Whitey

Very damn cool.

Thanks Don, I forgot to mention the rear fuselage. I used Mr Surfacer - sprayed on and sanded back, and sprayed on and sanded back until they were all gone.

Hi Troy, thanks, but no mate. Struggled for references except for a few museum pieces that could be anything. I was in Seattle a couple of years ago and was super impressed by FHC's example that still flies. Based some of the details on my photos but not sure how much modern work has been done to make it flyable though. Super impressed by its size - it is a big aircraft.

Hi Kev, thanks, yes, no worries.

Just finished the Hobby Boss IL-2M Sturmovik. Overall a really nice kit with very few issues. Added some Eduard photoetch in the cockpit and oil cooler, resin exhaust pipes, Aires wheels, wire brake lines and HGW seatbelts but otherwise out of the box. The trickiest part was the white dive angle markings on the nose. Instead of being one big sheet, each line was individual but connected to the centre and aligning them took some time MRP paints and the decals are from the ICM I-16. I bought Maketar masks but found them too fiddly to get proper consistent alignment with very thin lines at the edges. The Eduard set came with clear windscreen inserts with the alignment markings. I tried fixing them in place with Future - it took a week not to dry, Tamiya X-22 - it didn't look all that flash and in the end settled for some Wing Nut Wings decals - the line between the different aircraft markings on the sheet. Worked a treat. Dirtied up with oils and pastel dust. The tail wheel is fragile and broke off. Ended up drilling out the main leg and inserting a pin. I think it is strong enough. I was fairly concerned about breaking the big cannons which had to be inserted into gondolas and attached to the wing before painting. I cut the barrels off, drilled a suitable hole in each cannon and they just slide in now. Small machine guns were made from brass rod. Ezi line for the aerial. A fun build, highly recommended.

The camera stayed away while I got into the Stormovik. Sorry. Finished this afternoon. Check her out in RFI.

Superb.

Cool, good luck for the weekend.

Mmmmmm, coming along nicely.

Superb detail Eric.

Coming on nicely Pancho.

Steady progress with the completion (almost) of the canopy, undercarriage, targetting and nav pods and some of the bombs. She is even up on her legs, but they are not attached permanently yet - still to gloss, apply decals and scruff it up a bit before attaching canopy, undercart and weapons. Targeting and nav pods are painted in MRP FS36118. They really show up as darker than the Mr Hobby FS36118 (#305) . Photos show the pods to be darker so I think they look ok. Knock off the gloss later on and they will be ok. Kit AN/ALQ-13 Lantirn and Wolf Pack AN/AAQ-28 Litening. Leading edge lights with Tamiya Clear Red. Chrome in the holes and then Clear Orange and Blue for the sensors. Still yet to add the sensor window for the Lantirn pod. Jet exhausts are from the kit, enhanced with some Eduard photo-etch. Still not attached permanently and it looks like some fettering required. The canopy is complete except for the central canopy brac. Eduard photo-etch for the locks, a little of wire and home made grip handles for the WSO to hang onto. Placards as per some photos from the spares box. GBU-12s from Eduard Brassin. 5 of these, six Mk82s with BSU-33 tails (VideoAviation), 3 AMRAAM and 1 Aim-9, along with two 610 gallon tanks make up the load. My original intention was to modify the nose gear to make it more accurate but I have been unable to find a spare to practice on and in the end chickened-out. Too much risk for so little benefit in this case. Only F-15 aficionados will know anyway. Black wire added for hydraulic lines, some silver foil for calipers and WP anti-shimmy arm added. Main tyres sliced and plastic card added to thicken the side walls at the point they touch the ground - just to add a little look of flattened. High tyre pressures on the real jets keep them looking round anyway. Next up I need to get some SMS Super Clear to prepare for decals. Here is the man and his jet. SQN LDR Matt Hall, RAAF (left).

Nice going mate. Good to Scott getting some FS numbers into his SMS paint range.

I've cut the screw so that it supports the nose leg but the nose leg can be left out of the model until later on. There are four points to hold (with glue) the nose gear into place so no worries about it coming loose. Once the nose gear flipper door is in place - closed, there will be enough details left to add some interest. Still a bit to do in the nose gear wheel well. This photo shows some of the MRP paint and how dark and blue it is. Some touch ups required. Thanks camera.

There is plenty of progress, albeit slowly, just not many piccies.