A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: MORE WORK ON TAMIYA’S TOMCAT…

15th January 2026

More work on the Tamiya Tomcat, with all of the decalling now complete and sealed-in with VMS Satin.

This is definitely where models start to come together for me. Though many feel that weathering is where a model goes from toylike to realistic, I find that my impression of my own work starts to improve as decals begin to decorate plain paintwork.

The Tomcat’s decalling wasn’t particularly difficult or time consuming, but there were areas that gave me a few moments of concern. Those were caused by the larger designs all of which needed to settle down over the surface detail of the model in as neat a way as possible. Much use of setting solutions and new scalpel blades was made before I was happy with the look of those designs. Of course the use of VMS satin helped with this process, its uncanny ability to blend decals into surface paint so that everything looks painted on, proving once again to be very useful here.

Though I have to take my mum shopping in the morning, I should be able to begin the weathering of the model, another important step on the road to completion. Though I’m modelling a CAG jet, it was far from clean in reality, so that’s something I want to replicate as closely as possible. So far I’m on the right track, so I’m sure I’ll not have too much trouble with the remaining steps I need to complete before this model, the first of the year, is finished.

See you tomorrow.