Lunajammer

Different is always good. Still undecided about the appeal, but the engineering is fantastic. Not an easy combo but you put it together like it was meant to be.

I'd been following it last week during the aborted attempts so I was thrilled to see Discovery cover it live. I watched all of it. Made for two hours of dull TV with ten minutes of action, but for air & space nerds like me I was riveted through the whole thing. Yeah, I watch NASA TV too on public service channels which is dry as toast but I love it. Congratulations Felix! (glad I didn't watch you die on live TV).

Better test shoot them first. I've bought discounted Duplicolor paints and sometimes the colors don't match the name indicated. Of those, they appear to be a shade off or a bad batch. But for .59-cents, sometimes it doesn't matter that much.

Ohh, you think your sales tax is high... when I was kid, paint was so cheap we paid with napkin scraps. (Enter Monty Python)... MP: We were poor. My old Dad used to say to me, 'Money doesn't buy you happiness.' EI: 'E was right. I was happier then and I had NOTHIN'. We used to live in this tiiiny old house, with greaaaaat big holes in the roof. GC: House? You were lucky to have a HOUSE! We used to live in one room, all hundred and twenty-six of us, no furniture. Half the floor was missing; we were all huddled together in one corner for fear of FALLING! TJ: You were lucky to have a ROOM! *We* used to have to live in a corridor! MP: Ohhhh we used to DREAM of livin' in a corridor! Woulda' been a palace to us. We used to live in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woken up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us! House!? Hmph. EI: Well when I say 'house' it was only a hole in the ground covered by a piece of tarpolin, but it was a house to US. GC: We were evicted from our hole in the ground; we had to go and live in a lake! TJ: You were lucky to have a LAKE! There were a hundred and sixty of us living in a small shoebox in the middle of the road. MP: Cardboard box? TJ: Aye. MP: You were lucky. We lived for three months in a brown paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six o'clock in the morning, clean the bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down mill for fourteen hours a day week in-week out. GC: Luxury. We used to have to get out of the lake at three o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel, go to work at the mill every day for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would beat us around the head and neck with a broken bottle, if we were LUCKY! TJ: Well we had it tough. We used to have to get up out of the shoebox at twelve o'clock at night, and LICK the road clean with our tongues. We had half a handful of freezing cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at the mill for fourpence every six years, and when we got home, our Dad would slice us in two with a bread knife. EI: Right. I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of suphuric acid, work 29-hours a day down mill and pay mill owner for permission to come to work. And when we got home our dad and our mother would kill us and dance about our graves singing 'Hallelujah' MP: But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Add me to the list of folks rethinking this kit now.

Another beautiful example of "less is more." I'm not sure after market detailing would have improved this any. Instead we can appreciate the thought and care you put into what the kit gives you. Well done my friend.

I'm catching a slight whiff of Insane Clown Posse. Speaking of insane, how about that airbrush work and SHINE?

Last time I went to SMS my girlfriend was with me and agreed to let me hit a hobby shop. Upon entering the place she realized she'd made a big mistake and in a disgruntled puff, went back to the car knowing she'd have plenty of time to take a nap.

X2. Really beautiful work. Sectioning does so much for the Monogram '53 and all your styling cues seem exactly right for the period. Smooth body work and pleasantly creative.

Where I live, I don't think I've ever heard that in my life. You ought to read how Lewis and Clark described them. :lol:

Knowing nothing about the game and only looking at the photos, I see the GSX at the front but side panels look like '66-'69 Riviera with some '70 Mustang influences. I'd love to hear what the Aussies think, is there some Holden Monaro in there?

He wrote the manual on pit reporting. He earned the trust of racing teams during an era when they had no particular affections for reporters during a race. Mostly, he was insightful without blathering. While general sports announcers like Jim McKay called the race, Chris was the one who worked.

Good stuff Neal, good stuff. The only team member I think I would add would be...

Art director for an outdoor advertising company. I'm one of three artists doing concepting, design and layout for billboards for all of North Dakota, Northwest Minnesota and Southern New Mexico. First career was 13-years in electronic media which included beat reporter, morning radio, jocking and five years as television news producer, producing two newscasts a day and associate producing one more. Ed Schultz, now of MSNBC's "The Ed Show" was my boss for a time.

I love it. And your graphic choice is brilliant.

You know, these things commonly take a bad rap, but there's room to appreciate and partake in the heritage of our hobby. You gotta respect the model companies for keeping a few of these out there and risk getting thrown under the bus by the more novice modelers who might not know what they're buying. Nice work.

Lovely box stock beauty. Young'uns, take note.

Very sweet. A dream machine. Thanks for ID'ing the paint. Good to know.

Yes, and then there was this... "art." Shows photo of actual finished model and still shows you almost nothing but laughable Photoshopping. (Someone out there got to say, "Hey, I did this!") Box art is advertising and the first rule of effective advertising is it has to reach you at some emotional level. Does the real photo the Funnier Farmer model get you all jazzed to tear into the box and start gluing? What about the photo below? I'm all for showing the nuts and bolts of the kit on the side panels and bottom, but give us the fantasy of possibilities on the box top.

I've often also wondered why the figure selection is poor in this scale. I would think even a handful of common men and women in common positions would sell, maybe not millions, but at least steadily. Limbs that can be sectioned and positioned would be nice (as opposed to being one piece of body chunk). Finishing is just something that can be learned. If you can rust and weather, you can highlight and blend on figures.

Pure class, pure class.

Just a follow up... Krylon clear is becoming scarce so tonight I cleared with Rustoleum Clear Enamel. It wasn't the automotive line but I'd be surprised if there was much difference. Result: "No runs, no drips, no errors." No luster conflict and no reaction to either lacquer or enamel. Doesn't bring any life to brush painted silver though. I'm in business boys, thanks again.

That's awesome RACER, I'd love to hear how some of those shop conversations went. Looks like #1 is based on an old Winnebago.

All of you guys, I'm really grateful for all your insights. Valid stuff. I know what you mean Kevin. Years ago I used Testers clear enamel that really yellowed bad. I was kind of hoping that would've been resolved by 2012, it's also why I hoped lacquer would be the way to go. If Testers lacquer is too hot, then automotive lacquer will really be harsh. ACE - that's it exactly. The gold (and interior treatment) is inspired by Oldsmobile's contribution to the mix with the '54 F-88. Sean and MAGNUM, I think you might be right on the two part urethane but it's more involved than I care to get on this project. Future I'm not comfortable with yet. I didn't like the results I got last time. Operator error I'm sure. Casey and Bob, I'm inclined to go in your direction. Bob I appreciate you sharing the results of your tests.

I need to clear coat this body. The gold is lacquer, the ivory is enamel. I got all set up to use Testors Spray Lacquer clear when I read the tiny print which says "do not spray on high luster silver, gold, copper..." etc. From your own experience, what readily available rattle can clear do you recommend and why, and don't say Tamiya, its existence is mere legend and has never been spotted. Thanks folks.