Another quiet day at the studio. In a way this is our summer vacation and the slump we always get this time of year. Still I pulled a Seemore from the mold. These guys have been popular lately. Nice thick casting from the new rubber I picked up from Burman industries. Seems the rubber has been improved over the past batches.
Today he gets prepped for painting and tomorrow he will be painted and finished.
I worked on adding landing gear to a small BF-109 I’ve been flying for years. There was no gear for it and I just hand launched it at the park. Now that I have a runway I decided to put gear one her. I added a tail wheel too so she can taxi.
Then I went upstairs and worked some more on my new painting. It’s very rough and I have some much to do still but you can see what it’s shaping up to be. This is based on a cover of my favorite magazine, “The Flying Aces” newsletter. The all free flight old school Flying Aces Club which I’m a proud member of.
The original cover photo from WestFACS event in Arizona as reference
And that was the day. More painting today for me and a bit of model airplane. It’s a nice vacation.
First post in a while. It’s been slow at the studio.
I cast up a Seemore yesterday and shipped the Talosian.
The rest of the day I spent working on the Heinkel 112 project plane. This is a free flight plane and it has so many details yet to be added. Hoping to finish it in the next few days.
The RC BF-109 G in the background I have had for a few years and it’s RC. It flies great but now that I have a field and runway to fly from I’m installing landing gear.
As of this weekend I’ll have the grandchildren here so things will be sketchy and I’ll do what I can. They will be here for the next 2 weeks.
Still in the Summer slump but did get a rocket and a mask order in. It was quick work and got right back to my planes and painting.
Tired of working in dog hair, we have determined that Thursday is clean-up day. It is nice to have the place a little picked up for visitors on Fridays.
The Westfacs http://www.westernfac.com/ event is in October. I’ve been slowly working on this free flight plane, I managed, between the lines, to get the plane doped and assembled. Today I started airbrushing the paint job. This all takes time. I’ll be making decals printed on tissue and applying them. Adding wing filets. Canopy. panel lines, vents and exhaust all through next week.
This is the WW2 Heinkel 112 free flight model plane.
Another plane I’m working on was an old Guillows Corsair. This was given to me by Smith Brothers Hobbies.
It was brought in by someone and Dave at Smith Brothers thought I might like to have it. He was right. The kit was originally purchased in Mountain View Ca in 1985. The kit then was $39. Today, $158. Guillows still makes the kit.
The gentleman that started to build it, built the fuselage and center section of the wing but never finished it before he passed away. It sat in storage in a garage for over 35 years until it found its way to me.
It’s not big. It has a 30 inch wing span but these little planes fly very well. There were a lot of broken and missing parts but the plans were so extensive I was able to make new parts and install them successfully. I’m sure the man that started this kit would be happy to know about its new home and that it will fly the skies of Ventura soon.
The original receipt was in the box along with a card from the long gone hobby shop.
This Sunday I will test fly this. It’s been a heavy week of aviation but it never gets old. There’s just something about something that flies. Pure magic.
And I’m flying my P-51 Mustang this Sunday too. She’s a great flyer.
Next, it’s time to start a new sculpture-mask project. Right now it’s a good time to take advantage of the down-time to make new things to add to the store. I will be thinking about it all weekend.
I have clay, life masks and plaster to mold with and a whole bunch of rubber. I can’t make the Ghostbuster’s hand because of lack of materials that I would need to do so. (I will buy them when I get some orders in and my cash flow changes.)
Then there’s a nice plastic kit build I need to do – a few really. It’s been awhile and I have some really nice model kits people have given me over the years.
Last Sunday, I was at a birthday party for my dear friend Dr. Chris Landon in Ojai. While there, a print on canvas caught my eye on his wall and I asked about it. It was one of my favorite fond memory spots, Laguna Seca. One of the greatest and most beautiful race tracks in the world.
I wanted to know if I could get a copy and Chris handed it to me and said belated Happy Birthday. Well that was just wonderful and made my day-week. I just love this image. Then he gave me another. Also from Laguna Seca. These pictures were taken by Chris who is a great artist and photographer.
Both are on the wall over my personal slot car race track at home.
Mary was busy this week weaving and painting. She also sold a pastel of Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors – Thank you Angel! You can see Mary’s work at Art by Cacciapaglia please visit her site and subscribe. That wraps it up for this week. Have a great weekend. Do something fun and creative. Thank you for your support and love.
SNG Aero – Rockets by Steve Neill …and Mary on the web As always, feel free let us know if you want to be removed from our newsletter by emailing us. Share with friends if you think they would be interested in what we do. Comments and suggestions are encouraged. We love hearing from you!
These times are amazing times as always. So much joy and creativity that Mary and I enjoy every day. Sometimes I just have to mention it. Just being alive and being so fortunate is in of itself something to be eternally grateful for. Never take these precious moments of “right now” for granted. Make the most of them and create and bring joy into the world with every breath.
Yesterday I prepped the Talosian for painting today. I shipped orders and worked on my planes. Got a big day this Sunday with yet another maiden flight of a Kokker DVIII. There were many fine points to go over before she takes to the air.
I also worked on rocket kit parts and applied another coat of nitrate to the Heinkel 112 free flight model build.
I also worked on the 1985 Guillows F4U Corsair Model kit restoration and build. This kit was given to me by my friends at Smith Brothers Hobby Center in Reseda.
Original receipt found in the box And the card from the hobby shop long since closed.
https://www.smithbrothershobbycenter.com/ I have been going to their hobby store since 1978. This kit was brought in and given to them. It had been started years ago by a gentleman that had passed away. He never finished it and it was damaged. I removed the damaged parts and replaced them with new ones I made from scratch. I’m sure he would be happy to see this plane finished and flying in the sky. I hope he can see it. I thank him for the kit everytime I work on it.
I made this film last year. I wrote it before the news daily reports about the world’s climate crisis. Everywhere all over the planet nature is striking back and killing us off. Fires, floods, extreme weather increasing at breakneck speed. My Film warned about everything that is now coming true. That’s the nature of artists, science fiction writers, and filmmakers. It’s the only power we have.
All you have to do is listen and support the efforts of intelligent people trying to save the future of our children and grandchildren.
Greed, war, and hate will not. It’s all or nothing. All the other world problems are secondary if we don’t have a planet to live on in the first place.
If you watch the film remember the actual ending is after the credits.
The Golden Age Reproductions Heinkel 112 is coming along slowly. I did get the airframe doped with nitrate and it tightened up well but with the high humidity we are currently experiencing she’s sagging a bit.
Next step is to airbrush RLM green and camouflage . Then I’ll assemble the airframe and add the wing filets. I’m building this plane for the mass WW2 launch at the WestFACs event in October.
It’s amazing building this old Guillows Corsair. Looking through the box I found the original receipt and a card from the hobby shop it was purchased from in 1985 in Arizona.
The man that started the build did a good job but sadly he passed before he could finish it. It had been shoved away in a box with the built center section and fuselage. It sat for many years before it found its way to me. Thank you Smith Brothers Hobby Center for giving me this model!
There were a lot of broken parts in the center section. Thankfully the plans show all the parts to scale and I was able to cut new parts that fit perfectly.
There’s some about restoring and or completing work once done so that it will fly one day. I’m making this 4 channel, electric and fixed gear. I want to keep it very light. I hope wherever the gentleman is he can see this plane being finished and flown. Whoever you were, thank you kindly for this model. I’ll take good care of her.
The Art of Steve Neill 