Aesthetic Brown Panther

I sometimes like to … well, ...study? -No, focus is a better word. Focus on the aesthetics of an aircraft. I pick a neutrally coloured piece of paper, like grey or brown and assemble a printed model inside out, so you are left with just the shape. The only thing I more or less accentuate is the cockpit. I think you can appreciate the actual shape of the plane better without all the colours, panel lines, roundels and buzz numbers. I did so with the DH.88 Comet racer (without the engine pods) and I also tried it with the Westland Whirlwind fighter (now with the engine pods). I now built the Grumman F9F Panther.

 

I first thought the paper would be kind of unforgiving because it really was on the thicker side and quite sturdy but that wasn’t the case. it actually was easy to cut and it glued quite well. 

Here you can see the model actually is built inside out.

And here the shape of things to come.

For this effect, I printed the model on regular paper @101% and used the canopy part as a
template on an unused bit of brown card. Then I just glued it over the original canopy part.

The main problem was the not-so-good fit of this older Fiddler’s green model I had laying around. In the end it turned out nice enough to add to the collection but it isn’t the best I could do. I only built it in a couple of hours, so I don’t really mind. These builds are sketches, studies after all, and I do really like the end result. 

I certainly like the aesthetics of the Grumman Panther. Way more than its semi-successor with swept wings, the Cougar. The way those straight wings of the Panther blend back into the fuselage looks so right to me. In general, there is something with those early Grumman jets that really looks aesthetically pleasing.
Taking away the dark blue and all the signage on the plane just leaves you with the pure shape of the plane and then it is, in my opinion, more about the shape than anything else.

I usually use embossing tools to get curves into shape. Nowadays I found a shammy underneath is ideal to get more effect. This brown card however, was sturdy and a little reluctant to become rounded.

I am not really a fan of petaled pointy bits. it is always hard to get them to fit snugly and nicely next to one another. But in this one it looks okay, apparently. Especially the nose. Well, anyway, not much more commentary to add to this one. here’s the result:

 

 All right, I have another funny one for you soon.

 Stay tuned. And safe.

--PK

 

 

 

Update on PK.

Although I have a love-hate relationship with printers, I need one for this hobby.

A week ago, my printer, which miraculously survived my last rage attack, acted up again with fake paper jams and it couldn't be convinced of the fact it really didn't have a paper jam. I only have so much patience. And I only have so much respect for machines. And my hatred against printer companies is bigger than the appreciation I could have for the good prints this machine had given me over the last seven years. I actually was surprised I had the machine for that long. It might have been at the end of its life anyway. But apart from the prints still being all right (when the machine was in a good mood) it caused me mre and more trouble. So...
This time I actually DID kill the machine. I had a bit of an aggressive approach to the poor bugger and I destroyed the paper tray. And tore the lid off of the machine. It now is dead and it soon will be brought to its last resting place, the scrapyard.

Its successor has been ordered today.

I asked my friends over at Papermodelers.com for some advice. I can't and I won't recommend any printer myself, except I strongly advise not to buy an HP at any cost at any time and avoid them like the plague.
I used to have a Brother all-in-one with a paper feed thing on top I never used, now there will be an Epson all-in-one on the way. Without that paper feeder on top but with built-in ink tanks. No cartridges any more. I really am curious how much money that will save me in the end. And whether this printer will work for seven years. We'll see.

For now, I have something I will show you next week or so, and I started another build which turned out to be a disappointment because the fit was afwul and some part were just not goming together like they should. So I stopped that one.
I was thinking about building a big fantasy rocket which was part of my alternative history story of the Netherlands but then I thought about where to put it and what the use was of creating something that big. So, no. for the tim ebeind, those models will only exist in text.

Anything else? I am a little occupied with my regular day job. Since the filming business dried up, I took a job as a film archivist at the provincial archives in the neighbouring province. Something I actually really like and something that ticks a lot of boxes in what I like to do anyway. But it takes a lot of time, although I only work for three days and a bit. I do not have all the energy I had before to dedicate my free time to paper stuff. I picked up reading books again, though.

I've read Iain Banks' novels The Wasp Factory, Walking on Glass and Canal Dreams. And now I am reading Daisy Jones and the Six. I might fill you in on that one later. I can tell you, I do like the accompanying album to the TV series which was made from the story. I will wait with that until I have finished the book.

Ayways, now you know all about what I do and where I am nowadays. I will chime in soon with hopefully some positive news on that printer.

Until then.

--PK

**UPDATE**

I have connected my new printer. I was surprisingly light compared to its predecessor. Must have been because of not having the paper feeder on top. Filling the reservoirs was easy,  just like linking the machine to my network.
it is noisier than the Brother. But the prints are good. Nice sharp and crisp colours.

Now let's see how long the ink will last.