Lunajammer

Gonna have to go with this one. I've been in a mid life crisis in one form or another since I was 30. For the most part I still feel bulletproof, just don't have the spring in my achilles like before. Sage advice from my 72 year old brother, "If you haven't done something you want to do by the time you're in your 50's, you're probably not going to do it." So consider what you want, dig deep and do it so you'll never wonder.

It was built over centuries by craftsmen who committed their lives to it as an act of spiritual devotion. Could it ever be rebuilt to the same artisanship when you can hardly find anyone to spit on the sidewalk without money, bureaucracy, shortcuts, politics and union demands?

I recognize it. It's an interior shot of my office.

BTW, what kits have a good 1/24 stock steel wheel?

On a side note, to my eye, this kit looks to be 1/24, while the wheels on all examples I've seen look 1/25. A bit too small. Monogram's 1/24 GT Radial with the scripts sanded off might look nice if you don't need a bias ply tire.

Kind of a shame that this generation of Monogram kits had such proportional baggage. Mine remains half built the past 25-yrs too. Looking forward to seeing it with decals Gene.

This is in really nice shape, almost no warpage. For that reason I'd say restore to original. If you prefer to paint and BMF, then I recommend using enamels that won't etch into the plastic like lacquer so the next generation owner can strip and restore if they wish.

For a 1-part glazing putty, I do like the Bondo product because I can thin it with lacquer thinner and use it as thick or thin as I want. The two-part Bondo is primary for filling and body work but for surfacing I sometimes thin the 1-part and brush it on as a heavy primer or for feathering body work.

Brilliant idea. Well presented tutorial too.

Last week I had the awesome privilege of attending a presentation by special effects legend Richard Edlund. It was a small crowd and I got to visit with him afterward. He and John Dykstra developed Industrial Light and Magic at the request of George Lucas. Among Edlund's four academy awards for special effects is Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and a special achievement academy award. Earlier in his career he hand lettered the trademark font for And it's his hand as "Thing" in the opening of the Addams Family. Riveting to hear how he and his team solved unique FX problems for Hollywood in films like Poltergeist, Die Hard and more.

Killer......................

This particular kit is highly sought here in my hometown of Fargo, ND because the cover image represents a plane that flew here with our Air National Guard from 1969 to 1977. The 119th Fighter Wing, "The Happy Hooligans" as indicated on the red tail strip. Back when the town was half the size it is today, most people knew somebody who flew in one of the two seats because it was all local pilots flying them. I have my kit, but it took a couple years to find one (before ebay took off). Unfortunately, there were two mishaps with this plane including a mid air collision during training. Though there were no fatalities, one plane was lost and the other had to return to Fargo with part of its wing missing. My brother-in-law worked at the ANG wrenching on missiles when the plane returned. He said to stay airborne the plane couldn't fly less than about 250 MPH so that's how fast it had to land, requiring the arresting cables at the end of the runway to stop it.

I know these kits are fussy, but everyone, including yourself, seems to make them spectacular.

It's a toss-up between the show stopper or the sentimental heart throb.

Cool. Is it just me or.......

This is cool. I love it.

You are correct. Though the line originated with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, but it's often misquoted. Your guess is correct for this exact wording.

"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges." Careful.

That's pretty good Pete. It's not often you see model body damage that passes the scrutiny test.

Wow. Spectacular. You did a great job on an impeccably mastered kit.

Love the long bed. Someone should resin kit that bed and 8-lugs.

This looks really cool. I wasn't familiar with this kind of Olds in NASCAR. I quite like.

Being a Ridley Scott disciple, I like Blade Runner and Alien. Also John Carpenter's The Thing. Those were cutting edge sci fi films at the time and that's how I sentimentally view them. I also like District 9. 31 Days of Oscar on TCM is about the best network TV watching there is. A great way to discover some of the best movies filmed.

Amazing clean details and definitely captures a specific and familiar look. Nice work.

I figured it was heat tinting with some new or refurbished blocks added. With it just metal against metal, it makes me wonder how they can even make make a part without flash oozing everywhere, but still get clean, tiny detail parts just fine.