I have a bit of space in a case at my local shop, and rotate models through it. This is a recent build that I have there now. It was the first kit I bought there, bought long before I took up building models again. I was there with my daughter for school project supplies, saw this, and thought I would have loved it when I was young. Then when I got it home and looked inside, figured if I piled right into it I would botch it, and put it aside. It survived a couple of moves, and I finally dug it out early this year....



For some reason, this first shot came out with a real winter feel.

Here are a few more:









This is a Polikarpov I-15bis, operating on ground attack duty on the Leningrad front during the first winter of the Siege. It is an old-tool ICM, in the Encore boxing from Squadron. Not a bad kit, actually....

It is 1/72, of course.

You've managed to capture the look of a recently applied temporary winter whitewash very well indeed - all over white but not totally uniform. How was the build? This is one I have considered building (SCW) but never got around to buying.

One question as to how you display your models: You make excellent terrain but you limit it to a very small area of the wooden base? I don't find the wood of the base very interesting, so why not expand the terrain to cover most of it? Not meant as a criticism, just curious.

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CD

This is the 'old tool' kit; ICM has a newly tooled kit of this machine out. The old one is most likely to be found in the 'Encore' boxing that I got many years ago. There are differences between the kits, and I have not done one of the new ones yet, though I have several.

The old one built up pretty well. The interior is not accurate but not much can be seen in any case, so it is no great loss. It is best to score off the one-piece rudder, and add it back later. Getting the exhaust and the intake in properly (the big one on starboard is an intake) is a little tricky.

There is an issue with strut lengths, and I suspect it persists in the new version. Most say the cabanes are too long, but I think the interplanes are too short. I fitted the upper wing on the interplanes first, then went for the cabanes. They were indeed too long, and in trimming them I got one too short and so scratched my own replacement struts, fitting them to the model as it was. When I was done, the center section was noticeably low relative to the windscreen and head-rest. I filed down the headrest a bit, and popped the windscreen off and sanded it down a bit at the base, with the result that things look right enough. But the gap at the center is about a millimeter too short, which is about a 20% error. The lengths of interplane struts in the new kit is the same as in the old. When I do one of these again (and I will), I will add a half millimeter to each end of the interplanes and see how it goes....

Regarding the base, I like the terrain a bit truncated, and got used to some fairly small round plaques they sold at my shop. Only larger ones are available now, so that is what I have on hand. Since I use styrene sheet as the base for the terrain, coated thickly with epoxy, made as a separate unit from the wood, there is an element of materials conservation at work, too. It does not show in snow bases, but the powders I use for dirt drift off in the air, and if I worked directly om the wood base would stain it in an ugly manner.

It is the first time I tried doing substantial plants on a base.

That's one of my favourite 1930's Russian birds - quirky looking in a cool way. Nice finish and presentation - love the added touch with the skis. You don't see 'em like this too often!
Best...Ted...

Current Builds:

RCAF Trimotor Pt. 1

Postwar RCAF Pt. 1; Postwar RCAF Pt. 2; Postwar RCAF Pt. 3


Tall Tales:
Kanal Kampf: A Spitfire Story
Cold War Incident
The Lucky Mig

Previous WIP Builds:
Mad About Migs Pt. 1; Mad About Migs Pt. 2; Mad About Migs Pt. 3; Mad About Migs Pt. 4; Mad About Migs Pt. 5; Mad About Migs Pt. 6;
Mad About Migs Pt. 7; Mad About Migs Pt. 8; Mad About Migs Finish

Matilda Makeover Pt.1; Matilda Makeover Pt.2; Matilda Makeover Pt.3; Matilda Makeover Finish;

The Big Spit Pt.1; The Big Spit Pt.2; The Big Spit Pt.3; The Big Spit Pt.4; The Big Spit Pt.5; The Big Spit Pt.6;
The Big Spit Pt.7; The Big Spit Pt.8; The Big Spit Pt.9; The Big Spit Pt.10; The Big Spit Pt.11; The Big Spit Finish;

Me109 Pt.1; Me109 Pt.2; Me109 Pt.3; Me109 Finish;

Vickers Tank Pt.1; Vickers Tank Pt.2; Vickers Tank Pt.3; Vickers Tank Pt.4; Vickers Tank Pt.5; Vickers Tank Pt.6; Vickers Tank Finish;

Connies Pt.1; Connies Pt.2; Connies Pt.3; Connies Pt.4; Connies Pt.5; Connies Pt.6; Connies Pt.7; Connies Finish

I am very fond of the old Polikarpovs. You may have heard the joke that the design originated with a group of designers and some vodka and the incautious question whether a 55 gallon oil drum could be made to fly....

I am afraid I have simplified the ski rigging a good deal. There is actually a unit with three bungees at both ends of each, but it just was not practical to replicate.

That looks great in our small scale

Love the slightly weathered look - I think you nailed that pretty good

* * *
William De Coster / Belgium / Plastic Stories

1/72 - Special Hobby - TT-1 Pinto : Part I (incl Panthers Cup 2012 show report)
1/72 - Airfix/Jo-Han - Mitsubishi Zero/Rufe conversion: Part I
1/72 - Airfix - Hawker Hurricane Mk.I : Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IV /end (incl. Model Force 2012 show report)

Just like the perfect woman doesn't exist, I will never build a perfect model.
Puts me on a par with God

And kudos on your I-3....

I did the camouflage in multiple thin coats. I work with PollyScale cut heavily with Future. The first was an irregular coat of dark green. Then there were whites, tinted with tans or greys. I stopped before I had completely covered over the darkest portions of the green coats, and gave it a heavy matting.

The decals were a bit too bright red, so I went over them a bit with a rust-brown wash.

And I'm so wanting one now!

SGT Braille Heller 1/72 Mirage IIIEA (WIP) Airfix 1/72 Jeep Willys (WIP, WIP 2, WIP 3 + Video) Italeri 1/72 Jagdtiger 331 in ambush camo (Weathering, Paint, WIP 2, WIP) Airfix 1/72 Brazilian Navy Super Lynx(WIP) My scratch-built bucket for 1/72 German tanks

Polikarpov's fighters are real classics, and deserve a prominent p[lace in aviation history.