Beardie Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 You know I have been very quiet, in fact almost silent, on here for a few years and my Modelling had all but stopped. Those who remember me will quite possibly remember that I was a big fan of Wingnut Wings and, in fact, they were all I bought and built. Well, following a chance advert coming up on Facebook for Commando comics, which I thoroughly enjoyed in my childhood, I took out a subscription, bought a hundred or so old copies and started reading the tales of derring do. This then triggered a mad desire to build WWII subjects and I am now the proud owner of thirty or so brand spanking new kits of WWII aircraft (all bought in the last week) and, what is more....... They are all 1/72. I have restricted myself to kits modern enough to have engraved panel lines and good levels of detailed and I am stunned at just how good some of these offerings are. I never thought I'd say this but by God I think I'm going to enjoy making these little 1/72 gems. Particularly sweet and attractive highlights for are the Italeri Stirling, Sunderland and Arma Hobby Hurri, Mustang and Wildcat. Just when I thought my desire to stick plastic together and paint it was gone forever I find a new facet to explore and I think it's going to be fun. 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthemodeller Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Welcome back, Beardie - nice to know you are still with us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Very glad to see the @Beardie mojo back. I was beginning to miss you So don’t keep us waiting and tell us what you have on the cutting mat now then 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Nice to see you back again Beardie....whatever it is you're building. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 At the moment I am attacking the Airfix Mk.1 Hurricane in 1/72. In the queue, in no particular order I have - Airfix B17G, Lancaster, Beaufighter, Do17z, Skytrain, Wellington, Spitfire mk.1, Blenheim, Typhoon, Mosquito and more Italeri Sunderland and Stirling Arma Hobby Hurricane IIc, Mustang3, Wildcat II and wildcat 'Royal Navy' Hobby 2000 Catalina 2x IBG Fw190's Special Hobby Kittyhawk KPM Spitfire IIc, tempest Mk.V AZModels Warhawk and Spitfire Mk.IX Academy B17 Memphis Belle and Razorback Thunderbolt Miniart B24 Strawberry Bitch Basically I sat down last weekend and decided 'I'm going to build WWII' then I thought 'I'm going to give 1/72 a go' then I thought 'I only want modern, detailed kits at least to start with'. Then I did a little online research through reviews and placed a 'modest' order for some Airfix kits to 'dip a toe' into 1/72. Those kits arrived and I thought jeez! They really are quite detailed and should present a good challenge while being small enough to store easily or display At that point, I went about the internet with the brakes well and truly off reading what reviews I could find and then trolling the online sellers buying examples of the kits. I still particularly hunting for a decent 1/72 Corsair in British service, a Stuka, a Ju88, Beaufort and Whitley. Airfix seem to be the only game in town for a modern Whitley and I think their Beaufort is on the hit list too. Revell seem to be the best Ju88 and they also offer a British Corsair and the Stuka I think is down to either Special Hobby or Airfix new tool. I'm open to suggestions for those particular aircraft though. Has anyone had/built the Fly Whitley? Any good compared to the Airfix kit? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 Oh I forgot that I did veer out of WWII at one point as I've also bought the Sword 1/72 Lightning T.4 as the lightning is a big soft spot. In other news I am also planning to try some experiments with using aluminium leaf for NMF. If it works I will let y'all know and, if anyone has already tried it I'd be interested in their experiences with it and any tips they might have. I suspect that using a size as the adhesive might not result in a good finish and I have an idea that using a gum arabic/water solution and burnishing the leaf on might be the way to go but that's just from thinking the process through at the moment and will need experiment to see how it goes in the real world. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 That's the great thing about our hobby, there are so many facets to it and so many genres. We might find ourselves focused on one section of the hobby but there are so many others to explore if and when the mood takes us. Great to see you back and looking forward to seeing your new subjects appear. Duncan B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 Thanks Duncan, I'm looking forward to it. Part of the reason I also dropped away from the hobby was that I got back into motorcycling and so was out roaring about on my bikes whenever I could (Overkill again as I went from zero to five bikes in a couple of months) but now, due to issues with my wife's health I don't feel really free to leave her and go out on the bikes so have been at home at a loose end when I'm not annoying the neighbours with my trumpet playing or looking after the missus. I've also got a nice big shed now that I had built, complete with insulation, so I can now build, throwing around paint and making nasty smells to my heart's content. I'm actually just back in from a wee half hour out in the shed working on the Hurri. It really is night and day to the last Airfix 1/72 kit I built. I do have one big kit to build - The Spitfire Mk.IX in 1/24 which I just had to have and the wife wants it to be hung on the bedroom ceiling because the 1/24 Bf109 hanging there is apparently lonely. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 47 minutes ago, Beardie said: because the 1/24 Bf109 hanging there is apparently lonely. DAKKADAKKADAKKA Good to see you back. 👍 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Good to have you back at the bench old Friend. Long may your enjoyment last. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 Thanks Pete. Did a wee bit more work on my first fresh kit and the Hurri is slotting together with satisfying ease and no filler whatsoever needed so far. For old times sake I even included the the Pilot although either my eyes are getting worse, even with magnification, or he isn't as 'crisp' as I swear they were when I was a sprog. There was something joyful about painting that little fellow in his jacket, white sheepskin topped boots and Mae West and that wee glint of silver on his goggles made him somehow delightful to my eye as a sprog. Now he seems a little fuzzy and not so well defined like he hasn't aged terribly well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 4 minutes ago, Beardie said: a little fuzzy and not so well defined like he hasn't aged terribly well. And like quite a few of us, it seems... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 Oh I have to agree. I'm definitely becoming a little ill-defined and fuzzy around the edges as I age disgracefully. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 5 hours ago, Beardie said: I've also got a nice big shed now that I had built, complete with insulation, so I can now build, throwing around paint and making nasty smells to my heart's content. Plenty of free ventilation going for you across in Argyllshire although hope that the prevailing wind does not bring the smells too far to the east. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeff Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Welcome back to the building! It sounds like you off to a flying start (excuse the pun!) and enjoying yourself, which is what it's all about. I look forward to seeing some of your builds .... Keith 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHx Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 In the spirit of Commando comics, all I can say is... "Achtung ! Spitfire !" 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisTheBear Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 This is what happens when one commits to the One True Scale. DennisTheBear 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 On 9/2/2023 at 2:37 PM, Beardie said: Revell seem to be the best Ju88 and they also offer a British Corsair it probably is, they do. Both of them a little tricky I found. The Ju 88 cockpit is about 50 parts! The Corsair is a 'level 4' kit - doesn't help that the cowling is about 7 parts and the wing 9 - or something like that. IBG and Arma H are probably more detailed and intricate than a comparable 48th kit! (but go together reasonably well..) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardie Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 I've now bought a Revell Ju88 and Corsair in UK service which will hopefully be winging their way to me this coming week to add to my 'insta stash'. Initially at least I am planning to just paint 'em and put 'em together with minimal fuss which is why I've been trolling the reviews of kits looking for the most modern, close fitting and detailed kits that don't require the skills of a true plastic surgeon and modelling artist. Besides being rusty I don't think I was ever that talented as a modeller. It's more about learning the layout and basic construction of the aircraft and creating examples that I can look at in three dimensions and, maybe, just occasionally, run round the room with making 'zoomy' and 'takatakataka noises 😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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