Magazine review: Model Airplane International #53 Dec. 2009

As you can see I am working my way thru my backlog of modeling magazines to review.  This issue is dated December 2009, which means I probably got it sometime in January, and its taken me till now to actually review it.

It is your typical Model Airplane International. (MAI)  This issue has a feature on the 32nd scale Hasegawa Ki-44.  For 72nd scale modelers, the only thing of real interest is the quick build/review of the Airfix Spitfire PR XIX, which has been reviewed extensively in any number of modeling magazines. 

This issue also has an article on the PV-1 with several pages of color illustrations.  It also has a short history of the Czech manufacturer, MPM.

All in all, even though I like the monthly list of new releases and the list of coming releases, I’d say this issue wasn’t worth the money for the 72nd scale enthusiast.

DVD review: Airbrush Painting Techniques (Compendium Films)

  

 

This DVD is one I picked up at the IPMS Nationals a year or two ago.  It is in standard US DVD format, even though it is produced in the UK.  It runs 60 minutes.  Though most modelers think of using the airbrush to paint aircraft or AFVs, the bulk of this DVD actually shows techniques for using the airbrush to paint figures or figure related items such as personal weapons.  There is no demonstration of any armor painting techniques, and the only aircraft related technique is using paint masks photocopied onto paper and cut out for masking two tone paint schemes.  This is hardly groundbreaking.  There is no doubt that the presenter is skilled with an airbrush, and the techniques for painting feathers or flesh on a figure are interesting and skillful, I doubt that the vast majority of the modeling community will learn much from this DVD.

Indy show (Pt. 3)

Here are more 72nd scale aircraft from Indy.  These were in the OOB category and there seemed to be a problem with judging as this category appears to have been skipped.

Me-109E by Don Flynn

Don’s Me-109E.  I think it is the Tamiya kit.

Special Hobby Koolhaven FK-51

A nice biplane in Spanish civil war markings.

LaGG-3

A rarely seen LaGG-3.

Fine Molds 109

Another Me-109 by Don Flynn.  A Fine Molds F, I think.

Fine Molds Me-109G

Don Flynn’s Me-109G in very interesting markings.

Larger 72nd aircraft to come.

Way cool, or out of this world

I am glad to see this. Can’t wait for Virgin Galactic to get people into space.

This is cool too, literally.

Magazine review: Scale Aircraft Modelling Vol. 31 #11

SAM Vol. 31 No. 11

My local Barnes and Noble is where I usually pick up this magazine.  A couple of months ago, they no longer had it.  I have finally found out that another Barnes and Noble in town stocks it.  I picked up this issue a few weeks ago.

For 72nd scale modelers, it has reviews of The Airfix Spitfire XIX and the AZ Hurricane Mk. I and the Revell Do228.  The feature 72nd build article is a build of the Silver Wings Vickers Viking.  (I’ve seen several build articles in several of the british aircraft modeling magazines over the last few months.  I suspect this company is making a concerted marketing effort by having people submit build articles of their products.)

Of more general interest, there is an article on the Israeli F-16I Sufa.  It is a very nice article with lots of good photos and color illustrations.

All and all, it was a good issue, not a great issue, but a good one.

Photographing public art

This story is interesting to me.  Frankly, my take would be that it out to be fair use.  My opinion is that any public art, paid for with taxpayer money, should have as a condition that the artist put the work in the public domain.

A somewhat related story here.

More on the war on photography here.

Magazine review: Military Aircraft Monthly Vol.9 #1

This issue features a cover story on the Ju-87.  It also has an interetsing article on the Hurricane in the defense of Malta during WWII.  There is a set of color sideview illustrations of Japanese aggressor F-15 colors and markings.  The magazine also has one of the most incoherent articles I’ve read lately, a brief history of the Lockheed L-10 Electra, or at least, I think that is what it was suppose to be.  Finally, there is an article on the colors and markings of the Tornado F.3s  of No. 43 Squadron RAF, as they retire. 

For the 72nd scale enthusiast, Dr. David Geldmacher, last seeing publishing an article on Jim Bates blog, that subsequently ended up in the IPMS/USA Journal, has a build article on the 72nd scale RVHP kit of the AF-1 Guardian.

Rumor, via Jim Bates, says that having changed their name from Model Aircraft Monthly to Military Aircraft Monthly, this magazine has now decided to stop publishing modeling articles.  What a shame.

Barbarians

Why aren’t “women’s groups” more outraged by societies that allow this.  This type of behavior doesn’t need to be “understood” as cultural differences, it need to be condemed.  This is what we are fighting, and its high time we say so.

And here are some more examples.  Clearly there is something wrong with the men in these societies.

Happy Dependence Day

Mark Steyn gets it right.

Indy show (Part 2)

Here are some more photos from Indy.

(F-6) P-51

The F-6 conversion of the P-51 was not the Obscureco kit, but was done from scratch according to the builder.  I talked with him for a few minutes after the show.

An AvUSK Norm

You don’t see this kit often.  This is the old Avation USK Norm.  The builder did a nice job with a tough kit.

Zepplin Stakken I think

This was a fantastic model.  The builder was an older man with a think Eastern European/Russian accent.  It was a real work of art.  I can’t imagine the effort that went into it.

Lindberg He-100

This is the old Lindberg He-100/He-113 kit.  There were several “classic” kits entered in this contest.  I am happy to see some of these older kits getting built.  I think the model was brushpainted, and the builder did an excellent job of brushpainting.

P-66

I have a soft spot in my heart for WWII Chinese aircraft.  This P-66 was very nice.

More to come….