The new year means a number of things for me: a new job, a new home, and of course the age-old question of, “how to set up my modeling space?”
Since my assignment is temporary, but long term, I plan to simply work from a table in a spare room…or at worse from the kitchen table. That means some sort of portable tool kit, and a means of storing bits and pieces while also having them “in work”. I’ve just about cracked this nut, but practice will see how well I implement the planning.
And speaking of planning, I have an ambitious year ahead!
With my museum builds behind me (the Swordfish will have to wait until I return) I can again get back to Spitfires and club theme builds. It’s a rare opportunity to align Spitfires with our club’s monthly themes and with only one exception I’ve got the kits lined up for 2013:
- Frog Spitfire Mk XIV with V-1 (drones or unmanned)
- CMR Speed Spitfire (Need for Speed)
- Airfix Spitfire IX as Dr Who Spitfire in Space (Science Fiction)
- AZ Model Isreali and Egyptian Spitfires (Friend and Foe)
- Kora RP-63G Pinball (Aggressor)
- CMR Seafire F.IIc (Anniversary)
- Hasegawa RAAF Spitfire VIII (Down Under)
- Heller SAAF Spitfire XVI (Korean War — loose connection here)
- Airfix Hawk T.1 in Spitfire commemorative scheme (Build The Same Kit)
- Sword Spitfire VI (Failures — okay, the VI worked, but not as well as it should have)
Plus I plan to clear out my queue of “in work” models:
- Airfix Spitfire XIII conversion (paint & decals)
- Airfix Spitfire Va (paint & decals)
- MPM Spitfire XVIII (assembly, paint & decals)
- Fujimi Spitfire XIVe (assembly, paint & decals)
- Revell P-26A (decals)
- Hobby Boss P-47D (seam fix, paint & decals)
- Trumpeter P-40B/C (paint & decals)
I’ve also got a resin ship and an Airfix Wellington in work, but they’ll have to wait until I get back…not room for anything that fragile or big! Each completed model has to survive a shipment back; which is another nut I need to crack: how to package?
I also want to learn a few new skills, such as exhausts and exhaust staining; “scale” color and fading; and proper tires (you know the ones that look really real). Practice, practice, practice.
Which of course makes this a fun hobby…there is always some new skill to master.
I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!
Thanks for reading…