R.M.S. TITANIC (Suyata)

This is the very new first model from a new Hong Kong company called Suyata Models.

The kit is a cartoon version of the spectacular failure of a ship the R.M.S. Titanic, or as The Onion put it, "the World's Largest Metaphor".  

This is a superb kit in so many respects. The moulding is beautiful and the fit fantastic. It is cast in four colours, but I painted everything using both Vallejo and Tamiya gloss white acrylics anyway.

I bought at the same time the laser cut wooden decking for this new kit. There were about 25 pieces of decking, and I took the better part of a day applying it after first sticking it to my fingers. However, it was a great way to learn about applying wooden decking to model ships. There was no decking for the  aft flying bridge so I used excess wood to make proper decking for that piece. I also added chain for the anchors; rigging; a sternpost flag; and filled in all the portholes with clear glue.

Here is my in-box review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjsfoTdB2cU

The Onion says this was the final transmission from the Titanic: "Titanic struck by icy representation of nature's supremacy STOP insufficient lifeboats due to pompous certainty in man's infallibility STOP Microcosm of larger society STOP". Strangely there are almost as many lifeboats in this cartoon kit as there were on the real ocean liner.

This was a great and very educational Covid-19 project.

Work-in-progress in the Harland and Wolff shipyard which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom...

applying wooden decking

M134 MINIGUN (4D Models)

This is a rather large 1:5 or 1:6 scale kit, from 4D Models of China, of the General Electric M134 MINIGUN 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (about 2000  rounds per minute). It was designed in 1960 and entered service in 1963. Various versions remain in service around the world to this day. This gun has a range of about 1000 m, and a muzzle velocity of 869 m/s. It is called a minigun because it is MINI in comparison to the larger Vulcan guns from which it is derived; and it is a GUN in that it uses standard ammunition. The updated and the rebuilt versions are made by Dillion Aero Inc. of Arizona USA.

This is my entry in the April 2021 long weekend IPMS Ottawa Blitz Build. It started on Friday 02 April in the early morning, and was completed on Saturday by 13:50. Most of that time was spent in the drying box curing the gloss back primary coat. Overall the finished models is about 17 cm long.

The fit is only so-so, but there is a fair amount of detail. On the poor side is the ammunition belt. It is moulded from horrific ultra-soft plastic which does not have detail and does not want to hold paint. Sadly, the electrical cord is missing, as all of these guns are driven by an electric motor. The gun itself weighs up to 40 kg, but can be pared down to about 20 kg. There is no such thing as a man-portable version of this gun. That is a movie fantasy only. Where would you carry the battery pack, never mind thousands of rounds of ammunition? 

Paint is a base of Tamiya gloss back, and an overcoat of Vallejo matted metallizer jet exhaust to bring up a more metallic look. Then it was shot again with diluted Vallejo matte. I used a chain to hang it from a model aircraft stand salvaged from the sprue box. The unbuilt kit itself is tiny and fit in an envelop. It came from AliExpress for about $3 shipping included.

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

Start of the IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build -
nothing but a bag of parts and the plans for the
G.E. M134 Minigun

Base cpat of gloss black applied to all parts in the second build stage,
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

First major sub-assembly completed in the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

All major sub-assemblies completed in the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

COMPLETED the model for the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

COMPLETED the model for the
IPMS Ottawa April Blitz Build - G.E. M134 Minigun

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

General Electric M134 MINIGUN

C-130H HERCULES in the BONEYARD (Hasegawa)

This is the tiny 1:200 scale Japanese air force C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, Komaki Air Base.

The model arrived in the post, and  was a gift from Murray H., a dear friend in Alberta, who knew I was having a tough time these days. This was a challenging Covid-19 build.

It is shown as a desert boneyard storage queen with taped front glass and a missing engine. The engine is literally missing. It popped off and none of us here could find it in a tiny room. How bizarre. 

Paint is all Vallejo regular and metalizer acrylic, plus Future Floor Wax and decals OOB. I love orange! Paint jobs with the day-glow flouescent orange like these were used on aircraft going to the arctic and antarctic, as well as target towing aircraft and other special purpose mission aircraft which needed to be very highly visible.

Strange Herc fact: entering service in 1956, the C-130 recently passed the Antonov AN-2 to become the world's longest continuously produced military aircraft.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, Komaki AB
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

An actual USAF C-130 from antarctic missions in endless storage at
Davis–Monthan AFB in Tucson Arizona USA.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW, 
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

C-130H Hercules from 401st Sqdn TAW,
In the desert boneyard - never to fly again.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.

Under contstruction in the Lockheed plant 
which just so happens to be in my spare bathroom.