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texgunner
Gary Brantley (texgunner)
US

Monogram "classics" of World War Two aircraft

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Comments

4 June 2017, 15:32
Martin Oostrom
Gary, these are some very nice birds. They survived well 🙂
I really like the Dauntless 👍
4 June 2017, 19:53
Gary Brantley
Thanks for taking time to comment Martin! I appreciate your interest my friend. 🙂 Yeah, they're all old builds but somehow they keep soldiering on. Pretty good "four-footers" I guess...
4 June 2017, 20:00
Gary Brantley
Martin, a few more Dauntless pics have been added.
gb
4 June 2017, 20:12
Martin Oostrom
Thanks!
4 June 2017, 20:41
Gary Brantley
🙂. You're welcome!
4 June 2017, 20:49
Jay Dubya
Hi Gary - whilst the models, setting and photos are all outstanding, is there any tricks to make the tyres look just a bit more realistic? I'm not nitpicking, I'm simply interested if there is another way - besides spending a small fortune on aftermarkets, or perhaps sanding the bottoms a bit? Any ideas, anyone?
Cheers 'mate,
Justin
5 June 2017, 07:41
Spanjaard
nice pics Gary, as usual 🙂
5 June 2017, 11:05
Gary Brantley
Thank you gentlemen! I appreciate that you had a look and left your comments. Yes, JW, the tires should've been sanded on the bottom. I have done that on some builds, I guess that's just a weakness of mine that I didn't do all of them that way. You might note that the Spitfire has after-market "flattened" resin wheels/tires. Is it hard to tell? Twenty five years ago, I just didn't understand how important that one step must be. I swear I'll never NOT sand a tire bottom again! Scout's honor? 😉

James, I still like that old P-40 as well. There's just something about the "stance" that makes me grin every time I look at her. The P-40 had a rough an' tumble look about her and that "built-in headwind" of a chin gives it that predatory look. That Zero was taken to school one day for a model demonstration in class. I transported it to and fro in a big VCR box. A dumb ass custodian at school stuck his hand down into the box as I was carrying it back to my car. I was telling him not to do it but couldn't prevent his hand from just flattening that Zero. I was so pissed! The landing gear just never did look right again. My models were shown to hundreds of young teens but the only damage came from that moron. 🙁

Spanjaard, thanks brother, some of them look pretty good. I thought the SBD photographed well at the airport too. Believe or not, I still have some models that haven't been out there yet. I guess there will be more to come...🙂.

Thanks again!
5 June 2017, 11:33

Album info

Here are four of Monogram's classic 1/48 scale models of WWII iconic aircraft.
The kits are:

Curtis P-40B War Hawk
Douglas SDB Dauntless
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX
Mitsubishi A6M Type O

They were all completed many years ago, and photographed at the Cameron Municipal Airport. All were painted with Humbrol and Model Master enamels with my Paasche Model H. The A6M and the Spitfire Mk IX both feature a scratch-built cockpit (almost completely hidden by the Zero's canopy).

It's interesting how accurate the shapes of the Monogram models are, and until the new Airfix 1/48 P-40B was issued, I believe it was accepted wisdom that the ancient Monogram kit had the best representation of the "real deal". Monogram kits catch a lot of criticism but usually they offered a real bargain and a great starting point for added details.

I hope you enjoy this look back at scale modeling's earlier days, and please feel free to comment.

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