The other day I was reminded of something that should be painted on the walls of every modeller’s work area – or at least on mine.
So here’s the story. Two months ago I had started work on Hobby Boss’ 1/48th F/A-18C Hornet. Before I bought the kit (a year ago, stash reduction is a tedious process) I had read all the comments on the kit that I could find. Most of them were along the lines of “Hasegawa knock-off, rivets too deep, cockpit uninspired, get the Hase kit”. Ok, here I have to admit that I spend most of my forum time on US-based websites like ARC and Zone Five. And as much as I like them, at times I get the feeling that quite some of the people posting there are a bit, uhm, biased towards certain manufacturers. Or, to put it bluntly: “Hasegawa good! Monogram yay! Trumpyhobbychinagang doubleplusungood!”
Well, I like to think that most of today’s manufacturers are not exclusively excellent or crappy. They all have their good days – and their bad ones as well. True, Trumpeter’s and HB’s records are a bit of a mixed bag, but looking at e.g. HB’s Tomcat and Warthog or Gallery Model’s H-34 (all 48th, all in my stash) I can’t see them being too bad at all.
But I digress. I ordered the HB Hornet. Being one of their earlier efforts, it was ok of sorts. Dimensions correct enough, engraved panel lines, loads of stuff to hang under the wings – the Mk.82’s however, would make every size zero-model proud. Yes, the cockpit is a bit lame, and yes, those rivets are a joke. I got myself a nice Aires cockpit set. I somehow pryed it in place (it’s for the Hase kit, whose cockpit tub seems to be a bit shorter and a tiny bit narrower). and I started correcting and adding all those small details that HB missed or screwed up.
After some 50 hours of building I was finally about to put some paint on – one of my personal highlights with every build, because suddenly everything starts coming together. Last step before that: Attaching the canopy. Which is too wide by more than 1mm (“Told ya! Should of got the Hase!” you say?). And in a moment of complete and utter stupidity I thought “well, why not try and bend it a bit to shape?”. One second later I was the proud owner of a protype – the first Hornet with a two-part windshield. I call it F/A-18C/WTF.
I know. Get a replacement part and back in the saddle. Things like these happen all the time. But this time, for some weird reason, I felt really frustrated. Maybe it was the notion that this kit had fought me time and again, maybe I simply wanted to finally get it done. Whatever the reason, it sucked.
Later that day I had a phone conversation with my girlfriend (the lady who’s responsible for the MiG in my display cabinet). I told her about today’s accident and my resulting frustration. And then something magical happend. She asked “why are you stressing yourself so much? Isn’t that supposed to be fun?”. Ok, now listen, Captain Obvious! Of course it is! But… uhm… well…
She was right. Lately I had stressed myself into a couple of modelling-related issues. The urge to get better with every build. The idea of streamlining the build process to make it more efficient (don’t laugh, you!). And, because I didn’t want to end up being the guy with hundreds of kits in his stash, the wish to reduce my stash by building kits in a chronological order – by purchase date, that is – and not adding anything before another one is done.
If that sounds a bit neurotic to you, you might be right. But whatever the medical term for that condition, I realized I had to stop it – but how? Ok, first things first. Order a replacement part. Get the airbrush out and paint the ordnance (Finally! I can see colors!). Move the aircraft to the Shelf of Opportunity.
And than start on something new. Out of the box. Like, really. I picked Hobby Boss’ (yadda yadda, I know) F-84F Thunderstreak. Yes, I read about it as well. Wheel wells and cockpit so-so, air intake lackluster etc. pp. I don’t care. Jeez, I even used the kit decals for the IP! And I kept the ejection seat, although it looks like it’s been tailored forJabba the Hutt. I simply enjoyed to get something moving.
And I had fun.