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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN 
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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X-3 Stiletto Project
Therapy for a Victim of Advanced Modeler's Syndrome
It's been at least 3 years since I finished a model. It was a big accomplishment when I finished the last one. My own reply to TempestJohnny in his
"Look who's left.....after 5 years" thread got me to thinking.
Currently I've been "working" on 3 modeling projects at different stages of completion. You know, the kind of work where you have your stuff laid out
on your work area. Kit parts and tools are strewn about, at the ready in case the desire to build takes hold. Sadly, there's a layer of dust on
everything.
I came to a realization yesterday: I'm suffering from the burnout caused by Advanced Modeler's Syndrome. All 3 of them are major projects
that involve some serious work to get them completed.
That's how it's been with me for too long. Even a simple project would turn into a major production that always started with a scratch-built part
here, an aftermarket part there, a fancy airbrushed paint scheme that involved hours of masking and multiple layers of colors.
I decided I needed a break. I went to "The Pile" and found an old kit that I had already started years ago and got burned out on quick. I found a
1990s Lindberg reissue of their 1/48 Douglas X-3 Stiletto. I had decided I was going to remove all of those surface rivets and raised panel lines and
I was also going to scratch-build a complete instrument panel. I got as far as removing all of the surface detail and sealing and puttying the main
gear-wells closed when the kit was put back in the box and never opened again.
I decided to use this kit as it is to build something quick and simple. There will be no detailed interior. The included pilot figure and ejection
seat will be used, painted minimally and mostly hidden behind a wind-screen that will be darkly tinted. I might even use the included stand instead of
a wood base. The nearly all-white aircraft will require a minimal amount of painting which is what I'm looking for right now. (One thing I WON'T be
using is the included name plate. Lindberg misspells the word "Stiletto" as Stilleto on the plate as well as the box and instruction
sheet!)
I'll try to document the building and finishing of this kit, not for a tutorial on my own website but to post on this forum as a "Build Along." That
should be a motivator in itself.
Thanks for letting me rant. I'll post pics as they're taken.
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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naplak
ADMINISTRATOR 
Posts: 2454
Registered: 12-5-2003
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Member Is Offline
Mood: A little less Wack.
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I have had the exact same experience -- once or twice a year! I usually do a curbside car model to "break out". 
Good luck!
naplak Modeling
A Free Site for Modelers to Obtain & Share all sorts of Modeling Information. Come visit us
and see what we have! And you too can add to our site... visit and see how. |
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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My starting point. This is a big kit for me. Lately I'd gotten used to working in 1/72 or, more likely 1/144 scale. The X-3 is 1/48 scale and 16 5/16
inches long. All of the molded in rivet detail and the raised panel lines had already been removed and sanded smooth. Putty and primer fills the many
sink holes on the kit. Nothing is glued together yet.
This is something I love. The name "Stiletto" is misspelled on all 4 sides and the top of the box, on the instruction sheet and . . .
. . . on the little molded nameplate that was on the kit's sprue.
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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Roi
CAPTAIN
Posts: 652
Registered: 2-3-2005
Location: Colorado
Member Is Offline
Mood: Amazing, Simply Amazing!!
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I find myself Starting simple and then going overboard o a kit as if each one is a major production. Now i just build some for the fun of it!! Just
doing an old monogram kit and doing all the work in the paint and weather and just loving how sharp and simple they are when done. I love the
Stilletto and want to get one .
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Jafo
COMMODORE 
Posts: 1573
Registered: 5-7-2005
Location: 20 miles N. of the stinking armpit that is Detroit
Member Is Offline
Mood: Detroit… It's not a movie set, it's for real
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looks good.
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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This is the pilot figure and ejection seat, most likely from another 1/48 scale aircraft kit. This is the kit's only cockpit detail. The kit includes
no instrument panel, which on the actual X-3 was very prominent and visible through the wind screen. I may cut sheet-styrene to just vaguely suggest
an actual interior. The pilot and seat will probably be painted with gray primer. The wind screen will be heavily tinted with Tamiya Smoke so that
these details are merely hinted at.
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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naplak
ADMINISTRATOR
Posts: 2454
Registered: 12-5-2003
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Member Is Offline
Mood: A little less Wack.
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Well... don't make it too complicated and burn yourself out on it!
naplak Modeling
A Free Site for Modelers to Obtain & Share all sorts of Modeling Information. Come visit us
and see what we have! And you too can add to our site... visit and see how.
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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That's the AMS kicking in! Even when I promise I'm going to keep it simple, I get the urge to run off with it. These little things do tend to
escalate.
Thanks for the reality slap, Neil. 
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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naplak
ADMINISTRATOR
Posts: 2454
Registered: 12-5-2003
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Member Is Offline
Mood: A little less Wack.
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I am struggling with the same issue... a 1/48 Draken made I started recently... then I saw that Eduard and Aires are coming out with detail sets. It
was hard to not put it aside to what for the details...
AMS strikes again.
naplak Modeling
A Free Site for Modelers to Obtain & Share all sorts of Modeling Information. Come visit us
and see what we have! And you too can add to our site... visit and see how.
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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I don't know about you, but one of my biggest problems is that I became stuck on building "show-worthy" models. I've been so hung-up on building
models mainly for the purpose of competing for awards that it sucked the enjoyment out of the hobby!
That may be why I've been so into astronomy, lately. No judging, no competition, no proving anything to anybody. If I build this model for the
enjoyment of building it, I know I'll enjoy it more.
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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Roi
CAPTAIN
Posts: 652
Registered: 2-3-2005
Location: Colorado
Member Is Offline
Mood: Amazing, Simply Amazing!!
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Try this
http://uscockpits.com/
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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Great link, thanks. I also found some great pics on the Nasa/Dryden site.
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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Steve
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Shame on me. You have pointed out something I've known for too long... I don't spend nearly enough time on this passion of mine. My sons love
modeling, though, and they keep busy, constantly raiding my stash. And, in our Boy Scout troop (I am Scoutmaster, my oldest son was just elected as
Senior Patrol leader again), we recently had a "hobby month" where the troop meetings focused on building scale models. My son led the discussions,
taught them some skills, and we assembled some kits. Most of them seemed to obviously enjoy the building. They present their finished kits this coming
Monday.
I am going to build more. I've got to. As soon as summer is over, I'm going to get serious about it.
Thanks Alan.
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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Hey, this forum helps to get me motivated. Glad to give back.
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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Kolja94
LT COMMANDER 
Posts: 119
Registered: 27-7-2003
Location: Fallon, NV
Member Is Offline
Mood: tired - and not just the "I need a nap" kind, either
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I too am a big proponent of doing some straightforward builds every now and again to keep things relaxed - sometimes, like after my 1/48 EA-6B, EA-18G
and F-14D I'll do more than one "simple" one - and they still turn out 'decent enough' for the shelf! 
Karl
I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.
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TempestJohnny
CAPTAIN
Posts: 912
Registered: 15-11-2003
Location: Newington CT
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tired.. Too many 10+ hour days
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A guy in an old model club had a great plan for his builds. He called all of them 4-footers. If they looked good from 4 feet away he was happy.
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Kolja94
LT COMMANDER
Posts: 119
Registered: 27-7-2003
Location: Fallon, NV
Member Is Offline
Mood: tired - and not just the "I need a nap" kind, either
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TempestJohnny
A guy in an old model club had a great plan for his builds. He called all of them 4-footers. If they looked good from 4 feet away he was happy.
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When the finish in my motorcycle starting getting knicks and blemishes, I decided the same philosophy applied to Harleys.
Karl
I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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Here's where my limited experience with aircraft kits shows.
I want to glue the windscreen into the body halves but would like some advice. I don't want to use liquid cement or super-goo because I don't want to
craze the clear styrene. As you can see from the photo I don't have much gluing surface to work with. The part also doesn't necessarily lay flat in
position, either. What are some good glues or cements for clear plastic?
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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TempestJohnny
CAPTAIN
Posts: 912
Registered: 15-11-2003
Location: Newington CT
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tired.. Too many 10+ hour days
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Most of the time I use krystal kleer Its almost like white glue but seems to have a stronger hold
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Doctor Noodle
CAPTAIN
Posts: 872
Registered: 13-12-2003
Location: Lawn Guyland, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Indigo
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Hadn't thought of that and I actually have a bottle on hand. Thanks for the tip!
“Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a
consultant.” - Scott Adams
Alanoodle's Scale Model Portfolio
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