Dragon

Cockpit finished, resin seat and HGW seatbelts from the box. I added Eduard instrument panel.




Thank you John, I decided to bend underside fuselage part to met with fuselage halves.

Hi all,
I started Special Hobby High Tech 2 kit Tempest MK V. Its a mix of nicely done details, not worse from mainstream kits with old-time imperfections bonded with their earlier short runs - for example cockpit collides with wheel bays, wheel bays with wing halves, gaps between fuselage and wings. I will skip adding engine, its a petty but this requires cutting and trimming plastic, lot of work basically.
I found this scheme of Tempest from first years after war when RAF stationed in Germany. Fortunately Montex was producing mask for PCM containing W2-Y. Some details like bell and question mark was not provided.





I will add Eduard PE with IP and some cockpit details.



This is my idea on spinner correction, I glued plastic "core" from old droptank then poured few layers of two-component epoxy glue. When it cured I sanded and used Tamiya (thicker) and Gunze (thinner Surfacer 1200) for correcting small imperfections.



Cockpit ready for paint,  rear "wall" needs to be sanded to not expand fuselage.

Haven't built a 48th bird in about 20 years,  just wanted an Expeditor and I know I'll never see one in my scale so took
  this down from the shelf that had been sitting for the last 3 years and dove in, reworked the whole thing to get it where
  We are. hope you like it.
   Bill.
 


    

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

How time flies!

Drilled the holes out with the help of this nice drill set.

 
Next I spent 17 hrs 3d printing and painting this miniature for work!
About 5cm in height but a mass of individual parts to assemble and create a nice pose for the box.


I don’t have any information on the pilot, but here’s an interesting comparison of the wings surfaces of different aircraft.
Top is a Bf 109 G (Hasegawa)
Middle the Ki-44
Bottom a Ki-43 (Revell)
Fully loaded weights of each in the same order:
‘109: 3 148kg
Ki-44: 2 764kg
Ki-43: 2 590kg
So a much lower wing loading for the Ki-43!

 
The Maru Mechanic had this great rivet plan for the aircraft.

 
I followed that for the most part, but simplifying in places. The flaps are separate parts but they were glued in the closed position as that is the way they always are on the ground. They stand a bit proud from the wing surface but I couldn’t find out if that is correct. Anyway this does not look obviously wrong.
 


Does look better compared to the unmodified parts. The fuselage has inserts but I thought I could add them later without any problems…


But was I wrong!
Somehow I though the doors (for loading the cowl guns) would fill the openings but they are smaller and the riveting should continue on the inserts. Also the fit was not so good as the surface ended being a bit lower than the surrounding surface. Didn’t notice that until the glue had set solidly. 
The edges were filled with thick CA.
Then scraped and sanded flush. The concave fuselage at this spot made it possible to get a pretty smooth surface, at the expense of the rivetting but this will be done again using the still remaining bits.
 



 
Most parts have been cleaned up with some subassemblies complete.
Parts of the fuselage and cockpit are ready for primer, and others are sorted in two trays, one for silver, the other for black.
 

 

 
Doing paint tests today for the fabric surfaces (visible on the underside) and the cockpit interior which will be in dark blue.
 
More tomorrow!
Alain

In with this entry!
Captain Hideaki Inayama was flying this striking Ki-44 in the 87th Sentai that was part of the 10th Hikodan of the Japanese home islands’ Eastern Defense Sector.
He was credited with 5+ victories (Osprey’s Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-1945).
 
This is the very nice Hasegawa kit, which is a nicely detailed yet simple kit. I intend to build essentially straight from the box.
 

 

 
Some references:

 

 
The aircraft in question:
The link with this GB is that this aircraft has the number 25, hand painted, on its main gear covers.

 
Stay tuned!
Alain

i even started work, i began to rescribe the whole thing, not my best work:
 

 
hope i can pull it off, since i started the NOGS bronco too...

it will look like this:
 

 

I´m in with the ancient Revell Mirage kit, converted to a Dagger of the falklands war
 

 
the "25" is in the wingspan of the kit, i challenge anyone to come up with a weaker explanation of joining the jubilee group build , but Kevin says its ok 
 

 

Hi all,
 
I shall build this one for the GB.
Not sure of the markings I shall do.
It might well be some sort of "museum" P-51.
 
As this GB runs for the rest of the year.This will be my build inbetween other  easier builds.
No need to hurry.
 
 

I thought I'd sworn off doing GBs, purely because my track record of finishing them is, shall we say, somewhat less than 100%.  However, this one I really have to be in, given that it's a special anniversary.
 
How does it qualify?  Any fan of "The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" will know that the answer to Life and everything is 42.  42+25 = 67, and my subject is from the 67th TRG.
 
In any case, it's a Mustang in metal fuselage and silver lacquer wings.  And it has a lady on it who could possibly be 25 years of age.
 
I'll be using the Tamiya Pacific boxing, which includes an option for an F-6D, with some Barracuda wheels and a seat, and markings by Kits World. 
 

 
My subject is, of course, "Shady Lady".
 

 
When Kotare issue the P-51B/C with a boxing containing the F-6B/C (I wish!), I will be able to use "Oh Johnnie" too.
 
I won't be starting it yet, I need to clear a rather large Tornado off the bench first, but with nearly a year to finish it even I should have a chance.
 
 

Nice work with the gun ports!
 
Håkan
 

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

Thanks everyone!
 
I had read that the parts of this kit are thick, and they definitely are! One plus of the excessive thickness is greater surface area for gluing the parts. 
 
First issue of the kit to deal are the gun port panels. I have the AMS Resin replacement panels, but after comparing the dimensions of the resin replacement panels against the kits panels, I felt the replacement panels would be more work (and frustration) than they would enhance the look. So, I decided to try and improve the kit's gun panels. To fill the gapping holes in the kit's gun panel (on the right), I glued pieces of styrene strips to the backside of the gun panel (on the left). I think this simple fix helps tremendously. I did the same for the right side once I saw how it improved the appearance. This next step for improving the gun panel was taking a drill bit and routing the gun ports out a bit to improve their shape. 
 
 
 
After completing the gun panels, it was closing up the machine gun panels. Not a fan of open panels. The panel fit wasn't bad. The only issue was a slight warpage to them, but nothing that was too difficult to deal with.


 
Next up will be the wing assembly and the wing tanks.
 
Thanks for looking in.
Mike

Sooo...got seat with armor plate and of course forgot that Hasegawa is not Revell.
Managed to make it fit but not without some cutting, grinding, sanding etc.

 
 

Hello,
 
So...here we go
 
One of my fellas designed drew imaginary Zumbach's personal P-51D and I see no reason to not build one  So here it is, all silver so I hope I can take part in this GB

 
And here is my victim, P-51 from Hasegawa, I'm waiting for Quickboost seat and propeller. Custom decals were printed by one of my friends. I try to use dashboard from kit, because I can't force myself to cut Yahu set.

 

Here's what I intend to build for this anniversary.
 

 
As silver or 25 is required, I'm building this one instead.
 

 
I will start building as soon as possible!
 
Håkan
 

Great choice, Ray! I have to figure out something to enter myself.
 
Kev

I have an abysmal record in GB's, but as it is our 25th anniversary, I got to give it a try.

 
I couldn't find any photo references for a 25-marked aircraft, but Romania had several and I found photos of Red 23 and Red 28, so I have to believe there was a Red 25!

I'm joining this GB with the Kinetic F-86F-30 and AM. Not pictured is a AMS cockpit set for this kit. Somehow I've mis-placed the instructions for the set, but I've reached out to BiggTim for an assist. I also have several AM decal options to chose from, but I haven't made a decision on what plane I want to do. 
 

 
Thanks for looking in.
 
Mike
 
 

I'm joining this GB with the Kinetic F-86F-30 and AM. Not pictured is a AMS cockpit set for this kit. Somehow I've mis-placed the instructions for the set, but I've reached out to BiggTim for an assist. I also have several AM decal options to chose from, but I haven't made a decision on what plane I want to do. 
 

 
Thanks for looking in.
 
Mike