Hokonui Hobby Room

14/01/2026

Yes.... Some bangers in there Airfix, thank you

Join us at 4pm (GMT) where Head of Brand Dale Luckhurst will reveal our 2026 range!Explore the range: https://uk.airfix.com/

14/01/2026

Well well well... Gotta have this

12/01/2026

Been a bit quiet, apologies for that. Moved last weekend, well started anyway, still lots to bring up l. Started a new job yesterday and that all seemed to go well, so now it's time to settle in to the new place and plan my modelling space. I have two choices in the new house. The one I'm probably going to go with is a little small but seems to not get direct sunlight in it, which I prefer. The second would get lots of direct sunlight, especially in winter when the sun is lower in the sky.
More updates to come soon... Happy modelling all - Paul

05/01/2026

The first kit for 2026 has landed, which I ordered back in November.
1/24 is a great scale for biplanes as they're usually a bit smaller and it helps with rigging and poor eyesight lol.
Looking forward to this one as my first introduction to bi-planes.
I understand it requires a few simple fixes but overall looks a great kit with great detail.
Stay tuned as I'll be including this one to my 2026 build list under the 'try something new' category.

02/01/2026

01/01/2026

Finally pre-order is in for the Border Model HE-111
Really looking forward to this one if their Stuka is anything to go off quality wise.
Brilliant box art done by Jason wong

31/12/2025

Welcoming 2026 into my model room by tearing it all apart ready for my move in a couple of weeks.

Plans for 2026 will remain fluid until the first quarter is done and dusted. New house, new job, new baby all happening in the next 8 weeks and then a 17 day family trip to Vietnam, which may influence some future builds, who knows...

One thing I am sure of though is that 2026 is the year of the shelf queen. I only have two left and I want to focus on them getting completed in this first quarter, time permitting. I also want to try a new subject or two that I've not worked on yet, so keep an eye out for that.

So this year, expect to see a Hind and F-4 Phantom on my bench as soon as my bench is set-up again

If you're yet to celebrate NY, stay safe and don't drink too much. I'm already thinking about lunch for New Year's Day...

All the best - Paul

31/12/2025

To all you modellers out there. May 26 be as kind to you as 25 has been to me.

Looking forward to 26

29/12/2025

2025, that's a wrap.

Not my most productive modelling year to date but perhaps only on quantity. I feel my quality is improving once more though.
Looking back and reflecting on previous years where I've completed more kits, I also did more out of the box builds in those years. This year I only did one true out of the box build with the HMS Sheffield and being my first ship, I was learning on the job. All the rest this year were much more involved builds along with some dioramas, which also take a lot more time to complete.

I started the year with a list of hopefuls and wanting to clear some of my shelf queens, which I'm happy to report I did. The long standing OV-10D Bronco project had been started back in 2022 (I think) and it had been in and out of the box several times. 2025 I was determined to finish it and I did. This build then went and won me my local IPMS club and the interclub competitions, so it pays to stick with things, even when they get you down...

I had also previously started the RFM Tiger tank and had decided I wanted to build a very specific diorama scene for it, based off an old winter photo I'd seen in Russia during WWII. This was probably my most involved project to date and certainly took the most time to finish. Lots of firsts for me on this one and I learned a heap of new skills.

Gloria Lyons was a planned build using the Trumpeter&HobbyBoss 1/32 scale P-40N kit, which to be fair to trump, is actually a very nice kit to put together. A number of Eduard Model Accessories and HGW Models parts were used to add detail and a few minor tweaks were added here and there to correct some things. It had to be correct as it was going to live by the real plane at Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim. A definite highlight to my year personally as a modeller.

The rest of the builds all seemed to come at once. My 'Penned In' vignette wasn't planned and just kinda happened. I think it turned out OK but certainly not my best. I just had that picture in my mind and wanted to create it.

The Tempest was another shelf queen I start back in 2024 and stuffed up the 1ManArmy.be masking on the upper surfaces, which meant a repaint and loss of motivation. I managed to save the masks, which were eventually reused with success and the overall finished build I was pleased with.

The Border Model was a highlight for the year in terms of pleasure of build. Went together very well, great detail out of the box and ended up with a great finished kit.

Finally, the last minute 11th hour finish of the HMS Sheffield, that was started quite a while ago and almost ended up on the shelf of doom a few times. I was procrastinating about things to do on this many times and eventually the pressure of having to move house drove me to just get on with it. Happy to report that 1/350 PE and rigging isn't as bad as I thought it would be, so I'm pleased to have learnt that at least. I also love having a ship in my cabinet and it won't be the last.

My UK trip was another highlight and getting to visit all the great museums for reference photos and attending the Battle of Britain airshow at Imperial War Museum Duxford was brilliant.

I'll leave what I have planned for 2026 until the new year. Starting a new job on Jan 12th and moving house before that along with having a new baby in Feb and going to Vietnam in March, so a busy start to the year for me. This may affect my output for 2026 and I may need to reel in my expectations on what I can actually achieve.

Anyhoo, hopefully those of you that follow me have enjoyed the antics I've got up to this year and I'm really looking forward to what happens in 2026. How the hell we got to 2026 already I have no idea, weren't the 90's only a few years ago???

Anyway, Happy New Year to all my and if you don't already be sure to give my page a follow, I almost made it to 10k by the end of 2025 and I'm blown away by the uptake from you all this year. Be sure to get involved to by commenting. I am learning all the time and I appreciate when those that have more knowledge of a subject share their wisdom with me.

Don't drink too much on new years eve, spend time with your loved ones and I'll see you all in the New Year

Happy Modelling All - Paul

29/12/2025

Foreart HMS Sheffield 1/350 scale.

My first venture into ship building (tiny) and I started with a great kit. This new Foreart kit is brilliant. It comes with just enough PE to add the all important details but not overboard to boggle your mind, although the PE wipers on the bridge windows came close. It even came with a nice 3D printed radar and metal gun barrel.

All I added to the kit supplied parts was a mask set, which helped save time masking around all the small bits on the decks.

Weathering was kept to a minimum for now. I may add a sea base at some stage and weather it up fully then. For now a simple wash here and there and some oil streaking on the hull to make it look less toy like.

This is my final 2025 build and I will do a separate post on my year and how I got on, so keep an eye on the page over the next day or two when I get around to compiling my favorite photos of 2025's builds, hopefully before NYE.

This definitely won't be my last boat/ship model as I have a few in the stash already, so if boats are your thing, keep an eye out for my 2026 plans ;)

Hope you like the photos and enjoyed watching along on my build.

Happy modelling all - Paul

28/12/2025

Both my benches cleared for the first time in a long time... Projects all finished in time for the new year and the up coming move.
Photos of HMS Sheffield to follow shortly along with my 2025 build roundup... And what to expect in 2026.
Stay tuned...