Letter of Marque The Newsletter of Three Rivers IPMS Volume 1, Issue 4 In This Issue: • From the Quarterdeck • Meeting Notes • TRIPMS News • Upcoming Events • Tips & Tricks • Kit of the Month • Member Spotlight • Featured Article: TRIPMS Web Site • Featured Article: Oil Paint Basics • TRIPMS Gallery From The Quarterdeck: Notes from the President Greetings All! Great Meeting in June. Lots of Great Models, not only on the contest area,but also Joe Michael’s Korea display and some “Show and Tell,” which I must apologize for ignoring during the meeting. I have been focusing my construction efforts on the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Ju 88 A1 under way, and this has been a conversion with lots of challenges, just what modeling is about in my eyes. The theme contest for this topic will be in September. I see some photos have started to show up on the Web site gallery and I would love seeing some work from all members. I am hoping Bob can put together a training session for contributing content to the web-site. Rain Rain Go Away...so much for that wish. After 10 days of Blis- tering heat and clear sky’s we get Rain ... OH, well. August 13 is our new target for Barby attempt. August shall be a photo show of Nationals ( pressure on those attending to provide disks). I have created a Battle of Britain gallery on our web site gallery page under my gallery . If you want to put any photos in there of the 1940 Battle of Britain subject, send them to me. Scheduling note: I will be in Europe during the Pittsburgh Airshow and Will Not be able to support any club efforts. Looking for Volunteers to assume this task for Three Rivers IPMS Let me know Cheers Bill Dedig Letter of Marque 2 Meeting Notes for June/July, 2010 The June meeting featured a quarterly contest and a Korean War Theme contest. There were 16 entries in the Quarterly Contest. The results were: 1st .. Barak Kara F-15 in Japanese Markings 2nd ..Duncan Scotts “Blue Angel 2320” 3rd...Jim Kelly’s Storch Winners of the $25 Participation prize are: There were 6 entries in the Korean War Theme contest, which was won by Bill Dedig’s F-84 August meeting will be the 13th, and is the annual BBQ. Don’t forget your appitites! See you then! Scott Scariot. This was Scott’s second win and he has maxedout...Congratulations Scott! Mr. Lucky himself, Bill Ritter, Joe Michaels. TRIPMS News/Interesting Things TRIPMS Annual Barbeque August 13th, 2010 Good Shepherd Baptist Church Whitehall, PA Wings Over Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Airshow featuring the USAF Thunderbirds Fighter Demonstration Team. September 11, 2010. Volume 1, Issue 4 3 Upcoming Events Calander 8/14/10 IPMS Roanoke Valley Roanoke Civic Center Williamson Road and Orange Avenue IPMS Roanoke Valley Tim Ward 540-977-6205 9/18/2010 Sharon SVASMCON 6 St. John’s Episcopal Church Community Hall 226 West State Street Map IPMS Shenango Valley Area Scale Modelers Davey Taylor 724-981-6354 Tips & Tricks: Displaying a propeller-driven airplane in flight is somewhat futile when the propeller is still. After looking at a myriad of photographs, I thought I would try making a blurred prop image with an appearance that was something between a rotating propeller and a stationary one. It dawned on me that the amount of blur was dependent on the propeller speed and the shutter speed of the camera; so, my artistic canvas was open to whatever I wanted to try. I settled on 1/1000 second shutter speed and 1,500 rpm for the prop. This made a 1/32 scale image that was about twice the width of the original blade. I made a mold of the Dragon 1/32 P-51D EP propeller blade, then merged two blades to get the width I wanted. After blend- ing the contours and re-creating the finish, I made another mold of the new contour. I then poured four new blades in clear resin. CorelDRAW was used to make decals of a blurred prop blade the same size as the clear blades. I then printed the images on clear decal film and placed them on the new blades. Finally, I coated the blades with flat clear acrylic. Although not perfect, this first attempt was rather interesting and certainly looked better than stationary prop blades. Since there are several ways to change the effects, a little more work with the process should be rewarding. Tip submitted by: Ken Friend Statesboro, Georgia Reprinted from FineScale.com Ken keeps ‘em flying – or so it would seem in his photograph – by casting replacement prop blades in resin, then modifying them to look as if they’re in motion. Letter of Marque 4 Featured Kit of the Month: Airfix 1/24 Mosquito NFII/FBIV -Robin Buckland, Military Modeling.com There are 250 steps in the construction sequence! Well, it has been a bit of a talking point since it was first announced, but now the Mosquito is the latest in the long established series of 1/24 aircraft models from Airfix. This time though we get the largest kit in the series to date. One of the best indicators of the size and complexity is to see there are 250 steps in the construction sequence! The box itself is huge, and in itself very attractive with the bright red colour scheme that mark out the latest Airfix kit releases. Rather as we have seen from Dragon in particular, they have also utilised the underside of the box to illustrate the model in the varoius finishing options you get to choose from. If you hadn’t guessed, some of the sprues are huge, expecially one with the complete upper main wings. There are options such as 2 types of propellor to choose from, bombs and an option to hang the 60lb air to surface rockets on their launch rails under the wings. When you open the box you are confonted by the huge box being packed full of parts sprues and the thick instruction booklet. The opening pages of the instruction booklet have sprue plans so you can identify all the parts, and check you have everything. Particular points to note for me were the rubber tyres for the undercarriage, and how the main wheels not only have a neat tread pattern, but are ‘weighted’ with a flat as well. Packed in a small bag by themselves are 2 pieces wrapped in protective foam. These turn out to be clear plastic parts with the detailed instruments already printed on thm. These just slide into the back of the panels. Simply lovely, and saves a lot of awkward work to get them right. The volume of detail included inside the cockpit/fuselage, plus the engines, gun pack and bomb bay details are all there to be fitted in and painted throughout the construction process. The same is true of the engine detail, along with the undercarriage and their nacelles. There is a sprue of 4 figures included, so seated crew in flight gear, mae west etc is one option, but the other is to have uniformed crew standing outside the aircraft. Detail on the figures is soft compared to the likes of resin models we may be used to, but they are not bad. The finishing options cover 5 aircraft, though 2 of these are just two different aicraft from the same unit, so only the lettering and serial number is different, not the colours. second edition. RAF Hunsdon. All in all a stunning new kit. I have no doubt that there will be resin or etched accessories on the market for it before long, but it looks to me that you’ll get a superb model out of what is in the box, plus an awful lot of pleasure in putting the whole thing together. All that then remains will be a place to keep it! Volume 1, Issue 4 Member Spotlight: Tim Swisher The first model I built was: Hawk, Nieuport 17, 1/48th scale. My favorite subject to model is: Any WW I aircraft. The last model I built was: Flasback, Aviatik Berg D.I Right now, I’m working on: Aurora Gotha G.V, 1/48th scale. If you were stuck on a desert island with a DVD player and just five movies, what would they be?: Blues Brothers, Blue Max, Le Mans, Silverado, Grand Prix. Other than modeling, name three things you do for enjoyment/relaxation: Try to play my 5 string banjo, watch or attend automobile road races, tour auto and aircraft museums. My best modeling skill is: modifying, converting, scratchbuilding stuff. If I could invite any four people, alive or dead, to dinner, I’d invite: Steve Martin, Colin Powell, Fernando Alonso (formula 1 champ), William Thaw (WW I ace), Tom Hanks. OOPS, tough to limit it to five – I got lotsa questions. The skill I need the most help with is: painting. My passion is: Early combat aviation and development. My “grail” kit is: Roland D VI in 1/32nd scale. For me, the most rewarding thing about being a member of TRIPMS is: Camaraderie with other plastic model geeks. My favorite part of modeling is: correcting kit flaws…adding details. The model I’d like most to see produced in the next year would be: my “grail” kit. My favorite magazine is: Windsock For my last meal, I want: German cuisine/ white wine. Broccoli or Brussels sprouts? Double yuck!!!! When I’m at my modeling bench, I listen to: Bluegrass. Lozenge, damnit! I need more lozenge! 5 Some Letter of Marque 6 www.TRIPMS.org New TRIPMS Web Site Now Live As many of you have already noticed, Three Rivers IPMS has a new home on the Internet: http:// www.TRIPMS.org. The new website is a repository for all things TRIPMS: Current and past issues of the newsletter may be downloaded and/or viewed, a new Member’s Gallery is available to post and share pictures of your work; pages for News, articles by and for members, and research links are up; and a new discussion forum is online - featuring a TRIPMS Member’s Only section, and modeling sections that are open to the public! Hopefully, the new website will be a place where we can attract more people to TRIPMS and the hobby in general. Using these features is pretty straight-forward. To log into the Galleries, enter your user name. Each club member has already had an account established. Your user name us the first initial of your first name, as listed on the membership roster, followed by your last name, i.e., John Doe’s username would be jdoe. A default password has been published at club meetings and sent out by email. If you need a reminder, email the webmaster. Once you log in the first time, you are able, and encouraged, to change the password to something else. Once you are logged in, it is a simple matterof using the menus and drop-downs to create your own album, and add items to it. Using the discussion forums is easy, too. Click the “register” link, and fill out the form, and that’s it! Once you are in, you have access immediate to all the modeling areas. Access to the club business section may take a day or two, while the webmaster vetts your account. This is done to keep non-club members out of the TRIPMS areas - otherwise, the forums are open to the public. Sharp-eyed visitors may have noticed a link to the TRICON 2011 web page, as well. Look for news and information about the upcoming Regional Show and Convention to start appearing there soon. Volume 1, Issue 4 Oil Painting Basics, Part 1 Craig Whitaker In the past, I’ve received quite a few emails and PM’s from members of Armorama asking me for help on getting started using oil paints. So, I thought I’d try writing an article that could try to answer some of the questions people have had. Please keep in mind that this is just what I do when I paint. There are a lot of people out there that do things differently and are much more accomplished painters than I can ever hope to be. This is just what works for me. As you progress, you’ll develop techniques that you find more comfortable and that work better for you. For this article I’m not going to list any of the color mixes I’ve used to paint with. I did write 2 articles in the past that deal with this. And both are still available for viewing on Armorama (http:// www.armorama.com). The only reason I was able to write those articles is that I write down every successful mix that I’ve used. I use 3”x5” index cards and list the main color, the figure I used it on and the colors I used to achieve the end result. It’s been very helpful to me for reproducing a color on another figure years later. I highly recommend doing this, especially when just getting started. Some mixes become second nature after a while but some will just disappear with time. I haven’t added any pictures of completed figures for this article since they would be pretty much the same ones you would see in my other two articles. But if you want to see other pictures of my work, you can view them on my website. (http://craigwhitaker. spaces.live.com/) I hope that this article is of some use to those of you that have had a desire to try painting with oil paints. Section 1: Common Complaints of Oil Paints The three most common complaints people have when first using oil paints are the cost, the time it takes for them to dry and the presence of brushstrokes in the paint. Fortunately these problems have relatively simple solutions. 7 Letter of Marque Cost The cost of a tube of oil paints can run from a couple of dollars to unbelievable amounts. Much of the cost comes from the pigments used. On average, I pay less than $5.00 (US) per tube. Yes, that’s more than a bottle of your favorite model paint. But I’ve never had a tube of oil paint dry out on me when I opened it after a year of it sitting on my shelf. I’ve got tubes of oil paint that are more than 10 years old and are as good today as they were the day I bought them. And the amount of oil paint you use compared to acrylics or enamels in insignificant. The only colors I’ve ever had to replace were Burnt Sienna (for flesh tones) and Titanium White (lightens most any colors). So when I did, I bought the biggest tubes available. Lots more paint for not much more money. If you’re just starting out and aren’t sure if you think you’ll like oils, look for a starter set of paints. The tubes are smaller than the one available individually but they’ll still last a long time. And by buying the odd tube of paint here and there, you can build up a nice collection without having to remortgage the house. Drying time By their nature, oil paints take much longer than acrylics and enamels take to dry. The advantage to this is it gives you all the time you need to shadow, highlight and blend the paints on your figure. No more dry brushing lighter colors for highlighting or applying washes for shadowing. The result is a more natural looking transition of your colors. And once your paint job is complete, there is an easy way to speed the drying process. Basically, the application of heat to your figure will accelerate the drying process. There are several ways to do this effectively. The simplest one is to put your figure under a lamp. Another is to place your figure in an old crock-pot. My personal preference is to use a drying box. This is simply a wood box that I made with a 60-watt light bulb in it for the heat source. I prefer this to the “figure under the lamp” method for two reasons. First, it traps the heat inside the box and the heat surrounds the figure. Second, it helps keep airborne dust away from the wet paint. Brushstrokes The solution to having brushstrokes showing in your paint is a two step process. First, you want to remember the golden rule for working with oils... Less Is Best! Next issue: Stippling 8 Volume 1, Issue 4 Gallery 9 Letter of Marque 10 TRIPMS: Build or Die Why IPMS? IPMS Three Rivers/Pittsburgh Chapter The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 418 Maxwell Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15236 For information, email Bill Dedig: [email protected] Visit Our Web Site: www.tripms.org IPMS Three Rivers/Pittsburgh President: Bill Dedig Vice President: John Szczypinski Treasurer: Jim Tunney Webmaster: Bob Pauly Newsletter Editor: Bob Pauly IPMS/USA is dedicated to the hobby (and fun) of Scale Modeling. It was started by Jim Sage, of Dallas, Texas, in 1963. There are now branches of IPMS all over the world. Our Local Regions and Chapters sponsor Model shows and contests every year, but you needn't be a member to visit the shows or attend the club meetings! With IPMS/USA Membership, you will receive the outstanding IPMS/USA Journal six times a year - it includes features on all modeling subjects such as aircraft, armor, automotive, ships, figures - you name it! You will also find listings of IPMS contests, swap meets, hints and tips, and reviews. Membership also qualifies you to participate in IPMS/USA sanctioned contests, and particularly in our World-famous National Convention, held each summer. As a member, you'll also be able to access our online Discussion Board, where a wide variety of modeling topics are discussed, and enjoy interaction with other serious modelers for help with questions about modeling techniques or the Society in general. Many Hobby Shops and Model Vendors around the USA offer discounts to IPMS/USA Members. Visit http://www.ipmsusa.org for more information or to join.