December 30, 2021: BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report

Sixteen people attended the meeting. Some guys haven't been around for a while and it was good to catch up. One new release reported, Zvezda's 1/72 C130 J-30. Tamiya's M-18 isn't available yet. Neither is the Community Center. Maybe we'll be like Hudson Valley and have outdoor meetings when the weather gets better. Can you suggest a venue? In progress and completed work included: female mechanic figure, IL-2, RF-43 (Greek markings), three Mosquitos, M-60 and MiG-25. Acquisitions (some from Santa, some from Amazon) included: Hetzer (Prague 1945), IJN Yamashiro, 1/48 Panther A (w interior & zimmerit), decals for Panzer 3s and F-18 Hornets, German soldier figure, Mirage 3 CJ, and AJ 37 Viggen. 

Kevin put his 2021 builds on YouTube at https://youtu.be/3Ya-JjIEQqs . Michael 's 2021 work is at https://www.igluemodels.com/post/2021-year-in-review . We swapped stories about unclear/incorrect instructions, heard about using liquid glue to disassemble joints, saw how to turn a ball and socket joint into a 3rd hand for painting/assembly work and got product recommendations from Kevin (scale model work stand from The Inner Nerd), Bob (AK Interactive Air paints) and Rommel (Ammo Liquid Mask). The featured tool was a desktop vacuum cleaner. Use it to clean your workbench, find small missing parts or pick up crumbs around the toaster. Look for it on the robotkai.com website. (How does Gil find these things?) The year 2022 marks 50 years of BPMS and we're looking for a contest to mark our 1972 birthyear. The suggestions so far - any 1/72 scale kit- any kit that was available in 1972 or earlier -any kit with the number 50 in the markings - any kit with the number 50 in its name. You get the idea. If you come up with a silver anniversary suggestion, let us know about it as soon as possible so we can incorporate it into the 2022 contest schedule. The next meeting is 1/6/22 at 8pm. Invites to follow.

Russ

Dec 23 2021 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report

Seventeen people attended the meeting. Vinny reported the Community Center will remain closed for the foreseeable future. In case you were wondering, Pegaso and Muroc models are still active. New releases: Kinetic's 1/48 F-104 A/C, MiniArt's 1/35 US Army 1 1/2-ton truck, ICM's 1/48 B-26 K and OV-10A. In progress and completed work included: Mirage 2000-5EI, Sea King Mk 42 B, F4F Wildcat, Horten 12, BMW Strahlbomber, Whirlaway, An-2V, A-50, Su-27, Ekranoplan A-90, An-12, Icebreaker Lennin, Ford Bronco, Me 262, Ju-88 (air sea rescue), Fw-190 D (with torpedo), B-47, Zero, Bob Cratchit figure (Kevin met his Christmas deadline), McDonnel Douglas X-36, three Mosquitos (waiting for paint) and Jotnar (from Troll Hunter). A few guys couldn't wait for Santa so they acquired some new items: F-117 A, Spitfire, VW Bug, 1934 Ford, Buick Wildcat and Eduard's Tora Tora Tora dual combo (Rommel highly recommends it). The discussion on snow was timely (overnight flurry in Brooklyn) and informative. Woodland Scenics Soft Flake Snow is relatively inexpensive, easy to apply and maintains its color. From the UK, products from Precision Snow and Ice can produce a wide variety of winter effects. The next meeting will be 21/30/21 at 8pm. Join us as we close the book on 2021 and plan for the club's 50th (yikes!) anniversary in 2022. Invites to follow. Happy Holidays to all.
~Russ

 

From the mention of the snow effects at the zoom meeting,  here are a few vids from You Tube. Woodland Scenics -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWKuKOd7Npw&t=13s

 

Precision Snow and Ice's whole channel is about the effect. Sit back with some coffee and plan a future snow scene - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF298G1YWuEXHFq0fFWv-Aw/videos

 

Merry Christmas to all that partake and until next time - enjoy.

~Kev K

 

 

December 16, 2021 BPMS ZOOM Mini Meeting

Fourteen people attended the meeting. We were saddened to hear of the passing of two of our friends, longtime BPMS members Ray Keegan and Joe Barrett. Ray left Brooklyn a few years ago and Joe never attended a Zoom meeting, but if you went to our pre-pandemic meetings, you'll remember their good natures and modelling skills. Rest in Peace, Ray and Joe. 

One new release reported, MRC's 1/16 StuG 3 G. No word yet on the 1/35 Tamiya M-18 Hellcat. Noreast Con 2022 will be held on April 29-30 2022 in Latham NY. Details to follow. Mark found a local hobby store, Apponaug Color and Hobby Shop, in Warwick, RI. Nice selection, good prices. The website is HobbyRI.com. He also showed us some of the 3D printed items produced by Micro Cosmos, a Greek company. Kevin and Steve have interesting projects with Christmas deadlines. Kevin is working on a multi figure scene from Dickens' Christmas Carol and Steve is using Paperclay to transform Halloween yard skeletons into Joseph and Mary for an outdoor crèche. In progress and completed work included: Lippisch 13a, Bf-109 (with wavy line camouflage decals ), MiG-31( Frank followed "Dr. Mig's" suggestion- black prime coat followed by random white squiggles followed by a misted grey topcoat), L-39 Albatros, Yak-42 D, pair of An-2s (one on floats, one on wheels), Fiat G-50, Kaiten suicide submarine, Hk-6 Mavis flying boat, Ju-52 minesweeper, Northrup Gamma (on aftermarket vac-form floats), Avro Lincon(Lancaster?) Mk 5 recon conversion and a concept car (glue bomb) rebuild. The featured tool was a solder fume extractor, a compact device to remove harmful particles from the air. We finished by reviewing how paper and various glues can be used to replicate cloth, fill gaps, fabricate thin plates and give newlife to old yard decorations. Next meeting is 12/23/21 at 8 pm. Invites were sent a few days ago. Hope to see you there.
~Russ

December 9, 2021 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report

Ten BPMS members and valued friends attended the December 9 Zoom meeting. Live meetings are still expected to resume in January, pending Omicron, the Decepticons, and other imported surprises. Mike D. signed on to the December virtual meeting with a truly historic background – his 1/48 scale Tamiya Zero in the markings of the real fighter flown by Shigeru Itaya commanding the First Wave air attack on Pearl Harbor. Research led Mike to correct the tail number in the kit decals and remind the group, “Just because the instructions say something doesn’t mean that’s what it is.” Kevin K. showed his nicely detailed and weathered Hound’s Tooth spaceship from the Star Wars cartoon series. Igor signed in from Russia with his 1/30th scale KV85 tank, 1/72 scale Su-22 jet and AN-2 biplane and a fun-size Sherman caricature Toon Tank. Bobby P. outshone the scale modelers with video of his restored 1:1 scale 1937 Chrysler backing out of his garage.

Work-in-progress included Kevin’s 1/72 scale Muroc Models X-36 remotely piloted vehicle and Frank C’s embattled Zvezda MiG-31 interceptor. Joe B. showed the group newly-acquired Dolman figures including the 1/24 scale/90 mm Rocket Girl and Navy Girl and 1/10 scale Wild Bill fighter Ace from 1941. He also flashed a rare Pocher 1/8 scale Bugatti Dinner Jacket coupe. Gill H. spoke highly of Gpaint pre-thinned lacquer paint formulated for use on Gundam robots but mixable for other models. The evening’s discussion settled on pigments (powdered colors used in paint) and pastels (powdered colors in a binder). With proper binders or overcoats, both can be brushed on to produce subtle weathering and shading effects. Pastels can, for example, soften flesh tones under the hairlines of figures and pigment slurry can simulate mortar between diorama bricks. Gil showed how he uses a tea diffuser to grind stick pastels for weathering and a paper blunt to soften the effects of weathering powders.

The next BPMS Zoom meeting is this Thursday, December 16 at 8 PM. Virtual meetings will continue weekly, said Bobby P. “This is it until we have butts in seats in Bergen Beach!”

12/2/21 BPMS Zoom mini meeting report

Eighteen people attended the meeting. For IPMS members who are also BPMS members, Frank C needs to know the expiration date of your IPMS membership for our charter renewal. You can find it on the address label of your IPMS/USA Journal. Please email it to Frank asap. Thanks in advance. Mark recapped the Hudson Valley Club's 2021 Turkey Challenge, where you start and finish a kit in four days. It can be done and he had the pictures to prove it. Chuck, in addition to preparing for the Dyker Heights Christmas Light extravaganza, it trying out different airbrush pressures to see which gives the best clear flat finish (35psi too high, 24 psi is promising). Having finished his P.180 Avanti, Vaughn told us about the design and performance of the actual aircraft. Bob gave us a bit of scale model trivia. Around 1968, Dumas produced 2,000 vacuform kits of the Creole Queen, to be sold exclusively on the paddle-wheeler, which is still in service. Who knows, maybe some are still on board, below decks in an old locker. Ask around next time you're in New Orleans. New releases to watch for: Zvezda's C130 J-30 (1/72) and T-62 (1/35) and Revell's SR-71A (1/48). In progress and completed work included: Dr.1 (with an incompletely molded wing. Damn!), P.180 Avanti, A 6-M2 Zero, WW2 US Marines w/ dogs, Houndstooth spacecraft (masks by Aztek Dummy), X-36 (a model of the model radio-controlled drone used to test tailless aircraft), Su17, An 225, Ant 25, Tu 22, Yak 130, Tu 195 (Igor has been busy), River Tam figure, MiG 31 and Haunebau 2 (masked with an AK flexible stencil). The tool of the week was a set of nail art brushes. They're inexpensive and good for fine work. Because the meeting was so well attended, there was no time to discuss pigments, so we'll do it next time, 12/9/21 at 8 pm. Frank C will host. He's already sent the invitations.

~Russ

Friday 11/26/21 BPMS Zoom Mini meeting

Twelve people attended the meeting. Not bad for the Friday night after Thanksgiving. In industry news, Revell released a 1/72 US Navy Swift Boat Mk1, Rye Field is coming out with another 1/35 Tiger 1 and Hobby Boss will have another pricey 1/48 Hornet out soon. We saw lots of photos: Mark's on the career of Gen Theodore Roosevelt Jr, Frank's from the 11/20/21 Freeport show and, from several time zones away, Igor's aircraft models. See if you can pick them out below.  In progress and completed work included: WW2 US Marines w dogs, AML 60 armored car, MN Surcouf cruiser submarine , Rosie the Riveter figure, 1/35 US Tank commander (the BDU camouflage is a decal from CrossDelta), VEF I-16, MiG-31, Fishing Trawler, F4F-4 Wildcat, River Tam figure, An-26 RT, Su-25,  An-14, Li-2, and Tu-154 M. This week's tool is a disposable oral swab (aka "Den Tips"). The wood handle makes for a clean way to apply paint by sponge.  Once again, we ran short on time but we managed to hear a little bit about different ways to mix color. Bob uses the Bob Ross, mix on your palette method and Gil combines primary colors on a wet palette. Mark recommended two inexpensive reference books, "Color Mixing Recipes for Oil & Acrylic" by William F. Powell and "Color Theory" by Patti Mollica. He also demonstrated how to use a color wheel. I'm pretty sure we will return to this topic a few more times. Maybe as soon as the next meeting. The one on 12/9/21 at 8 pm. Watch for the invites.  

~Russ

11/18/21 BPMS Zoom mini meeting report

Thirteen people attended the meeting. There is no meeting this Thursday because of Thanksgiving. The meeting will be the next day, the 26th. We may be able to resume in person meetings in January. We'll keep you advised. One new release, ICM's 1/35 WW2 Chevy 1 1/4-ton truck. MiniArt will release their version in the near future. Also watch for Mobius' 1/48 Aries 1-B Lunar Lander from 2001 Space Odessey. In progress and completed work included: A-6 M2 Zero, USS Oliver Hazard Perry frigate, Hound's Tooth starship, AMG Mercedes, Ar-234, Fi-103 A1 piloted V-1, Fw 190 variant with vertically mounted, downward firing rockets, Piasecki air jeep, Sevesky P-35 (Swedish markings), Fokker F-27 (Air West livery), Tiger 2, MiG 31 and Sea King Mk 42B. Bob K is looking for instructions for Dumas' vac form (not wood) kit of the Creole Queen. Someone, please tell him where to go (to find the instructions, I mean). We talked about airbrush tolerances, needle interchangeability, vortex type paint mixers, thinning ratios and spray pressure for Vallejo paint (Kevin recommends 2 drops Vallejo thinner to 6 drops Model Color Paint, sprayed at around 16 psi), pros and cons of Gunze, Tamiya Spray Flat, thinned matt medium, Dullcote and other flat finishes. Mark suggested polishing the surface with coffee filter material instead of using clear gloss, before applying decals. It was pointed out that for some products, it's critical to thin the paint with the manufacturer's thinner. The conversation was moving so well we decided to go with the flow and postpone color mixing for another day. That day would be Friday 11/26/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Happy Thanksgiving.

~Russ

11/11/21 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report

Fourteen people attended the meeting. Mark shared photos from the Air Force Museum in Dayton and, for no particular reason, we spent several minutes on the difference between Staten Island natives and Staten Island residents. The LI Miniature Collector Society will hold its 2021 show at the Freeport Rec Center on 11/19/21 (6-9pm) an 11/20/21 (9-4pm). Three new releases from Lion Roar: 1/144 B-52G and Su-27B, 1/72 F-14 B Bombcat. Watch for Academy's 1/32 F-4 E Phantom. In progress and completed work included: 1/5 Witch figure, "Tiger Meet" A 7-H Corsair 2, Zero 2 seat target tug conversion, FW Triebflügel, I-16 (Finnish markings, skis), P1 Y Frances, AML-60 armored car, Galaxy Quest diorama, Marlene Dietrich figure, and River Tam figure. This week's first tool was a jar and bottle opener suitable for hobby paint (and larger) jars. It's from Micro Mark but similar openers are available elsewhere. If you need something bigger, look for a Gilhoolie Jar Opener. The second tool was a blunt tip syringe. We'll save the details for another time. 

 

Airbrushes were the featured topic. We saw the Sparmax Flyer, a single action brush where the nozzle is on the bottle (it doesn't use cups). When you want to change colors, change the bottle. Each bottle can be adjusted for proper flow and there's no chance of color contamination. We'll have a performance review shortly. The G233 Set from Master Airbrush was also recommended. It comes with 3 tips, 0.1 mm, 0.2 and 0.5mm. and is reasonably priced. The inexpensive airbrushes designed for use on fingernails are handy (couldn't help it) to have around. Of course, the Paasche H still has a lot of fans. 

 

Next meeting is 11/18/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Since there's no meeting on Thanksgiving Day, we'll have one on the following day. Details to follow. 

~Russ

11/04/2021 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting

On the agenda:

BPMS Club News.
IPMS News.
Other clubs news.
Hobby News.
What's on your workbench?
Featured Discussion: Cut me Mick!

Mick knew how and where to cut Rocky so he could go the distance. Do you know how and where to cut a fuselage to change its length, to make a figure taller/ shorter/thinner/wider, to make a waterline hull from a full hull? You get the idea. 

On Nov 6, twelve people met at Nora's for lunch. It was good to catch up with people we haven't seen in a while and to meet people we've only known through Zoom. 

Fourteen people attended the Nov 4 meeting. Last year, we skipped the Thanksgiving Day meeting. For this year, someone suggested we move it to another day. Friday, Nov 26th, seems like the logical choice. We can discuss it at the next meeting. Two new 1/35 releases from AFV Club: Australian M-113 (Vietnam) and IDF M-38A-1/CJ-5 w/TOW missile. Kevin reports Naval Institute Press is having a book sale - 50% off and free shipping until the end of the year. Check their website (usni.org) for details. In progress and completed work included: X4-FU Corsair, reworked Galaxy Quest diorama (apparently downsizing isn't just for empty nesters), Marlene Dietrich figure, Zlin Z-42M, Fokker G-1, Bell X B-1, A6M-2 Zero(with several aotake color trials), Pz 38(t), AMX 10-RC, Mercedes AMG GT3, Sea King Mk 42-B and MiG-25 RBT. Acquisitions included: FDNY Fire Truck Tower Ladder 9 (1/24) and F4F-4 Wildcat. The featured tool was a set of profile sander grips, hard rubber shapes useful as backing when sanding inside corners, recesses, convex and concave surfaces. Widely available. The topic was cutting and splicing parts. It's better to cut the pieces (e.g., fuselage halves) before they're assembled. You can scribe with the back of a blade until the plastic is cut through. You can layout the cut line with tape then, use a razor saw or micro razor saw. If you have access to a woodworker's planer, you can turn a full hull into a waterline hull. Just ask Don. Next meeting is 11/11/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it.
~Russ

10/28/2021 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report

Fourteen people attended the meeting. New releases from Atlantis: Blue Angels F11F (1/54) and Swivel Stand (ex-Revell - you supply the model). Watch for Tamiya's Stuka w/ bomb trolley, ICM's B-26K and OV-10A and Dream Model's UH-1Y. In progress and completed work included: XF-4U Corsair, A6M2 Zero (the aotake question came up again), Dwayne Johnson figure (white ink Gelly Roll pen used for t-shirt logo), P-38 Lightning, C 130 Hercules (Belgian markings), FW-200 and Ju-52 (Luft Hansa markings), A 7-H Corsair 2 (with impressive Tiger Meet decals), Indian Navy SH-3 Sea King (Frank thanked Bobby for his coffee cup lid suggestion) and WW2 Beetle w/4wd. Acquisitions included: Marleina Dietrich figure, FW-190, 50 BC Roman Warship, Jaguar XKE and Weserflug P-1003. People who attended the Hudson Valley show shared their comments and photos. On a personal note, after more than a year of zoom meetings, it was nice to finally meet the guys from the "North of Brooklyn" sub-chapter of BPMS. Tip of the week #1 , Frank suggested coating Vallejo putty with Mr. Surfacer for better results when sanding. The featured topic was clear parts. Seams can be removed with sanding sticks. 2000 grade Micron Paper (available at auto body shops or on line) also works well. After sanding, polish with Novus #2 (not #1) plastic polish or kid's toothpaste and dip in Future (aka Pledge Floor Gloss). Tip of the week #2, when dipping in Future, lift piece out slowly and dab off excess before setting it down to dry. Future can used as glue, provided you give it several days to set up. But other glues are better for canopies. Gorilla glue, Micro Crystal Clear, MiG ultra-glue, Evergreen Scale Models canopy glue and Pacer Formula 560 canopy glue were recommended. People reported mixed results with Revell Contacta Clear. The next meeting is 11/4/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. You don't need invites for lunch at Nora's, but a head count would be nice. We have 7 at last count. See you Thursday.

~Russ

10/21/21 BPMS Zoom mini meeting

Thirteen people attended the meeting. The new releases are Tamiya's 1/48 F-14 A Carrier Launch Set and, from Schiffer, new editions of the Aurora and Monogram company histories. Don reports Jersey Fest, held earlier this month at the PAL in Wayne, NJ has become a comic book/collectable show, which was a disappointment. The Hudson Valley show is 10/23/21 in Poughkeepsie NY, Chiller Theater show is 10/29-31/21 in Parsippany NJ, a Tall Ship gathering (and music festival) is set for 10/29/21 in Chestertown MD, and NORAS is NOON on NOV 6 in Brooklyn NY. Support the economy, attend an event or two. In progress and completed work included: Sea King Mk 42B (Indian Navy conversion made possible by a coffee cup lid? Ask Frank), Corsair XF-4U, 37 Ford Panel Truck, P-47 D, Space Ark (from When Worlds Collide), Owl, Toucan & Scarlet Macaw (OK, they're 3d puzzles, but they're kinda like models), Hovertank conversion and Me-264. Acquisitions included: C-130 J, Phantom F4-B and ordnance for same. The tool of the week was Blue Stuff, a reusable molding material from Green Stuff World. Not for production work but useful if you only need to make a copy or two and you don't want to bother making silicone molds. Works well with Milliput or Green Stuff, not so well with Aves Apoxie Sculpt. Judging by the discussion, a lot of us use markers for everything from painting tank roadwheels to marking waterlines on ships. Costs are all over the place. Sharpies are inexpensive. Walmart has acrylic paint pens that go under the name, "Painters". Milwaukee Tools has a set of 2 fine point markers, one red, one black. Gelly Roll pens come in a variety of sizes and colors, including white. Gundam paint markers are not cheap, but they have two tips, one wide one narrow. Pigma Micron Fine Line Markers were also recommended. It was noted that paint markers may obscure detail, Sharpie ink is indelible and can be difficult to remove, India ink holds up well to weathering and, whatever you do, only go in one direction when drawing a line with a marker. Next meeting is 10/28/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there. 

 

And at NORAS. At Noon. On NOV 6. 

 

~Russ

BPMS 10/14/21 Zoom Mini meeting report

Twelve people attended the meeting. In industry news, we noted the passing of Collette Hutchins and the closure of her store, Jan's Hobby Shop in Manhattan.

If you’re looking for road trips, the Hudson Valley show is Oct. 23 (Elks Club Hall, 29 Overrocker Rd, Poughkeepsie). Vaughan will be at the Connecticut Air and Space Center on Nov. 20. He'll be happy to show to show us around (tickets $10, discounts for vets, seniors and kids). Kosta is going to Wilmington to see the Kalmar Nykcael, a modern replica of the 15th Century "Swedish Mayflower". If you go to The Piper Aviation Museum in Lock Haven PA, you might run into our own Peter K, who helps out there when time permits. In progress and completed work included: Galaxy Quest Shuttle diorama , Corsair XF-4U, Saab J-21, P. 180 Avanti, Me-264 and Mi-24 Hind (in Yugoslavian special forces markings). Gil showed us the curved seam scraper he designed and Mark told us about his new toy, a rotary tool from Keshi. It's compact, cordless and best of all, inexpensive. Kevin walked us through the design and construction of his Galaxy Quest diorama. He used a hot wire cutter and carefully applied open flame to sculpt pieces of rigid foam board insulation to create the basic shape. Then, Vallejo texturing paste, sculpted foam rock formations, pebbles, Chinchilla Dust and paint turned it into the desert landing site from the movie. 3mm thick balsa was used to cover the edges of the insulation boards as a final touch. Very impressive. Thanks, Kevin.

Howell, Don, Mark and others also gave tips for building small scale dioramas. 4"x6" picture frames make quick bases. Foam presentation boards, cut into custom shapes and sizes are another option. Model railroad companies have large selections of soil, turf and vegetation products. Look for items marked "extra fine". Use Durham's Water Putty for large stones, Kitty Litter for smaller stones and Chinchilla Powder for grit/dust. Actual soil can be sifted to remove big particles and glued with a 1 pt. glue, 5 pt. water, 3 drop liquid soap mix. Dried roots of real plants are convincing, provided you pay attention to scale. Fine grit sandpaper looks like concrete pavement and wet/dry sandpaper looks like asphalt. Striping, joint seals, stains, etc. can be added as appropriate. Actual pavement/runway images are available online. Self adhesive tufts of grass in various colors and lengths are also available online. Tacky glue, white glue, Modge Podge, model railroad and other proprietary scenery glues, photo mount spray and hairspray are some of the adhesives we've used. A very informative meeting. One of the best, even if we didn't get a definitive answer to the question, dark paint first or light paint first? Next meeting is 10/21/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. 

And don't forget NORAS-NOON-NOVEMBER 6.

~Russ

10/7/21 BPMS Zoom mini meeting

Fourteen people attended the meeting. No date yet for the reopening of the Community Center. The next BPMS lunch is at NORAS (3019 Quentin Rd, Brooklyn) at NOON on NOV 6. If you're looking for places to go before that, Comic Con is at the Javits Center in Manhattan this weekend. The PAL Center in Wyne NJ will host CollectorFest on Oct 16 and 17 and the Hudson Valley show is set for Oct. 23 at the Elks Club Hall, 29 Overrocker Rd, Poughkeepsie NY. With all those shows we can expect to see a lot of new acquisitions in future. Two new releases reported, Zvezda's 1/72 (Snap-Tite) Hurricane Mk2c and HobbyBoss' 1/48 CH-47A. Also, watch for Border Model's 1/32 Avro Lancaster B Mk l/lll and 1/35 Ju-87G. In progress and completed work included: AB 41 Armored Car vignette, large scale Dwayne Johnson figure , small scale Revolver (Metal Earth), Barbarella figure, Hauenbau 1 (some say 2), Flat Earth (good visual pun, Mark), Tiger 1, Gill Woman, Gill Man, Frankenstein's Monster, Fall of Berlin, Saturday night bath, Mi-24 Hind and M-274 Mule. Acquisitions (and items from the stash) included: Nike Hercules, Satyr and Praetorian Guardsman. A few people attended Armor Con last week and gave their opinions of the show. We saw photos of the Corsair, OH-6, S-52, and S-60 on display at the Connecticut Air and Space Center. Thanks, Vaughn. We'll see about organizing a field trip to Stratford. Gil showed how effective Molotow Blackliner is for panel lines. Once again, we ran short and didn't get far on the topic of different techniques for different scales. Painting/blending colors, rather than prep/assembly, is more effected by scale. Kevin was beginning to talk about this when the meeting shut down. We'll pick it up again on 10/14/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow.

~Russ

BPMS 9/30/21 Zoom Meeting Report

Thirteen people attended the meeting. Clubs we've come to know during the lockdown have been meeting in person for a few months, although attendance is down. The Hudson Valley show is still on for Oct 23. Mark sent everyone copies of the flyer. The Cherry Point Air Show was held but with fewer aircraft on display. Maybe we'll see pictures? With the Community Center still closed, how about another lunch meeting? Let's say Brooklyn, first Saturday in November at 12 o'clock at Nora's Park Bench Cafe or, to make it easy to remember, NORA'S, NOON, NOV 6. Details to follow. Several new releases were reported. From Border Models, Bf-109 G6, Tiger 1, Boeb. Panzer 4 J (all 1/35) and from Hobby Boss, F-18 E Super Hornet (1/48). In progress and completed work included: Ferrari 250 GTO engine, Ford Cobra, AB-41 Armored Car, Duane Johnson figure (who knew Kevin was a tattoo artist?), Quasimodo's body is ready for either Anthony Quinn's or Charles Laughton's head, Corsair2 (in tiger stripes), Fokker G-1, Bristol Racer, DC-3, DHC Otter, Creature from the Black Lagoon (with Chip Brush vegetation), Corsair XF-4U, Saab J-21, P. 180 Avanti, Stagecoach and Revolver (both from Metal Earth), Mi-24 Hind. Two acquisitions this week, SF-37 Viggen Recce and South African Mirage F1 AZ/CZ. We saw two paint related tools, the VM-370 Touch Function Lab Vortex Mixer (good for mixing paint in a closed bottle) and the Ivation 9 rack food dehydrator with adjustable time and temperature settings (useful for drying enamel paint jobs). Like its namesake, the paint mule discussion headed in a different direction and we wound up talking about testing airbrush settings, memorable builds, storing built kits, keeping track of spare parts and disposing of kits. Next meeting is 10/7/21 at 8pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.
~Russ

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting: 9/23/21

Sixteen people attended the meeting. New release: Eduard's 1/48 P-51 K (with bazooka and 2.75" rockets). Watch for a 1/48 H-19 from Mikro Mir. Armor Con is next weekend (10/1-2/21) at a new location, the Wyndham Southbury (1284 Strongtown Rd, Southbury, CT). Not to be outdone, NJ has the Chiller Theater Expo on 10/29-31/21 at the Hilton Parsippany. We learned that Kotare isn't just an iconic bird from New Zealand. It's the new model company run by several Wingnut Wings alumni. Thanks, Mark and thanks for the photos from the Glenn Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport NY. In progress and completed work included: USS Frank Knox, Corsair XF-4U, Saab J-21, AB-41 armored car, Silly Surfer Hodad, Destroyer Z-38, 1972 Pontiac GTO, P47-D, USS Ingraham, Hind, F-86 A and Tiger 2. To some of us a 1/8 scale car is big, but not to Bobby P. He and his brother are restoring the family's 1937 Chrysler Royal. Good luck, guys. This week's tool was the CANARY spray can hole punch. Use it to release propellant from spray paint cans (this will take some time), remove the top of the top of the spray can with a suitable tool and you have thinned paint, ready for use. Thanks , Gil. A new tip, Tamiya's airbrush thinner and extra thin cement are almost chemically identical. Could they be interchangeable? Two old tips, Simple Green corrodes metal, WD40 gets gummy over time. The topic was metallic finishes and we spoke about our experiences with Alclad, AK Interactive, Mr. Color, Vallejo, Humbrol, Rub 'n Buff, aluminum decals and metal foil. Surface preparation, base coats and sealers were also discussed. Next meeting is 9/30/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.

~Russ

9/16/21 BPMS zoom mini meeting report

Twelve people attended the meeting which began with thoughts on the passing of early BPMS member (sponsor of the Box of Junk contest) and hobby industry legend, Andy Yanchus. Several people spoke about his skills as a model builder/designer and his friendly, helpful and encouraging manner. His efforts to get IPMS recognition of science fiction as a legitimate category are well known. Andy was the subject of a 2020 YouTube video. Here's the link https://youtu.be/luue2Xle4xQ. RIP. Andy.

Kosta reported on and shared photos of last week's Maritime Heritage Festival in New London. It wasn't too crowded and he got to see Coast Guard and merchant marine vessels, local fortifications and, of course, submarines.  Some new releases from Hobby Boss: Russian SAM 2 Missile with Launcher Cabin and BM-21 Grad Multiple Rocket Launcher (both 1/72) and Panther G early (1/35). Tamiya's new 1/35 M-18 should be available in about 2 months. In progress and completed work included: F-5 E, 1937 Ford Panel Truck, Do-335, Ju-86D, Tiger 1 (nice rust effects), Tiger 2, BM-13 Katyusha, P.180 Avanti, XF-4U, VW Transporter T-1 and 1956 Ferrari. This week's acquisitions included: Polar Bear (from Revell's Endangered Animal series), 1972 International Harvester Scout 2 and Ford F-100 Service Truck. Gil showed us how a magnetic drill bit holder from Harbor Freight can be used to hold hobby knives. Use a 21/64 reamer to make a nice fit, AND DON'T FORGET TO PUT COVERS ON THE BLADES! (If you saw it loaded up, you know what I mean). We talked about assembling Metal Earth Model kits and bending photoetch parts. Bending tools may be best for large pieces but a smooth surface (glass, metal, ceramic tile) and a pair of single edge razor blades or chisel blades also works well. Maybe we'll have a real time demonstration of bending and folding techniques in the future?  Next meeting is 9/23/21 at 8pm. Invites to follow. Hopefully the recent problems some of us have been having with Zoom will be resolved by then. Log in and see for yourself.

~Russ     

  

Atlas Obscura - The Caspian Sea Monster

The Caspian Sea Monster

Ekranoplan Lun, Derbent, Russia
An enormous Soviet aircraft, the only one of its kind, stands at the deserted shore of the Caspian Sea.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ekranoplan-lun

 

Some more fun stuff to see:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Andy Yanchus, longtime BPMS member and a legend in the hobby, passed away on 9/11/21

Sadly a name many will know, Andy Yanchus, died yesterday (ironically 9/11). Andy was Product Manager at Aurora for many years, then went as a colorized for Marvel Comics. He was an expect at many aspects of the hobby and, with Dennis Price, wrote the definitive book on Aurora Monster Scenes.

Unfortunately he had been ill for some time, and had moved from his long-time New York home to stay with his sister Pat in Florida.

RIP Andy, you will be missed by many.

~Matt Irvine

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luue2Xle4xQ 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/159696410@N03/albums/with/72157712637535592

 

I found these obituaries, each celebrates a field that Andy was a legend in.

Andy was 77 when he passed away. 

https://celebritiesdeaths.com/andy-yanchus-death-obituary-news-longtime-marvel-colorist-has-died/

https://www.scalemodelnews.com/2021/09/farewell-to-andy-yanchus-model-expert.html

I got the distinct pleasure of meeting Andy, and becoming friends with him through the BPMS. Of course, that was back in the Marcy Studios days. When I joined the club I wasn't even 18 yet, and was building mostly sci-fi which was right up Andy's alley. He was very encouraging and offered lots of suggestions and advice. At the time, I had no idea what Andy's accomplishments were, I knew him as the jovial guy with amazing skills and wasn't afraid to share his methods. He was HAPPY to inform anyone who wanted to know how he did things.

As BPMS members, we should always keep in mind that we are very lucky because we are such an inclusive group. Thanks to early members like Joe Turner, who invented the "miscellaneous category" and Andy Yanchus who redefined Science Fiction in the IPMS. Before Andy science fiction was considered Star Trek and Star Wars, and similar. Since Andy enjoyed the entire realm of modeling, he knew full well that building "fringe" items, like Asian mecha kits or even conversions of toys was a skill-set of its own, and not to be belittled. I maintain that when you see model shows TODAY with categories for Gundam / Mecha, that's one of Andy's greatest contributions to the hobby: ACCEPTANCE. We ARE all modelers here, afterall.

I can go on for pages and pages about his accomplishments, but I will leave this here. Andy was an amazing guy, and I bid him a fond farewell. He may be gone, but will NEVER be forgotten. Rest in Peace, Andy.

~Bobby

 

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report: 09/09/2021

Thirteen people attended the meeting. Two new Airfix releases were reported, Blenheim 1 (1/48) and Cromwell Mk VI ( 1/35). The Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival is this weekend in New London Ct. Ships, helicopters and Revolutionary War re-enactors will be there. Check their website for details. Speaking of shows, Penn Con 21 (Gettysburg) is, according to their website, still on for tomorrow. Replicon (Freeport) will not be held this year. We reminisced about the 1981 IPMS National Convention, held in NYC. We saw the convention button (I guess that was before pins) and heard about the modelers that took a walk on the wild side. 

In progress and completed work included: XF-4U conversion (Vaughn gives a whole new meaning to plastic surgery), P.180 Avani, T-55 Enigma, Sherman, Bradley, T80, Panther, AMX-10, Tiger1, VW Mini Big Rig conversion, F-5 and , what Frank called a greenhouse but what Joe would call a dust cover for his half scale T800 Terminator. Just one acquisition, a circa 1990 vinyl Creature from the Black Lagoon (missing a hand, unfortunately). The featured tool was the flexible blade by Flash Master Hobby (flashmasterhobby.com). Gil was impressed by how flexible this blade is. It can go where a chisel can't. Our topic was photoetch, but we ran short and only had enough time to begin talking about cutting pieces off the fret. We'll start from there next week and talk about bending, painting, gluing etc. Next meeting is 9/16/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope you'll be there.

~Russ

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report: Thursday, Sept 2, 2021

Twelve lucky people attended the meeting. October looks to be busy, with shows at Freeport on the 2nd, Southbury on the 1st & 2nd and Poughkeepsie on the 23rd. Bob K reports Round 2 is coming out with a Garbage Truck (will aftermarket garbage be available?). Check their website for pictures. In progress and completed work included: King Tiger, P.180 Avanti (here's where luck comes in - if you weren't at the meeting, you'll never see the well-appointed interior of this model), XF4-U conversion , Houndstooth, Tiger 1, Ki-79, VW Bug Coupe de Ville conversion, B-25, FW 127 turboprop, Horton 7, Tornado and F-5E. Acquisitions (full disclosure, some items were found in long forgotten storage areas) included: RF 8 Aerosan, Convair Manned Observation Satellite, M1-A1 Abrams, Bell X-1B, Mercedes, Kettenkraftrad and Italian armored car. Paint tip from Vaughn, Testors Gloss Black enamel paint can be used to eliminate "steps" at joints. Paint, let dry for 24 hours, sand, repeat as necessary. Only works for steps, not for gaps. This week's topic was - Why are you building what you're building now? Many reasons were given: wanted to build something different, wanted to use certain deals, inspired by the box art, easy assembly, latest acquisition, show technical development of an object over time. That led to a discussion on differences among Canadian, Danish and Norwegian F-104s, a brief history of conformal tanks and a comparison of the T-38 and the F-5. Next meeting is 9/9/21 at 8 pm. invites to follow. Hope to see you there. Do something relaxing for Labor day.

~Russ  

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report: 08/26/2021

Fourteen people attended the meeting including a new guy. Welcome Mike, glad you decided to check us out. 

We haven't heard anything about the reopening of the Community Center. Not to worry, weekly Zoom meetings will continue. The Hudson Valley Club is meeting outdoors. They'll hold their annual show in Poughkeepsie in October. Other shows in October - Armorcon (Southbury Ct) and Replicon (Freeport NY). Any more we should know about? 

Lou reports older Kitty Hawk kits are available again. No new kits yet. Academy, however, does have a new one, a 1/35 Panzer 2F. In progress and completed work included: Tiger 1, 1990 vintage resin Robin (the Boy Wonder, not the bird), USS Susquehanna hull , Corsair XF4-U conversion (Dr. V is performing major surgery, backdating Tamiya's F4U-1), P.180 Avanti (with interior that can't be seen), Kamov (Ka-28?), 1956 Chrystler 300, French Submarine Cruiser Surcouf and Merkava 4 (aka Frank's Tank). 

This week's dollar store find, plastic domed display cases suitable for 1/24 figures. 

For the featured topic, recent model shows, Don talked about the National Convention in Las Vegas. There were 2980 models in the competition plus a large number of "display only" models. Seminars were good. Vendors were well represented. Their kits were mostly older and their prices were either low or high (questions? ask Don). I expect we'll see some of his Convention photos in future. Until then, he recommended the 5-part YouTube showing all the entries. Inspired perhaps by "My Cousin Vinny", Don served as a Judge in Las Vegas (be advised, Convention Judges can't fix parking tickets so don't even bother to ask). Discussing judging and categories, several people wondered why there are so many categories for aircraft (single engine, multi engine, WW1, WW2, Cold War, Airliner, Helicopter, etc. and in various scales, to boot) and so few for Sci Fi/Fantasy? Was that ever a problem for you? We also saw photos from the AMPS Regional in Indianna, 244 entries. Mr. K plans to attend the Cherry Point Air Show next month. If he takes pictures, our more technically gifted members will find a way to share them. Thanks in advance. 

Lastly, some painting tips. Vallejo bottles with black caps are for brush painting. Bottles with white caps are for airbrushing. A base coat of Tamiya, with a finish coat of Vallejo works well. 

The next meeting is 9/2/21 at 8 pm. Frank C will send the invites and host. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend. 

~Russ

 

Aug 19, 2021 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Report

Fourteen people attended the meeting. Lou reports Kitty Hawk is back although he didn't have any details. If you hear anything, let the Club know. Several new releases from Trumpeter: 1/144 H6-K Bomber, 1/700 RN Type23 Frigate, 1/350 Tirpitz and 1/35 L 4500A with Flak 37. The pizza lunch was well attended and introduced some of us to clams as a pizza topping (a Staten Island thing?). A few people actually got away from their workbenches. Frank went to a Nostalgia Show and was pleasantly surprised by a collection of vintage spacecraft models. Don and Rommel are at the IPMS National Convention (more later). Mark shared photos from a ship model show on the USS New Jersey and from the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome: Sopwith Pup, Albatros D. Va, Curtiss Pushers (A and D) , Fokker D VIII, Hanriot, Ryan NYP (Spirit of St Louis), This led to an interesting discussion on early aviation: fuel systems, rotary engines, flight characteristics, engine lubrication, the real reason WW1 pilots wore long scarves and who got parachutes and who didn't. In progress and completed work included: USS Susquehanna hull (Steve is fixing another modeler's paint job), BM 13 Katyusha, S-56 (La commedia e finita!! ), 2 T-6 Texans (Spanish and South African markings), 72 Pontiac GTO (with nail polish over Model Car World lacquer paint), P-47, Airspeed Oxford and 2 Black Falcons (Bob's is finished, mine ain't). Acquisitions included: Houndstooth (from Empire Strikes Back), 76 Chevy Sport Stepside Pickup and 77 Ford Coca Cola Delivery Van. Don's first day impressions of the Convention were positive for the most part - it's a long walk from the hotel area of the venue to the event area. The display room is big, but not as big as Chattanooga. The vendors' room is large and prices are good. Manufacturers are there, showing off new kits and collecting wish lists. Don has promised to take lots of pictures and post them using the group mailing list. Consider this a reminder, Don. That goes for you too, Rommel (but seriously, have a good time at the Convention and have a safe trip home). The next meeting is 8/27/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.
~Russ

Update: Bob has pointed out that the Car World Model lacquer paint is on the South African T-6 (the florescent red/orange) not under the nail polish. The nail polish is over gray automotive lacquer primer. Thanks for keeping me honest, Bob.  

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Aug 12, 2021

Pizza lunch is TODAY, 8/14/21 at Denino's Pizzaria & Tavern, 524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island at 12:30 pm. Hope you can attend, especially if you haven't been able to make the zoom meetings.

1803, Lewis and Clark Expedition. 1989, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. 2021, Don and Rommel at the IPMS National. Have a good trip, guys and remember- what's bought in Vegas shouldn't be left in Vegas.
Fifteen people attended the meeting. Two of them are going to Las Vegas for the National convention. Hopefully they'll be able to make a live report at next Thursday's meeting. New releases from Zvezda, TOR M2 SA15 Gauntlet (1/35), Soviet M-72 motorcycle with sidecar and crew (1/72) and WW2 British HQ figures (1/72). In progress and completed work included: Panzer 4, T-34/76, Hawker Hurricane, Swordfish, Zero, Discovery One (even in 1/350, over 40 inches long), Terminator T-800 (1/2 scale, with electronics. No body armor yet, but Joe's working on it.), F-4B Phantom ( with construction photos), MiG 25 ( look for it in Las Vegas), Saab J-21 (with a lot of weight in the nose), S-56, DUKW, Merkava 4, German Tugboat and Black Falcon. An interesting acquisition, 3D printed landing gear from a new start up. We saw a set for a Su-27. Each strut is a single piece including tire, hydraulic/electric lines. clamps, etc. Not widely available yet. The company is (maybe?) Detail Wonder. Kosta shared photos of Rhinebeck Aerodrome's replica Spirit of St Louis. He has plenty more, exterior and interior. Contact him directly if you're looking for references. Here's Gil's formula for acrylic paint thinner from last week (sorry for the delay): 1/2 cup Distilled water,1/4 cup of 91% alcohol,10 drops of Liquitex flow aid additive or Golden wetting agent,10 ml of retarder. You need to know that formula to use the tip of the evening, making liquid acrylic paint from tube acrylic paint. Use a meat injector syringe with a clear body and visible measurements to remove say, 10 ml of paint from the tube, transfer it to a small jar (back to the dollar store, 5 small screw top glass jars for $1.00) add thinner (start with a 2 to 1 ratio) and mix. Try mixing our own colors. The visible measurements make it easy to replicate results. One tube makes a lot of liquid paint. The featured topic was files. Store them separately and clean them with brass wire brushes or crepe rubber blocks (also good for cleaning sandpaper). Good files, including glass files, are available at nailcare centers and, because they don't have the word "hobby" in their name, they are reasonably priced. While you're there, look for a 7-step sanding stick, it costs $1.00. The next meeting is 8/19/27 at 8pm (5pm Las Vegas time). Invites to follow. Hope to see some of you tomorrow, more of you Thursday and all of you before long.

~Russ

BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting 08/05/2021

Fifteen people attended the meeting. Several were at Mosquito Con. More on that later. Pizza lunch is 8/14/21 at Deninos, 524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island at 12:30 pm. History of Flight Air Show is 8/7/21 at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Three new releases reported, Meng's 1/48 F-18 F, Takom's 1/35 Panther G and M-60 A3 bulldozer. Digital STL files for Machination Studios' Krabbe Walkers are available . All you need is access to a 3 D printer. In process and completed work included: 1/48 F-4 E Phantom ll, 1/144 Tornado (no IR sensor but lots of tiny pats), 1/72 M-109 A6 Paladin (with Preiser figures), 1/72 S-56 (with stabilator), 89 Ford Taurus SHO & 57 Chevy Cameo (both in 1/25, both painted with nail polish), 1/48 Ki-79 (with sponge applied camouflage) and 1/72 DUKW. Acquisitions, some from the vendors' room (remember them?) included: SMS Lutzow, HMS Victorious, and Shadow Stormtrooper. New this week, de-acquisitions. Bob K has several Ral Partha metal dragon kits and some Disney Cars & Planes he's willing to sell. Contact him directly for details. On behalf of a coworker, Mike T is looking for someone who paints metal train cars. Contact him directly for details. Gil gave us his recipe for acrylic thinner but it will have to wait until I can read my handwriting. 

Now, back to Mosquito Con. There were lots of people (about half wearing masks) in attendance and lots of models on display. Gundam, robots, spacecraft, armor, ships, figures, aircraft (just one in 1/32), an impressive scratch built 1/72 USS Shenandoah airship and mooring tower, EVA Pod with detailed, illuminated interior (2001 A Space Odyssey), USS Intrepid with detailed, illuminated hanger deck and steampunk lowrider stagecoach to name but a few. Thanks for the pictures, guys. The vendors' room was good. Older kits, mostly. Then again so are the modelers. Some, but not all, of the regular vendors were there and by the afternoon prices got very reasonable. It was "Hard to leave without buying a model" according to Gil but somehow, he managed to do it. All in all, everyone enjoyed the contest and appreciated the efforts of the organizers. Our next meeting is 8/12/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.

~Russ

7/29/21 BPMS Zoom Mini-meeting Report

Fourteen people attended the meeting. If you're going to Mosquito Con tomorrow, PAL is also hosting a basketball game. Parking may be tight. Don't forget to take pictures for the guys who can't make the trip to New Jersey. Thanks in advance. We saw photos of the recent transfer of New England Air Museum's F-4D Skyray to the Intrepid and photos of Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome where, on Aug 7, there will be airshow featuring a replica Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis. The BPMS pizza lunch is the following week, Aug 14, at 12:30 pm at Denino's, 525 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island. Let me know who's going so we can give them a head count. Again, thanks in advance. 

 

There were two new releases: Kinetic's 1/48 AV-8A Harrier and ICM's 1/48 Q-2C Firebee drone. Kinetic may have another Intruder in the pipeline. In progress and completed work included: 1/72 Panzer 4 (with aftermarket resin tracks from OKB), 1/35 M3-A1 Scout Car (Tamiya, perfect fit, a pleasure to build), 1/72 S-56 /CH-37 ( Special Hobby, the less said, the better), 1/72 BM-13 Katyusha (major last-minute fit problem) and 1/144 Tornado (so far, so good). There were more acquisitions: Rye Field's T/34/122, AZmodels's Bell X-2, Platz's F-8 U2 Crusader and Ammo by Mig Jiminez's T 54 B. We saw how the AK Glass Fiber pencil can eliminate ejector pin marks and perform other abrasive work. Just be careful not to touch the fibers to your skin. 

Gil gave us his formula for airbrush cleaner - 3/4 cup distilled water, 1/2 cup 91% isopropyl alcohol, 10 drops glycerin, 3/4 cup Windex (without ammonia). He stores it in a dollar store condiment squeeze bottle. Mark has a similar formula and he writes it directly on the bottle so he doesn't misplace it. While you're in the dollar store, pick up a pill case/organizer to hold small parts once they're off the sprue. 

The topic was stripping paint and correcting problems as you paint. For stripping old paint people have used: Oven cleaners like Easy Off or Mr Muscle (spray the piece, leave it in a trash bag for around two hours, rinse and scrub with an old toothbrush), Poly S (or equal) paint remover (it's messy and may not be available anymore), Simple Green works on enamels, Oxy Clean works on acrylics, Super Clean will take off paint (and skin so wear gloves). Actually, you should wear gloves with all these products and work in well ventilated areas as well. Never use Purple Power (it can eat through plastic) or auto transmission degreasers (they can eat through the plastic as well as the container holding the plastic - ask Mark). Bad paint jobs have been fixed with spot applications of thinner, 1000 grit sandpaper or sanding sticks or polishing pads, vigorously used. If none of the above works, several people said that's the time to trash the kit and build a replacement. 

 

The next meeting is 8/5/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. When have more information on the reopening of the Community Center the BPMS newsletter will be mailed to the membership. Until then, keep reading your email. Hope to see you Thursday.

~Russ

July 29, International Plastic Modelers Day!

  

In honor of Shep Paine

7/22/21 BPMS Zoom Mini Meeting Info

Fifteen people attended the meeting. Several new releases were reported, AFV's 1/35 M-59 Long Tom and Churchill VII, Roden's 1/32 Spad XIII and a limited line of Tamiya lacquer paints (basic colors). We saw recent in progress and completed work including: 427 Shelby Cobra, Type XI B U-boat (with electric motor, which was pretty cool when it first came out in 1995), Land-Wasser-Schlepper, Wild Catfish conversion, Bf-109 E ski equipped conversion, Mosquito, Typhoon, Tempest, F-18 E (which came with very good decals) and King Tiger. There were two acquisitions, Greatwall's 1/144/B-52 G and a glass file set from INFINI. Don told us about 3d printed instrument panels from in various scales from Red Fox . You can choose between illuminated or darkened screens. Rommel was impressed with the new Tamiya Phanton. Will he finish it in time for Mosquito Con next week? We discussed resuming in person meetings at the Community Center. Since we don't have a definite date and we don't know how the space will be laid out, there won't be any formal contests or events right away. Instead, bring in your lockdown builds, especially if you never quite worked out screen sharing on Zoom. If you won something in the Random Number Raffle (remember those?) remind Bob so he can coordinate the distribution. And if you have stuff to sell or swap, bring it. The discussion topic was how long it takes to build your model. While nobody said they kept an hourly log, everybody had ideas on how to use time efficiently - paint subassemblies after they've assembled and don't paint what won't be seen - build more than one thing at a time so you have something to do as the paint dries - don't go overboard on interiors that won't be seen - don't catch the Goldfish Syndrome and get distracted by every little thing - don't superglue PE parts to your fingers - small scale kits take less time to build (in theory). More than one person said some kits are just bad and require a lot time to be made presentable. Azur's Arsenal's VG 36 had the unfortunate honor of being singled out as a bad kit. Care to name another? 

The next meeting is 7/29/21 at 8pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it.

~Russ

7/15/22 BPMS Zoom mini-meeting

Breaking News - Vinny reports the Community Center let him know that we should be able to get back on "around SEPTEMBER." (Those were their words!). Thank you, Vinny, and thank you Community Center management. Looks like we won't need a Plan B after all.
Eleven people attended the meeting. The pizza lunch is 8/14/21 at Denino's. Bob is looking forward the Cherry Point Air Show on 9/25-26/21. Will there be pictures? Closer to home, Mike is looking forward to Mosquito Con on 7/31/21. Due to technical difficulties, there was no new release information. For in progress and completed work we saw: Don's 1/144 Land Battleship (not to be confused with Don's 1/72 Land Battleship) and Haunebu, Bob's Spaceship Two and White Knight Two, B-24 (Soviet markings), Spirit of St Louis, Bf-109F and Bf-109E, Steve's T-34/85s, T-54/55, Vaughn's RA-5C Vigilante and Typhoon and Frank's Mitsubishi F-2. USS Des Moines was the only acquisition. The featured topic was Plan B. We had many suggestions for alternate meeting sites but Vinny's news, received after the meeting, made them unnecessary. Even so, thanks to everyone for your ideas and offers to follow up. Next meeting is 7/22/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.

~Russ

7/8/21 BPMS Zoom Mini-meeting report / featured topic - BPMS is how old??

Sixteen people attended the meeting, with a first-time appearance by Rob G. Always good to see a BPMS alumni. Several new releases were reported, three from Meng, 1/48 F-18 Super Hornet, 1/24 Fokker Dr-1, 1/35 Panther A-early and one from Rye Field, 1/35 Panzer 4 G/H. In person events are returning . The LIARS club will meet next week and Mosquito Con will be held on July 31. Armorcon has a new location, Southbury CT, and date, Oct 1-2.  BPMS has the pizza lunch at Denino's (524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island) on Aug 14. Thanks to Mark for sharing photos of a recent trip to the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT. They have a large collection on display and in storage. How large? It's so large they're selling surplus items on their website. So, if you need a drop tank for your F-86, you can get one for just $5,000. Hurry, supplies are limited. For in progress and completed work we saw: Terminator, Lisa (Wierd Science), Dr. Jekyll as Mr. Hyde,  Quad & 25 Pdr Gun,  M-21 Mortar Carrier,  SR-N1 hovercraft, BM-13 Katyusha, T-34/85 and Mitsubishi F-2A. Acquisitions:  Hobby Boss' Chinese Y-8 Transport,  Aurora Gladiator (partially built eBay find), and a new air compressor, to replace the old one making "funny noises". This week's tool was an agate burnisher. Designed to burnish gold and silver leaf, available in a variety of sizes and shapes, they can polish plastic as well as burnish Bare Metal and other foils. Thanks, Gil. We heard more about superglue. You can make your own applicator (lots of ideas on YouTube) or use commercially available tools. Touch and Flow applicators are not made for superglue.  If you don't use superglue often, by small tubes. Prolong the life of large tubes by keeping them in a jar with a tight lid and a packet of silica gel.  The featured topic was BPMS turning 50 in 2022. If we couldn't remember when we joined BPMS, we could remember where we went for our first meeting, The Clothes Horse, Marcy Photo Studios, Floyd Bennett Field, John Malone Community Center.  We could mark the anniversary with a special contest. Say, anything in 1/72 scale (we started in 72) or anything with a State name (50 states).  Feel free to make other suggestions.  We could also have a lunch with current and former members. We had one before and it was well attended.   The next meeting is 7/15/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it. 

~Russ

7/1/21 Zoom Meeting Report: Featured Discussion - Super Glues

Do you use CA glue? Plastic weld? Epoxy? Gorilla Glue? Let's discuss the finer points of alternative adhesives!

Fifteen people attended the meeting. BPMS's first in person event (lunch, not a regular meeting) since the start of the pandemic will be on Saturday, August 14 at Denino's Pizza, 524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island at 1 pm. Hope you can make it. Other clubs are also getting back out there. The Connecticut Yankees met last week and Hudson Valley is planning Air Museum visit in the near future. 

 

Just one new release reported, Das Werk's 1/35 French 155mm howitzer. We heard that items have been shipped but labor problems are delaying cargo off-loading and delivery. That may explain the lack of new releases. We were reminded to watch out for on line scams. If you buy from one site, get confirmation from a different site and the charge is supposed to paid to yet another site, something is fishy. You know what they say when an offer is too good to be true. 

 

In progress and completed work included: F-18 E, F-16, V-22 Osprey, Badger, Sd Kfz 222 vignette, Spirit of St Louis , Silbervogel antipodal bomber, RQ-MQ 1 Predator, DFS 230 Mistel conversion, PT-17, Do-335 and K-5Y Willow. Acquisitions included: two from Tamiya, 1/48 F-4B Phantom and 1/35 Pz Kw 4G, two from Atlantis in 1/40, AH-25 and Nike Hercules, Fine Molds 1/72 F-4E, and Trumpeter's 1/144 H6-K. This week's tool was unexpected, to say the least, the Premium Dental (aka denture) Bath. It makes sense. It's designed for soaking things for several hours and it has a built-in strainer. Another reason to visit the Dollar Store. 

 

We had time to talk about superglue this week, but only enough to go over the basics. Thin superglue can get everywhere and different brand gels can have different setting times. Several people use Loctite because of its side squeeze bottles. We saw how to turn a tea candle into a pool for superglue. Remove the wick, then make a depression in the wax to hold the glue. It beats applying glue straight from the container. 

 

Next meeting is 7/8/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. 

 

Have a safe 4th of July. 

 

~Russ

6/24/21 meeting

Fifteen people attended the meeting. 

It looks like things are getting back to normal, albeit slowly. Gil's model car club had their first in person meeting since the lockdown began and Vaughan reports the Connecticut Yankee club will meet in person on 6/29/21. Mark's Hudson Valley club has met outdoors more than once. But for BPMS, the Community Center is still closed for indoor events. We talked about meeting outdoors at the Center but bugs, lack of outdoor lighting, the fact that we don't pay for the venue, rain/humidity and bugs argue against outdoor meetings. Locked doors and bugs, however, are not reasons to miss another pizza night. We're looking at Denino's, 524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island. Good pizza, reasonable parking and pretty close to Brownie's Hobbies, 124 Bennett St, Staten Island. Tell me what days and times are good for you and I'll see what's best for most people. How about a Saturday, July 10 or 17 at 1:30 pm.? Do you like August better? Let me know. 

In industry news, Takom and Border Models are accusing each other of unfair business practices and in the UK, Machination Studios cancelled a Kickstarter project because of burdensome tax collection rules. These rules are expected to impact many small overseas operations. In progress and completed work included: a less than perfect 1/16 resin casting of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a much, much better Peter Cushing /Grand Moff Tarkin bust, Fairey Rotodyne, Bieber submarine, Neger human torpedo, Hafner Rotabuggy conversion, Bf-109Z conversion, Romanian Bf-109, P-38 Lightning night fighter, SAAF Texan, Sd Kfz 221 vignette and 1/144 F-18E with aftermarket digital camouflage decals. Acquisitions included: PST's 1/72 T-54/T-55, Kitty Hawk's SU-30 S/M, decals from Flying Leathernecks (various Marine AC) and Air Graphics (various Coalition AC from various nations), pilots and ejection seats, Hobby Boss' 1/48 Rafale B , Revell's 1/72 Tornado ECR Tigermeet, Hobbycraft Prowler with detail kits, a T-55 and a RR flatcar from Miniart and several military and semi-military figures from Masterbox. Gil introduced us to layout and marking tools from INCRA. Bob, whose open shelves are full of models, reminded us dust can be removed with a 50/50 mix of Murphy's Oil Soap and water. Spray it on the model, let it sit from a few minutes then rinse it off. We had so much to discuss, from Midwest road trips to the demise of the Fairey Rotodyne and the Avro Arrow, to the Santa Maria Greenport mix up that we never talked about the featured topic, superglue. Join us on 7/1/21 and see if we talk about it then. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there. Or at Denino's. 

~Russ

All - Correction: the Connecticut Yankee Club will be meeting on Wednesday, June 30 (that's what I get for talking from memory) from 7:00 to 9:00 at HobbyTown in Fairfield.  Sorry.  

~Vaughan 

6/17/21 meeting report: featured topic - interior decorating

Ever try to estimate how much interior detail will be visible on your finished model?  How'd that work out for you? 

Sixteen people attended the meeting including several we haven't seen in a while due to work and family commitments. Guys, it was good to see you. And for those who can't attend the Thursday meetings, let us know how you're doing and what you're building in an email. New releases: Kinetic's 1/48 something (sorry Lou, you were too fast for me) and Trumpeter's 1/144 Badger. Tamiya's 1/48 F4-B Phantom is on the way. In progress and completed work included: B-25 ( fishing sinker fragments in the nose, no Liquid Gravity for Chuck), Typhoon, CH-37B (it's been In progress for several years which, we're told, is not unusual for the older Special Hobby kits), Type XXI U-boat, Lysander Beach Strafer conversion, Thor IRBM (Glencoe was very good about replacement decals), P 1000 Land Battleship and Jurassic Park Hummer tow truck conversion. Acquisitions went from old (Palmer's Revolutionary War Cannon, Monkeymobile, Bad Medicine dragster, Bandi 1/48 armor kits) to new (the aforementioned 1/144 Badger, paper Zimmerit, resin F-16 and F-35 cockpits, 3D printed HO scale buildings). No word on when the Community Center will reopen but Mosquito Con is still on for 7/31/21. The Santa Maria replica arrived in Greenport. Testors liquid plastic cement is back, with the Rust-Oleum name prominently displayed. Will paints be returning? Charlie recommended several model-building podcasts that make his commute more enjoyable: Model Geeks, Plastic Model Mojo and On The Bench. There must be more out there. Care to share? Gil found a new tool, the Sharpen Air (they're on YouTube). It can straighten damaged 2- and 3-mm airbrush needles. It's good for Iwata and Grex airbrushes. It won't work with a Paasche dual action airbrush. That led to a discussion about stencils and how many cheap ones there are on AliExpress and how to filter their search engine to minimize unrelated results. We had a lot to say about interiors. Limiting details to visible spaces saves time, money and reduces aggravation. Aftermarket instrument panels and seat belts are widely used but the jury's still out when it comes to cockpit sidewall 3D decals. Sometimes, a pilot figure is the only thing you can see in a cockpit. Interior detailing can cause assembly problems. Dry-fit parts, especially aftermarket ones, early and avoid unpleasant surprises later. Frank had a specific issue - detailed jet engines that can't be displayed separately without messing up the look of the plane. A possible solution is tiny magnets. Careful placement can make most sections removable. Don uses magnets to hold propellers in place. They can be removed for transport/storage. For kits that have interiors and clear plastic skins, leaving some of the skin unpainted creates a cutaway model without any cutting. Lastly, interiors for 1/350 aircraft are available in case you're interested. The next meeting is 6/24/21 at 8pm. Invites to follow. Hope you can make it. 

~Russ

Bring Dad to Tanks, Wings, and Wheels at the American Heritage Museum on Father's Day Weekend

Tanks, Wings & Wheels – Featuring American Elegance

June 19 @ 9:00 am - June 20 @ 5:00 pm $15 – $25

https://www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/tanks-wings-wheels-2/

6/10/21 meeting report: Weathering with Pencils

A surprisingly light turnout, nine people. No new releases reported. 

 

In industry news, Squadron is up and running. They're not backordering items, but they'll get back to you when the item is available and see if you're still interested. If you order something from them, let us know about your experience. 

 

After a few words about corporate swag and the ability of gun oil to remove corrosion and the tendency of WD-40 to degrade over time and damage plastic, Kosta shared his photos of tanks, aircraft and weapons from the recent show in Redding. He told us a full-size replica of the Santa Maria will be in Greenport, Long Island, June 17th -23rd and open to visitors from the 18th -22nd ($15.00,10am-8pm). Mark continued the nautical theme. Model Con 2021 will be held on the Battleship New Jersey on Aug 7, 2021. He also wants to cross the Delaware to see the USS Olympia and maybe the SS United States. Contact Kosta and Mark directly for details. For the landlubbers, in Hudson Massachusetts, The American Heritage Museum's Father's Day Weekend has tanks, aircraft and vintage cars on display. I sent a link earlier. 

 

In progress and completed work included: Hawker Typhoon (more on that later), Thor Missile (Glencoe's nice re-pop of the 1958 Adams kit), BM-13 Katyusha, Panzer 4-D, Stryker, Matilda and Moon Bus. Acquisitions included: Modelcollect's 1/72 Land Battleship detail kit, Academy's 1/144 B-52 H ( it's not the Pit Road kit) and Hobby Boss' 1/35 Land-Wasser-Schlepper. A few guys noticed Aliexpress is a good source for inexpensive stencils for airbrushing. They also noticed many of these stencils show up on eBay at significantly higher prices. Just saying. Bobby recalled a tip from early BPMS member Joe Turner, glue wet/dry sandpaper to a cafeteria type tray (with a rim), add water and sand without messing up your workbench. 

 

 For the Weathering with Pencils talk, Gil demonstrated several options: water color pencils from AK (wet the pencil, dab the model, spread with swab), soft pastel pencils from Koh-I- Nor Gioconda (not good over gloss coats), woodless color pencils from Koh-I-Nor Progresso, Prismacolor pencils and the good old #2 Ticonderoga (which works best on lighter colors). Markers, calligraphy pens and technical pens will be topics for another day. Remember the Hawker Typhoon? Good thing Vaughn took photos of the cockpit details, because no one can see them once the fuselage is assembled. We've all had similar experiences. Let's talk about it at the next meeting 6/17/21 at 8 pm. Hope you can make it.
 

~Russ

6/3/21 BPMS Zoom mini meeting report

Fourteen people attended the meeting. Not much in the way of new releases this week. Last week's big story was Squadron. This week it's Kitty Hawk / Panda. Are they closing down? No one knows. Like we said about Squadron, let's see what happens. In progress and completed work : Ar-234, cold war era Phanton FGR-2, Buick Riviera, Chevy Suburban, DM 13 Katyusha, Metal Earth train, and two 1/8 scale automotive pieces, a Shelby Cobra 427 engine (weight - couple of pounds) and James Bonds Aston Martin (weight - 28 pounds). The Ar-234 and the FGR-2 builds led to an interesting discussion of the development history of both aircraft and the changes and unusual measures required to accommodate design modifications. Thanks, Vaughn and Frank. Acquisitions included: Machination Studio's armored walker, the mouse from The March of the Wooden Soldiers (aka Babes in Toyland), Bassist Katarina, Jack Palance as Dracula , Fritz Lang 'ish' Fem-Bot, RQ/MQ- 1 Predator, Russian pilot figures, German WW2 license plates (PE) and Sparmax airbrush. The featured tool was Gil's airbrush maintenance station, a heavy Plexiglas block, drilled to accept one end of a quick disconnect fitting. With the fitting's other end attached to the airbrush, it can be securely mounted to the base for disassembly, cleaning/repair and reassembly. Magnets countersunk into the block prevent metal parts from rolling away. Depressions cut into the block do the same for nonmetallic parts. Pretty neat. The discussion was about finishes. Apparently, we use a variety of products, Dullcote (even if it changes the color of what's being coated), Gunze Flat (even if it's hard to get), Rustall Flat (even if it's from MicroMart), Vallejo Gloss, Flat & Semigloss and a new one , to me at least, Polycrilic Varnish from Minwax. It cleans up with water and it's very thin. Golden Paint makes a matt finish BUT IT HAS TO BE CLEANED UP WITH AMMONIA. Many people recommended overthinning these products which led to questions about airbrush tip sizes and which work best for a specific task. Now that you know all about finishes, join us on 6/10/21 at 8 pm and learn about weathering with pencils. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there.

~Russ

5/27/21 BPMS Zoom mini meeting report: Featured topic - Alignment

Twelve people attended the meeting. There would have been more if the link in the reminder email worked properly. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

The big news is the apparent return of Squadron. It's supposed to happen soon. Let's see what happens. Two new releases were mentioned, a 1/48 Tempest Mk 2 (radial engine) from Special Hobby and a new 1/35 Kettenkrad (mid production) from Tamiya. 

Completed and in progress work included: Kitty Hawk's 1/32 P-39 Q (a bear to build, according to Vaughn) and Atlantis Models' 1/46 P-39 (a stroll down memory lane, according to Bob), Hobbycraft's Bf-109 E, Hasegawa's MK 9 Continental Spitfire, Ertl's King Tiger, ICM's truck mounted Katyusa, Amusing Hobby's P-1003/1 Wasserflug, Modelcollect's P 1000 Land Battleship, Ar E-581, and a VW Van made into a dragster by some bodywork and the addition of a Allison 12 cylinder engine. ICM's MiG-25 trainer, ModelSvit's Mirage 3E and a set of decals for the V-22 Osprey were the only items acquired this week. 

We got a tip on flattening Dullcoat's finish. Pour off 1/3 of the factory thinner and replace it with lacquer thinner. A discussion of WW2 German flying saucers led to a recommendation to watch military historian Mark Felton's YouTube videos. This week's tool was a drill bit gauge, useful for sizing rods/dowels. Screw gauges are less useful for this. 

If you're looking for places to visit, Vaughn reports the Connecticut Air and Space Center at Bridgeport Airport in Stratford opens on May 29. Mark likes the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks CT and Frank just got back from the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum In Cape May NJ. We didn't hear much about armor, ship and car museums. Maybe next time? 

We discussed tools and methods to ensure alignment (that dang Kitty Hawk P-39 Q again). We heard about repurposed tools (foam blocks, square glue bottles, binder clips, rubber bands, tempered glass pane, marble slab), specialty tools (3rd hand, tweezers mounted to a base, 1-2-3 blocks, magnetic welding squares on a steel base plate, machinist bookends) and custom-made jigs (3/8 thick plexiglass with drilled holes to accept Berna Multi Clamps). We also heard tips on assembly (use small lengths of sprue to replace mis-aligned locator pins, glue multi piece fuselage sections together on a flat surface, THEN glue the fuselage halves together - poorly written but you get the idea). 

The next meeting is 6/3/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there. 

~Russ

5/20/21 meeting report

Thirteen people attended the meeting. Two model pledges were made. This was our first meeting with closed captioning. It was interesting to compare what was said to what appeared on the bottom of the screen. They caught everything and most of it was accurate. Not court stenographer accurate but good enough. 

 

Several new releases were announced: a 1/35 Jackal from Hobby Boss, a 1/144 B-52 H from Academy AND one from Great Wall. Great Wall also has a B-52 G and Me 323 Gigant (reboxed Pit Road kit?) both in 1/144. 

 

We saw a lot of in- progress and completed work: FGR2 Phantom in RAF markings, MiG-23 mounted on a stylish, space saving and, let's just say, inexpensive stand, King Tiger, Junkers G-23/24 conversion, DC-4 with aftermarket decals and Bandai's Millennium Falcon with photoetch (from Green Strawbery) and interior lighting (from Gil). Acquisitions included two items from Zvezda, a snap fit Ju-87 B2 and a Soviet MG team, Flying Leathernecks decals and Atlantic's PBY-5A Catalina. 

 

We saw pictures of Covid builds by Hudson Valley AMPS members at their first in person meeting since the lockdown began. As of now, the Hudson Valley show is on for October, Armorcon is on for September and Mosquitocon for July. 

 

The discussion topic was keeping dust off wet paint. Don recommended the Boot Box from the Container Store and Frank likes the plastic protectors that come with large cakes. Gil had a different approach, attach the piece to a dowel or chopstick or equivalent, paint it and hang it upside down. He's also used a food dehydrator on models painted with enamels. We closed with more paint related stuff: turning pipe plugs or sanding drums into adjustable holders (good for holding cylinders), inexpensive microbrush source (look for eyelash makeup applicators online), pigments (turning them into paint), pigment pots (another cosmetic item) and Micro Q Tips. 

 

Next meeting is 5/27/21 at 8 pm. Invites to follow. Hope to see you there. 

~Russ

 

BPMS Zoom Meeting Report: May 13, 2021

The May 13 BPMS Zoom meeting drew 16 people, including the welcome return of Peter K, studying at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA. We are still waiting for word about when our Bergen Beach meeting place might re-open, but plans call for Zoom meetings to continue even when live action resumes.

Beginning next month, the BPMS Zoom meeting will be closed-captioned to make sure our hearing- and otherwise-impaired friends can join in. Our virtual meeting organizer Russel H requested the service from Zoom, and a trial run showed the very readable screen text keeps up with English conversation but cannot spell the names of German vehicles.

Industry Informant Lou brought news of a 1/700 scale USS Missouri from Very Fire, a 1/32 scale early-model SPAD S.XIII from Roden, and two 1/72 scale Stryker fighting vehicles from Dragon armed with anti-tank missiles and 40 mm gun. Joe B showed a newly acquired 1/72 scale rail flatcar from T-Model, supplied with a pre-cut photo-etch detail fret. Keven K presented a ¼ scale resin-cast Liz from the Hellboy movies. Vaughan A had a 1/72 scale Piaggio Avanti from AModel.

Vaughan also showed off the attractive improvements he made in an otherwise primitive 1/48 scale Tempest V fighter bomber from ESCI/ERTL. Roger P had his impressively re-painted large-scale Mustang reclaimed from an unnamed toy. Gil presented his beautifully weathered and detailed 1/32 scale Moebius Raptor from the recent Battlestar Gallactica TV series. He also showed off a simple but universally useful tool – inexpensive glass stirring rods with round ends are handy to mix and transfer paint and easy to clean. Vaughan suggested wire twist ties bent into a loop can be precise applicators for one drop of touchy cyanoacrylate glue.

Work In Progress included a 1/48 Phantom FGR.2 being built by Frank C, a 1/72 scale Swordfish and Hurricane underway by Chuck C, and the Sonhorst 1/72 scale land battle cruiser being assembled by Don I. Howell S paused his carpet search for a missing diving plane jettisoned by his 1/350 scale Trafalgar nuclear submarine. Mark N showed off his yet-to-be-painted 1/35 scale Sd Kfz.222 from the Tamiya kit.

Our discussion of modelling trauma included tales of the Great Phantom Fog-Over when a clear finish turned opaque white in high humidity; paint pollution when dog hairs and fingerprints appeared in pristine paintjobs; and self-mutilation when the hobby knives really came out. Don shared his unique memory of a model airplane wing glued to a 50 lb cat. All the disasters were fixed by sandpaper, cutting boards, brush touchups, and fur clippers. BPMS members finally considered a profound question: Why are modelers not born with four hands?

Next Meeting Thursday, May 20. See ya then.

~Frank

5/6/21 meeting report

Eighteen people attended the meeting. Twelve of them named their pledge model. Now all they have to do is build it by October and they get 5 extra tickets for the Super Raffle. Pledges, either by email or at a meeting, will be accepted until the end of the month. One new release was reported, Broco's 1/48 MiG 15. In progress and completed work included: Bf-109 D2, Atlas ICBM, (Metal Earth) Locomotive, Dick Tracy (not to be confused with Fearless Fosdick), 62 Pontiac Catalina 421 SD (with nail polish paint job), P-1000 Land Battleship, WW1 cavalrymen, DUKW, and a F-8 Crusader (touching down on a carrier). Acquisitions- a shocking (well, shocking by BPMS standards) difference of opinion on the Minibase Su-33 kit that led to a discussion on parts count, part size, loosing parts, aligning parts and related joys of the hobby. Alpine Miniatures' German WW2 figures, Revell's GMC Big Game Country Pick Up, an inexpensive knockoff airbrush and compressor rounded out the acquisitions. We got a tip on thinning small batches of Mr. Surfacer 1200. In the tool segment, we saw that scratch brushes, with steel, brass or nylon bristles, can be used to remove paint layers for a weathered effect and we saw that some rotary tool wire brushes can do the same thing when mounted on an Xacto type handle. This led to an explanation of the "hairspray" and "salt" weathering techniques. 

Someone asked about hobby shops. A couple of names were mentioned- Rudy's in Astoria, Red Caboose in Manhattan, Brownies on Staten Island, Ridgefield in (where else?) Ridgefield NJ, Willis in Mineola. I'm sure there are a few more. Tell us what's near you, even if it's outside the NYC area. A road trip sounds pretty good about now. The meeting ended with a discussion on continuing zoom meetings once in-person meetings resume. Everyone agreed the virtual meetings are worthwhile and should continue. Presuming in-person meetings are the 3rd Friday of the month, virtual meetings would be the 1st Thursday of the month. We're also looking into ways to use zoom at the in-person meetings. The next meeting is 5/13/21 at 8 pm. FRANK C will send the invites. Hope you can make it. 

~Russ

Gee, that list makes it look like there are hobby shops all over! As the plague lifts, maybe a road trip is in order. AAA Hobbies in Magnolia NJ is well-stocked.
In response to Glenn's question: hobbylinc.com, spruebrothers.com, kitlinx.com are all well-stock and reputable sources, with reasonable shipping charges.

Stay away from Internet Hobbies and his spin-off sites.
~Frank