This Months Meeting

7.30pm, Tuesday 18^th May.
First floor - Ley’s Institute Library, St Mary’s Bay Road, Ponsonby, Auckland.

Make Your Own Decals
Terry Moyle will be giving a demonstration on making your own decals using an ALPS printer. The ALPS is a unique printer which is able to print white and does not use normal ink. Intrigued? Come along to the meeting to find out more. If you have any models which you have made decals for, or have painted markings to replace decals, bring them along and share how it was done also.

The Editor’s Desktop

Once again the Nationals has been and gone and it was a very successful competition, helped by the dozen or so out-of-towners from Wellington, Manawatu and the Bay area. Thanks must go to all the sponsors for making it such a success. Not only did we get to see what everyone has recently completed, but a good social time was had as well. There were over 200 models entered, and over 40 different first place prizes awarded. At one stage, ship models actually outnumbered the 1/72^nd aircraft classes! See Marks comments for further results of the Nationals discussions held on the Sunday of the competition.

This month's newsletter has a good lot of contributions from members other than yours truly, and for that I am truly grateful - it makes my job much easier. The newsletter is going from strength to strength, and this month sees the first of the club member profiles from John Darlington. When I asked for suggestions, he offered member profiles as a way of getting to know each other a bit better. Current membership stands at 38 members (who have their subs paid as of this month) and there is no reason not to learn a bit about fellow club members. Next month will see 3 more profiles, and hopefully this will gain support from club members.

Remember, if you have any classifieds (wants, for sales, help needed, etc.) let me know so I can put a notice in the newsletter. Deadline for any submissions is usually the Monday of the week prior to the week of the next club night (i.e. 8 days before).

Craig.

The Chairman’s Bit 

The highlight of the April club meeting was the presentation of Life Membership to Peter Mossong and Bob Cox, both of whom have served in nearly every role in the club, over a long number of years. This award has only been presented once before and it gave me great pleasure making these presentations as a way of showing our appreciation for the long hours and hard work put in by both these members. A special thanks to Melanie Bourke (Bill’s Daughter) for the excellent certificates she made, and which are now being framed for the recipients.

The National show and competition was rated as a success by all involved and it was great to see such a good turn out of kits from the club. A special thanks goes to those who travelled up from Wellington and Manawatu with their kits. Great effort! I am definitely looking forward to getting the photos of the Saturday night dinner developed. If you don’t want to see your picture in the next newsletter, please send your donation to the club PO Box, attention me.

Kevin.

Upcoming Events

Hobby Expo – Queens Birthday Weekend
Models for display and modellers to man the display are wanted for the Hobby Expo at Queens Birthday weekend: 5^th - 7^th of June. Contact Bob Cox or one of the other committee members. The show runs for 3 days and volunteers are required for a morning and an afternoon shift on each of the 3 days. If you are not on the display, you have to pay to enter. There is no free entry for IPMS members.

September Meeting – "’39 Competition"
Just a reminder, in case the Nationals fogged any brains. Build a model relevant to the outbreak of World War II. This is to mark the 60^th anniversary of the start of hostilities. Any aircraft, vehicle, figure, or building relevant to the first year of the Second World War (up to the end of the Battle of Britain) is eligible for entry. Get building now. Models may be placed on display (in a secure cabinet at a suitable venue yet to be determined) for the month after the meeting i.e. museum/library.

The Secretary's Say

MODELLING WEATHER IS HERE!
Now that the dust has settled after the Nationals it seems an opportune time to discuss the lessons learned. The essential fact is that the show was a success. We very nearly broke even, there were well over 250 models in competition and well over 1000 members of the public passed through the doors. To put this in perspective, in the USA with a population of over 250 million, their Nationals attracts a little over 2000 entries, so per capita we are more prolific than our Yankee cousins.

There was some discussion between representatives of the North Island modelling clubs about having the Nats annually, and to my personal disappointment this idea did not fly. On the brighter side there are 2 clubs (Wellington and Palmerston North) vying to hold the 2001 competition, so there may be a bidding war! 

After all the discussion about the underlying purpose of holding the Nationals, (i.e. is it for us or the public) I think proponents of both sides of the argument should be well satisfied. The relatively small number of new members signed up may disappoint some, but I disagree that this is a major function of the show. My opinions on the ideal membership of the club are well known to most. In my view the club is mainly run and supported by a dedicated minority. The idea of spending hours of time and heaps of energy persuading people to be members is foolish. If a modeller in Auckland does not have the initiative to seek us out by asking at the counter of one of the hobby shops, then one has to ask what sort of club member would that person be?

In the early 90s, when there were 70 or 80 people at the monthly meeting, very few members were actually getting what they wanted out of club night. There were simply too many modellers to be able to seek out the conversation of the like minded among the group. This may have been the catalyst for a split-up along the lines of interests (AFVs, cars etc) but whatever, that number of modellers cannot be accommodated in one meeting. 

Don't get me wrong, new members are essential to keep the club fresh, and the latest idea of having display stands in hobby shops, malls, libraries and schools is a good one. Let's alert the teenage modellers out there that they are not alone in their strange obsession, and provide a safe haven for them. But if Joe Bloggs needs to be persuaded to come along, I doubt he will be a real asset to the club. One of the best modelling clubs I ever belonged to had 5 members, so it is quality , not quantity that counts in my mind. 

MODEL MAGAZINES
I was disappointed to read that Scale Models International is to become a bi-monthly publication. This magazine used to be the best around, but under Kelvin Barber has become the most superficial publication out there. I retain a subscription because of sentimental reasons, but I despair of ever seeing the sort of cutting edge articles that abounded in the 70s and early 80s. On the other hand Scale Aviation Modeller goes from strength to strength. Although some of the reference work is open to debate, it still holds the top ranking in my book. As a listing of current products (via ads and reviews), it is unrivalled, and is about the only way to keep up with the myriad new releases every month. Some of the more eccentric terminology (sexy, stunning) is wearing, but at least the writers are enthusiastic. 

Scale Aircraft Modelling has just got rid of Alan Hall (now if only Mike McEvoy would follow! - Ed.) and installed Neil Robinson as editor. The former was a stalwart of the industry in the early days, but recently seems to have adopted such a depressing outlook on life that his editorials read like one long whinge. Robinson seems more cheerful, but left a few people in the lurch with subscriptions to his QSM and 72nd Scale Modeller publications, which have now combined but have a doubtful future. Robinson also affects an incredibly irritating tendency to italicise at random in his articles. Hopefully he will grow up soon.

Certainly the competition between SAM and son of SAM keeps them both honest, and with their different slants on presentation they seem to complement each other. There does however seem to be a surplus of simple OOB builds of the latest kit from the mainstream manufacturers. How many times do we have to hear about the Hasegawa Typhoon, as gorgeous as it is? Both publications leave their American rivals for dead, and it is interesting how many North American advertisers are putting ads in these British publications, especially son of SAM. 

New Releases
I heard a modeller say the other week, "this is a dying hobby". Well, I beg to differ! I think this is a golden age of modelling, and hope that it continues. When have we had such a range of "second tier" manufacturers producing competent kits of so many subjects to complement the release programs of the major companies? Products from Huma, MPM, Toko, Eduard, ICM, Classic Airframes, Aeroclub, Pegasus, Blue Max, etc. provide the modeller with a vast range of models. These range from essential gap fillers, such as the CA Westland Whirlwind, to Huma's Ju287, which could easily have been lost in the flood of spurious Luftwaffe 46 projects. We have a vast range of accessories to customise our kits, and an active vacform industry to keep the whittlers happy. Even at my most prodigious schoolboy output levels, I could not have kept up with even the 1/48th scale releases from the majors in the last year. That's even supposing I could afford them! 

Speaking of whittling, I spent a happy few hours in front of the Super 12 games on the weekend cutting out the new Dynavector DH Hornet. This is a great kit! If you ever fancied an attempt at a vacform then this is it. The shapes are accurate, the surface detail good and the white metal as nice as most of the resin out there, and no doubt much cheaper. I have my concerns over the style of the codes on the decal sheet but that should be easy to sort out. I still call myself a vacform modeller on the basis of a lonely Falcon La-5FN so I may have to pull finger and get this one finished this year (as well as the Javelin, the Scimitar, the Pe-2 and the Albatross, and that's just the half built vacs!), in order to retain membership of the holy order. I know a certain BD has his cut out already so I'm unlikely to be first, but it is such a beautiful shape it seems a crime to leave it in the box. What a shame none were preserved, how typical of the British attitude in the 50s. Does anyone have undercarriage bay details? 

Tamiya have apparently not announced an SM79, though I have a sneaky suspicion it will arrive sooner or later. Terry Marriott predicted it in the Aeromaster newsletter over 2 years ago in the same column in which he predicted the Beaufighter and the Swordfish, so he seems to know what he is talking about. He also predicted a Halifax from the same company, and that rumour has surfaced again. Apparently a CR.42 (I was informed it was the Macchi MC.200, and also the Do 335 - Ed.) is announced, which will keep the Italophiles happy, more power to their elbows I say. Another '50s US fighter is also predicted, which will be nice. 

I recently received a package of Cutting Edge product for the F-84, including decals (lovely), a resin cockpit set (stun . . . oops, excellent) and a Teknics undercarriage set. This promised "jewellery quality" white metal legs and a resin nosewheel bay. The resin is good, but I'm afraid the metal was not quite what I expected, though Kevin says his is scrubbing up nicely. There is no excuse with all this not to produce a showstopper, so here's hoping. 

The Revellogram F-86D and Do 217 are apparently being put back till next year, and there is talk of a shortage of tool making capacity in Korea, though this seems to be hard to believe. No doubt China will be next to develop this industry, and then maybe the wheel will turn full circle and come back to the UK! This is no joke - before the Asian crisis Korean companies like Daewoo and Samsung were opening plants in the North of England and Scotland because the labour costs were lower in Britain than in Korea. How the worm has turned! 

Airfix have announced a 1/48th Canberra, Vampire, Meteor F.8 and Tempest. Oops, sorry, my medication ran out, that was all just fantasy! Gotta run and get some more reality pills . . . happy modelling! 

Mark.

Bookworm
by Bill Bourke

One of the aspects of modelling I enjoy most is research - digging out interesting facts, figures or particularly, topics for consideration as modelling projects. Over the years this evolved into building models that relate directly to a particular theatre, event or date: rather than building something straight out of the box along with 20,00 others. It has produced some rich rewards, including correspondence with the actual pilots or aircrew that flew the particular aircraft in question. On one occasion, I received a 23-page letter from the rear gunner of a Halifax, who on seeing photographs of a model of "his" aircraft, poured forth 50 years of bottled up memories. 

Over the last few years my interest has gravitated towards the South Pacific, and the China/India/Burma theatres of WW II. This is partly because of the direct New Zealand involvement, but also because these theatres are rich in modelling topics, which have until very recently, been largely overlooked in favour of the more popular European Theatres.

This column therefore, is the result of my reading and can be used as a starting point if you want to explore these theatres more fully, or are just generally interested in the period.

For those who want an entree into the fighting in the Pacific and a rattling good read, I recommend "Goodbye Darkness: A memoir of the Pacific War" by William Manchester, 1979 Little, Brown & Co. Available through the public libraries, but also still readily obtainable through second hand book shops, I managed to pick up a pristine hard backed edition a couple of years ago for $16.00.

Manchester was an American Marine who took part in the invasion of Okinawa. He has published many other books including "American Caesar" the definitive work on General Douglas MacArthur. "Goodbye Darkness" however, covers the whole Pacific theatre, including the early campaigns in Guadalcanal and the Kokoda Trail in New Guinea, on up to the grim landing on Betio at Tarawa atoll. Then it goes on to the Island hopping campaigns of Admiral Nimitz and General MacArthur and culminates with the Okinawa landing and his evacuation some days later after being critically wounded.

The book can technically be described as a retrospective, in that Mitchener visited most of the battlefields mentioned. In doing so, he undertook some interesting recreations - such as digging his own foxhole on Bloody Ridge on Guadalcanal and spending the night in it, through to wading ashore at the same spot MacArthur did in the Philippines and walking part of the Kokoda Trail in PNG. 

Mitchener was at the height of his literary success when he wrote this book and was able to assemble a large research team. The quality of some of this research is a bit suspect - P-38’s being substituted for P-39s during the Battle of Bloody Ridge for example. He also recounts seeing rows of P-38’s and B-25s on an abandoned airfield high in the Owen Stanley ranges in PNG, the wind moaning though their disintegrating airframes. 

I went to PNG shortly after reading this book for the first time and mentioned this to several people who expressed considerable doubt. If such a treasure trove of airframes existed, then there would have been considerable publicity about it through the war-bird recovery fraternity and subsequent restorations. I might be wrong, but …

However, he was also able to contact a number of influential people, some of whom took part in the various campaigns, and as a result, doors were opened for him that us lesser mortals would have found closed. This enabled him to get to places that either were still off limits as military bases, or to have guides and resources laid on for visits to old battlegrounds.

The book is not a detailed account of each campaign. Rather, one is given an overview, with a liberal dose of anecdotes from those who were there, interwoven with vignettes of Mitchener’s own experiences, which remember, mostly took place on Okinawa and only lasted a few terrifying days. This style of writing can lead to some confusion if you are not careful. I remember when I first read the book some 15 years ago, I was at one stage, under the impression that Mitchener actually took part in each of these battles, until I managed to unpick it all at the end. Perhaps this was intended - the work of a master story teller at his best.

The overall impact is captivating and you feel as though you have personally fought your way up the Pacific, before finally copping one and being carted home on a stretcher, full of morphine in a DC-4. Goodbye Darkness is one of those dreadful books that once started, you can’t put down. If you have never heard of the Ilu River sandspit, Ioribaiwa, Betio, Peleliu, Saipan, Tinian, or the Great Mariannas Turkey Shoot, then it is about time you did. These battles saved this part of the world from a compulsory diet of rice and dried squid. This is a very readable start to the war in the Pacific, and a good lead in to more detailed accounts of individual campaigns. Before pushing on to these, you will have to get up to speed on "Dugout Dug", the most vainglorious and brilliant theatre strategist of modern times. Watch this space . . .

Member Profiles - John Darlington

When asked for ideas for the newsletter, I suggested a "member profile" each month to introduce members of the club. This idea came after the realisation that, apart from a few core members, there were many people who turn up at club nights whose name I did not even know, never mind their modelling interests. Being the originator of the idea I was volunteered "military style" to write the first one.

At the risk of this turning into an autobiography, I began modelling around the age of 10 or 11. That was in the 60’s when Airfix kits ruled; the 1/72^nd scale plastic bag variety suited the amount of my pocket money. I was lucky to have a Grandmother living in England where Airfix kits are so much cheaper. Every birthday and Christmas, I could look forward to a 1/72^nd Lancaster, or B-29, which at that age seemed so much larger than they do today.

In those days I had several misconceptions about modelling, such as more glue is better than a wee bit, Dulux gloss house paint looks really good on WWII models, etc (trigger anyone’s memory?). I modelled on and off, in fits and starts, over the next 10 years or so, in between finding out about girls, alcohol, fishing, sailing, etc. Then I joined the Navy in 1977, and modelling was given up for good . . . until one day shopping in Singapore, I stumbled across a model shop where they had the best collection of modem 1/48^th scale jets lined up in a glass case the length of the shop. I walked out of there with a Hasegawa 1/32^nd scale F-16 under my arm, and various tools, glues and paints to make a start. I then proceeded with my one and only attempt to build a model on an RNZN frigate. I should explain that I was living in a messdeck with about 20 others, and the only space which can truly be called your own is your "pit" (bunk). If you can imagine modelling in bed with the room rolling and pitching and 20 or so people parading past wanting to look, touch, and fit, then you can understand why I only tried it once.

So I modelled in fits and starts for another 8 years, until one day I picked up a Verlinden showcase book and was inspired enough to get serious! I have managed to make models fairly consistently since about 1991, except for an 8 month stint as a peacekeeper in Cambodia (there are NO model shops in Phnom Penh).

My interest in the early 90’s was 1/48^th modern military jets, especially US Navy, but more recently I am leaning towards WWII subjects. I also used to build in 1/32^nd scale because I liked the scope for adding detail, but gave up after comments from my better half like "And how big is this one?", and "Where are you going to put that one?".

I used to go crazy detailing every kit I built with resin, brass and scratchbuilt bits of plastic. I often found though, that the basic price of the kit tripled or quadrupled, so I mellowed out and now days, try to build more or less from the box, only resorting to resin if the kit has a serious shortcoming. I also like to add sprue or fishing line aerials, drill out gun barrels, and flatten tyres, because these are details which I believe make all the difference to a model at no cost.

I have received favourable comments about some of my natural metal aircraft finishes. However, I find it stressful to finish an aircraft in natural metal finishes and so haven’t done one for a while. As far as weathering goes, I have experimented with various ways to chip paint leaving natural metal, and also use pastel chalks. Favourite paints are Testors, Humbrol, and Tamiya enamels. I have had more success with enamels than acrylics, but like to brush acrylics. I mostly use my 12 year old Badger 200 airbrush, and although I have experimented with various double-action types, seem to keep coming back to the old 200.

Every now and then, I get an urge to take a break from building aircraft and have resorted to building cars and armour (my first armour was an M1A1 tank and a Hummvee on a desert base). I am going through one of those phases at the moment and have recently built an SdKfz 234/1 German armoured car, with a PzKfw Ill waiting in it's box. I'm also working on my first ship model, U.S.S. Bunker Hill, a Ticonderoga class Aegis cruiser. Being an ex-Navy man it just has to be detailed (people often say to me "You spent 20 odd years in the Navy and never built a ship?!").

I must say I am gaining a growing respect for all those ship modellers as building a model ship takes a great deal of planning to build, according to the way you will paint the model. It takes a different set of skills than aircraft models and I am also finding that the range of paints available to aircraft modellers is not there for ship builders -not any old grey will do. I certainly would appreciate any advice the likes of Pete Randall and Bob Beaver may offer.

Anyway my quick, short paragraph is almost a of page and is starting to resemble that auto-biography. I live in Glenfield, on the North Shore and my phone number is in the book. I never mind a call to discuss modelling. 

Received Periodicals

Connections - IPMS Wellington, April 99

• The First Tigers
• New Zealand's Pacific Camouflaged Uniform
• "Air War Over North Viet Nam - The Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force 1949 - 1977" - Book Review
• Building Cromwell Models' 1/35 Challenger II
• Tamiya 1/24 BMW Z3 Roadster

Scalemail - IPMS Dunedin, April 1999

• RNZAF UH-1H Iroquois
• Revell's 1/72 Spitfire Mk.Vb

Inscale Wanganui Newsletter

• Windows - Fit 'em in, Roll 'em down
• 1/48 Fairey Swordfish Mk.1 sneak preview
• Flying Kiwis' 1/72 RNZAF Fighting Falcon F-16A/B 

IPMS UK Magazine, Issue 2/99

• RAN in the Gulf War
• Alex the Vampire
• The Twin Hurricane
• Flakpanzer Coelien
• Coastal Command Shackleton
• Their Finest Hour: Part 3

Random Thoughts - IPMS Canada, Vol. 26 No. 1

• Sherman V in Canadian Service
• Lancaster II Conversion
• Japanese Aircraft Camouflage

Hasegawa New Releases

Hasegawa has officially announced the following new releases (from Marco Polo and HLJ websites):

1/72 AIRCRAFT WEAPONS: V
A new, more current weapons set to equip the latest US military aircraft; includes (among others): AGM-119A (Penguin), AIM-7M (Sparrow), AIM-120B (AMRAAM), AIM-9L (Sidewinder) and CBU-87/B (cluster bomb).

1/72 DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO Mk.IV
New tool 1/72 scale model of the DeHavilland Mosquito Mk.IV. Mosquito FB.VI to follow later this year.

1/72 FOCKEWULF TA154A-0
The Luftwaffe commissioned famed German aircraft engineer Kurt Tank, designer of the legendary Fw190, to design a superior fighter which would eventually be designated the Ta154. The Ta154 was originally designed to be powered by twin Jumo 211 engines attached under wings set high in the fuselage. The first model put into small-scale production was the Ta154 A-0, equipped as a night fighter with FuG220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar array. This kit includes newly tooled front landing gear and radar parts. 

1/48 HAWKER TYPHOON Mk.IB "TEARDROP CANOPY"
Bubble canopy version of the Typhoon features underwing rockets and markings for MN316: ZY¤ B China British of No. 247 Sqn. June 1944.

1/48 HAWKER HURRICANE Mk.I
Ever since the extremely successful release of the Hurricane Mk.II last year, consumers have been asking about the earlier "Battle of Britain" Mk.I. This newly tooled kit features the markings of I.R. Gleed of No.87 Sqn, Exeter 1940. 

1/48 MESSERSCHMITT Bf109K-4
Hasegawa completes (believe that when I see it - Ed) the Messerschmitt 109 family with this newly tooled addition of the K series. Markings for Feldwbl Strebel II/JG3 Germany, 1945. 

1/48 NAKAJIMA A6M2 TYPE 2 FIGHTER SEAPLANE (RUFE)
Newly tooled seaplane version of the Zero, with it's distinctive, large single float. Features a very "striking" lightning bolt marking! 

1/48 NAKAJIMA Ki-84-1 TYPE 4 FIGHTER HAYATE (FRANK)
All new tooling for this latest of the Japanese fighters from Hasegawa. Markings for 2nd Lt. Shiro Funahashi of the 22nd FG at Fussa Air Base, Tokyo, 1944. 

1/72 AD-6 SKYRAIDER "FIST OF THE FLEET"

1/72 BEAUFIGHTER Mk.VI "U.S.A.F."

1/72 A3D-2 SKYWARRIOR "EARLY VERSION"

1999 IPMS Nationals Place-Winners

Best Of Show
Blood Warrior Bust
Randy Hampton

Category

Class

Place

Model

Modeller

1

2

1

2

3

3b

1

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3c

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3d

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3f

1

4b1

1

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4b2

1

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4c

1

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4e

1

2

3

4f

1

5

1

8

1

2

3

9

1

2

3

2

3a2

1

2=

2=

3b

1

2

3

3c

1

2

4

1

2

6a

1

2

6b

1

2

3

7

1

2

3

8

1

2

3

3

2b

1

2

3

2d

1

2

3

3d

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

10

1

2

3

12

1

2

3

15

1

2

3

16

1

2

1

2

3

3

1

2

3

6

1

2

3

8

1

2

3

5

2a

1

1

3

2b

1

2

3

6

1

1

2

2

1

2

3

3

1

2

3

7

1

1

2

3

4

1

2

6

1

2

3

8

1

1

2

3

9

1

1

2

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This page was last updated on 18 October 2002