Author: Aaron Skinner

Editor

Aaron has been making models of one kind or another since he was six and built his first model — a race car of some sort put together with help from his grandfather. He grew up in Australia and graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane with a degree in journalism and history. After moving back to the United States in 1994, Aaron worked as a reporter and photographer for newspapers in Texas and Arkansas, before joining the FSM staff in August 2006. He will build anything that grabs his fancy, particularly commercial airliners, Russian armor, and anything science fiction.

Improving aircraft with resin details

Some kits don’t provide a lot of detail inside a cockpit beneath a big canopy. Luckily, for those airplanes just begging for more interior detail, there are aftermarket resin parts that can take a model from mediocre to magnificent. Associate Editor Aaron Skinner demonstrates how to effectively use aftermarket resin details on Tamiya’s 1/48 scale…

By Aaron Skinner April 1, 2012
Learn to use photoetched metal

Photoetched metal is a great addition to modeling because, after everything’s said and done, metal looks like metal. Compared with sheet steel or aluminum on a full-size vehicle, thing brass or stainless steel performs exactly the same in scale. Editor Aaron Skinner teaches you how to cut, bend, and shape photoetched metal to add detail.

By Aaron Skinner April 1, 2012
Using Future for decaling

By now, most of us know what Future is, and its myriad uses in modeling. Associate Editor Aaron Skinner shows you how he uses it to prepare a model for decals. In addition to airbrushing Future, he touches on a couple of other techniques, too.

By Aaron Skinner April 1, 2012
Post-shading

Associate Editor Aaron Skinner spent years trying to get his paint smooth and even, only to discover the model looked smooth and even, but not necessarily lively. Washes and dry-brushing helped, but it wasn’t until he began to use post-shading that his models became more dynamic. Here’s how he does it.

By Aaron Skinner April 1, 2012
Moebius Models ‘Battlestar Galactica’ 1/32 scale Cylon Raider

Moebius Models’ 1/32 scale “Battlestar Galactica” Cylon Raider plastic model kit is molded in taupe plastic and features deep panel lines and solid locators. Clear plastic provides the scanner lens and internal detail for the thrusters.

By Aaron Skinner March 8, 2012
NPRD One Shot: Takom Krupp Raumer & VsKfz 617

Opening the box of these 1/35 scale mine-clearing vehicles

By Aaron Skinner January 6, 2012
LifeColor Paints

LifeColor paints come in 22ml (approximately 3/4-ounce) plastic bottles with screw-top lids. There are more than 50 colors in the basic range, coded with the prefix LC. Another group, coded as UA, is keyed to established camouflage colors covering commonly modeled subjects and has more than 300 colors.

By Aaron Skinner January 1, 2012
December 2011

By Aaron Skinner, Bill Plunk, Carl Knable, John C. Backenstross December 1, 2011
Pegasus 1/144 “War of the Worlds” Alien Tripod

Molded in light gray plastic, Pegasus Hobbies’ 1/144 scale Alien Tripod is based on the CGI illustrations from the 2005 movie. The parts represent the vehicle very well, with a mix of fine and deep engraved panel lines.

By Aaron Skinner November 29, 2011
November 2011

By Aaron Skinner, Dennis Gerber, Mark Hembree, Raúl Corral November 1, 2011