Smokey

Gentlemen,
 
  Here is the deal. I now have a Cameo Silhouette, the newest version of Corel, the materials and the time to provide custom masks. I am fully stocked on black and white vinyl, as well as sheets of transfer tape.
 
  Right now, I would like to keep them relatively simple (tail codes, numbers, national insignia, etc.) However, as time goes by, I may be able to provide more detailed masks.
 
  Here is how I would like this to work if you want or need a custom mask cut for one of your projects.
 
1. You must provide the reference material as I do not have the time to do research.
 
2. Provide notes about the masks you need (example: Two sets of the letters VA in Longbeach font, 24 scale inches tall)
 
3. Specify which color vinyl you prefer and if you want transfer tape provided.
 
4. Provide your PayPal email address.
 
  Upon completion of your masks, I will send you a request for payment. Here is the price break down :
 
For US clients, the fee will be a flat $25.00. This will cover my time, materials and shipping.
 
For clients outside the US, the fee will be a flat $30.00 to help cover the additional shipping.
 
Please do NOT send payment up front and Please allow me 5 business days to complete your order.
 
If you need a masking set done, please send your requests to the following email address:
 
flyingleathernecks@att.net
 
Dave
 

Hi Guys,
I'll show you some new (and one older) pictures of my 1/32 Su 27. Completed 2013 - I made this summer still a towbar of Northstar models to it.
I hope this works now with the pictures .......... (New online photo album)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
That´s it. 
 
As always, I hope you like the model and the pictures.
Dieter
 
 

I finally have something worth throwing up on the forum with this build. I am actually making a bunch of progress but I don't think anyone around here needs to see how the Tamiya F-16 assembles.
 
Anyhow, here is where I am with the exhausts. 
 
I sprayed all the insides with a flat black before mixing a little off-white and spraying over the flat black. I then made very extensive use of the Tamiya weathering pastels, especially the "soot". 
 
On the outside,  I sprayed everything with a coat of Humbrol satin black, with most of the rest the covered with Alclad. I like to use Humbrol Satin Black as a basecoat for Alclad when it comes to exhausts, since it introduces a relatively flat finish... F-16 exhausts from all I have seen are never polished a gloss finish. When I hold the exhausts again the pics in Jake's book the colors and shine look pretty much spot on. The principal Alclad colors I used were Pale Burnt Metal and a 50/50 mix of Gunmetal and Steel.
 
Here's the KASL Hobby P&W:
 

 

 

 
Anybody out there have any ideas on how to to the NO PUSH marking on the exhaust petals? The Academy kit has some pretty good-looking decals but I am pretty anxious about applying decals over that metal finish. Wish there were some dry-erase things available.
 
Here's the Aiers GE:
 

 

 

 
I did completely sand down the raised detail on the outside of the exhaust but what look like tiny holes remained instead. The detail is almost not visible, I think the overall effect is actually nice.
 
Cheers,
 
Marcel

Here is a picture of the four F-16's in a row along with the stars of the show the Thunderbird's two seat one coming in.  
 

 

Here is a couple pictures I took will post more.  Still getting use to Image Shack.  Hope these are the right size.  Dan
 

 
The other side.
 

 
 
 
 

Here is a couple pictures I took will post more.  Still getting use to Image Shack.  Hope these are the right size.  Dan
 

 
The other side.
 

 
 
 
 

Here is a picture of the four F-16's in a row along with the stars of the show the Thunderbird's two seat one coming in.  
 

 

last a couple pictures of one of many helicopters that were there.
 

 

Here is a couple pictures I took will post more.  Still getting use to Image Shack.  Hope these are the right size.  Dan
 

 
The other side.
 

 
 
 
 

I miss the Montana ANG F-16s & F-15s.

Here is a couple pictures I took will post more.  Still getting use to Image Shack.  Hope these are the right size.  Dan
 

 
The other side.
 

 
 
 
 

Ok, I really shouldn't be starting this, what with everything else on my bench at the moment but I couldn't resist.
 

 
Ignore the EJ bit on the box. It's the same inside as the regular USAF boxing but I've been able to get these for much cheaper for whatever reason.
 
I've got a bunch of AM and I'm planning to use Speedhunter decals and various paint masks for the markings.
 

 

 
For underwing stores, while not 100% accurate, I'm planning to hang these underneath:
 

 
Yup, three SUU-23A gun pods.
 
Carl

Stern.
 

More notes.  Numbers are Bulkhead locations.
 

Lots of preparatory scribbling.
 

Life Rings.
 

Searchlight, with bulb.  Swivels and rotates.
 

Last but not least.  Life Raft.  My research showed that round cornered rectangular Life Rafts, vs. oval Life Rafts, were made so one could stand inside the Raft.  The floor was attached to a rope fencing that had a circumferential rope at the top which threaded through strap openings to the inside of the Raft.  We'll see.
 
Thanks for dropping by, looking, and hopefully, liking.
Sincerely,
Mark

Mast.  Top.
 

Mast.  Bottom.  Still missing Cleats at mid-point and Running Light toward top.  Relocated Day Cabin Cabling.
 

Full Monty.
 

When everything is glued together I can remove the Pin and fold the Mast down.
 

Attention!
 

Cockpit.
 

Camber notes.  During my research I looked at other builds. One had mentioned a Camber problem, that the curvature of the deck from port to starboard, did not match real PTs.  So I studied the problem and wrote my notes on the deck.  I found no Camber problem.  But that's just me.
 

Helping hand for stability.  Back.
 

Same.  Forward.  Lots of notes.
 

New Gunnel (top) and Chine (bottom).
 

Sanded the Keel to an almost razor-sharp edge.  It was really dull.
 

New Carriage Bolts.
 

Bow.  Italeri gives you a straight Hull/Deck Line.  The PT Hull/Deck Line is an 'S' Curve.  Down at the Bow, Rises to a high point, curves down, then rises toward the Stern.  I used this as a guide to draw my line before i sanded the Line to shape.
 

More of the same.
 

It's a long Hull.
 
More below.

It's a pretty scheme!
 

 

 

The kit was actually started two days ago!
 
The first step was to assemble the forward fuselage and remove incorrectly placed panel lines. As this is a late F/A-18C, doors 5L and 5R are not present, so they were filled and sanded smooth as well. They are the square panels just aft and below the formation strip lights. I used Tamiya liquid surface primer to fill everything in, then sanded smooth with 1500 and 2400 grit sanding pads. It took 3 thin applications to completely fill them, which gives a better result than one heavy application. The thinner coats are also easier to sand smooth.
 

 
 

 
With careful cutting and fitting, the nose wheel well and cockpit can be installed after the fuselage halves have been assembled. However, the upper halves of the four locating tabs need to be removed for the nose wheel well to slide in. The molded on sidewall details also need to be removed to accommodate the new resin sidewalls. Doing it this way prevents a lot of sanding dust from getting all over the painted and detailed cockpit.
 

Gentlemen,
 
  With my new decal sheet at print with markings for a VMFA-251 Charlie from OIR, I've decided to get started on a kit to use them on. The kit is obviously the Academy F/A-18C and will incorporate the following aftermarket items:
 
- Aires or Black Box F/A-18C cockpit (BB set is on the way). I'll be looking at fit and overall accuracy before making a final decision.
- Aires wheel wells will be used depending on how well they fit. Lots of careful measuring will be done prior to cuts being made.
- Aires or Legend SJU-17 ejection seat. Fit and accuracy will again determine which will be used.
- Eduard F/A-18C PE interior, only a few select pieces will be used.
- G-Factor landing gear
- Rhino Modelworks intakes and wheels
- Quickboost M61A1 barrels. While marketed for the F-16, they can be used on any aircraft that use the M61A1.
- Various MV lenses
- Ordnance load will be as follows (per the squadron):
 
Station 1 - AIM-9X
Station 2 - GBU-38
Station 3 - GBU-38
Station 4 - ATFLIR
Station 5 - Fuel Tank
Station 6 - AIM-120C
Station 7 - Fuel Tank
Station 8 - GBU-54
Station 9 - AIM-9X
 
References used will be both the DACO and Reid Air Publishing books covering the F/A-18, as well as hundreds of my personal photos (both film and digital), measurements and technical publications on the aircraft.
 

Don,  not sure how I missed this build but you did a excellent job on it.   Dan

Don,  What color did you use to get the greenish color of the exhaust tube?  

Don't remember what year I took this photo.  Sure miss them.  
 

Slow progress got the windows all cut out and couldn't resist in taping it together.  Still have a lot of seam work to clean up but it is starting to look like a helicopter.  So far without the tail on it, it is almost 16 inches in length.  Tomorrow start putting the ribs on the cargo area sides.