F-toys 1/144 Me 262 - Avia CS-92 WiP -

Quite often when ive bought model from Japan im given a free gift and its usually an F-toys Me 262, ive got maybe 6 of them now, single and two-seater's. Modelled as the post war Czechoslovak built 263, the Avia S-92, two-seater CS-92. I wanted to model an aircraft as i feel like quite some time since i finished a model plane.

This is a quick remodel, adding detail to the cockpit and undercarriage and hiding the seam lines then hand painted using Citadel Foundation paint, first aircraft ive brush painted since i bought an airbrush. Got the decals from a lot of 1/144 decals i bought of eBay year ago and always come in handy.

This turned out to be a quick build and really have almost finished in no time, should have a look at remodelling more F-toys like i use to, just got to make sure that an f-toys gasphon i buy have nice clear canopy, never good making one with ugly murky clear plastic.

Ian

Japan Trip 2011 - Day 7, part Ni - Shibuya

After spending the morning in Harajuku the rest of the daylight hours where spent in Shibuya, which made the busy Takashita Dori look like picnic on a warm summer day.

Really looking forward to Shibuya and it famous crossing which was just as cool and neon. Visited Tokyo Records, the cray looking Disney store, did karaoke, ate cake (which the Japanese adore from all the cake shop i saw) and enjoyed the how the streets have colour coded lampposts with number for tourist to easy navigate. Had to stay till dark to see what the crossing looked like and check out the skid marks from some Tokyo Drifting?




















Next up Tokyo Tower
Ian

2011 - Model review.

Every aircraft, mobile suit, space battleship and deck crew which ive finished over the past year. Seen a bunch of other modeller do the same thing yesterday and thought it was a cool idea.

If i did a 2011 Works in Progress review, it would be 3 times as many model!

Happy New Year!
Ian

Bandai EX 1/144 - HT-01B Magella Attack - WiP 1

Hope everyone had lovely Christmas, i did myself and spent nearly a whole week of over indulgences, my bad.

One from the haul i brought back from Japan. This Magella Attack is based on the more realistic M.S. Igloo 2 version which must of had around a minute of screen time or less. Another awesome redesign from U.C. Hardgraph, which lately ive become a bit obsessed with modelling.

An excellent model and a proper model from Bandai this one, you need to glue quite a few parts together on this one instead of the usual snap-fit. Great thing about this model is no visible seam line, no freaking putty to sand, sweet! Still plenty of sprue snubs to sand and so many single pieces of tank tread, very fidley. Added a little detail to the rear, hollowed out the exhaust and a few bit gibblies, but really could have left it as was.



Realised i didn't do a review of this kit before i started to model it but 2 kits per box, one i will build as the Magella Attack and the other in the far future a Zaku Tank maybe.

Ian

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas all! Enjoy and be merry!
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-06S Zaku II "Char Aznable Custom" - WiP 3 - Decaled, assembled.

Wanted Char's Zaku to be less pink and more red and yeah it very red. Quite bling in the photo, always had trouble photographing red, always over saturated.

Painted the red differently to the green zaku, instead of following the RG instructions and have every panel a different shade, ive kept to the usual Zaku scheme and painted the body one whole colour and the limbs another. When looking at real military vehicles separate panel are very rarely painted different shades, i figure why noit with future weapons.

Got these 2 Rg Zaku up to the same stage right now, painted the metallic effects on the joints instead of the stickers which came with the kits.

Decaled the green MS-06F first some time ago and followed the instructions perfectly but after finishing it thought that maybe the decals made it look too busy so Char's Zaku ive decaled less tried only one decal perfect limb.

Next up weathering
Ian

Japan Trip 2011 - Day 7, part Ichi - Shinjuku and Harajuku

Day 7 in Japan was super busy, after this day my feet where arching big time, did so much i split the photos in 2 batches.

Started off in the morning in Shinjuku, where i spent some time wondering around enjoying the amazing Technological Tokyo landscape before next moving on down to Harajuku. There i visited the Meiji shrine and Takashita Street, which is one of those unique places in the world which i only think could exist in Japan. Had a crepe which turns out everyone i talked to who also been id the same thing in Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Takashita dori and a crepe. Adored all the cure girls in the sweet fashions, they where so lovely and truly unique.




















Next up Shibuya and Roppongi.
Ian

Bandai Ex 1/44 - DFA-03 Dopp - Painted and decaled.

Painted the Dopp copying the scheme from 08th MS Team and then decaled coping U.C. Hardgraph.

Little bit of weather and i think it will be finished. Been looking for a diorama bases to make dio of all my U.C. Hardgraph vehicles, but not luck yet.

Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-06S Zaku II "Char Aznable Custom" - WiP 2 Paint

Tried out the new airbrush which is a massive improvement over the predecessor and painted up all the red for the RG Char's Zaku and the Dopp which is the green in the background.

Much more red than your usual Char Zaku which is pink for some reason. Also added the panel line wash last night  and will hope to decal soon.

Build is going very smooth at the mo.
Ian

Japan Trip 2011 - Day 6 - Akihabara

So after visiting Project 144 i spent the rest of the day geeking out in Akihabara and lovin it! This is were i bought nearly everything i brought back home. Good thing i only had an entire day planed out here,t hanks to read lots of blogs before i went otherwise i would have missed so much.

Favourite shops to visit was Yellow Submarine which is split between different building, modellers paradise with a fantastic selection of 1/144 and where i got the Magella attack from. Yodobashi camera was quality shop too, since it was super close to my hotel i could visit it during the evening after a day out and just be amazed by all the electronics, seriously more than ive ever seen and will ever see under one roof and they had a model shop at the top which i didn't realise until late in my holiday.

Looking at the photos now i kinda forget where i bought what, all i know is that each shop had a jem which ive wanted or never knew i wanted and bought.










Sent this photo to friends and family halfway through my trip, walking past it near the end of my hols, notice that the green shop is a 8 storie "adult" shop.



























I miss this place now, big time.
Ian