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well hello folks can't believe a month has passed since I last posted an update... I have not been idle though - I have done a lot of 3D modelling for the tailwheel, main wheels (for which I am getting help!) and the spinner (of which more later..), in between I have also released an airscale instrument panel set for the Hobbyboss 1/32 B24 Liberator and also worked with Airfix to master this airscale cockpit set for the new and mind blowing Airfix 1/24 F6F Hellcat - the decals for all the instruments & placards are in production, but the PE is done.. ..as for the P51, when I had the Hellcat PE test shot done, I also added a load of extra P51 stuff to the fret so I make the most of one-shot production, Part of that was the stainless steel side panels that surround the exhaust ports, and I also made a fold up box structure that is the structure that surrrounds and supports the exhausts themselves.. ..Also seen here are the 3D printed exhausts from Model Monkey - huge shout out for these as they are exceptional quality and amazingly are hollow so are ultra realistic.. ..these were folded and the details added before the boxes were added to the outer panels - the exhausts are not yet fitted so they can be painted & added at the end.. ..and so onto the spinner - this is one of those things that has sat in the back of my mind as a niggle since I started this build - it is unfortunately unpainted on the real aircraft so had to be made in metal - a bit like skinning a tennis ball in sheet aluminium - very tricky.. ..I actually bought the HpH 1/18 Merlin engine model hoping to cheat and get a good basis for the prop & spinner from that, but it is very crude - the spinner is a solid with four peg holes in it to take the blades - there is no reference to the cutouts on the real thing, so that was a 70 euro write off (though I think I can use the blades so may not be dead money...) I restarted my Rhino 3D programme trial and got to work modelling the Spinner... ..when I went to get it printed at Shapeways, I noticed you could choose polished Aluminium so I thought well that would be brilliant as it would save lots of messing around with skinning as I could just polish the part - so at great expense (150 euros) I ordered it with the hub done in plastic.. ..two disappointments... one - it's not polished at all, it is more like a carbide burr in texture, and two, somehow I got the hole cutouts wrong as two were in the right pitch for the blades and two were in the opposite pitch.. ..that said - it is aluminium, and after filing & polishing is just like a cast part - don't know how they do it, but it's bloody clever.. ..as the cutouts were wrong, I knew I had to skin it, so I made a tape mask and started with the lower section... ..with this skin added, I taped it to the top part to mark another tape template with where the cut-out holes were on the next bit of skinning (there are 3 - bottom, lower of the top cone, and the tip) ..this skin needed rows of 3 rivets adding so I made up a jig I could do this accurately with.. ..I was hoping after adding this I could get away with the spinner tip being the base aluminium part, but there is a lip that can just be seen.. ..in doing the tip, I nearly gave up as turning one sheet into a fully compound curve sheath without a visible seam proved very difficult - I don't have any in progress pics, but at this point the bulk of the shaping has been done and the skin runs up over the lower part - I was hoping I could just sand & file this away for a nice close fit (I should have started with the tip & made the lower panel fit it, not the other way around..) ..once it was all sanded away, I was really happy with the result.. ..the prop hub was painted and added to the base.. ..and it is a perfect fit.. ..it feels great having got that done - everything else is easy by comparison I also have the right sheet aluminium that Brian (Out2gtcha) kindly shipped from the US on my behalf so can now start skinning the airframe.. ..a milestone I think, and hopefully the start of more regular updates.. TTFN Peter

Hi guys Just finished my Tamiya 1/32 F-4E as an HAF SRA Hope you like it. I will try and take better photos during the weekend. 20190313_203120 by periklis_sale, on Flickr 20190313_203122 by periklis_sale, on Flickr 20190313_203137 by periklis_sale, on Flickr 20190313_203125 by periklis_sale, on Flickr 20190313_203139 by periklis_sale, on Flickr

Hi all, 10. Hog finished 1/32 Tamiya HGW wet transfers & seat belts Barracuda wheels Eagle cals only Number 13 Painting mask home made All colours Mr.Paint/MRP

9th Hog finished. HGW wet transfers & seat belts Barracuda wheels Maketar mask All colours Mr.Paint/MRP

The model which I received to finish. The model that was started and lay in the box for several years. The model is A-7E Trumpeter which was to be made in painting from version D - it was the decision of the person for whom I finished this model. So we have an E version that pretends version D. In my opinion, the Trumpeter model itself is not very demanding and it will be easy to fold. However, you need to pay attention to the dividing lines that are too shallow and need improvement.

The exhausts are a hybrid of the HAD etched parts and the kit's outer shells. The chaff/flare dispensers got some attention, particularly the fairings. Cockpits are the focal point of many models, and this one is no exception! The MiG-29 is an iconic fighter, with many unique design features. I have really enjoyed building this!

My Hasegawa FW-190A-8 in Heinz Bar colors.

Forgot the redone head armor. Still missing the fastening bolts

hello guy's my last one just finish ..... P40b trumpeter (my second one and the last one ) cockpit resin cutting edge , wheels resin , photo etched Eduard , model master gun's , Eagle strike decal for the shark mouth and roundels , all numbers as well as the green circle are painted because the decals fell into pieces in the water..... painting cocktail humbrol gunze and tamiya divers wash pigments , and watercolor pencils for the weathering the 75 white squadron leader Bill Reed for fun with the comic book and dedication of the author best regard Pascal .

Thanks Brian, Ray and er.. the mongoose I’m on a roll at the moment and can’t leave the kit alone. It’s just too much fun! Airfix does give the option of showing off the gun bays and I’m doing just that on one side. I’ve added a little detail and I’ve used a Master Barrel MG as a 21st century twist. It really is a huge leap over the kit part. Cheers, Guy

Thanks Guy I’ve finished the engine - minus plumbing, which I’ll do as it gets fixed in place on joining the fuselage. Again, you have to marvel at this, nearly, 50 year old kit. There aren’t many better engines that I’ve come across barring Tamiya & Wingnuts all these years on. So how you see it here is effectively how it comes out of the box. The only change I’ve made is to hollow out the air filter (it was moulded solid) and add a mesh to add some depth. Still some more weathering to go but I’ll do that in situ once the plumbing’s done. I’m going to have the lower panel in place so I won’t go overboard with detail on the base of the engine. I prefer this look as it keeps the overall shape of the aircraft at the front. Thanks, Guy ps I was going to replace the ignition wires but the plastic parts seemed pretty good to me - and they are separate, not moulded on like most kit engines I’ve come across.

Thanks gents. Happy to report that this is now finished! Thanks to all that followed along. Studio photos soon.

Yes, good point. Although I have seen a period photo with cushions in... Thanks Alain. Still undecided! I’ve just about finished the cockpit. A couple of odds and bobs to add. The HGW seat belts really bring it up a notch. Apart from that, I really haven’t added that much which I think is testament to the kit. Hair spray for the wear and tear. Generic placards from Airscale. Guy

Hello all, I must confess to being a bit of a HPH Models Groupie. Iv'e got five of their kits and pre-ordered this few months back; It is simply stunning!!! It cements, in my opinion, why HPH are the best model 'artists' in the world... It's up there with the PBY which is my next project; I simply had to have a go at this one first! Here's what you get when you take off the sleeve and open the box; Here's a sneak preview of the size; I of course, had to purchase the Landing Flaps which are sold separately; Now, to the subject (which I have the support from HPH Models for); I am going to get unique decals produced for this project and will update you on what I did of course. From the that's all brother.org website; Nearly 75 years ago, on June 6, 1944, That’s All, Brother carried the first of the paratroopers from the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions. Piloted by Lt. Col John Donalson, the plane led over 800 C-47s that dropped over 13,000 paratroopers into a battle that changed the course of mankind. After serving on D-Day, and in Operations Market Garden, Repulse, and Varsity, the airplane returned to the United States and was sold to the civilian market in 1945. During the course of many owners over the next several decades, the historical significance of the airplane was lost and it was eventually sold to be scrapped. Fortunately, two historians from the United States Air Force discovered that this historic airplane was lying in a boneyard in Wisconsin. The Commemorative Air Force was able to acquire the airplane, and through a large group of donors and volunteers, restore the airplane to flying status. So all, there you have it, now to get all the stuff out and get going!!! Thanks for looking. Cheers Steve

From the sides, however, the front panel lines are lower than the rear on both sides… While the bottom fit is quite bad. This may have been created by the insertion of my plastic pipe intakes, but I don’t think so, because the fit was not forced. In any case, sanding all this down while retaining the fine detail will be very tough. After a LOT of sanding and rescribing, I think I have the join licked. Again, ghost panel line detail can still be seen under clear CA glue filler. As expected, this bottom join was a bear to fill and re-scribe, but it turned out pretty good after all. With that out of the way, it was time to attend to the front intake parts. As you can see, there are 6 moon crater pin marks on each side and a lip at the rear. The curved cutout may be there so that you can see the engine fans from the front of the intake, although with nothing but plastic junk inside, why bother? That rear lip, I assume, may be for future or failed intake parts, that never made it in the current kit? The pin marks were filled with CA glue and sanded smooth, while the rear of the intake was filled with sheet styrene, to smooth out the intake and create a thicker join to my pipe intakes. A view from the rear, showing how the styrene parts are interlocking, much like the rest of the intake parts. My plan is to not paint the white styrene, but paint the forward portion gloss black as found on my subject. That way your eye will see a sharp demarcation from black to white, with nothing but white found behind in the plastic pipes. To get a good and smooth paint finish, I am going to paint the intakes before assembly both front and back. I will also paint the sides of the fuselage where the intakes attach, again for the same reason. This needle-like jet is now really looking a bit menacing and mean. I love it! Cheers, Chuck

Hi I have been working on this kit for a little while now. Some pics of where i am at the moment. Everything not stock is scratchbuilt. Working only a little bit every day so it will take a while to complete. Finished control column, redone engine primer and Dunlop brake relay valves Elevators control crankbell Seat support frame with holes and rivets Rudder bars redone with adjusting star wheels and thread. Heel board work started Control column rework Back and bottom armor for the seat Bottom armor in place and seat back cushion Vincent

Hi Guys, Here's the result of a three year build! OK, I'm telling a lie: started three years ago, sat on the SOD then resurrected late 2018. The interior is painted with GSi Creos Mr Color, all the exterior with Mission Models Paints. Plus Flory Grime Wash, which I think worked well against the natural metal finish, not as stark as Black. I used Mission's metallic paints, all over their Grey primer. I just don't like the Black base, Alclad (or similar) faux metal look. Bashed too much metal in the RAF to hate that sort of finish. I mixed and matched the metallics, trying to shade as near as I could to the references. I found a drop of Mission's Chrome could really brighten up an area, either mixed with another metallic or misted over a selected area. Lots of quick and dirty masking, lots of tears, frustration, problems and then the flip side: problems solved, lots of laughs at my own ineptitude and a heck of a lot of fun and enjoyment. That is, after all, the point of modelling in the first place. The Frank is depicted as a captured aircraft as tested at Clark Field in The Philippines, complete with US radio fit (blade aerial) the guns in place but the gun sight removed as per the reference photos. All external markings are home made - Stars'n'Bars drawn in AutoCAD and cut in Oramask 810 on the Silhouette, the lettering on the tail below S17 are my first attempt at printing decals, certainly won't be the last! This is my third NMF, all based on photos of real aircraft. My Mustang C and D models depicted Test Aircraft from the Texas and California Plants, so this model continues the themes of NMF and testing. Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Regards, Bruce Crosby

Trumpeter's MiG-29A is a great model to build, and I'm sure the C will be too. Unfortunately it suffers from some shape issues, and in this build I set out to correct them. It took a while. Here is the build thread should you be interested: This is MiG-29G 29+04 in NATO colours, serving with "Erprobungsgeschwader MiG 29". I was drawn to the subject by the wonderful conflict of ideals it represents. The aircraft is a symbol of how the re-unification must have been in a way, wearing a cloak of Norm 90 J grey, but peeking out from underneath, the original radome colours, the green wheel hubs, and the uniquely Soviet shapes of the antennae. Some things can't be changed overnight. Most of the work went into correcting the shape of the forward LERX, and the bulges above the engines as well as the spine. The nose cone was slightly modified, as were the top and sides of the intakes. A lot of effort went into capturing the feel of panels and fasteners, which appear to make up a lot of this fighter. Some of the kit detail is superb as is. Although the underside is well represented in the kit, the wheel wells, gear legs and weapons pylons benefitted from a bit of extra detail, as did the airbrake/dragchute housing.

Pre-shading. It needs to be fairly stark as the top colours are going to be dark. I’ll be using MRP paints for the colours and they are very nice at gradually building up the opacity so it hopefully looks just right... Guy

A little progress, Have been working on the inside frame for the canopy, what a pain, it's very complicated with plumbing, brackets boxes, bolts, shapes you name it....

Oohh yeah, on my bucket list. https://www.facebook.com/largescalemodeller/photos/pcb.2585300571541882/2585299814875291/?type=3&theater

my last built, enjoy :

Last for today, the landing gear control lever with the so distinc knob and the bolt at the end : Vincent

Thanks dashotgun. Amazing what a powerful self-critique tool posting photographs on a forum can be. Looking at the last photo I posted, I realised that the panel lines were totally uniform and overstated. Some panels get removed often as I mentioned, but others don't, and shouldn't have the same treatment. I decided to use a grey wash some on of the panels to soften the overall look, and here you can compare the top of the photo to the bottom (left side) to see what I mean. Accentuated panel lines are a contentious issue as it is, and I think some variation helps. Apart from that , and some work on the radome to get rid of the black primer that came trough on my slightly heavy handed chipping scrub, the model is finally done. Here is a little foretaste of how she looks... Many thanks to all who have shared this little journey - it has been good fun! Detail photographs to follow on RFI tomorrow... Sean

I've started my Tamiya A6M2b in my usual snail-like pace... Let's hope that this will be a project that will see completion! I know there are some minor things that need adressing to get this model more accurate. Luckily, the don't concern the shape of the model, but more details because of the workable undercarriage and details thet aren't quite correct for the timeframe and so on. Because I know that a couple of Tweak Lists were published about the A6M5 and A6M2 but couldn't find them I started this thread: Not only will Ryan Toews redo his tweak lists when his family-situation will allow it, this thread contains lots more invaluable info! Check it out! The box art shows the A6M2b of Lt. Saburo Shindo from Akagi of the 2nd wave of the Pearl Harbor attack: I feel particularly drawn to this scheme, though, the Zero of NAP1/C Tsuguo Matsuyama from Hiryu: Sadly, my first results have to be redone, since the double vertical attachment of compressed air bottles on the left fuselage side wasn't found on the A6M2 but rather on the A6M5...! Can it be seen anyway, on the finished model? Looks like the seat rather blocks any view into the aft fuselage! I think copying the single-bottle brackets also found in the Big-Ed set won't be too hard, so a single horizontal set-up should be possible! I already removed the massive plastic brackets Tamiya supplies the bottles with. Now to find out how the equipment on this shelf looked. Tamiya supplies us with something looking like a Sony CD-player and Eduard follows suit. That doesn't mean anything since Eduard states that it supplies extra details but doesn't supply corrections! Cheers, Erik.

Hey gang! I had 4 days home so i pushed forward because i will not have alot of time at hand the next coming weeks. At this stage we have arrived to the inevitable, the woodgraining, which i actually enjoy very much! For the woodgraining i have used Uschi Van Der Rosten woodgrain decals as usual but this time i have taken my time to choose the one i found most pleasing to my eye. I was initially going to go for the Ronny Bar version, but then i decided to go for the knotless 'Barnfind' version which later received a couple of glazes of ochre mixed with burn umber to get more of a honey tint to the woodwork. Sealed everything in and then attached the HGW photoetch parts using Krystal Klear of which the excess was then wiped clean with water. On the woodwork i used the HGW nailhead wet transfer set which worked but with the loss of quite a few heads, but it still looks all natural to me. The detail is very refined and can only be seen when you look up close. Next build i will probably use the rivet set plan and will rivet the albatros with the RB riveting tool to accentuate the rivets further. The kit stencils worked a treat snuggling down with some mr softer and setter but the big skull was a real bear to get down even with those and with a hairdrier. To try to weather the big white expanses and the skulls i used micromesh to abrade some of the surface and give it more of a used look. The nail lines can be seen through the micromesh treatment in some of the areas which i found to look nice. Bear in mind i have not started the weathering on the fuselage yet and what i am doing now is just preweathering which i will accentuate at later stages in the location and amount that will tie everything together. I have also built a new flare rack from a spare piece of pe which i have drilled and scribed then bent and the flares are made of 0.7 albion alu tube. In the Iphone photos in the gallery you can see a wire with the cap on one of the flares but that turned out not to be correct after further research of era photographs and reference material. This has since been discarded. Alot of little things have been added overall and work goes on fixing things here and there and slowly adding stuff along the way while keeping an eye out on the references... One thing of note which has bugged me quite alot is i found the elevator control rigging to have popped off the rigging flywheel at the extreme forward part of the control column and this has somewhat blown the wind out of my sails to say the least. i will try to find a way to get this fixed whenever i have time, if it is within the realm of possibility... let's see !DISREGARD THE LANDING GEAR IT IS FROM ONE OF THE OTHER ALBATROS I BUILT AND IS USED JUST TO PROP THE FUSELAGE UP FOR THE PHOTOS! At the point of writing this, and for next update i have completed a scratchbuilt windscreen and frame, changed the landing gear molded on retainers on the leg for more accurate ones with resin bolts and leadsheet, finished decalling the fuselage completely and have started by modifying the top wing to take Bo's 3d printed see through radiator! EDIT: and the leather coaming fasteners which i forgot to mention! Thanks for looking in! Ryan, for you specifically i have inserted a photo of the woodgrain pre glaze and post glaze so you can see the difference in how it tints the base coat. It's like a filter but a bit heavier in terms of oil paint content. I use quick dry thinners and a hairdryer so basically after half an hour and a couple of hairdryer sessions, i gently blend everything in with a lintfree cloth and the brushstrokes disappear and it all feathers in, then i lock it up with a coat of lacquer clear. hope that helps! Above pre-glaze Above post glaze (Ryan!)

Well, she’s beginning to look like a Stuka now and totally awkward to handle on the bench! I’ve has to use a fair bit of filler, not sure how much of this was me, the kit or just the age of the old girl. I think I the fuselage would have been a click fit, but something was restricting it closing on the bottom of the fuselage around the cockpit. Try as I might I couldn’t find the gremlin so had about a 1mm gap along the bottom. The tail plane fairings caused an issue too - my fault again, I was test fitting them and pushed them too hard and they wedged tight with another gap, stuck fast and I couldn’t get them off again . All ok now though. Can’t wait to get some paint on! Teaser shot: Guy

So 30 years ago, without asking me, mom gave away my dad's and uncle's childhood set of Compton's Pictured Encyclopedias. I poured over them for hours when I was a kid. I think theirs was a 1938 set. I couldn't remember "Compton's", and I'd been searching in vain for years thinking they were Collier's. Finally reached out to the Library of Congress and got help from a wonderful woman named Elizabeth (one of those worthless, overpaid, underworked Big Bad Federal Government types...). Finally found an absolutely PRISTINE set of 1935 books on eBay for $100 shipped. Got them today. This is exactly what I remember as a kid Yay Library of Congress!!!

Revells Spitfire MK II Conversion plus Hasegawa V Canopy and filter. Many things added. I've added new photos

Not sure I get that line of thinking really. Is every model maker capable, just not willing to have a go at what you describe? No, of course not. Every modeler has his reasons for doing or not doing something model making wise. Making assumptions about others and why they do or dont do something is a slippery slope. I am one of those "bemoaning" the turrets. Not every modeler can be stuffed into one single definition of what and how they model. Not knowing any other individuals situation and reasoning for NOT doing these things can lead to a lot of assumptions................. Can I make them myself? Yes. I have vac experience, as well as milliput and master making experience. Im not an expert, but I do have the knowledge. Do I have the equipment? No. I made my own vac machine a year or more ago for another project, but it has since been torn apart to use the parts elsewhere. Do I have the desire? HARD NO. After pulling my own vacs I have ZERO interest in messing around trying to pull my own vac clear parts. Other parts of the turrets, easier but not the clear parts. Do I have the time? HARD NO. Between work and life I get a scant amount of bench time, and Ill be damned if Im going to spend it doing something I hate. I have way too many other models in my stash, and other things to do to spend it doing something that is not only unnecessary, but not fun in any way shape or form for me. You must be an expert at pulling clear vac parts, or can accept less than perfect parts..............either that or Hubert and I must have been doing something wrong. Between the two of us, we pulled more than 20 copies, and the discard rate was about 10 - 1 as far as bad to good pulls went. I got there in the end but pulling acceptably clear vac parts is not an easy proposition for most. Id say you might want to give a thought or two to others reasoning for not messing with this kind of thing. It may have absolutely nothing to do with lack of effort or laziness. Sincerely, A painter / assembler

Cheers, Erik.

Thanks boys! To tell you the truth, my original plan was to put larger more symmetrical splotches on the fuse, and have smaller and larger more random splotches with more random shapes on the wings.......but I initially forgot about the elevators in that plan, so they ended up with the same effect as the fuselage had. Iv actually remedied that, as I think you are right, they should be alike....... I thought I'd like the larger more symmetrical splotching, but in the end I liked the more varied sized camo on the wings and elevators with the larger camo on the fuselage and vertical stab, so I fixed the elevators to match the wings. At the same time, I utilized the Maketar Do-335 mask set along with my own designs to get the white down. This includes Marseille's "200" and the crossed swords in his oak leaf & crossed swords victory crest: I'm off to let the white harden off and eat some corned beef and cabbage w/potatoes. Cheers, and happy St. Patrick's day!

It's been a while since I've done any work on the big BUFF but thought it deserved a stint back on the bench... Since the last update and completion of the internal bulkheads, the next logical step has been to have a play with the landing gear bays. It took a lot of head-scratching to get the legs themselves correctly positioned and therefore the internal bay roof structure, and as is often the case with these types of builds, you sometimes have to sacrifice accuracy for structural integrity. Therefore the bays I've made are an approximation of the real thing but close enough for a cursory glance when it's placed on the model show table - especially when the big doors and legs are in place to hide the majority of my work! I had a good delve into the bays of the B-52 at Duxford for some much-needed reference as well as a few books, and armed with plenty of plastic card and Evergreen strip, I set about building up the basic interior structure. The front bay: IMG_0865 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr IMG_0862 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr IMG_0855 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr And the rear bay: IMG_0863 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr IMG_0859 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr IMG_0856 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr And both bays together: IMG_0861 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr Still lots of further detailing to be done, but the basic structure is now there... Until next time, Tom

With the Cessna finally finished I've been able to turn more attention back to the long languishing Grumman Tiger (1/20). I've been making good use of the Silhouette Cameo cutter for wings and control surfaces. .015" styrene in the Cameo Repeating shapes are laminated into a solid whole.

Me recently completed Tamiya F-14A in VF-84 livery. Paint is primarily MRP. Only extra bit was the Fine Molds metal pitot.

Work continues on the right side wall I had to redo the landing gear level, it was out of scale. You can see the T connectors on the hydraulical lines : the Mark8 had a retractable tail wheel so 2 lines will be added once the quadrant is glued in place Some devil in the details:

Hello, friends! My hat is in the ring. The kit of the choice is Special Hobby's T-2C Buckeye, camouflaged version. I've earmarked this some time ago for the Venezuelanian livery. Not so much because there is a crisis in Venezuela, but because I like multicolor camouflage. There is not a lot of AM parts around. You see the full selection on top of the box - canopy masks. That's it. The kit itself holds all the resin and PE needed for a decent build. On the other hand the kit has a few problems of it's own. Overall fit is good, shape is OK, but the floor of the rear cockpit is located too deep inside the fuselage. The rear IP has an antiglare cover like the front IP, but Special Hobby missed that; and there are lacking some other more or less visible cockpit details. The Buckeye also featured a good number of raised rivets in different locations, which the kit is lacking too. We are talking about boiler sized riveds here! Maybe North American accidentally invented there the vortex generators? Who nows... Before cutting styrene I have to to check the references. There are two or three detailed online builds at hand, that tell you how to fix the kits problems, and some walkarounds. I will read them carefully. Also want to try to get a copy of WWPs In detail book about the Buckeye at the Euro Model Expo two weeks ahead. It is sold out, but maybe I am lucky to get a second hand one. Thats the plan for now. Stay tuned. Regards - dutik

This is Special Hobby's 1/32 scale V-1. A lovely little kit, the usual lo-run moulding features, a bit of etch and a good decal sheet. All paint by Mission Models with a final wash of Flory Black Weathering fluid. Very fast and easy to build and paint. The rear end of the fuselage and engine was assembled and painted in one factory, the explosive section in another and the nose guidance system at a third, all painted where manufactured. Like most munitions, they would only come together as a complete unit prior to launch, being assembled and adjusted in the local bomb dump. Hence the mottle cammo on the back end, the linear colour demarcation on the explosive section and a freehand wavy colour separation on the nose. Some areas were treated to a very thin wash of Mission Models Tyre Black to change the RLM83 and 76 on some sections to emphasise the disparate part manufacturing.

Some great input but I am going to lock this thread now. Many if not most members come here as a place to numb the bad news of the outside world and escape it for a break not chat about them. Our sincere condolences to those affected.

Kagemusha and Alain, Thank you for your kind words. I am almost finished with the pit and I am pretty happy with the result even though the macro is unforgiving. it looks better IRL I need to finish the bangseat and add bits and bobs and I can then close up the fuselage. Cheers, David

Atrocious act of violence . Our world is full of diversity and only takes a few to annihilate the Peace We come to know. To MY fellow Muslims MY Duas and prayers go out to your families and loved ones... May all those (49) killed see Jannat and let them rest in Peace. To be annihilated on a HOLY DAY is surely despicable as it is at any given time or moment whether in Christchurch or anywhere else in the World. MY Aunt lives in Christchurch , not far from one of the mosques but this Holy Friday(called Jummah) she didn't attend ..she was unwell. Thank you Almighty. And GOD BLESS all of you and all of us ...WE know how to live in Peace and harmony regardless of our differences..which makes us come together..and unique.

Dad gave me this kit when he was cleaning out his study. The fuselage was unfortunately wrecked, but thanks to Kagemusha, who was able to supply me a fuselage he didn't need. I'll be building the kit for my old man, not sure on colourscheme yet, probably build it with the wings folded too.

Here is the rear wall: I added a pair of Airscale warning placards as I figured they would have some info for the field service personnel about the bang seat... And here is said seat: I adjusted one armrest, added some padding, and instead of the Eduard parts, added some lead foil on top of the box behind the headrest. Apparently, that held a drogue chute and the flaps were canvas or thin leather flaps. I also added foil over the armored headrest as it was covered in leather. It probably should be grey, as well as the seat pad but I wanted a little more color. Of course, the HGW belts covered up 90% of my work on the pad.

Wheel bay before painting.

Short update of sorts - not really sure how I managed to squeeze two Me-262 builds into one thread - but, the good news is that the Me-262 nightfighter is now almost done. Just the aerial wire and the canopy sway cables to go... I will now be able to concentrate on the U4 conversion. Cheers Alan

Works continues on the heel board with some detailing and the addition of the very visible fuel electrical pump interference filter and a better view of the differential braking relay. Instruments feeding lines added as well with their brackets Tank pressurization knob and fuel selector were also recreated in plastic card Vincent

And here's some more detail shots to close out the show. Thanks to everyone who helped me make this the best model I've built to date! If you're intereested in the full WIP you can find it here T-38A Thunderbird

Here is a small update i've painted and finalized the engines, i used some Mig pigments and oil staining from their armor engine weathering kit. im pretty happy with the results. although i did not check how easy it is to leave and engine cover off this kit! The exhaust are painted using alclad exhaust Manifold i really love the look. as for the cockpit, ive did some detail painting but there is allot more to do before its done. i did attack the IP but im really unsatisfied and i think im goin to strip it down and start over. I would really like to find a detailed tutorial on how to pain instrument panels has this is always a pain point of my builds and i feel i could use a better technique More soon!! Thanks for following along

Just to let you know I am alive, work has begun on the inboard landing gear doors. Here is what I want them to look like (Dottie Mae): I mean to include the following features: 1. The hydraulic actuator rod attach (rod not shown here). 2. The stainless steel doubler that has a clearance dish for the tire. 3. Two rollers that help lock the door in place with gear up (one shown above on bottom of door). 4. The two goose neck hinge fittings along with matching fittings on the wing rib. Here is my progress so far: The outer skin is .020 plastic sheet, the build-up is .156 tall by .08 thick strip, and the inner skin is .015 plastic sheet. The hardest part is to file and grind the spherical shaped dish on the inner surface, and then get the inner skin to lay down inside the dished area. Next post these will be finished, and mounted onto the wing. At that point, it will be time to permanently install the wings to the fuselage and permanently install the wheels onto the gear struts. I am approaching the finish line albeit very slowly! To go are bomb pylons, centerline bomb shackles, and pitot mast.