Techniques aired and shared
Sunday, 4th February, 2018
Blisters, in one form or another, litter the skin panels and cowlings of most aircraft, ancient and modern, and for newcomers to scratch building they...
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Thursday, 19th January, 2017
Few techniques are more valuable when scratch building model aircraft than vacuum forming styrene sheet. Yet many model makers, myself included, have been put off...
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Metallic tinting technique for litho-plate
Thursday, 21st May, 2015
Anyone who has looked reasonably closely at a P-51D Mustang will have noticed that the bare metal cowling panels immediately adjacent to the exhaust stack...
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Sunday, 11th December, 2011
For those fortunate enough to have a computer and sophisticated drawing software, artwork for aircraft instrument faces can be done with mathematical precision. When I...
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Saturday, 14th May, 2011
If scratch building model aircraft has taught me anything, it is that one of the biggest obstacles to achievement is temerity and self-doubt. Time and...
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Saturday, 14th May, 2011
There are numerous commercially available display cases, but the better ones tend to be expensive, particularly if they are large enough to house aircraft models...
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Fabric stringing and stitching
Friday, 6th May, 2011
Like numerous WW2 aircraft, the Spitfire’s rudder and elevator are fabric covered, and the stringing used to secure the linen stands out like veins on...
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Monday, 2nd May, 2011
As a scratch builder of early aircraft, there’s one job I dread – spoked wheels, and I’m probably not alone! Even under canvas covers, spokes...
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An individual take on rivetting
Tuesday, 28th December, 2010
As far as humanly possible, I detail my 1/5th scale models rivet for rivet true to the original, using the manufacturers’ drawings. It takes a...
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Easy way to replicate radiator mesh
Wednesday, 18th November, 2009
While building big has its advantages, it cuts down the options to ‘fudge’ the effects, and when it came to replicating the radiator of my...
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