04/22/2021 BPMS Zoom mini meeting - Featured topic: References

Even with a delayed start due to the host's technical problems, sixteen people attended the meeting including a guy who usually avoids virtual meetings. Who, you ask? Well, he may not be famous but he certainly is original. One new release was reported, Minibase's 1/48 Su-33. In progress and completed work included: Galileo 7 shuttle (with added interior), F-105G, Ar-234 (with extensive cockpit detailing), Northrup M-9M flying wing, Panzer 4 F1, Jekyll/Hyde figure, WW1 cavalrymen, AMX 10RC, Trawler, Tatra 97, (Metal Earth) Hopper Car, and Mirage ( with Greek markings). Acquisitions included: Modelcollect's 1/72 Land Battleship (it's big, with 1,068 individual track links), Machination Studio's MB-1 Armored Walker and Velocipede. The featured tool was the seam scraper. Not the blade type, which works well enough, but the specialized type, with multiple cutouts for smoothing joints and shaping precise angles and radii on plastic parts. A simple, useful tool manufactured by several companies. Thanks, Gil. 

 

The discussion topic was references. Books are still popular sources of inspiration but the good ones aren't cheap and they go out of print too soon, it seems. The internet, YouTube and Facebook Groups dedicated to both prototype and model kit provide a lot of information. Some out-of-print books wind up on the Internet where they can be downloaded. Museums and static displays combined with smartphone cameras give us all the photos we need. Until we get home and realize we missed that critical detail. Films, even black and white help to visualize the completed work. It seems there is no single, perfect reference source. I'm sure we'll revisit this topic in future. Before the meeting closed, it was suggested we have a group built in memory of BPMS member Tim Greenman. Tim was well known for his work with small scale armor so we're asking everyone to build a 1/72 scale tank by August 2021. Details will follow. 

 

The next meeting is 4/29/21 at 8 pm. invites to follow. Hope to see you there.

~Russ

4/15/21 BPMS Mini meeting, featured topic: blades

Thirteen people attended the meeting. No new releases were reported. In process and completed work included: LSSC boat, Ford GT 40, F-190, B-25B, SH-3, F-105F, Mi-24 Hind, Haunebu, He-279, Ar-386, F-4U Corsair, KV-1, F-4D1 Skyray and SRN-1 hovercraft, who's warped parts were fixed by sandwiching a sheet of aluminum between the upper and lower halves. We saw more acquisitions: AMX-10 RC, Paint masks for Panzer 3 and 4 wheels, KV-1 resin replacement detail pieces, decals for Vietnam era Sheridans and M113s and figures from Evolution and Stalingrad. The topic for discussion was blades, #11s mostly, but also #22s and scalpels. Gil demonstrated sharpening a #11 blade with a tool and oil from Diamond Ejer. Don described how he uses water and a 4 grade diamond stone from Harbor Freight to keep his edge. Vaughn uses a whetstone to keep his carving tools sharp. Of course, a good blade needs a good handle and we saw several examples from Fiskars. Their fingertip knife is great for cutting out decals as long as you don't scratch you nose while using it. Moving away from blades, we learned that tea candle holders are great at keeping paint bottles from toppling over and we saw a cheap, low tech (double sided tape and jelly jar lid) system to keep glue bottles from falling over. One guy claims he never knocked over a glue bottle because he never stopped using tube glue. And you should never stop attending our virtual meetings. The next one is 4/22/21 at 8 pm. Invite to follow. Hope to see you there. 

 

~Russ

 

4/8/21 Zoom mini meeting report

Fifteen people attended the meeting. Several new releases this week, Kinetic's 1/48 Pucara, GR3 and AV-8 A, Italeri's 1/72 T-55 A, Academy's 1/144 B-52 H and Trumpeter's 1/700 USS Alaska. In progress and completed work included: Type VIIC, Type XXI and Gato Class submarines, FW-189, C47A, Ar-581, He -279, WW 1 cavalrymen, Ford 100 pick-up, X-15, Battlestar Galactica, SR N-1, F-105G, Sherman, Centaur with deep wading trunks, Porsche 956 and Mercedes Sauber C-9. The featured topic was 'what are you waiting for' but some guys couldn't wait. Here's what they got: Type VII C U boat, Ford Expedition, Chevy Cameo pick-up, Stout Skycar 2, MiG-25 and KC-10 Extender. Even so, there'll always be kits we want. One person observed that the phrases I need and I want are pretty much interchangeable when it comes to this hobby. Our collective wish list goes from general (anything weird) to specific (Curtis NC-4, USS Brooklyn, USS Oregon City, Alsace Class battleship, HSwMS Gotland, Ford Trimotor floatplane, Sherman Duplex Drive tank, S-67, S-92, Mi-7 and Mi-8 helicopters, Hammerhead Corvette [from the Star Wars franchise, not from the Bowling Green KY assembly plant], missiles in 1/48 and reissues of the 1/144 USS Fletcher, the 1/16 Schwimmwagen, the 1/16 Porsche Speedster and the 1/72 U-2-R. The tools/materials segment focused on lead wire. Designed for tying flies, and available in diameters from .030" to .025", it's soft enough to shape into realistic plumbing /hydraulic lines and takes paint well. We also discussed methods to straighten warped plastic parts and an old favorite, stretched sprue. The next meeting is 4/15/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.
~Russ

04/01/2021 BPMS Zoom mini meeting report

Fourteen people attended the meeting. We continue to wait for news of when we can return to the Community Center. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Convention is still on schedule. There's a rumor that some events will be held outdoors. Plastic + outdoors + Nevada + August = interesting. Thanks to the camouflage topic we saw lots of completed and in progress work: He-112, Mothman, Panther A,R-35, T-34, MiG-37B, Valentine, X -15, MiG-21 bis, MiG 23, F-5E, F-4E, F-100, F-104, Mirage 3, T-34/76, T-34/85. We saw examples of hand brushed, masked and free hand airbrushed camouflage patterns and we got a referral to DOCTOR MiG on You Tube. An old timer's camouflage tip, start with the darker colors first. Acquisitions included: Mr. Black Publications' WW2 Special Vol 5 on sculpting and painting figures, Dicfeos headband magnifiers, Takom's 1/16 Wiesel, Dioramag's latest book, metal T-34 and Panther track sets, Flakpanther with turret options, Discovery XD-1 and Master X's He-279. In the tool segment we learned "Nail Art Tips" designed manicurists, etc., are useful for creating a customized swatch book for your paint inventory. More convenient than using plastic spoons and much less likely to end up in your coffee cup. Other paint topics included craft paints (useful, may require priming, difficult to airbrush), multi surface paints, art markers, Inks (acrylic and traditional), acrylic extenders, Tamiya's enamel panel liners and Leroy and Rapidograph technical pens. The next meeting is 4/8/21 ay 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it.

~Russ