Brian's
Scale Modelling Page
One of my hobbies is building plastic scale models. This was something
I was very into in my youth, and my interest was revived a few years ago
by my wife when I found myself needing a break from computers. As hobbies
go, it make a nice break from the world of electronic madness
``it has nothing whatsoever to do with computers and things
electronic, '' ;-)
and until I finally bought a compressor for my airbrush, it didn't even
involve anything electical (unless you count the desk light in my dungeon,
um, er, basement modelling area - please try to
resist the temptation to point out that I'm usually in the dark, anyway).
Modelling Sabatical Announcement
:-(
Due to time constraints, and
the need to spend far more time at work, and other committments, it has
become necessary for me to put my modelling aside for the forseeable future.
This was not an easy or happy
choice, as it did provide my one real escape from work, and
portunity for relaxation, however, as just about anyone
in the computer industry can tell you, time for hobbies
and R&R is a luxury to be enjoyed after you retire.
I will continue to try and
maintain the IPMS ``Buzz'' Beurling page, and I plan to continue
as a member of the club, but I will not be pursuing any actual
modelling for the forseeable future.
If I'm fortunate, I hope to
be able to return to it in a couple of years or so.
--Brian MacNamara
|
Modelling Dreams:
......... Slaving under the glare of the lamp......
......... 'Mind' constantly numbed by the incessent beat of loud ROCK....
......... Flesh constantly assaulted by sharp X-acto knives & other
pointy objects...
......... taken to the physical limits (eye strain!)...........
......... as well as beyond the mental confines....(glue & paint
fumes).....
......... all to create (subjectively) visually pleasing blobs of
. . . . . plastic............
-- The Unknown Modeller (whose initials might just be S. H.)
(there's a chance he was suffering from plastic withdrawl at the time
this was written -- at least I'm hoping that was the reason...)
Club Affiliations:
I'm currently a member of both the IPMS Canada (# C4728),
and IPMS/USA ( #32853) organizations, but to me, more importantly,
after going it basically alone for many years, I finally discovered the
joys of getting together with a bunch of like minded, plastic craving folks,
and joined a modelling club - definitely one of the best things I've done.
I consider myself lucky to have linked up with a small, but particularly
friendly and relaxed group, whose main objective is to just have a good
time - after all, isn't that what a hobby is really about? Here's the club
web page (for which I'm cheif babysitter, and stenographer):

Most of the interesting modelling stuff I'm involved with, will be hiding
in there, these days, rather than up here. Including model photos, tips
& ideas, events, and coming soon, walkaround ohoto sets!
In one sense, there is another `club' I belong to. I've gotten
to know some of the best folks in the world of modelling via the Net -
the world's biggest modelling club. I'm indebted to many of you for endless
great ideas, help, and just plain great fun.
Useful Modelling Pages
Here are some of my favorite modelling links (check the IPMS
``Buzz'' pages for many more!):
-
Tom Rea's Modelling
Page. Tom is a great guy, fellow modeller, and a good friend to
have, in spite of being stuck in the cold north of Ottawa. His pages have
some really worthwhile things on them.
-
Gavin Stratfords
Aviation Page from the U.K. After recently surviving a wedding
to a lady from Hamilton, we're working hard on stealing Gavin away from
the U.K. to join us here. In any case, another great fellow modeller, and
friend.
-
Dan Johnson's
Luft'46 pages - this being one of my longterm interests, to discover
someone who has made many of these ideas come to life is more than facinating.
Dan has also been of endless help to me in tracking down information for
my ventures into scratchbuilding.
-
FineScale Modeller
FineScale is one of the best magazines available for modelers (at
least from North America -- there are some great ones out of the U.K.),
and one of the few that are for people who build models, not just sell
finished ones -- they haven't forgotten to answer the question "how" or
that not all modellers are absolute experts on everything.
-
My personal favorite hobby shop in Toronto is North
Star Hobbies. Sheldon, and the folks there, have always been willing
to put up with my eccentric requests for items from around the world, all
of which he has managed to get for me with a smile. ...There was that matter
of Sheldon's suggestion for doing the He 162 I bought, in a Bavarian Beer
hall colour scheme, however...
If you do see Darren lurking about the store, please pick on him for
me - he really loves it! ;-)
Note: I have no involvement with N.S. other than as a VERY happy customer
(or is that addict).
Modelling Sources
If you're from out of town (around Toronto, we can get almost everything
locally), here are some useful links (remember: Support Your Local Hobby
Shop!!!!:
-
For Canadians in particular, and anyone in general, North
Star Hobbies can provide really good coverage of subjects, and
without the hidden costs of the exchange rate, and any customs duties.
Price wise, I know they are amongst the best in and around Toronto, so
I'm sure that by mail order they are quite good.
-
One of my favorite places to shop by mail is Meteor
Productions who carry just about every kind of resin, vac-form,
and photoetch accessories, and often kits, going, not to mention more decals
than models exist.
-
If you favorite hobby shop doesn't have the kits you want, Squadron
Mail Order usually do. Their monthly specials can contain some
real bargains, but for fellow Canadians, and other non-U.S. residents,
remember to watch out for the exchange rate, and shipping costs -- these
can quickly make what seems like a good deal equal the cost your hobby
shop is charging.
-
When all else fails, you can always turn to Hannants
in the U.K. They carry most things, and have an online catalog that includes
a truely scarey wealth of escoteric kits and aftermarket bits, not to mention
mainstream items.
My Modelling Interests (almost exclusively flying things)
-
Canadian aircraft, particularly from between 1955-1980, in 1/72
or 1/48 scale. If anyone ever hears of a Canadair Argus kit,
let me know.
In the mean time, I plan to make my sacrifice to the modeling gods by
stirring together a witches brew of an Airways Brittania Vac, a
Heller DC-6, a Hassagawa P-2 Neptune, and a whole lot of
putty (anyone know where I can get it by the kilo?) and try to come up
with something bearing some resemblence to an Argus. Wish me luck -- I'm
gonna need it!
-
Nightfighters in 1/48- from any era or part
of the globe. I prefer ones that carried radar, but if it was intended
for nocturnal aerial combat, I'm interested.
-
Early jets, and advanced piston a/c and in particular, various
Luftwaffe `Projects' or as the current catch phrase goes, Luft'46
subjects, all in 1/48 scale. Also in this category is a particular interest
in Flying Wing designs.
My interest is in the technology, with absolutly no tie to politics
- this was a time when the science of aerodynamics was going through changes
faster than it could keep up, and wonderful fresh ideas were abounding.
Knowledge was advanced enough to see many interesting possibilities, but
not far enough to know what would be the way to go.
These days, given the parameters of what a plane is supposed to do,
one can almost deterimine 95% of its shape before anyone starts to design
it.
So many weird and wonderful aircraft that fall into this category, that
I never dreamed of seeing kits for, have shown up lately. It is indeed
a good time to be a modeller!
To make matters even better (or worse, depending on your view), thanks
to my friend Dave Askett, I've started venturing into the world
of scratchbuilding for the ones that aren't out in kit form. No results
yet, but I'm really looking forward to this!
Some modellers question why anyone would build models of something that
didn't exist. Why not? It's not as if a model IS the real object. It's
not even as if it portrays it exactly 100%, if it does represent something
that did exist (unless they work in 1:1 scale, and even then I'll wager
on them missing the boat somewhere). Models are what YOU want to build,
and nowhere is there anyone who can justify saying they MUST be of something
that existed to be valid.
-
Modern (military) aircraft in 1/144 scale.
I got into building these when I was still in an appartment, and had
no place to put my finished models. With 1/144th scale kits, I could have
an entire squadron sitting at the edge of my modelling desk and still not
take up any space.
These days, I mainly use these as a break between the more serious projects
(unlike some folks, I don't try to do full instruents, and seatbelts in
these - my eyes can barely do that in 1/48th!
-
Anything else that happens to catch my eye... Yep, you guessed it
- an official cop-out category! ;-)
I have sort of an unofficial category here, of those WWII aircraft I
find aestheically pleasing. In this case I could care less whether the
thing flew like a dog - it's only my own opinion of what looks neat that
counts! Again, these are only in 1/48 scale (my eyes aren't what they used
to be, and the fingers have trouble with anything much smaller than a keybord
key...
On the Workbench
Here's what's underway at the moment (it usually takes me a long time to
complete any models - I don't get a lot of free time (sigh) and these days,
the ole AMS is pretty bad (just trying to do a kit OOTB hurts!).
-
Monogram 1/48 CF-101 Voodoo, with the excellent Leading
Edge markings for it. My Canadian kits are usually a pretty all
out effort (or as close as these clumsy paws can muster).
-
Accurate Miniatures Mustang IA, in Flightpath (?) Dazzle markings.
This is for a club pseueo-contest where we are doing the Mustang of
our choice, OOTB (3rd party decals are allowed). I can't stand bubbletop
'stangs, but I do like razorback ones, especially with the Malcolm hood
(yeah, so this isn't 100% accurate, with the decals - PROVE to me it didn't
happen! ... then see if I care! ;-} ).
-
Focke-Wulf
1000x1000x1000 Projekt B jet.
This is my first venture into scratchbuilding, and so far, I'm enjoying
it throughly. I'm still working on the masters (actually just cutting out
and shaping the templates, but the more I do, the more I'm looking forward
to it. I've been facinated with this particular a/c design since I was
in my early teens, and saw an artist's rendering of it. I figure I'll never
see a 1/48 kit of it, so I'll darn well make my own! :-)
Wanted...
Every modeller has a wishlist of the kits he or she would love to see be
made. I have to admit to some very guilty feelings as most of the items
from my wishlist have either appeared over the last year or so, or are
in the works (and belive me, I CAN wait - I have other kits to work on).
So, if you're wondering who it is that the model companies have been
catering to while ignoring your life long desire for a kit, I'm that
person!!!! And I LOVE IT!!!!
I'm not sure how I wound up being this lucky, but from my perspective,
these are definitely the halcyon years of modelling!
Still, I do have a number of items that I'm hoping for, some of which
are available, but not in a form I can justify, and others that I `know'
will never be kitted until the day one can simply feed plans into a computer,
push a button, and have a kit pop out the other end... so here's my wanted
list (and given the nature of how things have been going, this is a VERY
moving target!):
Canadian (either 1/72 or 1/48):
-
Canadair Argus (though I'm planning on converting the Airways Britainia
vac-form to get one). Since this is my list, and I can be greedy, I'd like
both a Mk.I and a Mk.II, but if I have to choose, I'll go for a Mk.I -
if you're going ugly, you might as well go for broke!
-
Canadair CL-84 Tiltrotor (Preferably 1/48, but I'd take 1/72. The
expensive resin kit that appeared recently is out of my reach. There was
an injection kit out many many years ago - I had it as a kid - but I don't
know who made it, or what scale it was).
-
de Havilland Comet Mk.I (in 1/72 or even 1/48. To be done in RCAF
colours, of course - my first flight was on one of these ... at age 2).
WWII German (1/48 only):
-
Just about any Luftwaffe project / Luft'46 a/c. If things work out, I may
not wait for these, but instead, I'll scratch build them myself! (Some
people are just never satisfied! ;-}).
-
Heinkel He 280 (I've heard rumours aboud Eduard, but nothing certain
WWII/Post-war British (1/48 only):
-
Bristol Blenheim Mk I (to be a NF, though I like the looks of the
Mk.IV with the real cockpit)
-
Bristol Brigand (Okay, so it's not actually a nightfighter, but
it `was' used for training for the role, and it's close enough for me -
besides, it's a neat plane)
-
de Havilland Hornet (or a decent Sea Hornet would do) . Again
to be a nightfighter.
-
Fairy Firefly Mk.1. Again to be a nightfighter - can you see a pattern?
(I'm not brave enough to follow in Dave Askett's footsteps, nor do I expect
results like he got!)
-
Gloster E.28/39 (Whittle) . No, not a nightfighter, this time! I
can hear the collective sigh of relief. :-)
-
Gloster Meteor 10,11,12,14 nightfighter(s). Any or all. ;-)
French (1/48 only):
-
Vautour IIN (yes, a officially a nightfighter)
WWII U.S.A. (1/48 only):
-
Bell P-59 Airacomet (nope, the Collect Aire resin kit is too pricey
for me)
-
Curtis XP-55 Ascender
-
Douglas F3D Skyknight (ditto as for the Airacomet)
-
Northrop F-89 Scorpion (various versions were captioned as nightfighters,
as well as `all-weather' interceptors)
WWII Japanese (1/48 only):
-
Kawasaki Ki-45 Toru (to be a nightfighter- here we go again)
-
Kokosuka P1Y1 Ginga (yep, noctural again)
-
Kokosuka P1Y1 Ginga (Fraances) (also, to be a nightfighter)
-
Nakajima Kikka (this is the Me 262 look almost alike) - daytime
flyer this time - just to throw you off track.
Miscellaneous:
I'm open to suggestions for other kits that can be done as Nightfighters
(in 1/48 scale) , or on kits for items I've listed, or which might be of
interest. There are others to go on this list, I just have to remember
them now. Given my track record, this might even be a good place to watch
for what the kit makers either have in the works, or are soon going to
be working on! ;-}
HAPPY MODELLING, and remember, what counts is having a good time!
Up to Brian's Home Page