Greetings fellow modelers!

Model Table Round-up from the July meeting

Thanks to Al Germann for handling the table formalities.

Mike Szadek starts us out with a DTR modified Gremlin to which he's added a Resin Works carb, Plastic Performance Firestone wheels and a ProTech 5-point harness by Park Distribution. He used Model Master "Guards Red" and "Bright Blue" for the paint work.

Jason Ignatjew showed his Modelhaus 1957 Savoy 4-door resin kits. He used Tamiya paints and home printed decals. Jason relates that Modelhaus kits go together very well.

Newly-elected E-Board Member-At-Large, Clint Keidel brings us two projects this month: The first is a Tamiya 1/35th M5A1 Stuart tank. He used paint by Vallejo, Tamiya and Testor's and will be applying weathering as the next step. He says that the kit tracks are too long. He's also scratchbuilt the machine gun barrels and repositioned the kit figure. The second one is a Revell 1/25th scale 1940 Willys (Big John Mazmanian). Clint built a mesh grille, blower belt, bias-ply front tires and bare metal foil for some details. He's using Testor's Candy Red and Clear from the spray cans to finish it.

Jim Greenfield is hard at work building the Soviet BA-64 by Vision Models in 1/35th scale. Jim says that the plastic is brittle and missing details. The engine is scratchbuilt as well as the machine gun area. This "crazy looking" kit is going to be painted all at once and then he'll pick out all of the details.

Warhammer "Skavions On The Rocks" is the project that Todd Habscheid brought for us to see. He painted it with Citadel acrylics and used rocks, stones and moss for added realism.

John-Allen Price's love of the early versions of the P-38 Lightning has prompted him to do the Airfix/Heller P-38F in 1/72nd scale. The model depicts the aircraft used by the 1st Fighter Group/71st Squadron at North Africa in early 1943. John-Allen built it strictly "out-of-the-box" and a multitude of shades of Olive Drab and Grey.

Paul "Picasso" Hines treated us, yet again, with his automobile drawings: a 1937 Talbot Lago, 1937 Bugatti Atlantic Coupe and a 1936 Jaguar SS100. Paul's inspiration to draw autos as opposed to building them is that there just aren't any models available to build in the subjects he's interested in portraying. Paul also relates that between the Internet, reference books and magazines, the whole "automotive world opens up for me".

Tom Brown, Sr. started to have flash backs to his days in boot camp while working on the resin "USMC Drill Instructor" figure. "Semper Fi, Tom... Semper Fi!"

Cindy Klukowski enjoys the challenge of working with water effects while building her "Lake To Log Cabin" scene. Cindy scratchbuilt the "lake" using pieces of scrap styrene and mud-colored paint to build up the edges. Woodland Scenics "Water Effects" was used for the lake itself and she's added grass and trees, again, with products by Woodland Scenics.

Larry Osolkowski brought several items to show us. The first was an Airfix 1/72 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat kit that he received as a bonus for renewing his subscription to Airfix Modeler Magazine. He said it looks like a really nice kit.

Larry's next item was a nickel-plating set that he plans on using for applying a realistic chrome-like finish to brass detail parts and photoetch. He thinks it will produce a better result than paint.

The next item on his list was a collection of bits related to his Trumpeter 1/12 scale Ford GT-40 project. Progress on the engine and transaxle were displayed, along with related detailing bolts and washers from RB Motion and Scale Hardware. Resin seats from Top Studio will be a large improvement over the kit parts, as will replacement tires from Icon Automotive Miniatures. A collection of black rubber "fan belts" was picked up on eBay for a few bucks.

Finally, Larry showed his progress on his model for the Tim Hortons Challenge, a Minicraft 1/144th DC-3.

Justen Hanna's Eduard Hanriot HD-1 is almost complete. He's used Tamiya paint in rattle cans along with Vallejo acrylics and artist's oils for the paint work. He points out that each "star" on the model is an individual decal and makes the model look "quite fetching".

A Soviet T-34/76 battle tank from 1940 is Jim Wolfe's project this month. He's been able to add some photoetch details to it and applied some primer as well.

The Tamiya M-8 Greyhound in 1/35th scale is Eric Hillebrand's current work-in-progress. He's applied the base paint from Testor's spray cans and it is an "out-of-the-box" build. The weathering shall come next.

John Zaranek has a completed 1/72nd scale "Leclerc" French Main Battle Tank by Revell for show. He used Tamiya NATO Green, Black and Brown for the camouflage colors and is planning on placing it on a home built scenic base. Two other projects he's working on are a 1/35th scale AMX-10rcr French Army tank killer by Tiger Models and a 1/35th scale "Scorpion" light tank used by the British Army. The kit is a reboxed AFV Club kit by Revell.

Last, and most certainly, not the least, John Zachritz has performed a catharsis of scale modeling this month. Here goes:

The Millenium Falcon by Revell. Currently, it's in it's "pre-painting" stage. He used a black acrylic wash and an airbrush for the first time to add grime on the exhaust ports. Star Wars scrapbook paper was used for a diorama base.

The ERTL Klingon "Bird of Prey". The display base was made with a bedroom light fixture painted to resemble a Jupiter-like planet.

"Atlantis UFO Encounter at Monument Valley" The model comes with strobe LED lights, batteries and a diorama backdrop. He used a wand from a dollar store for a light source.

Competed the Pegasus "Short Range UFO" pair. For one of the UFO's he converted a light fixture with a metal dome to a chrome plated hubcap to create a "mother ship". The second UFO was done out of the box. He sourced illumination for it from toys from dollar stores (i.e., flashing bouncing ball).

A total of five dinosaurs by Lindberg: two Diophasauruses and three Velociraptors are now completed. John used many different techniques to good effect including paints, washes and filters. Scratch building extended tongues, reanimating kit parts to make arms different and claws to rotate. Dinosaur eggs were made using Sculpy clay. He sourced scenic materials including baseball diamond dirt, pine needles from Florida and has even portrayed molting skin by using paper towels on a sixth dinosaur, a Tamiya Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The Endangered Species Series by Revell is part of Ray Weick's collection of kits that he, sadly, was unable to finish. John was able to pick up the torch and finish it in a "remembrance build". He applied a flat black for the primer and drybrushed light grey over it to accent the feather detail of the bird. A plastic dog was sourced to make a "coyote" and he built a "compound fracture" on it to simulate an injury sustained during a rock slide. He used an airbrush to tone down the pinks and yellow colors on the head and he finally added white to the feathers under the wings.

There were a number of other items on the tables.

Finally, some around-the-room shots.

Thanks to Larry Osolkowski for the photography.