I am not a numismatist nor a philatelist as is Toshi - at least according to what he’s posted in his profile - but I do enjoy reading, hiking, photography and building plastic ship and aircraft models. The latter has become more of a challenge to me with my sometimes shakey hands and fingers and my less than optimal eyesight. That having been said I do hope to improve my skill set (as minimal as it may be) in building models.
I hesitate to start a WIP since my end results are never of the caliber that I see on FineScale but the act of opening up oneself to constructive criticism and helpful ideas along the way to completion of a build is one of which I know I should take advantage. So, my comprimise will be that I’ll show some work when I’m not embarrassed to let it be seen but withold much of my build progress until I’ve reached a point where I feel I can safely complete my project. In the mix will be questions that I’ll ask and decisions that I feel I need help in making by drawing on the generous and knowledgable brains of the modelers on this site.
I’m showing the sprues and AM material with which I’m starting as my first post - I have washed, rinsed and let dry the sprues. According to the instructions I should choose which aircraft to build at this point. I’m going to attempt the “A” aircraft - It’s the one depicted on the box art. I was thinking about one wing folded and the other extended but I now think I’ll just do it with both wings extended. I suppose - again, according to the instructions - I should now find and drill out all the necessary holes in the tail, fuselage, and wings.
I have bookmarked John Ratzenberger’s build of the Tamiya kit here:
and noted his admonitions and observations. If any of you have something you feel might be of value to me in my build I’d appreciate your letting me know.
OK, enough of the hedging - Here are the sprues, etc. Don’t expect another post from me for several weeks - the weather is improving and that means that I’ll be outside practicing some of my other hobbies more often [:D].
Mike
Oh, wow 1943Mike, it looks like you’re really set up to do this build. I like the choices of your AM additions. Please, don’t worry about mistakes, every single build I’ve completed had an issue, some small, some major. FSM Forum members are fantastic! They’ve helped me grow and teach me (Some in real time) not just how to finish my kits but they have helped me in life as well. I’m excited for you, and can’t wait to see your WIP.
I forgot to add, I started collecting coins and stamps while residing in Europe. I eventually sold my whole collection for the purpose of monetary funds for relocating Mrs. Toshi and my two children. At the time, I knew that I was seriously investing in my family. Did it payoff? Hell yah!!
We did so well in that I got to start my collections again. I’ve also started to collect rare football cards as well. I started collecting football cards in 2012. I have some really great cards with autographs, just to throw some names out, Johnny Unitas, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck. I also started a very small collection of baseball cards. These cards are from 1913-1915, called T-206.
Currently, as is obvious is that my collecting has ceased, and I now have focused all of my attention in building model kits. Why model kits? Besides being therapeutic, I enjoy the fact that when a kit is completed, I can tell myself that I did that. This is such an exciting hobby.
I’m glad you decided to try a WIP. I’ve always found them rewarding. I hear ya about modeling in the nice weather months. The string bag has been on my wish list for a long time. I look forward to your progress. .
I’m going to be counting on you guys to give me some tips and encouragement along the way. Like I said in my original post, It’ll probably be a work in progress where I’ll do some portion of the kit, run into trouble and ask for advise. Toshi could build 5 kits (maybe a dozen) before I’m done with this one [:D].
I’m not much into double wingers but the Fairey Swordfish is the one I do want to build because of the famed history of this fine aircraft. You chose an excellent kit in the Tamiya and I am looking forward to your WIP.
I am a slow builder as well ,since this time of year has me out-of-doors with car repair, boat repair and especially fishing before it gets too hot here in Florida, after which I retire to the in-of-doors and the air conditioned hobby room.
Nice to see you do a wip Mike. Wish you good luck. I’ve read the main thing with this kit is to just make sure you dont’ forget to open up any holes for struts/rigging, and ordinance. And…Cliff Clavin built this model too?[:P]
Well, you did chose a good kit for your first WiP, as a newer Tamiya she shouldn’t have many issues. And take your time, it’s a hobby- no point in working on it if you’d rather be doing something else.
I was actually searching for the floatplane version but couldn’t come up with one (at least in a reasonable price range).
Gamera,
I am certainly going to take my time on this puppy. I have a feeling it’ll be a very entertaining/enjoyable build for me.
Nathan,
Cheers!! No, I don’t think Cliff was into plastic models [B].
Jay Jay,
Looks like our modeling seasons are reversed. Even with a chance for rain today I’ll likely take a 3 to 5 mile walk in our wonderful Minto-Brown Island Park here in Salem today. After months of rain and cloudy weather any day that’s likely to be mostly dry is a good day to get outside. [;)].
Theuns,
Thanks for chiming in. I hope this WIP won’t be too much of a disappointment to many of you who are planning on dropping by.
Please understand that this work in progress may be a bit too rough around the edges (read amaturish) for viewers with modeling skills such as yours.
I’ve enjoyed watching several of your posts and try to pick up a tidbit of model building tips from your work as I do try from so many others on this site. I am, however, not in the same modeling ballpark.
I am expecting my build to be fun.
I just ordered some paint from Hobbylinc some of which is back ordered through the end of June so I may have to try mixing some of my existing paint stock for parts of the cockpit. Don’t expect perfect color accuracy from this project.
As a child I went to summer camp near Kean, NH. I recall climbing Mt. Monadnock using the white dot trail. Are you anywhere near that part of the state?
OK, I’ve done a little work on the cockpit but I’ve also, in my zeal to take a few pictures of my progress, broken off the machine gun from its bracket. I’ve glued the gun back on but I’ve taken the liberty of adding some CA/acrylic powder to the join that will no longer conform to reality. Too bad but on we march!
First, some pictures of my work area. It’s the small, second bedroom in my condo that I’ve converted to my hobby room.
Then follow several pictures in order of my progress. I’ve used a few parts from the Eduard PE set - mainly got it for the seatbelts (that’s another story [:D] - coming up).
I mixed up Tamiya paints to get something that might be passable as the interior green in the Swordfish cockpit area. I used XF-71:3, XF-57:1, and XF-58:1 if anyone’s interested.
Back to the seatbelts - I added the pilot’s belts without too much difficulty although I left out several parts that were just too tiny for me to work on - remember shaky hands, etc.? Then a couple days ago, when I had most of the parts of the cockpit ready to assemble, I did so without having added the seatbelts to the gunner’s chair [:$]. Yesterday I made an attempt to add the belts that are attached to the aluminum floor and draped over the gunner’s seat. I think I spent at least a frustrating hour trying to pre-bend them in a way that would allow them to drape over the seat and lie more or less flat on the floor of the pit. Getting them in there after having glued the sides of the cockpit together was a lesson in paying more attention to thinking ahead [:)].
I’m not very neat and tidy - I try, it just isn’t in my DNA to do the fastitiously realistic work I see done on this site all the time. But I’m enjoying myself immensly while trying to get this stringbag together.
The Swordfish is looking great ! Really nice details, your color mixing of interior green looks right on, the cockpit looks like I could climb right into it, and the photography is gorgeous.
So just one question . . . remind me again what you you said was gonna be “rough” about these posts ?
I know where the “rough” areas are and try not to show too many of them in the pictures. All in all I’m happy enough with my progress - mistakes, omissions, et al. So far the build has been lots of fun. I’m a little worried about some of the upcoming steps but I’ll deal with each slowly and as methodically as I can.
Looking great so far Mike. Your British interior green looks fine to me. I’m digging the model closet too. Looks like Tamiya did a nice job on the fish’s cockpit detail-wise.
