VADM Fangschleister

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If this has been asked before, apologies. I like the kit, if it is a bit fiddly but the lack of intake trunking is kind of a deal-breaker and KH's "fix" is inaccurate and useless. A set of resin intakes would change all that.

The F-4 uses collars to safe the gear and I had it posed as either ready-to-launch or just returning. The EOR crew would've put the safety pins in the MAU-12's before it taxied back to the ramp. So no arrestor hook pins (I believe it's a bracket with a braided steel cable) and the AN/ALE-40's (Chaff/Flare) would normally be pinned but I opted to just leave them uninstalled. That is, the dispensers are not on the pylons. The seats are "safed" with some of the RBF streamers showing but the collars for the canopies are not installed. Since the parachute pack door is closed, it would have to be "ready-for-launch" I suppose. As for ailerons, I found cutting them out after wing halves glued together, used EVERGREEN® styrene tubes that match in width to top/bottom of control surface, glued to the front of the aileron and then filled with modest amounts of putty. The AOA probes you have a sweet. I used hypodermic tubing for pitot probes...two different sizes for the nose and vertical stab.

Will be an awesome end-product, Benner. I did one way back in 1985. There was no aftermarket for it and George AFB was still open, using the Euro 1 camo scheme. I spent quite a number of hours detailing each seat, adding swaybraces, safety pins, etc. Painted with MM FS colors and the radome was then new Tamiya semi-gloss blacks. Much use was also made of then Metalizer® paints for the titanium burner areas and their awesome "smoke" for making the typical soot all over the same area. Mirrors, compass cards, I think I added a landing gear handle. It's a great kit and went together well.

The actual "real" shuttlecraft used in the series was an adventure in "The interior being larger than the exterior" as was common for many shows of the era. The original prop, now fully restored, was also very devoid of any actual detail. The interior was uber-simplistic and consisted of two "navigation" globes/scanners, six or eight swiveling chairs and a rudimentary control panel that had very little visual interest. With all that said, I'm pretty sure that the kit will have aftermarket options later from whomever. For the size, it's not out of line with what you get for the price, given that many Trek-o-philes have been clamoring for a kit of this item in this scale. The design had to go through many revisions to be as accurate as possible while still being able to be outfitted with any interior items. Naturally, this leaves it up to the individual builder at this point but I repeat that there will likely be some aftermarket or "co"-issued kit for the interior, maybe a light kit. Or, one could purchase Randy Cooper's 1/24 resin version for $300 + shipping. https://randycoopermodelsdesign.squarespace.com/new-page

Recently got an email for the long-awaited Polar Lights 1/32 Shuttlecraft from the original series. It will prove to be just the ticket for those who want to build the Galileo 7 on a hostile alien planet while revisiting Spock's logic versus Dr McCoy's humanism. Or, possibly land it on an unnamed asteroid to meet Zefram Cochrane....or maybe pose it in front of the giant maw of the solid neutronium® hull of the planet killer. It was featured in several episodes from "The Way To Eden" to "Journey To Babel" where Spock's parents are introduced with the shuttlecraft in the hangar bay in the background. In any case, it promises to be a good candidate for some great dioramas or just by itself. It's 12" long. Initial pre-order purchase price is $49.99 but with the caveat that the price is not fully finalized yet and buyers will be notified of the final price before shipping begins. I pre-ordered one because I'm getting older and as I sit at my model-building bench at home, alone, I miss my childhood sometimes.

Hoping for: 1/32 T-38 1/32 F-106 I know....I know. A dream too far.

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Neil, This is quite impressive. I sincerely hope it all works out and that you proceed to grow your business and develop a following. We hardline modelers do desire ever-more-accurate and fun models to build and you seem to have your hand on the pulse of what we want. The 737 has rarely been modeled well, except for BPK. I taught the -300 for several years and it's a favorite. Maybe, hopefully, you'll be able to rival those who've put badly molded kits out there and replace their expensive-but-meager offerings. I personally would request a DeHavilland Comet 1/1A along with some others but before I go "all about me", I'll simply wish you all the good fortune such an endeavor can bring. Cheers Fang

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So you say. Enamels are best. As years pass, the acrylics peel away. I agree that they may be losing market share but it has more to do with sky-is-falling environmental BS imposed by over-controlling governments rather than modelbuilder preference. Plus nanny parents who don't want their kiddly diddlies using that "toxic" enamel paint (based entirely on ignorance) as fumes from acrylics are as toxic, if not more so. I'm not buying your specious position.

So Rustoleum buys the paint line because they want to be the only ones producing small-batch paints. Then, they eliminate MM, cutting off dedicated modelers who've used it for years. What is the motivation? Is it some self-righteous move by corporate greenie-fiends who want to "save the planet" and decree that all enamel paints are evil? Or, is it because some guy who built models stole their girlfriends? I cannot, for the life of me, sort that it's a "business" decision. Since they own the rights to the paints, no one can pick it up and produce MM paints? No, I am NOT interested in converting to acrylics. No, I disagree that enamels are "bad for gaia" (eyeroll). Rustoleum can go suck it. Just another corporation that has now manipulated the market to their satisfaction and limited their production line---this is common for post 1990 businesses who've hired post-graduate weenies who studied economics from a comic book who are all on board with "maximum profits by ONLY producing the high-selling items". "We lose money on the hobby paint because we don't sell that much of it and it's expensive to produce" PHAGH! I have a large assortment of cusswords for them.