Call it the perfect modeling storm.
Lately, I’ve had the weirdest urge to build jets. I never build jets. Well- I didn’t. But somewhere along the line, I realized I was feeling some burnout with all of the piston engined fighters I was building. So I started building a jet. And I’m really enjoying it.
About the same time, Spencer Pollard posted a great video detailing how he uses decanted Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver to get excellent natural metal finishes. Having had little luck with other products myself, I decided to give it a try after seeing the fabulous model he built using that paint. But what to build?
I thought about the usual suspects- a P-51, or perhaps a P-47. Yet as I thought of the possibilities, I realized I wanted to stick with my newfound enthusiasm for jets. At the same time, I wanted to find a nice but cheap kit, one with a lower parts count. I was stumped.
But I really wanted to try out that AS-12 paint.
Then last night, I was looking through Youtube for an aviation documentary to watch, and one on the North American F-86 caught my eye. Using my trusty Chromecast to watch it on my TV, I sat back with a cup of coffee and was drifting off to sleep, enjoying the show.
And then they started talking about the F-86D Sabre Dog.
I sat up. I liked Sabre Dogs. Growing up, a friend’s brother built models, and he had this really nice Sabre Dog hanging from his ceiling. I’d always wanted to build one. As I was mulling this over, another neuron fired, and I remembered seeing Revell’s kit at Hobby Lobby. Which meant a 40% off coupon.
“But it’s covered in raised panel lines” I said to myself. “You know we hate raised panel lines.”
“Yes”, I replied, “We do. But are we sure that this kit has raised panel lines?”
So off to the Interwebs we went, searching for a few product reviews or build reports. And very quickly, we had a verdict.
Recessed panel lines. Decent fit. Very nice kit.
Congratulations and handshakes all around. (If you knew me you’d already know my mind is a very odd place.)
So this morning it was off to Hobby Lobby I went. And the kit was already clearanced- 40% off. After forking over US$15, I happily headed home.
I don’t plan to just blow through this kit at all costs on this long holiday weekend. If I can finish before Monday night- great. If not, no problem. But I don’t plan to linger, either. I want it to look nice, but my primary goal is to try out the metal finish with the AS-12 paint.
In any event, I seem to have found myself in the middle of another jet build.
And we are very happy about that right now.
🙂
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