Welcome to Virtual 2021!

 

Welcome to our first

Virtual Meeting of 2021

The Earley Risers have kept busy.

Here's what we've all been doing
 over the festive break and into the new year, modelling-wise, in roughly the order the responses arrived...

... Thank you Tref, Geoff, Andrew, Martin, Jeff, Mark, Tim, Phil, Roger, Les B, Simon, Sean, Hugh, Les V and George.

Click on the images to see most of them larger!

Tref

"Many apologies, meant to send you something as, despite a bout of COVID last month, I actually managed to finish some kits…!"

 

Air France Express/Jersey European BAe 146-200. 1/144 Revell kit, decals from F-DCAL.

Kaliningrad Avia Tu-134A. 1/144 Zvezda kit, decals from Avia Decals.
 

"I've finally finished my RNLI Severn Class Lifeboat after quite a few years of it being stuck in construction... The fact that I had the Sea King - the other half of the "Search and Rescue" set that the kit came in - on the ER stand at SMW 2014 indicates just how long I've had this as a work in progress... In the end I added a few bits and pieces to the basic kit. After a comment that you made years ago, I replaced the appropriate bits of railing with thread to simulate the wires on the real thing. I also added more of the antennae, drilled out the searchlights, added the appropriate name and painted over the (really poor) decals for the lining - the straps on the floats at the rear are from painted Tamiya masking tape." 

"I did it as the Portrush Lifeboat, as Kath's grandparents lived nearby in Portstewart. This particular boat, the one based there when they were still alive, unfortunately ran aground in 2008 and was subsequently scrapped. I'd not built a ship kit since the 1980s, and having struggled my way through this one with the odd construction sequence, random part numbering and non-prototypical painting instructions it may be another long gap before I attempt another one..."

"Anyway, hope that you are keeping well and that we can meet up at some point this year."
 

Andrew

"Just finished the 1/35 Miniart T-60 Factory 264 which I really enjoyed, possibly their best interior kit.  It has the right balance of detail, parts count and fit.

So now switched to the 1/35 Miniart GAZ AAA Staff bus, one of four I have in my GAZ stash.  Spent all last night fitting the rear axle rod brake linkage (no servo assist luxury in those days)."

George

George is back to building his
Sea Fury with added motor.
Next project could be a Merlin
with moving rotors!

 

  

Geoff

"Courtesy of my employer (take some more leave or lose it), HMG (Tier 4 and lockdown over Christmas and New Year) and a paint set (Christmas) I can present, with an image of each:

A Churchill Crocodile where painting has progressed

A toon Churchill (a fun build) – to be fettled a bit and then painted in typical boring green or maybe…

 

Another Churchill in build – spent this weekend assembling the tracks; next weekend hope to assemble the turret."

 

Martin

"Not far off finishing the Land Rover."

 

 

" I’m moulding a second replacement lower wing for a 1:48 Ju52, had to bin the first attempt it wasn’t any good. "

"Assuming the current attempt is successful I will make both Ju52 kits in parallel or concurrently, haven’t decided yet. Only have one set of partly usable decals so will need to raid the piggy bank. 2021 already a challenge!"

 

Jeff

“The following are what i have been doing over the past few weeks or so.

Italeri 6546
Opel Maultier with Nebelwerfer rocket launcher on the top,

Still in progress more bits being added to the interior before putting the top of the vehicle to the bottom section. Painting seems to be taking a long time, but i will keep going. Hopefully finished shortly.

Tamiya 35203 Jagdpanther late version
This is a reasonably simple kit whichI got about a week ago along with another 4 models and decided to start it. So far I have built the lower hull, back panel and wheels but realised I  need some grilles for the engine deck. It shows a set on the instruction sheet, but upon checking with Hannants a couple of days ago it seems they are no longer stocked. So will have to get some Eduard etch for it.

Generally going together well as would  be expected of Tamiya. Think I have some decals on hand so looking forward to getting the airbrush out again.

Das Werk 35001
Faun L900 hard top cab (2in1)

What you get here is the original soft top cab early war German 3 axle truck and several new sprues for the hardtop cab and wheels and tyres. A really nice comprehensive kit with the option of 3 soft top variants ww2 and 3 hardtop variants postwar in civilian liveries.

Lots of bits and lots of patience needed to complete this one. Am looking forward to starting this soon.

 

Tamiya 35370
Jagdpanzer Marder1 sdkfz135

Yes I am aware of the fact I already have at least 2 other kits of this type of vehicle. I wanted to see if it was all new tooling or a revamp of one of the older kits. The joyous news is it is all new from Tamiya. It looks to be a reasonably easy build but will let you know when I start  it in a couple of months.

The older kits by RPM and PANDA are no match for this one. There are 3 schemes available, 2 unknown units, France 1944 and eastern front 1943 and 15th inf. div France 1942/43.

It has very nice length and link tracks plus a nice 75mm pak 40 gun. The chassis is a French Lorraine tractor modified to carry the pak 40 75mm anti-tank gun. should be fun to build.

Italeri 3945
Volvo F16 Globetrotter canvas back body
1/24 scale kit

This is the latest version of the canvas back body on whichever chassis is chosen. The  only gripe I have is the end of the box shows a 3-axle vehicle, but what you get is a 2-axle chassis with the canvas body and a tail lift. The mouldings are all very clean and it should assemble reasonably easily.

I am looking for another on a different chassis that is part built somewhere in the garage to complete as wel,l when this on gets started.

Well that’s about all my news for the moment.”

Mark

"I have worked solely on the Tamiya 1/32 F4U1 Corsair this month. Referring to pictures and articles and wartime photos, I wired the ignition harness. I had used a resin aftermarket conversion to backdate the engine to the correct ignition system.

It is at the painting stage. By the end of the weekend it should all be painted, faded and maybe the decals will be on. I need to decide which markings to use; I found images on the web of all aircraft featured in my Techmod decal set and can see each was weathered, faded and dirtied in different ways and to different extents. Which will I manage to replicate best?

I shall be using the salt method for chipped/worn paint. In particular there is a patch on the starboard wing root where a ground crew member stood to turn the starter handle.

Then who knows? My communion service diorama? Or the Kinetic Harriers. Or the Revell Tornados? Or the Airfix Victor? The choices are bewildering. Another decision will be which older built kits have to go to make room on the display shelves for new completions. That will be the harder decision."

 

Tim

"I’m going to admit to having suffered from apathy towards the hobby during the pandemic - with no model shows, especially SMW to focus my efforts, my usual glacial pace of modelling virtually  stopped. 

In December we had the ceilings in our house re-plastered and my hobby room was out of action - filled with all the stuff relocated from other rooms and then emptied whilst it was plastered and decorated. 

With the room re-kitted (no pun intended) I’m now back actively modelling and some progress has been made on a number of 1/35 scale military transports I’d promised for the Mulberry Harbours SIG.

I also dug out the 1/48 HK B-17G and started to detail all the interior parts prior to a bit of glueing; though my initial conclusion is that most of this work will be wasted as most of it won’t be visible once the fuselage is closed up!"

      

 

Les B

Les has gone back to his 1/32 Heinkel He111 that he's converting into a Spanish CASA 2.111

Phil

"This month I have been concentrating on figures. I had some new acrylic paints for Christmas so I have been trying them out. I rashly bought a bust of a French General as a result of seeing one completed on Planet Figure forum. It required some adjustments to the facial characteristics as it didn’t look a lot like the subject, General Paul Rollet, who was known as the “Father of the Legion”.  So, the beard got changed but the other alterations were impossible as the whole head and torso is badly depicted. Anyway, I persevered and finished it (Picture 1) and I am relatively pleased with the result.

The second half of the month, post Christmas I completed a 75mm American Civil War figure representing a Confederate Infantry Officer. This is by Spanish outfit FeR and it was a pleasure to paint. (Picture 2). I’m going to have a break from figures this next period, and am about to start Roden’s 1/48 North American T-26 Trojan using aftermarket bits and Vietnam War markings, so that will be next month’s report."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roger

"Before Christmas I added the decals to complete the Dinky horse box. I then scanned in over 1,000 B/W negatives and Transparencies onto my pc. With that finished I had another look at the E.II but have had trouble sticking the photo etchings down so have decided to leave it for now. 

 

Instead I have started building the BlackLabel 1:35 Saladin Mk.2 which I purchased over three years ago, having first read an article about constructing it in Model Military International. Must remember to read the instructions more carefully as I nearly fitted a piece the wrong way round, though I suspect I am not the first person to do that !"

 

Simon

“Been off the radar for a while, but I am dabbling again (time and lifestyle permitting ) The Miniart building is for a 1/35 diorama with American G. I figures. A first in this scale so fingers crossed. And the Airfix 1/72 Hurricane is going to be (Hopefully ) essentially painted and left on the sprues and put in a picture frame. Saw something similar a few years back and thought it was a novel idea, again fingers crossed. Stay safe everyone keep up the inspirational work your posting and above all else, Happy modelling. Hugs and soppy stuff.”

Sean

“The good news this month is that I actually finished something (2 somethings)!

Tamiya
Thunderbolt P47M 1:48 OTB.  

Had fun with this trying some different weathering, some of which worked, others not so much. I’m happy and it looks OK just as long as you don’t look too closely!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hobby Boss
Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf.G 1:35

Decided to keep this one simple. It’s the old Tristar kit, which is very good, re-boxed by Hobby Boss.

Its painted in the markings of the 21st Panzer Regiment, 20th Panzer Div, serving in Russia 1943. 38(t)s are normally seen in Panzer Grey so I thought one in Dunkelgelb would be a bit different.

Pretty much built out the box but with metal tracks and a few details added.
It’s mounted on a simple base. I might add a crew figure the next time I sit down to do some figure painting.

 

 

 

 

 

The big project
This continues to chug along. I decided that the church ruin was too big so have cut it down, this included taking a large chunk out of my finger with a scalpel along with much blood and swearing.

I’ve built the road using MiniArt vac formed bits and added a drain and manhole cover for interest. I’ve made the pavement from foam, I’m not sure about this yet, will see how it paints up.

This keeps growing, I’ve added two more figures so am now up to 8. I decided the Jeep (the old Tamyia kit) need to have the front wheels angled to give the suggestion its just pulled up so more scalpel work to allow wheels to turn. I might be over thinking this!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hugh

“Wishing everyone a Better New Year. Many distractions to my modelling this month and I am metaphorically on the down escalator running up. Masking ripped of some paint, the first time in a long time. Remasking, I decided on a different tack (pun noted) with an equally disappointing result. Another model destined for the "Project Suspended" Box of Doom.

On the positive side I made two 1:32 spinners for Les's CASA 111, have done some (worldwide) research for an interesting (kit) project, researched several scratchbuild projects I have in the pipe-dream-line, thought about my contributions to our 2021 Nationals Display, completed 4 wooden chests based on old wine boxes for Christmas presents, installed the new display cabinet, borrowed a tug-boat hull off Roger for cloning porpoises (they do wriggle),and  made some miniature bog brushes from Interdents for cleaning airbrushes and very small (straight) u-bends.

Meantime Pamela and I continue to get outside the monster 18lb turkey that was delivered on Christmas Eve. I ordered a small bird in November when we expected slightly more than 2 for dinner. On the plus side we found the experience way less stressful than dealing with a household of excited guests whilst manoeuvring birds, sprouts, pud & port in an over-crowded kitchen."

"May all your modelling issues be resolved positively!”

Les V

Les has been finding out old, forgotten kits lately. A bunch of Airfix Buffalos are having cowlings extended to bring them up to RAF etc versions. Also, the remains of a Starfighter display, last seen on the IPMS stand at Greenham Common, has resurfaced from the loft. Les intends cross-kitting bits to make a few.