old stuff

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

About a week and a half ago, I figured out that what was called Koln was actually Leipzig. Koln must have been left back in Germany in 1965. It also dawned that this model pre-dates Emden. It could be 55 years old.

Cleaning was attempted while I was cussing Princeton. Photo f1rs was sent earlier, but us being used as a benchmark to compare to what has been done. Photo f2r shows major parts which came off the model while the dust was brushed off. There is mildew on it, but the dust has been cleaned off. Photo f3r shows the forward section. No matter how many swabs are used, it isn't going to get much cleaner without ruining the print. Photo f4r shows the mid section. The hull doesn't have any tear or real dents such as Emden had. Photo f5r shows the loose parts back in place and properly aligned. The last photo is a little closer. The crane no longer falls upon the crane. The main turrets still rotate and elevate. It is dust free, the masts and spars are straightened out, but there are a number of small parts, which have wandered off into history.

A massive overhaul replacing them is not worth the effort. Still, it isn't ready for the trash barrel just yet. It is an elegant, historically important, ship and has some nostalgic value. So, back in the case it goes.

Regards, rjccjr

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

This is an old Otaki P-51D in 1/48 scale. This kit was inherited in pieces when a very good friend, Jack Walsh, suddenly passed away in the 1980s. It was missing a prop and canopy. It was rescued from a 3000 plus kit stash, which was being disposed of. It was a favor to the family and I swore that I'd never do that again. Jack was a specialist at restoring paint jobs on classic cars. His talent shows in this model. The kit dates back to 1975. As kits go, it was primitive and loaded with inaccuracies. Even now, it's the paint job that is spectacular.

Photo p1r shows the unclean kit, just off the shelf. The rust colored haze is quite evident. Photo p2r shows the usual tools used for cleaning and how dirty they get. The kit separated from its base and one landing gear remains. Photo p3r shows the underneath. You can see the mismatched panel lines on the air scoop, but no seams. The paint was Floquil silver. Notice the rivet and landing gear well detail. Photo p4r is a side view, notice that the decals are so well blended into the finish that you can't tell that they are not painted on. It is over sprayed with clear automotive lacquer. Heaven only knows how many coats and what amount of polishing is there. The outer coat is so hard that that nothing is going to get down to the primary finish or the decals. Photo p5r shows the right wing. there is a very faint panel shading and black ink rivet detail. Photo p6r is a fuller view. The shading is more evident and a faint yellowing of the decal carrier around the fuel filler markings. The last two photos show off the paint job. Every time I look at the model, I'm annoyed at the inadequacy of the propeller and canopy that I added to complete the model.

Jack was a real master from the golden age of modeling. Who knows what he could have done with a modern kit if he was still around? Anyway this will stay on the shelf.

Regards, rjccjr

[Michael Mash]

You have quite a collection.
How many models does it contain?
Mike

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

This is an old 1/48 scale Hobby Craft Moraine Saulnier MS 406, acquired on sale sometime in the early 1990s. It wasn't a particularly well done kit, but it was an unusual machine and best of all, it was cheap. The build was pretty straight forward, no contest build, but unusual and colorful.

Photos 1rs through 3rs show a real dusty mess after thirty years. Photo 4rs is a top shot after the dust was brushed away. The right wing has been cleaned with hand soap in water. You can easily see that the details are more visible and the colors brighter. Photo 5rs is a frontal shot showing the odd angle of the wheels. The aircraft actually had angled wheels though not as dramatically as the kit shows. Photo 6rs is a top shot after clean up. A little hand soap does a fine rescue job.

The last photo shows the model all cleaned up and ready for the shelf, but I don't think anyone can make the plane look pretty.

Regards, rjccjr

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

Years ago I built quite a few Classic Airframe kits. A bit pricey for the time, they were not as accurate as modern kits, but they had the advantage of subject diversity and were a challenge to get together. Here is a Macchi 200 in 1/48 scale from 1986. Photo 1r shows a cleaned up top shot. It was a mixed media kit, some injection molded, some resin and some metal. You can see pits in the rocker arm covers of the cowl. Photo 2r shows the underneath. For its time, the wheel well detail is pretty well done. Photo 3r shows the propeller and engine detail. The rocker arm covers were an attempt to streamline the cowl to reduce drag and add a little to the speed. Photo 4r is a side view of the cowl. The front of the engine and the propeller protrude too far from the cowl. Photo 5r is an angled view. You can see the peculiar partially open canopy. The plane had a particularly colorful paint scheme. You have to wonder why nations take pains to provide camouflage and then destroy the purpose with so much color. Photo 6r is a front view. Looking carefully, you can see right through the engine assembly into the daylight. The last picture shows the protrusion of the propeller. It's a chubby little machine, but the color scheme makes it attractive.

Regards, rjccjr

[Butelczynski]

I love that Morane. Very nicely done French camo.

MC-200 holds a bit of special place in my memories because Maly paper kit of it was one of the first card planes I did and I was completely satisfied with it. Of course color scheme was different, much simpler, but it still cam out looking very sharp and accurate.

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

Here is a limited run LTD 1/48 scale PZL-11C dating back to 1995. You may have noticed by now that there is a tendency to build models of historically important vehicles that nobody has ever heard of. You would think that this model would have come from somewhere in the Balkans. Nope! LTD was a company in Carrollton, Texas. They produced short run injection molded models of unusual aircraft. They were a bit pricey for the time. This was $12.95 back then. The kit is still around, but you won't find it as cheaply on the net.

Photo 1r shows the model, just off the shelf, before cleaning. It wasn't over sprayed when built and the decals paid the price. Photo 2r is a front view, dust and all. The model is quite accurate in dimension, but lacks the detail of current kits. Photo 3r shows the underside. The colors hold up better with age, but the decals are fragmenting and won't withstand the cleaning. Just after the last picture was taken, the model was turned right side up. It sat there quietly for a few moments, gave a deep sigh and the left landing gear collapsed. Hmmm!

The model was dusted, then cleaned with soap and water. Most of the decals came off with the cleaning. Actually the biggest concern was getting the landing gear back on. Photo 4r shows the model back over. The landing gear had no sockets for fitting and had simply been glued to the fuselage, depending on the wing struts to hold it in place. So, I took an old pill container loaded with pennies, glued the gear back in place with CA glue, and used the container to hold it in position. Photo 5r shows the result.

Photo 6r shows the rear fuselage. Some of the decals survive. An oval base was cut from an old carton, simple, light in weight and of a complimentary color. The gear is holding for the moment, but the decals not so much. But, I've got an idea about that little problem. I expect the other landing gear strut to collapse in the near future, so the simple base will hold it for a while. Photo 7r is an overhead view. The model is still in decent shape except for the decals.

It isn't worth paying twice the cost of a twenty nine year old model just to fix decals, but there is a way to replace them that is an interesting experiment. Find either a copy of the decal sheet, or the insignia and draw it in microsoft paint. Print it on thin paper and attach the markings with a fifty percent solution of white glue and water. When everything is dry, over spray the model with semi-matte finish. This method works pretty well for flags on ship models. Then adjust the landing gear and put the model back on display. When that is accomplished, I'll let you know how it worked out.

Regards, rjccjr

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

Here is an old Tri-Master 1/48 scale TA-152H, dating back to 1991. The company went from Tri-Master to Dragon to DML over ten years or so. It can still be found on the net, but at current pricing. It's a very good kit, well designed, although somewhat fragile to handle when it's over thirty years old.

The actual aircraft was a very late war development from the FW-190D intended to intercept allied bombers at high altitudes. It was very successful and fortunately for the allies it was too late in the war. Only about fifty entered service.

Photo r1 is a side view, but the long wing is quite evident. The canopy is open. It was built right out of the box and you can see the very fine detail. Photo 2r shows the canopy closed, the very large air intake and the wide paddle blade prop. Photo 3r shows the exhaust detail of the engine and the partially open cowl flaps. Photo 4r shows the hand painted spiral on the spinner. In 1991 I could get away with that. Photo 5r shows the underside. The model was airbrushed with Floquil Railroad colors. When everything was dry, the detail was added with black artists ink. After the ink was dry, a damp paper towel was used to erase the excess. Then the decals were applied and the entire model over sprayed with a dull finish. Notice the rust colored stain around the decals. That's what happens to decal adhesive after thirty years or so.Photo 6r shows the open engine compartment. The engine was black with a few drops of white added to get a very dark gray. Then it was dry brushed with silver to bring out the details. The rust coloring on the exhaust stubs is what occurs after the engine was run several times. Notice the green scalloping carried under the leading edge of the wings. Photo 7r shows the cockpit interior. The seat belts are thin slivers of paper with the buckles painted with thin lines of silver. Photo 8r offers a better view of the wing scalloping. That was accomplished by using a fine strip of masking tape, with a wider skirt to prevent over spray. Then the paint was bounced off the skirt away from the leading edge of the wing.

The model had been cleaned sometime in the past, so the accumulated dust can go for a while before it needs further attention. Over all it has stood up well for thirty years or so.

Regards, rjccjr

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

During the late 1930s, Romania purchased a number of Polish PZL-11s. Their own design bureaus studied the plans and developed a series of indigenous designs, which did not get very far at first. Romania also gained license to manufacture Gnome-Rhone radial engines. The IAR company used design features of the PZL-11, added a low wing and the Gnome-Rhone engine to come up with the IAR-80 series of fighters. Though not purchased in great numbers the aircraft served well in World War II, some surviving until 1950.

Here is a LTD 1/48 IAR-80C built around 1986. It represents a rather handsome machine in 1943 markings. Photo 1r is a top view showing a wavy brown and green camouflage. Photo 2r is a side view. The yellow cowl and fuselage band compliment the national markings of mid war. The canopy is rather thick and wasn't particularly clear when built. Photo 3r shows the after fuselage. The decals have held up well. You can see the heritage of the PZL-11 in the fuselage and stabilizer. Photo 4r is a front view. The engine detail isn't very visible because the cowl was pretty thick and hides the engine. Photo 5r is another frontal view at an angle. You can see that the detail is present, but not particularly delicate. The thickness of the parts in general is very evident. Photo 6r is somewhat hazy, but you can see the wheel well a little better. Notice that the national markings are much further inboard underneath. The last photo shows the forward fuselage. The engine appears oversized compared to the fuselage. The exhausts were drilled out, but the opening still looks thick. The Mickey Mouse decal was well done and there is no evidence of silvering. The base is a piece of Masonite, quite heavy, but makes the model easy to handle. It isn't a good idea to try to pick up the model by the fuselage.

Although it is a short run kit and somewhat heavy handed, it was easy to build and makes a colorful representation of a significant World War II aircraft.

Regards, rjccjr

[rjccjr]

Hi All;

A couple of weeks back while cleaning up an LTD PZL-11, the problem of old decals coming off arose. After looking around the net for Czechoslovakian decals, it became clear that replacement decals were expensive and probably wouldn't be right for this kit. Further search turned up an old kit review, which just happened to show a picture of the original decal sheet. The picture definitely showed the age of the decals. Paying for a new kit just to get a decal sheet that would probably self destruct, obviously wasn't a good idea. OK! What's the next move.

Well, the picture could be saved and adjusted to the actual size by comparing what remained on the model. A little more searching would give the right colors. Photo 0r shows a reproduction of the original decal sheet, a couple of reductions of the insignia and a color corrected sample. Photo 1r shows a test sheet. In the upper left are the insignia from the old kit. A large copy in the correct colors is at the top right. The rest of the sheet shows reductions of the insignia in various sizes, with the percentage of reduction next to them. There are check marks indicating that the reductions are the same size for various locations on the model. You can see a previous test through the paper.

The set with spares was printed on a clean sheet of copy paper. Photo 2r shows the set with the model beside it. Masking tape was used to remove the remaining traces of the old decals. Then using a mixture of half white glue and water, the upper wing markings were carefully cut to size and the glue applied to the back with a wide brush. Photo 3r shows the upper wing markings in place. They were left to dry over night.

Photo 4r shows the replacement under wing markings. Photo 5r shows the rudder replacements. There is a fractured number one on the fuselage. That will eventually be replaced using the same method. Photo 6r is a side view, it's presentable. Photo 7r is a front view from above. Clearly there is a good deal of wear and tear, but the replacements sit tight and dried well. The last shot was taken after the entire model was given a dull finish over spray, which provides an even finish, water proofs the new insignia and insures that the new markings are going to stay there for a while. They will most likely last longer than I will.

Regards, rjccjr