Newsletter of the IPMS Flying Tigers Scale Model Builders, Inc.

4043 So. Inwood Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana 70131

President/Editor-Bob Caruso Vice President- Pat Donahue Secretary/Treasurer- Jay Andry

AS I SEE IT.....

I am sure that most in the club, by now knows, that earlier this month I e-mailed to some of our members, who are on the net, a short questionnaire about themselves, to fill in and get back to me. At the next meeting, the folks that are not on the net, will receive their sheet, so fill it out and get it back to me as fast as you can, so I can compile a member bio to print in the newsletter.

The questions are not so hard to answer, but we do need you to put something other than yes and no down on the paper. I had the idea to put at least one a month in the paper, but with 24-28 members on the roster, it would take me as many months, so I might put two a month for the next 12-14 months. This will give all in the club some insight about who we model and associate with.

We had another one of those not too exciting contest meetings(read secret meeting again) Sat. Aug. 21, to discuss the ongoing problems that we are faced with as far as contest goes. Let me re-phrase that, because we really have no problems to speak of, and we have these meetings to keep it just that way, no problems !!! Everything seems to be going fine as far as the contest goes, with Mike P. having a lot of the planning already done as I write this. So get ready for a really nice show and contest soon.

I understand we have quite a few raffle prizes from manufacturers already, so Fred better sharpen up his rafflemaster techniques

.

The second half of my editorial, which is the portion where I get to rail from the soapbox, has to do with people who know the price on everything to a gnat’s butt, but wouldn’t recognize the value of something if it bit them on the nose. I recently had a conversation with two or three people about the cost of belonging to the Flying Tigers, that is "the DUES." I’ve heard everything from "I’m gonna make a motion to lower the dues to $XX," or " It’s time for the dues again, where the hell are they going?"or the best yet heard on three occasions is "I coulda bought a kit wit dat $22.00!!. Well you could probably buy a kit for that, but, what the hell, where will you show it when you want that pat on the back and those words of encouragement or praise?? Just think of all the handy tips and ideas that you could have gotten from your compatriots at those 24 meetings a year, for just the price of a movie, with all the trimmings. (Popcorn, cokes, raisinettes etc. etc.) It cost me at least $22 for Ali and I to hit one matinee. But what I would miss out on is worth twice the price of that movie or that kit.!

And yes, I coulda bought a kit with that money, but I wouldn’t get to build it until 2022 any way so........

Let me tell you what else you get for that measly $22. You‘re reading it !!!

Three sheets minimum, front and back, of paper and ink with POSTAGE stuck on, TWELVE times a year, printed LABELS to mail it to you, and my time which is.........yes, free to you, but not without much more value to myself and my wife. We sure as hell could be doing something we both enjoy with the 10 to 15 hrs. I spend on this, for you, the member. I have the figures, if anyone cares to go over it with me, that say the cost of the newsletter per year to each member is close to $16.00. Think about that the next time you say we should lower the so called "dues."

Let me sum this up by saying that the "PRICE" to get in the club is $22 per month. The "VALUE" of being in the club, with so many talented people, the camradarie, the modeling ideas, hints, tips, etc., the good times we have, and the quality model show we produce, is.......PRICELESS !

Bob C

Minutes of Meeting

Minutes of Meeting

Monday, August 9, 1999

Total members in attendance: 18

Jay Andry kicked off with a reminder that August is dues month. Please bring your dues to the next meeting (if you did not already pay).

Jay gave a great review of the 1999 IPMS Nationals held in Orlando this year. 14 of our approximately 25 members went to the nationals, which is an excellent turn out. Congratulations to all of our winners. A photo session was held to capture the faces of the winners for all time.

We should all begin planning for the 2000 IPMS

Nationals, which will be held in Dallas beginning July 19. The contest will be in the middle of the country and should have a big turnout. Start building your models and planning the trip.

Jay Andry also brought up the subject of becoming a national judge. He stated that it is a rewarding task.

Mike Petranick gave us a report on our October 23 contest. He has already received items from vendors.

Volunteer sign up sheets will be provided at theSeptember meeting. Please come and sign up. Do not forget to sign up your family members. Mike said that he is getting positive responses from our local hobby shops. Jerry Chatelain has already gone through his first stack of flyers. It was mentioned that we should put up signs or posters at John Curtis school

the day of the contest. These signs will direct people to the new sight.

A discussion was held about the possibility of getting an article in the paper before the contest. The story may revolve around the number of national winners we have in our club. Hellooo Steve Lasky are you out there? This is directed at you.

Leo Cox had "Flying Tiger Blood Chit" iron-ons

available. He even played fashion model at the meeting. Leo can order these for a nominal fee.

Contact Leo for more information.

Bob Caruso would like to know our current IPMS members.

It would improve our IPMS standing and credibility if we were a 100% IPMS club. Let Bob know if you are a member or not. Also let him know your email address. His is as follows:

bcaruso@aga-engineers.com

The meeting was called early on account of rain.

Secretary Ad Hoc.

Carl Hebert

Secretary ad hoc personal request: If you won an award at the nationals, please bring the model to a meeting. I would love to see these great models.

The following article was submitted to the newsletter, by the well known acrylic expert, the old Niche Master himself, Charles Many. (Does this make him "a knight that says Niche ?) This excellent article will be presented in two parts which this is part

1. Part 2 will follow in the October newsletter.

( Thanks Charles.....bc.)

by Charles Many Niche & Polyplast Aqueous Hobby Colors

All rights are reserved by the author. Copyright 1993

As I have spoken with modelers at various contests and conventions around the

country, I have been confronted with a number of questions over and over again. Some of these questions were borne from common misconceptions and

others from lack of experience. Almost all arose from a combination of the two

GREEN PAINT

Generally, the consensus among modelers seems to be that acrylics are "greener", or more "earth-friendly', than other paint mediums. Most paints pushed through an airbrush present almost identical PARTICULATE (airborne particles of paint the modeler is likely to inhale) pollution threats, both to the modeler and the environment. The difference is that it is believed, and I stress "believed" because no definitive work has been concluded on this issue, to be less of a threat to the human respiratory system than enamel or lacquer fumes:

CONCLUSION: Regardless of what medium a modeler selects to work in, he or she

should always wear a protective mask and work in a well-ventilated area.

(Apologies to the kitchen commandos among us.)

Now, forget everything you think you know about painting models. Believe me, it does not apply to acrylic paints and their use on plastics. There are four fundamental truths that will, if you have not already discovered them on your own, immediately enhance your success with acrylics (or any other medium for that matter)

"Acrylic" paint is actually a catch-all term for three (and maybe more if you include some limited run manufacturers) different sub-types of paint: water-based acrylic (i.e. Testers, Niche, and Testor/Boyd's), acrylic enamels (Gunze-Sangyo and Tamiya); and acrylic lacquers (A.E.F. and some smaller producers). Apart from the appellation "ACRYLIC" these paints have little in common with one another, except as noted later in the article.

Each is soluble in the medium suggested in their name and hence tend not to react well to the thinners of the other mediums, Gunze being a marginal exception.

The modeler will have moderate success thinning Gunze with distilled water mixed with alcohol due to its unique carrier structure. However, one is infinitely better off using Mr. Color thinner that is an enamel solvent and will assist Gunze in mating to plastic surfaces. By contrast, if you use Mr. Color thinner with Niche or Testors, for instance, you will end up with brilliantly colored pudding...not the optimum result.

The single most common error, by far, I have discovered in consultation with modelers, is that they share a common myth about how their airbrush is supposed to work...that is: "TIP SIZE RELATES TO STROKE SIZE." It does not !

Using a Paasche airbrush as an example--Paasche makes three basic tip sizes

for their H-1 external mix airbrush: #1, #3, and #5 (I do not know what happened to numbers 2 and 4). Each succeeding number has a larger tip opening AND larger air channel fitting. The purpose, according to Paasche' representatives, is to accommodate succeedingly thicker and heavier mediums.

The #1 tip, the tip most commonly used by modelers in the mistaken belief it will provide a narrower line, is actually designed for inks and very thin "re-liquifying" (I will explain this term later) agents, such as enamels and "light" oils. The absolute smallest tip an acrylic paint should be pushed through is a #3. With practice, this tip will provide a remarkably fine line and much better control.

Most of us grew up using enamels, whether it was Tester, ModelMaster, Pactra,

PLA (Boy, am I dating myself). They all had one thing in common: they were ‘re-liquifying' agents--that is, when exposed to their thinner, they reliquify allowing them to be blended, removed, etc. This is relevant in this forum because it is the cause of the second most common challenge that acrylic novices experience--airbrush tip build-up. Adjusting your tip size will do away with some of this problem, but not all. As the paint passes through the tip, minute amounts of paint gel on the tip during protracted

use. With enamels, this should not, and usually does not, occur to any great extent because the paint is constantly re-exposed to the thinner, which "re-liquefies" the paint. Not so acrylics, which are not reliquified by their thinners. Thus, it is necessary for the modeler to swab the tip of the airbrush occasionally with a solvent such as lacquer thinner (Dio-Sol, for instance) on a cotton swap, to remove the acrylic build-up

When using aqueous hobby colours such as Gunze, Niche, or Testor, humidity is

a factor in drying time and finish. Anytime you are painting in high (50% or higher) humidity, drying time will be retarded and the paint will look "pebbly" when it hits the surface of the model. The roughness will dissipate as the paint sizes to the surface. Drying time is a function of trial and error. The effect of moisture on the paint can be minimized by installing an

in-line moisture trap on your airbrush hose.

Once you determine:

then,

painting with acrylics becomes a learning experience in technique. Just have fun.

Don’t miss part 2 next month.

Well guys, it's time to re-up. This year, as you all should know by now, we are joining the Flying Tigers Scale Model Builders. Dues are $22.00. Checks should be made out to Flying Tigers Scale Model Builders, Inc. Bring your dues to the Sept. 12^th Rods & Rails meeting at City Park Cafe or send to: Flying Tigers, 710 Carondelet St., N.O. LA 70130. Next month you will only receive a newsletter if you join up now!

Hopefully, Bob Caruso, el presidente of the FT's, will teach us how to properly weather and hi-lite our interiors for better realism. He may have to put it off until October meeting however, so I will do a chrome foil demo whether he makes it or not this month. See you there!

If you haven't seen the MCG Stromberg detail set at Jerry's be sure to check it out. If you are a hot rod fan, all the levers and cranks are there and the carbs are even nicer than R&M's resins The Saturn and Caddy hub caps are also incredible.

The '58 edsel kit is in and may be sold out by publication time.

Courtesy of Carl, off the net: 57 Chrysler 300C hardtop, 41 Ford Woody, 60 Ford Starliner, 71 Dodge Charger R/T, 63 Ford Galaxie, 66 BuickRiviera (stock), 63 Studebaker Avanti, 70 1/2 Baldwin Motion Camero, 66 Buick Lowrider Custom, 66 Nova SS (stock), Monkeymobile, Fireball 500, Raiders Coach, 68 Roadrunner Hardtop, Richard Petty Dart Sportsman, 88 Mustang, AMTronic

.

REPLICAS AND MINIATURES

Be sure to update your R&M catalog. They have added lots of flat head equipment including a full engine as well as a '32 hot rod custom parts and bodies and a chopped 48 woody body. Too much to list so get the catalog. Replicas & Miniatures, 317 Roosevelt Ave., S.W., Glen Burnie, MD 21061.

January 2000 (if we are still in here - the dreaded Y2K approaches).

Rules:

Woodies and Wagons: Any station wagon, sedan delivery, panel van, woody

(wagon or car) or police paddy wagons. Pickups with wood beds don't qualify unless you convert the body to a woody style. Remember R&M has a pre-chopped '48 body ready to pop on the Revell chassis!

Craig Naquin has really stepped up as the year has progressed. Just check out his Scale Auto delivery truck with scratch built box and hand cast warning lights. Also has a perfectly painted '48 ford convertible. He's been working with Bob Caruso on texturizing the seats which will make this one a contender. Good work, Craig!

Part One: Materials & Body Prep

Materials: Automotive wet/dry sand paper (Hardware or auto store); Modeling Polishing Kit (Available at Hobbies West or thru Howard from Hobby Isle); Your Favorite Putty (Recommended filler is automotive 2-part type, especially Evercote Eurosoft, available from auto paint shops); Hobby Knife; Filing Sticks and Files, High Quality Automotive Primer (Available at auto shops, Wal-Mart, K-Mart. Recommend Black Gold as it seals out ghosting and goes on incredibly well. Available from Howard); Paint (Any quality hobby paint, nail polish or automotive paint. Recommended is auto paint as it dries harder and goes on better than hobby paint.

Body Prep: Look over the body closely and identify any casting marks, mold separation lines and pin holes that need attention. If the body is white or grey, spray a lite coat of primer on the body. Let it dry 30 minutes or so and begin to remove the flaws with hobby knife, files and sanding sticks. After you feel these have been removed or reduced, block sand the entire body with 600 grit paper to hi-lite hidden flaws that may require lots of work to remove for a smooth finish and successful final polishing. If the body is colored, do first sanding without primer. Don't forget hi/lo points around door and trunk lines as these will polish thru easily after you think you are finished painting. When you think you have removed all flaws, repeat priming and sanding to make sure. (You may repeat this 2 or 3 more times). During this phase you will need to fill any deep indents that show up. If using 2-part filler be sure to use very little hardener as too much will make it rubbery and will not adhere well. Finally you will be able to sand the body/primer and get few if any sand-thrus. At this point you can re-prime and wet-sand with 1500-1800 paper. If no plastic shows through give it one more light primer and light sand with 2400 from the polishing kit. Now you should be ready to paint.

Special Problems: If emblems were removed, body work performed or the

body is colored plastic, you may have to seal the primer coat as the filler, removed emblems and even cleaned up mold markings will ghost

through the finish when using "hot" automotive paints. The self etching primer from Black Gold claims to seal these out and I've had success with it. There are sealer products available from MCW Auto Finishes and auto paint shops. Follow their instructions as I have not used these products.

See you at the meeting.

Howard Heno

The Eisenhower Interstate System requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

This month we will have only one short bio on a club member. The person picked to start off this mini-series will be that well known and popular dissident, Kenny Daigle. Born on 4/14/46 in Bartlesville, Okla, he began modeling at the early age of four, he professes. Recently relocated to Metairie, we shall assume that he spends all his non-working hours building models. Although he listed no nicknames on the bio sheet, there are a lot of members that have other names for him, most of which cannot be printed here. As we all know of his expertise and interests on the subject of Shermans, he has listed more than armor as his modeling interests. Aircraft of all types and periods, figures (without faces, he confesses) and also listed is pedophilic Nazi AMOR, .....uh, I mean ARMOR, and sex was his other interests beside his modeling. Ken considers himself a casual modeler, who at times will enter models on the competition circuit. His occasional win keeps the spark of modeling alive in him, and he feels that his hobby should be "FUN". I have enjoyed Kenny’s friendship for some time now and I feel that his membership in the club is an asset.

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year old again. I want to think the world is fair, that everyone is honest and good. I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again. I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones. I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant. I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks. I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them. I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer's day. I want to return to a time when life was simple; when all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset. I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So....here's my checkbook and my car-keys, my company badge, my credit card bills, my 401K statements, and all 32 of my computer passwords.

I am officially resigning from adulthood. And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, cause............Tag! You're it.

Sincerly Bob Neal