Hobbyboss Macchi Mc-200

I am working my way through the WW2 Macchi fighters, having completed the Hasegawa Mc-202, and today’s completion is another step on that road, the Hobbyboss Mc-200. I also have an Italeri Mc-205 in the paint queue currently.

As with many Hobbyboss kits, this is a pretty simple build with an overly sparse cockpit. This is a bit of a downside given that it has an open cockpit, but I rarely try to superdetail an interior so it really was not an issue.

I did have a bit of an issue with the painting, however. It’s funny, when you see it on the display shelf it doesn’t look too bad, but in the close-ups (such as the completion shots below) the paint looks very splattery and indistinct. I still haven’t mastered a thin airbrush line for mottling, but this seems a bit of a step backward. Still, it can function as a 4’ standoff model (given that it is best viewed at roughly 4’ away).

Decals came from the kit, with a masking set by PMask. Not much else to tell, just another model that I’ve never built before to add to the completed queue.

This is completed aircraft #514 (12 aircraft, 1 ordnance, 2 vehicle for the year 2019), finished in March of 2019.

Airfix Tilly Standard truck (from RAF Support set)

Before I fell into the April health crisis, there were two completions that I had no chance to write up. This is the first, the standard Tilly truck from the Airfix RAF support set.

There really isn’t much to say about construction. It is a simple, well engineered kit with only those vices associated with 1:72 vehicles. Minimal decals and a relatively simple paint job too.

I still have a couple of models unbuilt in that particular support set. I even picked up a photoetch set to detail the included bicycle. Which is about ¼” long by the way.

The biggest crisis with this kit happened after it was complete. I came into the hobby room one day and found that Kirby, our younger pug, had it in his mouth! The damage was repairable, and the truck seems to have survived its conflict with a giant prehistoric pug monster.

This is completed vehicle #26 (12 aircraft, 1 ordnance, 3 vehicles for the year 2019), finished in March of 2019.

Paint prep (Hurricane, Mc-205, A-4, MS-406, I-16)

As I slowly crawl my way out of the post-spring-show health crisis, I have somewhat forced myself to do a few modelling actions. These mostly qualify as paint prep, though I’m not sure when the paint session itself will take shape.

Much came under masking wheel wells. There were basically three types done: The Arma Hurricane, Italeri Mc-205, and the Blue Angels Fujimi A-4. They will be moved down to the garage to wait for the compressor to fire up.

The other two were masking jobs as well, this time for camo. I’m now ready for the final camo coat (of X115 Field Green) to be applied to the Hasegawa MS-406. And I’m working on masking the upper surfaces on the Hasegawa Polikarpov I-16.

Content production might get a bit erratic this week. I received a note from the main cardiologist on Friday (after close of business in their office) which sounded dire but provided very little information. But until the paint session happens, I have two items to write the completion documentation for. Plus there are new models to add to the construction queue - trying to stay optimistic here. They are all modern Soviet fighters of all things, not my normal area of interest.