IPMS/USA National Convention 2007

This video, posted on YouTube by hyperscale, shows you the many scale models which was exhibited during the IPMS USA Nationals in 2007. The event was held at Anaheim in California.

The IPMS/USA National Convention 2008 is going to be held in Virginia Beach, VA during the 6th to 9th of August, 2008.

There are many beautiful scale models in this video. Fantastic stuffs!

Remote Controlled Scale Model Heng Long M41A3 Walker Bulldog

This is interesting so i will share this video with you. It is posted by quickshot79 in YouTube. This is the remote controlled tank manufactured by Heng Long. This M41A3 Walker Bulldog is in 1/16 scale. Looks and sounds like the real thing. Have fun watching!

1:35 Scale Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog

This is one of my favourite scale model. The M41 Walker Bulldog scale model built right out of the box from the Tamiya kit.

After World War Two, the main tank strength of the U.S Army were the M-4 Sherman medium tank, the M-26 Pershing heavy tank and the M-24 General Caffi light tank. To compete with the Soviet counterpart, there is an urgent need to produce powerful new tanks. This situation and the Korean war led to the development of the M41 type light tank.

The name "Walker Bulldog" is in praise of the late General W.H. Walker who was nicknamed "Bulldog". He was killed in action during the Korean war.

The standard color scheme of the M41 is Olive Drab. Other colors used for this project includes Matt Black, Matt Brown, Gloss Red and Silver.

Decals are provided to build the tank either of the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force or of the U.S Army. I chose to build this in the U.S Army version with the number 532.

I had fun building the M41 Walker Bulldog. Here is the close up photograph of the figure provided with the kit.
I painted the eyes using needles. Some weathering had been done on this scale model. It is yet another quality scale model kit from Tamiya. I look forward to building more kits from Tamiya in the future when i have more time.

Scale Modeling the 1/350 Scale Star Trek Refit Enterprise Model Part 3

This is the 3rd part of the video about scale modeling the 1/350 Scale Star Trek Refit Enterprise Model. It is made by facemodels in YouTube. A very beautifully done scale model.

"Captain Archer: Enterprise was designed to be a ship of exploration."

Scale Modeling the 1/350 Scale Star Trek Refit Enterprise Model Part 2

This is part 2 of the video about scale modeling the 1/350 Star Trek Refit Enterprise Model. This video is from facemodels in YouTube.

Scale Modeling the 1/350 Scale Star Trek Refit Enterprise Model Part 1

Ok. I saw this on Youtube by facemodels and thought of posting this for all Science fiction and Star Trek fans. This video is about building the 1/350 Star Trek Refit Enterprise Model. This is part 1.

This scale model kit is manufactured by Polar Lights.

Thinner For Scale Modeling

It has been a while since i last posted something related to paint. So today, i like to write something about thinners for thinning enamels and paint.

For enamel paint, you will need thinners like the one shown in my photograph above. It is always good to use the same brand of thinners together with the paint. For example, you should use Humbrol thinners for Humbrol paints. There may be other compatible thinners, but you may run the risk of unpredicted situation if you use the wrong type.

To avoid any problems, always use the same brand of thinners and paints together. This will ensure that the paints will thin and mix well. Always remember that inferior thinners may impair your scale modeling result. So, get a good and compatible brand.

Thinners are also excellent for cleaning brushes and removing dirt and oil from painted parts. Use it sparingly though, pour a small amount of thinner into another container and use it for cleaning purposes. I normally reuse and dispose off it when it gets really dirty.

Thinners are flammable and strong-smelling. Do not forget to work in a well-ventilated and cool area when you are using thinners during the building of your scale model. No fire sources should be near your work area. Work safely.

That's about all for now. Happy scale modeling.

Scale Model Reference Book: P-51 Mustang In Action

The P-51 Mustang is one of my favorite historical aircraft. I got this book because it contains many photographs and information about this amazing aircraft. Right now, i have two P-51 Mustang scale models of the A-36 Apache designation. One built and the other still unbuilt. I will show the built A-36 Apache Mustang in my future post.

This book is by Larry Davis and illustrated by Don Greer. It is published by Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc. The ISBN is 0-89747-114-8. The front cover features Col. John Landers, Commander of the 78th FG, at 30,000 ft. over Germany. "Big Beautiful Doll". There are a total of about 57 pages. Many photographs are not easy to be seen elsewhere except in this book.

List of contributors includes the following:

• Air Force Museum


• Col. Nick Apple, USAF


• Albert Arnold, 348th FG


• Gene Boswell


• Anthony Chardella, 359th FG


• John Dienst


• Bob Esposito


• Jeff Ethell


• Gary Fry


• Don Garrett


• Dave McLaren


• Dave Menard


• North American Aviation


• Merle Olmsted, 357th FG


• Dwayne Tabatt


• Warren Thompson


• Col. Dick Turner, 354th FG


• US Air Force


• Richard E. Ward


• Ron Witt

As you can see, the list is massive. This book is one of the must-have for aviation history fans. If you are building this scale model, this book will also be of a great help to you. You will be able to read about the many different variations of the Mustang in this book.

Here is the back cover depicting the P-51B, The Verna and the F-82G, Midnight Sinner.


Do you own any Mustang or aircraft scale models too?

1:32 Scale Revell Supermarine Spitfire Mk. 1

This is my very first aircraft scale model which i had built during the 1990s. It is the 1:32 scale model Supermarine Spitfire Mk. 1 from Revell. The kit number is 4555. It is made in USA.

It is one of my favorite aircraft from the world war two era. I painted this totally using paint brushes with minimal weathering. This kit is a precise replica of the aircraft. It elegantly portrayed the aircraft that gained immortality in the skies over Great Britain.

The kit has some fanciful features as follows:

1. The panels for the Rolls-Royce engine compartment is removable, so you will be able to see the details of the engine.


2. The kit also features hinged rudders, ailerons and elevators.


3. The canopy can also be opened to reveal a detailed cockpit.


4. The wheels are retractable

The decals provided are for an actual Spifire aircraft that was flown by the British ace Flt. Lt. A.L. Deere.

I spent some time painting the camoflage patterns using paintbrushes with Testors Modelmaster Enamel. The main color used are:

• FS 34096 Olive Green


• FS 33105 Light Brown


• FS 34554 Light Green

Here is the top view of the scale model:

The Spitfire, one of the symbolic heroes of the Battle of Britain together with the Hawker Hurricane. I had fun building this magnificent aircraft and knowing a bit about its history.

1:58 Scale Tomy Key Chain Tomica

This is the second piece of the Tomy Key Chain Tomica in my possession. This is in 1:58 Scale and the die-cast model is a Mitsubishi Lancer sports car Evolution IV. This is quite an old model as the real Evolution IV was launched in 1996. As per my previous posting about the 1:62 Scale Tomy Keychain Tomica, the quality of this scale model is also top-notch. It is a very nice series yet again from Tomy Takara.

Now regarding the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, the latest Evolution X had already went on sale in Japan on the 1st of October 2007. It is yet another fine car made by a world class manufacturer. Take a look at the latest series here in this gallery.

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1:62 Scale Tomy Key Chain Tomica

This is one of the Key Chain Tomica by the Japanese Company, Takara Tomy. It is a 1:62 scale die-cast police car model with key chain.

I think it is pretty hard to find it nowadays. It is unopen and still new in the box. If you have any car collection like this, please let me know. This police car is painted in Black with the interior in Red. It is not a detailed scale model but the quality is top-notch.

Takara Tomy is a company with a very long history. They have been creating high-quality toys for so long and selling them around the world. In my opinion, they are one of the very best toy company in the world. You can check out more information about Tomy here.

The Singapore Airshow 2008

Well, this isn't exactly a scale model. It is in 1:1 scale. It's a real aircraft. I would love to but i certainly cannot display this in my cupboard, unless i have a great field behind my house. I took this photograph during my trip to the Asia Aerospace 2006 in Singapore. It is one of the many static aircrafts on display during the exhibition.

You might like to know that The Singapore Airshow 2008 is going to be held in Singapore soon from the 19 to 24 February 2008. It is considered to be the largest aerospace and defence event to be held in asia.

One of the top three airshows in the world, the airshow will serve as both business and social links for the military and civil aviation community.

The event highlights during the airshow are:

• Aerobatic Flying Displays
• Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit
• Global Air Power Conference
• International Defence Procurement Conference
• C4I Asia Conference
• Global Space & Technology Convention
• Airport Pavilion
• Integrated Land Defence Pavilion

The venue is at:

• The New Changi Exhibition Centre 9 Aviation Park Road Singapore 498760

You can check out more information from the Singapore Airshow 2008 site.

Come by this airshow if you are interested. Do not miss this airshow if you like to see aerobatic flying actions. Cheers.

1:87 Scale Model Abt Audi TT-R

This is my 1:87 Scale Model featuring the Abt Audi TT-R. The scale model is from the brand called High Speed. In my opinion it is of a very high quality and the details are good enough for such a tiny scale.

I got this from the Isetan shopping mall in Singapore. What i like about this scale model is that i do not need to paint it and it still looks so beautiful. The car is made of die-cast metal and it comes with a display stand and case. This is one of the few scale model car collection which i have.

The Abt Audi TT-R is one of the most beautiful sport cars i have ever seen.
I saw this from NetCarShow.com and thought of sharing the fantastic photographs of this car with you. It is of another color. Do enjoy. Now, what is your favourite sport car?

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Scale Modeling As A Hobby

What is a scale model? A scale model is a replica of an item which can be smaller or larger than the actual size of the represented item.

Now, hobbyists built scale models for various reasons. Some built them because their work require them to do so. For example, moviemakers made scale models to represent buildings or characters which cannot be built in the full size. I always marvelled at how some movies are filmed. In the Star Wars movies, many beautiful and detailed models are made. Many of the scale models look so real that it makes me wonder how much effort they put into it. I truly believe the modelmakers really enjoyed what they do to be able to produce such wonderful pieces of art.

Some hobbyists built scale models purely because they enjoy doing it. They enjoy the building process. They enjoy painting the scale model. They learn about the history of the scale model they are building. They enjoy every tiny little piece of moment when they build the scale model.
They love to share what they are doing with their friends and fellow modelers.

This is what a hobby is about. It should make you happy during your free time. It should make you excited. You know you will have something to look forward to after a hard day of work. No matter what your hobby is. It will grow together with you and keep you happy in your free time.

I was tagged by Hye to take the How Happy Are You? quiz. I got 76% Happy. How happy are you? Take this quiz to find out. Cheers.

You Are 76% Happy

You are a very happy person. Generally, you feel content and that all is right with the world. Occasionally, you have a down day - but you have the ability to pick yourself right back up.

How Happy Are You?

Amazing Scale Model Railroad

I am not into scale model railroad and trains. But this video is simply amazing.

According to hines1957, it depicts the "Scenic Model Railroad" at Smoky Mountain Trains located in Bryson, NC.

The work is really impressive and it looks so real. The scale model trains also sound like real trains. This railroad diorama is just like a mini fantasy world complete with people, children, playground, trees, hills and waterfall. It is really fun to watch the various trains pass you by.

Simply a great piece of work from the creator! What do you think?

Bench Vise For Scale Modeling

Here is my bench vise from PanaVise. It is made in USA. I use this piece of marvellous tool to hold my scale model parts in place during painting, filing or for other work.

It is recommended to choose a bench vise with plastic or wooden jaws and not metal jaws. This is because you will be working with soft plastic part. Bench vises with metal jaws might damage the plastic parts during clamping if you are not careful. The jaws of my bench vise is covered with smooth plastic as you can see in the photograph.

The clamped piece of part is from my 1:35 scale model, Verlinden Productions Afrika Korps Party WWII. This kit is made in Belgium. It is a very good quality kit by Verlinden!

Now, with the part being clamped, both your hands and fingers will be free to work rather then holding onto the part with one hand and working on it with the other. You will surely find it easier to paint all those tiny portions like the eyes and faces. You can also use the bench vise to hold two cemented parts together until they dried.

You should be able to find many uses for your bench vise once you own one! What do you think?

2008 IPMS-USA National Convention

The 2008 IPMS-USA National Convention is to be held in Virginia Beach, VA on the 6th to 9th of August 2008. For those wondering what is IPMS? It stands for International Plastic Modelers' Society. You can visit their main website here at http://www.ipmsusa.org/

Here are some highlights of the event:

It is very encouraging to hear that young modelers will get the chance to make a model kit and take it home at no charge during this event. I feel that this will help to attract more people into the scale modeling hobby.

Another main highlight is the casual dining event to be held at Jerry Yagen's fabulous Fighter Factory facility in Virginia Beach. It was stated that he has an impressive collection of airworthy World War Two aircrafts. I would love to see those if i can!

Also, the DragonEXPO 2008 will be held concurrent with the 2008 IPMS-USA National Convention. Dragon provides many quality scale models kits. I have some scale models kits from Dragon too. Their website is at http://www.dragon-models.com/

Lastly, there will be static display of scale models from the IPMS scale modeling contest. There are so many categories from aircraft to military vehicles to figures to ships. I am going to check out the photos after the event. How wonderful it will be if Singapore can also held this type of convention next time. For now, i will need to buy an air ticket and fly over to USA, Virginia Beach if i want to go to this fantastic event.

1:35 Scale Model World War Two Russian T-34/76 Tank

This is the T-34/76 Russian medium tank which i had built out of the Tamiya Kit. It was spray painted with Testor Model Master Custom Enamel System FS34079 Dark Green. I then highlighted the grooves and vents with Black washes. Light dry brushing is performed using a lighter shades of Green.

The armour tank's tracks is the wrap around type of design made of rubbery material. During the building process, i had spent much effort trying to fix the tracks as it always came off after i had glued them together. In the end, i used staples and cement to hold the two ends of the rubber tracks together. After the cement dried, i removed the staples. This works well, i can say.

I painted the tracks with Metallic color only. I still have not weathered the tracks yet. In my opinion, the tracks should be weathered with different shades of brown to simulate rust and mud. This will make the built tank look more realistic.

I built this kit straight out of the box without any modification. It took me many months to built this since it is one of my very early scale model kits.

Always remember. You should not rush things during the building process. Just enjoy the fun of building your own dream kit! You will then be satisfied with your effort!

Amazing Wooden Tank Scale Model

It is amazing how this war veteran created such a detailed tank model out of wood. By the way, i believe this is a Churchill Tank on tow. He must have took a lot of time to carve out all those small tiny parts. A master craftsman. Watch to believe.

Building The 1:35 Scale K1/A1 Miltary Tank Model

Watch this nice scale modeling video from YouTube by TankNutDave. It is a step by step video of the building of his 1:35 scale K1/A1 military tank model. Enjoy!

Cement For Scale Models

I thought of showing you what i used for fixing up the parts of my scale models together. I normally use the dip and brush on type of plastic cement or the needle tube type. There are various brands for the needle tube types.

The brand i highly recommend is from FALLER EXPERT. The cement is contained in a small container for 25 grams. It is really good for cementing those tiny parts together and a wonderful tool to cement those hard to reach places.

Why do i like this type of cement? What i can say is, it does not mess up like other normal tube type cement. For example, it is hard to control the amount of cement flowing out of a larger tube type. Sometimes, after pressing the tube, so much cement flows out that it messed up the plastic parts. You will then have to clean them up with a piece of cloth. What a waste of cement and also, time is wasted for cleaning up the overflow.

This symptom normally does not occurs with the needle designed tube. Although it does cost more, it is worth it for making a beautiful scale model with a lower risk of messing up and wasting of cement. It will save you a lot of headaches during your scale model building process.

Scale Model Reference Book: German Light Reconnaissance Vehicles

Before building a military scale model, it is always good to study up on the history of the kit you are building. For example, before i build the Tamiya Sd.Kfz 223, i readup on the book titled, German Light Reconnaissance Vehicles. This book is by the author Horst Scheibert. It is translated from German by Edward Force and published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd in 1993.

It is a very good book. It tells in detail the history of the Light Armoured Scout Vehicles from 1932 to 1945. There are many photos for you to reference from. You will understand why the vehicle is build this way and how to accurately portray the vehicle in its minature form. I highly recommend it.

There are a range of book from the Schiffer Miltary History series. All of them are very good. There are books about Panzer, World War Two, Weapons, etc. My photos shows the front cover and back of this great book. I hope you find this post useful. Thank you.

1:35 Scale Model World War Two German Reconnaissance Vehicle Sd.Kfz. 223

This is a 1:35 scale model kit from Tamiya. I built the scale model right out of the box. It is a German Light Armored Scout Vehicle during World War Two. Typically modeled as Sd.Kfz. 222 and 223, notice the antenna around the vehicle which identifies this as a radio vehicle?

The antenna frame is foldable in the real vehicle. If you notice, there are various accessories which i had added on to the vehicle. This made the scale model looks more realistic. Normally, you will be able to salvage a lot of unused parts and accessories from other scale model kits which you had already built. Do not throw them away! Keep them for your future scale model making projects.

I painted this scale model in the Afrika Korps theme using both the airbrush and normal paintbrushes. Tamiya Dark Yellow is the main color for this Afrika Korps vehicle.