Well, time to start my first new model of the year (leaving aside the couple I am in the progress of still finishing).
Oddly enough my first new build in 2019 was also one of Johan's birds (the Collared Flycatcher), and oddly also a model in a flying pose - so good training for this one! The Collared Flycatcher build is here if you are interested -
Collared Flycatcher - Johan Scherft.
-----------------------
The model is available as a download from his site and is very reasonably priced in Euros.
It is life-sized (1/1), as are most of Johan's models.
The kit consists of a single download containing...
- A Cover Sheet, with a nice photograph of the finished model and some background information on the real bird.
- Six pages of coloured photographic instructions for each of the various stages.
- The actual model parts - 2 A4 pages, each with a reminder as to the correct paper thickness, and a scale on the one side to ensure the prints come out at the right size.
Incidentally, few other models use a "printed scale line" on the parts pages, which is a pity as it is great to provide reassurance that the pages are being printed to the right scale AND are also all printed to the same scale.
Johan's instructions for this bird say it should be printed on 120 gram paper (in the USA/Canada, 120-gram paper equals 26lb bond or ledger - paper thickness .065 of an inch +/- 0.004 inches).
-----------------------------
Interestingly enough, it is the first commercial model that as far as I am aware, Johan has produced of a bird in flight
with its beak open. And does it look good!
Unlike the Collared Flycatcher – that is placed on a wire stand, this model is designed to be suspended.
I am looking forward to making this, as I am interested in the construction method used to display the open mouth.
-----------------------------
A few facts about the real bird (which I have never seen, but would like to)…
- The Bluethroat is a small bird now classified as an Old World Flycatcher (formally it was classified as a Thrush).
- They are found in quite a large area – breeding in Europe, Asia and Alaska, and are migratory, wintering in India and North Africa.
- The normal breeding habitat is wet swamps, tundra and forests (copious low dense vegetation).
- Population numbers are stable and currently it is not under threat.
- Food consists of caterpillars and berries, and insects (including in-flight).
- The birds feed on insects in flight, caterpillars and berries.
----------------------
I'll start the model in a couple of days - as soon as I can get a gap!
Pictures 1 and 2 - The two sheets of parts – the white overspray is my anti-pirating work! Also, note that my pictures are low quality - they are just to give an idea of the parts and are not representative of the excellent quality of the actual model.
Picture 3 shows a picture of the bird from the cover sheet, courtesy Johan Scherft.