nearsightedjohn

Just joined your audience on this WIP and looking really good so far. I love this old Monogram/ Revell kit, despite the raised panel lines, I think this kit builds up really nicely and looks right. I struggled with an Accurate Miniatures A/B kit a few years back and ended up taking a hammer to it. Someday I’d like to try again with either this old Monogram kit or, if my finances allows for it, that new HK 1/48 kit. I love PBJ’s, such a refreshing departure from the standard OD over neutral grey. The beautiful fully restored Marine Corp B-25 PBJ 1J shown below flies over our home frequently (part of CAF at Camarillo). I always make a point of exiting my man cave and running outside when I hear those Wright 2600 radials approaching! photo from https://www.cafsocal.com/our-aircrafts/our-aircraft-and-history/north-american-pbj/#

Thanks Jeff. Yes I’ve read the same historical account and so the “last shoot down 1945” for the “Lady in the Dark” shown on the box is a misnomer, it should probably have been read “Last Chase Down 1945”? I do think the crew should have been credited the kill along with a good conduct metal for saving bullets!

Okay, I actually did something on this bird this afternoon. I recall during assembly/ masking/ painting of the GWH P-61A I did years ago, I accidentally broke off the two radar altimeter antennas that are integrally molded on the fuselage parting line. IIRC, I lost one or both of these little ‘T’ parts and had to scratch-build replacements. It drives me crazy when kit manufacturers add little antennas, pitot tubes, etc. on the parting line that are super- vulnerable to fracture vs. making them separate parts that you bond on later. This time I’m just going to cut both off and bond them back into place farther along the build: Storing these two ‘T’ antennas in a small bottle so they’re easier to locate later: Hopefully, I’ll start making some more progress on this kit before I have to put it on hold next week.

Here’s my entry, GWH’s 1/48 Northrop P-61B Black Widow night fighter. My preference is to do one of the all-black with red versions operating out of Iwo Jima in 1945. I acquired this kit when it was first released (2015? Nine years ago! Egads!) and forgot that I bought a bunch of after market (back in my flush working days before my 2016 retirement): I’ve also collected the following reference books through the years which should also help me narrow down the exact aircraft I will attempt to model: Im thinking of doing either “Lady in the Dark”, “Cooper’s Snooper” or “Night Take-Off”. It will be fun to research the differences other than nose art and ID numbers if any. The wife and I are headed out of town for a three week trip next week so I probably won’t make much progress before mid- Feb but I wanted to put a stake in the ground. I’ve always loved the weirdness of this aircraft and have fond memories of building the old Aurora kit as a kid (60+ years ago!). Looking forward to sharing this one with all my friends here. Cheers, John

Thanks Corsair! A third P-61B PTO decal option I can do is “Night Take-Off”. Love the nose art on these late war Black Widows. If I can find this kit in my stash today, I think I’ll start a WIP post and at least wash the mold release off the parts before I leave town. That’s step 1, right?

I’m thinking about joining this GB with the following subject: I built the original release olive drab P-61A clear nose version of this kit a good 9-10 years and made a lot of mistakes, I think I sold the finished build in a yard sale for a few quid. My skills have improved since then and I think I can do a better job on a second go round. A few issues/thoughts I should mention before committing: 1. Wife & I are off for a 3 week trip next week so other than digging through my stash to locate the kit and assess what I originally bought with the kit (AM decals? Eduards paint mask? The kit mask is garbage), I probably won’t be able to get started until late Feb at the earliest. 2. I am thinking of building “Cooper’s Snooper” (1st choice) or “Lady in the Dark” (2nd choice), both PTO (Iwo Jima) 1945 subjects but I would prefer not to copy anyone else on this GB doing the same exact aircraft in this scale - is anyone else planning to do a 1/48 P-61B of either of these specific aircraft???? I’m about 1/4 through a 1/350 IJN carrier build which will have to share my eight foot bench if I start this P-61 but at least I won’t have a problem with mixing parts between kits! So should I plan on joining this GB? Anyone else doing a Black Widow? Cheers, John

Another masterpiece Jon, well done & thank you for posting the detailed WIP. Also great job on adapting the PE set, definitely look’s like it’s worth it on this AFV Club kit.

This one brings back wonderful memories for me. I owned a red ‘86, one of the top two most fun cars I ever owned (the other being an ‘02 WRX sports wagon). This car was a perfect example of the axiom about “driving a slow car fast is much more fun than driving a fast car slow”. So much fun on a twisty mountain road! I read recently that Toyota acquired this first gen. MR2 design from Lotus during their financial scandal in the early 80’s and it was originally intended to be the Dolorean 2.0. Your work on the ride height paid off. I recall the wheels and tires being perfectly centered within the wheel wells on the one one I owned, this car handled so well I can’t imagine it benefiting by lowering it (at least on the street). Dan The Man Gurney was a consultant to Toyota who worked with them to tune the chassis on this car, he did good! You did a beautiful job on this build, it’s inspiring me to build the one in my stash in ‘24. Maybe do a dark green and champagne two-tone version?

Bravo Eric! A fabulous tribute to one of the greatest F1 drivers, a truly groundbreaking race car and one of the most innovative inventive builders. If $ was no object, I would purchase one of these MFH kits just to admire the unbuilt parts!

Jon, if you decide to go the diorama route, it looks like there are actual nice 1/350 allied infantry soldier figures available from Black Cat (website here) I hope you do decide to do a diorama, I’m considering doing one for my club competition next summer and would love to see where you go with this (some of my best modeling efforts have been inspired by what I see here!). The downside of a diorama is the additional cost and work required on figures, vehicles, base materials….have fun!!

I saw them on the Shapeways website here. I think they come in both US and British versions and are reasonably priced for 3D printed components (although shipping and customs costs may make these $$$ for the UK).

Looking forward to watching your effort on this one Jon, it’s a kit I’m considering building for a “D-Day” themed competition I may enter next year. There are 1/350 scale 3D printed barrage balloons out there that would look very cool tethered to this LST parked on a beach diorama.

Moebius auto kits are among my favorites, I’ve yet to build any of the trucks but the cars are all excellent, particularly the Hudson’s and the ‘65 Plymouths. Love the quick clean build that you’re doing on this truck so far. I’m intrigued that you appear to be pursuing this auto subject like an AFV model, completely assembling it and then painting everything? I was never a big tank model builder but have really enjoyed the few I’ve done because of ease of totally assembling everything before applying paint, so much easier and avoids the problem of liquid cement damaging paint. Looking forward to see how you paint this one (assuming you do!). Cheers, John

What a cool man hobby cabin! And I like your IKEA display solutions, much better than all my Tupperware boxes in the back of the closet. That Fujimi bathtub Porsche is looking good. Not an easy kit but one of my favorites. Looking forward to seeing your RFI on this one.

Very nice, particularly the added detail work in the engine bay, chassis and interior. I’ve built several of these Moebius ‘65 Plymouths and found them pretty trouble-free to assemble. What issue(s) did you encountered with the windows?

Thank you guys for the fast response on my question. It’s amazing how little references are available for many of the IJN ships, I guess a lot of the original engineering documents/ drawings/ photos/ records were either destroyed by the Japanese before surrender or during allied bombing. I like the idea of going with a very light grey for both walls and floor which will also allow for a little light weathering. Thanks Sam, BTW I thoroughly enjoyed reading your Taihō and Zeppelin WIP that you posted earlier this year, amazing work and congrads on your well deserved award at Telford!

I’ve started work on a 1/350 Fujimi Zuikaku carrier circa ‘44 (colorful IJN camo). I decided to scratch-build an elevator opening and portions of both exposed hangar decks for one of the three elevators: I believe most if not all USN carriers had white painted walls on the hangar deck. Did the IJN also paint their hangar deck walls white or were they grey (Kure or whichever arsenal that the ship originated from)?

Congratulations Peter, fabulous result and much deserved awards!

Just ran across this WIP, thank you Schummie for providing such a throughly documented WIP of the work required to assemble this 1/20 MFH kit. You are doing a fabulous job thus far. I have fantasized recently about taking the plunge and blowing a good majority of my 2024 hobby budget on an MFH kit but your WIP has convinced me to stick with the user-friendly Tamiya/ Hasegawa/Ebbro plastic kits already in my stash. I had no idea how much tuning and debugging is required to put one of these together, WOW!

Fabulous finish Kris. I agree with others on the restrained weathering and rigging, just about perfect! Your result here makes me want to locate and add this kit to my ship queue. I’ve also used this technique for 1/350 flags and find it really helpful for holding a curl as well as providing a firm edge on the flag for bonding to the flag post:

Disappointed we didn’t make the cut! I still look forward to the all the fast & furious race cars we’re all still going to be building and posting in ‘24.

Fabulous job Jeddahbill, your Saratoga is incredibly well done but the aircraft really really puts this build over the top. These are among the best 1/350 aircraft I’ve ever seen posted. Can’t wait to see what you do with the Langley. Bravo!

Love these uncharacteristically sunny car pics in the UK in Fall, wished I’d been there on the side of the road snapping pics and enjoying the different engine sounds. Thank you Matt for taking and posting these great shots.

Nigel, Please add me to the list of late-comers to this track day GB, I will be happy and honored to take my place at the rear of the grid. John

I’ve casted my vote for the shiny fast & furious wheel’d things on the track GB. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Mustang (car) GB in 2021 (?!?! that was already 2 yrs ago?!?!….where did the last two years go?!?!?…..I’ll never get all these kits built!) I would be happy to join in on another non-military vehicle related GB in ‘24. Hope we win a spot in the calendar!