Enough with the cold and snow! I hope that you have been able to take a break from moving snow to concentrate on the intricacies of plastic modeling, or at least to think about fooling around with plastic.

John R. Zaranek
President
IPMS Niagara Frontier
IPMS USA No. 47993

Model Table Round-up from the January meeting

Tony G showed off his current work in progress, AMT's 1969 Plymouth Barracuda. Tony is using a variety of automotive paints (red, blue and white). He changed the tires and rims to reflect a period correct for Sox & Martin's drag car 'cuda. Tony explains that he had a bit of difficulty in removing the exhaust system because it is molded as part of the floor pan.

Tony is also busy working on a Revell 2009 Dodge Challenger. He's using aftermarket tires and rims. Drag slicks were put on the rear rims and he's also using aftermarket Slixx decals for Jeg's car. Lastly, he's replaced the stock hood with an aftermarket resin one to replicate a competition hood.

In case no one's noticed, Tony likes race cars!

An interesting looking model Dihatsu pickup truck was brought in by Al Germann. Al explains that he became intrigued when he saw them when he visited Taiwan and China. The model was painted using a custom mix of Citadel acrylic blue and grey. He added a real wood truck bed, added bare metal foil, scratchbuilt two mirrors and added some junk to the cargo compartment. He finally weathered it using pastel powders, artist oils, washes and hair spray chipping techniques.

A US Marine figure from the Battle of Belleau Wood, France in WWI was offered by Jim Wolfe. Jim's inspiration was the simple fact that he like the pose. Jim primed the figure with white automotive primer and then applied Humbrol colors as a base coat. This was followed by artist's oils. Final weathering was accomplished with dry-brushing and pastel powders. Lastly, a variety of bracken and leaves are used to complete the base.

Out of pure nostalgia, Jim also offered us a view of his Polar Lights kit of "The Bride of Frankenstein". Jim says the fit of the kit is poor and he finished it with Humbrol enamels.

Brian McFee showed us his Revell-Monogram US Navy F9F-5 Grumman Panther "Blue Tail Fly". Despite fit problems, he was able to beautifully finish it using Testor's, Tamiya, and Alclad II paints. Brian finished it with Tempera water based paint.

Matt Klukowski has been very busy working on a Walter's HO scale "Merchant's Row" model railroad buildings, one of which he's converting into a tavern. It's a work in progress and Matt's having trouble getting the kit to fit correctly. He's finishing it with a combination of Citadel acrylics and Humbrol and Testor's enamels.

A Tamiya 1/48th scale Skyray was brought in by Wayne Dippold. Wayne finished the kit using Model Master paint and went aftermarket with Cutting Edge decals. The only problem he encountered with the build was getting the wing tips even when they're not folded. Wayne is fond of "unusual" subjects and the markings caught his attention.

Frank Blonski brought in some resin parts he's creating some molds for: 1/32nd seat cushions for WWI airplanes (they're on the right), along with some other bits and pieces.

New member Steve Peloza brought in a 1/25 scale car which he painted Testor's Gold, with transparent green for the windscreen. He did a bit of kitbashing by taking the blower off of a die-cast car and placed it on his model. Steve's modeling love is "old school" drag racing and hot rods. Thanks for joining us, Steve and hope to see more of your work!

Ed Button demonstrated a really HUGE Revell Apollo Saturn V Moon Rocket in 1/96 scale, circa 1994. The kit stands nearly 4 feet tall. Ed acquired the kit from an on-line auction for about $35. The kit retails for about $150 and Ed knew he was getting a kit with some missing pieces. The kit was nicely assembled, but based on an early unmanned unit. Ed plans on correcting the flaws in the command/service module to reflect a flown Block 2 configuration and create a vacuum formed protective cover for the capsule that was never included in the Revell kit.

Jim Lewis brought in an equally HUGE model, this time in automobile form. Jim's 1/12th scale 1957 Chevrolet, which he's completed. He completely wired and plumbed the engine, cut open the truck and made hinges, installed and wired the head and tail lights which function off of batteries. The battery pack and switch were placed in the kit trunk. Jim used "Sinful Colors" line of nail polish to finish off the paint, this time using Metallic Yellow and shot it through the airbrush. His inspiration was to challenge himself to get the car as close to the real one as possible.

Webmaster Larry Osolkowski offers up his Profil 24 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR-997 Matmut from Le Mans in 2007. Larry explained that there were lots of flaws in this resin kit - bubbles, rough spots, poor fit, etc. He ended up scratchbuilding the roll cage (resin was "junk") and cleaned up the wheel center from the "ugly" resin part. He contracted Frank Blonski to create a mold and cast duplicates which are much better than what the kit provides. Larry used Alclad "Polished Aluminum" on the wheel centers. He chose this particular kit because he saw this car win its class at Le Mans in 2007.

Larry also brought in a recently acquired kit for future building considerations, a Fujimi McLaren F1 GTR Gulf Le Mans 1977. The kit includes basic photoetch parts, and Fujimi also offers "premium option parts" via an additional photoetch set. It's a new kit, and looks nicely done. Larry explains that it's the first plastic kit of this car ever done and Fujimi now has several versions of it available. Larry is also planning on using the Scale Finishes line of paint: RAL Black Blue and Gulf Light Blue acrylic lacquers.

Lastly, a good friend of Larry served our country on the USS Essex - CVS-9 and he's planning on building the ship for him. Larry has a couple of issues: 1) He needs to convert the Essex from its WWII configuration to the angled-deck modification the ship had when his friend served on it in 1961-1962 and, 2) Larry's never built a ship model. It's Larry's good fortune that he's an excellent modeler and he also acquired the ship's cruise book from that era and some awesome conversion references from Dick Schulenberg to help him along.

Joe Szczygielski showed us his conversion set he scratchbuilt two years ago for the Revell 1/32 EC-145 Helicopter to make it a US Army UH-72A Lakota. The resin conversion set is now marketed by Werner Wings to make it a medevac bird.

Joe is also busy building Vietnam US Army gun trucks. He's taking the AFV Club's 1/35th M35A1 2.5 ton Guntruck and scratchbuilding the cargo compartment's field applied and modified armor. The gun box itself is scratchbuilt using Evergreen sheet plastic. The model is finished in Tamiya acrylics: a 50/50 mix of Olive Drab and Flat Black. Joe says it's a work in progress.

Dick Schulenberg offers up three of his recent creations. Firstly, an Otaki 1/100 scale F-15A modified to a two-seat F-15B. Dick cut out and added the second seat, of which they are all scratchbuilt, a scratch vacuum formed canopy to fit the modification and "Remove Before Flight" tags. All painting was done using traditional hand brushes using Polly Scale acrylics. Dick did not weather the model, stating that it was a brand new airframe at the time of the build. Dick built this kit back in the early '80's.

Secondly, he showed us his Martin RB-57A in 1/144th scale by HIgh Planes/Ozmods. He decided to build the kit "wheels up" to show off the lines of the airframe. Dick relates that the plastic was hard and brittle. The canopy is vac formed as is the nose cap. This was "miserable to fit, like sanding the edges of a contact lens", says Dick. He painted the model using Polly Scale acrylics hand brushed over a Tamiay rattle can primer coat. Natural metal surfaces are from a Sharpie metallic marker pen and finished it off with Tamiya Semi-Gloss, again, out of a rattle can. Dick says that Ozmods has lots of variations of this airframe and they're out of Australia. High Planes does the decals and sells the kit out of Hong Kong. (Sorry, didn't get a good shot of the plane by itself.)

Lastly, Dick brought in one of Airfix's new molds, the F-86E in 1/72nd scale. Despite the new molds, he found some parts were wrong. There was a minor error with the canopy framing which he corrected. The wheels are wrong for the aircraft and must be replaced and the landing gear is fragile. He basically built it out of the box and says the decals are early 1990's vintage, being brittle and thick. He finished the model with Tamiya "Natural Metal" from the spray can with Tamiya "Silver" on the anodized wing panels. Dick loves the Sabre jets and the colorful markings used for the USAF Europe in the mid-1950's.

Paul Hines brought in yet more of his most impressive artwork, a Chopped 1934 "Coupe With Attitude"; Funny Car Dragster; Deuce Roadster with Flames and a 1932 Rodded Closed Cab Truck. Paul says he wants his artwork to show automotive creativity and individualism to reflect back on the time he grew up. Outstanding work, Paul!

Mike Frederick tells us that his Monogram 1/24th scale "Tijuana Taxi" was one of his friend's first model kits he had when he was a child, so Mike went out and bought it for him. Lo and behold, his friend drafted Mike into building it for him to display in his office; here is the result! Mike says that the chrome plated parts on the kit are very thick and added to the thickness of the kit parts. Also, the sprue attachment points were thick as well, making him extra work in proper clean up and fitting of them. He finished the kit using a variety of enamel and acrylics out of spray cans. A small amount of dry brushing techniques and washes were done to complete it. He did add a scale rope to the chicken crate on the roof of the model. I'm sure your friend will be pleased with your efforts, Mike!

After a lonnnngggg wait, Mark Gadek finally got his US Navy Grumman A-6 Intruder attack jet in 1/32nd scale. Mark said the Trumpeter kit is not without it's faults: the fuselage halves don't fit, the intakes are "horrible", the instructions are vague including missing steps and/or show parts placement on the opposite side of the drawings. Despite all that, Mark marched on with it with his usual superb finish. He added an AMS resin seat and intake covers, scratchbuilt the exhaust can covers, and converted it from an "A" variant to the "E". Vallejo Model Air Light/Dark Ghost Grey and Humbrol Metal Cote completed the finish.

John Zaranek shows us his current work in progress, Academy's 1/48th scale CH-46D Sea Knight helicopter. The end game, John relates, is to build the version the US Navy used as a Search and Rescue bird and plans to finish it in the Engine Grey/International Orange paint scheme with markings from Naval Air Station Point Mugu in California. As it stands, he's nearly ready to button up the interior of the cargo/crew compartment after he added many scratch built details.

Yet again, we still managed to miss getting information on a few other items on the tables. Please, don't forget to fill out the information forms if you have stuff on the tables!

Mike Martinez gave a demo on tools and methods for holding parts that are being worked on, and a simple hand-made tool for sanding difficult-to-reach spots.

Finally, some around-the-room shots of the tables and the meeting.

Thanks to Tony G. for the photography!

YOUR 2014 DUES WERE DUE IN JANUARY