Tabla de contenidos para March/April 2022 en FineScale Modeler

Weathering is perhaps the most subjective aspect of modeling. How much should you apply? How much is too much? Where is the line between realism and artistry? Answers to these questions can be a function of the subject, especially where and when it operated. Aircraft operating in the Pacific during World War II took a pounding from salt, unrelenting sun, and tropical storms, so it’s not unusual to see weathered U.S. Navy and Japanese aircraft at shows. Mark Danko nailed that appearance with his 1/48 scale Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate, a Japanese army fighter, known by the Allied reporting name “Frank.” He dressed up the kit with Eduard photo-etched metal (PE) and an Ultracast resin seat in the cockpit. Outside, he drilled the exhausts and lightening holes inside the flap bays…

The MiG-25 “Foxbat” started life as a highspeed interceptor to counter high-altitude spy planes and aircraft like the American B-70. Much of the airframe is built from stainless steel to protect against the heat generated by speeds nearing Mach 3. Although the prototype reportedly hit Mach 3.2, operationally the Foxbat was restricted to Mach 2.8 to minimize engine damage. The high-altitude interception role became obsolete when those threats failed to materialize, so the MiG-25 was repurposed as a high-speed bomber and reconnaissance platform. I’ve always liked the Foxbat, so I was keen to build one of ICM’s 1/72 scale kits when they were released. I tackled the MiG-25RBF electronic signals intelligence aircraft (No. 72174). I planned to use Eduard’s photo-etched metal (PE) Zoom set (No. SS649) in the cockpit. Regrettably,…

To commemorate the 100th birthday of Lamborghini’s founder Ferruccio Lamborghini, the company released the Centenario LP770-4, an all-wheel drive hypercar based on the Aventador powered by a 6.5-liter V12 creating 770 hp. With only 40 built — 20 coupes and 20 roadsters — customers were given a plethora of personalization options. At $1.9 million, who would buy this car? Well, if you’re young, wealthy, and looking to grab attention, this loud and extremely limited Lambo is for you. Alpha Models’ 1/24 scale resin Centenario definitely brings this attitude to car models. The company focuses on European supercars and hypercars and the kits come with extensive photo-etched metal (PE) parts and decals for detailing. And seeing that this was a car built for a special occasion, I didn’t want to give…

We all have ideas of iconic cars that for whatever reason seem to have been overlooked by the kit manufacturers. For sportscar fans, the 935 K3 (Kremer Type 3) has to rank up there at the top of the list. Thankfully, the wait is finally over! NuNu/Platz new release is basically a modified reissue of the K2 kit that came out a couple of years ago with new parts to update it to the K3. (You can find reference photos for your K3 build at Canepa.com.) The majority of the chassis is identical to the K2 with the main change being the upgrade from a single to a dual turbocharger setup. I did find it necessary to notch the engine front (Part A4) so the exhaust pipes would align with…

Salvadoran Cavaliers exposed I am one of your senior readers who goes back way before FineScale Modeler — back to the days of wooden Strombecker kits. I have never written to any [magazine], but Marco Antonio Lavagnino’s article in the October 2021 FSM on the Salvadoran Cavalier Mustang really jumped out at me. I had the good fortune to work for Cavalier Aircraft in Sarasota, Florida, in 1968 and 1969, which included the period of the Soccer War. I had seen an article about Cavalier in a 1968 issue of Flying Review International and sent them a resume, not expecting a reply. I got along with a job. What a job! When I started, FAS 404 and FAS 405 were under construction. I’ve included several photos taken during their construction…

I knew nothing about the Centauro when I first saw the Trumpeter kit (No. 00388) several years ago at a discounted price in an online store. I bought it because it was cool looking — a modern tank with tires — and it is used by the Spanish army (Ejército de Tierra). When I told my friend, Angel, about it, he was excited. He serves in the Spanish army and that motivated me to start this project. Designed for the Italian army, the Centauro (Centaur) is a family of vehicles deployed as wheeled tank destroyers, territorial defense, and tactical reconnaissance. Spain has 84 Centauro B1s assigned to cavalry regiments and the cavalry academy. The vehicle mounts a 105mm gun and can travel at up to 100 kilometers an hour. Spanish…

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 remains the largest reactor meltdown in history. Thousands of people worked to contain the damage from the catastrophe, many of them dying or suffering long-term severe health problems resulting from radiation exposure. And it’s no surprise the local firefighters were among the first to lend a hand. The history of Chernobyl intrigued me. I’d seen photos of vehicle graveyards from the incident, and when ICM released its 1/35 scale AC-40-137A Soviet fire truck, the choice was made for me. As an armor modeler, I found the subject both fascinating and challenging. The ICM kit is good, but not perfect, and the solid rubber tires were the worst. I replaced the kit’s wheels and tires with aftermarket resin parts from Armor 35 and Miniarm, but…

Tamiya is the master of well-engineered and molded kits that are easy to build and have enough detail to satisfy most modelers. The new M18 Hellcat epitomizes that characteristic. As an open-top vehicle, it needs interior features. Straight from the box, the turret and fighting compartment look appropriately cramped and busy, so you can really appreciate how tight the crew spaces were on the full-size Hellcat. The kit includes a well-sculpted figure, link-and-length tracks, and clear parts for periscopes and headlight lenses. There are subtle differences between the two M18s included in the marking options, so you need to decide early — at least before Step 13. The fighting compartment includes a floor with molded hatches and diamond tread, a firewall with molded mechanicals, and an electric motor. The kit…

Painting and weathering can make or break the overall appearance of a ship model. All the time in the world spent adding details will be for naught if the finish is subpar. Never fear, in this article I will cover techniques I use that will not only make the model satisfactory but can lift it a notch. I’ve used these methods in scales from 1/350 to 1/72, and I’m sure they can be adapted to suit larger and smaller scales. Oil-canning is the term used for the undulations in the hull plating of a ship caused by water pressure against the skin. I simulate oil-canning by airbrushing dark gray or black vertical stripes on the hull, either after priming or after the first coat of the hull color. By applying…

According to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the Douglas A-26 Invader saw use as an attack bomber during World War II. Redesignated B-26 in 1948, the aircraft performed similar duties during the Korean War. Pulled from service in 1958, the U.S. brought them back as tactical bombers in Southeast Asia in 1961, and finally took them off active duty in 1964. However, that wasn’t the end. In 1966, the U.S. government brought the 40 B-26s out of retirement and converted them to B-26Ks with rebuilt fuselages, strengthened wing, reversible propellers, and other improvements. Redesignated A-26A, Counter Invaders performed ground-attack missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and served in Vietnam until 1969, and then later retired from service. ICM has manufactured the earlier A-26/B-26 Invader and…

Whenever a new Star Trek movie or show premieres, one of the first things I want to see is the ships. I usually like what I see (except for the Enterprise-D), but I was especially drawn to the USS Voyager from the series Star Trek Voyager. It’s sleek and different from other ships seen up to that time. While Monogram produced a 1/677 scale kit of Voyager when the show was new, the arrival of the Polar Lights 1/1000 scale kit is great because it fits with the rest of the brand’s constant-scale Trek kits and gives a sense of the ship’s size compared to others in that universe; it’s bigger than I expected. Molded in light bluish-gray plastic that matches the ship’s hull color and designed to snap —…