Canadian 15CWT

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted here.  Been busy modeling I guess, and researching and writing news for Armorama.

Well here is the latest model to leave my desk.  An older Italeri 15CWT Truck, with some Eduard Photo Etch added.  It is an older model, not alot of detail, but alot of potential.  Pretty straight forward build, went together relatively well, and am happy with the end result.

Airfix Club Kit - little planes, lots of fun

About six months ago, I decided to join the Airfix Club.  Not only do I get monthly updates, a monthly magazine, special offers, but I got a free kit when I joined.  It was a duo kit, 1/72 F86 Sabre and Mig-15.  These are nice little kits on their own, but together tell a story of air war in Korea.

The kits are well detailed, engraved panel lines, and colorful decals.  On top of all that, they go together very well, very little seams to fill, great fit.  The Sabre was primed with Vallejo Black Primer and airbrushed various shade of Alclad Aluminum.  The Mig, was primed with Vallejo Grey Primer, and painted with Vallejo Air.  I had started with the Sand color, used Blue tack for masking, then did the Dark Green, more blue tack, then the lighter green.  I liked the way it came out.

Now I wanted to display them, well a block of would, some piano wire, hole in the bottom of each plane and little epoxy.

Voila, nice little display of Korea War era air power.

New Year Project - Chevrolet 15-CWT

Well it is a new year, and this is my first post, sorry for the delay.  Been working alot, and doing some reviews for Kitmaker Network.

So time for a new project.  This time around an older kit, Italeri's Chevrolet 15-CWT.  This originally was an old Peerless kit, with Italeri buying the molds.  You can tell that it is an older kit, molding is not as crisp and lots of flash.  Nothing that can't be cleaned up and used to build a decent model.  I have decided to add a little photo etched detail using the Eduard Details kit.  The PE set is originally for the Italeri Quad Gun Tractor, but there are some usable parts.

So I have started the basic construction of the frame, as per the instructions.  Everything so far is straight forward, just cleaning up some flash and sanding down some seams.  The fits is surprisingly good for a kit of this generation.  I am impressed so far.

So up next, I will move the cab, where we will start to add some PE detail.

Canadian Stuart V

Well it has been a while, but life, Christmas upcoming and of course, some modelling.  I have managed to finish my AFV Club M3A2 Stuart V, dressed up in Canadian Grenadier Guards colors.  The AFV Club kit is great, goes together very well, I added a Eduard PE set to add a little more detail.  The Eduard PE set adds tie-down, smoke launcher, .30 Cal barrel, and other detail.  It is a quite extensive set that adds great depth to the model.

As usual for me with Allied armor, I painted the model with Testors Military Master Acrylic Olive Drab.  In my opinion, it best creates the color of Allied armor.  The decals are from UltraCast, are were applied between a couple of coats of Future.  I then applied washes from Mig and pigments from Vallejo.

This tank was build for another campaign on Armorama.

Trying something new...USS Hancock

Well after visiting my local hobby shop yesterday, I though I would try something different for me.  I saw a Trumpeter 1/350 USS Hancock Aircraft Carrier (WW2), and it appealed to me.  Now I have built a U-Boat in the past, but this will be my first ship model of this size.  Opening the box, I found an excellent kit, well molded, and lots of detail.  I am going to pass on any PE for this kit, just want the experience of building a boat.  I was so excited about it, kind of pushed my other projects aside and laid down the hull last night.  The fit was ok, have to watch a few spot, mainly the bow piece, I put it on first to help line up the upper and lower hull pieces.  There is still some gaps(as you can tell from the pic).  So lots of putty, now to wait for it to dry and sand, then onto the flight deck.

Just one warning when starting a ship, have lots of glue on hand, almost half a bottle of liquid cement just doing the hull.

Lest we forget

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

First Attempt at 1/16 Figure

While at my local hobby store one day, I was eyeing the Tamiya 1/16 scale figures.  They looked pretty kewl, and I thought, maybe I should give this a try.  So I bought the Wehrmacht Tank Crewman.  It is a great kit, parts are well molded, very little flash, and great detail.  Instructions are straight forward, and goes together very well. I painted it with Vallejo Acryllics, including a couple of pin washes, some shadowing, and dry brushing of highlights.  I am not totally happy how it turned out, but I am going to do some more reading and studying of other people's work, and damn well try another.

List of my models

Something new I have created, a list of models, past and present.  I did this using Google docs, what a amazing tool.  I will try to keep this list up to date.  Hopefully it will be helpful, ie if you are thinking about buying one similar or need advice on a particular model.

Kevin's Model List

I have also but the link on Currently on my Workbench section, so it will be available all the time.

My Work Frame

Ever try to work on the bottom of your model, plane flipping back and forth on the tail?  Or break off an important piece?  Well I have done that, and have muttered a few curses.  Recently while looking at pics online, at my one of my favorite sites, AeroScale, I saw pics being displayed of the bottom of the aircraft, on what I would say resembles an overhead crane frame.  I thought, now something like that would be great to support a model while working on it.  So I open my drawer with my extra stryene to see what I could do. 

Well after a little cutting and gluing....this is what I came up with

Using some plastic i-beams and strip pieces I constructed this handy tool.  I just glued some scrap felt on the top to protect any paint that may have been applied.  I can see this as a good use for applied decals to the bottom.  So another tool to clutter the model desk and provide that extra hand when needed.

I will have to give credit to BlackWidow from AeroScale forums for providing the idea.

Do you have any ideas?  Give them a try and let me know how they work out.

Build Log 1 - AFV Club Stuart V

Well starting another campaign on Armorama for Allied Vehicles.  So I decided I wanted a smaller tank, after a search of the shelves at my local Hobby Shop, Hobby House, I came across a 1/35 M3A3 Stuart.  Knowing most allies used this tank during WW2, I decided I will build the Stuart V version, and will be applying Canadian 2nd Armor Brigade markings, for North West Europe.

Opening the box, I found a very well molded kit, very little flash.  The kit did come with a few PE pieces, but I did purchase the Eduard PE set.  Also the kit comes with rubber tracks, so I decided to order the link set from AFV Club.  One nice piece is the include aluminum barrel.

I started with making the bogeys, going together very well.  After which, the hull, this is where most of the PE goes.  All the individual tie downs, about 35 of them, were attached using CA, after having to scrape off the molded on ones.  The PE set really adds to the kit.  Work has started on the turret.  The breach required a little putty to fill the gap, but most went together pretty straight forward.

Next up to complete the turret and continue with the detail.

Build Log 2 - Tamiya 1/48 P-51 Mk. III

Well I managed to finish my P51 Mustang. Model was painted using Tamiya Paints(RAF Sea Grey, RAF Dark Green, RAF Royal Light Grey). I tried something new this time in terms of masking, I used the "blue" poster tack. It was easy to use, I cut out flexible clear masking to shape, then used the poster tack to hold the edges down.

After dry, usual coat of future, then kit decals. I was not too impressed with the Tamiya decals in the kit, they were thick and difficult to get to settle, took several coats of SolvaSet to get them down. After decals, another coat of Future, then used Mig Dark Wash into the panel lines. Weathering was completed with Vallejo pigments between a couple coats of Testors Flat Clear Spray.

I was not totally happy how this one came out, I was kind of distracted by my Panzer IV build, and should have put this off till I had more time to concentrate on it. I may have to do another one in the future, maybe a P-51D in Canadian markings or even the new Tamiya 1/32 P-51D.

Build Log 4 - Dragon Panzer IV Ausf G

Done!!! The model was weathered using Mig Washes and Pigments. One method I like to use to add pigment, is to mix the pigment with a little water, making a paste. I then apply this paste using a soft brush where I need it. When dry you can use a stiffer brush to start taking some off. By leaving some on, it looks more like caked on mud. After all the weathering, it was given a final coat of Testor Flat Clear spray.

Build Log 3 - Dragon Panzer IV Ausf G

I have no applied the winter paint scheme to my Panzer IV. I painted the model with Tamiya German Grey, then applied decals, with a coat of Future before and after. The winter paint scheme was done using the "hairspray method". I gave the model two coats of hairspray, allowing to dry for an hour. I then applied the paint, starting with a coat of a 50/50 mix of Tamiya Royal Grey and Tamiya White. The next coat was done adding more white to the mix, followed by a final coat of white, to hit the highlights. Then the scrubbing begins, using a wet stiff toothbrush and sanding stick, I removed paint till I achieved the desired effect.

Up next, picking out the detail and doing the tracks.

Build Log - Tamiya 1/48 P-51 Mk. III

Have started my P-51 Mk. III. It is a nice kit from Tamiya, well detailed right out of the box. The cockpit and wheel wells are well done, and were airbrushed with Model Master Interior green. It was then washed with Vallejo black, and then drybrushed. Detail was picked out with Vallejo paints. I did add an UltraCast seat with belts to spruce it up a little. The kit did include a decal, but the Ultracast seats looks so much better. I did use the kit provide decal for the dash, and picked out each dial with Future, for the glass look.

The fuselage and wings went together well, a little putty to clean up the joints. Just finishing up before applying primer.

Build Log 2 - Dragon Panzer IV Ausf G

Construction has continued as per instructions after completion of the Verlinden interior. Most parts have gone together well. Now on to priming, wheels and hatches left off for easier painting, and due to the fact that I want to leave some hatches open. All opening were stuffed with kleenex, to avoid paint spray from getting to the finished interior. The model will now receive a coat of Tamiya Fine Primer, and get ready for paint. First color with be Tamiya German Grey, then followed by a winter paint scheme. I will detail the winter white in a future post.

Build Log - Dragon Panzer IV Ausf G

Well above is the start of my Panzer IV Ausf G. It is a nice kit from Dragon, good detail, some PE parts and Magic Track. I wanted to keep most of the hatches open, so I added the interior detail from Verlinden. The Verlinden kit is a resin kit, but lacks any real instructions. I have had to use a lot of reference material for the interior. The interior has gone together quite well. All resin pieces were washed using Sunlight dishsoap and water. I used a thin and medium CA for the assembly. With most parts in, except the engine sub-assembly, I coated with Tamiya Fine Primer. The interior was then airbrushed with Vallejo Air, Hemp, oversprayed with Tamiya white for the light colors, and Vallejo Air Hull Red and Oxide (mixed 50/50) for the primer color. The light area wash then given a wash with Mig Cold Grey Wash. The engine and gear box, and other detail was then handed painted with Vallejo paints. The engine and gear box where then given a wash of Mig Dark Wash, and a little dry brushing.

It should be noted that the Dragon instructions are not all that great, for example, the breach assembly is shown to go on upside down. So remember to dry fit as you go, and look at any reference shots as you go.

Next step is to move on to the exterior.

Humber Completed

Well I finally finished my Humber. This was a great kit to build, I really enjoyed it.

New Work Space

Well after some negotiations with the landlord(wife) and chief financial officer(wife, again) I have a new modelling workspace. It may have delayed some of the projects I am working on, but I like my new space, it is clean and efficient. The furniture is from Ikea, not all that expensive, but very functionable. I have also put shelf in closet of room to hold models waiting to be build, and I am still having to do my airbrushing in the basement, but I have a relatively large spray booth, and it is not that big of a deal.

Now back to modelling.