Smokey

hello
 
I have updated the seat with an hopefully improved lower/center ejection handle, previous one was a bit rough. I took the opportuity to render the anti-slip coating.
 

 

 

 
 
And i now have started to work in the front wheel well.
 

 
bye
Fanch
 
 

Here is a little update:
 
I got the Tamiya gun muzzle to fit into the Academy kit pretty smoothly:

 
The Wolfpack resin pit is in. Note the area behind the back seat. As I was removing the casting block from the resin cockpit I accidentally cracked that area. I then decided to completely remove the panel behind the rear seat since I have read that the back seat of both the kit and the Wolfpack cockpit are excessively reclined, this will give me some leeway to correct this later on.

 
Overall view. I am finding the fit of the kit to be really challenging in parts. Not sure if all the resin I have added (intake and cockpit) have pulled the plastic or maybe I just somehow screwed up. There is about a 1mm step from the nosecone to the fuselage which I have had to now build up with plastic card. The wing/fuselage joints are not the nicest either and it will be pretty tricky to obtain a smooth joint while conserving the concave shape and not losing all the fine scribing.

 
And with that I am putting this build on hold. Although I have come really far by my standards in the last few weeks with this build, it really needs a lot of work (esp. compared to a Tamiya F-16) and I am fatigued with F-16 building at this point. Another big factor and notwithstanding the work that this kit requires is that I would still likely finish this build in the next 9 months (I have completed many sub-components) but my display cabinet is entirely at capacity. I will have a new one built but that will probably only happen early next year. So it makes more sense to get into a mega-project that will take considerably more time than 9 months to complete e.g. an F-14D!
 
I will close out the thread for now with a pic from last week. Necessary since most of the above pics are pretty ugly :-) This is on a mountain called Diavolezza.

 
Cheers,
 
Marcel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I should really be moving on to something else but I just can’t resist tackling my third F-16. I started on the Academy two-seater back when I was doing my F-16A and I have been building some subassemblies here and there as made synergistic sense with the other F-16’s. For example, the canopy is polished, Future-dipped and good to go. The (Tamiya) tanks are done with a first coat of paint on them, the ACMI pod is entirely complete, the AIM-9CATM is almost done, the Zacto intake is already painted white inside and the Aires wheel well is ready to be dropped in. In short, I think completing this model will take less than half the time it will take me to do the Legendary Grumman Product project I have lined up next.
 
 
Here is the exact aircraft I will be doing (pic has free for use rights):
 

 
 
I will be using the AFV Club F-16B kit, which is essentially the Academy kit with all the plastic that you would get with the various variants of that plus some resin parts. The most important parts for what will be an F-16D Block 30 are the correct wheels required for a Block 30 and also the non-bulged main landing gear doors. I will use the heavyweight legs when I should be using lightweight main gear but I honestly find it almost impossible to recognize the difference. More important is that I don’t need to use the bulged main gear doors of the kit, which look off from far away (more on that later).
 
 
I will be using the Two Bobs Arctic Aggressor sheet together with some custom serial number decals and a second red/yellow “6” from the spares box and that should be about it as far as turning this into a Block30 Aggressor.
 
 
The Tamiya F-16 kit is generally superior to the Academy kit but the Academy kit has some advantages. And of course it is the only two-seater in town. Here is my summary of the ADVANTAGES of the Academy kit (roughly in order of importance):
1.      Zacto makes beautiful small and big mouth intakes for the Academy F-16. These are drop-and-go and do away with the tedious seam-filling required for the Tamiya kit.
2.      The Aires wheel well fits absolutely perfectly into this kit. I would speculate that Aires designed the set for the Academy kit and then only modified the little panel between the bays for the Tamiya kit. I would strongly advise against using the Aires set on the Tamiya kit, the fit is poor requiring a chain reaction of modifications.
3.      The wing leading edge is molded as part of the wing. For the Tamiya kit, I find that the separately produced leading edge is difficult to glue in such that the gap, especially around the hinges, is perfectly neat and consistent. No such worries on the Academy kit.
4.      Academy added some nice detail in places where Tamiya didn’t provide any, e.g. on the underside of the center wing pylons.
 
And here are some of what I consider to be must-fix problems of the Academy kit. I am sure there are plenty of additional inaccuracies on the kit but these are the ones that I consider to be too glaring to ignore:
1.      The kit intake is spaced too close to the fuselage. Apparently the intake is also misshapen but I have a hard time recognizing that. This is a must-fix issue in my book but fortunately Zacto has turned vice into virtue with his fantastic intakes.
2.      The Academy gun muzzle has the slots vertical instead of being slightly slanted back. To my eye this makes the kit look wrong from across the room because this error is right in the focal point of the model. You can address this problem a few different ways and Academy supplies two muzzles so you can mess around a little to see what works. I ended up throwing money at the problem and bought the respective sprue from the Tamiya kit, the Tamiya muzzle fits into the Academy kit almost perfectly. Going the Tamiya route will also ensure a consistent look as my various F-16’s are displayed together.
3.      The Academy wingtip and outer wing launch rails (LAU-129) are far too skinny. Simple fix is to use some Tamiya LAU-129’s from the spares box.
4.      The bulged main gear doors look way too bulged. I didn’t need these anyway but I think these could just be sanded down to get a better look.
And with that, I am launching this thread! More to follow…
 
Cheers,
Marcel

The model will be made from Italiari's TF-104 duel control F-104:
 

 
 
 
 
 
The full lighting set up:
 

 
 
 
 
 
AM, plus a Master Model pitot tube, including two Nam era pilots. It was about as close as I could come for 1959/1960. I know their helmets may be a bit too up to date for late 1959, but hey ho, they were better than any of the other choices out there. AM also includes the gorgeous Eduard exhaust and a 7/8" by 12" clear acrylic rod for the base I have yet to purchase. No further AM really needed on this one since two pilots and some lighting will take the focus in the pit, and no need for AM wheels, gear or wells with none of that showing:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Lastly, I will supplement my build with the very nice Victory productions F-104 Starfighters Part 1 decals:
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
I will use custom made paint masks on my Silhouette cutter for the rest of the markings not included in the decal set, along with the stars and bars. Im really looking forward to a change of pace here with a jet, as well as getting back to my roots of foiling with kitchen foil!   yay! 
 
Cheers till the next episode! 
 

No rest for the driven! Ive been thinking about this one for quite some time now as it is going to contain some firsts for me. This one will be based on Italiari's new (ish) TF-104. The differences between the TF and D for my purposes are nil, so this is about the last time Ill likely worry about them. 
 
This will be modeled at F-104D 57-1315, flying out of the Air Force Flight Testing Center, based at Edwards AFB, in high visibility orange and NMF:
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Here is a pic of 57-1314 at Edwards in 1960:
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
The florescent orange had a tendency to fade quite badly in the hot Edwards AFB sun, so I will probably incorporate some of that, but I will be making my model basically in the earliest days of the AFFTC, so it will be a  newish paint job, with less fading. 
 
The "firsts" for me on this model I mentioned previously will be 2 fold:

1 - This will be my first 1/32nd "in flight" or gear up model. Ive done many models, and many models for customers too, but have until now not ever done a full gear up in-flight model. The 104 seemed perfect for it, and Ill describe how it will be posed shortly.   I purchased a 12" long clear acrylic rod to mount the model on, just for this purpose. 
 
2 - This will be my first fully "lit" model. I purchased a full  lighting kit from "MagicScaleModeling" specifically designed for the dual seat F-14 that includes all exterior lighting, exhaust and cockpit lights:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
I will  be using kitchen foil for the NMF, and will be using MRP white followed by MRP-194, Luminous Orange. 
 
Lets get on with what the build will contain shall we?

A 1:32 F-102 would really make my day.

Couldnt resist the great pre-order price, and I know Id kick myself later for not getting it now since I know Ill be buying one to go along with one of Vaughn's Jedha cities.   
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
It wont be out till August, but that's OK, it will give me time to acquire the city (and maybe some lighting too)

After doing some work here that was "above and beyond the call", my roommate decided to reward me with this book, as well as one other U-Boat reference that's on the way to me now.
 

D version is closer, expected to be releases in May 2019
http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=home&m=article&a=show&id=135&l=en
jan

 

Holy thread resurrection Batman!
 
Have been asked a few times recently what happened to the Lightning parts I was working on for the Trumpeter 1:32 Lightning...
 
Well, I kind of lost the will on this one - kept finding new things that needed fixing and lost interest - just got burned out.
 
However, with the recent emails I've received (plus seeing another Lightning project appear on LSP) I'm thinking it would be a pity to waste all the work I've done so far.
 
So - question - is there still interest in some correction parts out there?
 
This is where I was at:
 

 
Above: F1a
 

 
Above: F Mk 3
 

 
Above: F Mk 6
 

 
Canopy and cockpit sill area...
 

 
Cannon ports...
 

 
Kinda where I left off.
 
Is there still interest out there?
 
Iain
 
 

Well kids....
 
I started all over again...
 
New thread because the old one was just devolving into a endless stream of do overs.  
 
THIS THREAD SHALL NOT BE WHAT CAME BEFORE...THIS ONE WILL BE A FINISHED PROTOTYPE MODEL!!
 
So a few months back my good friend Paul Fisher lost his home and wonderful workshop to fire in Paradise, CA.  I am so happy he and his family escaped and in that light the mention of what comes next seems so trivial.
 
Paul was in possession of the masters I had completed at the time of the fire so an opportunity to build a better model arose.
 
Considering the magnitude of the work I previously completed, I started thinking about how to speed up the build.  As many of you know I have turned to CNC and SLA type 3d printing to augment the hand building of the model.  Until recently I had eschewed the use of FDM type printers due to the inaccuracy of the prints, and significant post processing required after printing model parts.  Cost also was a factor, nothing was worth the investment versus the risk of poor parts.
 
Enter the Tiertime Cetus MKIII.  This little printer was cheap, precise and worth a gamble.  The main feature that attracted me to the printer was the linear guide rails and bearing blocks.  These almost guarantee accurate movement of the axises of the printer.  With a price in the $300 US range it was worth a try.  With the printer in hand and after some tweaking with the assembly of the printer I managed to print dimensionally accurate parts.  One inch cubes were printed and were measured by digital caliper only a few ten thousands of an inch from true, and square adjacent surfaces measured with a machinist's square.
 
So I ordered up 7,000g of PLA filament and started a-printing.
 

 
On a similar journey I ordered up an Anycubic Photon MSLA printer, though this journey was much longer because the Photon required much more significant modification to get true parts.  Out of the box it made fantastic parts in terms of detail.  However, they parts didn't fit with others, they were skewed in the Z or vertical axis.  The modification was much too complex to detail in this post, suffice to say the machine was disassembled, parts were machined true, linear rails and bearing blocks added and a new parts were machined to make it all work.  Parts that came out of the machine post modification were exceptional!
 

 
Now that I have three machines working simultaneously part production has definitely accelerated the pace of this build.
 
I have also made some design changes.  Outside of getting another chance to improve the model's accuracy, simplifying and streamlining the build has been a chief consideration.  So the model will still be "skinned" in aluminum sheet but only where there are removable panels, the remainder of panel detail will be scribed in to a layer of primer paint.  PLA is a difficult material to sand and also hygroscopic and needed to be well sealed.  I'm using 2 part automotive epoxy paint (paint and hardener) to fill and "glue" the PLA layers together.  The result is a surface that is much easier to sand and finish.  You can see a few of the PLA parts were the black primer has been applied and finishing has started.
 
Lastly my machining skills have improved to the point where the acrylic parts now have machined in details, rivets and reinforcing layers etc.
 
Here's a shot of the parts so far.  These parts represent the main components of the fuselage from the nose to the engine faces.  
 

 
More detailed photos coming as assembly commences.  This will be a prototype model, so I will be finishing this one as I go, so you can look forward to finished assemblies going forward.
 
Thanks for checking in!
 
Timmy!
 
 

April 17/19
 
A quick public service announcement.  Like most of you guys, I use a lot of microbrushes of every description and go through maybe a hundred per model.  Purchased from my local hobby shop, they can cost $0.20/each or more.  I've bought them in bulk from the usual modeling internet sites for about half of that, but that was when I was looking for "Modeling or Hobby Microbrushes".  I discovered by accident a few years ago that if I looked for "Makeup or Dental Microbrushes", I found the very same thing- and more selection- for only $0.02/each!
 
Here's my latest order from ebay (or Amazon).  4 X 400 = 1,600 microbrushes for $31.50, delivered free to my door from China.  At this price, I don't have to worry about keeping any of them clean.
 

 
 
Cheers,
Chuck

Finally got the last piece of the puzzle....................
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
For my next build on deck..................
 

Something a little different to build arrived today....   
 
IMG_3454 by jettman1968, on Flickr

April 8/19
 
 
I’ve been a bit distracted lately, but I did get a chance to work on the wings.  Like much of the kit parts, they are a bit lumpy, the surface is slightly rough and the rivet detail is shallow and bit wide.  Without adding a dark wash, it’s hard to photograph, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.
 
 

 
 
After giving the wings the same “Chuck” treatment I’ve given the rest of the model, the detail is much better and smoother.  This will be critical later for a smooth gloss black finish.  Also, rivet patterns were added according to references, top and bottom.
 
 

 
 

 
 
The bottom of the wings are a lot more complicated.
 
 

 
 
Here are the key things you should do if you follow my lead. 
1 The outer join does not exist, so it should be filled and sanded smooth, then a nose-like panel line scribed across it as shown.
2 The other join on the LEX is OK and should stay, but be re-scribed.
3 The gear bay walls should be glued securely to the top of the wing, because that’s all that’s holding on to the very weak landing gear legs.
4 If you aren’t using the inner pylons, do not open the holes as shown in the instructions in Step #19, while the outer pylon holes- which are already open- should be filled if you’re not using them.  Rather than just fill them with CA glue, I used styrene rod to create pylon anchor points or plugs with more detail, as found on the real deal.
 
 

 
 
And this is all that’s holding the gear legs in place:  Two tiny slots.  Yikes!  While fairly accurate, they are fairly weak.  All the more reason to put them on at the very end of the build, like I usually do anyway.
 
 

 
 

 
 
The wing to fuselage join isn’t horrible, but it’s not plug and play either.  While a chore to fix, this is more common in modeling than it’s not, so no big deal.  Again, a lot of those crooked ghost panel lines should disappear after a coat of paint (fingers crossed).
 
 

 
 
 
 
Cheers,
Chuck

Thanks Guys!
 
I have been asked how I use CA glue as a filler in the other forum, especially when panel lines and rivet detail is enhanced or restored.  Although I’ve written tutorials on this subject before, I can’t find them, so here’s a new updated one that I will share here as well.
 
Using CA Glue as a Filler
 
I have been using Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue as a filler for many years and more recently, about 90% of the time over traditional modeling putties. I use CA glue on every single join of my models, to make sure there are no gaps to be found later.   While putty still has its place, CA glue has the following advantages over putty:
 
 
1)  Drying time is quick to immediate, especially if you use an accelerator.
 
2)  Since it dries harder, it sands finer- but sanding must be done within an hour or two of drying.  Left to cure overnight, it will become much harder than the plastic, making sanding difficult.
 
3)  As a glue, it strengthens joins while it fills them.
 
4)  Panel lines can be created or re-scribed over CA glue with a smooth finish, which you can't do with putty.  Again, this should be done within a short time after drying.
 
5)  CA glue doesn’t shrink as it dries, so what you see is what you get after drying.
 
6)  Tell tale flaws can be detected with strong lighting, allowing immediate repair.
 
 
CA Glue Properties.  The first point I stole from the internet, which explains it better than I could.
 
1)  CA glue can only bond with a surface when there is moisture present. This means if the CA glue is placed on a perfectly dry surface, it will not stick to the surface or form a bond.  In contrast, when any amount of moisture is present, the molecules in the glue will react with the moisture to form tight chains in between the two surfaces in contact. This reaction generates heat and occurs instantly, which differs from traditional glue bonding that occurs by evaporation of the base fluid. 
 
2)  Due to the above, thinner glues dry much faster than thicker glues, because more of the surface area to volume of glue is exposed to moisture.  For the same reason, glue in moist air dries quicker than dry air.
 
3)  Over time, thin CA glues get thicker, which is why I only buy thin glues and have a variety of new and older glues on hand resulting in a variety of viscosities.
 
4)  Thin and thick CA glues can be mixed, to create a custom viscosity that you might need for a particular application.
 
5)  CA glues don’t shrink very much, if at all, so only use what you need.
 
 
CA Glue Tools of the Trade.  Although mostly obvious, this is what you need:
 
1)  The right brand and viscosity of CA glue.  I’ve found that not all CA glue works the same and some are better than others.  I’m using Mercury M5 glue right now, because I know how it works and what to expect.  To get the right viscosity, just mix some thin and thicker glues together until you get what you need.  For most applications, I use thin glue only with no mixing.
 
2)  CA glue accelerator.  You often want the glue to dry immediately, so the application of an accelerator will do that, but again, some are better than others.  I used to use an accelerator that worked very quickly, but it also made the glue shrink and shrivel leaving bubble marks and it attacked paint.  The one I use now is much milder to use and does not harm paint if it is removed quickly.
 
3)  CA glue remover, or “Debonder”.  Sometimes the glue doesn’t go where you want it and needs to be removed without sanding.  Great Planes Debonder is the very best there is and it won’t harm the plastic like some other debonders.
 
4)  Applicator Microbrush.  Depending on the application and viscosity of the glue, I use either a very small microbrush (usually white), or the tip of the microbrush with the brush removed.  Bought in bulk, these brushes cost only pennies apiece and I use and throw away dozens of them on every model.
 
5)  Glue container, that is plastic and relatively deep.  Quite by accident I discovered that the cap to a small spray bottle can hold CA glue in a liquid form up to 24 hours.  Glue left on an open flat surface will dry quickly because it is exposed to air moisture, but for some reason glue in this type of container dries very slowly and the glue remains in a liquid form for several hours of glue application.
 
6)  Sandpaper, both #400 and #1000 Tamiya equivalent grits.  I say “Tamiya equivalent” grit, because one brand of #400 sandpaper will often be quite different than another brand of #400 sandpaper, which might be too coarse.
 
Other than the glue accelerator (I’ll find the brand name later), here’s a pic of what I currently use:
 
 

 
 
The Filling Procedure
 
To fill a seam or join like I’ve done above, the first thing to do is to use Tamiya Extra Thin Cement (TETC) to join the parts together, then ooze a good layer of this cement into the join to swell the plastic and close the gap.  The goal here is to get good adhesion and natural filling without the use of CA glue.  This doesn’t have to be neat along the join at all, but avoid getting any cement in fine detail.  Let this dry for a minimum of 24 hours, or 48 hours if you used a lot of glue.  You want it dry and as hard a possible for sanding.
 
When the TETC has dried properly, sand the join smooth using #400 sandpaper until it is flush, then remove the sanding dust with whatever works the best for you.  I use compressed air, a clean microbrush and sometimes solvent on a rag to get all the dust out of the join.
 
Dipping a microbrush into the CA glue container (not the bottle) and holding the surface horizontal so that the glue won’t drip, apply a thin bead of glue along the seam.  The goal is to totally fill the seam, plus about 10%, to get the top of the glue slightly higher than the surface of the plastic.  Let this dry for a few minutes, then apply glue accelerator with another microbrush along the seam next to the glue itself, but not directly on it.  Tip the parts allowing the accelerator to contact the CA glue and wait about a minute.  The glue will begin to harden on the surface.  When this has happened, apply more accelerator to the glue itself, which should harden completely within seconds.  Wipe off all accelerator with a dry rag.
 
       Note:  Thick CA glues take longer for the accelerator to dry them and they may be dry on the surface, but not internally.  Let thick glues dry much longer before sanding.
 
Again using #400 sandpaper, sand down the seam so that it’s flush.  Ideally, you have CA glue within the seam and not on the plastic on either side.  Using a strong light, check the seam for shiny spots.  These spots are low areas or bubbles where the glue has not been sanded yet.  Depending on the application, either sand down further or using a microbrush tip (without brush), apply a tiny drop of glue to these areas, add accelerator, then sand again.
 
When you are happy that the seam has been filled properly, use #1000 grit sandpaper and smooth the entire seam and surrounding areas to create a super smooth surface.  This takes a lot of time and a lot of sandpaper to get it right.
 
You can now apply or restore panel lines with a scriber and do the same thing for rivets with a needle in a pin vice.  Do it within an hour of applying the CA glue, so that it’s not too hard.  The glue is slightly harder than the plastic, so take care to dig a little bit more within the glue than the plastic to ensure a uniform panel line or rivet.  If you screw up- and you will- apply another drop or two of CA glue and do it all over again.  I have scribed and refilled the same panel line multiple times before I got it right and after some paint, you can’t see any flaws.
 
 
HTH,
Chuck

April 14/19
 
 
I finally finished the wings, including the control surfaces.  As with everything else, every panel line was re-scribed and every rivet re-punched.  I bet I’ve redone about 2,000+ rivets by now, but after a gloss black paint finish, it will be well worth it.
 
 
The wing to fuselage fit is not very good, but by sanding and dry fitting many times, you can get the fit close enough that you don’t need much in the way of filler.  Here’s how I did it:
 
 
1)  Sand and dry fit the wing to the fuselage to get as close a possible to a perfect fit.
 
2)  Apply Tamiya Extra Thin Cement (TETC) to the main portions of the wing to fuselage, then hold the parts tightly together with your hands until the parts are fused.  This takes about 5 minutes and don’t worry about getting glue to all portions of the join.
 
3)  Apply a good bead of TETC along the entire wing to fuselage join.  This not only adheres the wing, but it makes the plastic swell, helping to close small gaps.  Let it dry for 1 hour, then apply another bead, both top and bottom.  You want to use lots of glue, but not so much that you make the plastic too mushy.  Let it dry for 24 hours.
 
4)  Sand the join smooth with #1000 grit sandpaper, removing any excess glue marks on either side of the seam.  Remove the sanding dust.
 
5)  Apply thin masking tape to either side of the seam, leaving a small gap no bigger than what you need to fill.
 
6)  Thin some Tamiya Basic putty in a small jar with Tamiya lacquer thinner.  Since the putty smells exactly like the thinner, I bet it’s the very same stuff.  With a microbrush, apply the thinned putty along the seam.
 
7)  Using a Q-tip dipped in more Tamiya lacquer thinner, swipe along the seam to push the putty into the gaps and smooth the overall surface.  You want the putty to be slightly raised from the join, because it will shrink.
 
8)  Carefully remove the masking tape, which should leave a straight bead of slightly raised putty.  Let the putty dry for 24 hours.
 
9)  Sand the join smooth.  If you still have small holes and gaps, redo them with more thinned putty.
 
10)  For a final sealing micro-filler coat, paint on a thin bead of Future/Pledge on the seam and let it dry for 24 hours, then sand.  If you want to redo some areas, just apply Windex to a Q-tip or rag and remove it.
 
 
Now some pics.  The flaps and ailerons are just dry fitted and I will paint them separately for ease of handling.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
The fit on the bottom turned out pretty good too.  The gear wells were painted before I glued on the wings.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Now an often-ignored part of modeling wings.  The trailing edges of wings in most kits are too fat and they should be sanded down to thin them.  The ailerons in this kit do not fit the wings at all, so you need to sand each hinge down about 25% in order to get them to mesh properly.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Based upon most reference pics of parked F-5’s, the rear flaps are usually straight while the ailerons are drooped down, while the front flaps can be straight or drooped down just slightly- which is how I’m going to pose them.  As somebody mentioned already, this is starting to look like a jet!
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
Thanks again for your comments and interest in this build.
 
 
Cheers,
Chuck

LOL - I'm afraid it's the amateur engineer in me - I like to work the numbers as this should give a solid foundation for the modifications.
 
Oh - and I have assumed a linear transition in thickness chord ratios - from the 22% at root - to 9.7% at tip - but I can't see it being any more complex than that! 
 
Ted - yes - plan is to put together a .pdf sheet with the templates for anyone that wants to have a go.
 
Also thinking of producing a 'kit' with drawings, laser cut formers in 2mm HIPS and rein cast replacement tips - if there's sufficient interest to make it worthwhile.
 
Caveat - things like this take a little time - and my priorities are elsewhere at this point.
 
Iain

These turrets are now available for purchase on Ebay. I ship internationally and do combine shipping. For international buyers and fans of the big scale Liberators, with the D model coming out, you may want to make your money go further by buying two Consolidated turrets and oene Emerson to cover both aircraft and have the turrets shipping for the price of one shipping fee. Plan your life!

Cheers,
Erik.

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.
 

 

 

 

 

 

I think I have the two turrets correctly proportioned. Consolidated on left, and Emerson on right and in first cast resin. I will fill in the seam between the new top and the turret bottom. Then make a new mold. from there I will cut, chop, and grind the upper and lower dies, then make molds. I hope to have the Emerson done tomorrow. Then on to the Consolidated. That should not be too difficult to get into production. This weekend is looking better for release.
 

I have a feeling the Emerson turret is hosed up way worse then just the frosted plastic. I think the damn thing is grossly undersized in comparison with the Consolidate A6 unit. Correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't the Emerson supposed to be taller then the Consolidated? The Emerson that sits in front of the plane and sits proud of the area in front of the windscreen? Picture provided of the Consolidated on the left and Emerson on the right. Thoughts? The Emerson in the 1/48 Monogram is taller then the Consolidated.
 

 

They are:
 

 
 
Depending on how its laid out, with seams and guide pins, may need a new nose glazing.