Production summary for 2013

2014 was a fairly miserable year for me in terms of modelling output. I only completed 16 models total. I realize this may sound like a lot to some, but compare that to 2012's 44, 2011's 39, and 2010's 27. One advantage of coming to grips with your status as a Profoundly Average Modeller is that you tend to be able to push through some of the psychological barriers that affect those with more talent, or at least more ambition. I try very hard to work within my own limitations (though I do try to keep pushing those limits higher) and prevent "perfect" from being the mortal enemy of "good enough".

But the summertime was just a wasteland. I won't rehash the issues, but 2013 will be remembered for a major modelling funk that descended on me and wouldn't let go. In fact nothing at all was completed between the end of May and the beginning of November. The usual end-of-year adrenaline kicked in to allow some completions just before the final bell in December, but not enough to do much for the grand total.

Most of the ones I did finish fell into one of my established categories. It began with three P-47s and a Tornado, both of which I have multiples in the display case. Then a couple of A-Model Rutan types (Voyager and Global Flyer). There was an F-4 of all things - not my first but a relatively rare foray into Phantom territory. Three BAe Hawks in anniversary markings followed in quick succession, with a B-57 to accompany last year's Airfix Canberra PR9. I completed a C-46 to pal around with a long line of C-47s (part of a personal enjoyment of transport types), and then a DML Sea Vixen to include with my other postwar RAF/FAA lineup. By year's end I was back in familiar territory with a couple of Hasegawa Hurricanes, but managed to revitalize another theme - twin-engined WW2 bombers - with a Wellington. All of these have been featured on the blog, so I won't reprint all the photos, though if you are interested in seeing them all in one place I will be entering them in the "completed in 2013" section of the 72 Scale Aircraft forum. (BTW, if I haven't plugged it lately, that is an excellent group to hang around with, and I thoroughly recommend that you check them out if you haven't already). Here is a link: 72nd Aircraft

Which one was I most happy with? I think that honor goes to the A-Model Rutan Voyager. A very unique shape, a pretty decent kit (some A-Model efforts can be considerably more challenging), and a general feeling of accomplishment that came with it. For workmanship value, I would probably go with the anniversary Hawk T2. Those Airfix Hawks are really fine little kits in terms of finesse, buildability, price value, and breadth of markings options. I've added a couple of photos of these two models below.