OT... Plastic Models

[MrBoats]

For HansBolter,

Do the PE brass sheets of that size need any special treatment before painting? I've only used the little pieces for hinges, brackets, etc. and never the larger sized sheets. I just wondered if they appeared different than painted plastic sheeting after paint is applied. I did build the Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher Class Destroyer some years ago and used an excellent PE set on it. A lot of painstaking work but the result was worth it.

Verlinden Co. has a lot of detail kits available for various kits and for dioramas. I used their Sherman interior resin kit a few years back.

I'd give anything for the old Tamiya 1/25 Tiger with the interior. The 1/16 Tiger with the r/c additions would be fun, too.

[Zap]

Here's some of my work from scratch. Its not war models and its done in wood. Its 2 and a half feet long by 1 and a half high. It has lighting, the bells work. The inside has inlayed floor. I used seven types of wood. Mahogony, Rosewood, yellow pine,cherry,brazilian balboa, walnut.
I hope you forgive me introducing this off-topic model but I hardly get a chance for those who appreciate scratch work to see my project.

[Zap]

This one I'm still working on. It will have lighting. Yes those are chrimas lights. This one will also be 2 and a half feet long by about two feet in hight.

[JudgeDredd]

That's impressive handy work, Zap.
 
I don't have the patience to do something like that...I envy you.

[andym]

not strictly plastic but i like the White ensign resin and etched brass kits.
 
 
http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: MrBoats

For HansBolter,

Do the PE brass sheets of that size need any special treatment before painting? I've only used the little pieces for hinges, brackets, etc. and never the larger sized sheets. I just wondered if they appeared different than painted plastic sheeting after paint is applied. I did build the Tamiya 1/350 Fletcher Class Destroyer some years ago and used an excellent PE set on it. A lot of painstaking work but the result was worth it.

Verlinden Co. has a lot of detail kits available for various kits and for dioramas. I used their Sherman interior resin kit a few years back.

I'd give anything for the old Tamiya 1/25 Tiger with the interior. The 1/16 Tiger with the r/c additions would be fun, too.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

Any good primer will level the playing field for paint application with the different combinations of materials in model kits these days. In addition to the PE, many after market detail parts are available in resin, so kits end up with a combination of styrene plastic, resin, brass and aluminum.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: JudgeDredd


I always yearned for the big buggers though!!

Last year a 1/35 Dora (largest gun ever built.....80cm) hit the market with a list prioce of $699. A turned aliminum barrel is available for a measely additional $400. Several build log threads started on several modeling sites and one eventually turned up a link to a site of a guy who was scratchbuilding a 1/6th Dora. I'll see if I can dig up that link again.

While I'm looking for a link to the 1/6th Dora build thread enjoy this link to a build log for a 1/35th diorama that inlcudes Dora, Karl and the BR52 Kriegslocamotive: http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op= ... 580&page=1

Finally found the right link: 1/6th Dora in all her glory!: http://www.vonabt.co.uk/models/Dora/index.html

[Zap]

Thanks for that sight. What a beatuful piece of work. I was amazed!

[MrBoats]

To HB,

Thanks. And that 1/35 Dora has my mouth watering...and it is tax refund time...[&:]...but my cats would make short work of it and I can buy a few more games for the asking price. Still.... I think I'd still have to pick the 1/200th Yamato. I'm fascinated by that one. Or a wooden Victory, although it's way out of my league.

[mdiehl]

I was wondering if any of you folks are still into this hobby and if so, what are considered the best plastic models these days ?

It really depends on the subject. Manufacturers often introduce new subjects or retool old molds, and as these newer molds are introduced the kits improve. Most a.c. subjects for example now come with recessed lines for the body & wing panels, rather than the old-style raised lines. Most of them have alot more overall detail than they did when we were kids.

For a.c. Tamiya consistently makes good kits. Also the "Revell Pro Modeler" series (it has, for ex, the very best 1:48 scale PBY you can get). They're good kits, and the added advantage is that there are a large number of aftermarket "detail sets" (improved tires, metal detail kits for trim tabs, belts n buckles, interior cockpit levers, &c).

If you want near-perfection, however, "out of the box" (no compelling need to buy aftermarket parts) for a higher price, anything made by Accurate Minatures will really float any 1:48 a.c. enthusiast's boat.