LSP_K2

Rockets and launch racks given their base colors

To celebrate, he's going to start a new kit today, so we'll see the finished model tomorrow.

I’m strongly considering the first scheme on this sheet, but that may possibly change.

Bits and pieces, as sub-assemblies for the moment, are being prepped right now.

And yet another new project. Perhaps a bit overambitious (probably), but I reasoned that I could not only finish my 1:48 Mustang and 1:32 P-40 in time for the show here in September, but this kit as well. The Tamiya kit is truly marvelous, and will require very little in the way of AM, other than perhaps some Quinta stuff, Barracuda wheels/tires and of course some spiffy decals.

To answer at least one aspect of the OP's original questions, I suspect that was all painted on stuff. I'm not aware of them using stickers for any of that.

It would have to be a major leap forward from the Trumpeter kit for me consider it.

This I could really go for, as well as the F4U (if it were the 1A). A nicely done Me 262 would be awesome too.

Happy B-Day!!!

And the bomb gets some yellow stripes (Aeromaster RLM 04). I've seen numerous iterations of these rings, and so have elected to do it as shown. Now on to the weathering. Yee-haw.

Oh boy, a problem, just what I needed. It appears that at some time in the past, I ground away the molded-in-place IP coaming for the Aires unit to fit. It’s been a while since I had last worked on this, so naturally that Aires part is now nowhere to be found. Fortunately, I have a few more Tamiya kits, so I’ll order yet another Aires set and start over again. I’m thrilled.

Centerline bomb now painted, again. I’ve noted that on many bombs of this nature, there seem to be reddish brown bands painted in the area of the shipping rings, so I have now masked and painted these. Bomb stripe decals are pretty much worthless, so I'll just paint those on. Fingers crossed.

Experimenting with some rust shades here, I believe I‘m going to opt for the medium & light rust for the bomb (left and right).

The beginnings of the main landing gear now taking shape. Still waiting for my seat harnesses to arrive, so I’m working on other bits now. I love the little rotation gears.

This actually looks pretty cool in person, but the photos I took don't really capture it well. Regardless, I'm calling it finished.

I'm grown very weary of beating this bomb into submission, but I now believe all the seams are good (thank goodness). Now it'll get the OD 41, decals, and weathering.

The finished IP. Not bad at all, if I do say so myself.

And the Barracuda stencils/placards arrived today, as expected. I’m a happy boy. Probably not all of this will be used, as some bits are extraordinarily tiny in 1:48 scale, but I’ll give it my best.

Here's a screen snatch from some video game that depicts the same scheme. While it looks pretty decent, there is at least one error. The five stripes that appear on wing uppers, were not present on the real machine, at least as far as I've been able to determine. The tail radar warning antennas will just be tiny in 1:48, so I may or may not try to add them.

The Vallejo/leveling thinner is a great combination. I tried it last night on a Mustang I'm working on, and it worked wonderfully, so thanks for the tip.

The Ju 388 stuff looks pretty interesting.

Happy April 1st to you too, Paul.

Love those Tomcat figures. Thanks, Kev.

Happy B-Day, Thomas!!!

God Bless America, or that's at least what I assume.