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A bit of poor quality pictures from the construction...

F-4E 67-0288 Block 35 388 TFW, 34 TFS Korat AB, Thailand, 1969 Col. Grady Morris, WSO Capt. Kawamoto Kit: Tamiya 1/32 Avionix: kokpit Eduard Brassin: engines, wheels, MER and TER, bombs Mk.82, missiles Sparow Eduard plechy: exterior, interior Real model: outer pylons, intakes Master: pitot tube CMK: body Vulcanu QMT: suction to engines HGW: Remove Before Fleight ZOTT: decals Isra decal: stencils Paint: Gunze C, Alclad II, Agama acryl WASH: AK Interactive Thanks to my friend Miloslav for the photos.

The hobby is not dying, it is evolving and taking different shapes. Technologies and techniques have been improving since the birth of this hobby. Compare a Frog model from the fifties to the latest model from Japan. All technologies and techniques that made that Frog model possible are indeed “dead”, but the hobby of making models is still here. Home 3D printing is not going to replace injection-moulded models just like home paper printing did not replace newspapers or bookshelves. 3D models are expensive, fragile and prone to unpredictable shrinkage. You will never be able to make a 1/32 3D-printed FW 190 cheaper than a ZM FW 190. The machine is expensive, the resin is expensive and the artwork is expensive whether you buy it or you invest the man-hours in designing it. The failure rate is high. For every beautiful 3D-printed model you see on social media there are trash cans of misshapen and twisted bodged half-prints. I would not look at the young people to gauge the “future” of anything. Saying that they have a short attention span and that computer games or electronic devices are too distracting means nothing. When they are so absorbed by doing what young people do, they also do not care about architecture, rocket science or intracranial surgery. Yet I am sure that we will still have architects, engineers and surgeons in the future. They may also build models too. Radu

Hello, Recently one of my friends asked me to put together a model of Su-22 for him. I have to say that I'm pretty scaried because LEM's Su-22 has no instruction. I've managed to build cockpit but have no idea where to put two smallest parts Side consoles are too narrow and without any details. I scratchbuild some of them, I think I'll paint rest. Cockpit "hole" is also cut out.

Life and work have stalled this build, so no modeling updates today, but I do have an important update for those of you who might want to buy some or all of the Adriatic Models resin that I used in the cockpit: Adriatic Models website is now up and running here!: Adriatic Models As mentioned many times, the quality of this resin is outstanding and it has a bit more flex than most resin, which makes fine details like tiny switches, etc. less prone to damage and for all the parts I used, nothing broke. Being 3D printed, large parts like the rear cockpit wall will have to be sanded a bit, but that was easy, while the small parts can be used as is. I recommend cutting the parts off the casting blocks with sprue cutters well back of the parts, then clean them up with a #11 knife or small razor saw as required. Also, all of the parts took paint easily without any prep and there were no adhesion issues. Thanks again to Giovanni for sending me these parts (for free!), to demonstrate their use in this kit. Combined with the Airscale instrument panels (also free!) this cockpit was truly "Kicked Up A Notch", which you can now all do as well. Cheers, Chuck

Hi everyone, just finished my ICM Gloster Gladiator / AIMS J8 conversion, hope you like it. I am obviously not a bi-plane modeler as I went for the option of directly placing on top of the main wires a length of 0.5 rod, believing life was too short to try and drill into it 0.15 by 0.3mm back to back slots and then again in the middle and at the end - twice over - shoot me! Kit was built using the following.... AIMS Mk 1 engine set, upper ailerons, decals, Cockpit PE, bracing wires and external details PE, landing flaps PE, J8 conversion set, Gas Patch RAF turnbuckles x4 and a lot of scratch building. Model was finished using Xtracolour WWII Olive Drab and RAF Barley Grey and as indicated my AIMS decals. I will take some nicer photos once I have it on base, Thanks for looking -John

Hello everyone, Yet another early Spitfire. Day after day my Spitfire collection expands and I pretend it s allright. This is 1/32 Hasegawa Spitfire Mk.IIa with the markings of “P7531 LZ-I” from 421 Flight in November 1940. Tones of modifications are: Yahu instrument panel Eduard seat belts Barracudacast seat Barracudacast cockpit upgrade set Eagle parts Mk.I oil cooler Eagle parts Mk.II propeller Barracudacast cockpit door Barracudacast wheels Quickboost exhausts Archer fine fasteners. Decals: 3D Kits Mk.II Spitfire set #32 D002 Paints : Gunze Sangyo acrylics Happy Modelling

Can we please get back to the original topic? I don't know what the impending doom of the hobby has to do with this announcement from ZM?

Honestly I've not been in this thread before and was about to go back and prune some of the personal comments and there are so many of them it doesn't seem fair to just cut out some. Let's just keep the personal jabs back and forth out shall we? We also need to accept the fact that others are not always going to agree with our point of view AND accept that fact: period. Let's just agree to disagree, as we all are going to have different views on it.

Old man, look at my life I’m a lot like you were Give me a slatted-winged F-86 And all will be forgiven.

Pattern...

Thanks, John and Alex, i really appreciate the tips, i am scribing for the first time. I cant say i am good at it, or ever will be, but i see it as an essential skill, so i am striving to at least become passable. For anyone contemplating scribing, i think the #1 item on the list is, if youre going to try it, just know that its going to take several tries, and if thats ok, its not too bad. i am in no way anything like competent at scribing, but i think i made some progress this week. my main concerns were the upper cowl, ahead of the windscreen, which not only has a long straight panel line, but a so a lot of dzus fasteners and rivets, not to mention a few small panels. the other area is a teardrop raised area under the rear of the wings, just a few short runs of panel lines, but i needed to run along some dymo tape and for some reason, i was worried about it. i sanded to a smooth finish and then got half of the long line done, but the scriber went wild toward the windscreen, so i decided to keep the good part and re filled the part closest to the windscreen and smoothed that out. I was using Tamiya white putty, i can get a great finish with it, but its brittle and difficult to scribe. I found some black rubber infused CA that i have used to repair pipe stems, i will use that in the future. The Tamiya stuff takes too long to dry. Tonight i think i got the panels done, not perfect but pretty good by my eye. So naturally i needed to use my jewelry setter tool to make the fasteners, and the lost rivets. I used a scalpel to make the center line of the fasteners, but i did ger a bit deep on a few. i very lightly hit the new areas with some fine micromesh pad, just to knock down any raised areas, shot a coat of light primer, and used some dark wash to see what it looms like. I didnt hit it with a gloss, so the wash isnt very neat, but i think i can live with this. This one has an out of position dzus, but i might just live with it heres that long prominent upper line. heres that CA i found, it has a tigercat on the label, it must be airplane approved? Thats it for tonight. Im really happy that this wasnt an unmitigated disaster. thanks for the assist on this, guys!

Hi everyone Time for an update. I have pretty much finished detailing the sidewalls on the starboard side and now just need to do the port side. Once the all of the detailing is done, I'll drill out the windows and then paint them ready for fiber installation. I am very happy with how its all come out! Anyways, that's it for now, but I will update again once the other side is finished Thanks for looking in Si

Zoukei Mura never made any claims that they would only make "never kitted" or "never heard of" models. The overwhelming majority of modelers care a lot about iconic aircraft. The people working for ZM are modelers. These models were chosen by the President of Zoukei Mura because he likes them and he wants to add them to his collection. This is no different from the way in which the majority of people choose what they want to add to their collection. No one says "I will not add a Spitfire to my collection because someone else already built a model of a Spitfire". The difference is that Zoukei Mura makes these models in their own style. There may be other BF 109 or FW 190 on the market, but they are not like this. Radu

Howdy folks, I've just published the latest What's New update. Enjoy! Kev

The process is in progress - a light wash has been applied. Without fanaticism. Let's see next.

Please don't tell me how to react to something on-line. I would say your ego is WAY too big to admit when you've made a mistake - a very narrow view of the world, but not unique to you, I'm sure. I don't want to endlessly repeat myself on this site, so we really should "call it a day" on this one. I will not be reacting to you from here on. Cheers. Chris.

While i am still waiting for the instrument panels to show up in the mail i finished the two seats, next will be landing gears

Well given the issues both these kits have by the time you get the resin for the Revell kit it will be the same price and nothing can save the nose on the Trump 109’s. The ZM kits come into a very open market. Hasegawa kit- Nice kit but pretty old and lacking in cockpit detail and needs a new spinner. Revell kit-numerous replacement resin parts required and complex over engineered design. Trumpeter kit. Needs new rudder and entire new lower nose for the overly curved lower cowl which gives it the distinctive pointy nose. If ZM nail it the 109 will be the only real all in one box accurate 109 and it will come with a full engine. Door is wide open for the 109 not so much for the 190...

I agreed with you too Matt...nice to have it answered. I was just sitting on the couch after starting on replacing some panel lines before I head off to get my second Pfizer jab, and I thought for the first time looking at it from this angle , HEY that looks like a British Phantom! Well it was a big thing in my world because I had been struggling to see the woods for the trees or step back to see the bigger picture. Sorry for the poor pic I just snapped it on my iPhone on the couch at a distance Right-O , off for my Jab Cheers Anthony

Finally managed to get some time to sit in front of the Phantom, both inlets are in place, the fit all around went smoothly, i am not braking my brain trying to fix the engine inlets inner side, i will go with engine inlet cover , this will make my life easier and will not waist time on this part There isn't a resin cockpit in 1/32 for the F-4C on the market, so i got a cockpit for the J and i will do some surgery and turn it into a C cockpit, will use pieces from the kit cockpit and remove or modify some parts of the resin cockpit, so far this is what i got, i have to remove all the switches and intruments from the side consoles in the front section

While i wait for the aftermarkets to get here, i am checking panel lines and rivets , it also helps as a preshading of panel lines and rivet later

Good afternoon, comrades. In the process "Dora" from Hasegawa in the version of the commander of the 6th Geshwader Gerhard Barkhorn. Now in this form. Used etching from Eduward, hood and various little things from Quickbust. Dashboard - Eduard, resin. Painted with paints from Ganza, the set from HGW is present in full. Crosses - homemade, chevron - decal. The most interesting is ahead

Little update... First section of stowage coming along. All of this with Vallejo paints- Cheers Pete

Come on kids, let's keep it civil. I think there are more posts about each others opinion than there is about the topic! I am not entirely happy about the subject (would have preferred a P38H), but if ZM makes a bunch of money than hopefully we get some more new kits later, like a P51B/C. The FW190 early is a good idea, only PCM has those right now.

No one including myself or any of the mods want threads locked or even pruned. Having and expressing opinions on LSP is encouraged, but making it personal from either side of the point of view isn't.

Mine don't, the hobby is in an incredibly healthy place considering the vast array of 1/32 kits available, not to mention those in the pipeline, there most definitely is something for everyone, which is a cause for celebration. We have two Stearman kits from different manufacturers, it's not a subject that has me doing cartwheels, but delighted for those that do, all the while waiting patiently for a first generation Harrier series...

My "spidey senses" tell me that this thread is gonna be locked soon... Mark Proulx

Calm down Chris. Not all the comments can be warm and fuzzy all of the time. There are people out there that find endless repetition of subjects boring. It doesn’t have anything to do with being critical of the choices of other people but everything to do with having a balanced opinion, something which is lacking in this forum. It is great that ZM are releasing something that will sell and hopefully make them lots of money to be able to fund research and development of esoteric subjects. On the other hand, it’s just yet another 190/109. I am halfway through building their HE-219 and am enjoying it and only hope that they choose to do more interesting stuff like that in the future. Eric.

Nice comparison image for you Anthony (F-4F). Derek

An epic, history changing battle. It can be read over once, and studied forever. Like Gettysburg.

Denham Aerodrome, women engineers

All this detail is almost impossible to fathom! Kev

Lt Cmdr George Walsh was a combat Helldiver pilot in WWII and an amatuer historian. Before he passed away, he set up a blog about the Battle of Midway and wrote a book that combined and elaborated on the research presented in his blog. He made a compelling case for his assertion that the Hornet air group did not fly on a 265 heading, but a 240 heading as briefed (The Flight to Nowhere). He provided statements from Gay and others to back up his hypothesis. Walsh also proposed that McClusky did not screw up in assigning targets (LINK), that Best's wing man, Lt.(jg) Edwin Kroeger, may have dropped the bomb that sank Akagi (same link), and that the torpedo planes probably wouldn't have been used at all if Halsey had been in command (LINK and comments from Dusty Kleiss). He also takes Fletcher to task on his handling of the fleet, asserting that his pulling back out of position to search for phantom Japanese carriers cost many lives. Lt Cmdr Walsh's blog and book are well worth a read if you're interested in the Battle of Midway. Cheers! Ben

A trivial note that I hesitate to mention, but in the interest of accuracy the spinner back plate was notched behind the prop blades on all G, K and some Fs. Perhaps this is a detail not worth consideration...

So off they went into the blue... Alain PS Great save on the miscast wheel!

Good, insightful comment! Thanks Eric! While I could list a few dozen pet subjects of mine that I'd have rather ZM focus on (F-86 series, UH-1H, FM-2, etc), the bottom line is that with Tamiya apparently throwing in the towel on 32nd aircraft, I'm just happy that ZM is still staying in the LSP market and continuing to put out high quality models. Given that the options for both 109 and 190 involve either older kits or flawed ones, I'll probably end up springing for both of these if the reviews come in favorably.

Speedbrakes. These are the basic "Boards", actuation cylinders and the rest to come shortly. Panel lines have been highlighted with a pencil. I have applied Model Master Semi-gloss to get to a more realistic sheen. I have also added a minimal number of stencils. Falcons! Nearing the finish line, Dan

Soon done but needs drilling out when firmly set (hope it doesn't need further pinning!): One further difficulty with the way the u/c is constructed with the kit; the wheels have to be fitted at this stage because the axle is fixed directly to the wheel, which in turn makes painting/masking a bit more of a chore!

I guess it would have been a little tiny bit more work Rodney Williams struggled with a similar issue in his wonderful build: https://www.largescaleplanes.com/articles/article.php?aid=773 Reading would have helped since Alain had a great solution with lowering the right side console. That wasn't an option for me anymore so I removed "some" material. It looks brutal but nothin will be seen through the small cockpit opening. Test fit seems much more doable than before: Afterwards when I was sure that no major surgery was necessary the seatbelts were glued into place. They were painted and drybrushed with a Vallejo mix and recieved a dark brown oil wash. That's all in the pit (minus the headrest and the gunsight). Now I have to choose the next step: tackle the wings or the dreaded wheel well? Cheers Joachim

Well, it's been a while... I have to admit I thought this project would be more easy and straight forward, but life got in the way. Anyway - I have started preparing a basic cockpit shape for the Twosair. There is a lot of tweaking to do, but the base is not too bad. The initial plan was to use two modified Avionix cockpits, but not only the casting quality is rather disappointing, it will be rather difficult to make them fit the heavily modified fuselage. I may use some of the details from the sets If I'm not in the mood to draw new panels, though. We will see.

Thanks Kev, that Lancaster cockpit looks great. Cheers Dennis

Thoughts on the color of the large map case on the right sidewall? Having a hard time discerning it from the available pics. Also - probably a long shot but if anyone has the HGW stencil and cockpit placard set and wants to part with it, please PM me. Seems to be OOS pretty much everywhere.

How can you possibly not interpret your comment as being critical of the model-making choices of others? By direct implication, you are criticising the folks who will buy this new kit and putting yourself on a "higher pedestal" than them. I am amazed that you can't see that.... Do you love feeling superior to other people? That's the way your comment reads. Chris.

Wow, awesome update with all of those tiny details! You're really elevating the starting point from the kit, very good! Can't wait to see what's next. Matt

Hi Anthony, It's possible, but I can see that causing a lot of potential additional structural and weight issues, so it would not really be desirable from a design perspective? (although parts of the original F-4J design do appear to have been modified in areas). This fuselage does appear to be sectioned in approximately the same place as the J-79 powered F-4 above, but as can be seen (and as we have now come to expect) that it has been extensively modified/redesigned to accommodate the RR Spey engines (the only way of actually verifying this is to have dimension 'D' of my diagram above measured across a US J-79 cockpit section and see if it is the same or not?). Regards Derek

This is about it for the MiG's engine. Next up I need to smooth the surface of the fuselage a bit ahead of decals, without wrecking its appearance. I'm going to try out (on a spot on the underside first to make sure it's OK) a quick wet polish with 12000 grit polishing cloth followed by a rub-down with some old T-shirt fabric.

An update on the Fury. The perceived wisdom with this kit is to fix the interplane struts in position, paint and then add the upper wing - who am I to question? The struts are white metal and therefore bend quite easily but getting everything to fit was quite a challenge. I'm just about there now I think, the upper wing "locks" into position in a very positive way so I hope there will be no further surprises. I've also drilled out all the location holes for the rigging turnbuckles ready for the next stage which is painting, and I STILL haven't decided on my favourite scheme, though I'm rather tempted by this one, it has a bit of everything: I love this photograph not only for the detail that it shows of the Fury, but also the characters. They are, left to right, "Prosser" Hanks, "Johnnie" Walker, "Tops" Boxer and "Teddy" Donaldson, all members of the 1937 RAF formation team. Three years later they would find themselves in action in the Battle of France flying Hurricane Mk 1s. Brilliant flyers they all were for sure, but the rigid straitjacket of aerial tactics employed by the Air Staff/RAF at the beginning of the war against the experienced Luftwaffe meant that they were very, very lucky to survive the first few days of aerial battle let alone the 6 years of war regardless of their skills.