crobinsonh

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Progress continues - slowly... I used the Alclad Gray microprimer for the first time (normally use Mr Surfacer) and found I had a strange dust effect which luckily polished out quickly. Here are a few shots of progress. As usual there are a few problems that I had missed - I re-riveted and re-scribed "everything" on the model. Not sure I would do that again. Please note the airbrake is just placed in the model. Since these shots I have fine sanded and polished the surface and completed the payload (but not painted). More when I am back from my travels.

A small amount of progress that will not allow a much bigger step forward. The front windscreen was not wide enough to fit properly. The solution was to do this: Which then meant I had to remove the stick, instrument panel and front coaming to do this. More anon...

Great work!

Wow - lovely work on the model. Looking forward to your next update. Regards,

After many, many months of fighting with the canopies I finally got to a point where this is it - I had so many problems with Future and with the Eduard etch of my own making that I have put this one down many times. However I am now moving forward even though it is far from perfect. I have never completed a 1/32nd jet and I will not let myself start another until I have finished this one. Windscreen place on - what a pig to do the putty line! More progress soon I hope!

Super work. This is turning into a master piece

Great work - I have one of these in my stash as I always loved this aircraft

Fantastic work as usual. Looking forward to your next update.

Superb build - love all the details and the paint scheme

Continued... Whist I was doing the repair of the floor I also repaired a number of other areas so that the canopy and front and rear coamings could be fitted as I get closer to actually being able to spray the beast. More in a couple of weeks.

AnthonyWan - Apologies for the delay it is Mr Color 214 (lacquer) Dark Iron and Mr Color 212 (lacquer) I have a some update on work from the last 2 weeks.

Superb build - welcome back with a bang!

F4K Phantom... Lots of marking possibilities.

Looks very nice - can you get a closer shot of the fuselage so that I can see more clearly how effective the wood decals are? The choice of markings is very good.

Lovely build - I have an ever growing collection of WnW kits that at some point I need to start. Looking at this build this maybe the first one I kick off on. Love the belts they look real.

Love the colours and markings. One day I will build one of the 4 Tamiya Spitfires in my collection. Lots of inspiration on this thread.

Hi Jack - the difference between the Whirlybird T5 and the T4 is the cockpit which is very different (I provided the master from the conversion work I was doing here on LSP & Britmodeller) and the markings. Regards

Lovely looking build with great finish.

Very nice work. I look forward to seeing your progress and pinching as many ideas I can - particularly for the F-15J I have in the stash.

Updates from the last couple of days. Here is the nose U/C with the eduard F-18 Placards set. A little thick but still nice. I then used MIG pastels - as I said earlier I am a Pastel virgin until this build. I have seen many comments on the use but could never quite work out how to use them. Have now amassed around 20 or so of the MIG pigments and used them on the jet exhausts and U/C I now have a much better understanding of the value in weathering and finishing models. I then moved onto the main U/C and then the gear doors - still some work to tidy up. I then moved onto the windscreen and main canopy - I have to admit I have had a nightmare time with these parts. The Future finish has "waves" (first time this has happened to me) and had to be stripped and then the glueing the etch was an absolute nightmare. I certainly needs 6 pairs of hands! I also have the Eduard external weapons etch which as far as the main pylons goes is pretty much useless as most of the etch does not fit.

Thanks to everyone for your comments and advice. Scotsman thanks for your comments and advice. The gear is the SAC metal gear as I had read on so many build reviews about the relative weakness of the U/C over time. With regard to the intakes I took the hard way whereas I would encourage anyone else to get hold of some seamless intakes for a much easier ride. I have noticed that one of the gear mounts has started to give and crack after one test fitting - certainly a job for 5 minute epoxy. AnthonyWan I used Gunze paints for the exhausts - Dark iron and Iron for the outside and sail colour for the interior. The best paints IMHO. Stocky Pete That would be a huge help. I will PM you.

Great work. This is one kit (or is it 3) that I need to add to my ever growing, unbuilt WnW pile!

If any one has a link to the aires wheel bay instructions that would be a huge help as I would like to use the PE hinges etc but I have lost the instructions at some point over the years

A few more updates for today. As I had decided not to super detail the model after getting the ejection seats wrong I did not go with the Aires resin for the main U/C bays but just used the Eduard set for detailing the kit supplied bays. I decided not to use the resin Contact Resin wheels I bought years ago as they are flattened to a very unrealistic fashion - in fact most of the shots in the DACO book show very little flattening. The tyres are not weathered and there is still a few details to be picked out. I then started the nose and main U/C. Again I did not add any extra detail but just went with the kit supplied parts. There is still assembly still to do and a round of weathering looking again at the DACO book. For the main shocks I used BareMetal foil (my first time ever) and whilst it worked ok I did find the material a bit of a pig to get used to. That said it did get better as I understood more about the properties of the material. Here is everything together And last but not least the U/C doors etc. Spot the mistake - yeah I painted too much red. I realised this when checking the DACO book. Back to the spray booth for some touch ups tomorrow (if it is warm enough to spray) Hopefully more updates tomorrow.

Superb work. Whose etch set are you using for the exterior? Cannot wait to see your next update.