1/72 Airfix Relaxation, Strictly OOB Builds . . . .

[FAAMAN]

It's been a while since I posted here, been pretty busy with life in general.

I was getting a bit overwhelmed with including as much accuracy and detail in my builds as possible. I needed a way to relax and still build. I came across an old folder of mine from a very long time ago. Back when I were a lad I joined a local model club in 1975 to help grow my modelling skills and get to yak to like minded people (there were girls in the club too). 

The club had a particular type of build, a very strict "From the Box" comp throughout the year. And after reading through a couple of pages of hints and tips and other trivia I came across the pages for the "From the Box" builds and the rules long forgotten by meself.

Being I like old kits (I have a "few" in the stash) and as I said I was stressing about my flock of current builds and the difficulties I had created for myself with advanced cases of Researchitis and AMS, a germ of an idea started.

The most relaxing way I could think of was to build a few models without embellishment OOB as it were, no stress, just build, paint etc. Didn't actually work out that way in the long run but help it most definitely has.

 

First off, the rules for an Out Of the Bag/Blister/Box build, (slightly edited by me to make it a bit clearer than originally written)

1) Build with ONLY what is in the box, NO additional pieces allowed,

2) ONLY use a paint colour scheme from the kit's instructions, using the colour call outs provided. I've had to make a small change to this rule as it is not possible to use the paints specified by many older kits as the manufacturers may no longer exist or the particular paint range is no longer manufactured and readily available so I can use modern day equivalents to the original paint colours.

3) Only use the kit provided decals,

4) Weathering is allowed,

5) Varnishes are allowed, (not something you saw back then often in the land of "silvering" and after a while "falling off" decals),

6) Use the best skills and techniques possible to get the best result from the model,

7) Above all, HAVE FUN!!!!

 

So I selected three models, and over a period of weeks started them. Although the builds ran into months with some "challenges along the way, along with trying out new and or modified techniques to attempt to get the best out of these old kits I actually had fun too.

They were all Airfix 1/72 scale kits from the 60's and 70's although one of the mold tools came from 1958!

 

Airfix 1-72scale Focke Wulf Fw 190D Dora Kit 01021-0, the 1958 mold, started 01Dec2019, finished 09May2020 (a blister pack kit issued in 1973?),

165. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

166. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

168. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

173. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

176. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

181. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

187. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

189. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

191. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

204. Finish by Neil, on Flickr

205. FinishOOB by Neil, on Flickr

And lastly there is 50 years between these two builds of mine,

fiftyoneYearsC by Neil, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking, more soon,

Regards all,

FAA

[FAAMAN]

The second OOB build.

Airfix 1/72 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/R2 "Yellow3" 1965 issue Patt.No.85. Built 24Dec2019 - 15May2020. It doesn't really say "G-6/R2" on the header but that's what this version of "Gustav" is with the pair of Wfr. Gr.21 rocket tubes under the wings,

0139. Finish2 by Neil, on Flickr

0150. Finish13 by Neil, on Flickr

0155. Finish18 by Neil, on Flickr

0156. Finish19 by Neil, on Flickr

0157. Finish20 by Neil, on Flickr

0161. Finish24 by Neil, on Flickr

0163. Finish26 by Neil, on Flickr

0173. Finish37 by Neil, on Flickr

0181. Finish45 by Neil, on Flickr

0184. Finish48 by Neil, on Flickr

0187. Finish51 by Neil, on Flickr

0192. Finish56 by Neil, on Flickr

0199. Finish63 by Neil, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking, last OOB very soon,

Regards all stay safe,

FAA

[Aces High]

These are both superb! Just goes to show the benefits of keeping things simple.

[Spitfire31]

TD+X1 is really neat! An impressive example of what can be done with just what's in the box.

 

About the so-called "Messerschmitt Bf 109 G", the less said about this parody of a kit, the better. I admire your work on it, but I can't quite understand why… 😉

 

Excellent workmanship on both!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Nicely done!  The paintwork and build quality are excellent.  Keep it simple principle at work.

[IanC]

'The builds ran into months...'

 

You see, that's where you went wrong. True relaxation is throwing them together in a weekend. 

 

I'm kidding. They look great. In fact, I've never seen these two old clunkers look so good!

[FAAMAN]

Thanks gents for the likes and the great comments. One to go . . . . . .

Spitfire31 I realize the '109 isn't the best but it used to be the only game in town and at least it is recognizably a "Gustav" sort of, plus it's one of my most fave Airfix kits. Now the Fw IS the weird one as it really is misshapen, especially in side elevation to start with not to mention the HUGE panel lines, odd little spinner and narrow propeller blades etc etc.

I actually used some of my dwindling stock of Airfix and Humbrol Authentics paints to do these and try to stay as faithful to the instructions as possible.

I did try to finish the crewies as well as possible (I think they look great meself)  with their correctly coloured flying kit without actually altering them in any way. Although to be honest the FW's driver is wearing a Lindberg figure's boots as one of his was missing before opening the blister pack.

Here's some of my stash of Airfix and Humbrol Authentics,

DSC01218cropSml by Neil, on Flickr

DSC01219cropSml by Neil, on Flickr

 

I think each OOB build was better than the previous one as I learned what worked and what did not.

More very soon,

Regards all and Be Safe,

FAA

Edited May 23, 2020 by FAAMAN

[FAAMAN]

The last and IMHO the best of the OOB builds, so far . . . .

 

Airfix 1/72 scale YAK 9-D "White 31" KitNo. 01034-6 1973 blister pack. Built 30Dec2019 -19May2020.

0098. Finished4 by Neil, on Flickr

0097. Finished3 by Neil, on Flickr

0101. Finished7 by Neil, on Flickr

0105. Finished11 by Neil, on Flickr

0110. Finished17 by Neil, on Flickr

138. Finish45 by Neil, on Flickr

125. Finish32 by Neil, on Flickr

123. Finish30 by Neil, on Flickr

127. Finish34 by Neil, on Flickr

147. Finish54 by Neil, on Flickr

149. Finish56 by Neil, on Flickr

151. Finish58 by Neil, on Flickr

150. Finish57 by Neil, on Flickr

 

This was by far the easiest of the three builds with very few problems apart from when the 45 (?) year old decals touched water. The only survivors were the stars still on the sheet and the "31" decals and they silvered badly when applied even with Decal Soft and then Future they would not "sit" properly. They were ultra thick creating their own panel lines as well. So I did what I could with them and had to accept a bit of silvering. I ended up airbrushing the stars on using kit decal survivors as templates.

 

And finally the three OOB builds together,

DSC01656cropS by Neil, on Flickr

DSC01655cropS by Neil, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking in gents.

More OOB builds to come over the next few months from different manufacturers.

Regards all and Stay Safe,

FAA.

 

[Bangor Lad]

Fantastic!

[Rabbit Leader]

They all look great Neil. The 109 brings back fond memories as I had this one as a kid and always loved those underwing rocket launchers. That Yak looks great too and all are lovingly painted and weathered. All old kits deserve a second chance, nice to see them built again after all these years.

Cheers and well modelled.. Dave

[Sky Keg]

Very nice and a great topic.  

 

Mike