Luke Spotting

Whidbey Spotting

Badger Stynylrez Test #1

I like Mr. Surfacer, I do.  No one can prep a model like he can. Hell, if it weren't for him, many of my models would never have been finished.

Sadly, Mr. Surfacer is... smelly. Yep, you invite him into a small apartment and he stinks up the place. The rest of the family living in the small apartment asks that Mr. Surfacer never gets invited over again. So that leaves me trying to coax a spray can to put out on the balcony, and, well, that never leads to anything good.

I’ve tried other primers. Vallejo primers come in many different shades, look nice and being acrylic, they don't smell. But they also don't sand. What the hell do you do with a primer you can't sand? Maybe it isn’t a problem for a perfect builder, but I'm far from perfect. Alclad primer is interesting because it needs no thinning, but it is still a smelly lacquer. Tamiya Fine Surface Primer and Mr. Surfacer seem indistinguishable unless you want to paint white. Mr. Finishing Surfacer, especially in black, is pretty neat, but he is just as smelly as his less finished friend.

So…my clandestine relationship with Mr. Surfacer continued. I'd invite him over during the day in hopes that his smell would be gone by the time the rest of the family arrived home. I even deluded myself that the girls wouldn’t notice.  But notice they did.

So you can imagine how excited I was to read about the new Badger Stynylrez. The net said it was an acrylic primer with no odor that was easy to spray and sandable. Is this even possible, I wondered. Could my dreams come true? Or was it all marketing puffery? (The net’s never wrong, right?)

With so many choruses from so many corners, I decided to give it a try for myself. A set of three 4 ounce bottles was ordered from Amazon. White, black, and grey. The package arrived yesterday, so tonight it was time for an experiment. How would this stuff spray?

I decided to try it out on the Battle of the Barrister's Hurricane which had been primed with Mr. Finishing Surfacer Black. Of course, the primer highlighted errors where I had tried to remove the spurious fabric around the ammo bay doors.  Out came the sanding sticks and pads to make the corrections. Feeling pretty smooth, it was time to check again with another coat of primer.

The instructions make it clear that the primer should be applied at 30 PSI. That seems high, but I'm a follower. So I dialed in the pressure and added a few drops to the colour cup of the Iwata Eclipse. I misted on a light coat and then followed up with a heavier coat for coverage. I had no issues with the paint flowing through the brush and the the grey covered the black primer with no issues. Cleaning the airbrush was easy with some water. The finish looks pretty good, though not glass smooth. The best news is that neither female occupant of the apartment noticed any smell at all.

So far, so good, but the real test will come tomorrow. Can I sand out the still lingering issues around the ammo bay doors?

The New Compressor is Here!

Once the 707 killed my Sparmax compressor, I struggled with what type of air source to purchase. After doing some research online and discussing the topic with a couple of modelers (and being the cheap ass I am), I decided to try the Master Airbrush Model TC-40T compressor, for sale at slightly over $100 on Amazon. It arrived last week and, as our daughter's stuffed dog (aka THE "I'm so cool I don't even need a name" DOG) must approve all changes in our household, he had to take a look.

So far, I like it. There is some debate in the house as to whether it is slightly louder or softer than the Sparmax but there is no question I can safely spray at night without waking Claren. Not to mention, the built-in tank is a very nice touch and that alone is quite an upgrade over the Sparmax.

March Madness

AKA...Things that Made Me Mad in March

Ever built a model so bad it killed your compressor? Yep, the 1/144 Minicraft 707 is that bad.

I bought the Minicraft 707 many years ago as I wanted a CC-137 in my collection and there is no way in hell I'd ever finish the Heller 1/72 707.  I lusted after it for many years, but after buying it mostly used it as a dog gate; the box is that big.

Anyway, with the Minicraft version and J-Bot decals in hand, I was eager to dig in after I was asked to build it for the Northwest Scale Modelers display case.

The Minicraft 707 is well known for having shape issues with the nose. Out of the box it really doesn't look right, so I ordered a Contrail replacement nose piece off eBay. I admit I tried to be ok with the kit nose, but it just looked off. At this point in the project, I still thought it had promise.  I attempted to modify the kit nose, but in the end I just tore it out and used the resin nose.  The Contrail part has a much better shape, but it doesn't really fit.  That's what filler is for, right?  So I filled, sanded, and primed.  There were flaws.  I filled, sanded, and primed again.  *&%#!, more flaws.  Again and again I repeated this cycle, as any remaining excitement ebbed away.  This was slowly becoming a masochistic experience, without any of the supposed pleasure.  I wanted this damn thing off my bench.

Of course, a deadline loomed large on the horizon.  If this hadn't been for a display, it would have taken a nosedive out of my highrise's window and died a pitiful death.  It would have been a justifiable homicide, too. But I persevered. At this point most of the panel lines were gone, not that they were much of a loss. The panel lines aren't to scale and like the rest of the kit, pretty crude. The wing and horizontal stabilizer fit was...meh. But I had a model that looked pretty smooth, so I primed it again. Mr. Surfacer 1200...you are not my friend. More flaws. F' you Minicraft! With only days to go, I pressed on. I did the best I could and was about to add the first coat of white when my compressor just stopped.  At first I thought it was a fuse. Nope. Maybe it just needed a nap. Nope. Turns out the 707 is so bad, it sapped my compressor's will to live.

I had no choice but to use spray cans. The closest hobby shop didn't have any Tamiya white primer, so I had to settle for Humbrol Gloss White. The first coat when down nice and glossy, but I missed a few areas on the bottom. So a few hours later I added a second coat and...disaster. The 707's surface now resembled the moon. F' you spray can! I was able to Micromesh the surface and make it less moonlike, but my fate was sealed: I was going to finish this thing, but it was going to suck.

I assembled the engines and was glad that I no longer cared how anything looked. Good thing, as the engines are horrible - they have flat intakes!  I started to apply the J-Bot decals and they were transparent.  %$#*.  "What can I do to get this thing in the case?!" No way was I going to attempt the cheat line.  I dug out some Leading Edge roundels and applied them. Of course, because this model was cursed, the fuselage roundels wrinkled up and never flattened out. I was done.

So there ends the tale of the worst model I've finished since I was ten years old. But it ended up in the Boeing Centennial display.  Maybe a few MoF visitors will look at it.   I just hope they don't look too closely!

424 Squadron Mustang in 1/72

I've only wanted to build an RCAF 424 Squadron Mustang 4 with the tiger badge since about 1982. In 2016, I finally made it happen. This is the Airfix kit mostly out of the box with Leading Edge decals.

424 Squadron was an Auxiliary Fighter Squadron that flew from Hamilton, Ontario, post World War Two. The tiger badge on the side was adapted from the CFL Hamilton Tigercats logo. Gunze Mr. Colour H8 Silver for the natural metal and Tamiya Flat Aluminum for the rudder. The spinner is Gunze Chrome. This is my least favorite of the new tool Airfix kits that I've built, but it's still pretty nice and a great value. (The black and white photo is courtesy of the Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada.)

Prototype 727 at the MoF

I missed the last flight of the first 727 (N7001U) last Wednesday, but I did get a chance to take a photo of it at the Museum the next evening. It is interesting how much attention this project generated.  As a kid, very few airplanes were more boring than 727s, but in 2016 I was disappointed I couldn't see one fly.  The old jetliners have disappeared quickly and become much beloved.

Modeler's Note: Many years ago Kendall Model Company issued a Boeing 727-200.  My understanding is that the less said about it the better.

2015 in Plastic

I had hoped for six, but after a few years of zero, three is nice.

1.  The Blitzed Airfix Spitfire IX. An easy build, but detail is really lacking. Markings are "approximate."

2.  I enjoyed the Airfix P-40. Sure the landing gear is too stalky and the canopy is too tall, but overall it was a fun build. My RCAF one will have all the corrections.

3.  Platz X-47B. Really nice kit with no vices and most importantly no canopy masking!

After a few years of zero output, I managed three complete kits in 2015. (Sadly, not a single one was a Zero.) It has been nice to rediscover the joy of the hobby and actually finish things. I finally came to the conclusion that I'll never be a great modeler and decided to just build a kit. That Blitz Spitfire was pretty low on the quality scale, but the Tomahawk was better, and the X-47B even better. It appears that by giving up chasing the dragon of perfection, I end up finishing things I am happy with. (And I'm sure the deadline of having the model done for display case installations didn't hurt either.) Sadly, not a single finished model fit my RCAF theme. I'll have to focus on that in 2016!

X-47B on Internet Modeler

My Platz X-47B model has been published on Internet Modeler.  Click here to read the article.

Fleet Air Arm Pilots in the Battle of Britain

Seventy-five years after the Battle of Britain, a small subset of pilots who fought in the crowded skies above England have almost been forgotten.  They are the Fleet Air Arm pilots, who took to the air, along with their Royal Air Force counterparts, to defend the British Isles.

Some of the Fleet Air Arm pilots while training with 7 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Hawarden  in June 1940.  Jimmy Gardner, Admiral Blake, Dickie Cork,
and Francis Dawson-Paul can be seen in this photo.  

During the Battle, the Fleet Air Arm had one resource that the RAF desperately needed:  pilots.  While aircraft could be built rather quickly in factories, it took time to train men. In the dark days of 1940, the FAA loaned a small group of pilots to the RAF for attachment to their expanding complement of fighter squadrons.  Two of these pilots, Sub Lieutenant Francis Dawson-Paul, who flew Spitfires with 64 Squadron, and Sub Lieutenant Arthur “Admiral” Blake, who flew Spitfires with 19 Squadron, quickly became aces.

As always, Canadian-born pilots were included in the mix.  Two Canadian Fleet Air Arm pilots were to earn their Battle of Britain clasp with Fighter Command.

Jack Conway Carpenter was born in Toronto, but as a young boy returned to his ancestral Wales.  He joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1939, but was attached to the RAF in June 1940.  He joined 229 Squadron flying Hurricanes, but was quickly transferred to 46 Squadron, which also flew Hurricanes.  While flying with 46 Squadron, he downed a Bf-110 on September 3, 1940, then shot down a Bf-109 on September 5, 1940.  Sadly, his short life ended just a few days later when he was shot down while flying Hurricane P3201.  He attempted to bail out of his stricken aircraft, but his parachute failed to open.

Roy Baker-Falkner, was born in England, but grew up in British Columbia.  He is better known for leading attacks against the Tirpitz during Operation Tungsten in 1944, but  was also involved in the Battle of Britain.  Sadly, his contribution to the Battle with Fighter Command is unknown, but he was awarded the Battle of Britain clasp for having flown at least one operational sortie with RAF Fighter Command during the period of July 10, 1940 to October 31, 1940.  (There is no question that Baker-Falkner was flying operations with 812 Squadron during the Battle of Britain.  This Fleet Air Arm unit, flying Fairey Swordfish, was attached to RAF Coastal Command for laying mines in German-held harbors as well as bombing sorties against German invasion barges.  However, only pilots attached to Fighter Command during the Battle are eligible for the Battle of Britain clasp.  While one can debate the merit of the decision to leave out bomber and Coast Command aircrew who served during the Battle, it appears possible that Baker-Falkner was not actually eligible to receive the clasp.)

Dickie Cork of 242 Squadron and Admiral Blake during the Battle of
Britain.

A further Canadian connection to the Battle are the three Fleet Air Arm pilots attached to 242 (Canadian) Squadron.  Ostensibly, a Canadian squadron, 242 Squadron always had a complement of non-Canadian pilots attached to the unit.  After suffering heavy losses in France, Midshipman Peter Patterson, Sub Lieutenant Richard “Dickie” Cork, and Sub/Lt. Jimmy Gardner joined the Squadron in the summer of 1940.  While Patterson was killed in September 1940, both Dickie Cork and Jimmy Gardner made ace while flying with the Canadians of 242 Squadron.  Dickie Cork flew as the wingman for 242 Squadron’s famous CO Douglas Bader, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his “exemplary courage and coolness in successful action against enemy bombers.”  He later commanded 880 Squadron flying Sea Hurricanes, but was killed in a Corsair crash in 1944.  Jimmy Gardner survived the Battle and returned to fly with the Fleet Air Arm for the rest of the war.  To retain their nautical flavor during their time with the RAF, Cork and Garner wore naval uniforms and Gardner painted Nelson’s Trafalgar "England Expects" signal on the side of his Hurricane.  (Photos courtesy of the Fleet Air Arm Museum.)

The left side of Jimmy Gardner’s 242 Squadron Hurricane was painted
with Nelson’s "England Expects" signal from the Battle of Trafalger.
It is believed that the Hurricane which carried this art was P2884 LE-V.  Gardner
flew LE-V most often with 242 Squadron.

Modeler's Note:  Xtradecal has recently issued a decal sheet in both 1/72 and 1/48 scale which includes aircraft flown by Gardner and Cork.  Sadly, there are some issues with the depiction of Gardner’s aircraft as they have included no serial number, the aircraft is incorrectly marked as LE-T, and they’ve included a spurious flag signal for the right side of the Hurricane.  (LE-T was Hurricane V7203 in which Canadian Pilot Office Joseph Latta went missing on January 1941.)  Dickie Cork’s P2831 LE-K is much more accurate and carries a RN style crown painted under the cockpit.

Aircraft Modelling

Title: Airframe Workbench Guide - Aircraft Modelling
Author: Libor Jekl
Publisher: Valiant Wings Publishing

There are a few modelers out there on the internet whose work always catches my attention...Paul Boyer, Mike Grant, Tony O'Toole, Joe Youngerman and the author of this new book, Libor Jekl.  If the work weren't enough, the book is one of the few modeling manuals that is dedicated to 1/72 scale modeling. (The only other one that comes to mind is the previously mentioned Mr. Boyer's "Building and Displaying Scale Model Aircraft.") It appears to me that many how-to books often avoid 1/72 subjects in favor of focusing on larger 1/32 and 1/48 models. Maybe it is easier to illustrate the author's techniques?

The other unique thing about this small ring-bound book is that it is not an introduction to modeling or even a complete modeling manual. Jekl focused on more advanced skills, often related to finishing, and skipped all the basics. For example, the first chapter (on rigging) opens with the Gloster Gladiator in primer. Besides rigging, the book includes chapters on scribing, rivets, weathering, natural metal, and resin kits. The final chapter is interesting in that it gives the author's tips on how to finish models quickly...oddly named Kwik-building. All are worth considering, but the last one is possibly the most unique suggestion I've ever seen in a modeling book...to go out, take a walk, and get some exercise!

Each chapter is profusely illustrated with in-progress photos and each chapter has a gallery of the finished project. I do wish more words were included to guide the modeler in each step; the book looks like a gallery of Libor's work. (Which isn't a bad thing.  Looking at his models is fun.) The only real complaint with the book is that there is no consistent layout. Sometimes a set of steps are numbered 1-2-3, sometimes it is A-B-C, and sometimes there are no labels for the steps at all.

I enjoyed the book and it is a quick and easy read. I picked up a few tips I want to try out; especially the decal-like rivets that were used on the Hellcat. (Obviously, I spent too much of my youth building old Airfix kits, since I am excited to try to add raised rivets to a model!)

D-Day to VE Day

Title: D-Day to VE Day
Publisher: Valiant Wings Publishing

This magazine is the first in a new series from Valiant Wings Publishing entitled, Airframe Extra. The concept is to combine history, modeling, and profiles into a periodical that will cover a conflict or a campaign.

As can be expected from the title, Airframe Extra #1 covers D-Day to VE Day. It starts off with a listing of important events from June 1, 1944 to May 8, 1945. This section is illustrated with photos of everything from Dakotas, to a crashed Typhoon, to an aerial view of Mulberry harbor. (While it is an aviation publication, I do think it odd that, given the topic, a photo of a Higgins boat wasn't included.)

Next up are six pages of side views of RAF types by Richard Caruana. The modeling content starts with a step by step build of Airfix's new C-47 by Libor Jekl. This and the following article on the Airfix 1/72 Spitfire XIX with aftermarket added are excellent and well worth the cost of the publication. Five pages of USAAF profiles follow, then a Colour Reference chart is included. This strikes me as an odd way to waste a page, but might be useful for modelers who don't have access to the internet?

A Bf-109G, a photo reconnaissance P-38, and a two seat ME 262 are the 1/48 modeling content. Again, all the models are well done and step by step coverage is included.  The Luftwaffe profiles are next and then the 1/32 scale coverage begins. First up is an excellent P-47D done by Daniel Zamarbide and then a short Spitfire XIX conversion. The Spitfire conversion is my only real complaint with this publication, as no step by step coverage is provided, which is even more glaring after Mr. Zamarbide's excellent article on his Thunderbolt. The book ends with a page of side views of Russian types.

This is a really neat idea for a series of publications and I look forward to future issues that will cover the Korean War and the Battle of Britain.

1 (F) Squadron RCAF In Action

A nice little video of 1 (F) Squadron RCAF in action in order to celebrate Canada's Battle of Britain Day.

Note:  Hurricane YO-G is an example of a rare re-winged Hurricane. L1973 was built with a fabric wing, but it is clear by the time of this video that it had been refitted with a metal wing.

Modeler's Note: While we have an excellent fabric wing Hurricane Mk. I by Airfix, the two best options for a metal wing Hurricane Mk. I are either the old 70s Airfix kit or the newer and much more expensive Hasegawa kit. Sadly, the latter's quality does not live up to its high price tag. Come on, Airfix... issue a new tooled metal wing Hurri in 1/72!