CANicoll

Wolf,
 
Wow, devastating to hear about getting laid off.  SO sorry to hear the bad news but do hope it is VERY temporary and when you get rehired it comes with a nice bonus.  Ugh.
 
Your work, as usual, is innovative and impeccable - wow. I'm not that familiar with Corsairs, but I have NEVER seen those panel connectors you added in PE.  I just sit here in awe at your attention to detail and the ability to bring that out in your models.  Rare talent you have!
 
Cheers,
Chris 

See, there is the difference between you and me: I also see something and buy it thinking 'I bet I can use that in the future on xyz build I'll eventually do'. Then completely forget about it.   I have a small drawer FULL of bits and bobs of leftover parts and things I bought that I thought were interesting.  The Telford show is absolutely deadly for those of us with that terminal condition called 'gottahaveit-itis'.
 
I still buy those things, but now when I get home I stick them in the box of the intended build.  That helps!!
 
Be safe!

I always thought the P-39 was a cool looking bird.

Update time, except that this update is a "take 2", as the hour I spent writing one last night got lost when I tried to post it.
 
More work has been done on the instrument panel, none on the engine thanks to broken fine drill bits (of which new ones are in the mail), a bit more work on the fuselage halves, partial wing assembly, and at long last, some painting.
 
I'll begin with the further enhancements to the instrument panel, and in particular the Eduard photo etch I'm adding.  This includes switches for the IP, which I eventually abandoned after much swearing and cursing.  I have neither the talent, the patience nor the eyes for details that small.  You'll see what I mean in these pics, starting with the instruction leaflet, which isn't drawn to scale .
 

 
And these are the actual switches, which the pencil points at.
 

 
In the end, I reamed out the holes with a 0.3mm drill bit and used wire of that size glued in place, then trimmed.  You can barely see it, but here it is at present.
 

 
There's not a lot of work left to do on this, but I won't do any more for fear of knocking off the parts before gluing it in place.  Once I'm ready to attach the assembly, I'll finish it off then.
 
Next I started work on the cockpit doors.  As with my Typhoon build, I've made hinges for them.  This will simplify masking, keep dust out of the cockpit, and reduce the chances of them being knocked off accidentally if I were to glue them in place.  Dusting models can be a precarious business .  I started with a length of 1.0mm brass tube and inserted a length of 0.45 brass rod then bent the rod into D hinges at each end.  Gluing this in place only gunked up the hinge so after soaking it in some acetone, I mounted the hinge in U stock then glued that into the model.  Grooves were filed into the doors after removing all the detail in the plastic, as this would be replaced with Eduard etch pieces.  The etch was "adjusted" to allow for the D hinge then some percussive perssuassion to fix my adjustments.  Lastly, I glued the etch to the inner door and quickly pushed this into place.  Here's the results.
 

 
In the next pic, you can also see the hole drilled for the crank handle for the inertia starter.
 

 

 
This is reasonably unobtrussive, and hasn't interferred with the mounting of other parts yet to go in to each cockpit half.
 
At long last, I was able to do some painting.  I like to do as much airbrushing as I can in one go, as cleaning the airbrush usually takes longer than the actual painting.  The wheel wells for the undercarriage were assembled, and the wings assembled.  This gave me the opportunity to check the fit of each wing part to the fuselage before they're joined to the fuselage as a whole, and make any adistments.  I've left out the 30cal wing guns as P-39Q's didn't have them.  They could be fitted with an externally mounted 50cal machine gun, but most of the pictures I've seen of VVS Airacobras show them without.
 

 
Lastly, the cockpit floor has been completed and I've begun weathering.  I painted the floor in rattle can aluminium, them airbrushed everything you see above, and more still on the sprues.  When I went to scratch the floor, paint peeled off.  I tried to fix this with a silver pen I have, but as you can see it looks naff.  It's since been fixed with drybrushing of green and silver  which looks a lot better.
 

 
Next up is to start work on the seat belts which always make me feel , but they're a must in models of this size.  I'll then install the seat, joystick, finish and install the instrument panel and do more work on the engine, then start on the guns up front.  This plane packs a lot into the fuselage for a single engine fighter and I'm going very carefully in light of the experience here of others.  So far, I have to say this is a well engineered kit, but the reality is that I've got a long way to go before I can close up the fuselage.  One thing I have found is that each part needs very careful cleaning as you remove it from the sprue, then check the fit before gluing, including checking the fit as a whole in each half of the fuselage.  Also, the plastic is soft, so if you file any bits, make sure that you remove any "fur" around the edges before test fitting.
 
That's it for the moment.
 
 
Cheers,
Michael

Thanks Gentlemen.  The Airacobra is one of those planes that is both intriguing because of it's design, and fascinating because of it's operational history.  Glad to see someone has modelled it with the internals too.  It was a plane that you had to fly properly or else it would bite.  But if you put the effort in, it flew well.
 
I've just been trolling through my photos looking for pictures of the Allison engine.  Here's a couple I thought might be interesting, taken at Fantasy of Flight in 2012. 
 

 

 
It's quite a collection, and these two pics were taken in the engine store.  Apparently, Kermit Weeks just buys them up to make sure their preserved, but is quite happy to sell you one for your restoration.  The differences between the engines is quite remarkable too.  You can tell which engines came out of a P-40B or C by the longer reduction case with it's lower prop shaft.  This shot also shows three engines which don't have a reduction gear housing on the front as these came from a P-39, which had the reduction gear housing in the nose, immediately behind the propeller.
 
 
Cheers,
Michael

Thanks Tom, Mike and crobinsonh! 
 
 
Tim, in Rugby (and I'm sure in American Football) this is called a hospital pass!  As you were typing I imagine you were chuckling to yourself thinking "I bet he'll try it"... 
Well, I'm now thinking about it  Thing is, the carrier film on the decals I made is more like a transparent pancake than a film, and I will have to wait for the Covid-curfew to lift to get hold of properly made decals. Hmm, what to do, what to do?
 
 
You too Chris!
 
 
Thanks as always for your fantastic inputs Ryan. 
 
Your "Tweak List" has been a constant companion to the Tamiya instructions, and I came to the same conclusions regarding the HGW transfers by cross referring to the Tamiya decals. Luckily you clearly pointed out that decal 135 (Tamiya) is totally spurious, and in the next sentence you mention the yellow square jacking point. I didn't know the dimensions then, so this is what I surmised.
 

 
I'm surprised at how big it actually was.
 
I was curious to see if the engine actually fitted into the mounting points, since I somehow forgot to check before starting the painting process. A risky approach! Having added a whole lot of things to the back of the engine, I suspected some trouble. It didn't fit at first, but fortunately a bit of trimming here and there was all that was required. Not as bad as in Tom Cleaver's  review where he resorted to removing the accessories and engine mounts in order to get the cowlings on. I hope I don't still have to!
 

 

 
Back to the Hōkoku drawing board 
 
Sean

I'm still in catch-up mode but for your book to sway someone's opinion so strongly is a HUGE testament to the hard work your authors, in the case Jan, and you put into what you create and publish.   
 
Love this part of his review:  My conclusion is, that if someone from Revell’s team is reading this: Hey guys, you should put this book as a link with a QR code on your boxes. Enough of the mediocre builds that you show on the small pictures on the side! You ruin the perception of your models. And I am serious. This should be on Revell’s box. It is the perfect reference. Because if it can convince me that Revell’s worth the money, while already in possession of Tamiya’s 32nd scale P-51, well… 
Verdict: It is the perfect reference for building the Revell P-51D-5NA.
 
It is work like your books (I did buy the Revell one as soon as you published it) that I think help keep the hobby alive.  The tips and lessons learned passed on are just so useful to adding a lot of satisfaction to one's builds.  I don't follow all of the tips, but the ones I do I REALLY like.
 
Congrats and great work Kev!

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

Maru, peeping?  Tsk tsk there my friend!!  Hope you are well.
 
Chris

Hey Sean, amazing work and attention to detail, very cool!  Love the work but also agree with Tim that the hand-painted effect is really cool too.  That three part mask really did the trick and looks amazing - keep it up!
 
I have had the same problem with Vallejo Model Air paints too - they just are not very accurate when it comes to replicating the color they are supposed to.  Frustrating.

Chris

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

Hey Sean, amazing work and attention to detail, very cool!  Love the work but also agree with Tim that the hand-painted effect is really cool too.  That three part mask really did the trick and looks amazing - keep it up!
 
I have had the same problem with Vallejo Model Air paints too - they just are not very accurate when it comes to replicating the color they are supposed to.  Frustrating.

Chris

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

Making a bit of progress, got the landing gear wheel well together but my compressor pressure regulator failed today so won't be spraying anything until I get a replacement.
 
Apologize for the poor lighting on the photography.  Just don't have that set up yet.
 
Found two more cockpit decals that I missed, however one will end up behind the seat so not doing that one.  I did put on the one for the map case.  I don't think I have ever seen that sign in a cockpitThe Barracuda sidewalls are really detailed and look terrific paired with the Barracuda cockpit stencils:

 
Also got the gun sight together, first time I've put all of this into the K-14 sight.  This is also the Eduard resin and PE sight.  The reflector glass is actually cut from the clear acetate sheet from the Barracuda instrument panel sheet.  There is plenty of clear sheet left and there is a black border around the sheet that makes measuring and cutting much easier.  Can't see that black line here though as I used it at the base. And actually, in the right light, the ''glass" really does reflect the image below it!



I have seen pictures that show 'No Handhold' on top of the gun sight sunshade so will look to see if I have a decal that will fit.  This is the first time I've used the PE adjustment chain on the left side of the sight - bottom picture.
 
Working on the elevators and wings tomorrow. I think I'm going to use the AMUR Reaver resin flaps.
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Chris

hi everybody I need some advice on paint and paint choice, I have just taken delivery of a 1/24 trumpeter ju87 B the paint codes  mr hobby paints They advise in the instructions I find are a bit confusing, they recommend using mr hobby paint, but I want to use humbrol acrylic paint. this is my first plastic model build since I was a young boy (many years ago).
  so to start I will be painting the model in the splinter scheme ( T6   R ) 6002 dark green/black green/light blue/ R.L.M yellow + tyre black and matt black +steel + R.L.M 02 GREY, I will be airbrushing the paint on so what recommendations can you give as far as thinning the paint and a good supplier.
 
regards to you all
john (newbie)
 

Thanks for the great feedback, Chris!
 
Kev

I'm still in catch-up mode but for your book to sway someone's opinion so strongly is a HUGE testament to the hard work your authors, in the case Jan, and you put into what you create and publish.   
 
Love this part of his review:  My conclusion is, that if someone from Revell’s team is reading this: Hey guys, you should put this book as a link with a QR code on your boxes. Enough of the mediocre builds that you show on the small pictures on the side! You ruin the perception of your models. And I am serious. This should be on Revell’s box. It is the perfect reference. Because if it can convince me that Revell’s worth the money, while already in possession of Tamiya’s 32nd scale P-51, well… 
Verdict: It is the perfect reference for building the Revell P-51D-5NA.
 
It is work like your books (I did buy the Revell one as soon as you published it) that I think help keep the hobby alive.  The tips and lessons learned passed on are just so useful to adding a lot of satisfaction to one's builds.  I don't follow all of the tips, but the ones I do I REALLY like.
 
Congrats and great work Kev!

Wow, that was quick!
 
Kev

I have to admit that I sort of like the way the stenciled one looks over the sharp perfection of the decals. As talented as you are, it seems like you could touch up the sprayed symbols with a small brush and have a much more authentic look than the decals. More like the original hand painted feel. Just my opinion, though. This is amazing work!!
 
Tim

My apologies, I should have included this image of the colour coding of the different lines. And the mention of "woven aluminum conduits" should more properly refer to "braided aluminum conduits". Ryan
 
 

This tread should be turned into a booklet; "How to paint your Zero"..

Sean, thanks for your Tamiya paint mix. I'm going to mix some up and add it to my list of suggested paints.
 
My understanding is that the red hinomaru was painted directly onto the underlying olive gray paint. Bear in mind that as paint deteriorates an overcoating of one layer will protect the layer beneath, leaving a “shadow” of the first layer as the single layered paint erodes away. Look at A on the image below. The red hinomaru has disappeared but the underlying olive-gray paint, now oxidized to white, has remained protected. But the adjacent unprotected olive-gray paint has largely disappeared, revealing the red primer underneath. Photos B and C shows a similar erosion of the red hinomaru paint, but here the white surround, seemingly brush painted, has largely remained in place.

 

The lines in the wheel well were left unpainted but were also colour coded with bands of paints to indicate their usage. Air lines, such as those leading to the pitot tube, were banded with blue. Oil lines were indicated with yellow and gas lines were colour coded with red. Electrical lines in exposed locations such as the wheel well were enclosed in aluminum tubing or woven aluminum conduits. However, the bare aluminum lines could subsequently be partially over-sprayed with aotake. In the image below it can be seen that from the “top” side the lines are bare aluminum. However, the “bottom” side of the lines have some aotake present. Note too the rubber flex pipe on part of the brake line.

 

The answer probably is that aotake was repeatedly applied during the course of construction. A good example of this is visible on this inner wheel well cover that I also posted earlier. As component parts were added it has been given addition layers of aotake. For the modeler then, any painting of aotake should probably vary in its density and darkness.    


 


 
Ryan