This would make an awesome Photo in Time entry

Looking for a subject to model for the 2018 Old Dominion Open Photo in Time category? All you need is one Sherman kit, some good water modeling skills, two tanker figures and a hill!  This would be as easy as pie for Richard Leininger our resident IPMS Richmond Water Guru.

-Bob Walls

Wood Look Bases for less than $2.00

So your prized build is finished and you want a base.  If it is 1/72 scale or 5 inches or less, there is an easy and inexpensive way to do your bases. If you have a table saw and some craft paint and want a wood background for your model, then go to to a Big Box hardware store's flooring department and look at their fake wood flooring samples. Most are under a dollar or two. The good ones are made of bamboo and finished to look like something else.  The cheaper ones are particle board and covered with some form of wood like top. They have edges which are made to lock into the next piece.  You will have to saw that off with your table saw. On the particle board ones, use a craft acrylic paint that matches or compliments the top and paint the for edges being careful not to paint the tops. Below is my first attempt where I learned how not to cut and paint these!

This is what the backs of the samples look like.

Cut slowly to avoid damaging the top layer with the wood grain finish.

The size of the samples will limit the size models you can use on these.  But another plus besides price is since they are not real wood with real grain, so if you want to apply a wet ground cover like Celluclay or paper mache' the thin base will not warp.

-Bob Walls

Four Bradley IFV's ready for a Road Trip

Here are four 1/72 Bradleys completed by Bob Walls. All have been weathered and attached to bases.

Trumpeter M2 in Summer MERDC Camo

Revell M2A2 Nato Camo with Legend Stowage

Trumpeter M2A2 with Legend stowage

Still time for any of you Richmond guys who want to join the group Bradley Build.

-Bob Walls

Great Source of Kit Information

Every wondered if a model kit was worth buying?  Was it a newly released kit or just a re-box of an old kit from the 1990s? If it was a re-box, did they fix or add anything?  For those answers check out the website Scalemates. This site must have every model kit ever made. Put in a kit name, or a subject name and you will get a list of kits that match. You get timelines for the release of the kit, kit reviews if any have been done, photos of the model if they have been uploaded by readers and other info related to that kit.

Here is the scoop on the ICM  T-34/76 kit Ron Craig finished and brought to the meeting earlier this month. It is a new tooled kit and not a re-box. Check it and the Scalemates site by clicking this link.

SCALEMATES LINK

Interesting, if you can't find the ICM kit, look for the Revell version! Same kit, their box. Who would know that?

-Bob Walls

Gene Rasmussen's Progress Report

Here's what Gene has to say about his Tamiya Bradley.

"Today, after fighting with decals that I found can't be seen  anyway, I completed the interior, upper and lower hull with the exception of the machine guns, so I won't break them off while doing the exterior. I put two decals on the fire extinguishers, to find out only one is remotely visible. After 30 hours, the other one stuck to my finger and I tossed it.

The tracks were Futured (sprayed with Pledge Floor Wax), then sprayed with dark steel. They at least don't look as much like vinyl. So now it's all exterior parts and additions to go!"

Chazz's Bradley: Afterword

Bradley Decal

During our Monday meeting, Gene showed off his Bradley and he wanted to warn everyone that the interior decals are very small.

Gene says, "Note arrow pointing at the decal? That decal is about the size of the SIDE of a dime. It disappeared within an hour to who knows where!"