mambodan72 Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 Magic Build! This kit is my "White Whale" and will hunt it down oneday! Great Work REJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 I thank you sir. Unfortunately I have had to place the build on hold for now due to a family emergency. I will be able to continue in about a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 It's been rough over the last weeks. We had to take my mother from Texas to North Carolina. She died earlier this month and wanted to be buried there. So I guess the mojo ran out for awhile...but now I have my... Lothar and mambodan72 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lothar Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 So sorry to hear about your loss - modelling is only a hobby, you do it whenever you feel like. Lothar REJ and Uncarina 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett M Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Sorry about your loss, hope you and your family are doing well. REJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Thank you for the kind words. It's true this is just a hobby, but I think it also gives me a place to go where I can escape for awhile. Kinda keeps me sane. In the meantime, she looks so forlorn just hanging there...waiting. scvrobeson, mambodan72 and Landrotten Highlander 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted December 27, 2020 Author Share Posted December 27, 2020 I finally took the opportunity to get a few things done on the SBD. A problem with the fit and function of the canopy was sorted out. The fixed portion immediately aft of the pilots sliding canopy needed a shim on both sides to keep that static portion aligned correctly. After painting the shims the same interior color, they dissappear completely. So the canopy is complete. I also started weathering forward areas with exhaust stains. It's a little heavy right now, but it will be lightened some before the final flat clear coats. Cowling and propeller are also complete. The prop and cowling can be removed to show engine details. LSP_Kevin, Uncarina, Starfighter and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted December 27, 2020 Author Share Posted December 27, 2020 ...canopies open... Uncarina, Brett M, Fvdm and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 I have constantly been vexed with attempting to make a paint stencil for the "6" displayed on the sides of 2106. I must have tried well over a dozen different ways to paint that darned 6 on in a manner I could live with. Every test shot I tried went from horrible to "NO WAY"... until now. I think I got it...y'all tell me your opinion. This is the real 2106 on the day after "Midway" after she half bellied in on the airfield... ...and here is my latest test shot of a stencil... From about the same angle as the picture of the real plane, this comes about as darn close as I have been able to. The kicker is the angle of view. For most of the initial test, the overall appearance can out all wrong. This is a straight sideways view of the same test... Looked too wide at first and not tall enough....till you angle the view. Talk about your "DUH" moment. So now it's on to preparing the stencil for painting by making it lay flat on a curved fuselage side and shooting several light coats of white to prevent capillary under the edges. With a little luck, I should be ready by this coming weekend for final review. Starfighter, scvrobeson, Landrotten Highlander and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amurray Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 This is a magnificent kit build! I was unfamiliar with this kit. Would you please share box art, where you bought it, price, etc. And in general vis-a-vis a 1/48 or 1/32 kit of the same aircraft is the fit aggravating/fair/good/great? Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) Well...I'll try and answer your questions best I can. The kit is the Merit boxed kit, but I have seen it listed as a Hobby Boss and ILK (lesser know version from I Love Kits company). They are all identical inside the box. Mine tapped me out at just under $150 including shipping..it's a very large box! I ordered it from an etailer on ebay and did not take notice until too late it was coming on a slow boat from China. Had to wait several weeks before delivery. As for fit and finish, the exterior details are not too bad, but like most large kits, there's a few fit problems. Most noteworthy is the cockpit tub that has to fit together perfectly to allow the fuselage halves to fit together just right. I had fits with mine until I figured out where the problem was and fixed it. Still afterward, I had to take the joining in steps to get some measure of good joints easy for filling and sanding. Interior details were sorely lacking and that's where I concentrated most of my efforts as you can see in the build pictures I posted on this thread. Working with a limited budget...and talent...didn't help either, but I did the best I could. As far as comparing this kit with 1:32nd and 1:48th kits...can't help you much there. I have never built a 1:32nd kit of the SBD, and the 1:48th SBD I started about 12 years ago still resides mostly in the box somewhere here waiting. Hope that answers most of your questions...except the box art. Got rid of the box long ago, but if you Google "merit 1:18th sbd kit" you should see dozens of them listed. I have enjoyed working with this kit and consider it unique mainly because of its size and ability to be customized by old hands, fat fingers, impatience, and failing sight. Enough about my brother though...awe never mind...I forgot to add...all of these variants from whomever's name is on the box, forget the decals. The large ones in particular are CRAP and have a nasty habit of not adhering to any surface and cracking/tearing all the time. You can make the small ones work if you're careful, but the large ones you will have to paint. No after market company I am aware reproduces these decals either. Edited February 3, 2021 by REJ new information Uncarina and amurray 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunnus Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 If you give the dimensions of the "6", an adhesive mask could be easily produced. Has it been painted already? Are you in the US? Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 (edited) Well...the two examples you give above are close, but the right one is closer. The hole in the center of the 6 is square though...no beveled edges there. The overall dimensions I came up with is 15mm tall by 12mm wide with a thickness of 3mm per arm of the number. That's about as close as I can get. I printed paper versions that I taped to various media like frisket mask, masking tape, thin plastic card, and such, but the small size and precise cuts needed are very hard to get right. One small slip or cuts not connected results in skewed or feathered edges that spray painting white on intermediate blue just brings out badly. I finally settled on thin plastic card with double sided tape under it to help hold the stencil to the curved sides of the fuselage. Hopefully it will yield the desired results with as little "correction " as needed. I spray tomorrow evening after a thorough cleaning tonight. And yes, I am in the US....Texas is my home. Edited February 4, 2021 by REJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CShanne Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Not sure how much you mask numbers but Oramask 810 is used in Cameo cutting machine by many people who make masks for models. Not saying you need a cutting machine, you could pencil out your design and cut it by hand and have low tack masks for you numbers, which would adhere to the entire surface. Your work is fantastic, I spent many and hour looking at that plane in the Naval Aviation Museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REJ Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 Thank you sir for the compliment. I have never "farmed out" masks before so I have no ready source for it. I have cut masks from low tack painters tape before without too much trouble, but these numbers are so simple looking, but the most precise cutting I have ever tried. It certainly has been a learning experience! CShanne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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