Soviet Style

As you may or may not know, I have been a fan of Soviet aviation for many years  Take this bunch of recently completeds.

First, the Mi 2T Hoplite from Hobby Boss.  What a nice little build that was.

Second, the excellent I-16 RATA from Eduard.

And third, Trumpeter's 1/35 Mi 8 'Hip', a challenge but a highly enjoyable build.

I have many more Russian projects in the pipeline.  One of them will be the 1/48 Su-24 'Fencer' from Trumpeter - a build I have been looking forward to for, oh, let's say twenty five years!

The new Wessex

(Courtesy Italeri)

It's been a long time since Revell issued the 1/48 Wessex, and the market has been waiting for a replacement.  And here it is.  A new tooling that includes a small set of photo-etched parts and markings for four aircraft - and all for £25.  The parts are engraved and riveted, albeit a bit on the shallow side.

The cockpit is quite nice, and has an etched panel and seat belts, although I chose to fit a set of Eduard colour belts.  Don't we all?

As I am building, I can't help but think of how similar it is to Italeri's 1/72 scale Wessex.  Yes, it's the same aircraft, I know, but the build is identical.  To merely upscale the tooling probably helps to keep the price down.

Here are some photos.  I'm pleased with how it's going.  More later.

Seriously?

Just walking past the sci-fi section in my favourite model shop last week - yes, there is still the odd one! - I noticed this.

I was instantly struck by the unusual design.  Not your predictable over-exposed Star Wars  or tired Star Trek movie-related kit, but a strange looking ship I had never seen the likes of before. A quick rifle through the box revealed large, well-detailed parts, four paint schemes, a very nice sheet of decals and a big big engine!

There was also a dvd, which promised a virtual tour and a bit more info.  From what I can gather (I do not speak Japanese too often) it seems to belong to the anime genre, and is an anti-gravity raider in 1/20 scale.

The big attraction for me is that you can interpret it any way you want.  No-one can criticise the RLM shade you have used, or correct your allocation of rivets.   I can please myself!  It's a genuinely exhilarating thought.

If you have built this model, or know more about its origins, do comment here, I'd like to know more.

Coming back down to earth, here is Italeri's new tool Wessex UH-5 in 1/48 scale.  It's a nice kit, four colour schemes to choose from and not a bad price.  No anti-grav capabilities but it looks good.  So many kits, so little time.

Finished and Finishing

I thought I would add an update on some of my on-going and recently completed projects. Sadly, it doesn't include the 1/35 'Hip'.  I just can't seem to find the chance to get back to that.

Anyway, coming up is this XB-49 Flying Wing from Italeri (AMT) - it's quite a kit, so more on it later.

Then, Hobby Boss's F4U-4 Corsair.  A kit that really has a lot of parts.  But are they all necessary?

Just finished, Italeri's Westland Wessex in 1/72 scale.  Nice, isn't it?  A lovely little kit.

For a bit of the unusual: Trumpeter released this little Russian number a bit ago.  It's in 1/35 with etched parts and not only its it really interesting, it's really good value.

Ping!

Here is a picture of my model room floor.  I've decided to feature it on my blog as it is currently playing host to around 1000 lost parts.

This is a problem that anyone involved in this mad hobby of ours has to endure on a daily basis.  How many times have you been about to fit that tiny but vital part using your special fine-pointed tweezers when you've heard the dreaded sound -ping! - and it's vanished.

I can't count how many times my wife has come into my room and found me on my hands and knees searching in vain,  Quite often she joins in, even though she has no idea what she's looking for...

I would like a tool, a plastic magnet, if you like, that attracts the missing parts.  Something that can locate plastic and resin parts would be for me the invention of the century.

That's my rant for the day over.  Back to the sea of missing bits.

New 'Hip' Replacement

Coming on well at the moment is this MiL Mi 8 'HIP' in 1/35 scale from Trumpeter, who else?  Well, no-one else would do a Soviet Transport helicopter, especially not in this scale.

Anyway, a few more days' work will see it done.  More to say on this large project later.  Can't wait?  Neither can I!


The other project I'm working on is the Su-27 from Eduard.  I'm having another Russian phase.

Zero for Christmas!

Christmas is really for children, as we all know, but it can be made to appeal to adults by giving them the sort of gift that really has lasting appeal.  My wife knows what I like, and last Christmas she gave me a 1/32 A6M-2 Zero from Tamiya.  It was stashed under the bed for a while, and I just 'sensed' it was there.....

Now here we are in May and I'm still enjoying it.  I've had other, more pressing projects, so I've only been able to do a bit on it every now and then until now.  But I have at last been able to finish it, and I thought I would share it with readers on here.

Here are a few views of the engine and the cockpit.  I've used lead and copper wire to detail both areas.  To add a detail set for this project would just be overkill.  The kit offers plenty.  It has tried my patience a little - adding the wings and tail, for instance.  Not a perfect fit.  Some fine cracks have to be filled and a bit of trimming is needed, especially on the wings.

It seemed appropriate to receive a 'Pearl Harbour Attack Zero" seventy years to the month after the actual event.   A fabulous build, I hope you enjoy these photos.