3 things I learned about 40K by building a scale model airplane

Over the summer season final yr I took my daughters out to Bong State Recreation Area in Wisconsin. The large park affords miles and miles of strolling and using trails, massive tenting areas, a place to trip your grime bike, and even a model rocketry vary. During my keep I was reminded that it was as soon as an Air Force base, and that it’s named after Richard “Dick” Ira Bong, the United States’ high ace of World War II. Active from 1941-1945, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions over the Pacific. By the tip of the conflict, and earlier than his premature loss of life as a check pilot for one in every of our nation’s first fight jet plane, he was credited with 40 air-to-air kills.

As a thank-you for the journey and the transient historical past lesson, my daughters acquired me a model of his airplane — the P-38J, maybe the most effective airplane of WWII and, by the way, one of many very newest designs by Japanese model-maker Tamiya. It was even made in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and The Richard I. Bong Center.

I was touched, actually, but in addition a bit overwhelmed. I haven’t constructed or painted a model airplane since I was 12 — though I have spent the previous a number of years getting again into the pastime of portray Warhammer 40,000 miniatures. Once I dove in, I discovered that taking a while off to create one thing utterly totally different was refreshing — and academic. I ended up devouring hours of YouTube tutorials and fan-made guides alongside the way in which, as nicely.

So right here’s what good previous Dick Bong’s twin-boomed warbird taught me about Space Marines — and the individuals who love them.

Model planes get far more costly than 40K

Turns out that whereas 40K is taken into account an costly pastime, scale modeling may be a good bit extra expensive.

You can decide up a Tamiya P-38J for about $70 on-line, and certain much less at your native pastime store. The board game-sized field incorporates all the pieces you want so far as elements and items. Of course, it doesn’t embody paint. The directions listing 28 separate colours — a far cry from the six or eight that I used on my final batch of Dark Angels. Most 40K tournaments have a three-color rule, which means that you might want to have three colours on every of your miniatures to compete on the desk. Scale modeling, however, requires way more precision to make every part true to life — particularly if you wish to get into the aggressive circuit.

Come to search out that there’s a wholesome ecosystem of aftermarket elements as nicely.

The video that I discovered on YouTube from final yr — actually the one one I may discover that confirmed off this equipment specifically — rolled deep on these add-ons. The construct video, made by a YouTuber referred to as Details Scale Models, included a solid resin gun bay, etched brass inner wing elements, and a number of totally different variations of aftermarket cockpit instrumentation. The stunner for me was studying that there’s such a factor as three-dimensional, printed waterslide decals with raised options for all of the cockpit instrumentation.

Later, I discovered a USAF F-4 Phantom decked out for the summer season of 1967 — one other aircraft that I have a private attachment to — by consumer 11bravo on Britmodeller.com. The pics are a bit fuzzy, however the particulars on this factor are completely gorgeous. His yearlong construct featured a number of aftermarket kits, together with substitute “seats (AMS), instrument panels (Quinta) exhaust nozzles (GT Resin), Mk 117 bombs (VideoAviation), AIM-7 Sparrows (Brassin), AIM-9’s (Brassin), wheels (Brassin) and canopies (Airscale).” I estimate the construct set him again not less than $350 in elements — plus the inventory equipment itself, which fits for $161.

Like gunpla, it appears, your style for element when scale modeling is just restricted by your price range. It’s a far cry from the $70 I spent on my Primaris Redemptor Dreadnought.

Same supplies, totally different instruments

Most scale fashions are product of polystyrene plastic — identical to kits from Games Workshop. But the match and end of those elements are utterly totally different.

Space Marines are curvy little bastards, and their numerous elements, like shoulder pads and greaves, are layered in such a manner as to cover the seams that be a part of them collectively. That’s not at all times attainable on this planet of scale modeling. One of the wings on my P-38J is product of roughly 5 elements — a two-piece carry floor, a two-piece management floor, and a single wingtip that goes on the tip. All of those bits should be lined up completely completely or the seams will present. Making issues worse is the truth that a few of these misalignments will solely be seen when you’ve put a coat of primer on high.

The resolution? Lots and much and much… and plenty of sanding, one thing that I’ve actually by no means finished with a 40K model earlier than. It’s simply not crucial.

Photo: Tamiya

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

I began with tiny sanding sticks — versatile, emery board-like materials — earlier than transferring on to automotive-grade 1,000-grit moist sandpaper for the ultimate base coats of paint. By the tip I was buffing numerous totally different true metallic hues with a mushy material, swearing to the gods for not protecting my pastime area cleaner and extra dust-free. Turns out that spraying extremely reflective paint onto a flat floor in a soiled basement isn’t the easiest way to re-create the gritty realism of a world at conflict.

In truth, there’s a lot sanding to be finished on some model airplanes that scale modelers will typically simply say “fuck it,” sand areas down easy, after which sculpt particulars again into the polystyrene by hand. Scribing instruments, as they’re referred to as, assist you to minimize recent, deep panel traces into the mushy plastic, however getting good outcomes requires a regular hand. Meanwhile, unfavourable riveting instruments assist you to change the a whole lot of particular person holes meant to symbolize the fasteners that pin classic warbirds collectively. Some hobbyists will simply sand all these unfavourable rivets away, opting as an alternative for elaborate constructive rivet kits — dozens and dozens of custom-made three-dimensional waterslide transfers that go on actually each floor of the aircraft like tattoos.

(*3*)

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

Along the way in which, nevertheless, I grew to like Tamiya Extra Thin Plastic Cement. It’s low odor and extremely viscous, which means that you may depend on capillary motion to attach the within of the model from the surface — and it’s additionally helpful while you’re doing difficult 40K builds with paper-thin particulars and thrives.

I additionally rediscovered how helpful a good, sharp pastime blade may be for tweaking the match and end of a model earlier than portray. After years of utilizing a Games Workshop Mouldline Remover as an alternative of a blade, I’m unsure I’ll be going again anytime quickly.

Mind that blade, although: My fingers have healed properly, thanks for asking.

The greatest accent on your pastime area

The greatest a part of this little diversion is that it acquired my youngsters concerned in my miniatures pastime.

Both of my daughters have been impressed to get me that P-38J after I waxed on about how distinctive the aircraft was over the campfire at Bong Recreation Area. It meant one thing to them when I wandered into their rooms late at evening these previous few weeks to point out off the following step in portray the method. They couldn’t care much less about chainswords and plasma weapons, and that’s effective. But this little airplane was a construct that we may share.

That’s how I ended up making a new addition to my pastime area: a second chair. Now my women have a seat on the desk, a perch from which to spend a while with me as I meditate and cogitate on the internal workings of a new and difficult little bit of crafting. My youngest is even making an attempt her hand at portray miniatures. First off? Her particular version feminine wizard from HeroQuest.

Scale modeling takes a lot of time, I’ve learned — identical to modeling for 40K. I won’t have the ability to spend the lengthy winter tenting within the woods with the household, however we are able to nonetheless spend some high quality time inside. No screens required.