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Hi, I am a new guy and a first post on the new website so i will introduce myself with this. Looking forward to getting involved :-)

Bench? what bench...I'm rebuilding my work bench right now. I build this out in my shed the other week to give us more storage. I realized it's at the right ride height and depth for a work bench. So I"m butchering my oversize drafting table to match what this is. I really hated to cut this table up like this but no one wants a 5*3 drafting table any more. I can't store it anywhere, it's just too big. Yeah, I found where one sold up in CT for 2K but them people got more money than they need anyhow. I see it that I'm being green and repurposing something that would have ended up in the dump.

Still plodding on with my PCM Macchi C202, but I am slowly getting there, this is how it looks now. Cheers Dennis

Hi all, I built this from a test shot for the Airfix stall at the IPMS Telford show. I absolutely loved this. Some masks were used, such as for the camouflage and the chequered fuselage band. One of my favourite builds. I'm told this is now on display somewhere at the Airfix HQ. No idea if that's true or not.

Ok... let's fill some space... So... a younger friend at work gave me this and I decided I had better build it to honor the gift. I do the same thing when I get model gifts from my daughter. After gluing the hull quarters together, I decided to remove all of the oversized rivets... all of the oversized welds and raised panel lines... and then my mind took it one step further and I decided to open all of the permanently open holes made for the water to pass through the external hull of the u-boat. The starboard side closest to you is a lot closer to being done than the port side. Those coffee stirrers next to the hull are my custom-made sanding sticks custom fitted to the open holes you see before you. Some of the areas are dangerously thin. I've been using a Dremel and various engraving bits to reduce the plastic. Of course... the bits can be too aggressive to control easily. So often, small repairs have to be made. These ventral holes need to be made smoother and cleaner. Finding the right tools is proving difficult. I need files that are thinner than 1mm and no wider than 3-4mm. Anybody know of a set? It's dusty work... but once you get a vision in your head, you can either follow it... or have it nag you. But then... you realize you may have stepped in it.u I'm gonna have to do a weak representation of the inner works. I have plenty of materials to work with. I hope I don't get bogged down. It's important that when the model is looked at that no light passes through. I've been working with Copilot (the AI already in my laptop) to design some figures. Here is a funny thing, though: No matter what you tell it, it steers away from WWII German heraldry. So, the skipper looks American. I'm trying to learn Blender. But, it's difficult, and the AI isn't always the best teacher. I think that I will look into that program Jeroen is using and try to make figures from pictures. Anyway... enough modelling for tonight.

Bringing the log more or less up to date are the photos of the completed hull and the coppering process.

Another build, this time from the Potez 25, a workhorse of many air forces in the 30s. This is the Lukgraph kit, converted to a "TOE" version with a raft of home-designed and home-printed parts. A lot of time was also spent making sure the kit stayed rigid and solid, given the significant weight of the resin parts (the solid top wing alone is 186 grams !). The aircraft depicted is the one of the 3 French Navy aircrafts that undertook a raid from Bizerte in Tunisia to Timbuctu, across the Sahara desert. This particular aircraft "BZ 65" is the mount of Admiral de Laborde; who undertoook the raid as an official mission to inaugurate a commemorative plaque in Timbuctu. Hence the presence of his wife, and the subsequent "Pink Cruise" nickname. It was common for the stops in the Sahara to refuel from drums brought there by special "bowsers". The drums, by the way, were not the "standard" oil drums but based on the 70 liters powder kegs. The drums are also 3D-designed and printed, as is the windsock. And now for the pics : More pics and some of build log here : https://hubertboillot.smugmug.com/Potez-25-TOE-1-32-kit-Lukgraph/n-SjShMf Hubert

Well, during the hiatus I did the unfathomable. I cleaned up my bench a bit. From my usual style: ....to a bit better... ...finally to "oh, this is the colour of my bench" And no, I did not use AI to touch up/enhance the pics. 😁 With all that space, I promptly got back to work on my F-16. I'm impressed that there even a gun muzzle in there.

I think the most recent fully completed build I have that's large scale would be Miniart Lee Tank. I don't know how many kits I've been through getting one completed but this is more the movie star Lee than something that fought in the war. This has been a goal of mine for many years and many false starts. I do regret the lay out of the tank and figures, I'm not well practice with that and just kinda plopped them all down. Anywho.. This is like the scene where Sgt Joe Gunn is discussing where the oasis is after cleaning out the sand from the carb again.

Dear all, Pleased to share here my 1/32nd F104-S Build. This frame crashed back in 2002 at Leeuwarden Airbase. Hope you like it!

Here's an old model I did years ago. At this point I started trying new techniques. I built it as it was in storage at the NASM museum years ago. When they were carefully removing allied layers of paint.

I've not closed the fuselage up yet, so decided to do a bit more of the resin work. This time the wing. There are panels on both upper and lower wing sides that need some remedial work, and here's the upper wing being tackled. I always find the best way to remove sections of plastic is to chain drill the dead area and then carve carefully and sand...all the time, checking the fit of the resin part. The openings are cut 'just to size so I can squeeze the new part in and apply CA from the underside of the wing panel....a bit at a time, so I get everything level all around the replacement part. I'l post the lower wing panels soon.

And to bring us up to date, the lower wing is on and the tailfeathers are fitted. Again, everything fits really well with minimal need for filler or sanding. The canopy parts are masked and I'm waiting for the AIMS rigging set to arrive before I plan the next move. Having never built a biplane before it's a big step but I think installing the cabane and interwing struts seems to be the logical thing.

I found the best way to carefully remove the plastic spine was to chain drill along the panel lines and then gradually carve away and use sanding sticks to level the edge out. Test fitting against the resin spine has to be done continually. I didn't get it quite right toward the rear end of the spine, and you'll see a couple of plastic shims. Here's a few more resin parts specific to the XVI. The bulkhead behind the pilot seat has to be cut down and the new section grafted into place. You can see that here, along with the PE armour plate. A new cockpit door is supplied. I really didn't like the suggestion that you glue all the plastic fuse together then CA the spine into place. Too many variables for error for me, so after painting the inner cockpit area shown here, I carefully glued the spine into the starboard fuse half. This was I could align it properly and shim as necessary. You'll see more shims here, along the bottom edge of the resin spine. As you need to scrape away plastic for the spine to seat, these are simply to make sure that when the other half is added, the surface levels are, well....level. Here you can see the other side, and those plastic shims I needed to add (my fault). Finally, here's a photo of the whole spine test fit, just before I added and painted the internal cockpit areas.

Before any plastic surgery can be done, I needed to get into the resin stuff. This little box will be the main star of the show for this build. Before I can gauge what I'm working with, I taped up the Airfix fuselage. Also, I just really like to see what things WON'T be like when I'm finished 😆 There's quite a lot of parts in the conversion set, but these are the ones dealing with the new spine of the aircraft. The surface detail is perfect to that of the plastic host. The spine is supplied in two parts, with internal parts to strengthen the construction and stop deformation. The first thing to do is to remove the casting block you see in the previous picture. A nice, quick job. Some care is needed to remove the block from the spine part on the right as you don't want to accidentally remove any resin that's needed. You need a perfectly good match to the other half. The internal stiffener parts are now added and clued with some CA. And the spine is then put together. You'll notice the lowest edge has a very slight kink to it. This is intensional as it exactly follows a panel line on the Spitfire fuselage. The stiffener on the left IS angled at the bottom. This is because the fuselage cut is lower on one side than the other.

The title says it all. This is something that seems easy, but to create a good, proportionated figure with correct uniform is quite a challenge. Let me create a 'How To' here with my learnings so far. I'll keep adding to this topic as I keep learning and new software develops in rapid speed. Step 1. Finding that great photo This means that you find a photo that shows at least 75% of the person you want in 3D. The lighting should be good, contrast and detail. Preferably a photo of at leat 1500x1500 pixels in size. The face should be clear and the unique details in the clothes. Belt, pockets, etc... The Ai software needs to understand what it is looking at. Here's a photo that I found of a ground crew member, cleaning the gun barrel on a P-40: Step 2: Enhancing the photo As said: this photo needs to be improved. The Ai software won't be able to make out what is what. So you need to isolate the figure against a plain background. You can do this in Photoshop, or you can feel lucky and use Ai software. Like ChatGPT for instance. Just type: 'Make this image larger, give it more detail and place the man against a white background.' Then you'll end up with this: Sometimes ChatGPT interprets creases, details all wrong. In this case you'll need to help the Ai software a little. Delete a crease in photoshop, add more contrast to some details, so they'll be visible to the Ai 3d software and so on. Step 3: Using the Ai 3d software This is where things get tricky. There are multiple online platforms that allow you to create 3d models. It's even incorporated in Photoshop and the 3D print software 'Chitubox'. If you want full control, I myself prefer Tripo Ai. This software deals with details best, creates the most convincing human characters and lets you create 3d models that consist of sections. So: separate arms, legs and other parts. Great if you want to alter a stance for instance. AND this software can also create geometric models. In other words: simple shapes with less polygons. Perfect for when you want to replicate an airplane seat for instance. The Tripo software is not free and not cheap. But then again: neither are other similar tools. There are two ways to upload images: 1. Just upload one image and hope it turns out right from all angles 2. Upload four images. One from the front, left, right and back. This way the software is helped massively and the error are kept to a minimum. Usually you only have one good image (like I had above) and you have to give it one or two tries for a proper result. Here you see the proper settings: Step 4: The result The 3D software has done its job. Now you want to check it from every angle for faults. Look for strange defects. Double buttons, weird collars and strange accessories that don't look right. Then look at the proportions of the legs, feet, hands and arms. Sometimes these are way of. Also: check the amount of fingers. If you have chosen the 'separate parts' model, it's easier to shrink or grow a limb in size. You do need 3d software for this though and quite some 3d knowledge and experience. The STL you'll download from Tripo (if you have a paid account) can directly be uploaded to a 3d slicer program, like Chitubox. Scale it down to about 54mm if you want to print a 1/32 figure. More soon!

I’m not sure what photos I still have, but here are a few of this 2016 build.

Last night I found box with Zvezda’s La-5FN. Has been sitting there for over a decade and I never opened it before , So I did and started slapping bits together. Not sure where this is going to lead , but I like the process.

Hi all, Here's the last post on this build before the forum went down. The model has been weathered. I used Flory dark dirt and grime wash, AK Interactive Kerosene and Oil wash. Also Tamiya Weathering Master Set A and D for oil and dirt stains. The upper wing, fuselage and rudder were pre-rigged using Gaspatch 1:48th scale turnbuckles, 0.5 mm tube and 0.12 mm diameter mono-filament. Finally the upper wing was fitted and was probably the easiest wing fit I've had in 60 plus build. The elastic bands are to keep the wings together while fitting, Now it's onto final rigging, Mike

Here's a little cockpit work. As I'm cutting down that spine to a low back, the bulkhead where the seat fits, needs to be changed. These cockpit parts are in the Mk.XVI conversion set. The plastic bulkhead needs to be cut at the correct place and this grafted on. I'm not following the instructions exactly though, and the new resin section will be fitted into the new spine and the cockpit connected into it. This just means that I can get everything exactly where I need it with resin. CA isn't as forgiving when it comes to juggling things about. Before slicing that bulkhead, I did some initial test fitting of the regular plastic parts so I can get an impression of how things will eventually fit. Two further bulkheads behind the cockpit, also need to be cut down so they don't interfere with the resin spine. The lower sections still give rigidity to the cockpit assembly. here are a majority of the cockpit parts before paint, including a photo of the modified bulkhead for the cockpit seat.

Hi all, The pilot figure. Copper State Models - standing German airman (F32-040). Painted with Tamiya acrylic and Citadel water based paints, Mike

Yes. This plane did have the ability to fold its wings. Took me a lot of research to figure out exactly how. I used Quinta Studio interior. Not a huge fan. The rubbery decals tend to split and crack when bent. For IP's it's fine. Also opened up the cargo compartment. Made the hatch from PE. [Adam_Skupiewski]_Model_Detail_Photo_Monograph_№(BookFi).pdf

I think the way would be to use fishing line and tension it with a little heat. Although the wires were flat i dont think this would notice on this scale TBH This 1/32 WnW, to be able to tension after assembly makes things much easier .

I thought I'd build up the tail parts as a small diversion from the wing. You can see the specific stabiliser and elevator parts needed tor this machine. Airfix does provide parts for the ailerons etc. that don't turn to point forward at the tips. Those are scrap for this build. Go on then....a quick test fit to the fuse, as I now have the completed tail units. In 1:24, this is quite a big bird. Back to the wing, and the removal of the cannon location and blanked stub. These are cut and carved away and the positions drilled out for the new resin parts. The leading edge is first protected for the butchery that's needed. And the resin parts installed with CA. A little Mr Putty was then dribbled into any small gaps and then sanded flush. Back to the underside. The outboard MGs have their leading edge ports filled with styrene sprue. This is then sanded flush to eliminate those positions. On the underside, the weapons bay doors are replaced with styrene card and then riveted to match the wing details and some reference I have for this machine. On the real aircraft, these bays would hold compressed air tanks. The lower wing is completed with the addition of the clear clip wing tip parts, ailerons and the kit landing flaps. The Eduard ones were ditched at this point. Even with clipped tips, this is a very impressive assembly with the overall size. I much prefer the clipped wings on the XVI. That's the whole reason for picking the machine I'm modelling. One more wing thing to go, and that's the underside radiators. These are built, pending a later fitting.

The process of removing the lower wing panels is the same, but before I did that, here's my aborted work on removing the moulded landing flap detail. It simply wasn't worth the hassle of tying everything in, especially at the wing root. It looked clumsy, so I glue the flaps close, which is how they would be when on the ground. The resin panels are excellent and they are a perfect fit. Before the panels can be fitted, the rear wing spar needs to be fitted so the trailing edge isn't flopping about. Internal wing structures are now fitted.

Hi all, Here is the 'Wingnut Wings' Jeannin Stahltaube, Serial No: A.283/14 at Aldershof-Johannisthal aerodrome during 1915. As usual, a fully detailed build log, in PDF format, can be downloaded from the 'build logs' page on my web site: https://mikesww1aircraftmodels.com/ Mike

Well with the build log of the Unicorn Gundam gone and the build near ready, I won´t start a new log. Like many big bruisers, this one has a rather small head, compared to the rest of the body. Nonetheless, it took me a while to figure out, how everything should work. Bizarre shaped parts intersect with others and have articulation build in. Again, the head is a marvel of plastic engineering. Besides being relatively small, the head is actually two faced, showing the green eyed Unicorn mode (all is cool) or the red faced, open hatched "you stepped over a line" face. Here are the pictures of both modes with LED´s on or off. Cheers Rob

Hey, I was just thinking about starting this thread! Anyway... I'm milling out the drain holes on this Revell U-boat. I shoulda done it before I glued the halves together. But I wasn't planning it initially...

Here is my Tripala, created using the Attitude Aviation Resin conversion for the Hasegawa Bf-106G6 kit, except I used the Revell Bf-109G-6 kit. The scheme is in the old Black and white movie colours 'Der Stern von Afrika' about Joachim Marseille. This role was played by Joachim Hansen. A signed photo of him is sandwiched between a printed perspex plate and wood. I used a Radu Brinzan photo etch canopy and added the Spanish warning plaque. No decals were used. Instead, masks were drawn and used.

More stencils sprayed and still tinkering with the composition.

Got all the interior parts painted and ready for some light weathering.

Oh boy look what I received from Amazon yesterday!!! Very excited to give it a test run.

Hi all, The rudder control cables and wings have been rigged now. For a bi-plane the rigging is fairly simple. There are no external aileron or elevator control cables to have to rig. I used Gaspatch 1:48th scale one end and type C turnbuckles. Also, 0.12 mm diameter mono-filament and 0.5 mm tube. Next is to fit and rig the landing gear, Mike

Again, a few of the old pics. Some I actually got from an Eduard Models circular from way, way back in the day.

Some time ago i built the 1/9 Military Harley WLA from Italeri. Recently i decided to do a civilian conversion to sit along side my original military version . These civilian WLD version bikes didnt have the cut down mudguards of the military bikes so i constructed some sides for the kit mudguards from plastic card, added some chrome and bling and laced the wheels with wire spokes. Spokes are nickel silver, paint is Tamiya mica red, mudguards are 0.5mm plastic card , chrome is Molotow pen refill decanted into an airbrush

Nice looking kit Martin from the looks of it.I have the Ole Revell 1/32 Mk24 on the bench the build is not to fix anything but to get a decent looking Mk from 3' away ...atleast that's the goal.No gun bays,no engine and barely a copit left out a lot of BS.😉

A few splashes of colour. TBH, I'm not a fan of that Tamiya paint for the interior. It doesn't look 'quite' right to my eye, but onwards we do. The interior parts are assembled and then everything given a base coat of XF-71 XF-71 is then mixed with a drop of black and the raised areas sprayed. The base colour is then mixed with white, and the lowland areas sprayed. Finally, a very thin coat of XF-71 is used to blend the shades.

Milling... filing... sanding... I hadn't planned to do it originally. But then I saw one that some dude had built, and he skilfully used paint to blacken all of the holes... but in some spots, you could tell that there was no depth. And well... I had to.

Oh, this is the decal sheet I'm using, with the clip winger being the machine modelled here.

Hi all, The next model will be another 3D printed model from MDesign in Bulgaria. An Armstrong-Whitworth FK.3 'Little Ack', Serial No.A1488 of No.50 Training Squadron, based at Narborough, June 1917. This aircraft was fitted with dual flight controls for the student pilot in the rear cockpit, Mike

Finally finished this one. OOB except for the markings. Painted with Tamiya acrylics and Testor's enamel. I wanted to depict a P-400 that had just arrived at Henderson Field in 1942. I hope you like it! 😁

Forgot to pay that I started on the paint for the F-16.

Oh , my eyes! My eyeeees! 😂

Hi to all. I have recently finished the Messerschmitt P 1101 project of the Das Werk kit in 1/32 scale and in non-historical and fantasy livery. I left the model with the three options provided, with the engine that can be inspected in sight, without the engine and with the nano open to be able to inspect the tricycle and finally with the ventral nacelle of the engine closed to get an idea of the completeness of the project.

What can I say about a Wing Nut Wing Kit. It just went together.

Got the cockpit installed and joined the fuselage halves. Fit is excellent other than the deck at the back of the cockpit which is a square part which needs to fit into a trapezoidal space, so a bit of trimming was required. Painted the fuselage sections around the gun barrels so they can be masked off later for the main painting.

Hi all, The aircraft model is finished. Just the figure and display case to complete. Final details added were: The landing gear bracing wires. The coolant expansion tank pipes. The engine coolant return pipe to wing radiators. Engine exhaust. Propeller (Proper Plane Axial) was added, Mike

This is the current build on my bench and I'll try and get all the lost posts reinstated to get things up to date. All the interior parts were primed and ready.

OMG! Hell has ice now!!!!!🤣

I'll commit seeing we need to rebuild the inventory my Revell/SH Tempest V