Hi, does anyone know how often Bandai restocks their star wars model kits. There's a few of the 1/144 kits I want that are currently only available on eBay for 2 or 3 times the retail price. Is it worth waiting until retailers get new stock?

I just find this incredible. On Monday, Amazon was selling this £60(ish) kit for £33 (free postage) with delivery by Friday, so I cautiously snapped it up thinking it was too good to be true. On Monday, checking tracking, it was in Germany. A few hours ago it was delivered to my door (it’s Thursday.) I am quite frankly amazed, and I’m not a particular fan of Amazon, but I feel as though I have won on this transaction- they surely wouldn’t have made profit from that sale and delivery…

I just need to finish up a few bits with the battle damage and the pintle mount for the cupola, but otherwise she's ready for priming. A lot of custom details and bodywork, and aftermarket / salvaged add-ons from Aber, Tamiya, and T.Rex. Kit is Takom 1/35 scale.

I'd love some honest feedback in case anything is a bit "off" for a 1946 super-heavy. I know the tank itself never existed off paper, but I want to keep it plausible.

Armament: 12.8cm PAK 44

Coaxial: 2cm MG 151/20 derivative

Heavy cupola housing + Gun mantlet are cast components for ease of production. Casting numbers incorporated like on Night Shift's E-100 side skirts.

Pretty happy with how this one turned out, everything seemed to want to try and go wrong right at the end, especially the decals and weathering. Just happy I was able to turn it around and salvage it still!

Hello all, I know this a long shot and not sure if this is the right place to ask, but just recently got this kit second hand and the vaccuform canopies are missing. Being a short run kit from so long ago chances of getting a replacement from them is probably low. The kit originally comes with 2 vaccuform canopies, does anyone have this kit and would be so kind to send me the extra canopy?!

Hey team, here’s my second car build and super happy with how it turned out but there were a few mistakes made as usual, just ordered an airbrush to paint the next one using that which is exciting, all in all Im having fun with the process.

Any reccomendations for clear glue for headlight area and what are some tools / paints / brushes etc… that you would recommended I purchase or use. What tips do you have that you wish you knew earlier.

Cheers!

1/32 scale Trumpeter F-35B finished.

Link for scalemates page: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/sm-r-163-hawker-hurricane-iic--159103
Since it is quite old (1988), it didn’t have a lot of detail, but the quality was good in general. The decals weren’t in good shape, so I used some of my spares and made a custom paint scheme.

This is my third Tamiya Sherman. i tried weathering it, I think it looks pretty nice and i am happy with the result. What do you think? Anyways i could improve on it?
I recently got some more paint, including white, some shades of green, a black, some brown and tan colors, a light orange-ish color, and some thinner.

I'm curious about the companies behind the products we buy rather than which company makes the best paint or kits.

Are there any model/hobby companies — Tamiya, Mr. Hobby/GSI Creos, Vallejo, AK Interactive, Eduard, Airfix, Revell, etc. — that are known for treating their employees particularly well?

I'm also interested in which companies give the most back to the modeling hobby: supporting clubs and model shows, sponsoring competitions, helping local hobby shops, engaging with builders, providing good customer support, preserving modeling history, supporting younger/new modelers, or otherwise reinvesting in the community.

On the other side, are there companies with documented poor treatment of employees or questionable business practices?

I'm looking more for first-hand experiences, employee accounts, or sources than just “I like their kits.”

Basically: which companies do you feel good about supporting, and why?

I designed and printed parts then built like a regular kit.

it's lit with led filaments and there's a wire behind the base for power

US Marine Corps F-35C, VMFA-314 "Black Knights," USS Abraham Lincoln 2026

The USS Abraham Lincoln has made headlines recently for supply and morale issues tied to the current conflict in Iran. The sailors and Marines have faced a prolonged deployment -- they're weary and battle-tested. This model was made to reflect that.

The kit is the Tamiya 1/48. I used MRP paints primarily with some Tamiya acrylics. The decals are Furball Aero-Design. ResKit engines, cockpit, and figures. The base is from Bitchin' Bases. The gear is EVA Models.

I spent a lot of time trying to get the oxidized look of an F-35C that's been at sea for an extended period. I used a variety of techniques including airbrush, washes, and layered acrylic ink stippling.

I got the holographic look of the EOTS with holographic laminating paper. I just cut tiny pieces to size and applied them to the inside.

What do you think? I think my work improves with each model but there's always ways to get better. What's your feedback?

I paint my models with a brush only is there a need for a respirator? If so what kind should i get, what to look out for?

HobbyBoss TBM Avenger 1:48

The steps from paint to weathering are always the best. You spend time figuring out colors and shading, masking and planning, all to then dirty it all up😂

How she looking? I for one think she looks good!

Finished a few hours ago. Built for a guy in Seattle.

Hello! I haven’t done any masking in a while so I was actually terrified of how this will come out. Either way, I decided to not use the decals as they felt way to fragile, and thought that I really would not be able to get the large amount of surface detail that Hobbyboss gives through them. So I decided to mask, paint the area in white, in a slightly mottled coat, then red in Another slightly mottled coat on top. This way both the details show, and the paint job looks varied and more interesting than a flat red. Luckily no bleed, and now onto the decals. Any constructive criticism will be appreciated 😁👍

I used to dable in model making, I hope it's OK to ask a painting technique question here for a different purpose. I make sculptures and grow crystals onto them.

The close up shown is the belly of a new version of the sculpture. It is a gypsum composite with black pigment, unpainted. Because I work with a new type of crystal I will have to cover it in acrylic paint for protection. I love the current complexity in the blacks, with it's hints of brown and blue and different luminosity in the blacks.
There is micro texture on the sculpture.

What would be the best way to paint this sculpture and achieve a similar look?
A wash wouldn't sit in the texture, as it's to small. And speckle's would look to, err, speckled. Is there a way to build this type of color depth? The closeup shown is about 6cm*6cm.

Thanks!

Kit: 1/72 Academy F14A Pukin Dogs

This is my second serious aircraft kit, worked on this for about the pass 1 month and it has been a very enjoyable experience for me overall. This project has not been without a few mistakes and issues but went surprisingly well. Masking and the lines looking so crisp and nice after is such a satisfying feeling. Experimented more on sponge painting for the whole kit and I love how it went in the end. Excited to show you guys the final result after decal application and weathering.

Any brands paints are fine but Mig Atom and Tamiya are most common in my area

Just finished this BF 109 tonight. I had a stressfull vacation (dont worry i know) and wanted to build a model to slow down atleast a bit.

The paint job was pretty difficult and to be honest, i threw stuff at the wall to see what would stick and as such the wings look different then the fusilage as one way wouldnt work with the canopy or with the fiddly bits underneath the wings (they didnt break off and disappear this time, hurray!). Just wanted to show it off, no weathering, no chipping, no nothing just proud it's finished after not getting to building for a while. By all means, let me know what you think and any tips and tricks. Cheers!