Some time ago, we featured here our Hungarian colleague János Dobó’s report from the ‘Fluffy Cat’ modelling marathon, regularly held by a group of Hungarian modellers. Back then, the ‘Cat’ team was building the Arma Hobby’s Hayate together.
Now, on the 10th anniversary of our first injection plastic model kit, the Iskra, we bring back another edition of the ‘ Fluffy Cat’, on which Hungarians built the very Iskra!
Iskra Marathon – János Dobó reports:
One day the South-East version of the event was also started. This is different because we specifically addressed the model makers of the „South East” region of Hungary (South low, or south lowland if we want to be correct). Well, Csabi isn’t from the region, but he’s such a good lad that we figured we can fit in.
As before – just like before any of our meetings – we voted on the model. An Army-Hobby kit was the winner again, just like at the Fluffy Cat held at Gunaras town. Since my dear pals wanted to build a Cold War Warsaw Pact used jet at all costs, our options were very limited. As I told you before, one of the basic elements of the selection process is that the model should be easily available, and itt to be relatively simple and easy to build. No one wants to spend 3 weeks sanding, since we only have 48 hours to make a model.
Thus, the competition between Arma Hobby TS-11 ISKRA and Eduard’s MiG- 15 was decided in favor of former. The competition is actually a vote, simply put the model that received the most votes will be purchased… or it should have been, but unfortunately the version we chose we could not buy for the life of us. I was a little surprised to be honest. I was a bit wrong about the availability.
As a last resort, I wrote to the manufacturer directly saying something along the lines of „hello, we have this kind of event here, we really want Iskras, do you have 10 pieces somewhere that you can sell to us? Not a problem if you can do it cheap”
Grzegorz from Arma Hobby stated in the letter that he would be very happy to send us the 10 pieces of Iskra (we counted 9 participants, plus a set to avoid disasters – such as someone stepping on the canopy -), and he would also put in extra sheets of decals in the set so that we can have more painting variations. Just because.
Warm-up
Last year, I suggested that there should be a Day Zero – the years of the routine suggest it is a good idea – but then all said it was not necessary. Of course, after the first such meeting everyone said that the zero day was an absolute must. I told you so.
This zero day is an excellent team (de)building thing. Needed. At that time, the steam of the weekday lets off a little, we get to know interesting things about the other person and the next day we can face the modelbuilding fresh (not).
The next day my stomach hurt from laughing so much the day before. I leave the rest to your imagination. I’m just saying that I woke up at next to an inflatable blue-purple whale shark. Because I have such funny friends. They thought I shouldn’t be alone… Thanks.
Unlike event at Gunaras – where sometimes you had to sit on the terrace in your jacket, now we were almost cooked. The owner of the place decided to demolish the excellent terrace. They packed it with plexiglass, put a door on it and covered it with foil. Granted bugs came less in the evening, but after we strated spraying primers containing interesting stuff like nitro or esther, things get… exciting.
Neither was ideal – neither the cold nor the sweltering hot terrace – but if you have a choice, you prefer the cold and the normal amount of oxygen. We went out for air quite often.
At 10 a.m. on Friday, we started the set. Except for Zsóti, because he only came after work.
About the kit
The Iskra was the very first of the Arma Hobby injected plastic kits. It’s tooling is 10 years old now. Arma Hobby was also founded in 2013. So, how can I say… I had reservations about the kit.
Looking at the parts located in the two grey sprues, only the undercarriage gondola looked a little problematic, but we quickly got over that.
You can see the set here :
Basically, other than the canopy and said gondola caused problems. Obviously, if the model does not have to be made in 48 hours, then they can be completely fixed. But time was a strong factor here.
I wasn’t ran into other problems. A couple of small filling were needed at the bottom of the fuselage, but there was nothing that instant glue couldn’t solve.
Friday was spent with feverish construction
We built both the plane and the friendships. We talked a lot, and it was a great feeling to sit around the slightly smoky remains of cookingpot from the night before, while everyone was munhing on a pizza and pie. At one point it was almost 3 minutes of silence! There was something touching about the moment when the seven of us were bunched on the benches, balancing the pizza boxes, and silently gulping down the excellent product.
Yes, there were only seven of us, because our invited guest could not come, and Peter ’87’ was in a family emergency (Everyone is okay – ’87’).
However, Saturday slipped a bit. The chevap and pálinka were plentiful and well… next thing to know is that Dani and Pali went to the nearby Rock-Disco (3 kilometers away) at 10 in the evening and had the party of their lives in a trio with the bartender. They even wanted to take the inflatable shark with them. I think we had a good time.
Despite everything, all 7 of us finished the models by 10 o’clock on Sunday. A minor miracle.
Again of course, not everyone choose the provided paint schemes (either in the box, or separately gifted).
Here are the completed works:
Viktor’s miracle:
Zsolt made an very complicated scheme. He made the masking sheets before the event, but something goes wrong, so he had to made the whole masking progress ont he event:
Pali’s silver wheels:
Balint’s well-done made plane:
Dani made it under what-if category:
And Csabi is Csabi. He made it 110%:
And my little red Iskra. This plane really existed, you can see it in the link: https://flyiskrajet.com/
I have to work on my technique, but hey ther was a lot of aggravation, like the chevap:
Finally, I would like to thank Grzegorz and Arma Hobby once again for their generosity and the Cats patience towards me. Thanks for the good meal Pali and Bálint.
I recommend this recipe to everyone: A couple of model making friends from the area, a good place, somewhere on the edge of civilization, a model, 48 hours. And a Day Zero… Day Zero is important.
We offered the remaining Iskras as gifts to the participants of the children’s and youth category of the Békéscsaba Model Exhibition. Békéscsaba is one of the important city in the Hungarian Shouth East – South lowland region. The Model Exhibition exist over 29 years. We are sure they will be in a good place.
Spark is back in the shops!
For the 10th anniversary of this model kit, we decided to reissue the Iskra, with three different boxes to choose from. The simplest one in the Junior version (70004), an Expert box includes additional photo-etched details and masks (70010) and ‘NOVAX’ kit – the same extras as in the Expert kit, plus resin radar parts (70011). As part of the promotion, until the end of January extended till 9th February – you can additionally order a set of resin 3D prints with very cool details for the Iskra together with the kit! Please note, after the end of the promotion the resin prints will no longer be available!
- Check out the promotion in the Armahobby.com online store!
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