SPA Modeler

I don’t blame you.

Kenny, as one who goes to shows despite building with your same philosophy (with one major exception!) I can attest to the fun and exciting experience of a show. Yes, there are some JMN's there (Joyless Modeling Nazis) that tend to try and impress people with their ability to "put others in their place" with their "extensive knowledge" of all things military. The last time one ever said anything about my work I simply asked him where his fully accurate model was so I could look at it and learn how to do it. Since said JMN never ever built anything, he just hemmed and hawed and tried to turn things back on me. Again, I asked him to please build one and show it to me so I can learn how it is to be done. Every time I see him, I ask where it is because I'm still waiting to learn. He always runs when he sees me coming! If you take that attitude with these people instead of beating them with chairs, it's more effective and far more amusing and satisfying; especially when it makes them stop coming to shows. LOL! I've had people thank me for that!

Okay, 'nuff said about that. I am most impressed with this amazing work you're doing. Congrats on capturing the essence of this plane. You've got this Kenny!

Duke my man, your response is much more rational, measured, and mature than my gut response.

You want to know what one of the weirdest things about being me is?

Take my models for example. My models are my art. And as I said, I build and paint models according to a vision that develops in my mind while I work on the project.

But where does that vision come from? What informs my vision?

Part of it is Carlos’ helpful feedback.

Part of it is books I read.

Part of it is the cool pictures Bruce shares with me and his feedback.

Part of it is John’s suggestions.

Part of it is seeing what you do with your work.

Part of it is seeing what other modelers are doing.

The list goes on and on.

The only thing that’s “me” about it really is the fact that the vision happens in my mind, and that mind really isn’t me either LOL if you look at it from the Zen perspective.

In other words:

I NEVER HAD AN ORIGINAL IDEA! And as such, if one of those guys you mentioned broke my stones about a perceived mistake I made, I have no real reason to take it personally! NONE!

But I DO! Even though I know better!

And what’s more, it bothers me, and I have a natural inclination to fight that part of my nature and I DO, even though I know that that is incorrect and silly also! I know the way to get over that is to accept it. Acknowledge and move forward... and that is a very difficult thing

This stuff swirls around in my head all day, every day.

Careful with all this modeling stuff swirling in your head Kenny. It might wake you up in the middle of the night like it does for me sometimes...

It gets you too? I find myself constantly thinking of my current and future builds.

In this hobby, sometimes I think I have some form of OCD.... my mind drifts to a project when it should be focused on what I am doing at the moment. And yes, often I will be awakened in the middle of the night with an “ah ha!” moment of how to achieve some detail or feature that has been vexing me.

This is weird but I actually try to think about my modeling projects at night. For some reason, it helps me to fall asleep.

My modelling projects help me to fall asleep too, but for different reasons!

I'm liking this thread, and I've just re-read it. There's a very deep philosophical current running in it that I love - even if I'm not on the same plane of skill that you guys are.

I love the thought of modelling as a meditation, I used to think that well, especially painting. That all seems to have gone lately though, as does most things. I really wish I was in the place I was in a few years back, when I was churning out a lot of builds and working a lot of ideas I had with painting - it all seems to have gone now though. I'm struggling to stay on the bottom rung of the ladder.

I do enjoy seeing your builds those guys - and I'm really looking forward to seeing this one come together Kenny..

I’m really happy that I can talk about my psychophilosophical approach to these subjects. Thank you for not only laughing and bullying me out of here, but also thank you for sharing your experiences. I think about my projects most every night as I’m going to sleep, too. I’m glad I’m not The only one. And I’m glad to have met you guys and made friends with you.

I’ve been working on this one today. Mostly just masking off contact areas in the fuselage as the whole thing is BOOYAH! Green and Aotake in there.

And I’ve come to a decision.

My engine is already wired-up. And about a week after I did all that work, I bought the Eduard PE engine set. It has lots more parts to make it even more detailed... it even has the actuators for the cowling flaps and stuff.

Here’s the issue though- not only am I disinclined in hindsight to rip out my scratchbuilt wiring harness for to install the PE wiring harness and install the wiring guides, I’m thinking that for this aircraft, the closed cowling, closed cowling flaps look will work better. My vision for this is sleek, closed up, and whatnot. I don’t know why. I’m just leaning toward that.

SO, I’m going to save the PE enhancement set and either sell it, OR get me another 1:32 Zero and use it on that one.

Anyhow, more updates as the under fuselage construction and painting commences.

My kustom “BOOYAH! Green” on the cockpit walls, and that lovely Aotake on the rest of the inner fuselage walls.

This was black based, followed by AS-12 where the Aotake is, and then my kustom BOOYAH! Green over the black for the cockpit walls.