curiouslysophie

I am slowly plugging away at this kit. I have pretty much finished the cockpit for now, and I have been working on the plumbing for the main fuel tank. The cockpit was upgraded with the Eduard set provided through Zoukei Mura, some ANYZ toggles and switches, the obligatory HGW Seatbelts, some Airscale Luftwaffe placards, and the odd bit of scratchbuilding. I did some reworking of the seat. I redid the cushions with some Tamiya epoxy putty. I’m not too happy with the leather painting and I feel I may do a few more mods to the seat to make it look a bit more like a later version. The fuel tank has had some pipe work added, though it isn’t fully finished yet. I plan on making the panel over it removable so it will have some more details passing through this section. That is all I have done so far. Today I am mostly working on the front engine, so hopefully I’ll have more to show soon. I have a few other projects in the pipeline, my what-if Fw-190 should be started soon. I am also working on non-LSP models too! I hope you all like my work so far! Please let me know what you think, I’m hoping I can get much better as I still feel my skills are limited (you don’t want to see what I’ve done to 1/35 figures trying to paint them!). Cheers, Sophie

Thank you! I was happy to find out that the early planes had the bronze green, I think it adds a bit of a nice difference to the standard interior green cockpits and has a creat contrast with the aluminium chipping. I am happy you like it! I am guessing from your username you prefer a smaller scale? I like the large planes just for the extra detail you can add. I am a bit of a diehard for this scale!

Thank you all for your lovely comments. I am glad you all like it! I feel my skills are getting better and I just hope the next build surpasses it! I used Infini Models 1/32 Aero Rigging. I believe it’s meant for WWI planes but works well for this! I sadly don’t I’m afraid. For the engine there is a mix of scratch parts, kit parts, and 3D printing. The weathering is numerous techniques I’ve picked up over the years, plus a healthy dose of learning from people like Night Shift, Will Pattinson, Mike Rinaldi, and more. I’m always happy to chat more about it though! Especially with a fellow archaeologist! Definitely worth it! The kit is a beauty and goes together like a dream.

Thanks for the offer, but I am looking for an unbuilt one to do all the lighting. I do appreciate it though! I will keep searching and hopefully strike a lucky find! I do have a 3D printer, so that may be an option to go for!

I have wanted to take a break from the historical models and venture back to sci-fi, and being a life long Trek fan I wanted to do my favourite ship. I just cannot find a kit of it anywhere except for crazy ebay prices. Does anyone know a source for one? Will it be re-released? I would like the clear one, but would settle for an older one? Is this kit just gone for good now? Cheers, Sophie

It is quite intimidating, but goes together well. I plan on doing some significant modifications to change it to the B-2 version.

Now the Corsair is finished, it’s time to pull a kit out I’ve been excited to do and gathering parts for. This is the Zoukei Mura Do-335 A-0, but I will be modifying it to a B-2 heavy fighter-bomber version. This will be a Luft ‘46 build, with a heavy dose of inspiration from @Out2gtcha’s excellent Do-335 build. I have a wealth of aftermarket for this one, including (but not limited to); HGW seatbelts Sprues from the HK Do-335 B-2 CMK Bombs Zoukei Mura Photoetch upgrade sets Eduard Photoetch upgrade sets Master brass barrels MDC resin guns and oxygen hoses And much more! This will be a long and intricate build with much modification of the kit. I am going to rivet the whole plane with the MDC rivet tool, one rivet at a time. I am contemplating trying a stressed skin effect on it too (not decided on that one yet!). We shall see how this goes! Here are some shots of my build so far; For those interested here’s some ‘history’ of the Do-335 from an alternate history concept I am working on; ‘Following many discussions in the Luftwaffe High Command, a push was made in 1942 to accelerate the Me-262 program as a counter to the increasing bombing raids the Allies were raining down on Germany. Hitler wanted the jet to become a fast fighter-bomber, but he was talked out of this by pointing out the Do-335 would make a superior schnell bomber with its increased bomb load and excellent flight characteristics. This led to funds and resources being diverted from other wonder weapon programs to boost the Do-335 production capabilities. The decreasing effectiveness of Allied bombing as the jet interceptors came online and started to take down bombers in large numbers, combined with resources gained from various areas in the Middle East and the Caucasus region allowed the Luftwaffe numbers to swell to sizes only seen in 1939. During the lull in heavy bombing as the Allied air forces reassessed their strategies, German factories began relocation into underground facilities that had been under construction for several months at that point. Dornier was able to significantly increase their output with heavy focus put into Do-335 production and modification. By late autumn 1945 the plant was turning out 9 planes a shift, 3 shifts a day, and numbers were only to increase. The Do-335 underwent significant modifications over its lifetime, later to become a fantastic heavy night fighter, often competing with Heinkel’s 219 as the preferred aircraft for that role. It is largely remembered for its role as a fighter-bomber and the damage it inflicted in rapid bombing campaigns during several key moments in the late war. The almost continual bombing of the Normandy beach head delayed the Allies gaining their foothold on the continent by several days, enough to bring panzer forces up to slow the advance further. Bombing of Allied positions during the Ardennes Offensive allowed German forces to reach Antwerp, cutting British and American lines leading to chaos among Allied top brass and a strategic withdrawal, if temporarily, back past the French border. The most famous operation the Do-335 was involved in was the ‘sealing’ of the Suez Canal during the rapid push into Egypt by Rommel’s Afrika Korps in early 1944. 15 Do-335 B-1’s go 3/JG.55 were tasked with destroying any facilities and shipping in the canal to prevent British reinforcement and resupply of their beleaguered forces in Egypt. After several runs hitting port facilities and merchant ships they came across a Royal Navy force trying to exit the canal headed by HMS King George V. The ships were steaming at an excessive speed for the canal hoping to exit the canal before being spotted and were bunched too close together in the tight confines. Hauptmann Martin Huber spotted the ships and led his flight down to bomb such tempting targets. The flak coming up from the ships and land based guns was intense, but the Dornier’s speed held them in good stead as they came down. Huber had given targets to each plane but the focus was the battleship. Performing a dive bomb the Do-335 hadn’t been designed for Huber’s flight dropped their bombs as low as they felt the could and pulled up and away fast. Fearing flak and enemy fighters, the Do-335’s sped away rapidly. Little did Huber know his run had dealt a fatal blow. A 500Kg bomb from his plane had penetrated the King George V’s main forward magazine and detonated. The resulting explosion blew the bow end of the battleship clean off killing 800 of the crew outright. The explosion was so powerful, and the proximity of the other ships in the flotilla so close, the two destroyers (HMS Nubian & Māori) were destroyed outright. The HMS Suffolk unable to stop in time plowed straight into the wreck of the King George V and led to a naval pileup which blocked the canal. Damage from the explosion obliterated ground forces in the area tasked with defending the canal entrance. No more British traffic was able to make it through, and would have to travel the long way around and into a South Atlantic heavily populated with U-Boats. The Afrika Korps were able to seize on the chance and several days later take the canal and push on into the Sinai.’ The Longest War: The Air War Over Europe & The North African Theatre 1939-1948

I love coming up with the storylines to go with the models. My upcoming Do-335 will have one with it set in Summer 1946. The models are the best bit though

All of my builds are in this style. I call it ‘historically plausible’. I am also working on some Luft ‘46 projects based in an alternate history universe I’m working on.

Thank you for the excellent photos! The prop blade has some weathering on it, I got that dirty look you often see on WWII props. It sadly doesn’t show up to well in the shots. I Might do some more chipping down to them metal though. I have done some fading to the fabric, it looks a lot more prominent in real life than pictures. I did some paint fading first then enhanced it with oils after. I didn’t want to over fade it so I held back a little, I probably could’ve gone further. If I ever do another Corsair it’ll be even dirtier!

Thank you, you’re all to kind! I’m really glad you like my Corsair. I have quite a few previous builds I can share some time, but I really poured my heart and soul into this one. Now it’s time to start the next one! The stencils were HGW wet transfers. They are brilliant! You put them down over some Microsol, then wait about 4-5 hours and then you can peel the carrier film off and they look like they’re painted on. I use them as much as I can. The main markings are done using Montex masks. I would like to invest in a Silhouette cutter at some point to make my own masks. Do avoid the Eduard cockpit, the detail is wonderful, but the fit was so bad. The kit cockpit is great! I highly recommend the Quinta 3D decals as well.

Thank you! Yes, the white strips were for preventing fuel leaks, though there were often leaks from the upper circular panel. I wanted to show a plane that had had leaks, some patching up and then more leaks. Normally the cockpit was interior green, but some Corsairs in the Solomons and Guadalcanal had bronze green cockpits. This was usually earlier ones. I wanted to go for the darker colour as I felt it contrasted better with the light blue. Cheers, Sophie

I did use it and although the detail is nice, the fit was bad. It didn’t fit into the fuselage very well. I used ak worn effects fluid for the chipping and mostly ak real colours for paint. The panel line was was a mix of Tamiya ones. The rest of the weathering was done with abteilung 502 oils. I followed a lot of the techniques done by Will Pattinson in his oil paint rendering videos on youtube but tried a few of my own in addition. I want to make a base for this build at some point too.

My first post of my work here. Constructive criticism is welcome! I hope you all like it Here is my rendition of the ‘bent-wing bird’. I used the Eduard cockpit (never again) & propeller, HGW belts & stencils, Barracuda Wheels, and a load of scratchbuilding! I did some super-detailing on the engine, cowl flaps, canopy fittings, and wheel bays. It is a fictional scheme from a Guadalcanal based unit, flown by the fictional Lt M. W. Hendrik. I hope you enjoy my build, I had great fun with the weathering on this one. I have come to love dirty aircraft and learned a good deal of new techniques for this plane (still not so great at them!). On to the pictures!

Wonderful work! I love it. I have this kit in the stash, how did you find the construction and fit? I cant wait to see more of your builds!

Thank you for the advice! Those are all good sources. getting shots of the underside of aircraft from the war is always a challenge. I think I have enough I can estimate the weathering patterns with some artistic license. Hopefully I should have the oil paint rendering done this weekend. Just need to scratch the canopy fittings after that.

Hi everyone, Just wondering if I could tap the hive mind for some reference shots of land-based Birdcage Corsairs, preferably from Guadalcanal/Solomon Islands. I am at the weathering stage of my 1/32 Tamiya one, and most of the shots of the undersides I could find were from carrier based planes. Thanks for any help! I really want to get the dirty, beaten up look, but with a good level of accuracy. Cheers, Sophie

Well I do hope I make the grade! If you know if good references for Birdcage Corsairs at Guadalcanal/Solomons I’d be very greatful. My bird is a fictional one, but I would like to get the weathering fairly accurate. She’ll be one beat up plane though!

Thank you all for welcoming me so warmly! I can’t wait to show you some more of my work. I’m glad you like them so far! I guess we’re all our own biggest critic right? In response to comments about the bare metal finish, I’m glad people like it. I am not fully happy with it. I used the AK Extreme Metal paints and found them lacking. I am working on new techniques to give a much more realistic finish. I want to redo the P-51 at some point, but being a terminal super-detailer I just can’t afford another Tamiya kit and all the aftermarket at the moment. Might end up selling my currently finished one and use that to do another one. My weathering skills have gotten a lot better since then and I like to experiment with new techniques all the time. I am about to take my Birdcage Corsair into the weathering stage and soon will start a mega project in a highly modified Zoukei Mura Do-335. As to ships, the Tribal is waiting for the lovely guys at Micro Master to finish their 3D printed quadruple Pom Poms and bridge equipment. I also have a Fletcher class and HMS King George V to build. Ships look fun, and for someone who loves small details, fantastic! I will definitely start a thread for my Do-335 once it gets going!

Thank you all for such a warm welcome! I’m glad you like my builds I will definitely show my builds more, I am working on improving my photography to better catch them. I’m currently working on Tamiya’s excellent Birdcage Corsair, which is just hitting the weathering stage, and I am starting the Zoukei Mura Do 335 soon, as well as a 1/350 Tribal Class Destroyer. I’m looking forward to chatting here more!

Hi! I’m Sophie. Thought I’d join up and introduce myself. I am an archaeologist who specialises in WWII, I hail from London, and I am a bit of a history buff. I have been building models since I was about 8 but fell out of the hobby as I got older. Got back into the hobby about a decade ago, and though I primarily build 1/32 WWII aircraft, I do enjoy vehicles, and been trying my hand at ships recently too. I also used to do a few sci-fi models in to past too. Most of my models are fictional vehicles, with a sort of ‘historical plausibility’ about them, and I am currently planning a Luft ‘46 project. I don’t think my skills are the best, and I often don’t show my finished work off as I think some of the builders out there far outstrip me in skill, but I hope I can share a few with you guys as I get better. I’ll stick a couple of pics of my earlier work down below. Hope to chat to you all soon! Sophie