SATURDAY HOUSEKEEPING: BOOKS, BUILDS AND FUTURE PLANS…

It’s been a very hot and very busy week in my studio, so I thought I’d best wrap up what I’ve completed and maybe give you all a hint as to what’s likely to be completed over the coming months. Grab a cup of tea, take a seat and we’ll begin!

Morning everyone!

I hope that you are well today and that you have a relaxing weekend ahead.

MODELLING AN ICON #1: SPITFIRE

Well, it’s been a very busy week, with plenty of modelling and writing now behind me. Of course the most important aspect of this week’s work has been the preparation for the release and sale today, of my new Spitfire book, details of which can be found here:

Modelling An Icon: Spitfire

Many of you reading this have already reserved a copy of the book, so if you have and would like to confirm your order, I’m really looking forward to hearing from you. Design of the book is now almost complete, with only a few details for the remaining model (Eduard’s Spitfire Mk.I) now needing to be completed. Having already released two books on this iconic aircraft, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what you think of my latest title!

THE ‘ONE OH WONDER‘

Alongside the Spitfire book, I’ve also completed the latest in my collection of ‘Century Series’ jets from Monogram.

Having already completed the F-104 and F-106, I turned my attention to the enormous F-101 Voodoo, completing my ancient kit with some equally ancient Leading Edge decals, that allowed me to replicate a CF-101B from 416 ‘Lynx’ Squadron, RCAF. As with most of these kits, it wasn’t the easiest build in the world, but the detail and accuracy of the model more than made up for the frustrations that I felt along the path to completion. And now that it is finished, I really like the model! The brutish lines of this classic Cold War jet have been captured perfectly I feel, to create a model that I am more than happy to display.

THE TURN OF THE TIGER…

Next week will see the completion of the book, but it will also see me begin the next tranche of builds for work, the first of which will be the latest 1/48 Tiger kit from Tamiya.

Offering an early production vehicles, this reworked kit now includes a plastic lower hull that replaces the metal tub that featured in the original kits when this range was first launched. This is a step in the right direction I feel, the metal tub adding little to the model other than weight, heft that is now provided thanks to a separate metal strip that finds its way into the belly of the model. I like the additional weight, I’m just not that keen on the use of a metal lower hull, when the rest of the model is moulded in plastic!

THE WOODEN WONDER

My next model after that will be the superb Tamiya Mosquito in 1/32. This is likely to form – at least – the basis of a detailed feature for the Tamiya Model Magazine, offering modellers an in-depth look at the kit, its construction and painting.

Having not built this kit before, I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes together and what I can do with it in terms of finish. I may even use some details from the aftermarket to embellish it a little further, though I’m pretty sure that there will not be too much in the way of scope for improvement!

THUD!!!

And finally, I’m looking forward to the next in my series of Century Series jets, this time around focussing on the Vietnam-era F-105G Thunderchief. This one is likely to cross my desk in September, and as such, will be the fourth addition to the collection. A kit that I’ve wanted to build since I first saw what François Verlinden had done with his in ‘On Plastic Wings’, it will give me the opportunity to finish it in camouflage, rather than the neater, single-colour schemes applied to the Voodoo, Delta Dart and Starfighter. I may even ape François’s ideas and build a diorama around it! Who knows…

So those projects are my plans for the next few weeks and months. Thanks once again for reading this and supporting this page. Thanks also to everyone who has bought my new Spitfire book and taken the time to download copies of my older titles. Your support with both of those things really help to keep this page alive and allows me to continue with my work both online and in print.

Have a great weekend everyone and I will see you all again soon!

Before I Go!

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