The Battle of the Barristers

F-8 logo

Ohio attorney Jim Bates was recently visiting this site and noticed in this post that I said that one of the models I was considering doing next was the Academy F-8.  Well a subsequent exchange of erudite emails (so is your mother, etc.) resulted in a challenge build of the Academy 72nd scale F-8. (God’s one true scale)  We are building them to enter at the Columbus IPMS Nationals this year.  There are no real rules.  We can build OOB or add accessories if we want.  Well the challenge was agreed upon, and I am proud to say I have already finished. So there Jim.  Here it is.

Hasegawa F-8E

Just kidding.  This is a Hasegawa F-8E that I built 10 or 12 years ago.  As you can see, this one is worse for wear and missing a missile rail, nose gear and one main gear.

The one advantage of having built an F-8 before is that I am flush with reference.

Unlike Jim, who claims he is going to do a sissy French F-8, I am going to do mine in good ole’ U.S. markings.  Probably a MiG killer from this book.

Osprey F-8 book

Ok, I did actually start the model this weeked.  I did not get very far, but here is photographic proof that I started.

Academy F-8

Tamiya Jeep

In among the other projects I have going, I have been trying to finish a Tamiya Jeep that was for a club contest over a year ago.  I posted a photo in this post.  Here is an updated photo showing a little more progress.

Tamiya Jeep

They call me Mr. Surfacer 1200

In a previous post, I commented on Mr. Surfacer 1200 in the spray can being one of my favorite modeling tools.  I used it recently to prime my Trumpeter P-40.  Below are a couple of photos that hopefully convey some idea of how nice a finish the Mr. Surfacer lays down. (Please ignore the fact I haven’t cut off the hinge on one side of the P-40 rudder and the seams that still need work).

P-40 primed with Mr. Surfacer 1200

Here is a close up to try and show how nice a finish Mr. Surfacer 1200 out of the spray can lays down.

Closeup of primed surface

Blog traffic is way up.

Only geeks like me follow the blog traffic statistics on their site.  I really just write here on what interests me and if anyone stops by and reads and enjoys, then that is all the better.  But for some reason, I do look at the traffic stats every so often.  For some reason traffic to this site has jumped up the past few days.  I’ve had as many visitors in the first four days of this week as I have had in the previous three weeks.  I have no idea why, but just let me say to all you who are stopping by; Welcome.  I hope you enjoy your visit and feel free to comment on anything you see.

Spanish Civil War

I like the aircraft of the Spanish Civil war.  There were so many different aircraft used that the modeling possibilities are endless.  It is the same reason that I like the pre-WWII Chinese stuff.  I found a website recently that has a lot of great stuff on the aircraft of the Spanish Civil War.  You can check it out here. (Dead Link 2019)

Planning for the future

As I reach the end of my Revell Hunter build (photos will be posted in the near future) and as I get close to completion on the Tamiya Jeep and the P-40 is moving along at a good pace, I naturally begin to plan for the future.  In no particular order, here is what is kicking around in my head regarding future projects.

Academy F-8 (one of the coolest looking planes ever)

Me-262 (Ditto)

An airliner (Don’t ask why, just for some reason I am in the mood to do one)

One or more late 30’s U.S. Navy planes. (I like the silver and yellow)

Another MiG (another 17 or maybe a 21)

We will see which one moves to the top of the project list as soon as I wrap up a few of the ones now nearing completion.  Stay tuned.

My favorite modeling tools (#2): Mr Surfacer 1200 spray can

Mr Surfacer 1200

As you will remember from a post a few months ago, I did a post on one of my favorite modeling tools.  Well it is time for another.  This time, I’d like to post on a new favorite tool,  Mr. Surfacer 1200 in the spray can.  Our MMCL club president, Mike Baskette tipped me off to this one.  He tried it as a primer recently on a project he is working on.  The next day he emailed me singing its praises.  He said that it laid down as fine a primer finish as he had ever seen.  He said he was sure that it was a better primer finish that could be obtained from paint applied with an airbrush.  I was skeptical.  However, I ordered a can.

I can now publiclly admit, Mike was right.  This stuff is great.  I would not have thought that you could get this nice a finish out of a spray can.  However, this stuff levels out and dries like nothing I have ever seen.  I’ve read on some forums some guys spraying Mr. Surfacer 1200 thru their airbrush as a primer.  I am not sure why when the spray can lays down as good a finish as I think it is possible to achieve.  This will be my primer of choice for all future modeling projects.

Two hours of my life, or Eco-idiots

UPDATE: Apparently, his esrtwhile hosts, the Australians, aren’t too happy with Paul Watson, the captain of the Eco-idiots.  More here. And even the French hate this guy.

I spent two hours of my life tonight, two hours I’ll never get back, watching the show “Whale Wars” on Animal Planet.  The eco-idiots of the the Sea Shepherd society spend their time in the Antarctic Ocean trying to interfere with the Japanese whaling fleet.  Regardless of your beliefs about whales and whaling, these are a bunch of people, mostly people who haven’t spent time on a ship at sea, who attack the Japanese ships with stink bombs and lines thrown into the water attempting to foul ships propellers.  The also run their small craft dangerously close to the Japanese ships in an attempt to provoke a confrontation that they can then use for propaganda purposes.

My complaint with these people is that they are playing at being conservationists while putting human lives in danger without a second though.  They will eventually get someone killed.  The Antarctic Ocean is an unforgiving enviroment and trying to disable ships or provoke confrontations or collisions is simply a level of stupid that I just can’t fathom.

Rant off.

A sharp wit

I don’t do politics on this blog.  There are plenty of other places in the blogosphere for that.  However, I am an avid consumer of political blogs.  I am also a fan of political writers.  The sharpest wit on the scene today is undoubtedly Mark Steyn.  A Canadian who lives in Vermont, Mr. Steyn has the ability to turn a phrase like no one else, with the possible exception of P.J. O’Rourke.

Mr. Steyn has been embattled lately in Canada’s kangaroo court “Human Rights Comissions” due to articles he wrote that accompanied his book “America Alone” (A must read BTW).  Well, if you read here, you will see an example of why it is dangerous to get into an argument with someone who has the ability to write as well as Mr. Steyn.  The poor professor should be in his office in the fetal position, if he has enough intelligence to realize how badly he was just smacked down.

My personal modeling sherpa

My local club, MMCL, is blessed with a number of fantastic modelers.  These guys are some of the best modelers I know.

My personal modeling sherpa is Scott “Skippy” King.  Skip has the traits all good modelers I know have.  Skip doesn’t think that his models are that special.  He is willing to share freely of his modeling techniques.  I have learned more than I could ever say from Skippy.

Below is one of his works in progress.  It is a 72nd scale Hasegawa Buffalo.  He has converted it to a Dutch aircraft.  I love what he has done with the engine.  The photograph below doesn’t do the actual model justice.  One day I hope to do a radial engine half as well.

Buffalo Engine