DONS HOBBY KEEP

Revell/Monogram Spitfire Vb

2012-02-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

I built this with an open canopy

An old kit, re-issued for Christmas sales at the Big Box Stores, this is an old Spitfire from Monogram of the 1960's. It still makes a fair model now that it has an up-dated cockpit and canopy that can be assembled in either open or closed position. The packaging is the typical white box with Revell clearly printed in the upper left corner. I purchased it for $4.99 at the Christmas Clearance aisle in our local store.

Still not a bad looking model considering the kits age.

Italeri Junker's Ju-87 B2 in 1/48 Scale

2012-01-10T09:31:00.001-05:00

Well it's the beginning of a new year and I just finished up this JU-87 that I started and sprayed with Future Wax then set it aside for at least four weeks before applying the decals.
This is a great departure in modeling for me in many aspects. First, I built and painted the fuselage, wings, and smaller parts without attaching these parts into a completed model. Once the wing was complete with most of the small parts attached, (most being the key word here) I masked and sprayed the three colors necessary for this aircraft. Likewise, I did the same with the fuselage. As this aircraft is a low wing aircraft, meaning the wings are attached to the bottom of the fuselage it becomes much easier to finish the model as separate pieces before attaching all the parts into a complete model.
Next I sprayed these parts with several coats of Future Floor Wax until a nice smooth coat could be felt over the surfaces of the model. Then it was set aside on the shelf for almost four weeks before I even looked at it again.
Finally, I started applying the decals on Saturday and Sunday. As I found out, the background film is almost eliminated. The other secret is to dab some decal set on the surface where the decal is to be applied first. This seems to totally eliminate the background film. There were a few small decals where I missed the mark, but one has to scan the model carefully to find these.
As to the kit, it is an Italeri kit with several different markings available. The kit was on sale at our local hobby shop and also comes with a small PE set comprising of seat belts and windscreen shield and a detailed engine should you want to leave the cowls off. The part fit is right on and it was truly a joy to assemble.

The wing walks are also photo etch parts

What surprised me was the fact that our Grumman Hellcat is a more robust airplane for it's size compared to the Ju-87. I have seen real Hellcat's close up, but never a JU-87 and the Hellcat seems larger in stature. Here are some photos of my completed Ju-87. Enjoy.

Happy New Year 2012 - LCAC Hovercraft

2012-01-01T11:53:00.000-05:00

Christmas brought a 1/350 scale model of the Navy's LCAC Hovercraft by MRC. It is a small but cute little model. The entire model composes of 18 parts and measures less then three inches in length with two kits per blister package.
Total building time was about nine hours spread over five days including the diorama that the model now sets on. Most challenging was painting the top surfaces of both side superstructures. The diorama was constructed of a small piece heavy board stock given to me from a friend. It came out of the zipper type garment bags used to store clothes. The wood frame was cut from a wood paint stirring paddle thanks to Home Depot. Water was from a small piece of Triang plastic sea from their 1/1200 scale waterline ship models. This material has not been available in over forty years. Even today it is hard to find something suitable to serve as water without going into a large modeling project such a Woodland Scenics.

Completed model on the package it came in

The tan piece represents the beach which the hovercraft
is about to come ashore on.

Here is the stern view with it's two large fan power plants.

Eduard Models Follow-Up

2011-10-18T18:27:00.002-04:00

After finishing the blog from the other day, I finished Eduard's P-39Q Aircorba. This is an earlier model in the Eduard range purchased from eBay. This model, like others in this range is excellent with the fit on almost every part right on. I finished mind in the sand color with blue under surfaces.

Currently I am trying to find a few more so I can do some other P-39's with different markings. One thing I really liked about this model is the included weight in the kit. designed to fit where the engine would normally go on most aircraft, it gives just enough weight to allow it to sit on the tricycle landing gear.

Eduard Models

2011-10-14T14:53:00.000-04:00

Recently I have been busy building plastic models almost as fast as I can get the cement to dry on the parts. Wheather it's just time on my hands or a renewed interest in plastic kits I cannot say; suffice to add I've enjoyed every minute of the time I have spent.
Perhaps it's the fact that I have discovered the Eduard line of kits from the Czech Republic. Eduard makes a number of kits in all scales from 1/144 to 1/32. They maintain a web site, blog and can be found on Facebook. Perhaps their gain to fame are the photo etch parts they produce for a number of other manufactures kits. The most recent being a number of photo etch parts for Tamiya's 1/32 scale P-51 Mustang.
On this blog, I would like to show a few photos of two Eduard Russian airplanes I've completed in the past few weeks. Each model is a 1/48 scale "Weekend Edition".

Usually Eduard produces several different versions of the same model. The Limited Edition, ProfiPack, Combo and Weekend. The weekend edition has the same plastic trees as does each other version, only different options are less. As an example a Limited Edition may have several photo etch parts, maybe some epoxy parts, canopy masks, several different marking sets and something special for the collector. The ProfiPack will be the same, but no special something for the collector and different markings. The Combo may be two or three different versions of the same aircraft with all the photo etch, and different markings. The last and least expensive version is the Weekend version. Same plastic parts, no photo etch, no canopy mask, one or two different markings and in some cases a plain black and white instruction pages while the box contains the color art of the model inside.
As for recommending the Eduard kits, I place them on an equal or better level as the Hasegawa and Tamiya kits. As we know today, Eduard sometimes uses dies from other manufactures as does Tamiya and several other companies. Only real problem I have encountered is the availability to get them from U.S. distributors. Both Stevens and MND never seem to have the models in stock. I have ordered several different models in the past few months and only was able to get one out of six different models ordered. So I have turned to Ebay as a source.
If you have not built an Eduard kit, please give them a try, I'm sure you will find them well worth the money spent. Here is the web address. http://www.eduard.com/store/index.php?cur=2&

A Stick & Tissue Wind Vane

2011-08-19T13:18:00.002-04:00

When I was around eleven years old, I built several Balsa Wood Stick Models covered with tissue paper. Back then, plastic kits were something new and not readily available; besides one could fly these models. A rubber band motor and a large propellor was all that was needed for a free flight model. So the years past and these types of models are still around but not in the great varieties as back then. One of the two best types as far as I am concerned were Monogram "Speedie-Built" and "Top Flight" models. They were much easier and quicker to build as for the most part the wings were solid balsa while the fuselage was almost solid balsa.
So years past and one week while looking for something to build I came across a Domus Kit of a Curtiss Robin. The box said laser cut parts. Well I quickly recalled the hours of frustration when a part would split when trying to cut it without the use of a single edged razor blade

Single edge blades were not popular in our house as my Dad used Gillette double edge blades. So we had to snap the blade in half and put a band aid on the broken half to prevent it from cutting into our fingers which it did on many occiasions when trying to cut a part out of the printed balsa sheet. Laser cut parts; well that should make building these kits much easier. So I bought the Curtiss Robin and soon it was built and covered with tissue. Yes it was easier to assembly and I had not forgotten all that I knew about building these types of models. Super glue like "Zap" replaced the old tube Balsa glue and assembly was much faster.
Yes! it flew and I only added a small trim tab on the rudder once it had been balanced to keep it in a straight flight path for the most part. So it soon ended up on top of a shelf in my room and collected dust for a couple of years.
In our yard, we have a Red, White and Blue pin wheel that we put up Memorial Day. All summer we watched it spin around. The other night while sitting on our swing, the idea came to me that perhaps the Robin might make a cute wind vane. After all; all that was necessary is a rudder to catch the wind and make it turn, a airplane for the main part and a propellor to spin in the wind. DRAWBACK! IT'S TISSUE PAPER!
Problem solved, I got it off the shelf check it out and said to myself spray it with Krylon sealer. No Krtlon; what do I have I can use? An old can MinWax Acrylic stain. That should work just fine. It's an Acrylic sealer and the stain color was light so it should not effect the tissue color.

I put three coats for a good seal. For sure the Robin will never fly on its own any more, but it stands in our yard atop a pole and looks as proud as can be. I am sure it will not survive any major rain storm or our Northern Winters but at least for now she is one proud airplane enjoying a second life.

Squadron Encore Models

2011-06-28T11:45:00.003-04:00

The Sopwith Camel

The other day while visiting our local hobby shop, I found some kits in plastic bags. Marked on the package was "Squadron Encore Models". There were at least three or four different models as I recall and I purchased two of them as the price was somewhat attractive at $9.95 each. The packaging does not allow one to see much of the contents inside as on one side of the bag has a color drawing of the aircraft inside. The model itself is inclosed in the instruction folder which covers the other side of the bag. So needing something to do over the weekend, I took two models home, they were the Sopwith Camel and Albatros D.V in 1/72 scale.
Upon opening them I discovered they are Roden kits from the Ukraine. They appear to be early molds as the have a fair amount of flash and are somewhat of a poor fit. Having several years of modeling experience behind me, these two kits only presented a little challenge. I begin with the Sopwith Camel and it was finished in two days. Some of the points that need to addressed to aide in construction are:
1. Enlarge all holes for wing struts.
2. Likewise with the landing gear.
3. I found the joy stick and rudder pedal are not visible, so I omitted them.
4. Some extra care is needed on the rear rudder and stabilizer.
5. Sand off all stubs on both wings as they make it almost impossible to apply the decals.
6. Great care is needed when applying the decals.

Albatros D. V

Likewise the Albatros presents its own unique set of problems as follows:
1. The wings are separate pieces and are butt joined and glued. I used "Super-Glue".
2. Again enlarge all strut locations.
3. The struts are very weak and care is needed when glueing the wings to the struts.

4. Same holds true to the under carriage.
5. The German Iron Crosses are separate pieces white and black.
6. Great care is needed when applying decals as they are very thin.
The Albatros also took two days to build. The rigging was done with paint brush hairs in black from a 3 inch cheap brush purchased at our local hardware store. When one views each model at normal viewing distance, they look quite presentable.

Eduard Bf-108

2011-06-23T16:16:00.000-04:00

In the past, Eduard kits were not one of my first choices in looking for something to build. Eduard model kits are made in the Czech Republic and mostly in 1/48 scale. They have made 1/72 and 1/32 scale models as well. I guess their claim to fame is in photo etch parts for many other kits on the market. I first discovered them while looking for canopy mask. So I googled mask and came up with the Eduard Home page. www.eduard.com Soon I found myself hooked on the web pages for there is so much information and lots of other goodies to discover. This was followed up by a visit to our local hobby shop in search of some Eduard kits. I found a few; what Eduard calls "Weekend Editions". They were World War I types and although very nicely molded, there were just to many fine parts and some almost impossible to remove from the tree without breaking them. So on to Ebay searching for Eduard Kits. To my surprise, I found a lot and many were priced below Eduards suggested retail price. Kit Number 8054 is the Bf-108 commonly called the Taifun. This kit came with colored photo etched parts and a mask for the canopy. Price was very attractive and I ordered it from DeCarlo's Jewerly, in IA.
What a surprise to find many of the super fine and not necessary parts; were in the kit and if one chose, they could go blind trying to attach them and some of the super small photo etch parts that would not be seen once the model was assembled.

The cockpit with the seat belts in place.

The Bf-108 assembled well and and I did struggle a little with the seat belts, but what a difference they make especially when the canopy area is so large and the inside so visible. Today problems seem to be buying Tamiya Paints. Fortunately I had all the colors I needed. One of the things I have been wanting to try is painting the panel lines in black to high-lite them. I read several articles on how to accomplish this and I decided to go with the lighter fluid method. Basically it goes like this. Paint your model with acrylics, seal with a clear gloss and let dry completely. i.e. I should have left my model dry a lot longer then I did. Lesson learned! When you are ready, dilute enamel black with lighter fluid so that it becomes sort of a wash. Then carefully paint over all panel lines on the model with the wash. You don't want to get sloppy or you will end up with a larger mess to correct. Once this is dry, put lighter fluid on a clean rag on your finger tip and remove the over flow off the model. It works great and the lighter fluid will not attack either the acrylic or the enamel paint. The key is the gloss coat to protect the base paint.

Finished

Notice one can still see inside the canopy.

This done and decals applied the model looks quite well. So I can say Eduard models are well worth looking into, the colored photo etch is a nice added touch especially in the seat belts. The parts fit very well and the canopy mask is a real blessing. Finally the black panel lines adds a real demential look to finished model.

Revell's Arado AR-196 Floatplane

2011-05-03T10:02:00.019-04:00

Revell's Ar-196 - Wings Folded

The new Revell's 1/32 Scale Arado AR-196 Floatplane can be assembled either with the wings extended for flight or folded for storage aboard a ship. I opted to make my model with the wings folded as she would be when stored on any of several German Warships such as the Graf Spee or Bismarck. Instructions for each style are clearly marked on the instruction sheet. The Arado was the main-stay aircraft used in almost every front during World War 2.

I used the prop blade to cover the machine gun opening.

The Arado kit comes from Revell Germany and like the S-100 (reviewed on an earlier Blog) is a suburb model with many fine detailed parts. A good example is the gunners seat which slides on the tracks as it should; and the back rest can be positioned for seating forward or facing back to the machine gun. Molded in light gray, I found no flash and the parts fit right on. I would suggest one studies the instruction closely when it comes to assembling the engine. I thought I had it perfect, but when it came time to assemble the cowl the opening for the machine gun would not line up correctly. Somewhere during assembly I screwed up.

If I were to mentioned a negative side, I would say the canopy was the down fall. It comes in separate pieces and has to be glued together. It became for me at least a little difficult to hold the correct angle to fit the cockpit opening. When trying to position the center and aft section they did not seem to fit like the rest of the model did. I am hoping to build Revell's 1/32 scale Ju-88 next, but If the price proves to be to high for now, I may build another Arado, this time with the wings extended for flight.

Close up of the cockpit, this kit has a lot of details and could be enhanced more. There is plenty of room for a super detailing.

Revell's S-100 Schnellboot

2011-03-26T11:42:00.000-04:00

The completed model

I have not really built a plastic model lately that I found enjoyable until now.
While browsing our local hobby shop, I came across this Revell 1/72 Scale German S-100 Schnellboot. What made this all the more enjoyable; the price of the model was on sale, almost half the original cost.

From out of the box, the hull fit well and the deck almost snapped in place. Parts were easily removed from the trees and the fit was right on. A minimum amount of sanding and even less body putty was needed. My only negative comment lies in the fact that Revell chooses not to include other paint manufactures color numbers. I use Tamiya paints and guessed at what colors would best matched Revel's color numbers. They do give some basic ideas as "Sea Gray, Medium Gray, Steel" etc.

The Schnellboots were used throughout the war and were very successful in destroying a good many ships. More commonly known as E-Boats, the S-100 series was the final version and several modifications were made to the all the boats during the war years including up- grade guns and mine laying versions. Many boats survived the end of the war and became prized war booty to many nations.

This Schnellboot is a German produced kit and can easily be identified by the green box it comes in. If these German made kits are an indication of the quality in these models, I look forward to building more German Revell models. I would like to get the Gato Class U. S. Submarine in the same scale as this S-100 model (1/72), but the cost is over $100.00 and that almost puts it out of sight except that I can put it on lay-a-way which our shop offers.

The bow shows a lot of detail that is just not in many other kits.

Here is a top view, note the ropes holding the rafts to the engine exhaust.

On the other side of the coin, is Revell's PT-109. This kit is quite old and was made by Revell when they produced kits in California. Molded in dark green plastic. this kit will require much work to even come close to the the quality of the Schnellboot. Many details are molded right into the model and not nearly as detailed. These American produced kits come in the usual off white colored boxes often seen in the "Big Box Stores."

St. Michael's Basilica by Anker

2011-01-30T11:15:00.000-05:00

The Basilica

I have waited a while to get this model from Anker. If I understand correctly, the people at Anker intend to produce stone models of historical buildings in the future with this being the first.

The stones inside

The blocks come in the usual wooden box measuring 7 1/4 inches square and contain in this case 74 stones. This represents what seems to be a new approach in marketing as the packaging is quite attractive. Inside the box, you will find a booklet describing the Basilica in German and English. At the end of the booklet are the building diagrams which are done in the 3D style as well as the flat plan style. Also on the rear cover is the box layout instead of it being glued to the underside of the box lid. My model came from the ToyHouse, which is now owned by Jon Stolz and a thanks for getting to me by my birthday.
Once unpacked and inspected, building the model took about 15 minutes and although not something one will want to build over and over again, it would make a nice diversion for your grand kids to play with. Or you might just incorporate the stones into your collection, as their seems to be a few new stones that I don't have in my collection such as stones 1557 (small 1/4 round) or stones 1558 (small cone).

About half built

Finished model with booklet in the background

An Unknown Anker Set

2010-12-29T14:34:00.001-05:00

I came across this set and two other sets
while browsing the Anker Home Web site. I found them listed under the title Frӧbelgaben on the left side of the page. I do not know the purpose these were designed, but they are cute and one can always use more stones no matter what size. I was surprised to find they were available practically in my own back yard.
This set came from the "Red Hen" Books and Toys: http://store.redhentoys.com/storefront.aspx in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As I live very near Lake St. Clair in Michigan; Grand Rapids in on the other side of the State about a 3 hour drive from my home.
Frӧbelgabe Nr. 3 contains eight 25 x 25 x 25 mm size stones. or in Anker language stone number 1.

A cross

Simple design

Using pictures supplied on Anker's web page; these two models were made using all eight stones for each model. Although I may never used theses stones for stand alone models in the future, I certainly will be adding them to my over all collection. Eight additional stones are always welcome.

A Section of the Great China Wall

2010-12-23T13:59:00.000-05:00

From Paper Toys :http//www.papertoys.com comes this free paper model of a section of the great wall of China. This model as with the previous posted model was reduced to fit on a 4 x 6 piece of card stock. The Model consist of only tens parts and was completed in about an hour. Just a little something while we wait for Santa to arrive tomorrow. Christmas Eve dinner is ready and we are thawing out our roast for Christmas Day dinner. As the poem goes; 'the stockings were by the chimney with care, in hopes St. Nick would soon be there.'

So I wish each and every one a very Merry Holiday and a Joyous New Year.

Micromodels

2010-11-17T20:49:00.000-05:00

Assembling the first tower

Micromodels are miniature card models from England. They go back many years, in fact all the way back to the 1930's. Mr. Geoffrey Heighway was the chief designer of small card models while employed at a company named Modelcarft Ltd. He left that company in 1947 to form his own company, naming it Micromodels.
For nine years, Geoffrey produced many different types of Micromodels among them such models as Shakespear's Globe Theatre, The U.S. Capitol Building, The Cutty Sark, Wright Bros and Bieriot aeroplanes plus many more different types including several train engines. Each model was printed on card stock similar to the thickness of an average business card. Each model contained several cards approximately 3 x 5 inches wrapped in a paper wrapper. On each card, small sketches gave hints and details of some of the assemblies. On the outside wrapper was a in most cases a colored drawing of the model it was to make; on the inside was a little history and more modeling tips on how to make certain parts.
With Geoffrey's death, the company disappeared and although there were hundreds of his model available around the World, sources begin to dry up quickly.
I purchased my first Micromodels in the early 1960's from a hobby shop Called "Models" here in the Detroit Suburbs. I had about ten or twelve different un-built models before I lost them when our basement was flooded many years ago. Most of my entire stock of card models was also lost.
In recent years, an American Company has begun producing Micromodels. Some are new designs while others are reproductions of the original models by Geoffery. Just recently, they have started selling originals.
Please check them them out at: http://micromodelsusa.com/

The completed model

This brings me to todays subject. An Architectual Model of London's East Gate "The Aldgate". I came across this kit at a paper show I attended in one of the local malls. The wrapper was mostly missing having only a bit left. With the aid of my computer and scanning equipment, I was able to enlarge the model by approximately 10% Still very small, the larger size has made it a lot easier for these tired seventy years plus years eyes to see and work on.
Assembling the model is straight forward with simple towers, square and rectangle buildings. The post leading up to the gates entrance came from a small section of a straw broom. Each post measuring 1/4 inch and glued into the base. The base of the model is 4 inches by 1 7/8 inches. Height 2 1/4 inches. I don't know if all the sheets were included in the this kit as I was left with an extra roof piece and short one crown for one of the roofs. No reference was available due to the missing wrapper. From a picture I found, there appears to be no roof on the Gate itself. So I assume this extra roof was included in case one chose to build it that way.
I plan on ordering some Micromodels from the new Web Site in the near future.

At Last a good 1/144 Scale Spitfire

2010-05-30T15:46:00.000-04:00

If your a collector of 1/144 scale models, then you know the only half decent Spitfire was from 21st Century War Birds of a few years ago. Now thanks to "F-Toys", they have three Spitfires.
all three are Mark Vb's. One in the Polish Squadron, one U.S. Army Air Force and a Clipped wing with Invasion Strips. I don't know if they did a Special or not.

The Spitfire you see here is a Vb in a Polish Squadron. The model comes pre-painted and is a jewel to put together. I built it in about an hour without adding any additional detail. They should still be available from your favorite Japanese or Hong Kong dealer.

Fortress Gate for set 8A

2010-05-23T15:28:00.003-04:00

Having just finished a Balsa wood and tissue paper model airplane; the first, in probably 60 years give or take a year, I found I suddenly had nothing to do. Cleaned up work bench, gave model a test flight and it flew quite well. I returned home with nothing to do. Scanning around the room I saw my faithful Anker Stone sets waiting to be played with.
Time to pick them up and built a model before company arrives. My cousin always gets a kick out of seeing what design I may have come up with. I had about three hours before they arrived and it gave me just enough time to built this fortress photograph it and publish it here in my Blog.

Enjoy

So I made a Diorama

2010-04-10T12:33:00.000-04:00

So not knowing what I am doing when it comes to making a diorama, I made this up using some items from Woodland Scenics I bought at a local garage sale some time back.
The tree is from a bush in our yard. I applied white glue and put grass and some items I guess should be for trees.
I made this just to show how the laser cut tank model might look if used in a diorama setting. I would suspect a few 1/144 scale German Soldiers might enhance the over-all appearance.
Any suggestions offered will be appreciated!

Sankei Laser Cut Card Model Tank

2010-04-08T10:24:00.004-04:00

I have received two more Laser Cut models by Sankei from Hobby Link Japan. (See URL elsewhere in my Blob. This model is smaller than the cart I built and was reviewed in an earlier Blog. The tank model comes on two separate pieces of card stock. The main body of the tank has been laser cut on a piece of Olive Drab card stock. The tank track and Boggie wheels were laser cut on a piece of black card stock. There are no less then ten parts to the track card and 26 pieces to the tank body. I believe the model is to represent a German Panzer IV. A word here about the model, it is not intended to be a de-tailed version, but rather an exercise in how laser cutting can be applied to any media. To dress the model, I will in the near future make some sort of diorama display which should enhance the over-all finished model.
Assembly is quite simple and straight forward. As with the other model, holding the card to the light reveals where the parts are still attached to the card. As an estimate, I would guess the model took about 4 hours over two days to build. A tip I managed to pick up on is one I wonder why I never thought of it earlier. When gluing a small part such as the Boggie wheels on this model. Take a bit of waxed paper, apply some glue to the surface and spread with you finger tip. Now holding a part with tweezers run the part over the surface. Now apply the part to the surface where it is suppose to go. One can still adjust it before the glue sets up.
Tracks proved to be the most challenging parts to assemble; To much moisture on the back side and a little to much pressure when rolling the track causes the track to become over curved. So I formed the track a little and glued them in place while they were still damp. Then I placed a weight on the the body and let it set overnight.

The turret, though it seems easy enough, also presents a small challenge. Once bent as it shows in the instructions, you don't want to over bend it at the risk of separating the parts from each other. So use a fast dry glue which will allow you to hold the part to shape without over bending it. When attaching the turret to the tank body, a good amount of pressure is necessary to snap the turret in place. I was afraid of over pressure and just as I was about to give up and try something else, the turret 'SNAPPED' and was seated. Finely the model measures 2 x 1 x 13/16 inches.

In Memory of Chris Baldwin

2010-04-02T07:07:00.011-04:00

It was indeed not an April Fool's Joke when I received an e-mail from Karen Baldwin, Chris Baldwin's wife, yesterday morning. Karen informed me that Chris of the "ToyHouse" was missing after a canoeing accident on the Delaware River on Sunday 21 March and presumed dead. Chris has supplied me with many Anker Stone Blocks over the past several years. Here is the URL for Chris Baldwin Obit.

http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2010/04/02/obituaries/doc4babc56b20ac0019765009.txt

I was able to copy from the Princeton New Jersey Packet Newspaper. Chris will indeed be missed and our prayers go out to Karen and his Family. God Bless!

Another Mosaic Pattern

2010-03-23T18:32:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, my brakes let me know in no uncertain terms that they have reached the end of their life. Our neighbor across the street refused to let us pay to have our car towed and said he would do our brakes on Wednesday. He said he would stop on the way home tonight and pick up the pads and rotors so we would be all set on Wednesday when he comes home from work.
In the meantime, idle hands can become the devils workshop; so it's said. Bearing that in mind and knowing I have some more Laser Cut card models coming from Japan shortly, I did not want to get involved in any major task. The grass has been raked from winters trash and fertilizer spread. Snow shovel stored, (Were not going to have anymore snow, are we Lord?).

Ah! Now is a perfect time to get out the Mosaic set and play a while. After making several different patterns, I chose this one from the Mosaic Set Book 2.

Laser Cut Card Models

2010-03-07T14:51:00.012-05:00

One of my favorite places to visit everyday via the Internet is a place called Hobby Link Japan. Here is the web address: http://www.hlj.com/

A few weeks ago, I came across Laser Cut Card Models while doing my daily visit to the web site. Interesting I thought. So I ordered a Two-wheeled Cart to see what they might be like. Much to my pleasure and surprise, I found the model to be excellent. Small to be sure, but this makes them all the more attractive. This model came in a clear cello package and measured 4 x 6 inches. The actual model measures a little over 2.5 x 1. x .75 inch.

All the parts have been Laser cut into a stiff piece of card stock in tan. The base was a square piece of gray card stock. There are ten parts to the model and when you hold the card to the light, one can see where each part is still attached to the card. A sharp number 11 blade was used to separate each part and no trim was necessary except one wheel where I used a fine emery board to touch it up a little. Putting the model together requires no special handling as it is a straight forward assembly. First, I used a glue stick to bind both parts of the frame. The glue allows just enough time to move the two pieces around for alignment. Then I placed a weight on top to keep it flat while the glue dried completely. The two wheels were done the same way. The barrels required a little extra effort. As card modelers know, wetting the back side helps a great deal when forming a part. Using a cotton swab, I wet the back side of the barrel and kept rolling it into the round barrel shape. A little glue and soon both barrels were done.

A little glue on the wheels and they were attached. After a while, a small dab of glue and each barrel bottom and they were attached to frame. Finished! There is no question in my mind that I will be ordering more of these fine models from Hobby Link Japan.

When you visit the site, type in either SANKEI or MINIATUART PETIT in the search box.

Modified 'Barocks Parktor' with Mosaic

2010-01-29T12:40:00.011-05:00

Having become more familiar with the Anker Mosaic Set now that I have had it for almost a week, I wanted to find a way to incorporate a mosaic pattern into one of many plans that are available for download. I chose Dieter Wellmnan's 'Barocks Parktor' as a good model to give the mosaic set a work out. The pattern I used comes from Richter's Mosaic Set 1 plan book which can be seen by visiting: http://cva.flying-cat.de/. I must admit it took more then a few attempts before I begin to get the pattern to fit. The Mosiac Set, although it is new, is made from the older NF series size mold. This means the pattern stones do not integrate perfectly with the newer NS sets.

So the first challenge was to find a way to make the pattern fit inside the frame on Dieter's plan. I had to leave a slight space both on the width and length, perhaps two mm's or so to allow the pattern to fit. This can be seen in both pictures see the little black space in the front and side view. Next I started at one end and placed stones in order of the printed pattern I was following. When I was almost finished, I realized I had not taken into account that the third star would not match the first star. This meant I had to re-adjust the first star so the third star would be equal to the first. Once this was done, the floor pattern was done.

The next challenge came in placing the building base stones so that everything would line up according to Dieter's plan. It was a easy fix; I added four number 69 stones, two on each end where the building joins the patio part. This can be seen in the side view picture. The rest of misfit would be covered by other stones and easily hidden from view. Finishing the model was of course just a matter of following Dieter's plan.

Rather then take this apart just yet, I may try other patterns.

Anker's Mosaic Set

2010-01-23T11:21:00.008-05:00

At long last, I have received my Anker's Mosaic Set thanks to 'The Toy House'. The Mosaic set was reproduced for a very short time a few years ago and is already considered a collectors item. I believe Chris may still have one set available and if you can, I urge you to purchase it. You won't be disappointed. As there is no guide book with this set, go to: http://cva.flying-cat.de/ to see the original booklet that came in the original sets. It can be printed out.

There are no less than 547 stones in four colors, Yellow, Blue, Red and Black. There are three different sizes. full square, triangle, and quarter triangle. The set comes in two layers Part A and Part B. Each layer is laid out on a piece of wood surrounded by a wood frame. On each end is an elastic cord attached to lift the layers out of the storage box. The cover contains the pattern for layer A while the pattern for layer B is a single sheet loose on the inside bottom of the box.

My only real comment at this stage is this set appears to have been manufactured before Richter's Stones were change to todays NS standard. I did a quick short pattern and tried to set up a small building to see how the floor pattern would look. I discovered the stones do not line up with the standard stones. No real problem however; there are two ways to solve this. First: you can insert stone number 69 or 31 to fill the gap. The second solution is to use Anker's Conversion Set NF-NS which The Toy House also carries.

With the aid of some cardboard and Balsa wood, I quickly made a small frame to fit a 6 x 8 pattern. Some spacers cut from cardboard allows me to adjust the amount of stones inside the frame. It's not that I'm lazy, it's just this way; I can spend time with the wife in the den playing with my set designing different patterns while she watches her favorite TV shows thus keeping peace rather then myself in one room alone while she sits alone in the den building a head of steam. . Clever Yes! Here is a shot of the frame I made and one of the patterns in the set.

Apple iPhone and AV Cables

2010-01-11T16:37:00.008-05:00

An Off-beat subject for my Blog; but something I just felt I wanted to share. Call me slow, call me late on the up-take, none the less someone out there might be interested and inclined to do the same.

I recently heard about using AV cables on an iPhone or iPod Touch to view videos and pictures on your television. So I 'Googled' AV (AV= Audio/Visual) cables with an iPhone and went to 'You Tube' to see what I could come up with. To my surprise, I found many articles on what to and what not to do when using AV cables. For example, some cables will not work with earlier iPhones and some won't work with current iPhones. So you have to make sure which cables to use; 3G generation iPhones have a special chip to prevent any AV cable from being used. There are a lot of AV cables ranging in price from $9.95 to $50.00 or more; but please make sure the cables you get are iPhone 3G compatible if you have the 3G series or later. Once you have decided on the AV cables you are going to use, you will need to go to "Settings" on your iPhone or iPod and scroll down to "iPod" open scroll down to "TV Out". Change the TV signal to NTSC which is standard for the United States and Canada. Having read and watched all I could, I chose to go with the Official Apple Composite AV Cable priced at $49.00 from Apple and Apple Stores. If you are so inclined, you can save .12 cents by purchasing it at your local WalMart for $48.88. Even if the Apple set seems quite pricey, it is the best buy in the long run.

Inside the box, you will find; typical with Apple, a well packaged product. One neat thing is a separate Apple USB charging plug. This plug is just like the earlier plug included with the first and second generation phones believed by many to be better then the current charging plug that comes with the 3Gs series phones. An instruction sheet, warranty info sheet and a large coil of white cables with three RCA plugs on one end and joined to one lead going to the 30 pin iPhone/iPod connection plug and a second lead going to a USB plug. Very cool as now you have the ability to keep your iPhone/iPod connected to AC power while watching the images on your TV thus not draining the battery.

Now, basically one attaches the red, white and yellow cables to the corresponding ports on your television. Most late model televisions have provisions either in the front or the back and in many cases both. Then attach the other end into your device. Set your TV to AV from your TV remote and if all is well you will have pictures on your TV screen using your phone/pod to control start, pause or stop.

We have an older Toshiba 32 inch tube set and I can tell you we were very pleased with the video we watched. For our experiment, we chose to watch an episode of Glenn Martin DDS, and animated comedy, downloaded from iTunes. The University of Michigan has a Podcast every Saturday morning covering a range of topics and I look forward to watching them all. There are many available and they are free.

Now I can let my wife sleep-in in the morning, plug in my iPhone and sit back with a cup of coffee and watch these podcast in peace and quite. Once the wife is up there is no more peace and quiet, the dog will get up; wants outside, wants to be feed and played with. The television gets changed to the Food Channel and I'm relegated to watching what I want using my ear buds and the iPhone screen.

Now ask me if I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning or not!

Merry Christmas too One and All

2009-12-25T16:13:00.003-05:00

Just a short note to say I received another 1:200 scale airline model of the BAE 146/RJ-85 in NWA Airlink markings for Christmas from my loving wife. Merry Christmas Honey!

1/200 Scale

2009-12-11T09:04:00.005-05:00

Among my hobbies I collect, are 1/1250 scale waterline model ships and 1/200 scale model airplanes. Both types I have collected for many years; and I have also over the years had to sell many of them for one reason or another. Once to help purchase a new car for my wife when her old Chevy was about to give up the ghost, I sold almost my entire collection of Wiking 1/200 airplanes. These were World War 2 German spotter models and were made by the Wiking Company GmbH during the war. My collection came from Czechoslovakia a few models at a time; and were used by the Germans as ID models. We used the 1/72 scale hard rubber black ID models that you see hanging from the celling in the pilots ready room on board any aircraft carrier in most World War 2 movies.

The Wiking Company GmbH, in Germany, no longer makes any of these models choosing instead to concentrate on making 'HO' scale model cars and trucks etc. So over the years these have become highly collectable.

In recent years, the Herpa company GmbH also in Germany and also who makes 'HO' scale models branched out into making models of airliners. They started with models in 1/500 scale. Soon they were expanding to 1/400 and then 1/200 and 1/600 scale. Today many companies make airline models in 1/200 scale and they enjoy a growing number of collectors, among them myself. That said, I have slowly started to collect some of these models. Now made mostly of metal, the models are very nice in detail. Not as highly detailed as what Herpa calls their Premium Models; for those models are made of composite materials where one can see inside the cockpit and many have spring loaded undercarriages, clear red and white lights etc. The Lower priced models are none the less still nicely made. So here is a picture or two of one of the models now in my collection.

After my military discharge, I went to work for Delta Airlines for a short while as a 'Cabin Service' agent; meaning we cleaned the inside of the aircraft after each flight. Not always the nicest job, but 'hey!' someone had to do it. At the time, my favorite airplane in Delta's fleet was the Convair 440, twin propellor engined airliner. I was too late to purchase the Delta Model made by Herpa as they have all been sold out and discontinued. However; I was able to get a Lufthansa marked 440 and have added to my slowly growing collection.

If you are interested in starting your own collection, The Airplane Shop: http://www.airplaneshop.com/index.html carries a good collection of Herpa Models and does mail order. You may also want to visit herpa at http://herpa.de/ As I mentioned earlier, there are a number of manufacturers now making models in this scale and one can 'Google' to find many other sources.

One last thing, If anyone happens to have a Delta Convair 440 and wants to trade it or sell it, let me know please.

St. Basil's Cathedral, Russia

2009-10-31T09:10:00.010-04:00

Canon Paper Craft has done it again! Produced a fine model of the famous St. Basil's Cathedral located in Red Square Moscow, Russia. To boot, the model is a free download from Canon's Web site. See my links for the webs address.

Building is straight forward with very clear diagrams. Perhaps the trickiest part is making the colorful dome tops. These domes make St. Basil's such an attraction. Once you realize that each dome must take on an onion shape while gluing each segment to each other, the domes go together quite well. As for the rest of the model, each part is marked clearly on how it is to be folded and glued. Canon does an excellent job designing the instructions to be very clear and easy to follow.

It took me the entire week to build the model, working approximately two to four hours each day. As with any card model, the more accurate you cut each part, the better the fit. I always dry fit any part before gluing to avoid any problem later on in the assembly.

One other thing I do is copy most of the pages at the local copy center in black and white. I do not like the idea of using the glue tabs on the base of the towers I remove these and using parts of the copied sheets I glue to heavy card stock, I cut out the location base so that it fits the tower and glue this part to the base of the model where it is to go and then glue the tower to the model. This makes the tower stable and I believe enhances the looks.

To make it a little better to understand, lets use a cylinder tower for example. Using the piece paper I copied I cutout the tower base circle and glue this to a piece heavy card stock. Then I cut out the circle fitting it into the assembled tower. Once I am satisfied with the fit, I glue the circle unto the place where it is supposed to go on the base part and when dried, I glue the cylinder tower over it.

My model was printed on 68lb card stock and printed using a Kodak printer. I like the printer because it uses a dye ink rather then a water soluble ink as most printers do. For the base, I deviated from Canon's base by mounting the floor plan on a piece of Core Board; it makes for a stronger base to build upon.

A Simple Paper Model

2009-10-14T18:10:00.003-04:00

People will often ask me when I mention that I build models from paper or card stock, "You mean like paper dolls?" No, I answer I build 3d volumetric models. So I go on to explain the different types.

Then I'm often asked if I cut out the models with scissors; so I explain that I use a straight edge and modeling knife like an Exacto; cut, fold, shape and glue.

For this reason, I present here a simple model that took no longer then six hours from start to finish. I cut out each piece before assembly to give you the idea of how simple it is to build.

I added a few personal touches to help improve the model. I added a core board base. Circles are laminated to thicker stock to make them more rigid. Colored the edges with a black tip marker.

As to what it is I cannot tell you. It's to small to be a pencil holder. Perhaps it was meant to hold coins as the Totem Head can be removed. It again is a model included in the ABC Magazine that I have mentioned before in this Blog.

A Ship in a Bottle that Isn't

2009-09-23T08:12:00.004-04:00

Yes, it is the ship in a bottle that isn't. Here's the story...ABC Magazine, which is published in Czechoslovakia, for young adults always has a least two paper models in every issue. This model was in a issue from several years back. It was to be assembled and inserted into a bottle. The magazine is written in the Czech language and although there are illustrations it is often not clear how some items are intended to work. Such is the case of this little ship.

The instructions do tell you how to make the funnel and the mast on a hinge and where to place the tread so that once inside the bottle, a pull on the thread will allow the mast and funnel to seat in place. What I did not know and still do not know is what goes inside to hold the ship in place and how to tie off the ends so that it appears to be complete inside the bottle. This part of the assembly may have been a little easier then the normal for a ship in a bottle; as this model is larger then most. Measuring about 4 inches in length and about an inch. or so wide, it would not fit into a normal small mouth opening bottle thus requiring a bottle with a larger mouth. Hard to find a glass bottle that size in this plastic world we live in.

As a result, I chose to make this little tug as a stand along static model, glueing the mast and funnel into place nice and solid. A little iota of cotton for smoke and we have a cute little ship model for our curio cabinet.

Cathedrale Notre-Dame De Paris

2009-08-18T08:53:00.003-04:00

A few years back, Canon Paper-Craft- http://cp.c-ij.com/en/ -produced a paper model of the Cathedrale Notre-Dame. The model is very well designed and is a free download to booth. This model is now rests in a curio cabinet of a neighbor.

I thought I would share a few pictures of the model with readers. Building the Notre-Dame is straight forward in terms of following the instructions provide with the model. I printed the model on standard card stock available almost everywhere. It was printed on an Epson printer. Epson printers offer waterproof ink and does not lend itself to marks as easy as most ink jet inks do. The only change I made to the model was to double the braces that surround the nave area.

So for your enjoyment.

Minox "THE SPY CAMERA" Extraordinaire!

2009-08-06T20:47:00.006-04:00

Of the many cameras I have owned over the years of my life, the Minox has been one of my favorites. These cameras carry the distinct label of "Spy Camera". Minox cameras were never designed as such and except for one or two rare occasions never used by any Secret Agency.

The term "Spy Camera" is due in most parts to Hollywood movies, It has been used in several movies most recently in the Movie "Shinning Through" with Michael Douglas and Melanie Griffith. Other such movies like James Bond and a few World War 2 era films are mostly responsible for attaching the term "Spy Camera" to the Minox.

Without going into a great amount of detail about how the Minox works and all the technical details, let me say it is suffice to say the Minox uses a strip of photographic film inside a cartridge and yields several negative images measuring 8 mm x 11 mm per image. Today one can still purchase several different models of these cameras on Ebay although finding film and processing is getting harder to obtain. I always carry my Minox with me daily even yet today.

While thinning out a vast amount of photo CD's in my collection, I came across some Minox pictures that were transfered to CD by the processing lab a few years back. I came across three pictures that I thought I would share with you. The tractor, I understand dates back to the 1920's and the photos were taken in the late afternoon with my Minox model ECX. When one considers the size of the original negative 8 mm x 11 mm, the pictures are pretty good.

Liberty Ship "John w. Brown"

2009-08-01T14:23:00.024-04:00

During the summer of 2003, the Liberty Ship "John W. Brown" came up the Detroit River for a fundraising cruise to help pay for new rivets she badly needed. A dry dock in Toledo, Ohio is still the only dock that makes rivets and could handle a ship her size. So she sailed up the St. Lawrence Seaway and had over a thousand new rivets installed. To help pay for this, she made a trip up the Detroit River for a one day cruise out into Lake Ste. Claire and return to Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

My wife and I purchased tickets and we became part of that historic cruise. It was a beautiful July Saturday with temperatures in the low 80's, mostly sunny with calm waters. As luck would have it, an Air Show was happening at Selfridge ANG Base that same day. It truly turned out to be one of many high lights of our Golden years of retirement. We had box lunches, below decks in one of the forward cargo holds while listening to music of the era. On deck, a band dressed in uniform played and a group of dancers also in costume danced the Jitterbug and various swing dances. Later an actor who is part of the ships company dressed as General Patton gave Patton's famous speech.

Before long, we were under siege by aircraft from the Air Show. Passes were made by a Spitfire, an Avenger, a Swordfish, a B-25 Mitchell Bomber and a Japanese Zero fighter. The guns on deck were maned by members of the Navy Guard which sailed on every Liberty Ship during the War. These guards are also part of the ships company and in uniform. The guns have been rigged to simulate via electric circuitry the flash and noise of the guns, mounted in an open gun tubs protected by thick pads of cork.

When we reached the turn around point, a prayer was said and a wreath tossed overboard to honor those lives that were lost during the war from the United States and Canada. When the ship returned to Windsor, visitors were allowed on board the next day, Sunday, before she left to return to her home port in Baltimore, Maryland.

Here are a few pictures of the "John W. Brown" taken by me as she arrived in Detroit on the Friday afternoon before.

A Paper Model

2009-07-29T08:38:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite paper models is this Dornier DO-27. The real aircraft was made by Dornier GmbH in Germany. This model was the first civilian model and made for the Serengeti Safari accounting for its Zebra like paint scheme. Unfortunately it crashed when it collided with an animal in January of 1958.

This paper model was made by the J.F. Schreiber GmbH also of Germany. As far as I am concerned, this is one of the best models designed by this company. When cutout and assembled the Zebra stripes line up perfectly and the parts fit just as they should. This is my third model, over the past twenty years, I have built two others. My first was made sometime in the 1980's and I had not yet mastered making the wing to perfection. My second model was made four years ago and promptly sold to a airplane buff.

Now comes this, my third model. I knew where some additional help might be needed and paid attention to these areas. One such part is the tail wheel. which is quite weak. So I doubled it by gluing it to a spare piece of card stock. Once cut out and attached to the fuselage, I coated it with "Hard as Nails" polish thus giving it more strength.

Thanks to the local florist, I was able to obtain a small amount of a green sticky gum like substance. Using this green Gummy stuff, I packed the first section of the fuselage with it and then glued the the fuselage front plate in place after boring a hole for the propellor shaft. After the propellor was finished and with a straight pin fitted inside the propellor nose cone, I push the propellor into the fuselage front and into the green gummy stuff. it held in place and now I have a really nice spinning prop. I would highly recommend this model for anyone who would like a change of pace from the more complex models.

Paper Shipwright's MV "Maria" Grab Dredger

2009-06-02T09:11:00.003-04:00

David Hathaway owns Paper Shipwright, a company in the UK that produces some very nice and well designed paper models of unusual ships. Here is one of his latest in 1:250 scale of a Grab Dredger. The initial design is from a Scottish firm Seadrec. The "Maria" was never built but rather a model based on Seadrec's plans.

This model is certainly not my best work, however it was a fun build.

From Anker Set Number 4 (Listed as a Fortress Tower)

2009-04-29T10:24:00.004-04:00

Officially listed in Anker's Plan Set 4 on page 13, number 2 called a "Fortress Tower". With the figure that I have placed next to it, it now looks more like a monument. Something in the arch would enhance the appearance; perhaps a clock face or a small statue would help.

Again using a tripod I tried to photograph the model without any distorted perspective. And I still want to improve the background a bit more. Our weather is beginning to warm up as we approach May. Today as an example it is mostly sunny and we should top out about 58°F. In the photo to your left, the tripod was not level enough and so there is a slight tilt to the tower.

The sweeper incidentally is a Schieich figure from 2007 an stands about 3 inches tall..

Grabkapelle Revisited

2009-04-27T10:47:00.005-04:00

Alan Winston, who's Blog "Block Play": http://blockplay.blogspot.com/, clued me in on a program very useful in correcting perspective: www.shiftn.de when working with items that render themselves to look better when this correction is made.

In my early youth, I worked for a company in the City of Detroit, that did all their photography using View Cameras. View Cameras usually come in 8 x 10 film size and have a number of corrections that can make almost anything appear straight. The film plane can be swung from left to right, up and down and tilted almost 75° from vertical. Likewise in the front where the lens is located, those same movements can be obtained. This allows for a great many corrections in perspective. General Motors used View Cameras when photographing each years new model automobiles for example.

Another method that works well is a tripod. Tripods work best when you are photographing objects that fit into the tripods category. Scale models are a good example. Height can be adjusted to give one that street level look. A sharper image is captured when using a cable release or the cameras self timer. Biggest problem with tripods, come in setting them up to be just right. I'm just to lazy to go through all the effort involved. But to give one a look at what can be done, these two photos show what I did in about ten minutes of set-up time using my digital cameras self timer. My camera is an old third generation model and thanks to its viewing screen in the back, I do not have to worry about parallax correction and digital photography is great for macro work as the depth of field problem is almost nonexistent.

Another tool that helps a great deal, is a good photo program. I have only a simple photo program that came pre installed on my Macbook. This program although allowing for just minor corrections gives me enough to correct for exposure, cropping and rotation. Speaking of cropping, I'm still working on improving the background to enhance the overall effect.

As soon as time allows, I'm going to give Alan's suggestion a try, for I do admire the quality of his photos and I look forward to visiting his page daily.

Anker Grabkapelle by Rolf Fritsche for Set 8

2009-04-26T17:07:00.005-04:00

Grabkapelle as near as I could translate is a Funeral Chapel or perhaps just a small chapel located on church grounds or the like.

This model is just one of many designs by Rolf Fritsche. It was designed for use with stones up to set 8 or set 6 and set 6A which makes a set 8. As I have several extra stones, I substituted a few stones during the building process such as one number red 15 for two number red 19's and one red 19 for two red number 210's.

Small Model using Heinzelmannchen Stone Set

2009-04-14T15:51:00.003-04:00

Here is a small model based on a design by William Seppeler from his Blog. Having received my wife's monthly Social Security check, it was off to purchase a backdrop for photos and a small grass mat. Now... what to do with my newly acquired back drop but quickly make a model to photograph and publish.

Paper Model Carousel by Canon Paper Craft

2009-04-12T15:20:00.003-04:00

Here is a cute little paper model of a carousel. The model is a free download from the Canon Companies "Paper Craft" web site. This is the same Canon company that makes the Canon Cameras, Copy and Fax Machines, Printers and a host of other items.

If you are into paper models and have never been to Canon's site, I urge you to do so. The amount and quality of the models is hard to beat for the price "FREE". If you have children and want to get them involved in something other then computer games, pay a visit to Canon's Web Site. http://cp.c-ij.com/en/ There is a host of things to be done from models to digital pictures enhancements or any number of other paper craft projects for the whole family.

This model was printed on three sheets of standard card stock available at Wal Mart, Staples, Office Depot or any number of craft type stores. Building time was about 2 hours plus or minus a few minutes. The instructions give you a good idea of what is needed in the way of tools. Not much more then a straight edge ruler, scissors, white glue and some sort of hobby knife.

To lend a little strength to the base, I mounted it on a piece of foam saved from something we purchased recently. As you move the Carousel by hand, the four horses move up and down to simulate a real carousel in action. The web site has two models and this is the simpler one of the two, so pay attention to the picture when looking for this model.

One of my plans in the future along with so many other uncompleted projects is to make the model move via a small electric motor. The mechanics of making it work are easy enough just need to take the time to sit down and do it.

Coast Guard Station

2009-04-07T14:40:00.006-04:00

While looking through the recent 6 ½ set plan book as mentioned in my last post, an idea came to me after seeing a plan for a Dam model. I started building the Dam and wondered how one of my card model boats would look if I changed the design to be more of a bridge rather then a Dam. So I raise the center section to appear as a high arch under which a small boat could pass under. It looked pretty good, but for some reason, my photos did not come out well and I had taken apart the model to soon, thus no pictures.

I will have to wait till my next Social Security Check arrives so I can get something that looks like water at the hobby store. Still wanting to expand on the idea, I took an old blue mouse pad and started my own design for a dock and station building. The pictures show how the model turned out and the small German Patrol Boat made it perfect to name the model a Coast Guard Station. Both boats are card models from Germany and cutting them out and building them is another pleasant past time of mind.

Maybe one of these days, I get all my eggs in oder and assemble a model that is not distracted by all the background clutter.

Anker Set 6½ Pavilion

2009-04-06T11:00:00.004-04:00

The other day I discover some designs from an early set in the GK-NS Series; Set size 6½ ältere Ausgabe. I believe these sets are from the earlier Richter Stones before they converted to the current system of measurement in standard "mm" sizes 25 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm etc. These corresponding approximately to the American inch system of measurement.

The model required a little modification at the ceiling line to make it all fit as the plan shows. As I own a few sets and some odd stones, it was not a problem to solve. If I am incorrect in my assumption about the measurements of this series, please let me know so I may correct this.

ANKER STONE PUZZLE SETS - THE PUZZLER (TAMGRAM)

2009-03-14T14:08:00.005-04:00

Many of you may not be aware that Anker-Richter produced many stone puzzle sets in the early years when that sort of thing was in Vogue. Many of these early puzzles are very rare and hard to find. Now thanks to the new Anker Company, some of these sets however; are once again available.

With board gaming becoming the (new stay at home - spending time with the family), "in thing"; stone puzzles are enjoying some return to popularly. The Tamgram puzzles being without a doubt the most popular. Using seven stones, the designs are almost unlimited. Many web sites are devoted to creating and preserving hundreds of designs. The Anker Steinbaukaston Company today has made available several different stone puzzle sets which cam be purchased in the States from http://www.toyhousetoys.com/10408.html

Chris I believe stocks all the puzzle sets of which there are six.

The Puzzler (Tamgram)

The Egg of Columbus

The Circular Puzzle

The Heart Puzzle

The Nine Puzzle

the Wrath-Breaker Puzzle.

So I have put my new Flip Camcorder to use once again to give you a little idea of the Tamgram Puzzles by making three different designs. Enjoy!

William Seppeler's Barn

2009-03-13T12:26:00.004-04:00

Having seen William Seppeler's Barn on his Blog, I just had to make it. The design is simple and makes a really nice little model for builders of any age.

I have tried to encourage William to make a CD of his plans for any of us who would like to keep his plans for the future.

Thanks William for the nice model!

A Small City Building for Set 10

2009-03-12T13:53:00.004-04:00

The other evening while watching TV with the wife, I was looking through some other Anker Stone plan books I have. I came across this "Rathaus Kleinstadt" by Gerhart Bruckmann. It looked intriguing and so paying proper respects to my better half; it was off to my workroom.

(I'm really not a CSI fan anyway)

Here is the results.

The Apple iPhone and an Application

2009-02-22T13:50:00.007-05:00

As many of you know I own an Apple iPhone and yes! here in the states I was one who waited in line to purchase one on Release Day. I was fortunate to wait only 45 minutes or so. I was not in time to purchase an 8 GB phone as they were already sold out, but did get a 4 GB model. I loved it the day I purchased it and still do today. I won't up-grade until the next generation model is released; but in the meantime am enjoying mine to no end. Apple has released the iPhone code to developers World wide to make applications for the iPhone.

One such application is called "Color Splash". This application allows you to take your digital photos and highlight parts in color and the application sells for 99 cents USD from Apple's iTune Store. In the States and I presume World wide, a great many television commercials are aired in Black and White with only the main product in color. This picture is a good example of what I did with one of my photos.

In order for this to work, your original must be in color. Any digital photo can be used. I took this photo on the Detroit River during Detroit's 300 Anniversary parade of tall ships.

BUILDING AN ENTRANCE GATE

2009-02-21T11:45:00.006-05:00

First off, I'm sorry for the misspelling of the word entrance in the movie you are about to watch.

I had a chance to purchase a brand new "Flip Camcorder" at a very good price recently and just received it. What better test to try with it, but to use my anker Stones to create a structure. So here is an Entrance Gate from set number 4. Note in the set they refer to it as a "Theatre", It looks more like a portal or a gateway to me.

The last few moments are a little shaky as I did not have the camera set so as to include the top of the structure well enough; so I had to hand pan around the building thus causing the shakiness.

Schula

2009-02-07T10:07:00.006-05:00

I really have not published much about our dog Schula. Schula is a survivor from the animal shelter. Apparently she was born in Mexico and brought here where she was given to the shelter. She was adopted and returned. After we lost our third dog Kokie we were devastated. Kokie was born with a heart defect and we lost her in just three months. Having searched pet shops, private sales and other shelters in the area; we were about to give up finding a replacement for our beloved Kokie.

Thus the Macomb animal shelter was our last stop for the day. We had been there before and had not see anything we liked. On this day, it was approaching closing time and we had only 45 minutes or so to find a dog and start the adoption paperwork. Schula made herself known almost immediately upon seeing us. So we took her to a room where both dog and humans can get aquatinted. Schula knew she was going with us although we had not yet realized this. Joan, my wife, said we should take her, as it was getting late and neither of us wanted to spend still another night in a lonely pet-less home.

While completing the adoption paperwork, an officer called my wife aside. "I hope you are going to adopt her", he said. "Yes, my husband is paying for her now, Why?" She is on the list to be euthanized after closing today. "Why?" Asked my wife. "She was returned once already and has been here for three days without anybody even asking about her, and she has some separation issues." "I know you and your husband will be able to help her become a good dog, I can see the love you both have for her in yours eyes; and I have never seen her tail wag so hard when your husband is in the room." "She tries to climb all over him."

That was almost 2-1/2 years ago. We are still learning how to deal with her issues; for you see Schula is a mixed Terrier, and very high energy; also we believe she is afraid she will be abandoned again. For our age, it's a real effort to keep her in check all the time, but either we are learning to adopt or Schula is. School's still out on that.

And the finished Model

2009-01-22T06:55:00.005-05:00

And some more steps

2009-01-20T13:58:00.006-05:00

Todays pictures

Todays Pictures 4

2009-01-18T06:47:00.006-05:00

The next series

TODAYs Pictures 3

2009-01-17T08:08:00.004-05:00

A work in progress

Todays Pictures 2

2009-01-16T07:11:00.006-05:00

Here's three for today, note the yellow arch was first placed the wrong way.

Todays Pictures

2009-01-15T06:14:00.003-05:00

Todays picture.

Making a Building

2009-01-14T13:15:00.003-05:00

This is for a friend in Australia. Making a building from ground up. Each day, I'l publish another picture or two of a building until it is complete.

Finished Model of the S.S. Ben Read

2009-01-06T03:11:00.005-05:00

Now that I have finished Model Shipwright's S.S. Ben Read, here is a photo or two. I completed her in early December but did not publish any photos due to the up-coming holidays.

First Model Using Set 8A

2008-12-28T11:05:00.007-05:00

Having received set 8A Christmas Eve, I did not want to take apart the manger made from sets 4, 4A and 6A. so scanning some of the building patterns I have in my collection it was time to take a chance on building this model. Stones started to run out as I neared the top and used whatever stones I could find to finish the model. It is still quite nice and a good example of what can be made from different stones.

ABC Magazine Totem Pole

2008-12-13T09:40:00.003-05:00

Common to the Northwest part of North America, Totem Poles are made mostly of Redwood Cedar Trees. Totem Poles serve a wide variety of uses from recounting a familiar legend to mortuary structures. They may honor a famous person in the clan or a murderer. Totem poles mounted in front of a persons home generally show that's families success. It is important to know that Totem poles are never associated with "Idol Worship" of any kind.

This model took approximately eight hours to build and was a real pleasure, as are almost all the models from the ABC Magazines. For information, the center section (large black area) was stuffed with tissue while the base was weighted before mounting on the small core board base.

Anker Blocks and Schleich's Nativity Figures

2008-12-12T10:51:00.005-05:00

Each year I make a manger using my stone blocks and old manger pieces from years past. Recently I came across the Schleich Nativity Set at a local store for a very good price; needless to say I purchased it with the intent of setting it up with the Anker Manger at Christmas.

A few years ago I was forced to dispose of much of my Anker Sets and have slowly been able to re-build my collection. This manger was made from the basic set 6 and 6A plus a few odd pieces. So here for your pleasure are pictures of my completed set-up.

European Mantis Paper Model

2008-12-11T08:15:00.003-05:00

From the czech ABC Magazine, this paper model of a European Mantis (Mantis Religiosa) took about six hours to build. The base was filled with rice for weight. Normally I would used stones for an aquarium but at the time, I am fresh out. The model is quite simple and looks really pretty good when finished.

I have been asked on many occasions where do you get this Magazine. Normally it is not available in the United States, but if you go to

http://papermodelworld.net/

James will be more then glad to see if he can help. He has several models from issues available for you to purchase. Check him out.

Paper Shipwright's 160 scale S.S. Ben Read

2008-11-13T10:40:00.004-05:00

Paper Shipwright's model of the S.S. Ben Read, She was a small coastal tanker plying her trade around various ports in the British Isles. Built in 1923 for the National Benzole Company she served until 1954 when she met her fate in a collision near Northfleet on the Thames River. Having to be beached to prevent her from sinking the Ben Read was declared a "Constructive Total Lost" and was later scraped.

Paper Shipwright's model comes in two scales, 1/250 and 1/160. As I get older, the larger models have more appeal to me, so this model is in 1/160 scale. These pictures show the Ben Read almost 2/3 complete. She has been a real pleasure to build and I look forward to getting more of his models in the larger scale.

Another Set 8 model

2008-09-15T07:25:00.003-04:00

Yesterday rain all day; another chance to make another model from the plan book included in set 6A. This time the model is on page 6. A "Fortress Tower", model number one. I made a mistake in not following the drawing as close as I should have in stage "R-S". It is only a minor mistake and results in not using four number 34 stones. This could at any rate be an equally suited substitute.

Anker Set 6A

2008-09-13T15:30:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Chris and his company, The Toy House, I received my 6A set yesterday. Now with the 4 and 4A set I already have; the 6A set gives me the equivalent of an 8 set. Saturday and rain all day, what a better time to start building. So here is a design from the booklet that comes with set 6A. Called a Swedish Fortress Tower, as found on page 12.

I am puzzled by one step which seems to be missing. I am not sure if this is done to provoke thought or if this missing stage was omitted in error. It occurs at the end of stage "x-y".

Card Model Up Date

2008-09-06T11:24:00.005-04:00

During our recent move, several of my card models were destroyed and so I have only photographs to remember them by. Two models that I will miss the most are the two models I am presenting here. The first model, a Roman Centurion, is from a series done in a Czech Magazine called ABC. The magazine is published twice a month designed for young readers and each issue comes with one or two card models to cut-out and assemble. Some of the models can be very complex and may take several issues for the entire model to be complete. I miss not receiving the magazine any longer; but like most things, the price including postage gets so high that most people outside the Czech Republic can no longer afford to subscribe.

The second model, the USAF Parasite Fighter, was designed to be carried under each wing of a B-36 or similar like aircraft. I lost the manufacturers name and place where I purchased the model and can only wish someone reading this might remember where it came from so that I could be able to buy the kit again.

Detroit's 300 Anniversary - The Great Tall Ships Parade

2008-08-22T16:55:00.004-04:00

On July 19th, 2001 the city of Detroit celebrated it's 300 Anniversary. The Gala involved many different events throughout the city. Everything from events held at Detroit's Historical Museum to food and fair rides at Detroit's Riverfront in the Downtown area.

Perhaps the most interesting was the parade of tall ships which visited Detroit for three days. Here are some pictures of three such ships. On the left is the "Pride of Baltimore" she is one of the graceful looking ships to be part of the parade.

On the right is an exact replica of the Nina; one

three ships Columbus sailed across the Atlantic

Ocean to find the New World.

1/144 Scale Models

2008-08-13T14:16:00.006-04:00

Today I share with you some pictures of my 1/144 scale model collection.

To the left is a model of the Fairly Swordfish biplane. This type of aircraft help sink the mighty German Battleship Bismarck. The model is made by F-Toys in Japan and comes almost fully painted and assembled. Adding the tail, some touch up paint here and there and she is almost finished. Of course rigging is not done and I used fine black plastic hairs from a paint brush for rigging which helps the appearance of the model.

This next set of pictures represents the U.S.C.G. C-130 Hercules transport by Mini-Craft Model, likewise a 1/144 scale model. The kit is molded in white plastic. and contains a full set of Coast Guard markings decal sheet.

The model took about a month to finish. Most of the parts fit with no major problems. I did modify the props so they would spin easily. After painting, I sprayed the entire model with Future Floor Wax and let it dry for almost three weeks before I attempted to decal the model.

Some of my Card Models

2008-08-12T13:53:00.004-04:00

Many viewers have ask to see pictures of some of my card models. Here are some I have built in the few years.

This model is by a German Company who's name escapes me at the moment. I scanned the original and doubled the size. The original model is 1/250 scale. This model measures about 5 inches. So you can imagine how small the original model would be.

The fishing net was made from Nylon netting used to make wedding remembrance bags. I dipped them in Black India Ink and let them dry before attaching to the spars. Small drops of white glue was used to represent the buoys.

This model is by a German Company called HMV

The model is again very small as can be seen by

comparing it to the 6 inch ruler along side of the model. The ferry is from the 1920/30's and used in German. Likewise like the model above, I scanned this model also and doubled the size. I will publish a photo of this model at a later date.

A "Salty" on the Detroit River

2008-08-10T13:21:00.005-04:00

If you live in or around the City of Detroit, you probably know about the Diamond Jack Boat Cruises on the Detroit River. Every weekend all summer the Diamond Jack Boats take people either up river to the mouth of Lake Huron or downriver to the mouth of Lake Erie on cruises that last about 2 hours. Food snacks and drinks are available on board the boats. The cruises sail rain or shine.

On one such cruise in the summer of 2000, I took these pictures with a Leica Digital Camera of a "Salty" (ocean going ship) while on a downriver cruise. Here are some pictures of the "Stefania", home ported at Valletta, delivering steel to the Detroit Harbor Terminal.

NEW ADDRESS

2008-07-18T08:30:00.002-04:00

Well were almost settled into our new home in Macomb Twp, Michigan. Shortly I will be adding some new things to my blog. Mostly pictures and what have you. Stay tuned.

A Bit of Detroit History

2008-06-04T08:22:00.003-04:00

For those of us who were born and raised in Detroit, at least up to the 1960's; who could forget the Bob-Lo Boats? These boats took millions of people to and from an amusement park near the mouth of Lake Erie called Bob-Lo Island. The park was closed in the 1990's and sold for private development. This left the boats in Limbo. Both boats, the St. Claire and Columbia, were moved down the Detroit River to the Nicholson Drydock in Wyandotte, Michigan. There the boats were laid up and began to rot. In the early 2000's one of the boat's was moved by a group of enthusiast to another location for restoration. The picture shows how badly the Columbia has deteriorated. Taken in 1999 she sits along side her sister, the St. Claire, waiting here fate.

Our Schula

2008-06-01T17:24:00.004-04:00

Our Schula is a Mixed Staffordshire Terrier; needless to say, she is the love of our life. Now approaching her second year of age, she is still a puppy and will destroy everything she can chew or bite

Schula originally came from Mexico and had at least two owners before she was adopted by us from the local animal shelter. For this reason, Schula suffers separation anxieties and will go spastic when left alone in the car or at home unless she is in her cage. Loving children and adults alike; we often think she would rather be around other people over other dogs. We have found this to be true from our experience with her on visits to the local dog park. She will run with other dogs, but sooner or later she finds herself playing with the other humans instead.

Two of My Own Designs

2008-05-30T13:16:00.006-04:00

Here are two designs I came up with just playing around with some stones on the table.

Church from a Polish Designer for Set 6

2008-05-29T08:47:00.005-04:00

There is a nice set of plans from a Polish designer: http://www.anchor.cz/nove_predlohy.pdf

Here is a church I built last evening. Enjoy.

Another 6 1/2 building

2008-05-27T21:09:00.003-04:00

I did not really get much of a chance to add as many buildings as I had hope to over the holiday weekend. I was side tracked thanks to a new used desk I happened upon. Bringing it home, making room, cleaning and setting up my computer on it took most of the day and early evening. I did manage to build one additional building from the plan set. Hope you enjoy it. I would recommend that you get hold of Gorge Hardy and get his cd's for your own collection.

BUILDING FRENZY

2008-05-25T09:34:00.005-04:00

This holiday weekend, I have be going through a building frenzy. Here are two more models I've made using the plans in Anker 6 1/2 set. Before the weekend is over, I will probably add two or three more models to my Blog.

CHURCH FROM AN OLD 6 1/2 SET PLAN BOOK

2008-05-23T12:54:00.003-04:00

I found this old Anker 6 1/2 set plan book while looking at one of the CVA cd's I purchased from George Hardy. There is a slight difference in the steeple of the church; I did not have enough of the right stones.

Not knowing to much about these early sets, I found it interesting and a little bit of a challenge to make it look just like on original plan picture. If your not familiar with CVA's cd's, look at George's Home page on the bottom. You can order from him a lot of different cd's.

Ship Pictures on the Detroit river

2008-05-11T09:45:00.003-04:00

Making my own Gernegroff Set

2008-05-02T14:01:00.004-04:00

When I first received my Anker Gernegroff Set, the idea came to me to duplicate the set in opposite colors. I contacted Chris Baldwin about getting stones. As usual he never lets me down and I was soon in possession of several stones. Also the small corner pieces and small steeple. It did not take long to decide to make my own set using my newly acquired stones.

As I make card models as another hobby and sometimes sales, making my own box was a snap. Measuring the original, I cut, fitted, glue and sanded my new box. Then I gave it a coat thinned down Elmer's glue to protect the surface. I used cardboard about twice the thickness of the cardboard you find on the back of any tablet. Taking the original Anker box top, I scanned the image at 100% transfered the image to a drawing program, it this case, Microsoft Paint. Removed the Anchor and typed in my initials. Next the process of laying all the stones I had; hoping to fill the box. It took several different arrangements before I settled on the you see in picture below.

Now I would never think of using the original set without including my personalized set.

More Pictures Found

2008-04-22T11:18:00.004-04:00

Checking many Zip disk in my inventory while converting them over to the Mac format; I found a few more ship pictures I would like to share with you. These were taken in 1998 while I was on the Diamond Jack Cruise Boat. The Diamond Cruise Line offers 2 hour cruises all summer long. These cruise can be up river or down river. The Down river cruise is picked up on the river front in Wyandotte. While the up river cruise was at downtown. It may have moved to a new location and you should check with the cruise company first. The First Picture is the Detroit Fire Boat in front of Cobo Hall, while the second photo is a Huron Cement Freighter docked at the Medusa Cement Company just East of the GM.

Switched from PC to Mac

2008-04-15T14:55:00.002-04:00

It was a long hard process to decide if I should leave the World of Microsoft and the dreaded Windows operating system. As it turned out, I love my iPhone and what a better pair then to mate the iPhone with a Mac. Two days ago, I was up at the crack of dawn as usual, turned on the PC and went about getting my morning cup of coffee. When I returned to my computer horror of horror's, my computer refused to boot. After checking all sorts of things to get up and running it became plainly simple my computer was not going to submit. It did not take long to figure out the time had come to say good bye to the PC and hello to a Mac.

For those who still work, I'm sure you have had those days when you clock watched and the minutes seem to pass like hours. This is what I had thought I left behind after I retired, only to find myself clock watching while waiting for the magic hour when the local Apple Store would open. It's amassing how four hours can somehow turn into an eternity. Well, now I have my Mac and even though it is a lot like windows, I still have the learning curve to conquer.

Still seeking Help

2008-04-08T14:18:00.001-04:00

Still hoping to find someone who can walk me through adding Google Adsense to this Blog.

Todays Problem

2008-04-07T12:34:00.004-04:00

Hopefully someone out there will read this post an offer me some help. I have tried almost everything I know in an effort to add ad's to this Blog without success. I need to know where I am going awary. Help
I have signed with Google have approval followed instructions and still get no where

A Mixed Bag

2008-04-02T17:01:00.007-04:00

Today I have several items to add. First I have been building a 1/800 scale model of a Nuclear Power Plant with Pressurized Water Reactor. So far, I have finished the base, the Reactor Building and the Turbine Building see photos.

I have been working on up-dating my site to improve the looks. I have added a few links and will be adding more soon.

Next, I've added some photos that I took back in the late 1950's and 1960's. This was when the Detroit Harbor Facility was in full swing.

Small Bridge

2008-03-31T14:41:00.000-04:00

Today I am posting a couple of pictures of a small bridge built using the Anker Kleine Genegross Set. This is a small mini-set with 30 small stones. As with all small toys, this set is not designed to be used by children under three years of age. The set was designed for young children to play with and to introduce them to the art of building with stone blocks and to up-grade to the larger sets.

The picture at the top is the Mini-set. The box measures approximately 4 x 5 inches so you have and idea of how small these stones are.

It's been a while

2008-03-30T14:52:00.001-04:00

Wow! How time passes when your having fun. This is my first post in several months. I have been busy building Plastic kits mainly Tamiya 1/48 armor kits. We have a new puppy her name is Schula and she is now 19 months old and a holy terror. Schula came from Mexico and loves heat, although related to the Pit Bull family Schula is a Stratfordshire Terrier who would rather play with people over other dogs. Her color is Brindle meaning she is brown with black strips all over her body. She loves to go the dog park and has a few friends she plays with. Rocket, Champ, LuShun, Bella, Shadow and Carli our her favorites. We take her to a local Dog Park in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

Other then that, I have always loved building things with the Anker Stone Blocks. These blocks date back to the 18th Century and were manufactured in Germany. After many many years, the company was re-opened and the blocks once again are being manufactured. I had several sets in the pass but was forced to sell almost all my sets when we went through some hard times. Now I have slowly started to re-supply myself with stones and sets.

This about brings things current or at least close to current for now.

What's been Happening

2007-12-23T06:40:00.000-05:00

Well it has been quite a year. We have a new member of our family in the form of a new puppy. She is now almost 18 months having rescused her from the Animal Shelter. She is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Her name is Schula and her color is Brindle. Every night were take her to our local Dog Park where is runs and plays with other dogs in the park. Schula certainly has a few dogs she favors to play with. We never realized Schula would be such a hand full at our age. She has really given us a way to go.

On the modelling front, I have been doing more plastic modeling of late in the form of Tamiya 1/48 scale Military Armor Models. So far I have built 10 models, with the latest model completed being the German Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind. You can see pictures of my models below.

We.ve Moved!

2007-01-21T07:12:00.000-05:00

It's been a while and we have been very busy moving to a new location. It's not a move we wanted to make, but it was necessary. In the long run, I know I will enjoy it much more as now we are over the flight path of Selfridge ANG Base-N/S runway. Whenever there is air traffic, the planes pass right over our apartment. Sometimes as low as a few hundred feet overhead. Two armed F-16's passed the other day and I could see the missiles still under the wings.
I will be publishing more pictures from my collection soon, so stay tuned.

2006-12-11T21:28:00.000-05:00

I know it's the time of the year to be happy, but on 7 December, 2006 we lost our beloved dog Mokie. She was sixteen and although she was sick a lot, she never let it get her down and she was always ready to go bye-bye in the car whenever we went out. Her favorite stop was the drive-in teller window at the bank. she made it well known that she wanted her withdrawal in the form of chew bones. We have cried till there are almost no tear left.

On Saturday 9 December, the hurt was so strong both my wife Joan, and myself could not stand the emptyness in the house. Our first stop after leaving our now empty abode was to the animal shelter. Here we found a stray puppy that said "I was sent by Mokie to fill the void in your heart" So home she came with us and the days have once again become full of laughs and smiles. Mokie will never be forgotten, as was our first dog Charkie.

Today we can talk about Charkie and remember the funny things that have happened like crossing the Canadian Border back into the U.S. Charkie always sat between us in the center section of the front seat. On this day, the Customs Agent gave us a quick glance and asked if "All three of us were American Citizens?" I think even today he must recall this as one of his most embarrassing moments.

It's still very hard to talk about Mokie without shedding tears, but I know the day will come when we can do so and smile at all the funny things she did. So for now, its good bye our baby and May God be holding you in his hands, and hello to Kokie! our newest member of our family!

2006-11-23T09:39:00.001-05:00

Correction to previous posting it is a Skyraider not an S2E as listed.

Photos taken Grosse Isle NAS, Mich 1960's

2006-11-23T09:27:00.000-05:00

Here are some early photographs of S2E and Neptunes taken at Groose Isle NAS, Michigan. The base at the time was located almost at the mouth of Lake Erie. It was closed in the 1970's as I recall and operations moved to Selfridge Base near Mt. Clemens, Michigan on Lake St. Clair.

2006-11-21T08:21:00.000-05:00

Lets begin with one of my card models of an American tank. The model comes from ABC Magazine Special about two years ago. ABC Magazine is published in the Czech Republic and I was fortunate to be able to subscribe to it for several years. Any comments on what you see will be appreciated.

2006-11-21T08:10:00.000-05:00

2006-11-19T16:28:00.000-05:00

Hi;

I am an avid modeler mostly in card stock, but have also made models from wood and plastic. Currently making and collecting models in 144 scale. I have always liked photography and earned my living for many years in the photo finishing industry. Photographing aircraft and ships are my favorite.