InFlames

Thank you everyone!

Today marks 40th anniversary since the Exocet hit HMS Sheffield at Falklands, with damage severe enough that lead to eventual sinking of the ship. This is my little tribute to those tragic events and the lost sailors, drama I was following as kid on evening TV news.

Hi everyone! As 40th anniversary of Falklands war is just over the horizon, I've decided to build HMS Sheffield to commemorate all the victims of the conflict. In 1982, when the war was going on, I was just shy of 5 years old, yet I remember constant news reports in the evenings and images of burning Sheffield etched into my memories. Cyberhobby's (Dragon, Pit-road) 1:700 kit is quite old by now, released sometime in the mid 1990s, though some details are really good, while others, not so much. I am building a 30th anniversary boxed kit, which also includes a set of photo-etched details, but more on those a bit later. A word of caution - if you plan on building Dragon/Cyberhobby Type 42 Destroyer, be aware that there are lots of inaccuracies in the kit - from mast details to superstructure shape etc. I was thus forced into making some compromises to enhance some parts and get to live with others, that would be too hard to correct. Adding the helicopter deck to the stern created steps which aren't there on real ships. Thin plasticard was used to blend it in. The included PE parts are extremely thin and soft and replacing the mast details with PE parts would have been impossible. Even more so, as rigging goes through them and they would bend immediately. So I've decided to replace them with Albion Alloys Precision Metals brass tubes cut and sanded to shape. And how she looks with dry fitted superstructures and on the base.

Thank you, again! It's pretty straightforward kit to build. A little bit of putty was needed on the inside of the intakes, but as they are so narrow, you'll have a hard time seeing that seam anyway. And the fit of the nose wasn't best, but a tiny bit of putty solved that as well...

Thank you for your comments, everybody!

A quick little OOB build to regain modelling mojo.

Real life is interfering with my modelling so I am not progressing as fast as I would like to. Luckily, the kit is not fighting me back and here she is - for the first time the plastic pieces joined into a beautiful Flanker shape.

Anyway, finished with exams and I managed to more or less finish the cockpits,

Thank you!

During studying for the exams, (this old head of mine doesn't suck knowledge in as it used to and has to be constantly beat into submission :D) I managed to do a few relaxation modelling sessions and here's the result so far. Aft cockpit mostly painted up. Front cockpit painted and washed. And side by side comparison.

Thank you! You will definitely enjoy it! I've got a bunch of learning to do for my upcoming ATC exams so not much time for modelling, unfortunately. I managed to finish the main wheel wells though.

I haven't posted anything in this section for a while but I've decided that this is about to change. Brand new GWH kit of the Su-27UB in 1:48 and from my initial inspection, I am quite certain you can make it into outstanding looking model without use of any aftermarket products. Progress is slow as I have a bunch of exams at work in the near future and parenting and other hobbies take a toll, but still, I am gaining momentum with this build nevertheless. First completed piece is front gear well - I am doing an early version of the UB so I've chosen the open bay with all the piping and structure visible but GWH provides a closed well for later versions as well.

Thank you very much, guys! I've used Tempmodels Khibyini-M pods and they include the covers. Adds a little bit of contrast to the blue-grey colours.

The aircraft I had a pleasure of photographing at MAKS 2019.

Thank you very much, everyone! Linden Hill Those sound like equally interesting options! You are correct - freehand airbrushing - I've used Mr.Paint paints and Harder&Steenback airbrush with 0.15mm nozzle. You can check my youtube videos - just click on the banner in my signature.