33 articles · 1.3K karma · 9 friends · active 3 months, 2 weeks ago
I’m a 72 yr old retired Freelance TV / Media Producer / Director of Photography. I moved to rural Tennessee after over 15 years of living in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. Like moving to a different planet but change and challenge can be cathartic if you chose to keep moving forward. I live with my two (recently now only one…) hounds. I joined IPMS while I was attending and participating in model contests.
Over 15 years ago I started an Antarctic research and expedition project to discover and retrieve the Antarctic Snow Cruiser. My team Glaciologist and I had our research paper published in Polar Geography. Since then we have continued our research, towards funding, additional team partners and topographical opportunities that are in nature’s hands. I designed custom virtual racing simulators and still enjoy racing and developing one in my home theater. I have an exhibit of my models at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tn. I love reading books, writing comedy, classic rock and Firesign Theater. and NO, I don’t like romantic walks at sunset…:slight_smile:
I am a self taught and later PPG Certified Painter. I specialized in racing, collectable, classic and sports cars. My first Ferrari project won Second Place at its first Ferrari Owner’s Club Concours. I drove my Farina bodied 1952 Siata 1400 Gran Sport while getting two degrees from Purdue University. Since I sold that car (one of 26) it has been restored again and now tours the world on the Concours circuit.
Not sure the exact year I returned to modeling in my adult life. I build ships, cars, helicopters, spacecraft, card models, AFV, armored trains, aircraft, display engines…whatever I find of interest. I’m always interested in connecting with fellow modelers and learning and sharing our great craft. Chasing Perfect.
1/24 Fujimi Toyota FJ Cruiser
An exact curbside replica of my full scale Toyota FJ Cruiser. I had custom decals made for the correct vanity plate and Paris-Dakar window graphics. Added exact upgrade with BFG All Terrain tires.
1/50 ARRI D51 Japanese Steam Locomotive
Fun build of nicely engineered kit. To insure a tight and clean fit of the upper boiler.
Turned aluminum wheels. I fabricated two sliding pillars to connect and align the boilers securely.
1/16 Minicraft Jaguar SS100 1938
For some alleged personal sins I build (or try to build) vintage kits? I just put some effort into improving them a bit without the time required to re engineer the old tech. Of course the wire wheels are [...]
1/144 Czech Master Resin Martin JMR3 Mars - Complete resin kit. Very fragile translucent propellers and landing gear.
Used brass pins for durability and strength on every join especially ‘beaching-landing gear’. Beautiful resin [...]
1/4 Franzis Operating Porsche Engine
A much better engineered kit compared to the many vintage operating engine models I’ve built. Aka this one actually works and has LED spark plugs and a reasonable sound card. But that should be [...]
1/35 Hobby Boss Dana 152mm Self-Propelled Howitzer
Built with complete ‘Big Ed’ Photo Etch. PE panel alignment challenging. Final paint was a grainy
disaster… as last resort, I gently rubbed round Q Tip starting in center of [...]
1/400 Heller Scharnhorst Battleship
Great old kit. No build issues. Real wood ‘veneer deck’, brass barrels and all railing PE fabricated from brass stock. My first battleship. Did have some AB grain turbulence issues when painting [...]
1/3 Minicraft Honda 750 4 Display Engine
Great kit with super parts detailing. Added sliding display section. Looks like Floquil Old
Silver but the actual paint, which made this work, I forgot as that was the last of it?
Great kit with [...]
1/48 ERTL Star Wars Corporate Alliance Droid
I had fun just creating my own motif. Taking risks and barely testing.
Not planning carefully or having a final vision target was very liberating.
1/32 Monogram Apollo Command Service Module
New Ware decals and PE. Resin cockpit, seats, and astronauts. Cut off # 8 bulb glass for clear space helmets. Many detail elements sourced from spares box. Use of multiple types and textures of [...]