Runway Models

03/21/2026

Modeling ADHD is when you have a dozen started projects, all abandoned or shelved at some point, only to start or come back to another. It’s draining, frustrating, and unproductive.

Chasing the high of a fresh start can be fleeting. Enthusiasm wanes; why struggle through sanding and rescribing seam/ panel lines when I can just open a new box and start fresh? This one will be different, I tell myself. The feeling of a fresh start is greater than the feeling of a finished work.

And then you have a shelf full of airframe carcasses, a boneyard, a reminder of your inability to complete what you start. The stash grows, the boneyard fills up, and the frustration builds.

What’s the cure? Is this normal? Is there hope?

What strategies have you used to keep the flow going?

On a side note, I returned to one of the most fun kits I’ve ever built. Tamiya 1/48 F-4B Phantom II. The kit is superb, and elevated with a bit of Quinta Studios 3D decals for cockpit decals. Incredible!

02/25/2026

A big snowstorm hit us so I decided to take a little break from the Corsair and work on this P-51 cockpit from Eduard. It’s a 3D-Printed cockpit, and as such the detail is just incredible. The only problem I had was the radio rack frame was super thin and tiny and very easy to break.

Unfortunately for this method of production to work there are print lines on the parts and dry-brushing really makes them pop out, but that’s the trade off for all that detail.

It was painted using MRP and SMS acrylic lacquers via airbrush, and details were brush painted with Ammo Atom paints. Washes were done with oils.

One little detail I added was the “US Army Air Force’s” stencil on the floatation device in the pilot seat. This was a leftover stencil from the spares bin. Seatbelts are photo-etched steel.

Oh, by the way, did I mention this was 1/72 scale?!

02/21/2026

A small/ big update with the Corsair for the hosted by Luftraum/72.

I have completed the engine. I decided not to add wires because I couldn’t find any of my thin wires and I wanted to finish this model at some point soon! So a few expedient choices were made.

I also decided to go with folded wings. Tamiya does an excellent job in the detail department, but the lateral forces in the wing spars do worry me a bit when I transport the model to shows (wishful thinking on my part). I also think it will look super cool with wings folded on a wooden carrier deck base from Bases By Bill- again planning for the future.

Still no real blue sprayed yet, but we are supposed the get a massive snowstorm in the latter portion of the weekend, so winter is still coming!

As always, enjoy your builds all 🙂

-Jon

02/10/2026

Time to tuck away this gem of a cockpit. Tamiya nailed the complex, floorless cockpit of the Corsair. Hopefully my basic painting skills did it justice. On to the big parts!

02/08/2026

Pretty much wrapping up the cockpit. Other than the seat with integral belts, everything is as it comes from the box. The seat is a resin cast with seatbelts from Barracuda Studios and is very nice. I painted it with Tamiya khaki, gave it some highlights with Tamiya buff, and a wash of starship filth. The headrest was brushed with buff oil paint.

After the oils dry, a Matte coat will be applied, and then final assembly can commence. If you like the Corsair, fun builds, and/or the Corsair, this is the kit for you.

02/07/2026

My plan was originally a Magic Factory 1/48th Corsair. Well, things didn’t go as plans as I seemed to have sealed up its wings BEFORE adding integral sidewalls for the wheel well. Whoops.

So, to pivot, I will be building Tamiyas superb 1/32 F4U-1D. I originally got this kit from Frontline Model Kits & Hobbies in Staunton, VA, as a gift from my dad Bill Murphy and I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. This seems like the perfect time to begin!

So far I’ve assembled and base painted most of the cockpit components. As has been said, fit is perfect and detail is amazing. I added a Barracuda Cast seat with integral seatbelts for added detail.

Still wrestling with if I want to do wings up or down, or which scheme to do. Hope it’ll be done by the deadline!

02/03/2026

The cockpit floors of Mustangs were actually made of wood with a rubber coating overtop. To simulate where the pilots heels would be rubbing against the floor, I first painted the cockpit floor with a wood color, streaked it with oil paints for wood grain, and lacquered it with a clear orange paint. Then I used the hairspray technique to scrub off a rubber-black paint. Little details like this are not just fun to do, but add life, detail, and tell a harmonized story of how human and machine interact during wartime

01/31/2026

I’ll be partaking in this! Come join in on the fun!

Hey gang! It’s been a while, but I’ve finally been starting to get back to the bench with some regularity. I think it’s time to shake the rust off with a proper build, and at the same time, work on building connections.

To that end, I’m kicking off the Winter Blues Group Build — a low-key, community-oriented build to help us Northies (being a Northie not required, all are welcome) through what is often a dark, difficult, and isolating stretch of the calendar from a mental health perspective.

Grab something out of your stash, or pull a Queen off the shelf — so long as it’s blue — and get to work on it. Make it fun and low-stress, use it as an excuse to try new techniques, or as a relief valve alongside your serious projects. Along the way we’re going to look at ways to bring modellers together, and do what we can to bring a little light, colour, and camaraderie to this challenging stretch of the year.

Unless someone has a better idea (this is all new to me), I’ll create a FB group for the build to post your progress, updates, and final pics to. In the meantime, if you’re interested in taking part, drop a comment below.

01/30/2026

Welcome to Runway Models!

At Runway Models, the goal is simple:
help scale model aircraft builders get better.
This page is focused on education, shared knowledge, and respect for the history behind the aircraft we build.

Expect tutorials, breakdowns, references, and real-world modeling lessons—no gatekeeping, just learning.
Let’s build something great together!