Tag Archives: hobbies

Kit Bashing

Birthday P-47D Thunderbolt: Family connection, and made in U.S.A. Monogram -vs- made in China Revell!

Video

In April 2024, I decided to build a birthday present, for somebody whose B-day had already come-n-gone!  It was finally finished by mid-November 2024!

Shenanigans part-1:

Shenanigans part-2:

Shenanigans part-3:

Can I use original made in U.S.A. parts to fix the made in China parts, how about some pancakes?:

Why do I have so many P-47 kits?:

The brother of my Great Uncle, Lloyd Hutchins,  is the birthday girl-Jenny’s Great Grand Father O.G. Hutchins.  I found color film of Lloyd Hutchins’ U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) unit, the 365th Fighter Group (FG, of the 9th USAAF)/386th Fighter Squadron (FS) Hell Hawks:

Great Uncle gets into trouble:

Whoa, whose side are they on?:

It’s working:

More warpage:

More bits:

While my motivation for a full-size file-cabinet stuffed full of P-47s is related to my relative, the markings for the birthday build are based on the gift receiver’s name: Jenny. The decals came from Eagle Strike’s (Cartograf) Early Birds of the 353FG Thunderbolts, #48171, welcome to decal hell:

P-47D 42-76280 ‘Jenny’ was flown by Lieutenant Chauncy Rowan of the 353rd FG/350th FS (of the 8th USAAF), from 1943-44.  In May 1944 Rowan became a prisoner of war (PoW), and accused by the Germans of shooting at civilians.  More decal hell:

As good as it’s going to get, whose got the best prop? Part-1:

Best props, Part-2:

Anorexic pilots and the magic of clear flat spray paint:

Finally! Be careful with that clear spray paint:

Another gift build: Airfix Birthday Bomber

1949-50 Mercury: Joker’s wild neon Gotham City cop car!

Kit Bashing

Joker’s wild neon Gotham City cop car!

Video

In February 2024, I joined a group build for the 1949 Mercury, also known as the third generation of the Mercury Eight series of vehicles.  Typical; it took me until August to decide which of my stash-kits to build:

A simple snap-together?:

Glass & Lights:

Lights & seats:

Tires:

Paint & Sand:

Headlights:

More sand, sand, paint, paint:

Interior:

Finally finished, October 2024:

Close up:

Joker’s neon cop car:

More neon in plastic: BLACKLIGHT REVELL DEAL’S WHEELS

Neon in the military: Retro Dayglo, and how neon paint helps keep airplanes from falling outta the sky!

Going gangbusters: Lincoln Model L roadster unboxing.

Kit Bashing

Going Gangbusters! Lincoln Model L roadster unboxing.

Video

Round2 is reissuing the old MPC Gangbusters series of car kits, and I just happen to have an original Model Products Corporation issue from the mid-1960s!

Boxing:

More proof its old:

Unboxing:

Bullet riddled:

Whitewall damage:

I need a drink:

Golden crispy instructions:

More golden-crispy instructions:

Cool kits for only $1:

 

Shenanigans: REVELL-MONOGRAM P-47D THUNDERBOLT

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: Finally, the Final Xmas build!

Video

Finally, the final (late) Christmas car gift build, for 2023, is done!  And it is a fine example of why, back-in-the-day, some kit builders did not like AMT.

Video-1, a little late, but finally!:

Video-2, stories of Subaru hell!:

Video-3, it’s a Brat!:

Video-4, Subaru hell never ends!:

Video-5, updates? What updates, where’s the spare?:

Video-6, a rushed job:

Video-7, finagle-y:

Video-8, if play with it you break it, you bought it:

Video-9, recommendations?:

Model Gift Build: LATE #4 IS DONE, BAD REVELL, BAD!

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: Late #4 is done, bad Revell, bad!

Video

One more late Christmas model car gift build to go!  Now that the recipient has acknowledged receipt of the gift, I can complain about it:

Video-1, “Famous last words”:

Video-2, problems with their design:

Video-3, list of complaints:

Video-4, more problems:

Video-5, screw job:

Video-6, falling together, or falling apart:

Model Gift Build: FINALLY, #3!

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: Finally, #3!

Video

Just two more late Christmas model car gift builds to go!

Video part-1, Great State of New York? Get a rope:

Part-2, snap-together is really a glue-together:

Part-3, looks pretty good:

Part-4, I got other plans:

Model Gift Build: LATE XMAS #3 UPDATE

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: Late Xmas #3 update

Video

Update on the third late Xmas gift build.

Blaming my personal blend of coffee beans for procrastinating what should have been a fast/easy build:

Monogram messin’ with me, glue together versus snap-together:

Where I say “exactly the same” replace with ‘close enough (for government work) to be considered the same’:

Remember that Canadian comedian asking you “want some more pancakes?”:

Model Gift Build: LATE XMAS BUILD #2?

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: Late Xmas Build #2?

Video

Second Christmas Car Gift build done, three late builds to go.

By the way, this car kit was originally produced in the United States during the Cold War.  In 1994, it was revised and production moved to China.

Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).

Part-1, Boise State University clown car? :

Part-2, upside down decals? :

Part-3, cool tires:

Part-4, surprise, surprise! :

Model Gift Build: XMAS GIFT BUILD #1 FINALLY DONE?

BLAME CHINA?

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: 1978 versus 2023, Made in China out to get us?

Video

I discover the modern Chinese made Monogram 1955 Ford F-100 is not the same as the original made-in-the-U.S.A. (in 1978) Monogram Ford F-100!

Part-1, made in China:

Part-2, trip down memory lane:

 

Model Gift Build: SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!