Sunday 25 November 2012

Italeri Wessex HAR.2 RAF Search and rescue 1967 1/72

Hello all,

Time for something completely different! Well that's a bit of a lie, its still 1/72 and its still a plastic model but it is a helicopter, it is RAF and it is civilian so not that normal. After battling with the colour yellow for a small band on a small Italian fighter I decided to go mental and paint a whole helicopter in it!
 I have worked on a similar model from Italeri, the Seahorse but I managed to waste 15 hours of work with one spray of varnish. Canopy's and Matt varnish spray really. REALLY DO NOT MIX!!!!! The whole lot misted up and wrecked it.
This model only took me the weekend to knock up and even though there is a few minor errors I can live with them.
I remember from the last model to drill the holes out before I put the the fuselage together this time, and saved time by spraying the cockpits on the spruces.

The main build took all of a rainy Saturday and painted on a drizzly Sunday morning, so not a Marathon build at all.

Again helicopters and myself have a history and not a happy one at that. I think I have only really built one that I was happy with.

The rota blades were a pain in the arse, the yellow stripes do not fit all the way round, and mine was an old kit so the decals broke up, so some hand painting was required.

The masking up was done and a mistake occurred that I will go into later.
Spraying came next and I am waiting for the wife to find out I have sprayed bright yellow on the black stone in the front doorway, she will go apocalyptic!!!!!

After I removed the masking tape, I thought not again! I had forgotten to wipe my finger prints from the inside of the glass!!!!

The decals went on like a dream on the gloss paint, even though they weren't the clearest of instructions so a few are were I wanted them.

The exhaust pipes are not great and did not need to be in two half's, also the copper colour  is a  bit iffy.

Yeah I know the last two pictures are the same has the top but I could decide which was the best two so I put them both on, my Blog I do what I like.


I am quite happy with this helicopter it ticks a few boxes and I did learn a few things so not a bad weekends work at all.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME!

Cheers for looking,    Rich.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

TQD Casting British infantry "Crete" 1941 1/72.

Hello all,

Nearly slipped again, sorry for not posting comments on every ones blogs that new code word anti spamming thingy is a pain in the arse!!!!!
This post was for a duel on Bennos with "Ben Bob" and it ended up a well deserved draw. It was a great excuses to use these figures from TQD casting, the rest of the set is Mediterranean troops in various uniforms, but after a bit of research these were the most suitable.
The base is not the greatest I have done and feel I could have tweaked it a bit.

The uniform colour was Vallejo panzer aces British tanker uniform and the webbing is a mix of Iraqi sand and khaki.

The Bren gun is not quite right either, I should have given it a quick dry brushing with gun metal.

A quick wash of Vallejo burnt umber has given it some shading high lighted with tamiya sand.

The base was the normal sand, PVA and plaster rocks, with some silfor tufts and woodland scenic foliage.

I reckon a good background picture would have set it off.

The angles of the pictures are a bit iffy but not that bad.
I sound like I am moaning about this duel but its not as bad as I am making out, I am happy with the figures really and I was up against a bloody opponent as well.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME.

Cheers for looking,   Rich.

Friday 9 November 2012

Revell Macchi C.200 SAETTA WWII 1/72

Hello all,

This kit fed my appetite for all things Italian. I have a soft spot for WWII Italian kit, don't know where it comes from but I have one. This kit ticked several boxes for me, firstly its Italian, secondly its very simple and finally and most importantly its cheap! It has given me the opportunity to try masking canopy's again and to bugger about with varnish from a spray can.
To say its simple is an understatement, how it rated a skill level three is beyond me.It has now under carriage wells at all, you can see right through it (at a funny angle). It wouldn't take much to sort it out but I have not bothered with it this time.
The canopy was a simple affair  as well, but it did pose a challenge to mask them off which is all practise much needed. Canopy's really make a model aircraft for me, it show a skill level that I am far from reaching.

The build of this aircraft took about half an hour which would explain why I put the the landing gear the wrong way round, modelling with beer, will I ever learn!

I think I might have finally found a yellow paint that works for me, it took a couple of coats but the Revell matt colour seams to be working.

A few issues with the masking of the engine and rear white stripe were over come to give a half descent result.


The spray cans came out again for this model, and I think I took a risk with Humbrol 80 grass green and got away with it. Its a bit light but I am happy with it.

The camo painting was helped with the aid of larger. painting camo while pissed helps no end I think. I didn't intend to paint it then but I started a bit and then went for it.

The gloss varnish spray worked well for a change and the decals took well. they are rather thin so I would recommend a coat of white paint.



All in all a nice little kit for the princely sum of £4.50, I would get another kit to try the German decals.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES  FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME.

 
Cheers for looking,   Rich.

Sunday 4 November 2012

Italeri M4A3 75mm Sherman fastbuild 1/72

Hello all,

I thought to myself that I don't have any Sherman's in my collection, well built anyway. Seeing some of the great work done on these fast build kits, especially Thanos's work on his panthers, so I thought I would give them a whirl.You even get two models for your money so it can't be bad!
 I was surprised how "quick" these went together.About 5 or 10 minutes and there you go.


Its not the most detailed kit in the world by any means, but for war gamers it is ideal. If it had the light guards separate it would really make this kit.

Why Italeri do not follow Pegasus's example with having sagging tracks is beyond me. Even open turret hatches would be nice.

My addiction to spray cans is evident again, using humbrol 155 olive drab to finish this one, not a bad finish at all.

The decals went on fine, like most of italeri's do. They give you four options which is handy. Also they have moulded the barrel end  to look like a barrel.

Here is the finished tank on an old base but it fits very well for say Normandy.
I am sold on these fast build kits, they keep getting better and better, steer clear of the earlier Russian kit and most of the old Armour fast kits, the newer Armour fast is better now.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME.

Cheers for looking,   Rich.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Trumpeter Challenger II NATO w/dozer blade 1/72.

Hello all,

Back with some more modern heavy armour from Trumpeter! And being British its a bit of a favourite. I really like the the fact that this kit has a dozer blade for clearing obstacles and road blocks. I would guess this was aimed at the Kosovo conflict an era not commonly covered by this hobby.
This kit was knocked up a while back and posted on Benno's forum, because I am trying to catch up with a few duels that I have on at the moment. Now the "plague" has left the west house hold I can try and make up some time.

This painted using a can of Humbrol 86 light olive and watered down Vallejo flat black. The light olive is a great colour for modern British armour and trucks.

This is another great Trumpeter kit, it went together like a dream.

For spraying I would recommend doing in it in three section before final assembly, turret, chassis and upper body.

The blade is movable and could be modelled buried in the earth removing a road block.

This is certainly a monster of a tank as most modern tanks are, but with the blade its huge!

One of the benefits of Trumpeter kits is the fact they have moulded the gun barrel with a hole in it and in one piece.

The usual weathering techniques have been employed, Tamiya weathering powder and MiG pigments.

The only  down side is the lack of opening hatches!!!! I wish they would give you the option of having them open or closed. I have a small but very nice CMSC AFV crew that would look the nuts in the beast.
A brilliant kit that will go well with my other Chally 2 and with an luck I will finish some more soon!
I just wish they would do a scimitar/scorpion as well, the ACE kit looks a right pain in the arse and the Airfix kit to small.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME!

Cheers for looking,   Rich.

Monday 22 October 2012

Italeri Pakistani F-104 A Star fighter 1971 1/72.

Hello all,

Here is one I finished last week before I started to die. This is part of my attempt to improve my aircraft skills and they need a hell of a lot of work!
This kit had sitting in my new local hobby shop and the price was a steal so it would have be mad not to get it to practise on.
The kit like most Italeri kits go together very well indeed the two main half's fit well and very little filling needed.
I tried my had at masking off the canopy with masking tape, which is a art in itself, it can make the model or wreck it in my opinion.

The filling is another trick I am trying to master. I think the sanding is letting me down but practise, practise, practise!

Again I used Humbrol spray cans and a hell of a lot of masking tape!


I decided to go for the more unusual Pakistani air force decals to be different, but on hindsight I think the Taiwanese choice with its blue insignis would have stood out better!

Again its a shame Italeri do not provide crew for their planes but you cant have every thing. Not to sure about the new Revells ones either.

The canopy has a little gloss varnish on it inside from a gap in the side but not that bad.
Glad I built it, gave me some valuable lesson's and spur to build another!

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME!

Cheers for looking,  Rich.

Saturday 20 October 2012

Italeri Belgium Leopard 1A2 1/72

Hello all,

Here is another model that I built during the Euros and painted the other month. In honour on the great Peter (of Peter's cave),  I thought I would go for the Belgium decal option for this build. This will not be the longest post in the world due to the fact I am dying of what the wife would call "MAN FLU".
This was not the quickest build I have ever done.


I have never been a fan of track and link kits due to being lazy, but to be fair this was not that much of an issue.

The pioneer tools are moulded on the hull again not a fan of this.

I have been told that the colour of this tank is far to light so please forgive me.

A good dose of weathering powder has lightened it up but not that much.

The cobble street was quickly painted and dry brushed. 
I have always want a leopard for my collection and quite chuffed with this one , I have no idea if it is correct but it look alright to me.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS MORE THAN WELCOME!

Cheers for looking,  Rich.

Sunday 14 October 2012

TQD Castings WWII Russian paratrooper 1/72.

Hello all,

See I am not lying two posts in as as many days! This bloke came from a set of TQD casting figures and as normal these figures are top notch.I am not to sure about the uniform or not so i winged it a bit.
A very simple Khaki jump smock did not take long.

The jump helmet was a simple Vallejo earth brown and goggles was painted with steel.

The webbing and pouches were Vallejo German camouflage beige.

A simple wash of burnt umber brought out the details.

A good brushing of Tamiya weathering powder toned  done everything.

The buckles were a pain in the arse!
A cracking set of figures, much better than the Zvezda offering so I would invest in this set.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW AND ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE MORE THAN WELCOME.

Cheers for looking,   Rich.