Every once in a while, something comes along that really grabs you. Such is the case with this video compilation from Floyd S. Werner Jr. I had a chance to chat with Floyd at the Atlanta Nationals this year and he gave me a demo DVD. I have to say that I was impressed by the demo and looked forward to the DVD set.

I was not at all disappointed.

I was an educator for several years, and I can tell you that there are three steps to learning a skill. First is to have someone tell you about what you will be doing. This gives you a background and a basic understanding of the tools and techniques. Next, is to have that skill shown to you so you can see just how all that you have previously learned is incorporated into the task. The third is to perform the task yourself, with the mentor nearby to help out with any areas in which you are having difficulty.

While a DVD cannot  provide all of these steps, this one comes darn close.

Floyd basically takes you through all the steps needed to build the Hasegawa 1/32 Bf-109G-6, one of Hasegawa's more popular kits. And I mean all the steps. It starts with the kit itself, the tools needed for construction and then prep of the parts. Then the building begins with the cockpit, then general airframe construction. It concludes with painting the aircraft and tips on doing Luftwaffe camo and mottling. It follows with decal application tips and weathering.

Yeah, but I can do all that already, you are saying. Well, it may be, but I'll bet you don't do it as well as Floyd and I can tell you that I learned a great deal from this DVD set. I've been building models rather steadily for over 30 years, and I picked up a lot from watching this DVD.

It isn't something that you can sit down and watch in one sitting. There are 3 discs and five hours worth of material. Not something you can absorb in just one day. The best way to watch this is to do it in sections. This allows you to properly absorb the material before moving on. The benefit of this format is that you can watch the sections in which you are having the most difficulty understanding over and over until you understand. Frankly, Floyd does such a masterful job, that I do believe you'll catch on a lot sooner than you'd think.

The best part of this DVD is that Floyd talks to you as if he were discussing things with a friend. I find this to be a real boon. My model building had plateaued big time until Jerry Jackson, a master modeler in San Diego, took the time to show me several tricks and techniques. He did this because he likes to, not because he had to and it really improved the look of my models. This will do the same for you; it is that good.

As you can tell, I like the product. This is the best model-related instructional video that I have seen and can most highly recommend this one to you.

My thanks to Master Class Modeling Videos for sending in the review sample. You can order yours direct from the link or ask your favorite hobby shop to get it for you.

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