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Vol. 34 • Issue 9
YOUR
MOST
WANTED
KITS!
p.20
HOW TO
Superdetail
a KC-135 tankerp.22
Use resin to update,
convert an F-16p.32
Build a better
big USS Skipjackp.49
Rick Lawler’s
Ukrainian BMP-2
infantry fighting
vehicle – p.27
7new kit reviews
and builds p.56
Plus tips! p.53
Saab J32B/E Lansen
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FineScale Modeler (ISSN 0277-979X, USPS No. 679-590) is published monthly (except for June & August) by Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187.
Periodicals Postage is paid at Waukesha, WI and additional oices. Postmaster: Send address changes to FineScale Modeler, PO Box 62320, Tampa, FL 33662-2320. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement #40010760.
November 2016 /// Vol. 34 /// No. 9
CONTENTS
FEATURES
43
18
27
32
49
16 Form & Figure
Painting dark skin tones
JOE HUDSON
18 Airbrushing & Finishing
Spray acrylics to inish a cargo hauler
AARON SKINNER
20 Your most-wanted kits
he results are in and the message
is clear — you want more!
MARK HEMBREE
22 Detail a KC-135 tanker
A 1/72 scale standby gets the works
MICHAEL HOLLISTER
27 How to beat up a BMP-2
Paints, chips, washes, efects, pigments
RICK LAWLER
32 Converting an F-16
for Israeli service
A resin set updates a 30-year-old kit
CARL KNABLE
38 Kitbash a hovertank
Float a Jagdpanther back to the future
JONATHAN CAMPBELL
42 Show Gallery
WonderFest USA 2016
49 Modeling the USS Skipjack
Moebius’ huge 1/72 scale sub
PHILLIP GORE
54 In the past, it was Future
Improve models with Pledge
FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish
MARK HEMBREE
66 Final Details
Tragedy and inspiration
MARK HEMBREE
KIT REVIEWS
56 Eduard Bf 109G-6
57 Tamiya M10
58 Academy M1A2 Abrams
59 Rye Field M1A2 Abrams
60 IBG Models HMS Badsworth
60 Airfix Westland Sea King HC4
61 Tarangus Saab J32B/E Lansen
IN EVERY ISSUE
5 Editor’s Page
7 Scale Talk
10 New Products
36 Reader Gallery
53 Reader Tips
62 Questions & Answers
64 Classified Marketplace
65 Hobby Shop Directory
65 Advertiser Index
Enter this code at www.FineScale.com/code to gain access to web-exclusive content
ONLINE CONTENT CODE: FSM1611
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www.FineScale.com 5
By Mark Savage
[email protected]
Back in the July issue I asked older
modelers, like me, to tell me how
they’re coping with this age thing.
Well, they’re coping just ine.
From the notes of encouragement
(including a few responses from
80-somethings) and lists of coping
mechanisms I gleaned this — we all
need good lighting and something,
anything, to improve our vision.
Richard “Grizz” Zolla of
Massachusetts swears by his
Naturalight Model UN1040, which
has a lip-up cover for a magnifying
lens while the light pivots and rests
atop a multipositional arm. Others
suggest a trip to the eye doctor for
new lenses, or have found various
magnifying devices.
Australian Norm Honeysett
resorted to laser surgery to improve
his vision, but still uses his OptiVisor
plus LED lights over his work area.
Jef Lee of Plainield, N.J.,
revamped his work area with a better
light, more ergonomic chair, and a
radio tuned to a sports-talk show.
Jim Gourgues, a former jeweler
from Altoona, Fla., created a beauti-
ful, well-organized work area (above)
and insists on getting up and moving
around every hour to stay sharp.
Kip Jackson of Saline, Mich., sug-
gests buying a piece of white lino-
leum and placing it below your work
area so when you drop tiny parts
they’re easy to ind. he downside?
You must keep the loor clean or it’ll
screw up your hunt for parts.
And inally, Mel Van Stone, who
was the irst reader to respond to my
query, retired to the Philippines and
has built a second shop for modeling.
His irst was looded by a typhoon.
he new shop has three luorescent
wall lamps, two magnifying luores-
cent lamps, two huge windows for
ventilation, and ive clip-on magnify-
ing glasses. He also mentions a
drawer full of forceps and tweezers.
Mel ends with this thought: “Just
when I got it all together, I forgot
where I put it.”
Oh yeah, that’s next!
More comments at finescale.com/coping
EDITOR’S PAGE
Coping? Yes, you’re coping just fine!
Editor
Mark Savage
[email protected]
Senior Editor
Aaron Skinner
[email protected]
Associate Editor
Mark Hembree
[email protected]
Assistant Editor
Elizabeth Nash
[email protected]
Editorial Associate
Monica Freitag
[email protected]
It’s corny I know, but
when I was about 12,
and in love with all
things military, I dressed
as a gorilla fighter. Yes,
gorilla, not guerrilla
— with an ape mask, my
dad’s Army jacket, and a
toy Thompson machine
gun. So clever!
I went as Eric Draven
from The Crow one year,
but the most epic was
my Walking Dead/Mad
Men mashup. I dressed as
a zombie Don Draper,
complete with dark suit,
narrow black tie, a
cigarette, and green
makeup.
We used to hold an
annual Halloween bash
and invite guests to
bring their best costume,
their worst music, and a
dish to pass. Perhaps my
favorite costumes were
worn by a husband and
wife who came as a
hotdog and bun.
I had just started
working for FSM when
Halloween rolled around
and I walked into the
office as Rosie the Riveter
— complete with a“We
can do it”sign and
pumped-up biceps.
A couple years ago I
dressed as a Walking
Dead zombie. Must have
done a good job because
during my shift at a
department store little
kids were hiding behind
their parents and crying
when they saw me!
Mission accomplished.
Off the sprue: Name your best Halloween costume?
Richard Zolla loves his magnifying light.Jim Gourgues designed an efficient work area.
6 FineScale Modeler November 2016
Editor Mark Savage
Art Director Tom Ford
EDITORIAL
Senior Editor Aaron Skinner
Associate Editor Mark Hembree
Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nash
Editorial Associate Monica Freitag
ART
Illustrator Kellie Jaeger
Photographer William Zuback
Production Coordinator Cindy Barder
CONTRIBUTING MODELERS
Paul Boyer, Federico Collada, Andy Cooper,
Raúl Corral, Frank Cuden, Phillip Gore, James Green,
Joe Hudson, Rick Lawler, Karl Logan, Harvey Low,
Rato Marczak, Chris Mrosko, Bill Plunk, Darren Roberts,
Chuck Sawyer, Cookie Sewell, Bob Steinbrunn,
Cristóbal Vergara, Jim Wechsler, Adam Wilder
KALMBACH PUBLISHING CO.
President Charles R. Croft
Vice President, Content Stephen C. George
Senior V.P., Sales & Marketing Daniel R. Lance
Vice President, Consumer Marketing Nicole McGuire
General Manager Brian J. Schmidt
Advertising Director Scott Bong
Corporate Art Director Maureen M. Schimmel
Art and Production Manager Michael Soliday
Circulation Manager Cathy Daniels
Single Copy Specialist Kim Redmond
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
888-558-1544
Advertising Sales Representative
Todd Schwartz, Ext. 539
Advertising Services Representative
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Editorial phone (262) 796-8776; advertising (888) 558-
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©2016, Kalmbach Publishing Co., all rights reserved. This
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FineScale.com
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www.FineScale.com 7
It’s not you, it’s the tiny parts
With a little chuckle, I read the letter in the
May issue about manufacturers going over-
board with tiny parts. If I hadn’t known
better I would have thought I had sent it.
I have been modeling as long as the
gentleman who wrote the letter: 60 years.
My interest started when I was 4 and saw a
Sherman tank model in a hobby store. My
father and I put it together to the best of
our abilities.
Now at 67 I am still at it. Where did the
time go? Yes, some kits have become more
complex, and when my wife sees me on the
loor she knows not to ask what I’m looking
for in the great carpet monster. But I
wouldn’t change it for the world. Your mag-
azine gives great, honest reviews on good
and bad kits.
So, don’t give up on account of too many
tiny parts. No, you do not need assisted liv-
ing. Be like me and look for less complex
kits — they are out there.
– Bill Simpson
Tampa, Fla.
No supply for the demand
I have been an FSM subscriber since the
irst issue. My irst model was a 10-cent
balsa model of the Grumman F4F Wildcat.
I have also been known to build car
models, especially cars I’ve owned. One
thing mystiies me — why do model and
die-cast manufacturers ignore the ’59
Plymouth? A two-door Belvedere hardtop
was my irst new car.To my knowledge,
there has been only one model ever pro-
duced. It was by an obscure company, Joma,
and was a basic model. It had seats, a wind-
shield with minimal detail, and no engine.
Other Chrysler products of the period,
such as the ’58 Plymouth (totally diferent),
have been done. What gives?
– Carl Sardaro
Milan, N.Y.
Ed: he “Joma” we found is a source of vintage
car parts. It might have been Jo-Han, but we
found no ’59 Plymouth. Any advice, readers?
Your voice in FSM
SCALE TALK
Videos
FSM has been everywhere, man.
Go online to see videos from our
trips to EAA, IPMS, WonderFest,
and AMPS. Who knows, you
might be inspired to attend
future events. See you there!
New Product Rundown
Aaron Skinner and Elizabeth Nash
tell you what you want to know
before purchasing a model. Twice
a month they throw open the
boxes of the newest kits to show
you what’s inside.
Free desktop wallpaper
Download a desktop wallpaper of
1/35 scale Abrams tanks from Rye
Field Models (built by Tom Foti)
and Academy (built by John
Plzak) for Workbench Reviews.
See the reviews on p. 58-59.
Now at www.FineScale.com
The enjoyment never gets old
I am an 81-year-old lady who started building models when I was 15.
Airplanes, 1950s cars, pirate ships, and riverboats from the late 1800s and
early 1900s were the subjects I started with. From those early builds I
still have my “Old Ironsides”USS Constitution model and 11 cars.
I took up modeling full-force again when I turned 50. At first I built
small airplanes, then a couple of old Dutch and English sailing ships. I
also built the Budweiser Clydesdale Wagon.
I started working at True Value hardware store in the toy department,
which helped me add to my collection of 80 models, still in their boxes. I
have 1950s cars, airplanes, sailing ships, aircraft carriers, and a large
Titanic model.
At my age, I’m not trying to make any of my builds into masterpieces.
No, I’m not adding anything fancy to the models — just trying to enjoy
myself before someone else gets to enjoy my collection. I’m pretty sure
I’ll never get them all done, but I’m having fun with what I can.
– Doris Kroening
La Porte, Ind.
Ed: Doris, you’re reading our minds. Modeling is all about having fun and
being creative. We love the variety of models you’ve made!
8 FineScale Modeler November 2016
Reading the mag not to build,
but just because
I want to congratulate you and your staf on
another outstanding issue. As always, the
articles in the May 2016 issue were inter-
esting, educational, and well edited.
he curious thing about my appreciation
is that there wasn’t a single article in the
May issue about anything I model (mostly
SCALE TALK
ships), and yet I still fully enjoyed it.
he only ship-related discussion was
Trumpeter’s 1/700 scale USS Tennessee
review (my eyes, even with optical aids, are
not up to 1/700 scale). Even so, I read the
issue cover to cover (as I do every issue) and
I was “glued” to every word and photo.
I am never going to build a spaceship
model like the Enterprise on the cover, but
the articles highlighting the subject were
riveting, showing me the spectrum of skills
used to create them. Each article was a little
treasure, even though I won’t be replicating
anything I read. I am not a “ine scale mod-
eler,” more a “gluer of plastic stuf,” which I
thoroughly enjoy. Even still, the writing was
superb and the arrangement and editing
was tactical and strategic at the same time.
I used to buy each issue at “a newsstand
near you” until my wife got me a subscrip-
tion as a gift (she’s a great wife). I read a
review in the April issue by Walt Fink in
which he made a relatively profound
remark about modeling. He discussed the
diference between modeling and building a
replica. I don’t know if he meant to be phil-
osophical, but the comment touched the
real joy I ind in modeling. I try to make
the best model I can from the kit in front of
me, and occasionally I get wrapped up in
trying to replicate it as closely as possible to
the original. But I get just as much enjoy-
ment from building a kit right out of the
box.
In short, thank you for producing such a
ine magazine.
– Brian Foley
Brighton, Colo.
Sci-fi for all!
Sci-i modeling has always (it seems) taken
a back seat to “serious”modeling, such as
aircraft and armor. It was, therefore, reas-
suring to see editors Mark Savage and
Aaron Skinner at WonderFest this year.
he two WonderFest videos posted on
FineScale.com show that sci-i and fantasy
modelers are very serious, yet also know
how to mix modeling and fun.
hanks for validating our branch of the
hobby.
As modelers age, sci-i modeling has
become the gateway for young modelers —
albeit with pre-painted snap kits. I hope
these kits will spark some of these newcom-
ers into exploring model building as a seri-
ous hobby.
– Jim James
Winter Garden, Fla.
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www.FineScale.com 9
Ed: WonderFest is the largest model contest in
the U.S. for sci-i, horror, and comic subjects. If
this is what you build, you should consider
entering this annual event. See photos from
this year’s WonderFest, starting on p. 42.
Listen up manufacturers
A word to the many “cottage”model manu-
facturers out there: While I like resin kits,
I’m seeing more and more small parts with
rough edges.here are armor kits that are
not fully cast. Some are full of bubbles.
Why should I pay good money for this?
Here’s a thought: Ship hulls use a lot of
resin and often warp.hey also weigh a lot
and boost shipping costs. Instead, use vac-
uum-formed plastic for the hull.here
would be less warpage, and it would weigh
less, thereby lowering shipping costs. Lower
prices should mean more sales.
– John Pauly
Blasdell, N.Y.
What is it about modeling?
My wife and I were new to Wilmington,
N.C., when we went into a library. Looking
around, I found the magazine section, and
there was the current FineScale Modeler.
I was a subscriber in the early years
when the modeling hook was irmly
planted in me. I instantly recalled building
armor — my niche. I loved it, and I took
pride in building and displaying the beauti-
ful pieces.
I just received the irst copy of my new
subscription, and I look forward to picking
up where I left of — but in a new century.
he models have become much more
detailed, and the technology much more
advanced, but I’ll build and display them
with pride. And when my wife asks me
about the particular piece I’m building, I’ll
answer with the biggest smile on my face.
hank you so very, very much!
– Nick Radan
Wilmington, N.C.
Crowds of modelers enjoyed the variety and
quality they saw at WonderFest last June...
