Iain

Thierry, I will say that I have highly enjoyed reading your kit correction write ups over the years and you have not disappointed!  I use your articles as a guidance for some of my builds and pick and choose the glaring issues you point out.  
Thanks for all your great work and keep them coming.  They are highly appreciated! 

I have a similar book obsession, and that has been, from time to time, a source of both inspiration and frustration. Just last night I spotted a book on the Me 262 that I want, so chased down a copy and put it on my substantial Amazon "books wanted" list. Something about the book seemed all too familiar though, so I sorted through my book photo album (I photograph virtually everything I buy), only to discover that I already have that same book sitting here somewhere! The kicker is, no matter what the book tells me, I'll end up painting my Me 262 however I want anyway.

Great analysis Paul.
 
I'd put myself down as a solid 2-B, but I'm trying my hardest to move to a 3!
 
One of the compelling things about scale modelling is that you have to exhibit both a practical and artistic bent within each project. To get a kit constructed you have to be able to apply practical skills, but once it is complete, to finish it, you need to bring to bear your artistic attributes.
 
I'm definitely more of the latter, so most projects - particularly in these larger scales, are me engaged in a fight and struggle to get a completed canvas for me to then bring my artistic side to bear - which I feel is my strong suit.
 
Don't get me wrong - I love the building side, just don't think I'm as good at it!
 

Looking at your RFI's, you are better than you think.

Why do I have the strange feeling you are depicting me ...? 

Back on the bench - going to try and take a run at it over next few weeks...
 

 
Tally ho...
 
Iain
 
 

Have been busy working on classic cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes of late - but, with the nights drawing in here, I've been back to the bench.
 
A little side-track from working on the interior: I wanted to see how the fitting of the wing spars/gear bays and initial ribs would go, as the instructions are very clear about not gluing anything until you have all of this loosely fitted.
 
The instructions then have you carefully bonding everything in place on the lower wing moulding in one go - being careful not to impart any warp in the lower wing.
 

 
The 'wheel' sections of the undercarriage bays were assembled and bonded to their adjacent rib, before laying everything in place (including main spar) on the lower wing and checking fit.
 
All good, so I bonded everything in place with 'Quick Drying' Tamiya Extra Thin solvent - working out from the wing centreline on each side.
 

 
Whilst everything drying I wanted to check everything was correctly aligned, so removed the upper-wing sections from their sprue and dry-fitted in situ.
 
Fit against the lower wing/wing internals was very good, so happy that the internal structure was straight.
 

 
And I couldn't resist a quick dry fit with the fuselage - just to see something a little 'Spitfire' shaped...
 

 

 
Back soon...
 
Iain

Hi all,
 
In further sidetracking news I've been asked to build in a scale I haven't played with since I was a child - 1:24th.
 
And from a manufacturer who's kits I built in my youth - but that was a loooong time ago.
 
The gentleman I've built the Two-seater Spit IX from the Tamiya kit in 1:32 for has asked me to build one of the new Airfix kits for him - with minimal changes this time - and, well, why not!
 
Only planned changes at this stage are the Airscale Cockpit Interior and Sutton Harness with, perhaps, some aftermarket decals - we'll see!
 
Opening salvo has been some work on the cockpit - nicely rendered by Airfix in my humble opinion.
 
Still early days - and still at almost blank canvas stage, but I'll try and post some semi-regular updates here.
 

 

 
I'm not worrying about the ejector-pin marks - I really don't think they'll be seen!
 

 
And dry fitted in place:
 

 

 
More when there's more I guess...
 
Tally Ho!
 
Iain
 
 
 

*If* I know the subject reasonably well it has to look right shape-wise - at least to my personal eyes.
 
Actually, if I'm honest, it's the research and challenge of 'fixing' things I find that probably gives me the most satisfaction in modelling...
 
Oh, and I aspire to #5 on that list: which is probably why I can never, actually, finish anything!!
 
Iain

*If* I know the subject reasonably well it has to look right shape-wise - at least to my personal eyes.
 
Actually, if I'm honest, it's the research and challenge of 'fixing' things I find that probably gives me the most satisfaction in modelling...
 
Oh, and I aspire to #5 on that list: which is probably why I can never, actually, finish anything!!
 
Iain

There are so many wonderful posts on this thread already! I’ll try to contribute a little something worthwhile.
 
Salvador Dali once famously said “Don’t worry about perfection, you’ll never reach it” and the same could be said for ‘accuracy’ because even if one is building an exact 1:1 replica of the real thing, some compromises will be inevitable. As we get smaller in scale the compromises we all have to make get ever bigger. But whatever compromises we make: what we do should always be enjoyable or else why are we doing it?
 
There is a continuum or hierarchy of model making which is usually dictated by experience (and before anyone gets upset there is nothing wrong with being in any of these groups):
1. Those who are working to assemble a kit they bought without a major mess-up and get it painted and decalled according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 
2. Those who are working to assemble a kit and have it painted and decalled according to some of their secondary source research. 
3. Those who work to build a kit and modify it somewhat according to their primary and secondary source research. This is to further approach a more accurate representation of the overall shape and details of a chosen aircraft type. They then have it painted, decalled and weathered according to their research.
4. Those who are willing and able to wholesale modify a kit to get a particular kit to model a particular airframe at a particular time and who will do a great deal of  primary and secondary source research to enable them to paint, decal and weather their chosen subject.
5.  Scratch builders who do extensive, independent primary source research, who experiment with many methods and materials in creating a one-off and who can create components in a variety of media and can paint, decal, weather their subject in an entirely controlled manner to achieve the result they want.
 
Every one of these groups is represented here. The great thing about LSP is that each group tends to help the others: Group 1 to remind the other four to ‘Just put a model together and have fun like you did when you were a kid!’ Group 4 to help people in groups 1,2 and 3 how they overcame problems when they were less experienced. Group 5 to show to everyone the art of the possible. I won’t list all possible combinations but you get the picture.
 
There are two schools that work within those groups (and the Venn diagram that represents these two groups has a healthy overlap).
A. ‘Realists’: Fidelity to the real original is all: This group would be likely to match colours to chip samples using RLM or Federal Standards. Everyone from group 2 on through 5 could belong here. Modellers like Paul Budzik tend to reside in this space.
B. ‘Artists’: Creating the right impression is all. This group would be likely to simply choose colours from a palette because they simulated particular light conditions or took account of scale or wanted to create an impression of a deeper cockpit opening. The ‘Spanish School’ tend to reside in this group.
 
I mostly belong in groups 1 and 2 and occasionally I venture into 3. Like @mozart I try to get it ‘as accurate as I can’ and like @Stokey Pete I try to have fun while I do that. I get my ambition from @airscale (wow) and sense of perspective and new subjects to research from @Christa (thank you buddy), my hope that I too can do more challenging work from @tomprobert , collaboration from @europapete and awareness of what the industry does and how to correct what they don’t do well from @thierry laurent. And I thank the moderators who keep here the best modelling site on the planet.
 
Are my models ‘accurate’? Nope. But each is as well made as I can do it at the time and I enjoy every minute of it. That is not only due to the building and painting process itself but also down to the great community here. Thank you all.
 
Kind regards,
Paul.

Lovely work on the riveting - and the touched-up/faded areas of paint - John!
 
Iain

And the other long-dormant Spit:
 
Following a prod from my good friend @Phartycr0c I dug this project - along with the Mk.IX - off the shelf at the office for a coat of looking at.
 
I have three boxes in total - contents all a bit random/mixed up now since the third was completed as a two-seater - so it's a bit of a 'Time-Team' dig.
 
But - I *think* there are still all the parts needed to finish this one, as well as the Mk.IX.
 
I've moved from the original Edgar Brooks Spitfire Tribute Group Build to here - with the plan of working on the two remaining Tamiya Spits over lunch-times when I'm in the office.
 
So, hopefully, pick up with some updates in the next few weeks...
 
Iain

Airfield has changed a lot since the Spits operated from there, but if you've ever driven into London on the A40 and had an aeroplane fly over the top of you, on Final to RAF Northolt:
 
 
Iain
 

Actually - there's also some inspiration for this one from an overnight stay at RAF Northolt a few weeks back, when we took my friend's Scottish Aviation Bulldog in for the Night Shoot - and got to see a lot of the history relating to the Polish Squadrons based there during the war.
 

 

 
Blue skies,
 
Iain

This looks like a lot of fun.
 
And that cockpit looks brilliant!
 
Iain

Looking really good Kev!
 
Iain

Looking really good Kev!
 
Iain

Only need to finish up with the seat harness or belts, and of course throw in a few cables plugged into the back of the instruments….these close up pics looks terrible to me, but to my Mk 1 eyeball it looks a lot better…... 



 

So, here's a quick summary of the work I've just completed on the tail. Firstly, gluing some 60 thou half-round styrene strip to the leading edge of the fin:
 

 
The curve into the fuselage needed a little extra help, so I glued an extra section on top there. I started with liquid cement, and then flooded the join with thin CA.
 
After curing and a quick tidy up with some sanding sticks, I concocted a thick mix of CA and talc, backfilled the join with it, and then squirted it with accelerator. A few minutes later I took to it with some sanding implements, and arrived at this:
 

 
You can see that I also filled the kit door recesses while I was at it.
 
A quick test fit shows that the result is much better, and much closer to what I was after:
 

 
Not perfect, but close enough for rock'n'roll, appropriately enough.
 
At this point, I think some final priming and a bit of wet sanding is all that stands between me and the painting stage!
 
Oh, except that I told myself I would be rescribing some panel lines in this one...
 
Damn it!
 
Kev

Hi gentlemen
This is my last construction, something different today ... this is the Wessex  HU 5 from Fly.... the kit is a "short term", the plastic is thick, the engraving is sometimes "soft", especially the multitude of small holes supposed to represent the rivets (they are raised on the real machine) but no matter that works, we have some nice resin parts ( cockpit consoles , rotor head , wheels etc ....)The decals are thin and nice , for 4 different colorful helos .. The instruction sheet is .....not clear , and I dare to say "messy" , ... But stop chatting, there is a complete review of the kit here....... Well, don’t expect a very detailed construction like "Shark 64 did it here some time ago, I’m nowhere near as skillful as he... My main improvement is in the cargo cabin. there is a lack of detail inside, and God knows this area is " occupied," so I scratch built it, and too bad if nothing will be seen afterwards..... I put some raised rivets here and there on some hatches, panels and so on, especially around the windscreen, for a more pleasing effect, I added some "pipes" along the fuselage on both sides , the rotor head needs more details , a good picture is very useful because of this complex area ........ what else ??, the paint scheme is not provided, but it's nothing, I just painted a big D on the fuselage, the decals are from the kit...... Is it perfect ???? no , but despite some issues , it was a cool trip ......so enjoy ....or not thanks for watching
Alain
some in progress pictures





 





 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm back....  been a long grind adding rivets to this thing.    For the aft fuselage and tailboom, I transitioned to Archer's decal rivets (still using those solder balls for a few areas that don't lend themselves to decals).  Also had to spend a great deal of time sanding off incorrect details on the fuselage.   This includes some stiffener plates that were on the tailboom and a large cargo hatch on the aft starboard fuselage which wasn't present on Army UH-60's.    After that, it was full speed ahead on the decals.    These went down extremely easy and after a coat of Micro Sol / Set the look very nice.   
 

Sharp eyed viewers may note that I haven't applied decals to the area aft of the cabin door.   That's because I'm going to have the cargo doors in the open position, and you won't be able to see the fuselage.    No sense making extra work for yourself. 
 

 
My approach to finishing this kit is to decal and paint the tailboom but hold off on the vertical stabilizer.   That way I can use the tail to hold the model while finishing up the detail bits on the fuselage, painting, decals, etc.    I wanted to minimize handling of the surfaces with the decals on them.    In retrospect, that probably wasn't necessary since the Archer decals are impressively strong once they are fully cured.    
 
That's it for now, thanks for checking in. 

Painting continues.    AK Real Colors US Army Helo Drab as the base, then with a couple of custom blends of paint to replicate the faded, weathered appearance of the real thing.    One tint is more of a brownish OD, the other a chalky lightish-green. 
 

 
My primary build log is over on FB.   On it, a former UH-60 crew chief mentioned that they used a version of CARC Helo Drab in spray cans.   He said this stuff faded quickly to a grey/green color.    It was used for general touchups, corrosion control and (in the case of my subject) to overpaint the "United States Army" markings on the tailboom.   This was done when the aircraft received survivability updates circa 2006-2007.   One of these was the addition of extra flare dispensers on the tailboom, which required those markings to be painted out and reapplied higher on the boom.    Looking at pics, I found he was spot-on regarding this, so back to the paint booth I went. 
 

 

 

 
Also put a patch of this paint on the nose, to replicate where a former unit logo or aircraft number was painted out.      
 
Thats it for now, thanks for checking in. 

Actually - there's also some inspiration for this one from an overnight stay at RAF Northolt a few weeks back, when we took my friend's Scottish Aviation Bulldog in for the Night Shoot - and got to see a lot of the history relating to the Polish Squadrons based there during the war.
 

 

 
Blue skies,
 
Iain

And the other long-dormant Spit:
 
Following a prod from my good friend @Phartycr0c I dug this project - along with the Mk.IX - off the shelf at the office for a coat of looking at.
 
I have three boxes in total - contents all a bit random/mixed up now since the third was completed as a two-seater - so it's a bit of a 'Time-Team' dig.
 
But - I *think* there are still all the parts needed to finish this one, as well as the Mk.IX.
 
I've moved from the original Edgar Brooks Spitfire Tribute Group Build to here - with the plan of working on the two remaining Tamiya Spits over lunch-times when I'm in the office.
 
So, hopefully, pick up with some updates in the next few weeks...
 
Iain