ssculptor

I had a large amount of their books, until the room that housed my library (6,000) books caught fire six years ago. 
I then had a room full of wet pulp.
Nobody got hurt and the house was repaired. 
The insurance was generous and I added a 20 foot by 30  foot room to provide my wife with a sewing room.
The books? Well I had colored them in by that time so all was well.
It gave me an excuse to go buy new books.

I have been cleaning up my stash of models and discovered I do indeed now have 1/32 models of those I have been searching for since 2004.
I now have the VAL and DEVASTATOR, as well as other goodies like the PETE.  Still looking for a Kate.
No, these are not super detailed plastic kits. These are carved wood models made by craftsmen in the USA, the Philippines and elsewhere. Sure they lack details that plastic kit modelers insist on but I can add them later if I wish. I bought them on eBay. They look fine hanging from the ceiling.
I also have many vacuform kits of other airplanes, the multiengine bombers I like so much. 
By the way, not all the carved wood models are accurate. a few are junk, carved by klutzes. I bought them on eBay really cheap years ago. They are so bad they are laughable, like the carved balsa  models I made when I was in kindergarten. But I can use these few crapolas as I am making models of the aircraft of the country of Vulgaria* and these can be modified. 
I have a problem with time as I am now working on my second novel, this one is about the great World War One Flying Ass Ace. 
"Keep 'em Flying"
Stephen  Auslender
* For a description of Vulgaria refer to my book  The Streamlined Locomotive, available on Amazon.

Whoops, I made a bit of sloppy writing above. Correction; I will and I do buy 1/32, 1/24 scale plastic kits of airplane models I want when the price is reasonable. But the line I will not cross is in the $70 - $80 range. Well maybe $99.99 if I really need it.
I'm cheap, so sue me. When I open my change purse moths fly out.
When I started to paint the Betty I soon discovered the high cost of paint these days. Then I remembered that I am an artist. So opened my big box of acrylic paints and mixed up a bucket of Japanese naval aviation color and painted the model with that - for less than a dollar.  How accurate is it? It is as close as any of the current paints on the market. Check it out. Get paint chips or swatches from any of the big model paint companies. Are they all identical? No? What a surprise? It helps, by the way if you live near an artist's supply shop. I live within three miles of two model shops and and two art supply stores. Drive another six miles and I can visit another three such stores. That's civilization!
Remember, this is a hobby; not an obsession. Its for fun and pleasure and recreation. As those two great 20th Century philosophers, Ren and Stimpy used to chant, "Happy Happy Joy Joy".

And from the other side of the galaxy...

Nonsense! It is not a WW1 aeroplane. 
Where are its biplane wings? I say Balderdash!
 
 

Nonsense! It is not a WW1 aeroplane. 
Where are its biplane wings? I say Balderdash!
 
 

True story:  A friend of mine once developed quite a "thing" for the Eastern Bloc Z37 crop duster aircraft.  Several were imported stateside after the collapse only to languish in the weeds at out of the way airports for a host of reasons, none of which deterred my buddy.  He had his eye on one and was even in negotiations with its owner when he asked me to doodle up a nifty airshow paint scheme for it - it seems he had big plans, none of which involved reality or common sense.  He favored something in purple (Honest!) while I thought the warbird route might get him more invitations.  Because no one would have a clue what it was, after I came up with paint scheme I also drafted a story board history to display alongside his airplane to inform and educate the uninformed and uneducatable.  It is, of course, pure fiction and very much tongue in cheek and all in good fun.  I apologize in advance if any modeler, group of modelers, nation states or anyone else in the known universe who reads it is offended.  (Actually, I'm not sorry at all, but I think I'm expected to say that.)  However, I sincerely apologize if the attached jpeg doesn't do whatever a jpeg is supposed to do when clicked on, but I am old and digitally challenged and this is the best I can do.  Luckily for my friend, the deal fell through and the project and my history is now, well, history.  For what it is worth, I give you the.........
 
The Wriggley-Smythe Sea Cucumber Type Z37
 
Late in World War II, the celebrated Wriggley-Smythe Streetcar and Boiler Foundry of Upper Chucksworth contracted with the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy to produce a naval scouting and bombing aircraft to be operated from the new generation of British aircraft carriers under construction at the time.  This aircraft was, of course, the well-known and generally admired Sea Cucumber Type Z37.  The war ended before Wriggley-Smythe Ltd was able to work out the inevitable design snags and complete sea and acceptance trials.  With no enemy to fight, the Royal Navy opted for only a single squadron (69 Squadron, FAA) of Sea Cucumbers with the intention of assigning it to HMS Stupifier, the only new carrier to survive the draw-down at the war's end.   Before completion, Stupifier was converted from an oil burning vessel to one fueled by compressed natural gas and was rechristened HMS Flatulent.  Although cutting edge technology at the time, Flatulent was no more than a moderate success.  Relatively short operational range and an unfortunate tendency to trail foul exhaust fumes that made the vessel unwelcome in most European ports left Flatulent with nowhere to go and not enough gas to get there.   Operationally ready and spoiling for a fight, HMS Flatulent and 69 Squadron's Sea Cucumbers became part of the Royal Navy's contribution to the Korean War effort and the later unpleasantness at the Suez Canal.   However, because of its limited combat radius, Flatulent spent the entirety of the Korean War patrolling the Straights of Gibraltar.   Its compliment of Sea Cucumbers adapted readily to the anti-submarine/anti-shipping role associated with denying access to North Korean naval vessels attempting to enter the Mediterranean Sea, earning well deserved admiration and accolades from a greatful nation and the Queen herself.

This particular Sea Cucumber served with 69 Squadron aboard HMS Flatulent during the Suez Crisis and carries the distinctive yellow and black identification stripes common to Royal Navy aircraft during that conflict.    The aircraft on display here flew anti-submarine patrols near the Straights of Gibraltar and is believed to have dropped depth bombs on what its crew stated was either an enemy submarine trying to sneak into the Mediterranean or perhaps a whale.  In either case, there was no evidence the attack was successful and this was the type's only shot fired in anger.   Even so, several Sea Cucumbers were lost to fighter aircraft from various countries, although none but the Italians claimed credit.  When asked why he shot down a patrolling Sea Cucumber, one unidentified pilot said simply, "Well, why not?"  Ground crews loved the Sea Cucumber, or the Pukie Cukie as they called it, for its simplicity and general reliability.  Several critical airframe and engine parts, for example, also were common to the ship's boiler room and were interchangeable, making spare parts stores an easy job aboard Flatulent.  Pilots were not as fond of the aircraft, however.  One said it was a "ghastly bit of kit better suited to crop dusting than flying off a carrier at sea."   Pilots referred to it as the "Tea Sandwich",  "Widow Habersham's Favorite Toy," or "that arse-ugly slab-sided thing."    Nevertheless, the Sea Cucumber performed well enough and looked good in the break, which is all any naval aviator can ask for.   Few survived the wrecking ball and smelter after the entire lot was mustered out of service in favor of sleeker and more capable aircraft such as the Sea Tortoise and Sea Anemone.  This last remaining example was found rusting away in a field in Georgia.  It was restored to flying status at great expense so that young people of today (many of whom have never heard of Great Britain and cannot find it on a map) can experience first hand the glory and majesty that was once Her Majesty's Royal Navy.
Sea Cucumber.jpg 144.5kB

Back about 2004, Craftworks announced their 1/32 Val. Indeed, they were showing a sample at a few model shows. But as I understand it Craftworks was run by three guys and one was getting tired of it all and as so often happens with partnerships, their little company broke up. Since then I have been waiting for a Val (and Kate) kit in 1/32. Some years ago I found a 1/32 Val in carved wood (one of those made in the Philippines) offered on eBay so I bought that. Needs a lot of detailing but it is a Val. 
Never could find a carved wood Kate, though. I have one of those 1/33 scale paper card Kate model kits but I have not cut it out and assembled it yet (probably never will).
I don't like fussing with such delicate dainty materials. This is a hobby, not a profession. If I cannot get pleasure from doing something in my hobby I don't do it.
 

Irrespective of which version of the B-24 one can buy, (maybe) my favorite is the navy version with those spherical gun turrets. Yummy, . 

Am I pished ?
One of my doctors said no more alcoholic beverages.
My other doctor said no more caffeine; which didn't sound too bad but then I found out that chocolate is full of caffeine.
No booze, no chocolate, no coffee, no tea, no salt, cut down on sugar intake.
Only thing left for me to do is make models.
Getting old is no fun at times.

Yes, with all the variations possible only detail oriented modelers, like some modelers who frequent forums such as this one, would be put off by not having the particular version they want. We are not the majority of possible modelers who would want a particular odd version.
A large proportion of model manufacturers know that the average buyers of kits are gift givers, like relatives who buy kits for children at holidays, like birthdays, Christmas, when the child brings home a good school grade report card, when the lover, husband, brother etc., wishes he wants it, etc.
Take your blinders off, we are not the only customers.  
The manufacturers know that they can make a few  variations (i.e. the 1/32 B-25) and have a good, salable product.
Face it, the world does not revolve around us.
Also, nowadays aftermarket manufacturers can soon come out with alternate parts to cover the different versions. 
And some modelers can create the different parts they want; its called scratch building.

Be careful; I found it quite easy to get hooked on early aviation from the 1907 airshow to 1918! 

Be careful; I found it quite easy to get hooked on early aviation from the 1907 airshow to 1918! 

Wasn't there a U.S. Navy bomber squadron in the 1930's that had an insignia with this character?
 

Yes, here in the USA we have the new postmaster for the post office being blamed for all the slowdown problems.
 Is it the fault of the current plague? Is it the fault of legions of discontented postal workers sabotaging the system?  Who knows? 
The service is erratic at best. I have ordered things and have mailed things and the service ranges from immediate delivery to week's delays.
Lots of luck to us all.
 

The name of this website is ‘Large Scale Planes’. The clue is in the title Jennings. Saying this is ridiculous is like going to Hemming’s Motor News and claiming a car for sale is ridiculous because it’s an old car. This is ‘Large Scale Planes and I applaud anyone for producing large scale planes. This is a truly golden age of modelling and I am thrilled to see the choice we have. 

Basically, people start manufacturing their kits, thus forming companies through love of models and particular aircraft (and tanks, ships, trains, etc.).
It is a matter of love, not some executives making their decisions during their three hour lunch after four martinis.  In other words, model companies are started and run by us modelers, once removed.
I will support their efforts in 1/32 as far as my finances will allow.  We all share the same love of models.
Which means I had better gear up to go back to self employed work. However I will not become a manufacturer which although may be easier in this era of 3D printing, because running a company becomes a 70 work week and I am way to old for that. 
Stephen
P.S. I would like to see 1/32 models of the Vengeance, Maryland, Baltimore, and A-20 Boston, as long as we are on the topic.

Going in circles is OK. It keeps us from doing more important things, like building models.

Elvis? I'm still looking for Jimmy Hoffa and Judge Crater.

Going in circles is OK. It keeps us from doing more important things, like building models.

Basically, people start manufacturing their kits, thus forming companies through love of models and particular aircraft (and tanks, ships, trains, etc.).
It is a matter of love, not some executives making their decisions during their three hour lunch after four martinis.  In other words, model companies are started and run by us modelers, once removed.
I will support their efforts in 1/32 as far as my finances will allow.  We all share the same love of models.
Which means I had better gear up to go back to self employed work. However I will not become a manufacturer which although may be easier in this era of 3D printing, because running a company becomes a 70 work week and I am way to old for that. 
Stephen
P.S. I would like to see 1/32 models of the Vengeance, Maryland, Baltimore, and A-20 Boston, as long as we are on the topic.

Basically, people start manufacturing their kits, thus forming companies through love of models and particular aircraft (and tanks, ships, trains, etc.).
It is a matter of love, not some executives making their decisions during their three hour lunch after four martinis.  In other words, model companies are started and run by us modelers, once removed.
I will support their efforts in 1/32 as far as my finances will allow.  We all share the same love of models.
Which means I had better gear up to go back to self employed work. However I will not become a manufacturer which although may be easier in this era of 3D printing, because running a company becomes a 70 work week and I am way to old for that. 
Stephen
P.S. I would like to see 1/32 models of the Vengeance, Maryland, Baltimore, and A-20 Boston, as long as we are on the topic.

Elvis? I'm still looking for Jimmy Hoffa and Judge Crater.

I said all I had to say on this matter. As it has been said many times before in this thread, we are going in circles. The truth is that no one outside the inner circle of WNW knows what is really going on. I do not claim to have any other information. All I know is what I see happening right now and that is all I said in my posts. 
Radu

A BRAINSTORM. Those of us who absolutementally will not build any aeroplane smaller than 1/32 scale can simply make a wing folding mechanism and glue the wings of our 1/32 bombers as folded and bent back along the fuselage. Then paint the plane in NAVAL colors. That way we can stick with 1/32 scale but take up the space of a 1/48 scale model.
Youse guys are really lucky youse gots me to shows youse the solution to youse space problems.