F-80C 1/32

[Christian]

NICE Progress Matt

[Guest Peterpools]

Matt

WOW! The Shooting tart is looking simply fantastic. Awesome work on the Alclad finish. Color variations and shades look just great. Can't wait to see this baby sitting on her mains and glistening in the sun!

 

Peter

 

[big matt]

The alclad shades look great Matt. Might I suggest, a bit late sorry, using post it notes to mask your different colored panels. I find them very easy to place and re-use several times during a paint job. They leave no marks and are very quick. Just a thought and it has worked for me. I like the toned down effect with the overall mist of aluminum.

[scvrobeson]

NICE Progress Matt

 

Thanks Christian! I'm glad you like it! I'm having a ton of fun with it!

 

Matt

WOW! The Shooting tart is looking simply fantastic. Awesome work on the Alclad finish. Color variations and shades look just great. Can't wait to see this baby sitting on her mains and glistening in the sun!

 

Peter

 

 

Pete, thanks for the nice comments. I like the Alclad stuff, because I can mix it all together to give me tons of different shades and variations. I hope the gear is up to the job of supporting this plane, I'll find out soon enough I guess.

 

 

The alclad shades look great Matt. Might I suggest, a bit late sorry, using post it notes to mask your different colored panels. I find them very easy to place and re-use several times during a paint job. They leave no marks and are very quick. Just a thought and it has worked for me. I like the toned down effect with the overall mist of aluminum.

 

 

Thanks Matt! I usually just use Tamiya tape to mask around the panels, the Alclad works well enough that I never have to worry about lifting the paint, and it dries quickly enough for me to do multiple colors in an afternoon. I think the mist of aluminum really toned down the paint scheme and brought it all together, there was just a little too much contrast between the colors before.

 

 

Thanks everyone for reading in, I'm glad people are liking this build! :thumbsup:

 

 

Matt

[scvrobeson]

Hey everybody. I was able to get some quick work done on the Shooting Star today. I started on the first step of the weathering process, which is pretty much spray some light coats of Tamiya Smoke over the panel lines, and over some selected panels. I first tried this out on the P-47 I built, and really like the look of it, it really helps give the metal a used look, and starts to blend everything in. I'll probably do some more after the decals go on, but it's a start. Also sprayed the nose radar sensor with Duraluminum, before the black goes on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also added some streaks along the direction of the airflow using the Smoke, and it helped to break up some of the larger panels, and looks pretty realistic compared to most of the photos I have.

 

 

 

 

 

The center section of the nose will be painted flat black. I think it was a radar sensor on the original, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

 

I'm glad to be moving farther along with this build, can't wait to see how it looks with all of the decals applied. These Korean War schemes were sure bright and colorful, really a great era of design and painting.

 

 

All comments and critiques are welcomed on this one, I thank everyone for reading in on this build, it really is great. Thanks everyone, I hope to be back soon with more progress.

 

 

Matt

[dmoshid]

Very nice work!! I like the contrast of the silver!!

wait for the next!!!

[big matt]

Excellent work Matt! I think I got too carried away with the smoke but you nailed it. The blue is a great compliment also.

 

I started to get happy with my build at this point and forgot some of the earlier fit issues. A pretty good little kit.

[Guest]

Matt my boy, you done did it good ! She is looking real cool. Can't wait to see her done....Harv

[LSP_K2]

Perhaps a tad too late, but the book below should come in real handy for you. I intend to use this, along with some other references, when I do my kit. Also, were you aware that Squadron does a great 1:32 GPU? I have one, and it's really nice.

 

1:32 GPU

 

[scvrobeson]

Very nice work!! I like the contrast of the silver!!

wait for the next!!!

 

Thank you! I'm glad you like it! I really like doing these NMF builds, being able to do all of the other shades really makes for some different looking planes on the shelf. I'll try and update soon, if I find some free time.

 

 

Excellent work Matt! I think I got too carried away with the smoke but you nailed it. The blue is a great compliment also.

 

I started to get happy with my build at this point and forgot some of the earlier fit issues. A pretty good little kit.

 

Thanks Matt! I think the smoke went great on your build actually, I was trying to emulate yours. This is only the first round of weathering, there will eventually be more to come. I'm in the same boat as you, some of the fit problems are still there, but I'm at the point where I'm just enjoying the kit instead of worrying about it. I think it's a great kit, I'm really enjoying this build of the Shooting Star.

 

 

Matt my boy, you done did it good ! She is looking real cool. Can't wait to see her done....Harv

 

Thanks Harv! Shouldn't be too long before this one gets finished up, maybe it'll make it to some of the NorCall model shows this winter and spring, hoping I don't drop it or anything between now and finishing it. And I hope to see your P-38 and Flanker done soon as well man.

 

 

Perhaps a tad too late, but the book below should come in real handy for you. I intend to use this, along with some other references, when I do my kit. Also, were you aware that Squadron does a great 1:32 GPU? I have one, and it's really nice.

 

1:32 GPU

 

 

Thank you. I had seen that GPU, there is a build in Model Airplane International that I've been referencing a lot, and that GPU is used in it. Maybe if I ever put this thing on a diorama base, I could use that with it. I have the Squadron In Action book, and that's been a really great reference in terms of color pictures. Thanks for checking in on this build, great knowing people are reading this.

 

 

Matt

[scvrobeson]

Hi guys! I've got an update on this one. One step closer to finishing the Shooting Star! The light grey has been added to the fin tip, and the OD has been done for the nose anti-glare. Both paints are Model Master Enamels, thinned with Mr. Leveling Thinner, the best paint and thinner combination I've found. All that's left now is the black for the walkways, and the radar cover of the nose. After that, I can finally decal this bird, and get on with the weathering!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The extra colors really add another dimension to this one, and help it look much better. Can't wait to see what happens once I finally get the decals on this one. Those Saggin' Dragon decals are really going to set this build apart, and really bring a bright addition to my display cabinet. I hope you're all enjoying watching this build as much as I am building it, it's a lot of fun! Thanks to all of you for reading in, it means a lot. All comments and critiques are welcomed guys, I appreciate the help.

 

 

 

Matt

[Learstang]

That will look brilliant once you're finished, Matt! It does make we want to get back to my RF-80A; who knows, maybe I'll get back to it soon. At an air show near San Antonio, Texas (Randolph AFB), there was a CT-33, so I took lots of photographs. It's interesting just how very similar the CT-33 and the F-80C are (were). I do realise of course that the T-33 was the two-seat trainer version of the F-80, but in many cases, panel line for panel line they're identical, so I hope my pictures can help me out with my little project. And of course referring back to your project should prove a great help.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[scvrobeson]

That will look brilliant once you're finished, Matt! It does make we want to get back to my RF-80A; who knows, maybe I'll get back to it soon. At an air show near San Antonio, Texas (Randolph AFB), there was a CT-33, so I took lots of photographs. It's interesting just how very similar the CT-33 and the F-80C are (were). I do realise of course that the T-33 was the two-seat trainer version of the F-80, but in many cases, panel line for panel line they're identical, so I hope my pictures can help me out with my little project. And of course referring back to your project should prove a great help.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

 

 

 

Thanks Jason! I'm glad you like it. I think you should get back to that RF-80, I want to see some more builds on here of the Shooting Star. And it is true, the T-33 is pretty much the exact same as the F-80, just stretched a little bit. I'm glad I could help out with your build, it's good to know I could help someone the way people on LSP have helped me out.

 

 

 

Matt

[williamj]

This is a really nice job on a challenging kit ,and fantastic finish to boot.

Like it muchly.

[scvrobeson]

This is a really nice job on a challenging kit ,and fantastic finish to boot.

Like it muchly.

 

 

 

Thanks William! The kit wasn't too challenging, just some fit issues, it's a good kit though, I'm really glad to have a 1/32 Shooting Star more than anything else. Thanks for the nice comments, I'm quite enjoying this build.

 

 

 

Matt