By Andy Renshaw

For most of us, displaying our models consists of placing them on a shelf, usually in a “best fit” manor so we get maximum display for the shelf.  Aircraft, armor, autos and figures all have the same surroundings…the shelf of choice, and if your like me maybe a slight coat of dust over some of the “archived sections”.  We all take pride in our work, and while we are working on them attend to every detail like a fine piece of artwork, so why don’t we display them as such?

A base is your frame for your artwork.  Much like well-made frame around a Monet sets off the piece, so a base will set off your work and can be used for a variety of purposes, both practical and aesthetic.

By Andy Renshaw

Sometimes we run across situations where we just cant find the right decal.  US Recognition stars as used during WWII are one such item.  These appeared on the hoods of soft skinned vehicles, as well as the tops of tilts, canvas covers, and the rear of tanks.  They were also used by the other allies.  In this case, I was working off a war time photo of a particular jeep.  I was unable to find the correct size star with white surround within my decal stash, and to add to the situation, the interior of the star marking was filled in with the infamous "gas paint".  So, out of necessity I resorted to cutting my own mask and airbrushing the marking, which turned out to be quite easy and the results better than any decal. 

Painting Bare Metal Recoil Marks on Sherman Tanks

By Ryan Harden
The Sherman tank is a very popular Allied subject for AFV modelers. Unlike their German 1/35 scale counterparts, most Sherman camouflage schemes are just plain old olive drab, however detail painting can bring them to life. The Sherman main gun carries a distinct bare metal ring at the base of the gun due to recoil.  As the gun is fired the olive drab paint gets worn away to expose a polished metal ring. We will simulate that ring using a simple dry brush technique.
Starting off our turret has been painted, oil paint washed and flat coated to prepare for the dry brush technique. Your model must be flat coated for the dry brush to work. The real treat of this technique is it can be done late in the game. The procedure begins with taping off areas around the barrel and mantlet where we don’t want the metal effect to land. The tape also creates a firm line where the recoil stops; you can use my example or consult reference materials for the length of the recoil mark. I just eye balled it!

By Hank Borger

Why resin (plastic)? As a 50 plus year car modeler I can hear the naysayers already, but bear with me a bit and I'll explain.
Somewhere in the '60's I was going my merry old way building a lot of model cars (and warbird planes) and things were good. It was the golden era of car modeling and I'd even hooked up with a major car model magazine. The plane kits were piling up somewhat, as car kits were being released at a high rate of speed. So many kits, so little time.

As was my habit with any modeling I put a lot of effort and time into it. I displayed and attempted to preserve what I did due to time and money spent. No firecrackers in models for me. Then I hit a wall that stopped car modeling for 5 years. I was primed for that day, due to other disappointments, anyhow.  That fate-full day came as I was looking at older builds on the display shelf. It came when I noticed the ugly melting of plastic where wheels met the tire. There was a reaction between the vinyl tire and the kit plastic, most noticeable with Revell tires. Thinking frantically of a hundred corrections I came up with none.

Nuts (Cleaned up expletitive) on this I thought! It was the straw that broke the camels back and I sold everything. I kept a small hand-full of favored kits and built-ups, but everything else in cars went away. Besides, there were so many of those beautiful P-40 warbirds to do.

Years went by and it was good. Although I was modeling mostly warbirds I still bought new car kits, and older "must haves". Why don't car kit makers go to resin tires, I wondered? Just like airplane kits. More years went by until I started learning resin molding. About a year or two ago the light bulb went on and I never looked back. If resin/plastic was common for planes, why not cars?
Why resin...........?

By Ryan Harden and Andy Renshaw

Taking pictures of your completed models can be a fun way to share our hobby with others. The modern digital camera makes this very easy with it’s simple point and shoot modes; however to get the most out of your photography  you will need to learn how to fine tune the camera to take better shots. Let us also confess that we are not professional photographers, but have just learned a few things through trial and error. Hopefully we can save you some steps when setting up your camera and models for your next photography session

Equipment and Setup:

Let’s start with equipment needed. The first is a good quality digital camera that has selectable settings such as ISO, F-stop, white balance, etc. Most cameras in the $200 to $300 range will offer these manual settings.  Look for a option on the selection dial for “Manual” or “M”. 

Another must is the tripod, it is very important when taking shots that you use the cameras internal timer as well as a tripod to ensure steady, in focus shots.  We won’t get too technical yet, but the speed that the camera is taking your photos necessitates the use of both of these. If you try and hold the camera and push the button you will end up with a blurry, out of focus shot.
A simple back drop of white or light blue poster board will allow your model to be the center of attention, avoid taking your shots on your messy workshop desk or other areas where other object in the shot will detract from your model.   Andy likes to use a solid black or khaki tan background depending on the subject for “portfolio” gallery shots.   Note that many publishers desire a white background as this can be easily edited out. 

by Jack Mugan

For some reason the airbrush can be very intimidating when you first pick it up and attempt to paint a fine line. In reality, it’s just another tool we can master with a little practice and muscle memory.
It has occurred to me that I have been painting models for more than sixty years, and you would think I would have mastered it by now, but I’m still somewhere on the learning curve when it comes to the airbrush. It is an amazing tool in the right hands.

By Noel Allard
Twin City Aero Historians
Menahga, Minnesota

My good friend, Jack Mugan, asked me to write about some of the techniques I use to scratch-build in wood. In retirement, I have continued a hobby which I began fifty years ago, carving balsa and pine models of my favorite aircraft. There aren’t any secrets, but fifty years of working this way may have allowed me some experiences that I can share with those of you who may be a little anxious about diving into scratch-building.