Some different models

When I was a teenager I used to build 1.72 scale model aircraft. I kept these models in a shoebox that has somehow managed to follow me around my university days and first 10 years of marriage. I dug them out earlier this year to show my son who is nearly five years old. He was very taken with them and I thought it would be cool to work on a kit with him. Even though the skills were not there, his enthusiasm certainly was. I welcomed the opportunity to for a different modelling challenge.

We started with a model of a Corsair, (Skipper if you have ever watched Pixar's movie Planes). This was pretty easy as it was mostly one colour and was made up of only a few key pieces. My Son did well with this kit. He would sit on my lap, I'd load up the flat brush and he would paint where I directed him. I would take over every so often so as to smooth out some of the imperfections (I couldn't help myself), but he certainly earned his kids wings.

After this, I decided a twin-engine bomber kit would be good for him because it has more surface area right? easier for him to paint? Well no. I chose a nice Revell JU88 kit, of course, a JU88 has a lot of glass to mask off and you see more of the interior made up of little bits and pieces. Nevermind. When he was in bed I spent a few evenings doing the itsy bitsy bits and masking the canopy. He and I then assembled the plane and I masked the camouflage pattern and we followed the same technique as the Corsair.

After the models were complete, we took photos of the models. We mounted the planes on a stick and my son held a hair dryer up at the planes to spin the propellors. All photos were taken outside in natural sunlight. All in all, great projects.

But back to the trains now...