Science Fiction Flavour

Category: Science Fiction

  • Tiger Moth

    Building Log: FineMolds Studio Ghibli Tiger Moth

    2 August 2026

    Today marks the 40th anniversary of Studio Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky (1986). To commemorate this milestone, I decided to build the FineMolds Tiger Moth, one of the memorable aircraft featured in the film.

    FineMolds has a well-earned reputation for producing highly detailed Studio Ghibli model kits, and the Tiger Moth is no exception. Although it appears to be a relatively small model, I soon discovered that there was much more to it than first meets the eye.

    Preparing the Parts

    After unpacking the kit, I found that the parts were moulded in three different colours: dark brown, light brown and grey.

    Before assembly, I airbrushed all the runners with Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 14 (Navy Blue) as a base coat.

    Once the base coat had cured, I weathered the different coloured runners separately. The darker brown moulded parts were weathered using Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 22 (Dark Earth), while the lighter brown moulded parts were weathered using Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 21 (Middle Stone). The grey moulded parts, which form the display stand, were weathered using Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 107 (Character White).

    Although these differences are subtle, they help create gentle variations in tone across the completed model.

    First Impressions

    When I first studied the instruction manual, I must admit that it looked rather intimidating.

    Several sub-assemblies appeared quite intricate, and unlike many modern snap-fit kits, this model also required the selective use of plastic cement. My initial thought was that I would need to spread the build across several modelling sessions.

    However, once construction began, my impression quickly changed.

    Assembly

    FineMolds engineered the kit exceptionally well.

    Many of the major structural components fitted together securely using snap-fit joints, while plastic cement was only required where additional strength or alignment was needed.

    The wing assembly only required a small amount of Tamiya Cement to secure the centre section.

    Within the passenger compartment, the interior walls were fixed into place with Tamiya Cement before the outer shell was assembled using a combination of snap-fit joints and cement where appropriate.

    The cockpit required a little more care. I used Tamiya Cement to secure the clear plastic windows before joining the two halves of the cockpit shell together.

    During this stage, I accidentally bent one of the delicate handrails. Thankfully it bent instead of snapping. I carefully returned it to its original position before using the opposite cockpit half to support it while the cement cured. Fortunately, the repair was successful and the handrail remained intact.

    The Rear Propeller

    One of my favourite moments during the build came when assembling the rear propeller.

    At first, I misunderstood the instructions and thought that each propeller blade had to be glued directly onto the small metal tubes. I was already considering buying super glue to secure everything in place.

    After studying the diagrams more carefully, I realised that the metal tubes were actually designed as spacers between the four propeller blades. A metal rod passes through the centre, holding both the blades and spacers together while automatically maintaining the correct spacing.

    To my relief, the entire propeller assembly required no glue at all.

    It was a simple yet clever piece of engineering that demonstrated the amount of thought FineMolds had put into the kit’s design.

    Final Assembly

    With the aircraft fully assembled, I applied the supplied waterslide decals.

    The decals settled down nicely and completed the appearance of the aircraft. At that point, the collection of individual parts finally came together as the Tiger Moth from Castle in the Sky.

    Final Thoughts

    Looking back, the biggest surprise was how different the actual build experience was from my first impression of the instruction manual.

    Although the instructions initially appeared quite daunting, the model itself proved to be logical, enjoyable and very well engineered. FineMolds combined traditional scale modelling techniques with thoughtful design, making good use of snap-fit construction while only requiring plastic cement where it genuinely benefited the build.

    The result is a model that rewards patience without becoming frustrating.

    Building this Tiger Moth has been a fitting way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Castle in the Sky. Four decades after the film’s original release, the aircraft imagined by Hayao Miyazaki continue to capture the imagination of modellers and aviation enthusiasts alike.

  • Power Loader

    Build Log: MODEROID 1/12 Power Loader (Good Smile Company)

    On 18 July 2026, the 40th anniversary of James Cameron’s Aliens (1986), I completed Good Smile Company’s MODEROID 1/12 Power Loader. It felt like the perfect occasion to finish and share a build of one of science fiction’s most iconic industrial machines.

    There are model kits that test your painting skills, and there are model kits that test your patience. The MODEROID 1/12 Power Loader managed to do both.

    Rather than building it straight out of the box, I decided to repaint the entire model. Every solid yellow moulded part was first airbrushed with Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 13 (Neutral Grey) as a base coat. The black moulded parts also received the same treatment before painting continued. The yellow armour was then weathered using Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 109 (Character Yellow), gradually building up a worn industrial appearance through multiple light applications.

    One thing I quickly learned was the sheer scale of the project. The kit contains a large number of parts, and simply preparing and painting them required considerable time before assembly could even begin.

    Assembly itself proved to be an enjoyable engineering exercise. Although several steps in the instruction manual recommended the use of glue, I found that the snap-fit design held together securely enough for my build.

    The most demanding stage came with the hydraulic tubing. The supplied black rubber tube had to be cut into multiple lengths before being routed throughout the Power Loader. Installing each section required patience, as previously connected tubes would occasionally detach while the next ones were being fitted.

    Another lesson came from the piston cylinders. Their orientation matters more than it first appears. If assembled incorrectly, routing the hydraulic tubes becomes significantly more difficult, with tighter bends and less room to manoeuvre. Correct alignment made the installation process much smoother.

    To complete the exterior, approximately thirty decals were applied. They add the finishing industrial touches without overwhelming the clean mechanical design.

    Looking back, this wasn’t simply a painting project. It was an exercise in mechanical assembly, problem-solving and patience. Every painted component, correctly aligned piston, carefully routed hydraulic tube and precisely placed decal contributed to transforming a box of plastic runners into one of science fiction’s most iconic industrial machines.

    Happy 40th Anniversary to Aliens. Here’s to four decades of one of cinema’s greatest science fiction classics, and to the remarkable machine that continues to inspire model builders around the world.

  • Darkstar

    Building the Bellfine 1/72 Darkstar from Top Gun: Maverick

    The Darkstar sequence from Top Gun: Maverick was one of the most memorable parts of the film for me, so I decided to pick up the Bellfine 1/72 scale kit and attempt a full painted build. Although the aircraft itself is fictional, its presentation in the movie blends futuristic aerospace styling with realistic experimental aircraft design, which made it an interesting project to work on.

    Initial Preparation and Painting

    The kit runners came moulded in black, white, and clear plastic. For the main body, I airbrushed the black and white runners using Mr. Hobby Mr Color No.18. The clear parts were left unpainted to preserve their transparency.

    After allowing the base coat to settle, I began masking selected areas using 5 mm masking tape. The highlighted sections were then airbrushed with Mr. Hobby Mr Color No.13 Neutral Grey. This helped break up the otherwise dark surface and introduced subtle tonal variation across the aircraft.

    The white sections were lightly weathered using Character White to reduce the stark contrast and give the aircraft a slightly more operational appearance rather than a factory-fresh finish.

    Assembly Process

    Once painting was completed, assembly of the main airframe proceeded relatively smoothly. The sleek fuselage and blended wing design captured the cinematic appearance of Darkstar very well once fully assembled.

    The landing gear, however, turned out to be the most delicate part of the project. The subassemblies had to be glued progressively in phases due to the small contact points and narrow support structures. I used Tamiya cement throughout the process, but even after curing, the assembled landing gear remained fragile under the weight of the completed aircraft.

    After completing the landing gear installation and photographing the model in its parked configuration, parts of the assembly began separating under load. To avoid further damage, I eventually removed the landing gear and decided to display the aircraft exclusively in flight mode.

    Display Solution

    One unexpected challenge was the absence of an included display stand. Since the Darkstar is visually better suited for an airborne presentation, I improvised by adapting a Bandai Action Base using the peg-type holder attachment.

    Although it was not specifically designed for this kit, the setup provided enough support for stable flight-mode display and photography. In the end, the airborne presentation arguably suited the aircraft more naturally than a grounded configuration.

    Decal Application

    Applying the water slide decals took approximately an hour. Once the decals had dried, I used a damp cotton bud to gently remove residual water marks and adhesive residue surrounding the decal edges. This helped the markings blend more cleanly into the painted surface and improved the overall finish of the model.

    Final Thoughts

    Despite some engineering limitations — particularly the fragile landing gear and lack of a dedicated display stand — the Bellfine 1/72 Darkstar still turned out to be an enjoyable and visually striking build.

    The combination of dark tones, subtle grey panel variation, and in-flight presentation helped capture the futuristic hypersonic aircraft aesthetic seen in Top Gun: Maverick. While the kit required some improvisation and patience during assembly, the final result displays very well and stands out nicely alongside more conventional aircraft models.

    Overall, this project felt like a blend of traditional aircraft modelling and science-fiction display building, which made it a uniquely satisfying addition to the collection.

  • Bulbasaur

    This build of the Bandai Bulbasaur plastic model focused on depth, tonal variation, and precise surface control. The goal was to elevate a simple kit into a cohesive, visually dynamic piece through careful layering, panel detailing, and considered adjustments.


    Base and Body Layers
    Each part was first coated with a dark base to establish natural shadows and underlying contrast. The body sections were then airbrushed using three distinct shades of green — Mr. Hobby Mr. Color No. 64, 303, and 605. Layered application preserved subtle hints of the darker undercoat, preventing the finish from appearing flat and giving the model a more dimensional presence.


    Whites, Reds, and Eye Detailing
    White and red components were finished in semi-gloss for clarity and restrained shine. During the eye detailing stage, a slight freehand overspray caused some white to mist into the red area. Rather than stripping and repainting, the section was corrected using a dark pink marker. The resulting dark-pink-and-white combination added a softer character to the eyes, complementing the overall finish.


    Panel Lines
    To enhance sculpted details, Tamiya Accent Color Panel Line (Black) was applied carefully into recessed lines. Excess wash was removed using enamel thinner and a cotton bud, leaving behind controlled definition that sharpens the contours without overpowering the softer paint tones.


    Final Assembly and Reflection
    Once fully cured and assembled, the model feels cohesive and balanced. The interplay between layered greens, subtle shading, and refined panel lining elevates the kit beyond its base form. Minor adjustments along the way — such as the eye correction — became part of the build’s character rather than setbacks.
    This build demonstrates how patience, layering, and small course corrections can transform a straightforward kit into a polished, display-ready model.

  • Tyrannosaurus Rex

    This is a 1/35 scale model kit from X-Plus. I began by soaking the unpainted parts in warm soapy water overnight, then rinsed and dried them the following day.

    The dried parts were airbrushed while still on their runners. I used Mr. Hobby Mr. Color paint no. 18 as the base coat, and Mr. Color paint no. 22 for spot accentuations that gradually evolved into larger patch highlights, giving the skin a natural, mottled appearance. To bring out the fine sculpted details, I applied dark Tamiya Panel Accent Color in the recesses. The tongue was airbrushed in Character Red (Mr. Color paint no. 108) and a touch of bright Tamiya Panel Accent Color was used to simulate saliva.

    For the facial details, I highlighted the eyes with gold permanent marker and added pupils with a fine dark marker. All teeth were painted using a silver permanent marker, giving the mouth a dramatic, striking look.

    Final assembly was straightforward but required patience. Since the kit is non-snap-kit, I built subassemblies step by step – head, torso, tail, thighs and arms before completing the full T. rex form.

    This build is also a small tribute to the 30th anniversary of the real-time strategy game Command & Conquer. Inspired by the game’s hidden Covert Ops T. rex units, the model’s dramatic teeth, golden eyes, and mottled hide reinterpret the classic predator as a game-world war-beast. It is a playful crossover between model-building craftsmanship and a beloved gaming milestone.

  • Terminator HK Tank

    1/32nd Scale Model Kit from Pegasus Hobbies. Spent considerable time joining the parts with super glue. Held the continuous tracks together with staples. Used a nipper to “drill” holes at the machine’s faceplate and neck plate to facilitate the connections for the Lighting Unit bulbs. Performed weathering airbrushing with Mr Hobby paint 306.

  • Aerial HK Machine

    1/32 scale plastic model from Pegasus Hobbies. A straight forward kit that can be assembled quickly with the occasional use of cement. There were plenty of panel lines for accentuating, particularly at its “belly” where the details are more intricate.