First new pics of 2005

[matrixone]

I have been ill for quite some time now and have not been modeling for a few weeks but am slowly starting to feel better and today got outside and shot some new pics while waiting for some paint to dry on my models.






The new group of models are turning out very well and hope to post some pics of them in a couple weeks.


Matrixone  

[John Howling Mouse]

Staggering, as always.

I'm still trying to figure out what the story is behind the nose-sitting Me-109 (?) dead-center in your first image??  I cannot tell if it is meant to be a ditched airplane but where did the wings go?  So confused over here.

Glad you're feeling better.  So, just how many of the subjects in this pic are "new" models???

[matrixone]

Thanks for the comments John!

The first pic is supposed to be of a German airfield just after surrender in May 1946, thats why all the a/c are pushed out in the open away from their forest hiding places. That explains the Bf 109 on its nose, it will soon be smashed to bits and buried.

I have always liked the pics of the aircraft graveyards just after the war ended, it was a commen sight in those days to see many a/c types together in one place many of them broken with wings or engines removed and many times interesting camo and markings too.

The ''Broken Eagles'' and Eagle Editions ''Wings of the Black Cross'' books have quite a few pictures of German airfields just after capture and are terrific references for late war crashed and grounded a/c.

I want to build a number of models of grounded German a/c to do pics of the aircraft graveyards but like always I never have the time to build as much as I would like to, it takes a little more time to build a battle damaged model than one straight from the box.

The new group of models I am working on are interesting and I look forward to taking some pics of in about two weeks.


Matrixone

[NARSES2]

Glad you're feeling better - lovely modeling and photo's. Those graveyard shots fascinate me. Every time you look at them you can spot something new , or even something the reference books say didn't happen in the way of markings etc.

Chris

[nev]

I really like the "graveyard" look, really interesting, and so much to see.

If I may make a suggestion, it might look good if you were to have stuff like access panels strewn over the ground.  These places tended to be very untidy and troops usually couldn't help "just having a look" or helping themselves to souvenirs etc.

Glad you're feeling better

[matrixone]

Thanks NARSES2 and nev!

I am thinking about making airplane ''parts'' out of thin plastic or aluminum to add to my aircraft graveyard pics.

Another good source for end of the war a/c graveyard pics are some of the JaPo books, they might be expensive but have quite a few pics I have not seen before.


Matrixone

[Scooterman]

JEEZZ!!  IMHO you're the MASTER diorama and photog man here!  OUTSTANDING!

Another small suggestion.  In a lot of captured airfield shots I have, at least one aircraft tire was shot out to keep the plane being Shanghied by enemy, friendly or even local personel............

[lancer]

Outstanding as usual Matrix.  

[Captain Canada]

Glad to hear you're feeling better !

Beauty pics as usual......would be nice to see the nose standing 109 all on her own, would look like one of those booby-traps late in the war.

Cheers !

[matrixone]

Thanks for the kind words Scooterman, lancer, and Captain Canada!

I had planned on building at least three 1/48 scale German fighters to be used in some of those a/c graveyard type of pics I want to do, but extra hours at work and becoming ill were something not expected and has made my hours spent building models almost non-existant so I have had to cut back on some of my plans I had for this year so most of my models will be built without the battle damaged areas.

The good news for me lately is I got one of those 1/32 scale Revell He 162 kits and will be starting on that as soon as the EagleCals decal sheets are available.
I also plan on building a second He 162 in ''What-If'' camo and markings, should be a fun build.

Here is a pic of some very old Revell 1/32 scale models I built in the 1980s.



Matrixone

[NARSES2]

If you could produce those from the old Revel kits (the nightfighter camo is incredible) then I can't wait for your 162. I've one in the stash and it looks a nice kit straight from the box, and with all the accessories/replacement parts coming out I think some of them are going to be show-stoppers.

Chris

[matrixone]

NARSES2,

That new He 162 looks like it could be built straight out of box and look great, the other thing I like about it are the low number of parts. Perfect for someone like me who has a sometimes very limited amount of modeling time available.

Before I got sick I was making good progress on a 1/32 Hasegawa Fw 190A-8 that I am converting into an A-9 and really am impressed how good these new  kits are, I need to finish a few 1/48 scale models and get them out of the way so I can get back to work on that Hasegawa 190. When I built those two Me 262s I never would have thought model kits would be as good as what is available today.



Matrixone

[noxioux]

I've been paging through "Battles with the Luftwaffe", which covers the daylight bombing campaign from both sides, with lots of pics and letters/stories.  These pics here just remind me of some of the stuff in that book.

It's remarkable how close to life your pictures are.  Very nice.  I can't wait to see the new volksjaeger, either.

[matrixone]

Thanks noxioux,

I will be looking for that book you mentioned, I like reading about the air war and what the attackers and defenders faced during those battles.
Another very good book is ''Battle Over Barvaria'', it also covers both sides of the conflict, great photos and artwork in that one.

Another pic of those old Revell models...


Matrixone  

[noxioux]

It's "Battles with the Luftwaffe", by Theo Boiten and Martin Bowman, ISBN 0-00-711363-3.  Got it at Barnes & Noble for $14 (US).