This project was challenging.  A friend of mine gave me a 1:700 Hasegawa Akagi for Christmas last year. I have a section on my website I call "The Battle of Midway in 3D." When I got the Akagi, I envisioned a "scale model" Midway diorama kinda' like the Bismarck "Swordfish attack" diorama I did some time ago.

Hobby Lobby had a 1/2 price sale on scale models this Spring. I snagged a 1:48 Accurate Miniatures "Coral Sea" Dauntless. I needed pilots for my Dauntless so I used some U.S. Navy pilots that I bought last year. I did have to break their legs and use a lot of putty to shape them so they could fit into the AM Dauntless (I think they were Verlindin pilots).

I started on the Dauntless about a month ago. Making one last run to the garage for a blast of dullcote, it divebombed my kitchen floor. The damage wasn't too bad but some of the fantastic AM cockpit detail parts are still rattling around inside the plane.

Konley

See more images on my website    http://home1.gte.net/konman/index.html

P.S. I won a 1:700 Japanese destroyer on eBay that I may add to the scene watching the carnage on the Akagi. I didn't think I'd like making a 1:700 scale ship but it is a fun build - I can see why modelers enjoy building in this scale and creating at sea dioramas.