Downsizing

[CMDRTED]

The title I stole from the movie. What this article is about is space. When I started paper/card models in aircraft 1/33 scale was the first scale I stumbled on. The amount of detail was fantastic but the size! I then thought of shifting down to 1/50 scale. small enough to save some space, just about right for a decent level of detail, but once again huge in comparison to the space available to display/store them. Then 1/100 scale came along and it seems that there is a happy solution.
2019 is coming to an end so I embarked on a quest to "re-build" in 1/100 scale all the 1/33 and 1/50 scale kits that were finished and "complete" some of the 1/2 started or destroyed/gifted away aircraft.

[CMDRTED]

First up is the Japanese human guided cruise missile the Model 11 Ohka.
The concept was simple; take a rocket with rudimentary controls and install a biological/organic guidance system, ie human. Usually carried by a betty bomber to a staging point, it was then released to take out its target.
I first built the okha that came with GPM's Betty bomber, never finished the bomber. then I took PModels downloadable kit and shrunk that to 1/50 scale. Now she is built to 1/100 scale designed by Bruno. The only non stock parts are the separate tail rockets and a scratch built display stand...

[Draco]

I agree, 1/33 scale is wonderfull for detail but bad for the quantity of models you can make unless you have a mansion. When I started, I selected 1/72 as my chosen scale, and recently I started to assemble at 1/144 scale for planes longer than 25 meters, mainly passenger planes.
Same for ships, I have selected 1/700 scale for them (1/350 for submarines) and so far I'm happy with the results.

[Don Boose]

Great Okha models in all three scales, Ted.

Don

[CMDRTED]

Thanks guys. the other benefit is you can build up one in a day or 2. sometimes in a few hours.
Next up is the Fokker V111. I did a build thread comparing Marek to Kampflieger's 1/50 scale. Oddly enough the S&P kit has about the same amount of parts minus the rudimentary cockpit. It is my first WW1 aircraft with a very simple rigging across the lower fuselage, landing gear. Michael S is correct, using brush bristles makes this very simple.
the V8 sometimes called EV was a revolutionary monoplane during the times of multiwinged aircraft. It turned out to be a superior aircraft but was built late in the was to effect the outcome. Thankfully Germany didn't remember this lesson in the next war. The model builds into a great little gem and will soon have some fellow "great war" contemporaries.

[CMDRTED]

the next one up is the FW 190. the F series was the fighter bomber version. The 1/50 scale was a download by Bestpapermodels, when they were in business. The kit was incredibly detailed for 1/50 and this was the kit that got me convinced 1/50 was the scale to specialize in. Well as we got into bigger birds this simply wouldn't do. plus they took just as long as 1/33 scale and that took the fun out of it.
I should point out I'm not doing these kits all in one day. This project started 12-1 so yes there are a couple kits in a week, just not every few hours.
Bruno's Fw series is incredibly varied and I licked out on this bird being the downsized version of the 1/50 kit...

[Don Boose]

Beautiful work!

Don

[Rata]

What an interesting idea for a thread. These are great CMDR and I hope you keep them coming.

In a sort of similar vein, I've got a repainting scheme going at the moment of reproducing old (60's and 70's) 1/72 plastic aircraft kits by Airfix, FROG and Revell that I had as a kid and teenager but as 1/100 paper models. They are all S&P, and it's a warts and all approach by having colour and marking inaccuracies that the manufacturers of the day specified in instructions and painting guides. I've completed about half a dozen and will show them here on PM when built. At the moment it's purely for my own entertainment, but if enough people express interest I can submit to Ecards.

[Mike1158]

Very nice,looking to more inspiration.

[CMDRTED]

Garry that's one great idea. many years were spent in my childhood building Revell/aurora and airfix kits. Now as a older child I build certain kits as a homage? to my childhood memories. When during a build I refer to "one of my favorites" I'm usually referring to one of those older kits from yesteryear. The "bit of lace" B17 was one kit I had every time they re issued it. Revell, Airfix put that out back then. I think the super detail specialty companies do the kit now. Just a caution? though, let folks know that the markings are suspect or we'll build the things as you marked them, correct markings or not.