Iron Modeler

Author: Iron Modeler

  • Pictures, man, we want pictures!

    Howdy…

    I've promised that I'd post a few photos…well, here they are.  I hope y'all enjoy them!

     

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    Hasegawa's 1/72 scale DAP Beaufighter 21.  I built this one to illustrate my "Model Building 101" seminar at the 2016 IPMS/USA National Convention we hosted in Columbia.

     

     

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    A Revell AG 1/72 MiG-21 F-13 Fishbed E, built as the subject of Operation Have Doughnut.  I used the Vallejo Metal Color acrylics on this one, and I really like this paint.  The best acrylic metallics I've tried, to be sure!

     

     

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    Dragon's 1/35 StuG.IV.  Yep, this is the subject of a 2010 AMPS Central South Carolina group build.  Yes, it still isn't finished.  But it is painted now, and hopefully I'll have some time to wrap it up.

     

     

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    Hasegawa's 1/72 F-111F, to be finished as Karma-52, the aircraft shot down in Operation El Dorado Canyon.  I'm a little further along from when the photo was taken–I have the beastie primed and paint is in work.

     

     

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    Special Hobby's 1/72 TR-1/ER-2 in progress.  This one, too, is further along–I have it in gray primer now.  There are a bunch of fiddly things to be added, then I can paint and finish it up.

     

     

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    Another Special Hobby kit, this time their 1/48 Macchi C.200.  This is waiting for another attempt at a paint job.  Wish me luck–third time is the charm, so they say!

     

     

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    Dragon's 1/700 USS Independence being converted to USS Cowpens.  I have some fiddly bits to bend (see my earlier essay on PE and how it is the work of Satan) and paint. 

     

     

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    Aeroclub's Gloster Gamecock in 1/48 scale.  First vac kit in a loooooong time, but I'm having fun with it.

     

     

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    Trumpeter's 1/35 SA-2 Guideline missile.  You guessed it, primed and waiting for final paint.

     

     

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    A recent completion–Academy's reissue of the Hobbycraft Bf-109T-2.  I built this one in about three hours so I could use it as the subject of an airbrushing clinic at the hobby shop.  I think it came out well-there are some errors, both Academy's and my own, but it looks nice on the shelf…

     

     

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    Last one for now.  Here is a Revell AG 1/72 F4U-1 Corsair (white) and an Otaki (actually, Arii-boxed) 1/48 F4U-1 Corsair (gray).  I'm trying to bring the Arii (now Micro Ace–you need a program to keep up!) line into the shop, and wanted to have something to show folks what they got in the kit.  I spied the Revel kit, and it has the same markings I plan on using on the Otaki kit, so I thought I'd do a two-fer and have an illustration of scale to go along with the deal. 

    So, there you are. 

    Thanks for reading.  As always, be good to one another.  I bid you Peace.

     

     

     

  • I wanna party like its…1980?

    Howdy!

    The hobby shop was sold about a month ago.  It is a good thing, we think–the new owner is local, he owns several other businesses, and he actually listens to what we tell him.  He has introduced (and reintroduced) several Radio Control products that this store hasn't seen in years, and he's got great ideas on how to build the business.  

    Along those lines, I wanted to revisit the selection of plastic models we carry.  We do well with armor–the local AMPS Chapter meets here every month–and we hold our own with cars.  Airplanes, on the other hand, are a mixed bag.  We try to get the latest and greatest into the store, which works well when we can meet online pricing.  On the other hand, staples–like P-40's, P-51's, Me-109's, Phantoms, etc.–tend to take a back seat.  

    In my efforts to try and have a little something for everyone, I actually ordered a high-low mix of popular subjects–one low-cost kit and one "Premium" kit.  Along those lines, one of the mainstays of the hobby throughout the years have been the old Monogram 1/48 scale kits.  We carry them–the P-51D, the P-40B, the Zero, etc.–but the prices, like the prices on pretty much everything, have ratcheted up to the point where those kits I used to buy as a kid for $1.98 now run close to $17-$18.  While I like the fact that they are nice kits, many of them are long in the tooth–their age is starting to show, with ill-fitting parts, flash, and poor (or non-existent) detail in the cockpit and gear wells.  What to do, what to do…

    Anyone who has been building model airplanes since the 1970's will recognize the name Otaki.  They produced a series of World War Two fighters in 1/48th scale that were, in a word, superb for the day–some of them are still superb to this day, to tell the truth.  So, the plan was this–whenever there was a choice between a 1950's-era Monogram kit and a 1970's-era Otaki kit, i would opt for the Otaki kit for the store shelves.

    Now, Otaki went under in the late 1970's/early 1980's, and the line had been picked up by Arii.  They have also been seen in AMT, Matchbox, and Airfix boxes.  They're still decent kits, but I had one problem–not one of the stateside distributors we deal with carries them.  Again, what to do…

    The answer came, in part, when we were looking to beef up and update our Gundam models.  The main U.S. distributor gets the tail end of the Japanese production run, so a lot of the more desirable Gundams don't reach us.  We were discussing this issue when the idea of buying direct from Japan came up.  Well, we started the process with a rather large online shop that many of you may have dealt with in the past.  We were instructed to place an initial order…

    Given the green light, I started to search for stuff we couldn't get anywhere else.  The first thought I had was to find those old Otaki kits, or die trying.  After a short while, I found these kits under the Micro Ace label–same Arii box art, they even carry the Arii nametag.  What astounded me was the price.  The pricing on these kits hasn't changed much since the last time I saw them sitting on the shelf at Warrick Custom Hobbies, which is a fair shade less than we can get the ancient Monogram kits for on a good day.  So, with that in mind, I placed the entire line on the order.  I mean, for the price, why not?  Granted, when they were under the Otaki badge they had a neat color plate and decals for two subjects, but I think they'll fill the bill nicely.

    One of the things that confounds me up here in the Greater Upper Midlands Co-Prosperity Sphere is that there are a good many modelers here, but few of them know anything outside their own personal comfort zone.  Introducing a line of kits that are foreign to them may prove troublesome.  So, in order to show people what these kits are like, I decided to put a few on display in the showcase.  I built a Hellcat a few years ago, ostensibly as the object of a stillborn model building class I wanted to host at the shop.  But I also remember one of their F4U-1 Corsair kits I had kicking around on top of the pile closest to the workbench.  I think I had it first, then gave it to my wife (who purchased a Verlinden resin set for the Tamiya kit and the Squadron vac canopies), who gave it back to me when I wasn't watching.  Rather than let it decompose into dust, I took it off the pile and started to build it.  It was much as I remembered from the example I built in 1981 or so–very basic, but convincing cockpit, anemic engine, good basic shape and proportions…

    Those last things–basic shape and proportion–are what I really grade a kit on.  I can add, change, or embellish details, but I don't like having to rework shape and dimensional issues.  So, with the kit in hand, I started to engineer how I was going to add the Verlinden parts to the kit.  After about an hour, I had the cockpit and engine constructed and ready to install.  A quick shot of paint, and some glue, and I had the fuselage zipped up.  As the model sits now, basic carcass construction is complete.  I need to add the horizontal tailplanes and landing gear, fill a few gaps,. sand, buff, and burnish, and add paint.  In the space of about two and a half hours, I have remembered why I enjoyed these kits back in the day.  Hopefully, I'll get a new audience to share that opinion.  Even out of the box, they build into quite nice models…

    I'll post photos of the completed model once I'm done.

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    Along with the Otaki Corsair, I came upon the 2014 Revell AG 1/72 F4U-1 kit.  While nowhere near as nice as their MiG-21 F-13, it builds up fairly well.  I don't usually do these airplanes in 1/72 scale, but since the kit comes with the same markings the Otaki kit will wear, I thought a nice Scale Display would be in order.  Photos once it is complete…

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    Along with the sale of the hobby shop, I have been brought out of my year-long "temporary retirement" from the world of avionics.  I'll be working from home most of the time, but I'll have to do a little traveling every now and then.  The job is the same–but different–than my last employment stop.  The basic work is similar, only some of the details and responsibilities have changed.  I'm honestly looking forward to the challenges this opportunity will offer.  For those of you who have been involved in aviation, I don't need to explain.  For those of you who have not worked in the field, there is no explanation that will adequately describe just how much it gets into your blood…

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    When I get some time, I feel a stash reduction is in order, and that right soon.  I've been meaning to do a bit of SIDNA pruning since this time last year, but I was kid of busy, what with the AMPS International Show and the IPMS/USA National Convention duties I signed up for.  As I get older, I realize that those kits bought with youthful enthusiasm and grand intent are not going to be built–or at least some of them won't.  So, better to find them new homes with folks that will do them justice rather than sit in our upstairs workshop and collect dust…

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    That's all I have for now.  Thanks for reading, and as always, be good to one another.  I bid you peace…

  • Holy S***, It’s Christmas!

    With apologies to Red Peters… 

    Howdy, all!

    It has been a while, no?  I had all good intentions of following up the IPMS Nationals, but, as they say, stuff happens.

    Let's start with the IPMS/USA National Convention.  It may not have been the biggest–estimated registrants are around 650, 2,000 models were entered, and by all measures it was a success.  The telling point was at about 3PM on Wednesday afternoon–we opened the show at 1PM, and by 3 we were being asked, "When are you guys going to do this again?"  As the Seminar Coordinator, I can tell you this–we had the best seminar schedule that I had seen.  Several were moved due to projected attendance numbers, and I'm glad I moved them–the rooms would have been packed had I not moved them to larger rooms.  Special mention goes to my friend Mike Roof, who presented his seminar on working with photoetch TWICE.  His was one of the seminars in a smaller room, and he had people out into the hallway for the first presentation.  He graciously offered to have a re-run in the afternoon.

    Everything ran smoothly–all the folks in both hosting chapters worked hard all week, and the results showed.  As I told out Co-Chair, if anything went wrong that people objected to, it would have made it 'round the world in 15 nanoseconds.  The gripes weren't there.  We take that to mean we did a good job.  When are we doing it again?  We'll let you know.  In, I don't know, maybe 15 years…

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    We're well into Christmas season at the Hobby Shop.  That means longer days, extended hours, and dealing with hectic shoppers.  We're managing to keep up with the sales numbers in getting product into the shop, so we're doing well on that front, too…

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    Models?  Have I worked on any models?  Yes…but I don't have the pictures to prove it.  

    I built the Hasegawa 1/72 Beaufighter 21 for my "Model Building 101" seminar, and I'm well pleased with the result.  It was my first use of the Vallejo paints, and so far I like the stuff…

    We received the Vallejo Metal Color products into the shop, and I thought I should build a test subject to see how good it actually was.  So, I dusted off a Revell 1/72 MiG21 F-13, built it, and shot it with various shades of the Metal Color.  Well, the results are stunning.  Now, I like my concoction of Tamiya Titanium Silver, Future, and Alcohol, but the Metal Color is where I'll look if I'm building something with a bright metal finish.  I'll save the Tamiya mix for oxidized aluminum and silver doped finishes…

    As for the other stuff in the queue, the 1/72 ER-2 is in primer, waiting for the finish painting.  I have to attach some smaller parts first, but I'm slowly getting there.

    The 1/72 F-111F has been primed and the first color, 30219 Tan, has been applied.  I'm using the Hataka paints for this one, and I still have some experimenting to do.  It's nice paint, but dries quite fast.  I need to play with thinning ratios and the use of a fluid retarder before I pass final judgement.

    The 1/35 StuG IV is ready for a stain finish and weathering.  I also need to finish the base for it.  I'll be happy to get this one done.

    The 1/48 Macchi C.200 is ready for another attempt at paint.  Third time's the charm!

    The 1/700 USS Cowpens is in need of some more paint and fiddly work.  Softly, softly, catchee monkey…

    The 1/48 Gamecock is progressing, too.  I need to fit the cabane struts so I can measure for the interplane struts.  Once I have the struts to my liking, I can continue installing the wings.  The tail surfaces are ready for installation.  Next up will be getting the landing gear correct and the engine mounted…

    A few new projects are also in the works:

    A 1/35 Trumpeter SA-2 Guideline Missile and launcher have had their base colors applied and are in the weathering process now, using Vallejo products.  This one will be an Egyptian example from 1973 based on contemporary photos taken by a modeling friend of mine when he was there.  Stay tuned.

    Also, I led an airbrushing clinic at the hobby shop last month.  Rather than trying to demonstrate on a half dozen models, I quickly assembled a 1/48 Bf-109T from the Academy (Hobbycraft) kit and used it.  I have a good deal of the camouflage done, I need to touch some areas up, add some mottling, and get it ready for decals.  So far, so good…

    In case your wondering, I am quickly becoming a Vallejo convert.  Just in case I wasn't clear…

    Seriously.  I love this stuff so far.  It sprays nicely–whether it be Model Color, Model Air, Panzer Aces, or their Surface Primer.  I'm experimenting with their Chipping Medium, and like the effects I can get.  I haven't yet played with their mud effects, but other people who have say it is nice to work with.  I don't like to be dependent on one particular line of products, but this one makes that difficult…

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    Something else happened between my last post and now,  Can't seem to remember what it was, it was about a month ago…

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    Other than that, I'm still here.  I hope to be more active next year, but we'll see how that goes.

    Until next time, be good to one other.  And, as always–and especially at this time of year–I bid you Peace. 

  • Summer Beckons…

    Howdy!

    The calendar just turned over to June.  Hard to believe, but the IPMS/USA National Convention is, as I'm typing this, 56 days, 16 hours, and 10 minutes away.  We're working hard here in the Greater Upper Midlands Co-Prosperity Sphere to put on the best IPMS Nationals ever–don't miss out.  If you haven't done so yet, go over to the  Convention website and check out what we've been up to.  Sign up for the show while you're there.  Columbia will be the place to be come the first week of August if you build models…

    Speaking of building models, last time I told you about the Hasegawa Beaufighter that I was building for one of my seminars.  Well, race fans, it is now all but finished.  I need to take some photos of it to post here, but it is only lacking the photo shoot.  It came out quite nicely, thanks for asking…

    And, I also told you about the Aeroclub Gloster Gamecock that I had started to build.  Well, I have it just about ready to assemble the major pieces.  I need to buy some brass wire for the wing struts and some aluminum stock to rebuild the landing gear.  Now, there's really nothing wrong with the kit parts, shape-wise, but they are white metal and they bend way too easily for my tastes.  So, I'll fashion a set from aluminum or stout styrene backed with wire to make sure it won't collapse.  I'm impressed.  I really am.  Of all the projects I have going at the moment, this one has put a smile on my face.

    I also made a comment about sourcing an Aeroclub Gloster Gauntlet.  I know that Aerolcub had discontinued their vacuum formed kit some time ago and replaced it with an injection molded kit, but I also knew that one of the partners had died and Aeroclub's products were now difficult to find.  Well, I contacted John Adams (Mr. Aeroclub) and asked.  And, for 30 Pounds Stirling postage paid, I received one about a week and a half later.  Now that's what I call service.  The lesson?  It never hurts to ask…

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    As I alluded to last time, I have started to work a few shifts at the hobby shop.  I see it this way:  I'm able to put some money in my pocket, I'm getting out of the house, and I'm helping others pursue their hobbies through the products I try to get into the shop.  The employee discount doesn't hurt, either, but that wasn't the goal of the exercise.  Until Convention is over, this will hold me.  After convention, I'll start fishing around for some tech editing gigs that I can do from home.  Win-win, I think…

    One of the things I've been asked to do it to make some sense out of the model airplanes and ships we have at the store.  The stock and selection aren't bad, but some of the kits on the shelf have been there since the original owner bought them in 2008.  Time for a change, no?  So, I'm looking where we can clearance things and bring some of the new kits from Eduard, Airfix, Hasegawa, Revell, Academy, and Tamiya into the store to replace the ones that have been shelf sitters.  Starting this week, we're going to slowly get the new stuff ordered and move the older stuff out.  As I told one of the managers, I'd rather concentrate on getting good kits in and buying aftermarket decals than get two kits of the same subject–one good and one not so–simply because they have different markings options.  We'll have to see how that plays out.

    I've also had to get used to fielding radio control questions, something that I learned last time I worked at the shop.  I no longer want to actually tear a car down to replace parts, but I'm finding that I have actually retained a great deal of what I picked up six and a half years ago.  The area where I'm re-learning is on the air side–quadcopters are all the rage.  I'm slowly getting the answers that I need…

    One of the changes since last time is the new FAA regulations on drones.  Anything between .55 and 55 pounds needs to be registered, which covers about half of the products we sell.  Judging by the reactions we get when we remind people that it is a requirement, you'd think the FAA was asking for their first born.  Look, folks, we are only required to tell you that these things need to be registered and how to do it.  We don't police it, you can do as you please.  However, as I told one customer, I've dealt with the FAA for nearly 30 years.  Those $25K fines and /or imprisonment claims?  They're not idle threats.  And, having dealt with the FAA, those fines and punishments can't be talked down and you can't lawyer your way out of them.  Forewarned is forearmed, or something like that…

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    The Stanley Cup finals are underway.  I was excited to see my beloved Florida Panthers made it into the playoffs, and equally as bummed when they got sent home in seven games by the Brooklyn Islanders (yeah, I had forgotten that nugget too).  My other team, the Philadelphia Flyers, likewise were shown an early exit, so from there I could just sit back and watch.  My picks going into the Conference Finals were Tampa Bay vs. St. Louis (the Lightning being the "other" Florida team and I've always liked the Blues).  So, you guessed it, both teams lost.  Now, I'd just like the San Jose Sharks to win a few more games and make it a seven game Finals against the Penguins…

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    The annual World Racing Motorsports Spectacle Weekend came and went a few weeks ago.  Monaco was kind of, well, typical of the Formula One circus.  Indy was exciting–a rookie wins, crossing the finish line running out of gas?  What a story.  And then we have the NA$CAR Racing Entertainment Event at Charlotte.  I liked the fact that someone other than the usual juggernaut won, but man.  Could you make your rules any more fluid and fickle?  I really do remember when the rules were the same from week to week, as the en vogue facebook meme says…

    In a few weeks comes my other favorite motorsports weekend of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  The entry list is impressive.  I still want to see Toyota win one of these with their hybrids, and seeing the Ford GT's up against Corvette Racing and the Ferraris will be so cool.  18-19 June, tune in…you won't want to miss this one!

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    I guess that about wraps it up from here.  I hope to see all of you at the IPMS Nationals.  We have a great program in store for you all.

    In the meantime, thanks for reading.  Be good to one another.  As always, I bid you Peace.

  • Temporarily Retired

    As I've indicated, my last day of employment came and went early in March.  I was asked to make a trip to the company's new digs to deliver some IT equipment, and I can tell you that the new place is a Taj Mahal compared to the shoebox we had been working out of for five and a half years.  And, true to the end, my boss kept trying to get me to move.  Sorry, boss.  My wife and family are situated, I'm staying put.  Thanks for asking.

    I'm starting to get some things moving on the job front.  Until then, I'm going to pick up a few shifts at the local hobby shop.  I've always enjoyed my times working at hobby shops, because, well, I was working in a hobby shop!  Nobody will get rich by doing so, but I enjoy meeting the customers and helping them either find a hobby or enjoy the one they already pursue.

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    After taking a week of doing next to nothing–you know, to clear my mind–you would think I could get back to doing some things that I had missed due to the work schedule.  However, that would be flawed logic, because the first weekend in April saw the 2016 AMPS International Convention roll into Sumter, SC.  How was the show?  I can only comment for myself–it may not have been the biggest, but it was the best run.  I may be a bit biased, though, since I was a member of the host Chapter.  We had 125 entrants who put 399 models on the tables.  Another 179 people paid for a General Admission walk-in.  43 vendors were spread over some 60 tables–including at least four club tables with display models on them, which pushed the total number of models in the building to close to 500.  Personally, my little M20 took an Intermediate Gold, which was nice–and it bumped me up to an Advanced Modeler.  There were a few minor glitches, but they all got worked out or are being revisited for the next hosts.  Next year's show will be in Danbury, CT, so make you plans now…

    So, with AMPS over, I can rest, right?  Wrong.  Remember, this year puts both the AMPS and IPMS/USA National shows in the Midlands of South Carolina.  No rest for the weary, wicked, twisted, or other.  I'm coordinating the seminars, and I have had a great group of speakers volunteer.  I've put together a schedule which should work very well.  Now, I just have to get everyone on the same page with me–which at times can be akin to herding cats.  But all will go well in the end–I can sense it…

    Being the seminar coordinator, I decided that I'd present two of my own.  One will cover the convention theme of "Every Model Tells a Story", the other was going to cover piston-powered airliners.  But at some point I was asked if anyone was doing a seminar on model building basics.  At the time, I was struggling to find material to fill out an hours' worth of propliners, so I switched tracks and started to put together a Back to Basics seminar.  In order to do better illustrate the Back to Basics seminar, that means one thing:  I needed to build a model.  I had recently purchased some SIDNA from a club member, one of which was the Hasegawa 1/72 Beaufighter Mk.21.  It is a neat little kit, and even with the advent of the new Airfix TF.X, it still is a worthy kit.  I grabbed it off of the stack, and as of about an hour ago it was basically sitting in completed sub-assemblies.  I'd like to have this one done quickly–I am also using is as my "Get your mojo back" model, so the sooner I can call it done, the sooner I can move on to other kits.

    This will sound strange–between my last days at work and the start of the AMPS convention, I actually started another kit, too–an Aeroclub 1/48 scale Gloster Gamecock, which was also bought as SIDNA from a friend at a swap meet.  It has been a while since I tackled a vac-form kit, but after knocking some rust off I have found the project to be rather enjoyable.  I still have other kits to finish–most of which are at the paint shop phase–but something told me to start the Gamecock.  I don't know, maybe I started the Gamecock so the dogs in my head would stop barking, but I'm making fairly good progress and am actually trying a few new techniques that I've read about.  Now that this one is well under way, I need to finally go looking for an Aeroclub Gauntlet for my 74 Squadron collection.

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    My wife and I did get a chance to take a few day trips–one of them was to see our friends at  the Augusta HobbyTown USA.  We deliberately make a note of Master's weekend and stay away, but the weekend after the golfers leave is usually pretty tranquil.  In the theme seminar I'm presenting, part of it covers a story of a model of an AV-8B.  Long story–I'll write a post about it after the convention–but the gist is that I decided to obtain the Kittyhawk Models 1/48 F-35B as a companion piece.  Give me a while, and I might actually get it built.  Kitthawk's kits carry a reputation online, but I've witnessed firsthand that they are not impossible to build.  My wife has finished both their T-45 Goshawk and the TF-9J Twogar, and they both are excellent models.  

    Our other day trip was to the the big city of Blue Ridge, Georgia, home of Free Time Hobbies.  I've bought from them online a time or two, and their selection they show online called to us to go for a visit.  We left the house at about 9:30 AM and got home around 8:30PM.  It isn't really a long ride, but the drive takes you through a lot of rural areas.  The store is quite nice, and we managed to find a few things we needed.  It isn't a trip we'll take every month, or even every six months, but it was a trip we were glad we took.

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    We had planned to leave the house earlier on our trip to Blue Ridge, but when my wife was summoned awake by the Mighty Tiger (who had a Tiger Food Low Level Light come on), she noticed our little cat wouldn't leave the back window, and she kept hearing a cat crying.  She assumed it was the little guy, but when she looked outside, she saw another cat on the porch.  We had seen this guy a few times before–a youngish cat, gray in color–when he would camp out on the porch.  This time, though, something wasn't right.  The cat was sitting still with his head into the corner, not moving much, and every now and then would shudder, as if he was having a seizure.  It had been a cold night, but we don't know if that factored into what was going on.  After a while, not knowing what was happening, my wife called Animal Control.  Since it was early, the Sheriff's Office responded.  The deputy kept checking on the cat every now and then, and it was evident that the little kitty wasn't doing well.  By the time the Animal Control officer arrived, the cat was more or less motionless.  It did wiggle when she tried to pick it up, so she gave it a sedative before she loaded it into a carrier and took him away.  We don't know what happened after she took the kitty away, but we're fairly positive it is playing a golden harp.

    What nobody could figure out was what happened.  It seemed to be paralyzed on one side, as if it had suffered a stroke.  We don't know if it had been poisoned, we don't know if it met up with a snake and been bitten, we don't know if some cruel person or persons did something to it.  All we know is that our little guy sat inside the whole time, looking after the injured cat.  And, when our little guy would start crying, his big brother would walk over and lick him on the head.  So much for being ferocious beasts–our two feline gentlemen proved that they do love each other.

    This story illustrates why both of our feline justice units live indoors–in our area, predators lurk in the woods.  It doesn't take long to become a snack for a Red-Tailed Hawk, an eagle, or a fox (or even a stray feral dog or another cat),  or meet up with a rattlesnake.  No, they do just fine in the house–the little one gets into enough mischief inside, I can scarcely imagine what he'd do in the great out of doors.

    That's all there is for now.  Thanks for reading–I'll post some Gamecock photos, and other photos, as things move along the line towards completion.  Really.  I will…

    Be good to one another, and, as always, I bid you Peace.

     

  • Deep In Thought

    Howdy, everyone!

    As my days with my current employer dwindle to single-digits, I've taken a little bit of time to look at the situation and assess where I am. Looking back over the past 30 or so years (damn, I'm getting old!), I've learned a lot of things, but the most important took a while to penetrate my thick skull. What would that be, you ask? The most important thing I've learned through the years is this: never sell yourself short.

    Each of us posses some skill, knowledge, or talent that other people seek. When others search you out for your skills or talent, remind them of the following: A., they sought you out of the crowd; B., they understand you possess skills/knowledge/talent; and C., those skills/knowledge/talent come with a price tag and (at least for me) a set of standards that I will not compromise. Ever. You want me, you have to live by those principles, they are non-negotiable. And, here's the kicker: if you know the right people–those people who make the effort to seek you out because they know what you posses in the way of skills, knowledge, and talent, they fully and completely understand, because they live the same way.

    So, why did that take me so long to figure out? It is my nature–I'm an introvert, more so than most. I don't like grandstanding or showboating. I figure that if I show you what I can do, that's good enough. Problem is, I live in a world where I see so many people who can, and I'm quoting here, use their "tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore." In other words, they talk the talk and that's all they do. They know all the right words, they play the "fake it until you make it" game (which most fail miserably at), and they know how to schmooze. These are the idiots, given the proper audience, who climb the ladder on their co-worker's backs. Not me, that's not how I am programmed, that's not how I was raised.

    For me, one of the most prized things anyone ever said about me was when I received my first Employee Evaluation with my current employer–the Service Manager who hired me only knew me by what he heard one of the local FAA inspectors (who worked with me before she joined the ranks of the FAA) say about me. When I interviewed, I told him that while I am an avionics technician, I understood that we had a small crew and that when there was no avionics work that I would assist wherever I was needed. I don't think he believed me, because at that first review he said, "You know, you have gone over and above what any other avionics man I know would have done." My answer to him? "Well, I told you from the beginning that I'd help out where I was needed. I wasn't telling you that to blow smoke and sunshine up you ass, I said it because I meant it." Being the good Marine that he is, he just smiled. What could he say?

    Well, he was left speechless, but here's what I will say: Believe in yourself. If you do that, others will believe in you, too. Oh, and don't let the bastards wear you down. Those silver tongued geniuses usually wind up hanging by their own short rope…

    *************************************

    We had our monthly IPMS Chapter meeting last night, and we had a new member in attendance.  As we usually do, we go around the room and introduce ourselves, what our areas of interest are, and greet the new person so they get a feel for the group.  Last night, there was a little more–we all, in our own fashion, related to the new visitor why clubs are good.  The first member who introduced himself said that he has not only gained new skills, his modeling has improved, and he's made a lot of friends.  That sentiment went around the room.  One of the group, a long-time member, said it better than I could have: "Some of my best friends, I met in this room."  Amen to that.  When I think about it, I've met most of the people that I consider my best friends through the hobby.  Hey, I met my wife through the hobby!  So, if you are one of those who don't dig the club scene because you have some preconceived notion of how clubs work, do yourself a favor.  Drop the hostility and go to a meeting.  You might just find out how much fun it is.

    ************************************

    With my upcoming "free time", I plan on getting back to the workbench between job hunting and whatever freelance work I might take on.  My immediate goals are to finally finish the Macchi C.200 and the StuG IV.  They've been hanging out far too long.  After that, I plan on whittling the open project bins down to one or two, then embarking on some new adventures.  Stay tuned…

    Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and I bid you Peace.

  • Time

    "Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
    Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
    Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
    Waiting for someone or something to show you the way."

    Gilmour, Mason, Wright, and Waters were right, you know.  Time is one commodity that we have both in abundance and short supply.  Too much time to work, not enough time to play, time we will never have and time we wish we had back.

    "Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
    You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
    And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
    No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun."

    Is this a self-prophecy?  After all, when we are young, we figure we'll always have time to do those things we want to do.  But sooner or later, we realize that the lazy days of youth have been eclipsed by the hectic days of adulthood, where we put in too many hours at work, too few hours on the things we need to do for oursleves, and before you know it, pow, you wonder where it all went.

    "So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
    Racing around to come up behind you again.
    The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
    Shorter of breath and one day closer to death."

    And this is where all that brings you.  You've worked your entire life to achieve some goal, some mystical brass ring, when what you've really done is cheated yourself out of those little things that add special touches to your life.  Why do we do this?  I know at least in my career field that long shifts did not use to be the norm, but it seems they have become an accepted fact of life–you will work 12-hour days and you will work seven days a week until we tell you otherwise.  It didn't used to be that way–I worked, right out of school, for a 24-hour Air Ambulance and Executive Charter company, and I can still look back and count the amount of overtime I worked there in hours–and this was over a seven year stay there.  No, it was only recently–at this, my most recent career stop–where the clock and calendar didn't matter, getting things worked did.  And while I am truly thankful for the opportunities I was afforded, I look back over the last five and a half years on all those things I missed because I was working long shifts.  Some of them I missed because I was at work.  Some of them, I missed because I was so spent after a long period of no breaks that I was too tired to do anything–so I sat on the couch and stared at the TV, which made me even more listless.

    "Every year is getting shorter; never seem to find the time.
    Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
    Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
    The time is gone, the song is over,
    Thought I'd something more to say."

    Why am I telling you this?  Because as of last Thursday, the company I work for officially ended operations in our location.  Why?  Well, they see Chattanooga, Tennessee more viable than West Columbia, South Carolina.  It is as simple as that.  Am I upset?  To a point, yes–I was one of the first employees at this location.  I have shed blood, sweat, and tears here since June of 2010, and worked hard to build the customer base we have here.  I have taken next to nothing, and tried to build an avionics shop from it.  I have done more with less.  We have completed major inspections with a team of five technicians in the same calendar span it would take any other team of ten.  Why?  We had to.  You don't match downtimes with your competition, you're dead meat.  On the other hand, I can't be too upset–the decision to move was made way above my pay grade.  I don't know all the ins and outs of why one location was better than another.  I'm not privvy to those upper management discussions that have the company convinced that they stand a better chance of survival in Chattanooga.  So, they have to do what they have to do.  But it doesn't make it hurt any less when you've been told you have two choices–move or have your employment terminated.  In my current circumstances, moving is out of the question. 

    So, here I am, ready to start a new personal adventure.  Stay tuned.

    "Home
    Home again
    I like to be here
    When I can

    When I come home
    Cold and tired
    It's good to warm my bones
    Beside the fire

    Far away
    Across the field
    The tolling of the iron bell
    Calls the faithful to their knees
    To hear the softly spoken magic spell"

    (Lyrics © T.R.O. INC.)

    *****************************************************

    Plans for the 2016 AMPS International Convention in April and the 2016 IPMS/USA National Convention in August are in high gear.  Both events promise to be real barn-burners, so don't miss either one.  I am gathering a super group of seminar hosts for the IPMS Convention, and my counterpart in AMPS is doing the same.  I can't wait…

    Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and I bid you Peace.

     

     

  • And, like that, December is upon us…

    Howdy, all!

    As I get older, it seems that time passes quicker.  I know it is cliché, but it is true and I don't know why.  I do know that of late I have been less inclined to do things and more inclined to watch the Idiot Box–and another cliché is also true, we have (through DirecTV) 200 channels with nothing on.  I've been trying to make efforts that change all that, but I fall back into bad habits most of the time.  I've been fighting a bit of a cold lately, but that is only part of the answer.  I've been working some long hours, but not anything out of the ordinary, so that's not the answer either.  I've tried to limit my time on the other Idiot Box (this Idiot Box ), so that's not the answer, either…

    If I really examine the issue and come to a definitive conclusion, I think I can go back to the "200 channels and nothing's on" theory and find my answer, at least in part.  Yep, I may have too many models.  Maybe not too many in the stash (I mean, can you really ever have too many models in the stash?), but too many in work.  All of them are to a point where I need to shift focus onto them individually, and that's where I get stuck.  I have six on the go, and only two of them are still more or less in the basic construction phase (the TR-1/ER-2 and the Gloster Gamecock), the rest are in the last phases of construction before finish (the F-111F, the USS Cowpens), while the others are in paint (the Macchi C.200 and the StuG IV).  As I sit, I ponder what needs to be done, and after a while I have found that my thoughts are all over the place, and I have lost focus.  So, once the hubbub of the holidays have passed, I think I'm going to try putting everything out of reach of the workbench except one model.  It will be the only model in work, and will remain so until it is done, then lather, rinse, repeat, until they're all completed.  Maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but I gotta do something to break the logjam.

    ————————————————————————-

    I may have some extra time to get things done here in the near future.  We found out in August that my employer has decided to move the shop–greener pastures, so we've been told–and our location will have to close since they are transferring the FAA Repair Station Certificate rather than applying for a new one in the new location.  New Repair Stations can take up to two years to be approved, the company is hoping that a transfer will be approved quickly.  In any case, I don't plan on moving with the company, which will mean that I will once again be unemployed.  I have a few irons in the fire, and it may require some assistance from a CPA and maybe an attorney (I'm strongly leaning to forming an LLC and working for myself, for a while at least), but I'm in a little better situation now than I was when I was laid off in 2009–if you can call losing your job a "better situation" at all, ever.  But what I'm looking at doing is something that I excel in (or so I have been told), and something I may be able to do mostly from the house.  I'm actually letting things idle right now, but upon the New Year I plan on attacking the new venture, and I think I might actually enjoy the challenge. 

    —————————————————————————-

    I don't normally get political on the Iron Modeler blog, for a reason (actually several).  What I believe and what you believe may well be at opposite ends of the spectrum, and I have found that rarely does one enter into a political discussion or debate and instantly change the other person's mind.  I enjoy the fact that we all think differently, but I also was raised in a house where politics and religion weren't discussed among polite company.  I'm on Facebook, and I have found myself hiding some people's feeds simply because they are 100% political, 100% of the time, to the point where I have become sick of reading the vitriol from both sides.  Guys and gals, put it away.  Please.

    With that being said, I am also amazed at the number of people who, being ignorant of World History–or not(!), are buying into some of the ideas being hammered home on the various media sources.  I can't understand why educated people will take their news from a single source, or automatically believe one person simply because that's what they want to hear.  I urge everyone to open their eyes and ears, listen to everything they can from all sides, and then employ the good old Mark I bullshit detector to separate the signal from the noise.  Make educated decisions for yourself, not based on what some talking head tells you.  You will lead a richer life, you will be better informed, and you might just become more worldly.  Whether your decisions fall on the Left or the Right, you have educated yourself to all the options and made your decision for yourself.  Isn't that what civilized people are supposed to do?

    —————————————————————————

    New stuff in the house?  Of course…

    Our friends at Sprue Brothers had a sale on Wingman Models kits a few weeks ago, and I had to take advantage.  Having purchased the Wingman Models Kfir C.2/C.7 last year, I just had to complete the collection of Israeli deltas with the acquisition of the Nesher and early Kfir kits.  I also have the Kinetic Kfir C.2/C.7, and if I play my cards right I can use some of the leftover parts from the Wingman C.2/C.7 on it.  Those, and the Eduard Mirage IIICJ, will make a handsome collection once they're all completed.

    I also had opportunity to purchase the new-tool Airfix Beaufighter TF.X in 1/72 scale, and what a treat it is.  If Airfix does the rest of the Beaufighter family, I may be compelled to sell off my Hasegawa kits…

    An interesting find, and one I may have briefly mentioned, is the reissue of the AMT 1/25 scale 1969-1970 vintage Chevy K/10 Blazer.  A friend of our family had one for years, and I just had to have the kit.  This friend and his father bought a lake house near Sebring (right on Lake Istokpoga–so close you could hear the cars at the Speedway if we were there on a race weekend), and we would all pile into the Blazer for weekends on the lake.  I plan on building and painting it just like his was.  He wound up selling it years ago–and, like all favorite vehicles, he wishes he had not done so…

    I also finally picked up the Eduard Royal Edition Spitfire Mk.IX set, the Eduard Aussie Eights Spitfire Mk.VIII set, and the Eduard Cactus Air Force P-39 sets, al in 1/48 scale.  I think I'm now set, as far as these subjects are concerned.  I may begin selling off my ICM Spitfires shortly…

    Speaking of which, I may be getting ready to have another SIDNA cull and sale.  Stay tuned…

    ———————————————————————————-

    As the holidays approach, I would like to wish all of you Season's Greetings and the best of cheer.  May you have what you need, get what you want, and enjoy the company of family and friends.  For those who have an abundance of riches, share your bounty with those less fortunate.

    (My wife and were talking about this a few days ago–while everyone is sniping back and forth over the various holiday greetings being used these days, "Season's Greetings" seems to have fallen out of the lexicon.  Let's bring it back, shall we?)

    Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and, especially at this time of year, I bid you Peace.

  • Back on the road again…

    Howdy, everyone!

    From time to time, I go on the road for work.  Sometimes it is to actually work airplanes, sometimes it is for trade shows, and sometimes it is for training.  This road trip is for the latter two, and I managed to fit in some sightseeing and visiting while I'm travelling.  More on that in a minute…

    The Story of The Old Guy

    Last week, as I was getting done with the last tests of an air data computer that had been exchanged, I came to a stark realization.  Back when I first got out of school and was as helpless as a newborn kitten, I learned the bulk of my trade by doing.  And, of course, the first time you get thrown out on the hangar floor and told, "There it is kid, have at it", you start thinking you may have just bitten off more than you can chew.  Everything you do takes too long, or isn't working like they told you it should in school, or you screw it up.  In my case, I was patient to a point, but got frustrated very quickly–the frustration killed my focus on the job.  The frustration coupled with some of the Old Guys on the floor made it worse for me–I'm an introvert, and don't like being criticized in front of God and everyone, all it does is make me even more frustrated.  So, invariably when I was on a task new to me, I'd get frustrated and lose my cool. 

    Usually, what they do next is to send the Old Guy out there to help you, since he usually has been at it longer than anyone else, knows the most, and can fix anything with a small screwdriver and a tie wrap.  As you get to work with the Old Guy, you wonder if you'll ever have the same knowledge and abilities as he does–and if you ever do know that much, you wonder where you're going to learn it.  See, back in the day, a lot of the Old Guys didn't want to share what they knew.  What they knew was their job security.  If they let you know what they knew, they lose that job security of being the only guy in the shop who can do that particular task or group of tasks.  Personally, I don't subscribe to that train of through for a few reasons–one, I don't want to be 60 years old, fat and arthritic, and crawling around on airplanes.  Second, the more people in the organization who know how a certain task is done gives that organization flexibility.  If both my technicians can do all the tasks I can, we don't have to rely on one guy to do this and the other guy to do that.   

    Anyway, I did what everyone has done in the past–I found a guy who was older than I was, but younger than the Old Guy was, tagged along with him, listened, and learned.  There was a lot of trial an error, there were times that nothing made sense, there were times that it was frustrating as hell.  It came to me, though, slowly.  That's why, last week during that seemingly inconsequential air data test, that I realized that I have become the Old Guy in the shop.  My guys, though older than I am, come to me for answers to questions that crop up on the airplanes we work.  They haven't had as much corporate jet experience as I've had, so they come to me for the answers.  And I have learned over the years, too, how to deal with frustration.  I no longer allow the airplane to fluster me.  Which is good… 

    Certain tasks that used to fill me with dread are child's play.  I no longer have trouble diagnosing pitot-static system or autopilot system problems.  Part of it was learned via the sink-or-swim method, part of it through the immersion method, and part of it was through a few good, learned people (other old guys) who weren't afraid to answer my stupid questions or tell me where I went astray.  There's a lot to be said for schools, but there's even more merit in the apprentice system.  I wish it were better organized in the avionics industry, because it is alive and well…and working.

    I went back to my city, and my city was gone…

    Do you recall my two-part post where I gave you a tour around Daytona Beach?  Well, forget most of what you read… 

    I stayed in Daytona last night on my way to my training/trade session.  I had some time late in the afternoon, so I took a drive.  I first took a drive around what the signs say is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  I recognized three buildings.  Out of about two dozen.  I could barely navigate the campus.  Nothing was the same as it was thirty-some years ago except the University Center and two original dorms–at least that I could see.  I know time marches on, and progress needs to be made, but as I drove around campus, I began to recollect those six years I spent there and was again made pain fully aware than I am, officially, The Old Guy.

    Then I took a ride around town.  The Speedway is in the closing stages of their renovation and the completion of the Daytona Rising project–the whole look of the speedway from U.S. 92 is completely different.  The Holiday Inn (later Ramada Inn) across from Turn 4 is gone–replaced by a Bahama Breeze, IHoP, Olive Garden, and Cheddar's.  I wondered about that, because the Olive Garden is next to the Hampton Inn…er, was next to the Hampton.  That property is under construction–the sign says a Houligan's is moving in.

    The look of Beach Street hasn't changed, but the shops out there sure have.  Dunn Hardware and Dunn Toys and Hobbies are long gone, but so are some of the older Mom and Pop shops, too.  Stavro's Pizza is still hanging in there, though…

    Another Daytona Beach constant is still hanging in there, too–the Streamline Hotel, long little more than a flophouse, is being renovated and restored as is fitting the birthplace of NA$CAR.  I was glad to see they hadn't plowed the old place down in the name of progress.

    The rest of the beachfront is depressing–it is becoming more and more another coastal concrete canyon, much the same as Miami Beach.  But I did stop in at the Oyster Pub for supper–much the same as I remember it, I must say, and well worth the visit.  That is one of two watering holes from back in the day (Razzle's being the other, fans!) still open and looking much as they did back in the day.

    Without family, what do you have?

    I got a chance to spend a few hours with my brother and sister-in-law this afternoon on my way through O-Town on my way to Tampa.  I hadn't seen either one on a year, and wish I had a few days to spend catching up with them.  Alas, I had to get on down the road, but we will have to get together again soon…

     

    Planning for both the 2016 AMPS International Convention and the 2016 IPMS/USA National Convention is going smoothly.  Both shows will be First Rate, and I hope to see you all at one or both.  I'm the seminars coordinator for the IPMS Show, and I do believe you'll like the slate of speakers we've put together.  If you are interested in hosting a Seminar for either show, please contact me through the Seminars link on the 2016 IPMS/USA Nationals site.

    With the Big Shows coming up quickly, you need to get your models ready…

    Thanks for reading.  Be good to one another, and, as always, I bid you Peace.

  • Goodbyes

    The past few weeks have not been kind to the hobby…

    This past weekend, the modeling world learned of the death of Sheperd Paine.  Most of us were introduced to Shep's work through the Diorama Hints and Tips sheets that Monogram Models included in some of their armor and aircraft kits throughout the '70's.  I know, personally, that the first time I saw one of those brochures, I was amazed.  I must have been at the right stage in my modeling career, because the information Shep was giving us was the type of thing I was looking for to take my models to the next level.  While I never attempted to duplicate one of his dioramas, I did follow some of his tips on a Monogram B-17G–I added the floor boards in the aft fuselage, and copping the tip from the B-24J Assembly Ship diorama, I added "battle damage patches" using index card.  This model was, at the time, the culmination of my new skills as a modeler–aside from the little things I just described, I actually filled seams, airbrushed the finish, and used the MicroScale system on the decals.  (Several years later, this would be the B-17 that I refinished in 1985.)

    Shep's work and inspiration became like a thread that wound its way through my modeling adventures.  When I was again looking to bump things up to the next level, what should I spy on the hobby shop book rack but "How to Build Dioramas" in 1982.  Sitting next to that book was the Test Issue of "FineScale Modeler", and both of them came home with me, even though it meant I spent my entire weekly modeling budget on them.  I read both from cover to cover, including the article on the boxed diorama that featured Nelson before Copenhagen.  Wow.  I absorbed this like a sponge, and received a new bit of inspiration, thanks in no small part to the work of Mr. Paine.

    Throughout the years, I would refer to the book as a Modeling Bible.  By the time I bought a second copy, the original had become so dog-eared and shop worn that I had to replace it.  And, when the Second Edition came out, I had to but a copy.  It goes without saying that I also bought the other books penned by Shep for Kalmbach…

    A few years ago, my wife gave me a signed copy of Schiffer's "Sheperd Paine–The Life and Work of a Master Modeler and Military Historian" by Jim DeRogatis.  If you are looking for the "ultimate" Sheperd Paine "How I built…" book, this isn't it.  It is much better.  This book got beyond the models and told the stories behind why he did what he did.  It covers his life and varied careers in modeling, sculpting, and collecting military memorabilia.  It also tells of his early life, and how he became who he was.  More fascinating sometimes were the sidebar stories told by other modelers and collectors about their relationships with Shep.  I read it cover to cover when I first got it, and I read it again yesterday reflecting on all those models, dioramas, and figures that still keep me in awe.

    If anyone deserves the title of Master Modeler, it is Sheperd Paine.  Fair Winds, Mr. Paine.  You may be gone, but your work will remain as a reminder of your talents.

    ———————————————

    Another entry on the obituary page is Jerry Campbell, one of the founders of the Squadron Shops and Squadron Mail Order.  I first became aware of Squadron in the early 1980's, when I was in college.  I remember receiving a copy of their flyer in the mail, and the prices back then were terrific.  I quickly put a minimum order–ten bucks back in the day–and was amazed at how fast the order was processed.  I received it the following week, which was pretty quick by the standards of the day.  I would continue to pick up bargains here and there–Tamiya 1/48 F-2A Buffalo kits for $8, anyone?–and I believe my stash was probably started in earnest thanks to my dealings with Squadron.

    I stopped using them a few years ago, when Jerry sold the business.  Just as well, the quality of the service wasn't as good as it was when I started using them.  For what it was, though, and what effect it had on the hobby back in the day, we can thank Jerry.

    ————————————————-

    For the last entry today, Kevin Suddarth also passed away in June.  Another modeler I never had opportunity to meet face to face, I still have his article from "FineScale Modeler" on converting the Hasegawa 1/72 SP-2E Neptune to the AP-2H gunship, ready for when I decide it is time to build my very own "Iron Butterfly".  Kevin's work was sprinkled in many books and magazine articles I read over the years, and I always managed to take something away from his writings and his models. 

    —————————————————

    It was kind of a bummer today, but if it points out anything, it points out the need to be good to one another.  You never know when your number will be called.

    Thanks for reading.  As always, I bid you Peace.