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I love weathering, even on people. Thanks, Troy, spent a lot of time with oils on this bird, staring at refs and slowly building up layers. FNG over here lost a goodly number of those subtle layers when the last coat of flat was laid down. Lesson learned, I'll be doing the majority of my oil work in the future after final "un-gloss", at least the bits I want to have the layered effect.

Oh, it's going to happen. In fact I kinda consider the 1/32 kit a holy grail of sorts, and I can't wait to get one! Thanks everyone for the kind words, hopefully bigger and better things to come.

First time ever using photoetch belts, plus some scratchbuilding in the cockpit. The seat was chipped using the hairspray method, AK Real Colors Dull Dark Green over AK Xtreme Metal Aluminum with a brown wash, also used some gray panel liner on the instruments. I still didn't have a punch set when I built the cockpit, so the dial faces are missing... But I'm hoping the X-22 over the dials is distracting enough for the average viewer. The wiring is a little underscale for 1/48 scale but it's what I had at hand at the time. This took a LOT of work, but I was pretty happy with the result. R-2800 all wired up, plus the cowl flaps I scratched from card stock and the same underscaled wire. Far from reality but still better than nothing, right? Looks okay from this angle I scratch-built the brake line, springs and other doodads on the landing gear, this is still missing the chrome paint I added to the oleo Front of the prop, minimal chipping except on leading edge Backside of the prop, where the magic happens, pretty stoked on how this first attempt at hairspray chipping came out! Tail wheel with scratched details and added lightening holes, also missing the Molotow chrome on the oleo Hope you guys likey! There's more pics, if anyone's interested... Cheers, Thomaz

Hey guys & gals, So I've been lurking here for longer than I'd like to admit, it took me years to even create a profile, much less comment and post. Mine is a common story, mid-40's guy who modeled into his teens and rediscovered the hobby once life becomes a little more settled. I've always had a passion for history and my dream as a kid was to be a fighter pilot (dashed by my poor eyesight). Once I realized that wasn't going to work out I ended up getting my kicks elsewhere, working professionally in snowboarding and skateboarding for almost 20 years. But that passion for history, most notably the air war in WWII, regardless of theater, was merely laying dormant. Cue to about a year ago, when life finally got out of the way enough that I managed to start pulling together some basic modeling tools so I could get myself back into the hobby. It's been slow going, as life still gets in the way more often than not, but I now have all the basic stuff I need, and then some. I even have a modest stash of about 4 kits, 2 of which are LSP's (Hasegawa P-47D and Revell P-51D-5). Sadly, I haven't gotten around to them yet, as I wanted to re-hone my skills on some cheaper, smaller kits before committing fully to "manscale". So far I've built three kits, popped my cherry with a Tamiya Mk. Vb Spit in 1/48, followed by an ancient Hasegawa P-38 in 1/72 that I found in my parents' attic after 30+ years and now this 1/48 Tamiya F4U-1A, which I built for my dad seeing as it's his favorite plane. Just wrapped this thing a couple of days ago, this whole project entailed a number of firsts for me: first time scratch-building, first time using the hairspray technique, first time black basing, first time wiring up a radial, and so it's only fitting this is my first time ever posting one of my models anywhere. Needless to say, considering the talent at hand on this site, I hope my work is up to par. So without further ado here's Big Hog, Tommy Blackburn's machine during his time as CO of Fighting-17, based on Ondonga, November 1943. Hope you guys like it, can't wait to get my grubby mitts on an LSP in the near future! More pics in the next post...

Is this kit an early Bubbletop? If so, there's also stuff that carries over from the late D versions. Exterior-wise there's the compressibility (dive) flaps, new outboard position for the landing light and blunt leading edge ailerons, plus HVAR attachments on the wings. In the cockpit there's an electric bomb-release panel at the bottom of the instrument panel between the pilot's legs, the aforementioned smooth floor, and the M's had K-14 gun sights factory-installed.

That seam around the whole circumference of the nose seems pretty significant, probably going to be a pain in the derriere to sort out unless the fit is perfect. Hopefully this kit was a speed build just for the show and with a little TLC and patience it'll go together nicely.

Looks like white circles with black swastikas at one point: And black flags/white swastikas at another: Guess no one can tell you it's wrong, whichever you decide to do.

Sorcery!

Here's a fascinating video that was posted in an old Hyperscale thread about the exact same subject we're discussing here. It's an official RAF training film for painting camouflage on a 303 Squadron Spit, definitely worth a gander! https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F02334/

Also no clue about the reason behind the ring-and-bead sights, but they were definitely there. In fact, Miss Virginia (the plane credited with downing Yamamoto's Betty and the main decal option in Tamiya's new kit) had it too. Here's a pic of a cockpit (F? G? H?) with the ring sight installed next to the optical sight. As you can see, the bead itself would have to placed left of the plane's centerline in order to line up with the ring, much like the earlier -51's and -47's. So definitely a thing, but I don't know nearly enough about the -38 (more like next to naught) to comment on why. On another note, very cool sheet, Jennings! I like The Japanese Sandman the best, amazing font is amazing. I was trawling thru my Lightning folder for pics of bead sights and ran across The Japanese Sandman II, which also features pretty unique and awesome artwork (no bead sight, though). Check out the tiny Rising Sun flags within the letters themselves, no idea if Lt. R.E. Smith was also the pilot of TJS I but if he was he sure had a good eye for art. Perhaps a worthy candidate for inclusion in the sheet?

Voilà! The transparent bit at the rear of the uppermost pipe is glass, designed to break when the tanks were dropped.

It could be both, even on the same aircraft. Check out the hard-edged camo on the rudder and the very diffused soft edge on the tailplane/elevator of this Spit. Also note the completely different shades of Ocean Gray, much darker on the tailplane itself as opposed to the lighter shade seen on the elevator and rudder. As always, there are no absolutes when it comes to markings, you can find an exception to every hard and fast "rule" that's out there. Just look for the best, crispiest period reference photos you can, study them closely (which I find to be a hobby in and of itself) and try to recreate that on your model.

Jay, you sir, are certifiable. But in a good way! Looking forward to the next installment, whenever it may be.

Can't wait to see you sling some of your masterful paint work on this, John!

How about Rizlas (cigarette papers)? Easy to handle and attach, plus they look appropriately in scale. Spray it red (or blue), trim off only the gummed edge and Robert's your father's brother.