I am new to the forums and to the hobby. My husband has been building model aircraft since 1999 and buged me to death until I became interested. I am currently building my first kit it is the revelle ME-410 B-2. I need to learn more about the hobby because I based my decision on the “cuteness” of the aircraft rather than the difficulty and the company that produced the kit. I have learned several things, 1/48 scale is too small for me,and not to start an argument with anyone, but I will never pick a revell kit again. The fit of the parts, and quality is not the same as some of the kits that my husband has built. Here are some pictures of my first build so far. OK when I figure out how to do the pictures I will post them.
You think the Me-410 is cute?! [:O] Okay, you’re one of US… [(-D]
I’m curious as to why you say 1/48 is too small for you. If vision is the problem, get an Optivisor with a number 5 or number 10 lens, and an auxilliary loupe. I’m never without mine when I’m at the bench—doubt if I could build without it.
Don’t give up on Revell kits. Some are terrible—use the less expensive for experimenting with new techniques. Some Revell kits are quite decent. Keep your eyes open for old Monogram kits. And start with the simpler kits to hone your skills.
Build what you like. Like what you build.
Don’t expect too much of yourself too soon.
There is no such thing as a dumb question. There are, however, dumb answers… [:I]
You need someplace to host the pictures before you can post them. Go here and look at the top several posts to learm more.
Hey there!
Welcome. I hope your time here is enjoyable, educational and entertaining.
There’s lots of people here with lots of different skills - don’t forget, there’s no such thing as a silly question…if you don’t know, just ask. There’s dozens of folks here more than willing to help in any way they can.
Welcome to the Forums [#welcome]. The kit you picked was probably a poor choice for a first attempt, but it’s actually a pretty nice kit. Set it aside & try a couple of less demanding kits & with some experience you may change your mind about the 410.
I would prefer larger scale aircraft because I have giant “man hands” and I am very shakey[:)] Thank you for the information. My husband has posted pictures of some of his planes on here. We have since bought a new camera and are trying to figure out how to get the pics from the camera to a place on the computer to photobucket. The camera is being a pig[banghead]
Welcome from Southern California too! Yeah, we are all pretty much harmless. Well, except maybe Daywalker! (I heard he bites!) [(-D] I’m kidding, of course!
Feel free to ask. Anyone would be willing to assist you with your first build
Welcome to the forums.[#welcome] There is a wealth of great information on these sites given freely by great people. Don’t let any of it scare you. Pick and choose at your leasure. Shakey hands come with the territory. Mine shake really bad sometimes and hurt like you know what. A sign of old age in my case. Hang in there.
Ah yes, photography! Why do you think it’s called an “f” stop? [swg]
And I’ve got large “man” hands, too. That’s why tweezers were invented. However, shaky hands is another matter. I won’t pry as to the cause, but try this technique, which I’ve used for over thirty years as a microscopist. (You think your hands shake at 1X, you should see how much “steady” hands shake at 30X or more!)
When working with small parts, or when great precision is needed rest the heels (the part at the base opposite the thumb) of both hands on the edge of the work table or bench. This eliminates most of the “shake.” Another technique is to keep both hands in contact with each other when working with very small assemblies. If you’d like, I can post pictures of these techniques. Using them, I can successfully manipulate particles the size of large dust specs at 30X, no matter how much my hands may shake (too much caffiene and not enough sleep/massive doses of pain medication.)
[#welcome] to the forums! Pull up a keyboard and stay a while.
I can probably help you with the camera. I will need to know the operating system of the computer and the manufacturer of the camera.
I build 1:48 scale as a compromise between cost, detail and storage space. I have built a couple of 1:32 and I will agree that it’s a whole lot easier, whoa are they big! I tried a 1:72 once, and won’t go there again!! The Revell kit is a bit of a dog, but with work can be built into a nice model. Before you give up on 1:48 scale altogether give the Tamiya P-47 Bubbletop a try. It’s positively the easiest, best engineered kit and makes even the noobiest modeler feel like a pro!
Welcome to the forums and the hobby. Always great to find someone discovering it for the first time. I’ve been trying to get my wife interested for years…
Welcome to the forum. Hmmm, picking builds based on a cuteness factor – might have to try that [:D]. Larger scales like 1/32 and 1/24 are becoming more popular recently with Trumpeter making large inroads into that scale but they tend to cost a bit more than the 1/48 subjects. Take a look at the 21st Century kits. They have a good level of detail, are fairly accurate, great decals and are cheap. The biggest downside to them is the base color of the plastic and having to fill some really big screw holes in the wing and fuselage.
Let me also welcome you to the forum and the hobby!
[#welcome]
You will really enjoy youself, and you already have a good mind set in building what appeals to you (Build what you like, like what you build). You will get tons of helpful info on this forum, there are some extremely experienced modelers here, and you MUST bookmark Swanny’s site (see above), it is the e-bible for modelers, as is his “how to” DVD.
I have to agree that, for the most part, 1:48 is as small as I can really detail, but I do build 1:72 when the a/c I want is not available in larger. I have a couple 1:32 kits, bu they do take up significant space.
As someone already said your decision sounds like the typical model builders’ mentality. You ought to fit right in! [:D]
On the other hand, you eventually learn to “never say never” with scale model companies.
Since your main complaint is about the 1/48th scale, I won’t go into all the reasons, but you might be interested to learn that the overall best dollar value for reasonable 1/32 simple to build kits are those made by Revell.
They are usually available at Hobby Lobby and as you might know, Hobby Lobby is always having specials.
Of course, the conventional advice when beginning this hobby try to start with those kits that are rated at a lower skill level on the box. That simply means fewer parts to lose before you are done.
Also, in general, and American aircraft subject is simpler to finish then a foreign one, because generally the U.S. kept it’s wartime colors simpler and there is more information on them.
Also, with Revell kits, you generally have to ignore their painting instructions because they prefer their own unique stuff. I always have to re-check the details they give on teh internet by reviewing various kit reviews of the same aircraft, etc. For any specific questions as to “what is this____?”, feel free to ask us here. On the other hand, Monogram is made for for the American builder, with less complex finishing information, which means you can use common Testors ModelMaster paints, etc.
We will be glad to help you work your way through it in any case.
Also, after you further develop your skills, certain model builders have been known to go back and re-do a kit they feel not-too-proud of. It is easier then you might think.
Welcome aboard. As others have said there is a lot of information on this forum, And don’t be afraid to ask questions. We all learn from them even though some of us have been building for a long time. Personally I have been building models for more than 60 years. I am still learning new things from reading the postings on the forum.
I can heartily recommend the old 1/24 scale Airfix/MPC kits you will find on e-bay and your local hobby outlet. (obviously you will pay a bit more if you buy retail) I started back into this hobby in 1/24 scale - there is plenty to keep you busy. By the time you build JU87, FW190, Bf109, Spitfire, Hurricane, P51, P47, Zero, you will definately have caught the bug. Its just a shame you dont see more of this scale in the forums. [#welcome]