My posting entitled “Phantom Hook” got me thinking. I’m one of those late starters. I’m 55 and been modeling about 5 years. I grow up about a mile from Grumman Aircraft where my father worked for more than 30 years. So I’ve been fascinated by flying and especially military flight for a long, but latent, time. Having said that I’m still more interested in the actual build than extensive research.
Just curious. How much research do folks do prior to grabbing the knifes and glue and starting at it? I certainly do some. I have my dozen or so reference books and dig into the web to find interior and exterior pictures. Maybe a couple of hours. Then I have at it, occasionally coming back to the references or asking my friends on the forum. While I try for reasonable accuracy my motto is “It’s more fun to be building” and it’s corollary “accuracy is good, good looks are better”.
John I will personally do at least a couple of hours research before I start anything, especially on an aircraft I’m not to familiar with. Most of the time I would agree with you in trying for a reasonable level of accuracy, but sometimes the kit has got to be absolutely spot on.
For me research is a fun and educational part of modeling. My commute to work is about an hour each way by train. This gives me time to pursue the hobby away from the bench by reading up on various subjects related to the aircraft or ship I am working on.
I enjoy the research of a particular project as much as building the model! I find I usually end up buying several books on the subject if I’m really interested in the project. Although at times it can be difficult to find quality info/books on the subject . For example, I’ve been looking for info on the Nigerian/Biafran civil war and airlift for at least 20 yrs!! As they say “the fun is in the hunt”.
Paul
Research is a lot of the fun of modeling for me, but the amount of time spent depends on the model being built. If it’s a subject I’m familiar with, I may only spend a brief time to check on colors/markings. If it’s a new subject, I will spend a lot of time looking for reference material.
My preference like others here, is to research colors and markings as much as possible for the particular aircraft I am building. I check interior photos for colors and major features which should be visable. I agree that the research is as interesting as the build as it brings the subject to life and you have a little tale to tell anyone who will listen. Joe
Research is a tool that you use “as needed”. You can build any kit “out-of-the-box” and assume that the manufacturer has accurately molded the model and has gotten the painting and marking details correct.
However, if you want to model an accurate scale replica of a specific aircraft, say Richard I. Bong’s P-38 “Marge” as of a specific date, then some research may be in order. For many of us the research is a learning process and part of the “fun”. If it ain’t fun for you, then don’t do it. For many of us the quest for a quality build, finish application, and markings application, sooner or later leads to research. Try it you’ll like it.
I have to find an AC that realy appeals to me. Once Ive found one then Ill get some refrence material and the more I read up on it, the more I find the personality of that plane. I then start to build knowing what the real plane is all about and then research even more for that particular AC. ie Capt Paul Johnson’s A-10 I dont think of it as labor, but more a need to know.
I spent over a year trying to find pix of the flaps on a Sea Vixen before I finally got some!
Out of interest: about 2 years ago a friend who builds flying models invited me to attend a talk by a ww2 asr Walrus pilot. This guy had an anecdote about how he had to make a forced landing due to engine trouble, an engineer walked off into the desert and came back with a complete cylinder from a wrecked Italian bomber, fitted that and away they went. Now this sounded like a pretty tall story to me, like taking a cylinder from a Ducati to fit to a BSA; so I kept this in mind and whenever I could I tried to find out a little more about it. Eventually I almost fell over the information that Alfa Romeo had a pre war licence to build Bristol Pegasus (and Mercury) engines. The Alfa “pegasus” was Fitted to the Cant Z500B Seaplane and the Savoia Marchetti SM79. I called the old boy to let him know what I had found and he is delighted to know after all these years. I would really like to meet that engineer, that field repair was worthy of Scotty from star trek!
Some times I want a quick straigth out of the box build, but it always turns out differently.
Example: I recently built a 1/72 polish glider (a Mucha standard). It a very small kit, with just 12 part! A weekend build one migth think (I thought so to)
But the the research bug strikes, I wanted to see some color schemes and found some in cockpit photo’s. Result, I scratch built a new seat, stick, seat belts, side consoles, dashboard and a new pitot tube… All in all this 12 piece kit took me a month to built!
And I blame research! Or are these the first symptomes of AMS?[:D]
Speaking of research, does anyone know if there is a website that shows typical weapon packages for modern jets, or what hard points can carry which weapon? (Kind of like what some Hasegawa kits have)
A couple of years ago I was in the process of building up a P-51D as a contract job for a guy to give to his father for Christmas who had been a mechanic on 51’s during WWII. I obtained the specific squadron the father was assigned from the son and was able to locate decals depicting a particular aircraft for that squadron. I decided to do as much research as possible to accurately build up the kit. I got on the internet and uncovered a web site for reunions of the squadron. I fired off an e-mail to see if the pilot of the P-51 was still alive. About a week later I received an e-mail from the pilot, now aged 84, who provided me with all kiind of details about his Mustang, plus a short bio. With his data I was able to build up the Mustang to a specific time frame, Italy 1944. The son was overjoyed by the model and gave it to his dad that Christmas. (I included the pilot’s bio with the completed model.) That Christmas afternoon I received a phone call from the father who was practically in tears. Not only had I accurately depicted a plane from his squadron, but by some quirk of fate it was of a plane he had been crew chief on in Italy in 1944. He and the pilot had been good friends but had lost touch with one another after the war and he wanted to know how I came up with the bio. I gave him the pilot’s e-mail address and they were able to make contact with one another after 60 years! (The pilot lives in CA and the crew chief lives here in FL). The research I had done made it all worthwhile and the wife said I, who she describes as a crotchey old fool, even had a lump in my throat afterwards. The pilot made a trip to FL last year and I was invited to lunch with these two WWII vets who had not seen one another since 1944. I had more than a lump in my throat seeing these two get together. Yes, I am a firm believer in research; you never know what you might uncover!
Dick McC
That is exactly the kind of thing that brings the models we build to “life”. The models represent a piece of history and should be a tribute to the men and women who “made” history. This includes not only the pilots, but the folks who kept them flying, the designers, the people who built them (Rosie the Riviter), etc. Thank you for sharing your story. The model you built with such great care for detail and accuracy now has far more value than money can buy. Three cheers to you.
the research is “history” and that is a great thing to learn
it is part of the fun but when you research and find out the model is a mm short or over and you react to that small of a detail then it is time to lay on the couch with the guy that charges 75 bucks an hour that goes beyond the fun into coo coo coocoo
I’m glad I ask this question. The story from DicK McC was great. I had a similar situation where a guy I work with father was pretty sick. I saw a picture of this guys father in his office and he was with his buddies in front of their B17. I just happened to be just about finished with a B17 build which I shared with him. He was pretty pumped.
I do not know a particular address but, in the link section I believe is the aircraft research Center… I normally do a Google search on a particular aircraft[:D] I usually get alot of hits. Research is part of the FUN[^] I spend alot of time as I want to be accurate in details & it depends upon the aircraft itself too.