b757captain

Rod, Maru, Bill, thanks! Mark

Thanks Joe, Harv, Paul, Peter, Mike, jack and all you guys for the kind words. Jack, the decals are from Cutting Edge. He gives you paper masks for the red, white and blue borders and superb decals for the rest of the markings. Every set of CE decals I've ever used have been fantastic, these included. To get an idea of the nose reshape I traced the D nose outline onto the B profile: The red lines are the D nose profile. Not saying that the three views are correct but it looked to me like the gun location changed. Maybe they moved it to accommodate the new radar? From looking at all the references I had this was never really clear for me. Mark

Hey Kev, Not a what-if - the Thunderbirds flew 6 shows in 1964 with the F-105 but one of the aircraft lost a wing during a practice so they stopped flying the Thud and went back to the F-100. I do have a sneaky idea for a what-if T-bird if you ever have a what-if group build Feel free to publish - thanks! Mark

And more: Mark

More pics:

Hi guys, Trumpeter F-105 finally completed! This started as the D model which I have had in the stash since 2002 (or 03?). I built the G last year and wanted to do this one in NMF. I saw the Thunderbirds decals and figured, well, I have the F-16, did the F-100 last year, plan to do the F-4, and I also have the F-84G and a T-33 in the stash. Why not? When eventually an F-84F and a T-38 come out in 1/32 I'll have the entire line-up! Typical Trumpy build, fit not too bad, I used the BB cockpit (which fit much better than the G!), SAC main gear, otherwise OOB. All went well until paint. I'm still not sure what exactly went wrong but I had major paint lifting on just about all the colors. I had to sand off the red on the nose and redo it once, spot repair some of the rest. I used Testors primer decanted from the rattle can - I think that was the culprit - it was still too heavy after decanting so I thinned it with MM airbrush thinner. Probably should have used laquer thinner but I was afraid of it crazing the plastic. Gonna do some experimenting before the next build to find a solution there. Decals were superb (just insignia, used the provided masks for all the colors) and multiple brushed Future coats for the gloss coat. Before getting to the pics, a warning: 105 experts may have a conniption - it's only a quasi -B conversion. The B nose is not available anymore so I had to wing it. I did as many of the B mods as I could. I removed the antenna on the fin, deleted the afterburner cooling scoops, removed the dorsal spine and moved the pitot tube to the wing. I tried my best to reshape the nose, it's up to you guys to decide if I got it right. It looks pretty close to me. In retrospect I should have moved the gun - didn't think it would make that much difference but it does. Too late! And the cockpit is a D with all the built-in mistakes. Without further delay: More to follow, Mark

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Kev, feel free to publish. Vandy, Brian - I'm not a fan of overdone weathering, it's too easy to go overboard with it. If it's done right, it looks stunning but I've never been good at getting it just right so I go minimalist rather than overboard. Jack, Maru, Bill, Peter, others - thanks! Thomas - opening the panels is one place ZM missed. They don't give any provisions for prop rods (unless that is in their add-on sets), or any guidance as to what or how the panels look when opened. I did have to fabricate a bulkhead to support the engine panels. Got that from seeing pics of another build. The prop rods are straight pins cut to size. Rog, I didn't weigh the weights I put in, guess would be around 1/4 oz., I used 4 of those split ball fishing weights in the voids under the gun bay. ZM does make weights shaped as the ammo cans, I just couldn't justify that cost vs. 1/10th the price from the local fishing supply. I probably put in a little too much as it was. I thought the metal gear would be a necessity due to the length of the legs, plus reading about others that had issues with the plastic legs. The metal gear is super easy to work with and fits perfectly. Definitely stands out on the display shelf! Mark

Ok, now a few questions come up: Thanks for the tip on Grey Matter, I had forgotten they had the conversion. Their vac canopy looks like it does not include a new windscreen. So is the canopy/windscreen different on the Mk. 22/24? Or conversely, is the windscreen the same on the bubble vs. raised spine Mk. XIV? If I go with the Tamiya canopy/windscreen, should I get the GM lowered spine? Seems pointless in that case to cut up the RM kit then. And finally, I was hoping to have to cut up the RM kit to give it a descent burial, rather than have to actually build it someday! Thx, Mark

For many years when I was building (and later designing) r/c kits, the Mk. XIV was my favorite of all the different versions. It inherently solved all the r/c specific shortcomings of the early Mks very handily, i.e., no massive added nose weight needed due to the longer nose for the Griffon engine, larger tail surfaces for the same reason, etc. I even had a 1/5th scale Mk.XIV on the drawing board when I sold my r/c company (had a 1/6th scale BP Defiant 95% done too, but that's for another thread!). Recently I completed the PCM Spitfire Mk. XIV, great kit, fit and finish remarkable for a short run kit. As I was completing it, the mad scientist/engineer that seems to always be lurking just behind my facade of sanity came bursting out - and made me pull the RM Spit Mk. 22/24 kit off the shelf, along with the dial calipers. Can a bubble-top Mk. XIV be made by removing the upper cockpit/aft deck and canopy from the RM kit and grafting them to the PCM kit? Has anyone done or attempted it? I searched but couldn't find anything. So I'm asking the true Spitfire experts, is the canopy and upper deck similar enough between the XIV and 22/24 to make the conversion? Looks like it to me but I figured I would ask before hacking up one good (and relatively expensive) kit, and another (really bad!) kit? Thanks, Mark

More pics: One thing that amazed me is that it's almost as big as a P-47! It dwarfs the Spitfire! Cheers, Mark

My first build of the Zokei-Mura line - I will definitely be building more! Joy to build, good fit (with a few exceptions, probably my fault!), great decals, overall a quality product. This was the 2nd edition but the cartoon pieces and decals are added to the base kit so everything needed for the wartime version is still in there. Molded mostly in white plastic but not an issue. The sprues molded in silver and black are unchanged. I bought the interior and exterior PE and the metal landing gear. Don't really think the interior set was necessary and I only used about half of the exterior set. Might just be my growing aversion to PE. The metal gear is a must though! I tried for a newly used, lightly weathered example since I am not close to mastering the worn Japanese paint chipping!

Thanks guys! I do have one thing to add - big thumbs down for the Aires PE harnesses for the seats! I counted 9 separate teeny-tiny PE pieces per shoulder harness. Yep, 36 individual pieces to lose, or 36 individual ways to mess things up, all for a finished product that looks, well, like it's made of brass. How about the option on the PE sheet of a simplified harness, or better yet, resin pieces for those of us with fumble fingers? Got my next build picked out but it only has one seat, one tail and one engine. Maybe another double after that! Cheers, Mark

More pics: I did have one screw-up - I didn't seal the canopy well enough and the insides fogged from paint overspray. I did get the main canopy cleaned up but couldn't get to the insides of the forward windscreen. Dang! Also, the decal sheet has separate pieces for the canopy bows and pieces that are supposed to wrap around the refueling probe. I found it much easier to just hand paint these (they are only black squigglies anyway. I hope you all enjoy! Now off to another 22 days of torture! I'll be thinking of what to do next - got lots of two-seaters in the stash! Mark

Finally got photobucket to upload the pics - don't know what's going on there but the site has been problematic for the last few days. Ok, on to the finished product: Overall not a bad kit but there were some fit issues, and just like the last one I built, the joint at the wing "glove" area is really weak. It's already starting to separate on one side. The decals were not too bad but some of the stenciling didn't want to settle down. All the stripes went down ok though they didn't react to Microsol. The Aires exhausts and cockpit were fantastic, no fit issues and really dresses things up.

It's finished! Pics tomorrow - too tired to edit the photos. Mark

Photobucket working again: Don't think I will get it finished by the time I have to leave tomorrow but still gonna try! Mark

Tiger stripes on! Not easy but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The decals are fragile and MicroSol doesn't seem to do much. Had to dig into the bag of tricks to get some of them to lay down, but most of the decals are on now. I know the table looks messy cuz it is! Will clean things up tomorrow. Dang it, Photobucket won't load. Pics tomorrow.

Ok, progress for today, masked for the yellow and painted: Kinda hard to follow the template on the instructions and really hard to try to place the decals and pattern using them. So, it's best guess until the decals go on. Should be able to clear-coat tomorrow and maybe start with the decals. I'm planning on having to do a lot of touch-up of both the yellow and grays, but we will see. Time to take a break - just starting watching (re-watching) season 3 of Battlestar Galactica.

Paint on: And pre-shading: Then over this with some quick passes of all three grays. Next, wheel wells and landing gear while the rest dries enough to tape for the yellow. Gotta run and get some more low-tack tape first though. The Aires exhausts are a big upgrade from the kit exhausts! Worth it in my opinion. As far as fast builds, I have a deal with my wife - I spend 22 days a month working in what I can only describe as the crappiest environment in my career, so when I get home I can over-compensate on whatever I want! It's too hot outside (this week too wet!) to work on the boat, so I get to play model airplane all week! In fact, while the Tornado is drying, I might just pull something off the shelf and start on another one. Mark

Late evening update: First three colors on: Light Ghost Gray, Dark Ghost Gray, and Medium Gray. I do pre-shading a little different - I do a mist coat then a heavy cover coat, let it dry, then pre-shade. Right after that I go over each color with a thinned top coat so I can control and vary the pre-shade "bleed-thru". That way I never have to worry about getting good color coverage> I also find that the pre-shading looks more realistic (I know, I know!) because it's not uniform over the whole model. So tomorrow it's pre-shading time then top coat for all three grays. Then the hard part - drawing out and masking the yellow. Revell calls for "Lufthansa Yellow". Darned if I can find that color anywhere so RLM 04 will have to do! From the pics I have of this scheme it looks like the tiger stripes are vinyl decals over a standard paint scheme. The stripes are pretty clean while the rest of the airframe is standard wear and tear and grime so pre-shading only for the grays. Mark

Sprue Bros ROCKS!!! Decided to upgrade to the Aires exhaust Friday noon-ish, delivered today! Nose attached, intakes on, all the little bits, pieces on, some of the more offensive seams taken care of: And ready for initial paint: Mark

Cockpit painting started and intakes together: And cockpit painted and installed. Seats yet to go, I usually do up and install the seats during final assembly. The cockpit has a bluish tint in the pics but it is standard Light Ghost Gray. Trying out the camera in my new tablet - much better than my old camera! Mark

Work continues, aft fuselage together: Wing sweep works but i suspect I will have to change the horizontal stab setup to make room for the Aires exhausts. Will know tomorrow when they get here:

It's starting to take shape: Since there are no intakes available, I shot the fuselage interior with dark gray to hide things: Test fitting the cockpit. I am impressed so far with the Aires cockpit - everything fits with minimal fuss: Mark

I picked this up on E-bay a while back, had one when they first came out but the Tiger Meet scheme was a little too intimidating at the time. Gonna try it now though! This is going to be a quick build since I currently only have one week at home every month. We'll see if I can complete it before the end of the week. The kit: Revell's Tornado ECR with the Tiger Meet decal scheme from 2001(or 2002?). I like this one better than the newer schemes. The only other additions will be the Aires cockpit and exhaust (waiting for the exhaust, ordered from SB and should be here tomorrow). I know basically nothing about the Tornado so if I get any of the details wrong, well, sorry! Mark