If you’re like me and have a longstanding love for military history, you’ll understand the joy of bringing those stories to life through scale modeling. My passion for building models began in middle school, and now, years later, it’s rekindled by a client’s unique request. From the thrilling challenge of painting intricate details to navigating the unexpected obstacles of assembly, this project has reminded me why I fell in love with scale modeling in the first place.
KEY POINTS
- Discover my journey from imperfect childhood attempts to precise craftsmanship in scale modeling
- Explore the challenges faced during the project and the creative solutions applied
- Gain insights into detailed craftsmanship, including painting techniques and attention to detail
WOW! I FORGOT HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS HOBBY
I am a fan of military history. I have been this way since middle school. I had scale model airplanes hanging from the ceiling in my bedroom throughout middle and high school.
Hanging from my ceiling were models of the American B-52, the well-known A-10 Thunderbolt, the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and a couple of World War II aircraft.
When you picture these, you might imagine them fully painted with properly applied decals. That was not the case. LOL! While I enjoyed building them, I wouldn’t say that I was very good at it.
I would let the cement get on my fingers, leaving fingerprints all over the model. I would become impatient, cut corners, and let the excitement of the finished project get in the way of doing things correctly.
A couple of months ago, a client reached out to me and asked if I would build and paint an aircraft model. The paint style from a video game he used to play, Crimson Sky. You can imagine my excitement to build a scale model again. This time with more attention to detail and skill than the models I built as a kid.
A Paid Commission Project to Assemble and Paint a Scale Model
So, it begins.
The client asked me to build his model DO-335, which is a World War II-era aircraft with a unique design, featuring one propeller at the front of the aircraft and another at the rear.
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One propeller pulls the aircraft through the air while the other pushes it. I don’t really know what the designers were thinking, but it is the only aircraft I have seen like this.
Days leading up to starting this project, I did some research on that client to mirror and thought pretty confidently that it would be easy, and I could probably get through it quickly. I knew I had to get to the painting step of the process.
Scale Models are Detailed! I LOVE IT
Not having messed with any sort of scale model since the 1990s and early 2000s, I had forgotten all that goes into scale models. Which helmet do you want the pilot to wear? What position is he in? Do you choose this or that instrument panel?
Do you want the bomb bay doors open or closed? If you think the amount of choice as to which weapon your space marines can carry can be a little overwhelming, just know you are not alone when it comes to scale model options.
Options, Oh My!
Opening the box and taking inventory of everything that was there and the lay of the land with the instructions, I was still feeling pretty confident. The instructions were mildly confusing and somewhat difficult to read. I just had to get used to their “dialect.”
Shortly, after I got started I hit my first speed bump. I was going to have to paint parts of this aircraft while I was building it.
For example: I had to paint the pilot before I put the windshield on towards the end of the entire process. This way he would be ready. After getting all geared up and ready to build, I had to pause that momentum and paint the pilot.
Problems overcome… A First Hand Learning Experience
I built the entire fuselage and was working on the landing gear when I discovered a problem. Something I remember from my youth was reinforced while working on this project.
You don’t necessarily know when you messed up until several steps down the line. I still don’t know what the problem was, but when I went to put the landing gear on the aircraft, the pieces did not align properly. I looked over and over, realigned, and looked again to no avail.
Ultimately, I determined that slots and grooves for each piece of these models are simply guidelines, and I am the one who wields the Sprue Goo and can make my own choices! After getting the landing gear figured out, the rest of the build process went pretty smoothly. Now it was time for paint.
PAINTING SCALE MODELS IS A JOY
As I said before, the paint scheme the client wanted was a pretty simple one. I thought I was going to be able to burn through it quickly. I taped down the areas that I wanted to be super straight and then got to work.
However, I did not tape down hard enough and had some significant bleed through, which required some cleanup. After cleaning up that mess, the rest of the process went pretty smoothly. I applied the custom decals the client made, sealed the whole aircraft with varnish, and now it’s ready for delivery.
Supplies Used for Scale Modeling the DO-335 Plane
I used a lot of different hobby supplies and tools for this project. Here’s a quick list for your reference. Not all of this necessary, but these are kind of the essentials. A few links direct you to the products I’d recommend for anyone getting into the hobby for the first time.
- DO-335 scale model kit
- Model cement
- Hobby knife
- Sandpaper or sanding sticks
- Paintbrushes (various sizes)
- Acrylic and enamel paints
- Primer (here is an article that reviews some of other useful primers for scale modeling)
- Decals
- Masking tape
- Silly putty (for masking irregular shapes)
- Tweezers
- Sprue cutters
- Paint palette
- Varnish (for sealing the model)
- Paper towels
- Toothpicks (for fine detail work)
- Cotton swabs (for cleaning and detailing)
- Sprue Goo (plastic weld adhesive for filling gaps)
Final Thoughts
I enjoy the aspect of mini painting that is the challenge of doing something new, of doing something outside of my comfort zone, because I believe that is where improvement happens.
I enjoyed this project for what it made me learn, making flat unmoving wings look good, by the cleanliness of the work because the movement can’t hide your mistakes. Relearning how to build scale models this time with the precision I could be proud of and my client would find valuable.
It’s possible I could do another project like this. We’ll have to see in the long run what opportunities present themselves.
For now, I hope you have a great day, and remember: Micro Masterpieces, Macro Impact.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexander Foust is a loving husband, father of twins, and committed Emergency Room Nurse. Balancing his personal and professional life, he finds strength in his faith and enjoys fitness, miniature painting, and tabletop gaming. You can reach Alex who is open to miniature painting commissions via email ([email protected]) and his MARLevel Painting Facebook page.
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Great article! Glad to see you branch out from miniatures! You did spectacular work!! Can’t wait to see what you do next!
Great article! I am more of a modeler than a mini-painter or table-top gamer. I come here and follow this blog in order to learn new techniques, tool tips, etc. I can use in my scale modeling.
However, my main point is this:
– There’s a LOT of cross-pollination to be had between the scale modeling crowd and the minis/tabletop crowd. We’ve been seeing a rise in attendance and participation at scale modeling contests and shows by the mini/wargaming/figure crowd, and you see hybrid shows such as Wonderfest in Louisville, Kentucky growing every year it’s held.