I do build some cold war types and mix some armor in. Im not the best on spitfires. Ive got several but need more in my collection. but you shouldnt have any problem finding help here. Again welcome and if i can help i will.

 

Dennis

[Gorby]

That sounds like quite challenge you have set yourself there Tom, both with the masters degree and the Spit's – I wish you luck on both.

Welcome to BM, if you need information on anything Spitfire or BoB, you've come to the right place. I'm often amazed at the depth of knowledge the members have.

Don't worry about driving us crazy – we're well down that road already. 

 

Gorby

[Tom Zeller]

Thanks for the warm welcome fellas! Bunch of new parts just came in from the UK and I'm chaffing at the bit to get started! But because I'm going for super detail and ultimate possible historical accuracy I can't just grab a kit and go. Just about all the Spits require nearly a dozen third party parts most of which are not to be found in the US or if they are found are at stupid prices. It's actually cheaper for me to buy my kits in Canada and the parts I need in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Not just Spits coming in though. Getting these projects going also entails a lot of other birds for the BoB project. And I'm afraid I've gotten interested in aircraft that came after the BoB just because they're so cool like the Typhoon and the Lancaster. Lots of kits going. I'm not daunted though. I started building models way back in 1967. Up until quite recently I've been building almost entirely sci fi with an occasional kitsch kit here and there just to break things up. Retirement though has set my sails in new directions. I'm really glad I found you folks. I've been reading your posts quite a lot and it's time to join the party!

 

Tom

 

P.S.  In case you're wondering that's my service dog, Baldur, in my profile pic. He's a white German Shepherd and incredibly smart even for a GSD so the pic is really a spoof. He keeps me going both mentally and physically.

[Gorby]

Baldur looks great – I love dogs, very special creatures.

I'm very interested in the project you have set yourself, exactly how many Spits are you building? 1/48 or 1/72? If you are super detailing it sounds like it's going to take quite some time and cost a minor fortune.

Incidentally, be careful about reading the posts on BM, it can get very addictive and end up like me – spending more time on BM than modelling.

[Troy Smith]

Hi Tom

 

sounds very interesting,  there is a lot of information here, but it can be tricky to find,  I  usually use google to  search here.

There's a lot of info the completed group builds  section, here's a  link to the Hurricane reference  page fromthat group build

where I  compiled up some previous  threads.

 

 

If you are doing Spitfires and BoB aircraft, and you  have not seen these,  scans of  all the Ducimus Camouflage and Markings  guides are here

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings

Only NW Europe, but still very handy for sorting out what happened when and why in the 1939/40 era when a load of marking changes happened in a short time.

 

and  as  Gorby warns, it can be addictive....

 

cheers

T

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Baldur is a good name ... taken from norse mythology. He i am sure is quite loyal and intelligent.  

[Tom Zeller]

On 7/15/2017 at 3:45 AM, Gorby said:

Baldur looks great – I love dogs, very special creatures.

I'm very interested in the project you have set yourself, exactly how many Spits are you building? 1/48 or 1/72? If you are super detailing it sounds like it's going to take quite some time and cost a minor fortune.

Incidentally, be careful about reading the posts on BM, it can get very addictive and end up like me – spending more time on BM than modelling.

 

As of right now about 30 Spitfires, Seafires, and Prototypes thereof, Gorby. Even money that that total will grow before much longer. I'm standardizing on 1/48 scale since that's the largest I can go and so see best the design paths and changes. Yes, I am super detailing. Accuracy is most important so I'm not adding things purely because more is cooler, but the idea is to show the particular mark as close to how it would've been seen IRL as possible. I am, however, adding things not always required like extended range fuel tanks, drop tanks, bombs, etc. where appropriate to show capabilities at the given time. Yes, they aren't cheap to begin with in most cases and the parts, decals, etc. certainly add to it. After 35 years in the Army though I didn't retire too shabbily. I'll be fine though I appreciate your concern. I was severely wounded on my last deployment which limits the kinds of things I can do so these projects are more than an academic endeavor, and pure fun, they're also real and well documented therapy. I've found it really helps and more than I expected it to now that I have the time to devote to it. And besides being retired I have years to work on my masters. No looming deadline here. Thanks for the warning about reading posts. I'm afraid you're a bit too late on that.

 

Thanks, guys for the nice words about Baldur. Yes, he is named for the Norse god as is my custom with my German Shepherds. Baldur's my first service dog but he's my ninth German Shepherd. I have a 2 year old black German Shepherd named Váli (another Norse god) as well who's in training to be Baldur's successor now that Baldur's past 9 and I can't be without a service dog or professional care the rest of my life. They are more than PTSD dogs they're also and primarily medical services dogs and perform a job that quite literally keeps me alive. I often describe Baldur as the best thing the Army ever gave me. Both dogs are brilliant and utterly loyal and devoted in the extreme if I do say so. Baldur is exceptionally so even for a German Shepherd. His trainers cautioned me to not judge his successors by him. They both said he was the best service dog they ever trained or ever imagined they would. I don't bemoan my wounds but rather I count myself lucky. I have much to be thankful for.

[Tom Zeller]

On 7/15/2017 at 5:03 AM, Troy Smith said:

Hi Tom

 

sounds very interesting,  there is a lot of information here, but it can be tricky to find,  I  usually use google to  search here.

There's a lot of info the completed group builds  section, here's a  link to the Hurricane reference  page fromthat group build

where I  compiled up some previous  threads.

 

 

If you are doing Spitfires and BoB aircraft, and you  have not seen these,  scans of  all the Ducimus Camouflage and Markings  guides are here

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings

Only NW Europe, but still very handy for sorting out what happened when and why in the 1939/40 era when a load of marking changes happened in a short time.

 

and  as  Gorby warns, it can be addictive....

 

cheers

T

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Troy! I appreciate all the help I can get and especially info sources. I'm used to voluminous reading so the more the merrier. 

[JPuente54]

Tom, welcome to BritModller! You'll find(if you haven't already) that this place is a gold mine. These guys really know their stuff. If they don't know the answer; they, as often as not, can point you to where it can be found. If your question regards color; Nick Millman can often be found commenting about this. Dana Bell also is a member; as is Jerry Crandall. You are in good company here; many are also veterans and/or retired service members(US, UK, and other)(I am retired infantry; Active and National Guard, 22 years). Oh, and, a lot of humor pops up in the most unlikely threads. Enjoy, you will find a lot of support in your builds, and good constructive criticism.

Edited July 22, 2017 by JPuente54
punctuation

[Tom Zeller]

So far my looking for answers in the forums is not off to a very good start. Six replies and not a one in answer to my question and most of them not even in any way related to my question. Color me disappointed.

Edited July 26, 2017 by Tom Zeller

[Antoine]

Less than ten posts, one very specific question asked less than a week ago, and already complaining about getting no answers, and about other's behaviour?

 

 

[Tom Zeller]

I see, so being a new member I have no right to expect an answer is that it? Speaking of behavior yours is hardly welcoming. If it were me being a long time member I'd be incouraging to a new member as I have many times in the other web based and social media groups I belong to and those I administer.. Fortunately I finally got a good answer of which I am quite appreciative.

 

[Antoine]

7 hours ago, Tom Zeller said:

I see, so being a new member I have no right to expect an answer is that it? Speaking of behavior yours is hardly welcoming.

 

 

Wrong conclusion, try again.

I used to have a more welcoming behaviour, only with people who think in a positive way.

[Graeme H]

Not sure if you found o0r already knew about the Spitfire threads, but useful for a myriad of minutae, and if there is something you want to know just ask

 

 

[Tom Zeller]

On 7/26/2017 at 10:54 PM, Graeme H said:

Not sure if you found o0r already knew about the Spitfire threads, but useful for a myriad of minutae, and if there is something you want to know just ask

 

 

Thanks, Graeme! I appreciate the info very much. I hadn't seen those. Yours and Troy's additional info are quite helpful.

 

Tom