Durangokid

A lot have already mentioned the Intruder. I built the A version and it went together very well. The only thing really lacking is the cockpit but it doesn't look too bad once it's all built up. I also like the TBM Avenger, it fits together nicely but it was attacked by the rivet monster... Bryan

That has got to be one of the best natural metal finishes I have seen. Really amazing! Bryan

Always nice to see your finished builds and this one does not disappoint! Everything has to be perfect to pull of that gloss black scheme but you nailed it. Great WIP too... Bryan

Seriously? Wow, that sounds crazy to me. Imagine what it would cost for my Dodge Ram truck... Bryan

This is the same BS they pulled a few years ago. I can't believe they are still in business. It's one thing to start charging or raise rates but it's a whole other level to hold everyone's images hostage like they do. Bryan

Helluva Job and a great cause! She really looks fantastic! Bryan

Hey Brian, I used 6000 grit but it was well used before I sanded the decals. I couldn't sand the yellow decals on the bottom because the ink would spread instead of fade. The good thing is the yellow part of the decals were very fine and not overly bright.

I used 50/50 with leveling thinner and it worked perfectly and I think you psi is good too. Kev and Chuck are your best sources for X-22. I used it for the first time a short time ago and it will be my go to gloss from now on... Bryan

I like it! Great job weathering the natural metal too. How was the fit? Bryan

I think the decals look really good. You would have to see them side by side with photos of the real aircraft to notice a difference. On a side note, have you ever thought of getting a cutter to recreate the decals? Either way, it looks fantastic! I'm always going through your threads to see what kind of ideas I can learn from you. Bryan

Good stuff Kev, I'm really glad you passed that one around. I had been using MRP clear gloss with pretty good results but it seemed to take a lot of coats to get really glossy. X-22 didn't take nearly as much and it is incredibly glossy. I did end up sealing the decals with MRP semigloss and there were no issues with the hotter paint on top of it. I would have used X-22 to seal them but I like to use semigloss for the oil weathering plus I'm running a bit low on the X-22. Funny thing is, I've had that X-22 sealed in the bottle for over 10 years and it was still like new.

I'm really looking forward to this! I've been wanting to to build this kit with those exact decals for a long time now. The only thing that has stopped me is knowing how much work I would have to put in, so I have to be in the right frame of mind to start a project like this. Plus with my luck, Tamiya will release a new mold kit when I'm about half way through! Great work so far and I can't wait to see more! Bryan

So after hearing Chuck and a lot of other modelers talking about Tamiya's X-22 gloss if figured I would give it a try and it's fantastic. I think it's the best I have tried for sure. I used Mr. Color leveling thinner to thin it and I think getting the 50/50 mix correct is important. I thinned it a bit much when painting the bottom which didn't turn out as glossy as the top. I ended up respraying the bottom with the correct mix and all was well. I also have the F-4 stencils from both AOA Decals and Cam. AOA's decals are by far the most detailed set I have seen on any aircraft.

I've lightly sanded decals and the key part is 'lightly'. I used 8000 grit and it's a slow process but if you use a stronger grit, it's likely to have a ripping affect. Some decals are printed over white. So if you have a red decal that was printed over white, you will see the white part as you sand away the red part. Hope that make sense... Bryan

Man, you are in a class of your own! Bryan