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1/32 Trumpeter A-4E Scooter: 8/4/17 Crossed the finish line


Joel_W

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Really like the progress you're making, Joel. I did a Trumpy Scooter in Wake Island markings at Chu Lai too. I had some issues with the red on the tail, found it easier to cut out the red parts and apply individually, tedious, but fit much better. I used Zotz decals, i too just applied decal over vortex generators, sliced open to conform, then touched up. Worked out fine.

 

Don

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Really like the progress you're making, Joel. I did a Trumpy Scooter in Wake Island markings at Chu Lai too. I had some issues with the red on the tail, found it easier to cut out the red parts and apply individually, tedious, but fit much better. I used Zotz decals, i too just applied decal over vortex generators, sliced open to conform, then touched up. Worked out fine.

 

Don

 

Don,

  Thanks so much for checking out my Scooter build. It's much appreciated. Some how I've got the feeling that there is a few more Scooters that will cross my workbench sooner then later.

 

  For the red on the rudder, I'm planning on painting them on. I had no delusions that a decal could snuggle down into all those recesses and actually line up. But I'm going to do it in reverse, red 1st, then mask and paint on the White. 

 

  The Vortex Generators seem to have been a lot easier to decal then I thought it was .John B just finished his C and the decals after cutting them on the tops of each blade did settle down just fine. I just might try it as my planned way is a lot more complicated. 

 

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Joel, I hope you're starting to ease into your vacation!

 

I hear you on creating some more WIP segments, threads get lost awefully quickly around here.

 

Cheers,

Marcel

 

Marcel,

   Vacations for me are the fastest weeks of the year. Good thing I've got three of them. Of course with full retirement coming the end of this year, I'll be on vacation almost every day of the year. My lovely wife really isn't to thrilled about that.  :fight:

 

   I haven't done a new WIP update in a week. I've done a little more detailing but nothing worth an update. Right now I'm just starting the painting process of priming using the black basing method, which should be really interesting considering the entire bottom of the aircraft is will be flat dirty white. 

 

   Agreed about threads really moving quite quickly down the list. LSP is a very busy place for sure. I've mentioned this before to both Tony and Shaka Hi, as well as discussions with my Brother Peter, that it just might be  time for the Admins to consider a restructure of the WIP forum to 2 or even 3 forums: Props, Jets, Bi-Planes, or just Props and Jets. Something along those lines. Like  you said, it would make it so much easier to follow build threads, or find new builds that you would be interested in.

 

Joel 

Edited by Joel_W
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   Time for another update.

 

   Trumpeter molded the Radar altimeter completely wrong. Wrong enough that I opted to make one out of a few pieces of strip Evergreen plastic rather then to try and correct theirs. Here's what the real deal looks like:

 

YcOMUC.jpg

 

And here's Trumpeter's molded one

 

KNppc4.jpg

 

   Not even close. what really surprised me is that Trumpeter goes out of their way to make as many separate parts as possible. So why did they opt to mold it into the wing? Beats me. 

 

   While mine isn't exactly perfect, it does look some what better. Also the lens bezels are raised not scribed as in the Trumpeter one.

 

Mplu4S.jpg

 

    I've finally reached the point of my build where the main airframe can be painted. So the 1st step is priming.  At 1st I was going to go with Gray primer, but I really like how Black Basing helps to create color modulation and break up large expanses of the same color. I primed top and bottom with Mig Ammo Black Acrylic primer thinned 1:1 with Tamiya Yellow cap Lacquer thinner. 

 

GI6CNp.jpg

 

  You'll also notice that I've replaced my original JH modeling stand with a new one. And this time I want to keep it looking this way. So using it as a paint stand was out of the question. Chuck on more then one occasion mentioned that he uses a shoe box with foam insulation. So I tried his method out, and it works perfectly. What more you can position the model any which way and it just stays there. The foam insulation costs $1.79 for 3ft, so when I need to replace it, it's no big deal. Thanks Chuck for the great idea. 

 

uhaexe.jpg

 

the next day it was time to add the millions of little squiggles. For that I used Mig Ammo Gray Acrylic primer also thinned with Tamiya Yellow cap lacquer thinner.  Total time to do the full aircraft frame was about 2 hrs.. 

 

RwYR9c.jpg

 

tXugSu.jpg

 

    As I said I went this route because I wanted color modulation, and I'm not doing a pristine Scooter but rather an operational one. You can almost see the black basing effect on the real aircraft.

 

TUGvco.jpg

 

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Joel,

   Happy to see some progress...again!  Love the shoebox idea.  Gonna have to do it, myself.

 

YOur altimeter loooks 100% better!

 

Gaz

 

Gary,

   Not sure that what I do can always be called progress, but I'm working on the Scooter almost daily as I'm on vacation this week. And it always rains when I'm on vacation. Been that way for years. 

 

  The Radar Altimeter was pretty easy to make, but the more I look at it, I think it's a tad to chunky, but I'm leaving it as is. 

 

 The paint box idea comes from Chuck not me. and like I said it works incredibly well.

 

Joel

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looking forward to see the paint on

 

Mark

 

Mark,

   Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the Scooter.  I've finished air brushing on the flat white on the bottom, and the color modulation is just about perfect. Top and bottom pictures of the basic color coats should be up in the thread by the weekend.

 

Joel

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Really, really lovely progress Joel!

 

I am totally loving all you are going with this kit, I especially love the scratched Radar Altimeter under the wing...nice! Glad you are going with the black basing. Cameron and I used it on the Spitfire and the effect is very subtle and convincing.

 

Cheers

Anthony

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