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Collection from Italy: #9 F-14 PILOT, US Navy, late '80s


BlueBookGuy
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BlueBookGuy

Hello Pablo,

 

these are some of the airbrush works I was doing years ago for a couple Italian collectors/dealers - to be meant as a "payment" for some very difficult to have (and very costly to pay) aviation-related items.

This way I was able in saving some respectable amounts money if I wanted still to go on in my projects. But, what a work and what lenght of time!!

 

For two of these (a total of 42 hours, mostly by night) I got in 1997 one MBU-14/p Navy mask and some accessories.

For two of these + one painted visor cover (total 49 hours by night and Sundays' mornings) I got in 2002 the complete C-2 raft pack for my P-38 pilot.

For three of these (total 52 hours + re-assembling) I got in 1999 the P-3 helmet an the B-15 (empty) parachute for the F-86 pilot.

 

Not to mention the work for repairing and painting some mannequins retrieved from dumps.. Perhaps i was somehow insane at the time, at a certain point it did exist in my life only work, work again and sometimes adding a new item to my collection.

But, would be not honest if I'd say I do not regret those times.

 

Franco.

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BlueBookGuy

A quick O.T, these were some more paint works, made for collectors or dealers.

Thanks to exchanging them with collection items I was able in reducing pretty well my expenses in making up my pilots' collection - at least, regarding some of the most difficult pieces (those were times of not-Internet for me).

Unfortunately, not too many instances did happen wich ended up OK. Most of money came out, invariably, with "regular" overtime work.

 

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BlueBookGuy

Last pics for this O.T.

As said before, nobody happier than me if dealers would have agreed in more instances. Instead more often than not, they were even happier if I were willing to give away the works + an extra money amount.

 

And this, would have been more than absurd. It was me who knew how much time and hard labour these were worth of... and my answer was so often "not".

Regardless of this detail, I'm repeating now I was perhaps a bit insane in those times, in taking a "serious" thing like collecting with such a mind attitude...

 

Franco.

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Franco: what an amazing talent you have and are, its such a pleasure to see such works-thank you for putting them up.

the tiger is simply amazing.

 

I know what you are saying on work as times have changed in the world economy, as im new to u.s stuff I don't know what the prices have been doing in the last few years but I know for luft stuff its been dropping a lot but even then then their are less people with disposable income around to buy it.

prices dropping is always good for the real collector and great if it drives away "the speculator's" who just buy to sell down the track at a profit just to make $$, im a collector and I always feel im just the custodian of an item for a short time, to look after it for the next generation.

 

Franco: pm me and I can send you the luft pilots if they are of interest to you.

have a great day,

cheers-Pablo

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BlueBookGuy

Thanks so much Pablo for the kind appreciation.

Those airbrush paintings are fond memories for me - some similar I still do have, if I think now I seriously believe I couldn't anymore to do such "tours de force". Amount of patience is somehow reduced, and other reasons do account for much less available time.

 

Yes I'm interested to your Luft pilots. To next one, Franco.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just wanted to take a minute and compliment you on the quality of your displays. I've always been an aviation enthusiast with a particular love for the F-14. I've recently started a collection of flight helmets and perhaps with a great deal of time I'll be able to assemble a complete suit of my own. But for the time being I will admire yours and be able to use it for reference.

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  • 8 months later...

Hello,

just done some re-working on maneqquins and changed the "parking spots" within my war room, so thought to exploit this by have a pic done with two "enemies" standing besides each other...

 

who could have shot down who? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

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Better if I do correct the above question,

Ok, just a "diplomatic incident" ... they are both skilled and competent pilots !!

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