Softscience in 2022 and Beyond

[Migrant]

You are certainly prolific Ralph, every time I check your workbench there's yet another kit half built. The Walfisch looks great so far.

[Softscience]

Half built is where most of my kits get.

The walfisch has been half built since 2019

[Softscience]

It was a good weekend for modeling. Weather in the DC area was wet, cold, and windy. I was able to finish the wing rigging on the Walfisch and added the decals. I have to touchup a few areas and then clear coat. I may glue on the UC before, just in case there are gluey messes to touch up.





Using LoneModeler's advice, I set the cabane struts on the Vildebeest. This was a lot more difficult than I anticipated, but I think I finally get the spacing correct, and the angles symmetrical.





I think it's time to paint the beest. I've read a lot of back and forth on the colors of Singapore vildebeests.DG/DE seems most plausible. Possibly with LE on the lower wing. Undersides could be sky or black.

I don't want to get dragged too deeply into the endless debate about it and might just follow Special Hobby's instructions.

On the the other hand, going with the prewar doped aluminum option may look interesting too.


Would appreciate hearing other's thoughts and suggestions.

[skypirate]

Nice work, Ralph!
I reckon these prewar biplanes look best in aluminium dope. However, I am too chicken to tackle biplanes!

Cheers,

David

[B4en]

Oh my, the Walfisch is looking great! I often find German WW1 aircraft colours a bit aesthetically displeasing, but this scheme really works well to my eyes.

[Stuart]

That Vildebeast is coming along nicely Ralph. Sorry to hear about the Neuiport, but like you I don't have issues binning a kit if it stops being fun either.

[Lone Modeller]

The Walfisch is a stunner. Good luck fitting the u/c and finishing it. Do remember to put it in the front of your display case....

Congratulations on getting those cabanes on the Wildebeast - they look far from easy. With reference to colour schemes if you wish to represent an aircraft that attacked the Japanese you will have to go with a camouflaged aircraft. In which case I would choose the simplest scheme, because as you have already discovered there is little material which can be considered 100% reliable.

[Softscience]

Taking a cue from Mike Grant, I fixed the walfisch UC with Revell Contacta cement. It looks kind of sloppy now, and I'll paint and retouch while everything sets. The slow setting cement allowed me to position the front struts and one of the back ones. The fourth was pinned down with CA.

Ugly now, but should acceptable after some retouch. I don't know how Mike got things so neat and tidy on his Heinkel.

Anyway.




You know how sometimes you accidentally finished a model? Today I FINALLY finished the Beaufort that I was working on in fall of 2022. It was 99% done and I don't remember why I boxed it. I got all dumbly OCD over some dumb little detail. But I pulled the trigger this weekend and decided to wrap it up. I painted the props, torpedo, rear turret frames and did some touchup painting, and the beast is done!

I also finally got decent pictures of the Beaufighter. Will edit and post both in the gallery tomorrow.

[B4en]

Well done on the completions Ralph - always a good morale booster!

[Stuart]

Two superb builds Ralph, the Beaufort and the Beaufighter both. I've no idea why you put the 'fort down either as it looks superb - I really like your weathering.

Really liking the Bipe - that's coming along nicely. I don't know why people have such a downer on tube glue, it has it's uses just like every other tool in our arsenal, especially on older kits.

[Andy Dighton]

What a lovely pair of Bristols.

[Lone Modeller]

The beaufort looks very realistic indeed - super weathering effects. The other Beau looks good too.

The Roland will certainly clean up and should turn into another first class model. Nowt wrong with tube glue - just not useable in all situations.

[Softscience]

The Roland has it's legs now. Looking at this picture, I see I have a few more spots of touching up to do, but the bottom side is nearly where I want it.





Also today, I got my hands on a few more biplanes. The decals are pretty much shot on all of these, so there will be hunts for aftermarket, but they look like fun simple kits to hone my strut and wire skills on.

[AndrewR]

Nice builds, and a nice haul of biplane kits. Try Starfighter Decals for the Goshawk and SBC-4.

[Softscience]

Nice builds, and a nice haul of biplane kits. Try Starfighter Decals for the Goshawk and SBC-4.

They were the first place I looked, and no luck. Discontinued. I'll have to beg, borrow, and/or steal.