The Mandalorian

Hi T. Thanks for that - glad you like it! TTFN Steve

Thanks Chaz - It'd be great to see in the flesh for sure but I believe the Maid's under the beach again and has been for quite a while. Notwithstanding, I also understand the exact location is kept as secret as possible to avoid further damage to the airframe by souvenir hunters. TTFN Steve

Thanks for that - much looking forward to returning to the whole beach deal again after the pre-production issue of the forthcoming 1/72 Airfix B-24H Liberator has been signed off complete for AMW. 🙂 TTFN Steve

Hi Sandros. Thanks for that. I confess I much prefer the 'human level' view for all the photographic reasons I've mentioned above but then I've seen it from all angles as it was being cobbled together so 100% understand your sentiment. This has very much been a 'learn by doing' exercise for me and I think I can skin the imaging issues with semi-translucent resin going forwards by altering my finishing technique. The next one's in the works... TTFN Steve

Hi Dave - thanks for that. 🙂 Cheers R! TTFN Steve

Thanks for the nod on this one S! TTFN Steve

Thanks F. Cheers Keeff. Much appreciated both. Here's four images that didn't make it into the final cut - my preference is always for the low angle shots. Having never built anything with semi-translucent resin before I had no prior knowledge of how the surface detail would render in the imaging. Turns out shots taken at 'human level' allow the surface to closely mimic sea water, hence my preference for these. 🙂 TTFN Steve

Cheers Tim. I got the release date wrong I regret - it's usually the first Thursday of each month but in this instance it's been shifted to Thursday 11 January. TTFN Steve

Hi Tim. The creation of the 'Maid' is now set to appear in the February 2024 issue of Airfix Model World, due out on Thursday January 4. Here's a couple of additional images in the mean time that better show the very unique weathering in the upper outer starboard wing compared to the rest of the airframe. TTFN Steve

Hi Peter. Just adding my admiration for the project - cracking stuff! TTFN Steve

Thanks for that F. Oh dear - another one's in the works... TTFN Steve

Thanks for that Paul. This was first time out with pouring resin but in for a penny and all that. Very glad to have tackled what's been an interesting subject - looking forward to putting the learning to work on the next water dio. 🙂 Cheers Tim - it's pre-publication and will be in Airfix Model World shortly I understand. Thanks Andy. Always good when a plan comes together. 🙂 Thanks for that F! Much appreciated. TTFN Steve

Thanks for that Bertie. The diorama thing is new to me but since dabbling the list of 'what's next' is growing...🙂 Cheers Rob - that's way kind. 🙂

Thanks for that - appreciate the nod! I'm hoping the 'Maid' will get more love than she does from dio builders. 🙂

Cheers T! Hi M. Thanks for that. The disrupted surface on the otherwise flat AK resin was achieved with AK Water Gel Transparent AK8002 dabbed in with a 3/4 inch brush. Thanks for that Keith!

Cheers Ratch. 🙂 Thanks Pete - it was started a year ago but paused to flit sideways to finish the 1/24 Airfix Spitfire Mk.IXc, 1/35 MiniArt Avro 671 Autogyro and 1/32 Kōtare Spitfire Mk.Ia. Very glad to close it off ready for new stuff coming through to the bench. Happy days. Cheers Trev! Thanks C - yes, it was the rarity of the subject that embedded the idea, as well as an opportunity to get acquainted with pouring resin.

Hi folks. 'The Maid of Harlech' is a rare subject for a diorama it seems. I've only ever found two other builds out on the web - one by 'Studio Blue Ocean' on You Tube and the other on Facebook. Both captivated my imagination, so it became a modelling 'bucket lister' to produce my own interpretation of the first aviation crash site in the UK to be granted 'protected' status. The Academy P-38F in 1/48 was bought in as the 'Maid' and dressed with Black Dog resin engines plus some straightforward plastic and lead sheet additions. I'd never used pouring resin before, so a 14" x 14" insulation foam base was maybe a little large to test the water first time out but in for a penny and all that. North of half a litre of resin and other water effects stuff later I'm fairly comfortable with the stuff and the whole exercise confirmed that you can watch all the You Tube 'How To' pieces you like but it'll still be a 'learn by doing' exercise. My 'Maid' represents the first time she appeared out of the sands in the 1970s - a cold Welsh beach at low tide and slack water. The base sides have been left in VMS 'Smart Mud 2.0' as though the scene were cut from the ground...sort of...🤣 Anyways, it was huge fun and I'm hunting down another excuse to do another wet dio... 🙂

Hi Noel. Thanks for that. Richard Alexander kindly confirmed the other day that the build images I'd sent were now up in the kitset gallery on the Kōtare web site: I can certainly post the three I sent him here, now AMW has been published: Wish you well with your build Noel and much look forward to seeing it out on the flight line! TTFN Steve

Cheers K. I confess I'm a 'scale nomad' and drift between them until something appeals. Wish you well with whatever you tackle next. 🙂

Cheers S! 🙂

Thanks M! Much appreciated.

Hi Dave. Thanks for that. Just for clarity, the visibility of the rear fuselage domed rivets you've referred to is a consequence of a couple of aspects in play - the lighting up and to the left has put the domed rivets in a bit of shadow (which might be interpreted as some kind of finishing enhancement like a wash - it isn't) and the Sigma SD Quattro's resolving ability (it likes to hoover up details). The Foveon sensor differentiates tones and colours differently to the ubiquitous Bayer types, in a way that is more '3D' in its rendering and so appears to enhance surface details. In truth, the domed rivets would appear much less obvious to your eye 'in person' and therein lies the hazard of literal interpretations of online images. 🙂 I blame Sigma and their weird Foveon technology...🤣 TTFN Steve

Cheers Neil!

That moment when earlier today Richard Alexander, boss of Kōtare, includes a kind offer in his email to post several images of my Spitfire in the 'Gallery' section of their official web site...😱 Happy days...🙂

Cheers Neil! Such an epic kit.