Jeff T

Does it mean you build the model without painting it, or you have to be naked when you build it!..
 
Make sure the exacto's in a good spot!

Does it mean you build the model without painting it, or you have to be naked when you build it!..
 
Make sure the exacto's in a good spot!

Hi Hatter,
I feel your pain. I look at all the projects that I started recently as well as long ago and the kits that await their construction, and I sometimes think about where did the passion go?
Did I get so caught up over the years in collecting that I overlooked the joys of actual building? One may never truly know, but I also think that it is important to keep things in context and maintain a realistic perspective. We call it a hobby for a reason, and yes, life tends to get in the way sometimes.
Strictly my two-penny bit: Enjoy the down time. Your Mojo will just come back stronger than ever, and your joy in building your next project will reflect it :).
 
Good luck and happy modeling!
WGM64

Personally I do several things. 

1/ Only build one model at a time.  Starting a new one is the reward for finishing one. 

2/ Keep a modest size stash, indeed I set a limit on it.  Finishing a model is the prompt to buy another one. My stash is currently 14 so I can buy one more kit, a position that awaits the Italeri Folgore. 
 
3/ Try out new tools and techniques and keep trying to improve on every model. 
 
4/ Once I have cut plastic on a kit I will select the next one to build and put the box visible on the shelf. I also start researching it and buying aftermarket.  It then sits to wait….
 
5/ There are points in a build where my motivation reduces, it happens to all of us, such as when there is a lot of filling and sanding to do, my least favourite modelling activity.  In which case I don’t force it but just sit at the bench and do something that progresses the build every day.  It might be at such times I only do 10 or 15 minutes work on it a day
or even less. The point is, the build is progressing and at some point I get on to a more motivating stage and I end up making progress again.  Such lulls only last a day or two.  
 
That’s it really,,,,
 
 
 
 

.....you had me scratching my head for a minute there Mark!....been there, done that! 
 
 
 

Good evening,
 
the Fokker is nearing its completion ....
 

 

 

 
Manfred said he can´t wait to get airborne again ...

I managed to take some poor quality pictures... 
Starting tonight the weathering process... 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Finally I managed to put my hands again in this project. Some parts needs more paint effects, they are not ready yet. Used Quinta Studio set for tje interior, strongly recomended for this model. The seat belts came from HGW. Can´t wait to close fuselages halves, maybe put them together thousand times during this build in order to check alingments and fitings. Hope you like it guys! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

A little progress on Ju-88´s tail wheel bay. So of kit parts have to soft detail, I thought it is more covenient to reproduce them using soldered brass tubes. This week I´m planing to fisnish this sector of the model. 

 

 

 
and... Who told you, that you need to replace kit´s original Landing gear legs for those expensive metal LGL????
 
 

Oh yeah, that is beautiful work Jug!
 
Flawless finish there.
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

Well, I'll have to try some of the Uschi stuff then, I think it's round and just as flexible.  The make .005 and .003-inch thicknesses.
 
 
Thanks Jeff, much appreciated.  You wouldn't say it was a flawless finish if you saw the horrible time I had with the first go around with acrylic paints.  Even the alclad II had me in fits throughout the finishing process (it kept lifting in spots when removing masks).

Outstanding work!
 
Brilliant.
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

I've tried to recreate a vignette, based this photo of one of the planes of Matsuo Hagiri together with some of his 'colleagues' on board the carrier Soryo.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The Special Hobby kit is 'High tech' in the sense that it's including resin details of the engine and cockpit, as well as fret of photoetched details.
 
https://www.specialhobby.eu/en/1/1/a5m4-claude-hi-tech-1-32.html?&listtype=search&searchparam=A5M4
 
Build thread is here:  https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/94082-mitsubishi-a5m4-the-father-of-the-zero/
 
Thanks for looking....
 
Cheers: Kent

Below are some shots of the Ki-61 "Tony" I built for the "Turning Japanese" Group Build.  I actually completed the model a couple of weeks ago, but today was the first day I was able to setup my photo tent, lights, etc., to take some better photos.  The main goal of the build was to spray a Natural Metal Finish for the first time.  Overall that turned out ok, but there is definitely room for improvement.
 
Ernest
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I finished this just a little bit ago.  I noticed that the FuG16Zy antenna has broken off in the photos but has been replaced since.  My handling of the completed model was not as careful as I would've liked.  Not entirely sure I like the EZ Line antenna but it works.  Here's the abbreviated build thread:  Revell Bf109G-10
 
Anyway, onto the photos (in no particular order):
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mi-4 Trumpeter 1:35
Maybe not the best model from Trumpeter.
But in an interesting Polish painting - called "Medusa"
Currently, the helicopter in a rather poor condition is exhibited at the Aviation Museum.
 


 

You are not alone, I too am in the same boat, been fighting it since 2015. I've had a few spurts of motivation that lasts about 2-3 months tops but then bam, its gone. There wasn't any one thing that sparked the breif mojo rejuvination. One time it was going to the IPMS nationals, another was going to an air museum, a few times it was just seeing someones cool build either at a model club meeting or on a forum. I have several shelf of shame builds recently because I loose intrest 3/4 of the way through the build.  Probably don't want to here this but I have recently thought about hanging up the sprue cutters for an extended time frame because the flame has dimmed considerable for me lately. I've been building for about 42 years so I guess things do get old but hopefully things will change for the better- for both of us lol.. 

I had a brief infatuation with MM paints, but it didn't last long after I discovered some colors remained water-soluble days after application and some colors formed crystalline bits that clogged my airbrush. Then of course there's this Polyester (?) additive which the instructions state to add 2 to 20 drops (paraphrasing here) but not too much. HUH?
 
I wrote to the owner and was told there's nothing wrong with the paints and said it was my fault. Not wanting engage in a chemistry experiment just to paint my model, I sold the whole lot on Ebay, switched to lacquer and never looked back. 

This man speaks the truth.
 
Its ok not to model, let some time pass...you will be back.
 
Ryan

Don't force it - it's as simple as that. I find, as suggested above, doing something different and not even thinking about models helps and then suddenly the mojo returns and you're back in the groove. Watch some films, read some books, browse the 'net - anything really but don't force yourself.
 
Tom

I missed this one up to now as well!...that is some superb work already Pete!...looks awesome, and I know the wood is decal, but its great to see some old school painting of a Cockpit!
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

Hi Kev!
Thanks my friend!
I guess folks here like to see how the sausage is made!
here it is in its ugly phase. Blast tubes relocated with styrene tube. Pilot hatch relocated to match up with the Model Monkey cockpit, shell eject ports from brass rectangular tube..all faired- in with JB Weld. Sand/fill/ prime multiple times 

 
then prime/ sand prime



 
Fun fact: every drawing I have of the Beau has the shell eject ports wrong. By dumb luck I stumbled on a photo directly from below that showed the correct orientation. Also found out the cannon blast tubes are not symmetrical-
 
cheers
Pete

And here’s where we are now- gloss coat applied.. but lots of fiddly bits to go…more paint..etc..

The Model Monkey parts are outstanding. The fit is perfect! Steve at Model Monkey made me a template of the wood floor area from his CAD file, and I used that to cut the decals. Thanks Steve! You the man!
 
Look at how cool this is-

 
more to follow-
 
cheers
Pete

Not a ton of progress this week. I decided to order a few things for this build, most of which arrived today. I grabbed a Yahu instrument panel, HGW belts, Master brass cannon barrels and a set of masks from Dead Design. In the meantime, I got the basics of the cockpit together..
 

 
 
 
I actually spent most of my time so far on the engine. I wasn't going to really add anything to it, at first. I didn't think much would be visible once the cowling was installed and the prop in place. However, a test fit of the entire assembly, once I had the basics together, showed me that the engine is actually fairly visible on this plane. I was waiting for other items in the mail, anyway, so I decided to wire the engine. It's not perfectly accurate, but looks the part and I think it was worth the effort. 
 
 

 
 
The connections were all made with tubing stripped from fine electrical wire and cut to size. Here's a couple of shots with the wiring in place. Still need to add the rest of the equipment at the front of the crankcase, clean up and paint/weather, but it's starting to look like an engine.
 
 


 
Next, I'll be going back to finish the engine and cockpit, then on to the riveting tool.
 
 
Thanks for following,
 
John

Unfortunately, I didn't get as much time at the bench over the weekend, as I had hoped for. However, I am going to call the engine "done", at this point. After searching the net for reference photos to figure out the location of the last few lines/hoses, I think I at least have  a general idea of what it should look like and have it as close as I'm going to get it. Once all was finished, I gave everything a shot of MRP Matt Clear coat, then a wash using oils and some of the AK Interactive Engine Oil enamel. This is the first time I've used this product and I think it works fairly well. I did notice, however, that it's not as easy to remove the excess, as it is with oils. But, for a late-war machine seeing hard use, I think it looks the part. 
 


 
 
 
As for the cockpit, I have the base Kawanishi interior color sprayed and a little bit of an oil wash applied. I still need to get all the details in place and painted and will likely add a few more wires/lines, as well. I'll post pics as soon as that's completed. 
 
Thanks for following along!
 
John