Control Line: Scale
Bill Boss 77-06 269th Street New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Scale Modeling for Fun — David Dulaitis, Sunny Hills, FL
David Dulaitis enjoys scale modeling for the fun of it. Based on our correspondence, Dave would like to enter some of his scale models in competition, but there is little or no CL activity in his area of northern Florida. He even reports that his local hobby shop owner had never seen a CL model until Dave brought his.
At present Dave has a fleet of seven scale models, most built to a scale of 1 in. = 1 ft. and all equipped with throttle control. His fleet includes:
- B-26 (photo featured in my September 1988 column)
- Corsair (made from a Sterling kit)
- Junkers Ju-188
- Fiat CR.20
- Ansaldo A.120
- Anbo IV
- Anbo VIII
The Fiat, Ansaldo, and the two Anbo models are finished in Lithuanian Air Force colors — Lithuanian schemes are Dave’s specialty. Dave was born and raised in Lithuania and lived near the main base of the Lithuanian Air Force, which sparked his interest. Except for the Corsair (the Sterling kit), all of Dave’s models are scratchbuilt from his own construction drawings.
Dave notes the Lithuanian Air Force operated roughly 30 different aircraft types and used various color schemes and insignia over time. The color schemes shown on his models represent specific time periods and should not be taken as single “standard” colors or insignia. Dave has been collecting three-views, photos, and other data for years; if you’re building a model in Lithuanian Air Force colors and need help with insignia or color-scheme research, he may be a helpful contact.
With no local CL activity, Dave flies his models in a flying circle he built in his own backyard. He lives in a new development with only a few homes and removed a number of trees from his property to make the circle — a great way to keep enjoying the hobby. If you’re enjoying CL scale model building “for the fun of it,” consider sending a few words about yourself and your projects, and a couple of photos for the column.
Helpful Hints — Dennis Patera, Olympia, WA
Micro-Mesh (scratch removal and polishing)
- Product name: Micro-Mesh.
- Use: Removal of scratches and restoration of surfaces on clear and colored acrylics. Commonly used to restore full-size aircraft windshields, but also suitable for model canopies and spinners, plastic furniture, instrument dials, watch crystals, and resin items (fiberglass-reinforced epoxies, polyesters, sports car bodies, synthetic marble/tile).
- How it works: A series of cloth-backed, cushioned abrasives that shave smoothly rather than scratch or abrade.
- Example: Dennis used Micro-Mesh to restore the visor on an Air Force helmet collectible.
- Info/contact: Micro-Surface Finishing Products, Box 818, Wilton, IA 52778.
Drill-powered wood lathe (Sears catalog item)
- Description: A wood-turning lathe powered by an electric drill held in the headstock by a band-type mounting clamp. Headstock has leveling adjustment; tailstock slides along tubular rails, has leveling feature and adjustable tool rest.
- Capacity: Accepts a turning piece up to 16 in. long and 3 1/4 in. in diameter.
- Mounting: Entire mechanism mounted on a 3/8-in.-thick, 6 x 30-in. fiberboard for easy storage.
- Uses: Making balsa engine cowlings, cowl rings, wing tanks, bomb bodies, and similar model parts.
- Price/catalog: About $24.99; catalog-order-only item, Catalog No. 9 HT 6555C. Catalog effective through January 31, 1989 — check the current Sears catalog if ordering after that date.
35mm photography for color and detail documentation
- Purpose: Copy color pictures or drawings from books and magazines without destroying the originals, for use in scale model presentations and color documentation.
- Equipment: A 35mm single-lens-reflex camera (or a friend’s). Macro-focusing feature is especially useful for close-up copies.
- Technique: Use built-in flash or good lighting, try different exposures, and include a fingertip or other skin tone in the frame to judge color fidelity. Having skin tone present helps when asking a printer for color adjustments (for example, correcting excess red).
- Processing preference: Kodachrome processing recommended by Dennis for color print reproduction.
Address Correction
Scale Model Research (correct address): Scale Model Research 2334 Ticonderoga Way Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Contact / Send Contributions
Please send ideas, comments, and especially photos of CL Scale activity to me at the address listed above.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
