Model dinosaurs

[Steve Jackson <sj@io.com>]

Bill wrote:

>My latest batch of dinos and other creatures, which I am painting now, are
model kits from Tamiya (I think that's the name).  These are cheap too,
but I've found a disadvantage is that there are hairline gaps between the
bits I've glued together.  I used very little glue; if I'd used more I
think I would have left blobs.

I am working on some of the Tamiya kits in my copious free time. I agree
with you about the fit of the pieces. I have heard from other modelers that
Tamiya, in general, is good about producing close-fitting pieces. I don't
want to see the bad ones. I'm spending a lot of time filling cracks with
putty and trying to duplicate the skin texture.

The newer "diorama" series from Tamiya seems to be fairly accurate, in my
layman's eyes. Their "Velociraptors" are about twice as big as they should
be (they sell them as 1/35 scale; I'd call them 1/20) and their
interpretation of T. rex is out of the mainstream, but overall a good
effort. They go to great lengths to offer a variety of ideas for paint
schemes on the box. Some year, when I get these finished, I will write a
review and offer it to an appropriate publication.

Tamiya's older stand-alone dinosaur kits are not as impressive, either
scientifically or in terms of model quality..



 Steve Jackson - yes, of SJ Games - yes, we won the Secret Service case
  Learn Web or die - http://www.sjgames.com/ - dinosaurs, Lego, Kahlua!
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