A few firsts

[Guest]

Over the last few weeks, I have been making a few changes. As my modelling was slowing down to almost stopped, I decided to change things around. All of my modelling I did was done at my computer desk with the spraying etc done in my small shed bought just for that purpose.

This meant that for no reason as nothing was moving, I had a corner of the living room with a pile of tools, kits and other such rubbish sat doing nothing.

To tidy the place up a bit, I have moved the whole operation out into the shed which is a tad small to say the least but I will evaluate what is happening in the next few months to decide if I stay there or look at getting something else.

So, for the first time since I returned to the hobby over a year ago, it is not at my desk where I can work any time I want.

Since moving into the shed, I have built my first model in there, a nice kit, one of a few I was bought at Christmas.

Another first is that it is a modern(ish) US Jet, a Tomcat

The last first is that it is my first 1:144 scale kit, a Revell. Very nice it is to and just needs a few touches up and final coat of Klear. Kit fitted very well but decals were a bit of a nightmare, about 2 hours to do them. It is wheels up as it will be on a thin brass rod as in flight, OK, there is no crew but who cares. All in all, a nice little kit to build, may get another sometime to do the alternate grey scheme.

[AlanG]

Looks great Graham.

[Guest]

Looks very nice Graham , you say no crew but at 1/144 scale I think thats a right result imagine trying to do the pe seatbelt buckels on the pilots LOL

Richy

[Ian M]

Good job Graham.

Rather you than me with that shed. Its minus 10 in my shed at the moment. Wont get me out there until well into summer!

Ian M

[yak face]

Welcome to the dark side my young apprentice! 1/144 Graham , its a curiously masochistic addiction! Youve done a great job on the tomcat , like a lot of the recent revell 1/144 releases its a superb little kit and cheap as chips too, plus you dont have to worry about display space. So youre now a fully paid up shed dweller eh?!! Alot of us are in the same boat, modelling progress being dictated by the temperature and how long we can stand it , roll on summer!! cheers tony

[Guest]

Actually, it is quite comfortable in the shed. It is only very small, 4'x6' so the convector heater in there has it to around 30 degrees within ten minutes so after the initial chill, it is fine. I was sat in there last night doing the decals in shorts and tee shirt with no discomfort at all. Outside it was around 5 degrees so not too cold.

What I do like is that when building a kit, I can switch to spraying for a quick bit and continue building. While in the house, I used to build as many sub assemblies as possible and then wait until I had shed time to spray the many colours needed. I do believe it is better to have everything in one place, well easier anyway. The down side is that I cannot normally get shed time much before 9 on weekdays and most weekends so it does limit me a bit.

It is small, it is workable but I think over the summer I may be looking at a bigger space, not much bigger but I would like to get all my stuff together including the stash which is still 75% in cupboards in the house. It is hidden so much, I don't really know what I have now. Also, I would like enough space to have a photography/video station set up so I can easily do the in build pictures for reviews and a space for my Netbook to write it up as I go. I have committed to quite a few review builds for this year so the pictures and the writing take up a lot of time and stop the building bit. At the moment, I can do that when I don't have shed time but it will be a slow process. After a bit of a delay, I have just had my second review build published in Scale Models Now online magazine and they want more :-)

Tony, the Revell 1:44 kits are really good if this one is anything to go by. It does have the swing wing mechanism to link the wings but as it is in flight, I have left them fully swept back. They are fun and well priced. Might be something for John to look at?

[yak face]

Stash storage, video station, netbook area!? , sounds like youre planning a big expansion of the shed empire graham!!LOL As long as you dont start annexing neighbouring gardens in your quest for more space ,LOL!! The revell 1/144 kits are excellent, there are a few older toolings in amongst them but all the recent ones (Hunter,Starfighter ,Harrier gr7, su37,certain tornados , etc.) are brilliant and for about £4 you cant beat the value for money aspect too, Id certainly recommend the hunter,its a jewel of a kit! cheers tony

[Guest]

I'm still amazed at the detail you get with these 1/144th scale models. Lovely job Graham.

As for the shed, I guess it's easy enough to buy a bigger one when you outgrow the first one! I'm a garage man myself, I gave the shed to the wife!

[Guest]

A garage would be perfect Richard but far too expensive to build. I think a 8x8 or 8x10 would be more than enough for what I need.

Never really looked at the Hunter Tony, might have to get that one. The jets are perfect for 'in flight' display even without crew figures as they weigh nothing and a very fine rod can be used to support them.

[Guest]

Hi Graham, excellent job their especially at 1/144, must be difficult to achieve the paint finish you have at that scale without it being grainy. I have a 1/72 Tomcat F-14B in my pile, but it will be some time before I get round to it.

I envy everyone who has a dedicated workspace, I use my small office for construction and have to use the utility room in the garage for spraying, which means I have to pack everything away when I finish each time. I would airbrush more if I didn't have to rig up the compressor each time. Have started to go back to Airbrush Propellant for small airbrush jobs as its much qhicker to set up. Cheers Derek

[yak face]

A garage would be perfect Richard but far too expensive to build. I think a 8x8 or 8x10 would be more than enough for what I need.Never really looked at the Hunter Tony, might have to get that one. The jets are perfect for 'in flight' display even without crew figures as they weigh nothing and a very fine rod can be used to support them.

Graham , i think aeroclub do white metal pilots in 1/144 and possibly ozmods too, although whether these are modern or ww2 i dont know. The hunter is a beaut and even comes with 2 decal options , RAF and Swiss, its up there with the sweet kits for detail and quality of fit, cheers tony

[Gern]

That's a nice job you've done on such a tiny kit!

Having said that, you've got me all confused - which is not difficult!

You've been going on for months about your favourite scale being 1/48 and done some cracking builds. Then you said you were going to try 1/32 - just to keep me happy apparently. Then the last I heard you were working at 1/1 scale on some building or other. Now you've moved down to 1/144! I wish you'd make up your mind! :lol

Gern

[Guest]

Ahhh, Dave, you know how fickle I am as you have seen me shopping lol. 1:32 was a one off, 1:48 I still believe to be a great aircraft and armour scale but to get some of the kits I like, I have to go to 1:35 for armour. The 1:144 was half of a present at Christmas from my beloved eldest step daughter who also got me a 1:72 Hurricane (she is lovely but knows nothing about models but I still love her very much). The 1:1 scale hallway was just good old DIY and decorating. I also have a 1:1 Kitchen and bedroom plus a possible living room in my stash to.