Military Scale Model

[Tarmac]

Payter man gud ang Hasegawa in terms sa detail, and wala kaayo flashings ilang out-of-the-box. I'd still choose Hasegawa in my fav scale (1:4 any day over Revell, labi na modern military fighter jets.

-RODION

Rod! Tamiya has very well-engineered kits. I haven't built a Hasegawa in ages, but yes I agree they are pretty good. I'm presently building a Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1A Corsair and I'm just awed by how well it's been engineered. I'm just about to start painting it, having already filled in and sanded all the joints. I have an Eduard Essex-class carrier deck but I'm still 50-50 about using it, or reserving it for an F6F Hellcat. The model comes with s display base. Since the -1A Corsair was mostly land-based, I think I'll just look for fine sand and model a land-based diorama instead. Bougainville circa 1943?

-Kevin

[rodsky]

Rod! Tamiya has very well-engineered kits. I haven't built a Hasegawa in ages, but yes I agree they are pretty good. I'm presently building a Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1A Corsair and I'm just awed by how well it's been engineered. I'm just about to start painting it, having already filled in and sanded all the joints. I have an Eduard Essex-class carrier deck but I'm still 50-50 about using it, or reserving it for an F6F Hellcat. The model comes with s display base. Since the -1A Corsair was mostly land-based, I think I'll just look for fine sand and model a land-based diorama instead. Bougainville circa 1943?

-Kevin

Hey is that you, Kebs? I guess I got biased because I once was able to compare a 1:48 F-16C from Tamiya and one from Hasegawa, and I was surprised at the level of detail that the Hasegawa had (the Tamiya one paled in comparison). But then I never got to check out later Tamiya F-16 kits, so yes I guess my preference for Hasegawa kits are unfounded. Loved their Ground Crew kits though...had one of those too back then. Seriously, I haven't done any PSM for over 10 years now, can you believe that?

Do show me the Corsair when done! And yeah, do a "Baa Baa Black Sheep!" diorama! But I strongly suggest to avoid using real sand--try something less fluid--granted, it's more work, but I think you'd realize how annoying it will be trying to "finger in" those "footprints" in the sand, or blow stray grains here and there, each time you move the diorama around hahaha.

-RODION

[Tarmac]

Do show me the Corsair when done! And yeah, do a "Baa Baa Black Sheep!" diorama! But I strongly suggest to avoid using real sand--try something less fluid--granted, it's more work, but I think you'd realize how annoying it will be trying to "finger in" those "footprints" in the sand, or blow stray grains here and there, each time you move the diorama around hahaha.

-RODION

The Tamiya F4U-1A is a relatively new kit. It came out in 1999. It's probably one of the best-engineered kits I've ever seen (with my limited experience in this hobby). The parts fit is unbelievable. Certainly worth a look.

The stock decals I have on the Corsair are those for VF-17 "Jolly Rogers" CO LCDR Tommy Blackburn's "Big Hog". I was hoping for Lt j.g. Ike Kepford decals, what with all those nice kill flags along the sides, but I'd have to order them from a third party for that.

Yeah, loose sand would be annoying, especially for this particular model. It has a spinning prop powered by a Tamiya Mini 4WD motor and a 1.5V battery. I'd hate to have sand blowing around when I fire up that little P&W R2800. That's why I'm still entertaining the thought of using the Eduard carrier deck. Even though all F4U-1A units were land-based, VF-17 flew out of carriers briefly during The Battle of the Solomon Sea.

If I don't go with real sand, what would be a good material to use? Just yesterday, I was at Toy Kingdom and found this moldable type of play sand called "Moon Dust." It's almost like powder and is safe for kids to use. I'm thinking highly thinned Elmer's Glue will be enough to keep them on the display base... but I could be wrong.

One drawback to Moon Dust is they come in the strangest colors--pink, blue, yellow... nothing like the sand VF-17 had at Ondongo. Hehehe. Any suggestions?

The last model I completed was a Tamiya A-1J Skyraider. This was circa 2002. I got the Corsair sometime 2003. Now that I've started building it, I wonder why I waited so long...

[messerchtmitt]

Suggestion: You can use the real sand. Mixed it with Elmer's Glue and spread it to your base. You can also spray paint once dried.

[messerchtmitt]

I'm planning to build one of Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington's plane. If i'm not mistaken his plane is similar to your model. F4U-A1 Corsair.

[Tarmac]

Yes, Boyington's last aircraft, before he was shot down, was a -1A Corsair named "Lulubelle" (his wife).

[Ramini]

naa koi inquiry lang...naa koi model kit nga F16 jet fighter..it's not mine but it's entrusted to me para ma assembled...i have one question though...dli man ko kbaw mo paint ug model kits gd..if akong i assemble ba dli nko pwede ipilit ang decal stickers no?..if naa koi plano pintalan model kit..hadlok lang ko kai akong plano is ako lang i assemble then akong ipapintal ug lain..bacn unya dli na dawaton kai napilit na ang mga decals pero i think bati man pd ang kit nga walai color pero naai decals right?

[Tarmac]

naa koi inquiry lang...naa koi model kit nga F16 jet fighter..it's not mine but it's entrusted to me para ma assembled...i have one question though...dli man ko kbaw mo paint ug model kits gd..if akong i assemble ba dli nko pwede ipilit ang decal stickers no?..if naa koi plano pintalan model kit..hadlok lang ko kai akong plano is ako lang i assemble then akong ipapintal ug lain..bacn unya dli na dawaton kai napilit na ang mga decals pero i think bati man pd ang kit nga walai color pero naai decals right?

Lisud pintalan kung naka assemble na ang model. Puwede partially assembled, pero mga landing gear ug ligid kinahanglan pintalan nga naka tang-tang pa kay su-ok su-ok naman gud na.

[messerchtmitt]

You can also make use of brush. Paint brush requires more practice unlike air brush. Decals should be put after the painting job.

Send me your email add, I'll send you my references on building model kits published by Kalmbach and Verlinden.

[Ramini]

ahh thanks ninyo..murag lisod jd ni da..kinahanglan kbaw pd ka mu paint sa model while assembling it..taya..the plane will have to wait..hehe!! don't think painting it would be like painting your own wall right..hehe!! unsai style ana?..coatings2x mana dba..and naa pa pd ka dapat i paint sa model before ka mu paint sa actual color