Scale Model World, Telford 10/11 Nov 2012

Well that was a great show! I've been going for a few years now but this years show was bigger than ever and accompanied with good friends made it very memorable. For me the highlight of the show was the Royal Navy Lynx HMA 8 (Serial Number ZD265) and being able to photograph it VERY close up. I was displaying some models on the 580 Modellers table and the weekend was made more enjoyable sharing it with this great bunch of guys.
There was a LOT to see and as usual missed loads of great models as I was either shopping or yapping :o) Thankfully there are many pics on various web sites of the show.
Great to see newcomers to the hobby Meng Models this year as the stuff they are doing so far is fantastic and for their wish list I've asked for an M60A1/A3 in 1/35 and a OV-10 Bronco in 1/48, nice pen to fill in the card with too and the rather fancy red and black shopping bag.
Apparently next years show will be celebrating 50 years of the IPMS so I can't WAIT to see what they pull off for that one :o)
Great weekend, great company, great to see old friends and great to make new ones.

Almond Sculptures 90mm British Hussar revisited

So as the damp issue is preventing me from spraying tanks and planes I'm turning my hand to another aspect of modelling I enjoy from time to time and that's painting figures. Compared to what some people can do my stuff is pretty naff but I enjoy it.
I was given this figure many years ago by a good mate of mine which when painted was rather good (for me) at the time, however the years have taken it's toll and it has been stored in a box for ages so after cleaning the original paint off with Mr Muscle oven cleaner (toxic but GREAT for paint removal), cleaning up various joints and repairing the bits that fell off it was primed with Games Workshop Skull White.
Here's the 'Before' shot;

Here it is after the cleaning;

And the head after painting;

The moustache still needs painting but so far I'm quite pleased with it. Just out of interest the figure is a 90mm one by Almond Sculptures of a British Officer of the 7th Hussars 1814-15. This should keep me quiet for a bit but if it does'nt I have another 90mm figure (kindly donated by a neighbour) of a French hussar on horseback :o)

Update; I got the tunic and Pelisse painted with a very nice Vallejo blue HOWEVER the damned paint went shiny which kills a model figure straightaway. I did try matting it down with Lifecolour matt varnish but this has still left a sheen SO I've got some Lifecolour blues coming via mail order and try those instead.

Update 2; Well the Lifecolour stuff did'nt go on much better either so next to try is Andrea but this won't be until the new year (2013) so yet another project shelved for now. This is getting frustrating...

Due to problems with spraying paint (owing to damp in the house) I won't be building anymore models for a while until the house dries out. The damp issue would explain the frosting and blooming I've been experiencing when spraying matt varnish and also the grainy, pebbly finish I've been getting with various paints. So I can't spray with an airbrush at the moment but I can still paint with a brush so BUGGER IT! I'll paint model figures instead!
There is no freaking way I'm going to stare at the television until the house dries out so that's my plan and it just so happens I have a few figures in the stash somewhere. Sorted!

Well scratch one Tristar Storch! It's one of those kits that started going wrong as soon as the paint went on so bugger it. The final coat of matt varnish showed up the huge sink marks on the upper wing surfaces plus it frosted in places so it's on the Shelf-of Doom (TM) pending it's fate.
Meanwhile....A Hasegawa 1/48 Ju87B has appeared on the bench plus I'm putting the final bits together on the P-51D AND I'm eyeing up an Eduard 1/48 Fw190D-11 just for laughs :o)
Oh and there is paint on the Sturmtiger too YAY!

Sturmtiger built

Here's a look before it's washed down then painted. Built straight out of the box, the only exception being the tracks (which are by AFV Club), the wooden block for the jack, fuse wire for grab handles and the zimmerit. I did expect a load of trouble with this kit but it was'nt that bad, just some omissions in the instructions such as the cable reel on the winch.
I did make a couple of minor changes such as the front and rear hull tow hook locations as AFV Club used the hull from their late production Tiger andSturmtigers were based on mid-production models. The brackets for the jack were made from brass strip as the position of the jack was turned 90 degrees on the Sturmtiger, also a wooden jack block was added as to the rear hull as AFV Club missed it off all together.
So with a bit of luck it'll be finished in time to put it on the 580 Modellers table at Telford in november, maybe with a 1/35 Storch too....MAYBE even a 1/48 Ju87 which is next on the list.

You can see in the 2nd picture where I altered the brackets for the towing lugs. I normally glue the tracks to the wheels but as the tracks are a 'workable' type I can paint them seperately and fit them later

Well that went better than I thought. All links cleaned up and the first run assembled...wow!

This has GOT to be one of THE most tedious aspects of armour modelling.....cleaning up those four pin marks;

Only another 199 links to go......kill me now....