FineScale Modeler 11 2004

Hobby manufacturers are facing an increasingly complicated legal hurdle in the production of new kits: licensing. A license is an agreement between a company owning a property and one that wants to create a product with the name, images or distinguishing marks of the property on it. For example, Playing Mantis, which produces "Star Trek" kits in its Polar Lights line, obtained a license to do so from Paramount (owned by Viacom). Companies that produce NASCAR models must be licensed by multiple entities, including NASCAR, the car owner, and every sponsor with a decal on the vehicle. The licensor wants to make sure its brand is displayed accurately and on the best product possible. Some want nothing more; others see licensing as a legitimate and lucrative revenue stream. In most cases, manufacturers have to pay for each license. Common licensing agreements stipulate the licensor gets a percentage of each kit sold and a guaranteed fee. Any fixed-term royalty agreements must be renewed as long as the kit is sold. According to industry sources, licensing costs vary widely. Ed Sexton, Revell-Monogram's senior manager of product development, says, "The cost of a license depends on the royalty percentage rate that is calculated on the wholesale price of the product." That rate can be as low as 1% and as high as 20%.

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Model Magazine International 04 2006

On the hull top all moulded bolts were removed with a scalpel, because reference material shows that these need to be recessed. To represent this feature I used a beading tool, gently pushing the tool on the model to create small recessed circles. The loaders hatch was a bit too narrow and was widened with some plastic strip. The commanders hatch was completely replaced with thinner plastic card and hinges from the Aber detail set. The small hatch in front was thinned with a scalpel and a file to bring it to scale. The same procedure was used on the rear of the left side cover panel (C17). The hatches on the rear deck (C11) need a bit of sanding back to make them fit properly. I also glued a piece of strip along the inner edge of the opening in the hull, and this was also done on the small hatch for the periscope. On the rear deck the moulded upstanding triangles need to be cut off as these do not feature on the Stug III B. Also the half moon shaped guides for the towing ropes had the moulded detail carefully removed with a scalpel and were refined to take some Aber parts. Before closing the hull I painted the interior matt black to prevent any unwanted reflections.

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Model Magazine International 11-12 2002

Many, if not most modellers use airbrushes, but even if you don't, we all use paints and glues that can generate strong and often toxic fumes. If these vapours and paint dusts are allowed to build up in a work room they can affect your health, so it's important to ventilate the work area in an effective manner. Opening a window is a good start, having a cross flow of fresh air is better, but the best method to breathe easy when modelling is to have an effective extractor that actively draws away the fumes and paint overspray. Years ago at TMMI, we used an improvised system that consisted of an old domestic extractor fan. two cardboard boxes and a length of tumble dryer exhaust hosing - this did the job but the fan was not isolated from combustible vapours, so a fire could possibly have resulted, obviously making this system not such a good idea.

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FineScale Modeler 07 2002

What does it take to build a spectacular diorama? Creative construction techniques for sure, but if your subject is the brutal war in Chechnya, you'll also need equally creative destruction techniques. Incredibly realistic battle damage is just one of the elements that brings Bruce Teal's stunning Grozny diorama to life. Unable to forget the haunting images in television news reports, the visual effects designer decided to tell the Chechen conflicts story through the medium he knows best - a scratchbuilt diorama. He vividly depicts Russian soldiers hunting for a sniper hiding in a bombed-out building in Grozny. The sniper is well-camouflaged, but if you examine the photos carefully, you'll see him. Bruce began by checking drawings tor buildings similar to those in Grozny. He built the base structure from foam board and covered it with gypsum paste, which he sculpted to the final shape. When the plaster was dry, he painted it with a base coat of light gray Polly Scale acrylics.

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