2023 Production Run – A Record For Me
The title says it all, 2023 was the year I hit my stride as pertains producing models, nine total. I chalk this up to a combination of factors. A work bench I've tweaked continuously to make modeling easier, retirement giving me more time, most importantly, the motivation and inspiration I've had from viewing all the excellent work here on iModeler, much inspiration and learning from seeing the work of others on the Internet, and an understanding spouse who gives me the freedom to explore this wonderful hobby.
My focus this year has been on improving my weathering and adding to my skill set. I've kept an open mind about new techniques, new ideas, and a willingness to give up old habits if a new way is superior. I feel like I have gotten better, but also feel that I have quite a way to go.
Anyway, here is my production run for 2023. I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Hobby Boss 1/48 Lockheed P-38L converted to P-38M Night Lightning with Fictitious Markings
This easy build kit required quite a bit of work to bring it up to snuff, including reshaping the nose intake areas of the booms which were angled too far back. The conversion was some using a few bits from the Monogram P-38M parts as well as aftermarket, guns, and wheels.
AMT 1/48 A-20G Havoc Diorama In Flight
I wanted to explore a different way of mounting an aircraft in flight with this build, a water scene under the aircraft, and my first use of water based acrylics. The aircraft is mounted by splitting the starboard wing outboard of the engine nacelle and placing a vertical piece of acrylic sheet to support the entire model. Brass tubing in the wings gives it additional strength.
The water scene is a first for me and I am happy with the way it turned out. Acrylics were used for painting and again, I had fairly good luck with this. I have some ideas that I am going to use on my current Lockheed Hudson build when I paint it with acrylics as well.
Monogram 1/133 Lockheed Constellation Diorama
I received this kit as a present from my son last year for Xmas and it intrigued me enough to tackle the battleship rivets and WWI trench panel lines. All the surface detail was removed and added back in (including riveting). The diorama was my first land diorama in over 50 years and explored a bunch of techniques I had read about but never tried.
Tamiya 1/48 P-51B Mustang
This was a mojo restoration build after completing the A-20 build which took quite a bit of time to complete. Aftermarket decals, a Yahu instrument panel, and Brassin wheels, but otherwise out of the box. This is the first Mustang kit I've built in over 50 years.
Airfix 1/48 ME-109 In Flight
This is another airplane I haven't built in decades. It represents an aircraft just after take off with wheels partially retracted. Nice easy kit to build.
Eduard 1/48 F6F-3 Hellcat
My first Eduard kit. I haven't done a Navy scheme since the 80's and it was a pleasure to do this one. The decals caused me issues, mainly because the instructions didn't match the numbers on the decal sheet, making it difficult at times to know if I had the right decal.
Monogram 1/48 F-80 Shooting Star
This was a shelf of doom rescue, the first kit I bought when I got back into building models in 2017. It sat on the SOD for nearly six years before I finished it.
Inpact & Roden 1/48 Gloster Gladiators In Flight
Another set of kits that sat on the shelf of doom for a long time before I finally finished them. Two different kits of the same plane, both with scratchbuilt interiors and representing two aircraft over Malta in 1940 (or 41?). Difficult builds and painting which is why they were on the SOD.
What an awesomely productive year, both quantity and quality-wise, Carl!
Congratulations, wishing you a Happy, Prosperous and even more Productive 2024!
Thanks Spiros (@fiveten). It was cool to be able to get so many done for a change. IN years past (and one of the reasons why I left modeling previously) was it was taking me more than a year to finish a single model. Many reasons which I won't go into, other than to say most were not Mojo related.
Great year! I especially love the Monogram F-80, not an easy build yours looks great!
Thanks Robert (@robertandy). That was an exceptionally difficult project to finish, primarily self inflicted while painting.
You're definitely "back on bicycle" Carl - Excellent work on all. I particularly like the rivet detail on the A-20.
Thanks Tom (@tcinla). This is the first aircraft I've done riveting on. Not perfect in some places, but I learned from the experience. These bigger models take quite a bit of time to do riveting.
Great production, Carl. I'm partial to the Connie.
Thanks Gary (@gwskat).
A partialness to the Connie is what drove me to want to build this as well. I had done the Heller 1/72 scale kit about 30 years ago, but it's to big and this was far more manageable. The overdone existing surface detail gave me a good reason to remove it and redo the panel lines and riveting.
Such a treat to see your builds Carl!
Thanks Jim (@angus64). It's nice to share with others and get some feedback.
Quite the bunch, great to be re-tired aint it? Really like the in-flights, those Gladiators...Wow. Now ya got me thinking.
MCAHNY
Thank you Bill (@billkoppos). Retirement is great after 55 years of working. It takes a load off of your mind about having to finish the next project and replaces it with having to finish the next build! 🙂 Seriously though, I like it because it gives me time to focus on getting better at building.
Looks like it was a great year, all your models look awesome. I especially like the way you mounted your A-20, that looks great. Excellent work all around.
Thanks Clint (@curtisshawk). As I mentioned in the article, I was after something different for mounting the aircraft from the usual plastic rod. I will say though that this display ended up costing more than the model, primarily because of the cost of the cover (which isn't shown in these photos). In the future, I want to explore this approach more for smaller scale aircraft and potentially reduced size acrylic sheets.
All are excellent, Carl, but the Gladiators are my favourite.
Thanks George (@chinesegeorge). I've not built many biplanes in my modeling experience, but I have built three Gladiators. These two and the old Heller 1/72 kit. Gladiator is one of those biplane fighters that has the right blend of modernism for it's generation of design. I think what works with this particular display is having two of them together which seems to give a more realistic feel to them.
Extremely nice work. @clipper
Thanks John (@jdtruby). I do appreciate the compliment.
A fantastic year, Carl @clipper
Besides the quality of your builds also the way you present them is really superb.
Count me in as well for liking the Gladiators most. Even the flaps are positioned correctly making it a very realistic display.
Thanks John (@johnb). I particularly like doing inflight displays as it is the natural element for aircraft. I'm firmly in the same camp as Chris Becker (Becker Models on YouTube) in this regard. I was worried about the weight of the upper wings in the mounting since they are only held in place by thing struts, but so far, they have held up fine.
What a super year of building Carl. Fantastic models đź‘Ť
Thanks Guy (@thom). I'm glad I have some place where I can share them.
Beautiful builds and a lovely effort to pose many of them in such a kinetic display! Great year for you!
Thanks Greg (@gkittinger). I think rescuing several shelf of doom projects combined with some easy builds boosted productivity.
Every single one of your builds blows me away! Simply speechless at your level of skill.
Thanks Keith (@greenterroz). I appreciate the kind compliment but I am just building on the work of others.
Great looking collection, Carl (@clipper). You have some very creative display ideas. Well done.
Thanks George (@gblair). I really like doing inflight displays and I am always on the lookout for new ways to accomplish that.
You have had a great year and I really enjoyed your article. The pictures are very interesting too. I especially like how you have your aircraft displayed.
Boy this is a hard one to pick a favorite out of. I’m partial to biplanes and I like how you have two different aircraft that are in flight so I’ll go with the Gladiators.
Excellent work my friend ! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thanks Louis (@lgardner), my friend. Xmas was just fine, spent with the family. Looking forward to the New Year and the next phase of my health improvement. Already made great progress this year on that. Hope all was good for you as well.
The Gladiators and the A-20 are my own current favorites. Both were not a sure thing while under construction as I wasn't sure their respective mounting methods would work until I actually did them. I agree that two aircraft in the same display have a special magic which was unexpected on my part. I'm going to try doing more of these types in the coming years.
Nice , love that Connie.
Thanks Robert (@roofrat)
It was immediately intriguing to me when I received it as a gift despite being an old mold and having overdone surface detail. The size is perfect for a large aircraft like this.
Very nice builds Carl.
And that classic Monogram 1/48th F-80 just made me happy. I have a VERY weak spot for that kit. EXCELLENT build of her.
Have a great day and regards.
Mark
Thanks Mark (@dogsaber302). It's funny you say that about the F-80 kit because it caused me no end of headaches. I love the plane and Monogram makes accurate kits, but this one fought me every step of the way.
Looks like you had a good year building some interesting stuff - all look great.
Thanks Chas (@chasbunch), it was definitely a banner year for me.
@clipper awesome builds! Incredible detail!
Thanks Cricket (@bikequeen).
@clipper. I couldn’t see how the Havoc was mounted…I got it now! Super clever!
Cricket, (@bikequeen), I can't take complete credit for the idea. I am always on the lookout for new ways to display aircraft in flight and I happened to find this one guy who mounts aircraft on mirrors. Those aircraft were all split down the middle. He had a couple that were mounted on acrylic sheet the same way (split down the middle). I basically took that idea and modified it to mount in the wing on the back side of the engine nacelle.
It’s pretty neat! like I mentioned…I couldn’t see it at first