Modeling Resources

[mapuc]

Let me first start with a recommendation It's ET2SN link and description of hobbylinc. I have ordered two wooden boat models from them some years ago. So for my American friends who like to build wooden models hobbylinc is the place.
(But since I had to pay double for these two models-VAT a.s.o I have stopped ordering from USA.)

My own Recommendation.

This hobbystore has it's location in Edinburgh Scotland.

https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/

I have placed more than a few orders and the thing came within a week.

They have models that is hard to find and tools for any model works.

I haven't been ordering after UK left EU, so I don't know if there will be extra VAT for us who lives in EU ?

For the UK resident I recommend it.

I also recommend these online stores for those who don't care if they have to pay double for a model or tool(s)

(If I have made something wrong with this comment then erase it.)

Markus

[ET2SN]

Originally Posted by mapuc

If I have made something wrong with this comment

Markus

Yeah, you're going to make me spend some money.

That is a GOOD link.

And, yeah, that's why I try to list the country of where the store is.
If its on a different continent than you are, its usually a hassle of some kind.

-Update. Dang you, Markus!



I have this plane, in THIS livery installed in FS2004, and its a shame they don't show a side view.

[mapuc]

When I recommend an online hobby store it will one who ships world wide and not some local who don't ship outside country/outside EU or outside USA.

By the way I have a F/A-18 E Super Hornet in Scale 1:32. about 2/3-finished have made some mistake on the plane so I don't know if I'm going to finish her.

Markus

[ET2SN]

Some "honorable mention" links.
Not where you go most of the time, but very handy when they are needed.

https://www.modelroundup.com/Default.asp

Model Roundup has been around for a while and mostly concentrates on 1/25th scale cars. As I recall, they started out as a source for old NASCAR kits and resin bodies. Located in Atlanta, Ga (US) their stock of "aftermarket" items (photo etch, decals, building supplies) has increased over the years and tends to be very complete and stable. I think of MR as that old hobby shop in town that has stuff stacked up to the rafters. Take your time and dig around, you'll find what you were looking for. One sideline is old, vintage, and out of production kits, although these kits carry a slight premium MR keeps their prices reasonable. We're not talking about EBay where old kits get bid into the stratosphere, but the prices can be high. Service and packing is good, but their shipping rates can feel high. Its best to think of MR as a stable source for your 1/25th scale auto jones, but you will pay a premium at some point.




https://upscalehobbies.com/

A kind of a snootier, more oddball version Model Roundup located in Indiana. Upscale has a good handle on Japanese and German kits but military kits could be thought of as a sideline, at best. I'll use them if they have what I'm looking for and I'm out of options. This isn't their fault, I'm just not that into anime and gundam.


https://www.detailmaster.com/
and
https://www.modelcargarage.com/eshop/pc/home.asp

I'm putting these two together because its mostly the same stuff, also located in the US. Aftermarket parts and P/E for 1/25th scale model cars. Detail Master did it first, they were the GOAT in terms of finding stuff to glue to your contest entry. In many ways, DM and Model Car Garage work together so you'll find a lot of cross-over between the two sites. Both sites tend to go through their ups and downs, so try one first and if you can't find what you wanted try the other.
Just because you aren't working in 1/25th scale, don't be afraid to think outside the box. Their photo etch hood pins for muscle cars can easily migrate over to a 1/350th scale nuclear sub as MSW/ASW inlets and outlets.




One link I almost forgot, but this was something I never thought I would see:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/mulsannemik...1&_ipg=&_from=

I stumbled across Mulsanne Mike while I was looking for a good kit review for that Delta IV. No big deal, printed resin screws in 1/350th scale for various classes of nuke and conventional subs.
Without going into details, these screws are very accurate and I wonder how he got this idea and where he got the information.
What you get will drop your jaw. To put this in context, the screw for Neal's Ohio is less than 1 inch in diameter and it is probably the largest part he offers. Mike had to figure out a way to print these parts at this level of detail and to provide some way of shipping them without damage. The blades/flukes of these screws are very delicate and molded in scale thickness. That's good and bad, you may want to "cheat" a little and add a bead of thin CA glue on both sides of each blade where they join to the hub.
What you'll get will look almost like a hairball or a crumbled up page of a newspaper. You'll see a kind of a sprue at the base and "runners" going to the hub plus three runners for each blade. TAKE YOUR TIME with these parts. Gently wash the whole assembly in warm soapy water and rinse. Cutting the screw free from its runners takes patience and either your best pair of sprue nippers or your finest saw blade. Work from the outside in, after you cut the join between the blade and sprue cut the bottom of the sprue loose from its base to get it out of the way. DO NOT TRY TO CUT THE SPRUE FLUSH TO WHERE IT MOUNTS ON THE BLADE. Leave a small nub of material and move on. Once the screw is free of the sprue, come back with a very fine file (I use a Tamiya diamond file for photo etch) and gently file down the nub. This part sounds very labor intensive but you'll be happy with the results. Don't try to set a speed record getting this into paint and you'll do fine.
In the Delta IV thread I wrote something I want to repeat. IF YOU BUILD 1/350th SCALE SHIPS AND SUBS, WE NEED TO SUPPORT THIS GUY. Think of your best source for aftermarket parts, they have NOTHING close to this level of detail.
If you're ordering from Mike for the first time, order two or even three of his screws for your build. Like I stressed before, these parts are very delicate due to their level of detail. Expect to break a blade by accident, it just happens.
With painting, try to keep it simple. One light coat of primer and one normal color coat, you don't want to bury anything under layers of paint.
For assembly, I do something that sounds counter productive but has worked so far. I use just a dot of white glue to attach the part. My logic is that I'd rather have the whole thing break loose from the model instead of snapping a blade.
Mike is located on the east coast of the US. If that is normally an issue for you, bite the bullet and order anyway. You'll understand when your package arrives.
Recommended highly as long as you have experience working with small parts, resin, and a fair collection of modeling tools.

[ET2SN]

Slightly off the beaten path models:


I'm including two web sites from north eastern Pennsylvania that I've found but have not ordered from (yet). Both offer kits you may have heard of but never seen. Two nice sources that are physically located within a stone's throw from each other. If you're tired of building Tamiya and Revell "same old same old" kits, grab a cup of coffee and settle back for some deep dives of kits you never expected to find.



https://redstarhobbies.com/

Red Star offers model kits based on a theme. Models made in Russia or Eastern Europe and models of old Soviet hardware. I've mentioned Red Star in the Delta IV thread. Be ready to spend some time paging through what they have on the shelves. They offer a very solid selection of Eduard photo etch and resin that stays in stock.

[mapuc]

^ I see only a picture of some racing car a jpg picture in your last link.

Markus

[ET2SN]

I removed that link.
I tried to place an order and something smelled fishy.