Guillows P-38 Lightning

[Dean62]

Oh yeah, I wanted to show the ME 262 a little closer because I was very happy with my panel lines on this one. They are there, but subtle and more realistic. I think if they are too sharp and all the same it starts looking fake. But that’s just my opinion.

 

[pianoforte]

What an impressive collection Dean, lots of beautiful models.

 

[GrantTyler]

Wow, that is awesome .

Jan

That it is.

 

[Dean62]

What an impressive collection Dean, lots of beautiful models.

Thank you Adi. I would like to see your collection, I know you have some beauties you’ve built.

That it is.

Thank you Grant.

 

[RDN1954]

You better be careful though, before you know you've no more projects to attend to once you retire...

 

[Dean62]

You better be careful though, before you know you've no more projects to attend to once you retire...

I suspect I will always have something waiting to be built... or finished.
Perhaps my retirement project will be building a display shelve unit with glass doors to keep the dust off my models?

 

[Dean62]

Quick update…LA-7 Russian aircraft was added next to the Sturmovik. I really like them both.

 

[Daniel20]

Really nice paint schemes on those Russian models. I'd be curious to know how many model aircraft you now have, just a quantity and how many do you figure you would have left to do. Between WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and our Middle East wars there must be many hundreds?

 

[Dean62]

Really nice paint schemes on those Russian models. I'd be curious to know how many model aircraft you now have, just a quantity and how many do you figure you would have left to do. Between WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and our Middle East wars there must be many hundreds?

Thanks Daniel.
Currently I have 39 WW2 aircraft built, and 12 in boxes waiting. Then I will probably have at least another 20 WW2 aircraft to be close to representing around 75-80% of the aircraft during the period. I started with fighter aircraft only, then dive bombers were included and now I will start adding bombers. I also have some duplicates of some aircraft, but obviously with different paint schemes.
On the WW1 aircraft I have 5 built and 4 in boxes waiting. There were obviously significantly less aircraft in that period. So I can’t say for sure how many more I would need to complete those or even what the availability is in 1/72 scale? I do look occasionally to see what’s out there.
On the fighter jets, well that would also be a very big collection! I currently only have 8 fighter jets and would probably end up with at the very least another 20-30 just to represent the US variants.
So, my current total for all 1/72 scale aircraft built is 52. I could see that doubling easily in the future.
As far as display area goes, it seems aircraft became increasingly larger over the years.
See images below…


I can fit around 12-16 WW1 aircraft per shelf. I can fit about 9 WW2 aircraft per shelf (fighters and dive bombers). Bombers will use a lot more shelf space.
And the fighter jets are at around 5-6 per shelf.

 

[warren47]

On another note, I picked up a new hobby…like I have time!
I am growing bonsai trees, the first is my boxwood tree, the others are a trident maple, an orange and a Brazilian rain forest tree (my fav) in the last pic.
They are all about 5 years old now.

View attachment 471660

View attachment 471661

View attachment 471662

I tried bonsai in the 70's. I sure could kill trees! I find that boats and airplanes aren't fussy about water nor soil.

 

[Dean62]

I tried bonsai in the 70's. I sure could kill trees! I find that boats and airplanes aren't fussy about water nor soil.

Yes, they are needy trees due to being miniaturized by limiting the soil to grow in and roots. That requires fast draining soil, fertilizer and almost daily watering and weekly pruning. Then a replant and root thining or grooming every 3-5 years. So not a very forgiving plant or tree.
I lost two this winter, they didn’t like being inside when temps got below freezing. So what survived, my boxwood and Brazilian rain forest tree, will be hardy enough to keep alive this coming winter.
As with any of my plants, trees or bushes, if they don’t survive the weather extremes, then I don’t replace those. I live by the Einstein definition of insanity, I don’t keep doing the same thing expecting a different result!

 

[Daniel20]

Thanks Daniel.
Currently I have 39 WW2 aircraft built, and 12 in boxes waiting. Then I will probably have at least another 20 WW2 aircraft to be close to representing around 75-80% of the aircraft during the period. I started with fighter aircraft only, then dive bombers were included and now I will start adding bombers. I also have some duplicates of some aircraft, but obviously with different paint schemes.
On the WW1 aircraft I have 5 built and 4 in boxes waiting. There were obviously significantly less aircraft in that period. So I can’t say for sure how many more I would need to complete those or even what the availability is in 1/72 scale? I do look occasionally to see what’s out there.
On the fighter jets, well that would also be a very big collection! I currently only have 8 fighter jets and would probably end up with at the very least another 20-30 just to represent the US variants.
So, my current total for all 1/72 scale aircraft built is 52. I could see that doubling easily in the future.
As far as display area goes, it seems aircraft became increasingly larger over the years.
See images below…

View attachment 526948View attachment 526949
I can fit around 12-16 WW1 aircraft per shelf. I can fit about 9 WW2 aircraft per shelf (fighters and dive bombers). Bombers will use a lot more shelf space.
And the fighter jets are at around 5-6 per shelf.

Thats great information Dean, I know I have more plastic in my future, so it seems I have a huge inventory to choose from.

 

[Dean62]

Thats great information Dean, I know I have more plastic in my future, so it seems I have a huge inventory to choose from.

Absolutely! I used to build in 1/48 scale many years ago and they just took up too much room. So I ended up selling all of them. Then when I got back into building airplanes again I decide to go with 1/72 scale. They don’t have as much detail, but that means I can build them quicker and they take up less space, so it’s a trade off that’s worth it imo. And some of the newer 1/72 scale aircraft are close to having the same amount of detail as 1/48 scale.

 

[Dean62]

I started this build log with a 1/16 scale P-38 Lightning, that I am going to build and name after my mom, and put her picture on it, similar to the P-38 named Marge. That was flown by the WW2 ace Richard Bong. I have also been looking for that particular P-38 Lightning in 1/72 scale. I could not find a model of it, but finally found a diecast in 1/72 scale by JC Wings. I have to say I’m very impressed with it. I did add a few details, mainly some wash and dry brushing on a few areas like the exhaust turbo and landing gear. The finish is very nice.


It is very nice and I’m very happy to have finally found one!


For comparison, here it is with my plastic model P-38 Lightning named Itsy Bitsy.
So my WW2 collection is at 40 airplanes.


Ok, back to the grandfather clock, I need to finish it! Then I can get back to my ship. But it’s been too hot lately, and I have to paint in the garage because the admiral has asthma. So when I can’t go in the garage and paint, I’m working on models. I just have too many choices!