ScanmanDan

Progress; I have finished the basic assembly and boy does this kit have well fitting parts. A joy to build :D . I have started on the basic paint. I need to let this lot settle in and then mask off the orange stripes. Then I can get to the part I like most. Mucking it all up! I got the AT-ST the other day and I'm looking into getting both the x and Y wings as these kits will be instant classics. Pity they aren't all to a constant scale, but the prices are pretty good. I think I need to get the base colour a touch lighter as the weathering will no doubt darken the finish. Still having fun! Thanks for looking in. Dan

So cool looking Andy. I hope you are having fun because I sure am watching your progress. I had to laugh as this morning I got up and saw your progress and thought, "Hmmmm, when you get home tonight you might suggest Andy add some white stripes to the base. Cause, there is a bit of a dead zone down front…" I'm just going to shut the #$%^ up and sit here drooling in the corner :D Keep up the great work you are an inspiration! Dan

The more I look at your cradle the more I like it. Simple but with enough detail to make it interesting without distracting from the real star of the show. ( Magic! ) Alternative paint schemes- I like the racer angle but if I were to go off script I'd think about a Black Ops/Stealth Night-Speeder. All metalicaly blue/black a la SR-71 or F-117. Just a thought Dan

Dan, Roy - Thanks guys. Glad you like it so far. Roy the kit is 1/48 scale. Andy - I am jazzed you like my little guys Now if I can just get the rest of the kit looking good. Progress; So far all the parts fit together really well. I've been undercoating with Mr Surfacer black and all seems well. More time to work on her tomorrow. Dan

I have been inspired by Andy's great builds of the Bandai Star Wars kits. I just had to try one out and I gotta say they are pretty cool kits. Here are my meagre efforts to bring some life to the pilot figures. I sent a bit of time with a sharp Xacto and some micro chisels to add a little bit more definition as the pilots are all one piece and there is only so much detail the kit maker can put in without any undercuts. My paints pretty basic but they should look okay through the cockpit glazing. All the parts fit so well together that you hardly need and cement. I'm going to get to painting the rest of the cockpit then on to putting the hull together. Plan is for a simple OOB build. Thanks to Andy for getting me hooked on these super little kits! So much fun so far. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Your progress looks great Andy. Neat idea to add some harness to the cockpit, it will certainly make it pop. Inspired by your progress I have made a start on my Snowspeeder by attacking the figures with chisels and a trusty Xacto to give the detail more relief. Unfortunately I'm having a bit of trouble getting good paint coverage using a brush. The plastic Bandai has used seems a touch 'oily' even after a wash. Do you have any tips for getting paint to stick? I am looking forward to what you do next.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do these kits full justice. The craftsmanship and artistic skill you have poured into these kits is wonderful to see. Inspired, I broke down and picked up the Snowspeeder this weekend and it is a cracking kit. I am looking foreword to getting a start on it soon but may wait a bit just to see what voodoo you bring to yours. Keep up the great work and thanks again for showing that building kits is first and foremost fun. Dan

Tiny Progress; I mounted and painted the rail above the torpedo and managed to get my guys arm on without mucking up the paint job. Work going on in the background to get the second torpedo and rail finished. Then its just a few more do dads and she's finished. I need to figure out how to get some nice engraved nameplates too. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Thanks for all of the encouraging comments. John - I am toying with the idea of a large patch of fresh paint on the conning tower and a fresh ID Number but I'm a bit chicken to mess with the finish now More Paint… and a figure too. The kit comes with two lumpy figures but a Warrior makes a few 1/35 scale U-Boat men. A very nicely sculpted figure which I can in no way enhance with my crummy paint job. A the very least the figure will show just how tiny these craft were. I did experiment with stippling on different shades of Alclad II metallic with a brush to break up the solid shades of metal. That and a few washes of inks and such. Thanks for looking in. Dan

More messing with paint Mostly just trying to get a nice weathered finished, not derelict just used. Working on the torpedoes too. Dan

Progress, Basic paint. More weathering to come I've started work on the torpedoes but need to get them both right before I add the mountings. Dan

I've been tinkering with this kit for the last couple of days. All I really want to do is a good paint job with Alclad metalics on the torpedoes and dead flat greys on the hull as I think that would be a neat combination. Good kit except for the glass( Who thought bending flat bits of clear material was a good idea? ) and the missing bits for the exhaust- badly bodged together from photos. I need to carefully assemble the torpedoes before I can build the hangers for them. But I should be at painting stage by next weekend. Gotta keep building quick or I'll get distracted. Thanks for looking. Dan

Steve, Andy & Tarheellaw - Thanks for your encouraging comments. Andy - You gotta try one of these beauties. I'm so looking forward to adding some life to the interior. Make sure that you share your build, I'll be looking for it. Progress; Well she's up on her feet. Got a touch of the AMS and started adding bits and doing stupid things like trying to open up around the idler wheels( You won't be able to see any difference once the tracks are on. ). I think Tamiya have done a pretty good job of adding a fair amount of detail to these kits. Why I keep thinking my additions are making things better I'll never know. I want to get to some basic painting this weekend and with luck I won't get distracted with any more 'improvements'. I do think that I had to add the sponson tops as you could see straight through from the open top to the tracks and that would look horrible. On to the pics. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Can't help myself Next build will be the Tamiya M10 Achilles IIc 17pdr. Jumped in with building by getting into the aftermarket and putting together the Verlinden resin M2 50cal. Nice bit of gear if a bit fiddly to assemble, but much less work than messing about with a lot of tiny photo etch. Paints up nice I'm going to work on the Hull next and I have some photo etch and resin bits to add. Lovin these little guys. Dan

Andy that looks awesome . Thanks for sharing - so cool. Must try that on one of my next builds. My little guy is finished and I added a post in the finished builds section. Thanks to everyone for their encouragement. Dan

Done and dusted. Had a blast with this little creature. I hear that Hauler is bringing out a photo etched sheet which would make this little doggie sing. Well this is the best I could do with her. Not too happy with the little bit of dirt I tried making but I hope to get better with some more practice. Love these little tanks!!! Might get cracking on that 1/72 Skipjack On finish one of a number of WIP's sitting around the place. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Thanks guys! I was looking over the kit tonight after work and I will have to strip the paint off the mufflers and redo them as it looks KACK . Steve - Yep, the stowage is from value gear and it's pretty good. Paints up well and is nicely cast. The detail is a touch soft but MILES better than I could ever hope to make out of putty. I'm going to keep picking up more of their sets as I go just to have them on hand, I highly recommend them. Dan

Progress?; Lots of fooling about with some washes and pastel chalks and some detail painting. I just need to get the tyres finished and do some final assembly and this puppy will be done. If I do another one I get the Hauler photo etched set to spruce up the details but doesn't build too bad straight from the kit. Thanks for all the super support guys. I'm glad you lie my little efforts. Dan

Thanks for the encouragement guys Progress; Basic paint plus first pass of oil filters. My work is pretty busy so This will get a few days to dry off hard before I start mucking some more with it. Shaping up okay with the usual mistakes and missteps . Thanks for looking. Dan

Progress; All the construction is finished I just need to get to the painting. I've only added some lift hooks, handles and after market storage. Painting should be fun. :D Alpha - Driving one of these things would be a blast! Dan

Nice looking T-34. I hope you build a base for this one too. Hope you are having fun and share more of your 1/48 scale builds. Dan

Superb! Straight forward and looks the part, base looks great too! Dan

Progress; Started flinging some paint. Thanks Andy she sure is a tiny little bugger. My detail is a bit ham fisted but spices up the interior a bit. Alpha - I'd love to see how you tackle this little beastie. Dan

Latest butterfly Tamiya Dingo, not much detail in the interior so added some spurious details and widgets. I am surprised that no weapons are provided for this kit. I think Tamiya was a touch stingy not even putting in a Bren gun or rifle or two. Tiny, tiny little creature. Progress so far; Now comes the fun bits, painting! Dan

Latest little tank. Tried a few new things, some of which actually worked . Pics; Learning as I go and having a blast so I must be doing something right Next on the slip ways are a Achilles or a M8 Greyhound plus a few figures... Thanks for dropping in to have a look at my efforts. Dan