model junky

About 10 years ago, I started building some of my aircraft kits to be posed on a stick and displayed in flight. This at least allowed me to make more efficient use of the space on each shelf. This has helped for a long time. Now I am in the process of focusing on reducing my stash as the boxes occupy the lower sections of the shelves.

98% of my modeling builds are aircraft. For me 1/48 is the sweet spot in both size and price. For larger subjects, I switch to 1/72 or 1/144. I tend to average building 10-15 kits per year. As I have gotten older, my eyes are not what they used to be, I have considered looking into bigger scales but kits in 1/32 can be stupid expensive especially if I continued at my current build rate.

I have been using Testors/MM enamels since the late 70s and have been experimenting with different brands over the last few years. Tamiya acrylics work pretty nice but their paints don't try to match any of the FS numbers. I have had pretty good results using Humbrol paints. Humbrol works like Testors enamels, for airbrushing, I thin it in to the same (milk like) consistency as Testors enamels. Like Testors, Humbrol does have an odor. I have also had pretty good luck with Life Color and have bought additional colors for future projects. Life Colors does s

I would like to see some kits of the Convair 880 or 990 (1/144 or 1/72) Always liked the looks of those old birds, the shock cones on the trailing edge of the wings were very distinctive on those 4 engine jetliners.

I have found it refreshing to build something else that you don't have a passion in. I have been building model aircraft for 40 years. Every once in a while I'll spontaneously buy a model car or truck, just because it "looks cool". I don't know much about them, I have no reference guides and also because generally it can be pretty cheap. The whole building, painting and weathering mindset is completely different. It allows me to revisit just the joy of building again.

Another aviation icon has slipped the surly bonds

At the time I experimented using Tamiya paints through the airbrush, I was using 91% alcohol as a thinner. I had found alcohol effective as a paintbrush cleaner with these paints so I assumed it would have made a good thinning agent for airbrushing. However, the paint was drying before it left the airbrush nozzle. I recall then trying 70% alcohol instead but also had little success. In addition, I experimented with different pressure settings but couldn't get desired performance. I don't think I went as far as a 50/50 ratio since it was drying almost immediately. What is in the X-20A thi

Thanks all! This is the kind of information I was looking for. I am interested in developing the techniques of airbrushing with acrylics, I have dabbled with Tamiya paints with no luck. It is good to know that there is also enamel options as well. The paint fume issue has been a problem even with a paint hood. If acrylics can reduce the fume problem, that would be a bonus.

For over 30 years, I have used Testors Model Master enamels for airbrushing. Now that some of those colors are being discontinued like camouflage grey, I feel like it is time to look at alternatives. I have heard that Model Master Camouflage grey is still available as a spray and so you can always decant it but I feel I am just putting off the inevitable. So, with a stack of aircraft kits waiting to be built, what non-Testor paints are others using for Southeast Asia colors?

Uh, you forgot about the two Zeros that got "splashed"

I have been building model airplanes for more than 30 years. There was a point when I had a fear of not completing a kit like it would somehow strip me of my ability to complete a kit. While I do have a shelf of doom, none of those kits is more than 5 years old which tells me they will all get done eventually. My bigger problem is that some of the unbuilt/unstarted kits in my stash go back more than 10 years. I must have had a good reason to buy them at the time but still do not have the motivation to build them. My only "permanent" hangar queen is the Modelcraft F-8

Interesting story. I like the photo sequences of the aircraft in flight over modern Japan. The buildings are modern but distinctly Japanese. It is definitely a contrast between the old and new.

An old friend now retired used to say about the Tweet: "The only aircraft in U.S. Air Force inventory where you could pee in the cockpit while standing on the ground."

Wow, I have always loved the Viggen with the splinter camo. One day, I WILL have one! Very nice job on this bird. The weathering is fantastic.

I remember building this kit in the early 80s. As I recall, I did mine as a North Korean bird. Nice Job! and thanks for the memories.