Hairy Stickler

Hi Dave, Welcome aboard! Great decision to join the forum. It's full of friendly people who are happy to share hints and tips. Just a word of caution. Don't listen to anyone else. 1/72 WW2 fighter aircraft is the only way to go. Everything else is just a distraction!! Best regards Peter

Lovely build! Thanks very much for sharing. Best regards Peter

Hi Jason, I tracked down this build review on Hyperscale and it looks like the lack of dihedral is a known issue with this kit. https://hyperscale.com/2007/features/spitfirevb72rf_1.htm Best regards Peter

For the avoidance of any doubt, it was the Spitfire whose lower surfaces received a first coat, not my Pyjamas or myself! I mean, come on, these are only small bottles of paint and, even with a LOT of thinning I'm not really sure how much of my nightwear (or me for that matter) one would cover! Thanks all for your kind comments

Morning All, Conscious of quite a long period of "radio silence" so I thought that I would bring things up to speed. As per the instructions, I kicked off with the cockpit assembly: This all went together rather well and so it would have been a good idea to have taken a photo before I sealed it away for all time in the fuselage but....... Well, you can kind of get the idea! The airframe went together easily with just a small amount of filler required. The only real issue was the lack of any sort of dihedral on the wings. They were as flat as a pancake! However, after a fair amount of sanding around the roots and hitching the wings up with masking tape while the glue was drying, I did manage to achieve a bit of an angle. I'm now ready to paint (I have already masked and painted the fuselage band and applied a first coat on the under surfaces in my pyjamas this morning)! So it's "so far so good". I'll try not to leave it so long to the next update. Best wishes to all Peter

Lovely work! I was contemplating a bit of a "Midway-themed" thing next year and this may have swung it! Thanks very much for sharing Best regards Peter

Sorry to hear about your experiences with these Colin but i always make sure that the underlying gloss coat is completely dry before applying the wash (as per the video), and I never attach any readily breakable parts until right at the end of the build (weathering them separately if necessary). Still there is no one size fits all in this hobby! Regards Peter

Hi George, Have a watch of this. I have just started experimenting with this product (I believe that there are other similar washes available). Previously, I was mixing up washes using chalk pastels but there were too grainy. All the best Peter

I'd agree with the comments here re Airfix. They are fun to build and, for a brush painter like myself, the sometimes agricultural panel lines can be a positive boon. With some of the more refined makes, by the time you've slapped on primer, several coats of paint and a couple of gloss coats, your subtle panel lines have vanished and you're trying to apply a clay wash to an ice rink! I also think that both Airfix and Revell (to an extent) suffer from something of an image problem (in the UK at least). These guys have been around for years and they're the kits you'll find in toy shops (as opposed to "serious" model shops). I suppose that familiarity breeds contempt which is very unfair as both manufacturers make some great stuff. Off the soap box now!

Hi LP, Greetings from the South Coast of the UK. Welcome back to the hobby. Like you, I had a 30+ year "sabbatical" and was amazed how much things had moved on (and how good some of the kits are now - although there are still some dogs out there)! Enjoy yourself! Peter

What about the Tamiya A6M3/3a in 1/72? Lovely kit with very few vices and an easy paint scheme for a beginner. Not Allied fighter, I know but a great kit.

Welcome aboard Kenneth from a very warm and sunny Sussex in the UK (although it's probably not as warm as New Mexico)!! Best regards Peter

Thank you very much. Not Safe For Wife?

Morning/Afternoon/Evening* All, * delete as applicable Thought I would make a start today on my entry (Mrs Stickler has gone to her Dad's for a few days). Anyway, this is what I'm aiming for Lovely decal set from Exito with some superb artwork (which will hopefully make a comeback in a "glamour-themed" group build next year). This is the starting point I know, I know, it's rear end is totally the wrong shape, etc. but if it walks like a duck.......! Here it is OOB and ready to go I'll try and give regular updates but, be warned, I'm not exactly a fast worker and I have a bedroom to decorate (so others may decide my priorities)! Hope all are well Best regards Peter

Kitchen paper is a sore subject in my house. Apparently, it's not meant for modelling. Just wait until next time Mrs Stickler goes to use a cotton bud!!