Aaronw

I have 2-6 copies of many of the pickups that have been issued. My top of the pile though is Seaking helicopter kits, with 14 (but not all the same exact kit or version of Seaking).

That's the one I have, and it works great. I was worried it might just be a cheap gadget but it has held up well for about 4 years now, and gets a fair bit of use. I just use a piece of sprue to loosen up the paint if it has clumped on the bottom, or my Dremel if it is really stubborn.

I haven't had any trouble with Krylon primers and have been using them for a few years now. Also haven't had trouble with Rustolium or Duplicolor paints on top of the Krylon primer, but you do need to make sure the paint you use is the same type (enamel on enamel, laquer on laquer etc) that is were you can run into problems.

I think these 3d printers have the potential to revolutionize the entire hobby. There is a group pushing to make this technology something available to everyone. The printers can make their own replacement parts or the parts to allow someone else to build a printer. Someday we may just download our new model kits, no more paying for shipping.

I am very happy using Rustolium, Krylon and Duplicolor paints. I find the Krylon paints in particular are very forgiving if I get a little heavy with a coat. The hobby paints from testors and Tamiya are very nice but I'll only use them when I need a specific color not available in the general purpose paints because they cost about 4x as much (half the size, twice the price). I do use Krylon primer as I know it is safe on the plastic, I have had a few bad experinces when I got lazy and went with the color coat directly on the plastic. I don't really care for Krylon Fusion which is made for plastic, I find the regular Krylon works as well or better. I have used Fusion over Krylon primer with no ill effects when the Fusion was the only paint I could find. If you are having problems with the hobby paints, general purpose paints won't help except to make the practice cheaper. I'd try to get some tips for technique. Personally I found my paint jobs were much better when I returned to the hobby in my early 30s because I'd learned patience and stopped rushing my paint jobs (I used to try and get full coverage in one or two coats). I don't know what issues you are having but there are lots of people here who can help what ever the problem is.

You guys do realize that any "new forum" will simply be an "other models" section just like rants and raves, real or model, auto art etc don't you? It's not like the whole website or magazine would change to revolve around anything but model cars. I really don't understand the issue with an other models area, possibly it will keep people around when they get in the mood for something else, maybe it will help someone if they are in the mood to try something else. As it stands now I'm quite sure anyone making a post looking for a good P-51 Mustang model would have to put up with a string of posts complaining that it had nothing to do with model cars, then the arguments would start, then the name calling, and then it would get really ugly right before people were sent to their rooms. There are sections here I rarely venture into because they don't interest me. I do take exception to that statement. Is that really why you think people build model tanks or fighters? Because they think "the war" (which war?) didn't last long enough? Nothing to do with the technology, the history or the men and women who served and / or died in the service of their nation?

Subscription Model Cars Magazine IPMS Journal Enjine - Enjine (National SPAAMFAA magazine) California SPAAMFAA newsletter Fire Apparatus Journal (SPAAMFAA Society for the preservation and appreciation of antique motor fire apparatus in America) On occasion when I see something of interest Fine Scale Modeler Scale Auto Model Railroader

How do you intend to use it? If you just want driving directions many cell phones now include that and will cost you far less than even a cheap GPS, and it is a phone. My wife has an LG NV and has used this feature frequently when we are in an area we don't know well. If you are looking at something for hiking, that you can load local topo maps into I like the Garman's, I have a CsX at work which is very good, it is fairly easy to operate, and works well even under heavy tree cover, but it costs about $450, I've also used the Garmin E-Trex which seems to work well, and is fairly simple to operate, also much smaller and cheaper (I think it is around $150). The Nuvi and Tom Tom devices are nice for using in a car since they will also show you gas stations, motels etc, but I don't think they give you the same options as those aimed at the outdoor recreation market.

I'd actually agree with Brett on point 2, if you built a transmission from a missile and some misc tank parts, I don't see that as really being any different from using some Evergreen strip, sheet, rod and tubing. In the big picture I think people could avoid the terminology problem entirely by just saying what they did. Simple, and explains exactly what you did leaving little room for confusion.

I updated the first post, let me know if I missed anything. IH is missing some info, I remember seeing something about them painting gas engines one color and diesels another color, but don't recall when or what color (I know their current diesel engines DT-466, 530 etc are blue).

You mean we are supposed to build them? A rough guess 30 complete, probably a similar number in "progress" (an optimistic term for started but ignored prior to completion), and about 5 actively being built.

You can get R&R kits through Star Models, Steve Kohler who runs the place is pretty good about giving you an honest assessment of the quality of a particular kit. http://www.resinrealm.net/Star/STARModels.html

I was out of town when you posted these, so I never saw them. Very neat the 3 wheeler in particular.

Krylon, Rustolium and Duplicolor make up the bulk of my spray paint. I'll only use the expensive hobby spray paints when I can't find the right color in one of the above brands.

many

I live in the sticks, so this is the closest I can come to a model club. It works great too, I learn a lot, occasionally get to teach something to someone and get to BS a lot about models and cars other stuff, you know, life, the universe and everything.

I just got my order, I got the 337, the optional air compressor and a Dana 60 rear end (its going to be a front end on an F350). All are very well cast as I have always found with Matt's stuff. The only caution I have is for those without a lot of patience, pay attention to the delivery times he gives, he is up front that it may take up to 6 weeks and he took all of it on my order. Not a complaint on my end, but I know many people don't bother to read everything before placing an order, then freak out when its not in their mail box 72 hours after ordering.

I've got some photos and suggestions I can post later, but the first thing that strikes me with a model car is the hood. To really make it look realistic I have a feeling you would need to fabricate it in thin metal, plastic hoods are too thick. Your comment about the firefighter tenting the hood is a good one, it is a common technique used to access the engine compartment, the spike on a halligan tool is used to punch a hole in the hood, then a corner is pried up enough to get the forked end under the hood, then a larger opening is forced. For fires in the trunk, the taillights are a popular spot, bash out the light and shove a nozzle in there. Some departments also have piercing nozzles, a 3-4 foot long spear looking nozzle, it is jammed through the sheet metal and has small holes near the tip allowing water to spray out aftr it is inside the car (also works for fires in basements by jamming it through a floor).

Wayne, nice P-40. There was a late war P-40 that never entered production (P-40Q I think), it had a bubble canopy, 4 bladed prop, squared off wings and other improvements that got the P-40 over 400 mph. I thought it might give you some ideas for what someone might have done to make a hot rodded P-40 racer. If you were up to some major plastic surgery you could probably bash a P40 with a P-51.

Hubley did some early Chevrolet metal bodied kits. I haven't built one but understand they are rather rough and are in box scales ranging from 1/25 ish to 1/32 ish.

Oh, and if anyone wants something truly unique (if unlikley, I think only 1 survived the war) have a look at the DO-335 Arrow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_335

I think the F-82 is neat, but I can't really disagree with your logic for wanting to exclude it. It is at best a what if racer, not a realistic option due to limited use. The Twin Mustang was used in Korea as a successful nightfighter and ground attack. It scored some daylight kills early in the war against Soviet built prop fighters flown by the North Koreans, so the "not a serious fighter" is a bit harsh. It was very fast, nearly 500 mph. It's wing span and weight are nearly identical to the F7F Tigercat which has been used as a racer, although I don't know how successfully. The Twin Mustang definately missed WW2, it's first flight was in mid 1945 and the first production version became available in 1946. It did not start to show up in fighter squadrons as a long range escort fighter and all weather / night fighter until 1948. At least the Tigercat, Bearcat and Sea Fury were available when the war ended even if not in time to see any combat. No provision for spare parts was made when ordered so its wartime service in Korea saw many planes cannibalized for parts to keep the rest flying. As a result not many were left to be sold as surplus when it was phased out in the early 1950s. Only a 1/2 dozen or so still exist today and I don't believe any are air worthy.

Erickson builds big whopping helicopters, and they have been modeler friendly, allowing the use of their trademarks as long as the modeler does their best to show the company in a good light. They even set up a modeler zone with photos and drawings of their helicopters useful to modelers. Lets hope PACCAR follows their example.

Actually I can't say anything bad about PACCAR over this, they do have to protect their trademarks by telling unauthorized users to stop using them or they can lose control of thoe trademarks. How they respond to the request to make scale model decals will say a lot, hopefully they will be reasonable and offer a deal that allows the decals to be viable. Not all of the companies out there are unreasonable, and some even recognize the value of models showing their logo, hopefully PACCAR is one of them.

Hendrix and R&R have done a bunch of 4 door sedan and wagons from the 50s and 60s. Star models carries a lot of their stuff, the prices on most is pretty reasonable (as resin goes) and Steve is very easy to work with. http://www.resinrealm.net/Star/STARModels.html