1952

Arrivals For the Week Ending September 21,  2024 –

October 9, 2024

F18 Hornet

by Jack Hollander

The wings of this Academy 1/32  F18 Hornet were primed with Floquil Primer, than airbrushed with a lightened up Ghost Gray. I airbrushed the panel lines with floquil weathered black before the final coating. It blends in when the gray top coat is sprayed.

The nose comes off to show the radar.  I added a resin seat because the one that was included wasn’t all that good

The landing gear was comprised of 50-pieces and took me about 3 weeks to do.

September 17, 2024

Tactical Ballistic Missile Launcher

By Gil Gonsoulin

Although Dragon Models M752 Tactical Ballistic Missile Launcher kit is called a ‘Smart Kit’, I came up with a few other names for it with all the problems it has.  I built it in the ‘launch’ mode, and during the building process it was almost launched into the trash can more than once.

To start with there are many problems with the instructions: parts numbered wrong, placements incorrect, and some parts are included in the kit that don’t on the Lance. In building the missile, the plans call for placing four parts ‘I-86’ on the missile. However the ‘I’ sprue stops at #84. So where are you supposed to find ‘I’- 86?

Another problems is that the headlight lenses are grey instead of clear. Parts shown on the box art as tool boxes are actually boxes that hold the missiles fins. In addition to being labeled wrong they are too small for the kits fins. Also if you follow the instructions, the launcher won’t elevate or traverse as stated on the box art.

To make the kit corrections you’ll need to add a brace and attachment bracket for the missile cradle. Also you need to make some straps out of lead foil. The ones supplied in the kit are photoetched and are too big. Replace the grey lenses with clear plastic ones. The grab handles need to be replaced with one made of brass wire. And this kit gives you wooden seats! Why would you put wooden seats in the bed of a missile launched?

I painted the kit with Model Master and Tamiya paints and weathered using Windsor/ Newton oils.

Rosebud

Hub Hobby’s original building on Broad St in New Orleans has been demolished. Word of it being torn down spread like wildfire.

One of our customers, Jim Letten, was emailed by his friend Martin about the demolition of their childhood hang-out.

The subject line was: ROSEBUD

“Rosebud” was the dying word spoken by Orson Welles in the movie Citizen Kane: a reference to his childhood sled – the symbol of memories of youthful innocence.

Read it here