Good news is The Max Factory kit I ordered from Japan arrived! 🇯🇵 Bad news is the build example on the box is intimidatingly impressive... It's making me feel like I should apologise to the kit for dragging it all the way to Europe and thinking I could do this 🫠

Almost there! Just some final touches and a wing-climbing pilot to go Fingers crossed I manage to make him look like he actually belongs there, rather than some misplaced cartoon character #histscalemodels

After the storm drove out the worst of the heat, I got to make some progress. Filtered some panels to make them look replaced. The panel line wash came out a bit sharp, might tone it down later Before I do more weathering, I need to stop putting off masking the canopy though #histscalemodels

Still a lot of weathering to do, but it's coming along. The base shade of blue isn't quite right, but I made do with what I had The orange peel is pretty noticeable though. I'm no good at polishing, but I guess I'll have to try #histscalemodels

I masked the roundels by hand, to better preserve the panel lines later on. Unfortunately there's a pretty bad orange peel going on. Should've known better than to work in this heat... but these are my final days off and I couldn't not use them 🫠 #histscalemodels

Good luck! 😷 That reminds me of the warning we saw in a Thai hotel elevator:

I made the Corsair cockpit a little project of its own, with extra attention to detail and accessories. Soon to be completely invisible in its plastic tomb, but it was fun to do #histscalemodels

Aka the famous inverted Spock

My next project, a Corsair. I love the wings on this thing 🪽 #histscalemodels

And so the Academy 1/72 Roman warship is done #histscalemodels

The 26 shields for the Roman warship. Very historically accurate, except for what I made up (all of it) #histscalemodels

Sails before and after filters Can't add the fun parts until the dreaded rigging is done, so I guess I can't postpone it any longer ☠️ #histscalemodels

Our beautiful girl by our beautiful North Sea ♥️

The ancient Roman warship just evolved into a rowboat. That's most of the woodwork done. Busy times ahead unfortunately, so it may be on hold for a while. Then it's on to masts, sails (stripes or giant penguin pirate) and 26 🫠 colourful shields #histscalemodels #scalemodels

Yeah, at least after Carthage forced them to take their navy seriously. Unfortunately this kit doesn't include their invention of the corvus.

Finished the penguin / mystical eye on the ancient Roman warship. That went better than expected, but I've masked my share of circles for this year. #histscalemodels

This'll definitely end up more penguin than eye. But maybe I prefer it that way.

And now for something completely different... Another attempt at a ship. The moulding is pretty rough at first sight. And I'm not sure about that tower. The Romans apparently did assemble such decktowers during battle, but they certainly weren't made of stone. It looks so out of place.

Dou Itashimashite! We went to Japan in 2024! It was in june, so we just missed the cherry blossoms. But we loved every minute of it and plan to return, maybe next year!

Couldn't resist this glamour shot... Backlit on the piano

My Tamiya Fairey Swordfish 1:48 is finished. It was challenging (for me anyway) but so much fun. Thanks for the positive feedback along the way 🌸

Progress, most bits are on. The torpedo isn't supposed to be used in this kit, so I hope Tamiya will forgive me eventually. Still need to do the propeller and possibly some rigging wire, before I get to weathering 🌤️

It has an engine! I tried to go for a weathered look on the metal ring, but the metallic basecoat is so relentlessly shiny the effect is mostly lost 🫠 Falling in love with the Fairey though, what an impressive machine #histscalemodels

Well, that was the very, very arduous task of attaching the photo-etch bracing wires 😵‍💫 I'm pretty sure the plane is bracing the wires, rather than the other way around.

Life's getting in the way, but the fish part of the Sword-fish is slowly getting there. The decals were not inclined to co-operate (we do not bend), but after fading them a bit they blend in alright

Fairey Swordfish progression, tried to emulate the cloth-over-frame effect on the sides

Q: If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and is immune to chemical warfare, what is it A: