Episode 234 and the boys chew the fat on the recent 48-48 build weekend and a whole lot of other stuff.

We also have the usual mailbag and of course the exciting Patreon wheel of fortune!

Don't forget to support the sponsor of our show Scott from the Scale Modellers Supply

https://www.scalemodeller.com.au/

Leave us a message, comment or even ask a question, we would love to hear from you! Write to Onthebench64@gmail.com.

If you would like to support our show please go to www.patreon.com/onthebench

MiniArt adds to their Mercedes 170V series with this Kfz.1 German troop carrier, type 170VK, in 1/35th scale. We look at the art, CADs, features real thing in our preview today...Read on... »

An anti-aircraft & mortar carrier halftrack are the two subjects on offer from Takom next month. We look at these two 35th scale Sd.Kfz 250's in CAD & the real thing...Read on... »

Takom's 350th Project 1123 Moskva-Class Aviation Cruiser is their latest seaborne release – we check out the details to see the features & a little on the real ships in our preview...Read on... »

This is Glencoe's rerelease of the 1958 Adams Vanguard rocket kit. The launch pad and 'crew' are identical to those in their Thor missile kit. The difference here is in the addition of the tower and the actual missile itself. The launch pad and tower are full of mold seams that need to be removed and you have to make sure everything fits before you paint it. The tower was pretty fiddly as it is in 11 pieces and the instructions aren't the clearest. But with care it actually went together rather easily. However, to get the inside painted, you need to paint the parts first before assembly, contrary to my usual practice. The decals went on nicely, but the color scheme is problematic. They give you decals for six different missiles and each one has a different scheme illustrated on the back of the box. The odd thing is that the colors called out in the instructions do not match any of these. Only six Vanguards were produced in reality, so I took some liberty and used the instruction colors to make one of the later missiles. In a brief interweb search I actually did find one photo of these colors in use, so I don't feel too bad. The launch pad and the one officer figure are fixed to the base, which I made, but the missile and tower are not to facilitate possible moving or storage. There should be some cables between the tower and the rocket but I couldn't put them in place and keep the rocket and tower removable so you'll have to use your imagination.

The Handley Page Hampden was a British medium bomber that entered service with the RAF in 1938 and served with some distinction until late 1942 as a bomber and 1943 as a torpedo bomber. Noted for its distinctive fuselage shape, earning it the nickname “The Flying Suitcase,” the aircraft was named for an English Parliamentarian of English Civil War fame.

Previously kitted mostly in 1/72 by several companies, this is the first mainstream IM kit in 1/48 of the Hampden (ignoring - if you can - the abomination that is the short-run FM kit…) and ICM are to be congratulated for their audacity in producing this unusual but worthy aircraft in this scale.

Scale Aircraft Conversions specializes in providing aftermarket/replacement landing gear made of white metal. This particular set is of the recently released 1/48 Hs 129 B-2/3 from Takom.

The set includes two main landing gear struts, four sets of brackets to mount the landing gear struts to the landing gear wheel well, a two-part tail wheel (yoke and spinner) plus a foot-rest to help the pilot to climb on the wing to board the cockpit.

All parts are straight drop-in replacement parts, so no modification should be necessary. You can see from the pictures the parts are very cleanly molded and formed, with no visible molding lines.

This particular set, contained in the familiar SAC blister packaging, is a perfect match for the SAC metal Landing Gear set 48472 for the F-35 C. See the excellent review by Rod Lees.

There are two parts — each representing the right and left-wing hinges. Upon inspection, no flash is detected, and they are cleanly cast. As with all SAC products, the pewter is pliable and can be adjusted as needed for a perfect fit. The two SAC parts are designed to replace kit parts EE39 and EE38, discussed in steps 61 and 62 within the Tamiya instructional guide.

After reading a well-worn copy of Thomas Gallagher’s book The X-Craft Raid, I have been fascinated by mini-subs and the missions they completed or attempted during the Second World War. Three X-craft were to sink the Tirpitz at her berth in Norway, and the mission was moderately successful in that they were able to damage the German battleship in such a way she was out of action until spring of 1944. I learned that many countries produced midget submarines during the war, and Mr. Bauernfeind’s book, Midget Submarines 1939–45 covers these craft comprehensively. Molch, Biber, Seehund (Germany), Kaiten, Ha Series, Kairyu (Japan), Type Ca, Type CC (Italy), X-Craft, XE-Craft, and Welman (United Kingdom); these and more are midget submarines examined in this new Casemate publication.

Ask's new P-51D Mustang in 48th with a whole bunch of extras (& a book) in a collected kit. Art (also a poster), resin, decals, colours, plastic, and masks are just the start of this limited edition kit we look at in our preview...Read on... »

A simple lunch-break experiment turns into a genuine “wait, what just happened?” moment: we take AI prompting seriously, generate photorealistic figure concepts for a WWII Eastern Front diorama, and push that workflow toward a printable 3D result. The speed is exciting, the pitfalls are real, and the implications for scale modeling feel closer than most people think. We talk through what worked, what broke during iteration, and why details like hands and equipment accuracy still matter if you care about believable miniatures and historical modeling. 

Before we get nerdy, we’re also in full HeritageCon mode. We share practical travel prep, the registration warning you do not want to learn the hard way, and the kind of listener meetups that make model shows the best part of the year. Listener mail and DMs bring in great topics too: Mission Models paint solutions, custom decal experiences, 1/72 SA-2 and Patriot missile system kit leads, new tools for the hobby room, and a reminder that great customer support still sets the best companies apart. 

From there, we widen the lens to inspiration and momentum. We compare the pull of books, period photos, model show tables, and conversations with other builders, then pivot into our benchtop updates, including scratch-built hardware fixes, 3D print “can’t live with it” corrections, and a quick faves-and-yawns scan of new releases and accessories. 

If you’re into plastic model kits, dioramas, 3D printing, AI-generated miniatures, and the future of the hobby, hit play and join the conversation. Subscribe, share the episode with a modeling friend, and leave us a review so more builders can find the show.

Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
Patreon
Buy Me a Beer
Paypal

Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.  

MiniArt's accessories sets continue with interesting items that we could have only had in resin in the past. We look at their field communications unit in our preview...Read on... »

Any idea when the next IPMS Journal will go to press? Jan/Feb. 2026?

Kotare Models introduces a second, limited-edition numbered photo reconnaissance Spitfire in 1/32nd scale. The Mk. I PR Type B kit. Art, CADs, history & feature set in our preview...Read on... »

HobbyBoss issued a new and more modern F-111 kit a while back (2010 I think) replacing the aging Academy kits. It had a lot of features and for styrene, a decent but simplified cockpit. It was missing seat belts, detail on the instrument panel and other parts. Reskit for Kyiv, Ukraine to the rescue with a magnificent, highly detailed multimedia cockpit. Opening the box, there are 42 3D printed parts, 4 injection molded parts (the canopy and windscreen), a masking set and a fret with dozens on photoetched parts. Preparation starts by removing the supports on the 3D parts. I warmed mine a little with a hair dryer and used a hobby knife and sprue nipper and the part were free quickly. I used a sanding stick to remove any nubs and we were good. One note here, there are instructions to assemble and build the seats and add photoetch belts.

April is stacked with model shows, but not all scale model contests feel the same once you walk into the room. We line up three very different events and get into the details that actually matter when you’re deciding where to spend a Saturday: when doors open, when registration closes, what judging looks like, how strong the vendor room is, and what you can do while the judges are working.

First stop is the Roscoe Turner Invitational outside Indianapolis in Lebanon, Indiana. It’s a big traditional IPMS-style one-two-three show with the familiar spread of categories, a serious vendor hall, great onsite food, and special awards that fit the region. There you can enjoy a figure painting seminar hosted by Bret Avants.  We also talk about a smart operational idea that judges love: using shared plastic bases so staff can move models without touching your build.

Then we jump time zones to CoMMiesFest in Golden, Colorado, where the vibe is relaxed but the planning is sharp. They rebuilt their judging workflow into a browser-based system that runs on your phone, added fun theme and specialty awards, and packed the day with seminars, demos, seating, and a food truck to keep people engaged instead of disappearing during judging. If you care about sci-fi modeling, Gunpla, minis, and a show that’s trying to welcome adjacent hobby communities, you’ll want to hear how they’re approaching it.

We wrap in Northern California with the Wine Country Model Expo in Petaluma, which leans into open judging and an exhibition-style layout that groups each modeler’s work together so conversations happen naturally. Add seminars, raffles, a charity silent auction, and a post-show social gathering, and you’ve got a blueprint for where “model show culture” might be headed.

If you enjoy Model Show Spotlight, subscribe, share this with a modeling buddy, and leave us a review so more builders can find it.

Brought to you by... The World of Armor

Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
Patreon
Buy Me a Beer
Paypal

Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.  

Special Hobby has several releases slated for March. Some new, some (re)newed. See them in our preview...Read on... »

Once again IPMS USA provides our thanks to Ross at SAC for providing us one of his gear sets to use and review! In this case, it is a skid set for the New(er) Trumpeter UH-1B

This new Huey from Trumpeter kit is a mixed bag; Glad to have it but it needs work. The eagle-eyed among us will note the underside of my first one is being heavily redacted/sanded. That’s because the company appears to have researched the kit using a combat veteran complete with a bunch of battle-damage repair patches. They all need to go for a new bird.

I mentioned this a while back online and someone obviously within the company pretty strongly gave a “nuh-uh” answer and pointed to their photo references, a Huey from a museum, (I’ll bet somewhere in Vietnam) who made the assertion the panels were always there.

Hi ! Here another project I have done in the past , those are alla scratch built except for the MONOGRAM bomb trolley , if you like to view more pics of them , Just follow this Google link : https://photos.app.goo.gl/DeL9YyyGUW6qSDhY7 Enjoy ! Jmarc

Yep. as a Medusa collector a friend got me this lil one. I'm guess it's it's based on a 75mm size. Nothing special about the build. I "had to" change the base, and it's the first time I tried a free hand marble look. Thanks for looking. All done>