OK, I hope I dont disappoint you Patti or anyone else but after testing some paint on an off-cut I simply painted the exposed parts of my pilot with 'Flesh' colour from Humbrol and that was it. I bent and posed him and filled in some of the bigger creases with some more paint and that was it. This was all after trimming off the bits of 'flash' from the joins of the body mould. I was wondering how I could smooth him out with out adding weight and then thought "Why??" So he is a bit wrinkled and sun burnt, but he is light, and looks right and he is in the model.
I will look at purchasing some extra clothing IF I ever get to somewhere where some one might give a damn. Next is to order some seat belts for the 109 and the Spitfire to really set these beaut little pilots off.

Cheers,

Brad

Hey Brad, what are a few wrinkles between friends eh? And when he's in the cockpit it's not noticeable so a great solution for your 109. The gear is great and he looks the part, just wouldn't win the lovely legs comp at the officers mess maybe

For our pilot in the tropics we positioned the arms in the bent pose by putting him into a 3D model of the cockpit then cut the arm in that position. It is still movable from from the shoulder so can go forward and back or in and out from the body. Most of the pilots are well covered though, more often than night done up like Mitchellin men!

cheers
Patti

Brad,

At least now he looks like he has been dieting but the skin just hasn't caught up with the the weight loss. And he has knees that look fairly realistic, not like the typical toy knee. You need to put him on an exercise program to tighten/tone up the legs and get back in shape so he can win "the lovely legs comp at the officers mess ".

Patti - Your full body forms look much better than those stuffed stacks they have been using in Europe for the Glider Pilots. And it goes without saying your heads have "real expression" unlike that stupid smile that those same Glider pilots have

One other thought I've had in the past for making the skin look presentable was to use a skin coloured stocking or lycra fabric and make a tight stocking for the legs and arms. I don't know if this would eliminate the wrinkles though, the body was designed as an armature to hang the clothing on rather than a lovely legs comp I still think for the purpose of your cockpit it looks great.

John, I've never been a fan of stuffed sacks! These guys have real booty

cheers
PAtti

it really finish's off the look nicely when you have a good looking pilot in the seat Brad.
looks GREAT !!.

Steff.

A belated happy New Year to everyone, I can hardly believe that November was my last posting! The lead up to Christmas was really busy and I was trying to finish off pilot orders and get them sent out. Katherine was almost burnt out with the sewing along with the end of year committments to her dancing which takes her priority. I decided that I was going to take a couple of months off from pilots and layup a P-47 for myself from the moulds Richard has made and get it painted and flying. Then for some reason, pilot orders and enquiries just went nuts! Maybe people had time over Christmas to sit and search?

I couldn't get anyone else interested in making them so I made the decision to commit to them. I've done so much ground work I just wouldn't like to see them die off. Having made the commitment I'm really enjoying it again and have a gaggle (or should it be a flock?!) of heads in the wings to create.
I now contract Katherine just to sew and pay her straight away for her work, that keeps her motivated and it really is a huge help having that part of it done while I create new heads, uniform patterns, accessories and paint heads, make bodies, cast bits.....

I've done a couple of Germans in 2 different sizes - based on Erich Hartmann and Adolf Galland. I've decided not to spend months trying to get the likeness absolute, rather, base it on someone and turn out lots of interesting faces, not wax museum look alikes. I enjoy it more not stressing over it too. I'm not all that keen on Hartmann with his flying cap, I'm so used to seeing him with the service cap so perhaps I'll go back at a later date and put some hair on him and add the service cap.

The little ones pictured are the 1/5 crossed with our 1/6 bodies. It makes a shorter pilot than the usual body based on the 6' tall male, but seated they are the 1/5 height from seat to top of head. The 1/6 clothing and accessories range fits the body but it has our 1/5 head. A sort of hybrid that seems to work well for a 1/5 cockpit. Sewing the leather jackets in 1/5 is very fiddly, I don't know how they manage such a beautiful job in 1/6!!

We've cut a 1/5 head of Frank Perego for the P-47 and have just recut that in 1/3 which I'm currently detailing and cleaning up before making the mould.

So it's onwards with the pilots this year and I'd really like to thank all of you for the amazing support and encouragement - and patience!!

cheers
Patti

Happy New Year to you and your family too Patti!

Hmmm... I put that unboxing video of your pilots with your contact info on YouTube at the end of September and it already has almost a thousand views.
I wonder if that could be causing a rise in people contacting you.
You guy's do fantastic work so I'm not surprised that the word is spreading around.

Glad your sticking with it!

Cheers,

Dan

Steff, where'd you get that gimbal at for the control stick?
Did you make it or does someone sell that gismo?

I had to watch your video again, just love the detail and the movements.
Thats a cool song too!

Thanks,

Dan

Patti and Katherine,,,,,,, you rock!!!!!!!!!!!!

Us guys are so lucky to have people like you in this wonderful hobby.

All the best for the new year. Just remember, if it gets too hard or hot just take a step back but let everyone know.

Cheers,

Brad (almost ready for another order)

Hi Patti

is there any chance that you do a 1/6 scale german pilot?

all the best to you

C

Nearly 1000 hits Dan?! And I've only been there once, promise . No wonder I've got a list of 1/3 Cessna pilots to complete

Don't worry Brad, I've got organised now and New Year's resolution is no stressing! I even have a white board to keep track of everything. The postings may be a bit short though!

C - take a look back up the page a little - a couple of little Germans - Adolf Galland and Erich Hartmann. The heads are 1/5 but I'm sure we could cut them smaller for you We even have the 1/6 bodies now.
The new mill is fantastic and we've changed the wax recipe to make it a little harder which means less cleaning up.

We slipped out for a late afternoon fly yesterday and stayed until almost dark. Richard left the Spitty at home with the paint drying so he was having a go with my little Fly Baby. The moon was huge and rising and I managed to capture this amazing shot of the Fly Baby just kissing the moon.
http://bundabergaeromodellers.weebly...os-albums.html

cheers
Patti

Hi Dan, thanks.
Look up E-flite rotor head set for a blade CP & CP Pro, when you see the picture of it then look on the vid it will all fall into place how I did it.
Let us know if theres anything else I can help with...Cheers.

Hey Patti hope you guys had a great holiday period & all the best for the year.
Your picture is perfect & sums it for us manics & why we do it !.
Looks like you guys are going to be very busy this year eh !!, I aggree with Brad we are very lucky to have people like yourselves.
Almost due for the final cockpit install, & first engine run up last week , will keep you posted.
All the best to all.
Steff.

Happy New Year to you and the family. As one happy customer (see first picture), I would like to make sure I am in the queue for another (see second picture) to have something better than what is in the third picture.

Hello Patti

Could you put your web site in your signature. I would like to take a look.

Sorry Wayne - I thought I'd replied!

Cheers
Patti

Thanks

I'm afraid the website isn't much help, it's on my to-do-list to redo it - again!. I can set one up very easily using Weebly which is as simple as a desk top publisher and they will host it so I don't have to change the address. I'm looking forward to it because it's so simple! Simple is good when you're pushed for time

The new head of Frank Perego has just come out of the mould, it's 1/3 scale but I like him so much we're going to cut him in 1/4 and 1/5 as well! He had quite a history too - Col. Frank S. Perego 368th FG Commander from Nov. 1944 - Oct. 1945. He led the 395th FS on D Day in his P-47 "Slick Chick" and they were the first planes over the French coast. They were also the first Squadron to land on the Continent.

cheers
Patti

Awesome picture Patti. Good news all round from the 'Little people' front.

Cheers,

Brad

Hi Brad

Are you well tied down over there?! Cyclone Heidi is bearing down on Brad and about to blow Port Hedland around No flying today I'm guessing Brad.

cheers
Patti

Yes all good thanks Patti.
We are still on red alert so am doing craft stuff with my daughter. Mister Maker rules!!!!!!

Cheers,

Brad

Hi Patti, & all, the new pilots are looking great Patti.
I have finally finished my Zero Cockpit .....Really Stoked with the way it has turned out & your pilot finishes it off perfectly.
All parts working as I wanted plus an extra feature I decided to put in today functioning interior lamps !!.
Uploaded another vid on utube for you to check out.
Hope all is going well for all.
Cheers Steff


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvLYy...ature=youtu.be

That is just amazing, Steff!
After watching your last cockpit video I was inspired to try and make the two steering yokes on my 35% TMMY Cessna Skylane move in and out together as well as turning right and left.
I'll post a video if all goes well then maybe I'll try the pedals after that.

Thanks Seff.

Dan

Cool Dan, I will keep my eyes peeled for the progress.
Thanks for the kind words.
Cheers Steff.

Hey Steff, fantastic! I'm impressed how well the limbs move so freely too. Loved those lights.

cheers
Patti

Good work Steffan, awesome infact.
That pilot really looks rather fearsome as well.

Cheers,

Brad