Jim Gibbons

I built this kit for someone about twenty years ago, and I used some Squadron Green Stuff putty. I did use masking tape to cover the engraved detail to preserve it when sanding. It builds into a nice kit; I used guitar string for the bracing. I'm currently working on the Travelair Mystery Ship ex-Hawk kit, which when painted and wire braced, looks beautiful. I had built this for the same person those years ago, and it came out so well, I had to build one for myself.

Thanks for the comments, folks. The foil really helped the appearance of this model. When it was tooled in the '60s, it was state of the art, but compared to the Trumpeter, it leaves a lot to be desired. Huge rivets, gaps that resembled canyons that had to be filled, and those darned main gear doors! However, at less than $30, it sure beats $175! My friend (a WW2 vet)wanted it as a basic "hang from the ceiling" model, so I could have spent less time detailing the cockpit. I also eliminated the port side engine that the kit came with, and cemented the panel in place. I replaced the kit prop retainers with brass screws and washers, so if he has a fan going, the props spin very freely. I've been working on a 1/144 American Airlines DC-3, but I'm using BMF on that since the scale is small. There's a 1/144 PanAm 707 that'll get the foil treatment on the lower fuselage and wings, too. I like the look of real aluminum on aircraft, even at the expense of my sanity!

Harry, that is sweet! I went to SUNY Maritime for my first year of college, and loved to look at the builder's models of ships displayed at school. (While there, I built a shipload of ship models in my limited spare time.) My dad died while I was there, so never ended up on the seas for a living. Hope to see more of your ship models.

Here's one some of you may have seen before in an old and controversial thread. This is the old 1/32 Revell P-38J I built for a friend of mine. He wanted it gear up, which I thought would have been easier. Wrong. The main gear doors had been designed to be down, and I ended up making sheet plastic ones, as there was no way the kit doors had any semblance of fit or alignment after trimming the mounting tabs. These pics were taken just before I carved balsa "plugs" for the scratchbuilt ones to mount to. Its finish is cheap household aluminum foil applied using Microscale metal foil adhesive. I know about Alclad, etc., but somehow, real aluminum has a look and texture that can't be duplicated by paint. One can alter the grain and finish (polished vs. dull) for each panel, and the effect is very realistic, especially on large scale aircraft. It's mind numbingly tedious to do it this way, but when complete, it can't be beat! For example, the engine cowl facings, (between the prop and the "125" decal) required seven separate pieces of foil to avoid wrinkles. There are two of the bloody things. Another advantage of using foil is that the paint used for anti-glare panels, etc., (Tamiya acrylics in this case,) can be weathered easily. I applied them without primer, the same way the 1:1 would have been. I could then scrape around panel screws, etc., and add prop debris damage with little effort. Every time I've done an aircraft model this way, I swear I will never do another. I think I've done at least seven the same way.

Have to admit to getting a bit misty eyed about this wonderful build; as Harry said, great motivation behind it. My thoughts and prayers go out to both of you.

Looking great; if you need any measurements from my Group44 XJ12, let me know. If it would help, I could also scan the decal sheet that you could scale up to print your own.

Great news; between this and the Hudson, my modeling budget is going to take a hit in 2011!

Beautiful work; your chrome effect is great. I checked out your other art on your site, and was duly impressed. It's hard to distinguish the pencil drawings from black and white photographs.

Very nice! I also built this kit; (it's in my gallery,) as I also had a '54 Ford that I bought in '77. I painted mine in the same colors as my 1:1, too.

Great job, David!

I can't say I had any problems other than the very fragile wheel retainer pins for the rear axle and front spindles. I cemented the wheels on to fix the issue. The only other issue I had was the steering wheel/column seems to be angled a bit too shallowly, so the bottom of the wheel is nearly hitting the seat. That could have been an assembly error on my part, though. I have pictures in my gallery of it, and the rest of the fit was very good.

I agree with Terry; I wish a company (preferably Tamiya) would make a '61-64 Saab 96. It could be offered as stock and rallye versions. I built a 1/43 Starter resin kit of Erik Carlsson's '63 Monte Carlo Rallye winner (in my gallery photos,) but I wish there were 1/25 versions in plastic. I'd also love to see a plastic 1/25 '56 Lincoln Premier, and '55 or '56 Mercuries. This is the short list!

I will pray for her, and you and your family. Will the surgery be minimally invasive? It's amazing what can be done these days. I think that things like this are harder on the family than the patient. When I was a kid, my younger brother had surgeries two years in a row when he was four, then five years old. I think I cried in private more than he ever did. I had open heart surgery several years ago for constrictive pericarditis, and the whole procedure was not all that bad. God bless, and I will be praying.

Cool beyond words...a must follow!

"Uncle" Tom was the best; reading his road tests were a treat. I wish that a book would be published of his car reviews. I have been thinking about that for years. It'd be worth researching his estate and the copyrights that would have to be addressed. Thanks for the memories!

Very nice! I built this kit in the exact color scheme as yours. I'm working on a Gunze '57 Eldorado Brougham. Despite their motorized kit design, they do build up nicely, and have great instrument and door panel detail.

It's coming out beautifully; '65 Pontiac is one of my all time favorite car designs from the '60s.

I like both, but would be more inclined to buy the second "Flatheads Rule" shirt. (I may do so, too!) However, if I were to spend the money, I wouldn't want one with the machine wash filter effect. I have enough old shirts that look like they've been through the wringer!

I seem to break even on these; I'm about due to be right, so I'll say model. I very well could be wrong, but I polished enough brass in my merchant marine days, and the tank looks too good to be 1:1 (or else it's been plated, which would have been unlikely on the 1:1.)

I have that Chrysler model; mine is molded in light green. I'll post it when complete. I happen to like those 1/32 kits. I also have the '55 which is giving me fits. It has warped parts, and I'm trying to get it to work decently. It's missing one grille side which has made me put it on the far back burner.

My first model was the 1/24 Monogram Ferrari 275P that could be used as a slot car body or simple kit. My second was an Aurora B-47 I received as a Christmas grab bag gift. I painted it with Testor's silver with gloss black tires and details. It was a goopy looking mess, but to my 8 year old eyes, it was the best airplane model ever! That was followed by a really early 1/48 P-51D model. I have no idea as to the manufacturer, but it must have dated from the early '50s. My father had it sitting in the attic for years, and gave it to me to build. It had a grand total of nine parts; propeller, prop retainer, two fuselage halves, pilot figure that mounted to a "bridge" seat molded in each half, two stabilizers, clear canopy, and a one piece solid wing. It was molded in grey, but the pilot figure was a brownish maroon similar to bakelite. After those kits came a series of models that were sold in packaging that looked like matchbooks. Eldon seems to stick in my head. I built a Spitfire, ME-109, Spad, and Albatross. They also had cars which were no more that HO scale racing bodies with soft plastic wheels and interiors, detailed chassis plate, and metal axles and screws to hold the works together. (Not unlike Mini Lindys of which I spent a share of my allowance on.) I built a '68 Camaro and Dodge Charger. I built the cars a little later in my building history. After the matchbook aircraft, I built a 1/24 Hawk Mercedes Benz W163 prewar Grand Prix car. That was neat, as it had a display base you could wire the model to, with a separate engine to mount on it. There was a decal with the specs. You could even hang it on the wall as a hole was provided. That was followed by a Renwall dual kit set of a 1/48 '48 Lincoln Continental and Bugatti. I still have the Conti on a shelf above my computer. My next was the 1/24 Monogram Mercedes Benz 540K molded in red, black, and white. I'm one of those eidetic memory folks; I could likely give a fairly accurate timeline and listing of every model I ever built. Guess I'm a bit of a mutant! I could never forget my first model any differently than my first bike ride, first drive, and the first time I got (you fill in the blank! ) Man, I'm weird!

Here's something that would make an interesting model. It's not up my alley, but some of you folks could likely do a great job on it. USAF Recruiting Warthog Cadillac Escalade Monster Truck

Nice work so far. I could be wrong (I'm not a vintage Toyota expert by any means,) but the grille looks like a '73, mainly from the "gills" on each side of the headlights. I HAVE to get this kit and build it for my sister, as it was her first car. Of course, it wasn't the Levin with the fender flares, etc., but I wasn't aware this kit was even available. Hers was that "mustard" yellow, and was a really neat and good little car. We had some wild times in it that are still spoken of today!

I second Harry's comments; as a huge vintage racing fan (and one that has worked timing and scoring in these events,) I think your choice of a "used" racer is superb. I've wandered through the paddock many times, and one of the coolest things (to me, anyway,) I saw was a D-Type Jag with "battle scars." A great job on a less than great kit; you should be proud of your accomplishments. Vintage racers are not meant to be trailer queens. Well done, my friend!

I'm going to miss this topic; kudos to your soldiering through this kit.