So, a couple posts got me to thinking about trying to start up this one…
I few recent posts that I’ve read have all said something trying out a new method of ________ on a cheap model. I couldn’t help butturn my head to one, lone, UGLY lookin’, model in my display case. Yep, that’s right in the DISPLAY CASE … it’s my test model. Can’t remember who it’s by, but mine is a 1/72 B-24 Bomber. Built in about 20min, and tested with all kinds of crazy method from the “good-idea fairy” from all over the internet.
Upon my recent move, my wife unpacked the unruly beast and not knowing that I usually keep it in a drawer put it in the case with some of my other models. When I saw it, at first was like H:UNRFN^*%(#Y-ucking NO! … but … then I started to think about all that I’ve put her through, the primers, the paints, the washes that never dried, the glues that melted her, the open flames that melted her, the dremel that “tried” to put bullet holes in her. The one tire that’s a little flatter than the other when I tried out how to flatten tires (ok, I burned it too.) And on, and on, and on … So, since she had served me so well, I thought I’d give her a little time on display.
But, only a day or two later, my wife comes in and says, “yeah, I wasn’t sure that you wanted that ugly one in the display case or not.” I just looked over as she seemed to gleam in the light … basking in all her ugliness.
So what’s your “test” model … or am I the only one?
I’ve got an old 1/72 F-111 that has been butchered, 100 layers of paint, 200 types of filler and tricks and gawd knows what else I’ve done to it. One kit, a life time of punishment [:-^]
When I decided I must get back into modeling over a year ago, one of my first kits was an Academy 1/48 Seversky P-35. A poorly fitting, dainty molding.
She has spent more time in windex than open air![(-D] as I re-learned the air brush!
The tips I have learned here about glues, scratching etc I’ve used on current builds…very carefully. But the P-35 is the painting test bed!
The Revell 1/48 P-38 Lightning. That horrid beast isn’t good for much except experimenting on. Pretty soon it will start getting German armor camo applied as I learn how to properly use an airbrush.
I have a whole box of stuff (I’m a big pack-rat, much to my mother’s chagrin…) but the one that has been used lots of times was the Revell 1/48th B-17. I loved putting it together but my skills were so wimpy, there are tube-glue runs everywhere and… It’s just a mess! One day though, I do want to restore it and turn it into a nice-looking model after all that abuse!
Nice!!! An aircraft w/ Zimmerit!! [(-D] Good to know someone else has an “abused” model like me…
I orginally started out with the 1/72 B-24 simply b/c I hate the 1/72 scale … hat are you suppose to do with that!!! Give me something that you can only put 2-3 to a shelf … YEA!!!
since i want to try aircraft (because i was never good with armor), mine is the HB 1/72 F-15C. tried out putty on the seams, tried an aggressor camo but didn’t realy go down nice so i tried the two-tone gray/compass gray on it. tried masking the cockpit. after a few days…i realized i’ve been really careful with it even though it’s just a test model. here she is:
I use a model of the Trumpeter M60A3 as my test kit. I had never heard of the company called Wasan (Trumpeter’s distributor) and I was always a fan of the 60 series tanks. When I opened the kit, I could see it was a poor copy of the Tamiya kit complete with a copy of the instructions. It even showed placement of parts Tamiya molded separatedly that the Trumpeter copy molded on the hull. The detail was soft, almost like they left the Tamiya kit under a heat lamp before copying.
Any way, I built up the turret and hull and use it as a test bed for my airbrush.
A long time ago, I built a model of Lindbergh’s 1/16-scale fishing boat (a radio-control model that I built as a static model) and the keel came embedded in a huge piece of sheet styrene. After using the keel, that large piece of sheet styrene is still my guinea pig to this day.
Right now, I’ve got some ancient Airfix (D0 217, Bf 110 etc), Lindberg (Hs 129, Ar 234 etc) and even a couple of origional issue Revell kits in the stash (B-17F, P-51 etc) that are scheduled to become paint hulks - Although here of late, I’ve started using old plastic milk cartons to do some of my experimenting with.
