ringleheim

Very nice! The rolled tarp was the first thing that caught my eye. That is really nicely done. I see what you mean about the idler spacing; it looks like you have 1 link too much on your track run, but from your comments, it sounds like removing 1 link would have made the track run too short! I've been in that boat myself many times! As you point out, you can usually solve that problem by playing around with idler spacing. Regardless, your T-34/76 looks fantastic and the track slack is a minor thing that really isn't noticed.

I'm breaking out in a cold sweat looking at all those P/E frets and the complex builds made up of tiny pieces! It look fantastic though. This ship is going to be very impressive when completed. I'm wondering if you are going to try and emulate an "oil canned" look to the hull plates. When I stood next to the USS Iowa, the highly imperfect, dented appearance of the hull was the first thing I noticed. The second thing I noticed was that the ship was freaking GIGANTIC!

I have been looking for a build thread of these new kits myself. Haven't found anything yet. I thought we might see a build thread go up right away over at WW1aircraftmodels.com, but nothing so far. I was extremely excited when these kits were announced and assumed I'd buy one as soon as they became available. Since then I have cooled a bit, pending being blown away with someone's build thread. It's just a very weird looking aircraft. Of course, that is also part of its appeal and charm.

I've built the Eduard Bf-109E4 and thought it was fine. Typical Eduard issues to deal with, but the kit goes together. The Dragon 109 is great only if you want to leave the cowling off and show off the engine. The kit is horribly mis-engineered such that you can't really put the cowling on the plane without some heavy surgery. So many 1/32 aircraft kits have issues! I'm still waiting for Tamiya to do the 1/32 treatment on all the German stuff. I may be waiting a long time!

I have a slightly different approach to my "Shelf of doom." It's more what I have always called "The graveyard" and it's where aborted projects go to die, because they will never become finished display pieces. These kits were either aborted for whatever reason, or finished, but not to an acceptable standard. I have many, many kits in the graveyard.

"notable changes include the removal of the dorsal speed brake". http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-Su-35S-Flanker.html

Do you mean before or after he flew the airplane into the lake?

Just saw a commercial for this on HBO and hadn't seen it before. Looks like it's going to be great. https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-cold-blue

I would go straight for the various 1/32 Tamiya super kits. Sounds like you already have one in the P-51. But this is their series of spitfires, the 2 Japanese zeros, the Mosquito, and the corsairs. They are about as good as it gets in 1/32 aircraft modeling IMO so if any of those really interest you beyond the P-51 you already have, go with those. I would also recommend WNW but again you said you have some! So start building!

When does a model kit become too big? I built a 1:16 Panzer IV and actually didn't like it as display piece when it was finished. Haven't bought another 1:16 armor subject since, despite many to choose from now. It reminded me of my sister's Barbie Camper Van toy as a kid in the '70s. It just doesn't look right to me, even if I generally feel that 1:35 scale is too small for most armor modeling subjects, particularly WWII vehicles which are smaller than modern vehicles. I wouldn't want a 1/32 B-17 sitting around; it's just too big. It loses that "scale replica little jewel" characteristic at a certain size, if you know what I mean.

Jacques Littlefield commented on this a few years ago before he died in terms of all the German armor his team had taken apart and mucked around with. He said they never found any evidence of "sabotage" in manufacturing, for what that's worth. At least not in the vehicles he owned and examined.

That's mostly b/c of a lack of modern heat resistant alloys in all the critical parts. I would suggest a modern 004 could be made with modern materials in the right places but you'd still have what is effectively the old engine but with a much greater lifespan. It would probably sound just as it should too, despite the modern alloys. I'd love to see this type of thing done with all sorts of historic military equipment. There is a very accurate Tiger tank replica now sitting at the German Panzer Museum in Munster, and the work they are doing down in New Zealand with modern constructions of WWI aircraft is also fantastic. There is a flying Me-262 replica in Germany as well, but I believe it is using modern engines.

There's a ton of stuff out there on the 'net if you look for it. Are you looking for any specific RLM colors?

Unfortunately, ever since we started hearing rumors that Tamiya was getting out of the 1/32 game in favor of 1/48 aircraft modeling, we haven't seen a single 1/32 new offering but we have seen several new 1/48 offerings. Tamiya is funny like that. They do whatever they feel like doing and you never know what they are going to produce. It's been forever since they've produced a new 1/12 F1 kit and I fear they are moving in that direction with their 1/32 super airplane kits. If and when they actually show up at a model show with a new 1/32 aircraft, I'll be very pleasantly surprised, especially if it is anything German in origin! Until then, I'm waiting for Z.M. to get those FW-190s to market!

The Pup is one that got away before I ever bought one. I've had my eye on the Royal Navy version when they come up on Ebay, but it will be easier and cheaper to go this route. So another welcome move from WNW, as was the Sopwith Triplane.