You are doing much better than my project.


Louis

Great find. I hope to see lots of build photos.

Louis

Long time ago we had a discussion concerning the Monogram ship model kits, and how the ones featured here were essentially unbuildable because the plans were incomplete — specifically that nearly all images of the balsa printwood components were missing. Not surprising, considering these kits were made about 80 years ago!

Recently, I found and purchased a virtually complete kit of the battleship Missouri, which I plan to build. In the interest of preservation, however, and because balsa really doesn't render a very good ship model, I've decided to transfer the plan and printwood images to basswood, of which I have a plentiful stock, and which carves far better than balsa.

I've taken some pictures of the parts and process and offer them up here for your interest The first shows the box and original pre-carved balsa hull. The rest show the original plans, printwood and images transferred to basswood, using acetone rubbed over laser-print photocopies.

I have started a B-26 ID model in 1/72nd scale. My father carved one of these as a high school sophomore in 1943 for the war effort. He went into the Navy in 1945. The war ended while he was in basic training, but served in a utility squadron VJ-1 or VJ-7 (not sure) on Ford Island in Hawaii. I scanned a few photos from his album.

  My neighbor, an antique dealer, gave me a couple of 1920s wooden ironing boards for the western pine lumber, so I am using some of it for this model.[

Thank you for the update Jordan.

Louis

I took a week off last week. My C-119 won't take much to finish up: Glue the wings, put a few stars and bars, and that will probably be about it. I'm not planning on doing much else to it.

My B-26 and F4F are still waiting for more progress. The shape of the upper fuselage on the Wildcat is what's giving me pause at the moment. I'm still trying to sort through how to go about that one.

No progress on my bench. I hope to find time this month.

Louis

February continues the 2025 trend with just one model completed. The stats are as follows:
New Topics  4
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Jim's excellent 1/72 Junker J.1 is displayed for your enjoyment.



The gallery received 8410 views for a total of 4,613,800 views.

Louis 

Thanks, Dave. I had a circle drawn on the front of them, but forgot that it was marking the engine opening, not the outer size. When I started carving, I went right up to the circle I'd drawn. Whoops! I might have time next week to get them going again. I'm taking this week off from models and getting some other things done.

Thanks Lou. I am determined to finish it in less than a year...

Jordan, too bad about the nacelles, they will be perfect on the second attempt.