Can you make airfix-style models?

[yambabe]

the last time I tried was in about 1976, it was a Spitfire (cos people kept buying them for my brother and I didn't see why I couldn't do one just cos I was a girl) and it was VERY wonky by the time I'd finished!

Anyway, after much searching I finally managed to get a 1/12 model kit of a Zephyr which I need to be part of the table decor at our wedding in a couple of months time.

I was expecting the "kit" to be most of the parts, largeish size, that would just snap together and voila! a model of my bike.

Not so. It's loads and loads of tiny bits on plastic "sheets" that will need painting, glueing and all sorts of fiddly things. Looks just like that long-forgotten spitfire in fact.

So I need hints, tips and advice please. How do I put one of these buggers together and have it come out looking remotely like it's supposed to? Will it be hours of painstaking effort? Are there ANY foolproof shortcuts? At what stage do I paint the erm paintwork, before or after assembly? Should I try to find a handy teenage boy who will no doubt be able to do it in a trice? Shall I just change my table decor ideas?

Eeek...........
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Hetzer]

It very much depends on how good you want it to look. It's not the kind of kit I'd ever recommend for a beginner, and you'll need to spend money on at least basic equipment, ideally to include an airbrush (very not basic at all ) because hand-brushing will be less than ideal. You're also going to have issues with the glue, unless you're a natural, because it'll squeeze out of seams and mar the surfaces.

To be brutal you have three options:

a) Do it yourself but it'll look pants.
b) Give it to somebody experienced to do.
c) Don't do it, buy a die-cast one instead.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[yambabe]

Not found a die-cast one anywhere yet (and I have been looking - reckon they make zephyrs and intruders out of rocking-horse poo rather than metal to be honest) cos the original plan was to have a 1/18 on the cake.

Hence buying the kit cos at least I would have something, but you have pretty much confirmed what I thought when I opened the box so I reckon option b) is my best bet.

Now who to ask.......

Or maybe i could just put some cutout photos glued to cardboard on the table?
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Hetzer]

Is it really that important that you have it?
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[ms51ves3]

[Hetzer]

Yeah, I guess it was a stupid question, having re-read the bit about "after much searching".
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[yambabe]

I'd kind of set my heart on it, cos after all the bikes were pretty much what got us together in the first place all those years ago and are something that we still enjoy doing both together and apart.

So a truthful answer would be that no, on the grand scale of things it's not that important. But it is to me if that makes sense?
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Hetzer]

[Skudd]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTORBIKE-Ornament-Swarovski-Crystal-24K-Gold-NEW-/160532020130?pt=UK_Art_Glass&hash=item2560743ba2
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTORBIKE-Ornament-Swarovski-Crystal-Silver-Plate-NEW-/160524396345?pt=UK_Art_Glass&hash=item255fffe739
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/unpainted-ceramic-bisque-motorbike-/310289136749?pt=UK_PotteryPorcelain_Glass_PotteryPorcelain_China_SM&hash=item483eac7c6d
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Build-Model-American-Touring-Motorbike-Wooden-3D-Kit-/150548609034?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item230d65780a
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kawasaki-ZEPHYR-X-kai-Aoshima-1-12-30707-/170523723861?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item27b4018855

Some are look-a-likes that can be painted up or give the impression of the bike.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Im-a-Ridah]

I couldn't put that much effort into an aerospace project that didn't have some practical purpose. It needs to fly, or have some functional purpose other that looking pretty, for me to want to do it

[Hetzer]

[Tarmacsurfer]

Yambabe, having seen Hetz's tank thread then I'd say take his hand off at that offer. Metaphorically of course, before any comedians chime in.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[Ichy]

I agree, Hetz has shown some really nice models. This is the Virago I'm building. They look more complicated than they are in fairness, I reckon that's about 4-5 hours with about 2-3 hours to complete? Personally I'd be more concerned on how I was going to ship the completed model.

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Handsome]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWASAKI-Zephyr-1100-DieCast-Model-Heavy-black-RARE-/260600649773


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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Hetzer]