EA-6B Prowler (02 April: Done!)

[Starfighter]

Great progress, Pete! There are many free stencil type fonts available on the net - I am sure you can find a fitting one! 

[easixpedro]

22 hours ago, JayW said:

Booger?   

 

Haha!  Pardon the pun (not really), but you don't get to pick your callsign. Unfortunately there's no story though. I showed up in my first squadron and was the first FNG in over a year. I was told every squadron has a Booger and I was it. Trust me, I've done plenty of stupid things over the years and could never shake it.

5 hours ago, Starfighter said:

Great progress, Pete! There are many free stencil type fonts available on the net - I am sure you can find a fitting one! 

Yes, will investigate this weekend. I had a wild hair and a scrap of spare decal sheet and gave it a go with absolutely zero forethought. Have actually been back working on the gear at the moment. Hope to have them wrapped up this weekend. That means all the stores and gear will be finished and ready for final assembly once I get the markings completed...we're close to calling this one done!

[easixpedro]

Have the majority of the decals on. Random slivering that I’m gonna have to sort. Should be no problem, have already saved a couple. This side seems the worst… very random, on that actually polished that area before the gloss. Like everyone else, my experience with decals can finicky on the best of days. And for whatever reason, the Carl Vinson markings virtually disappeared when applied. They were a match when laid next to the others (not too concerned, at the time, we’d just left the Kitty Hawk to the Vinson and the markings were rather hasty/dodgy)

 

also got the slats applied. Will need to fill the gaps from where Trumpeter’s slat rollers/arms extend. Right now they’re gaping caverns.

Still need to do the names, left my first effort on there. Also need to make the PCs names. Made me chuckle a bit, as one of those names, my main memory of the kid was him getting into trouble in Hong Kong and going to Captain’s Mast. If I remember correctly it was bad enough that the Captain of the ship actually put him on bread and water (yes, that’s still a thing).

 

Next up, I’ll begin the weathering and general grunge that tends to accumulate. More when I have something worth sharing!

-Peter

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by easixpedro

[JayW]

Can almost hear the "slam!!" as the gear hit the deck.  Very realistic looking model you got there Peter.

[allthumbs]

Stunning and dynamic presentation! Congratulations on a suer-impressive build.

 

Rich

[easixpedro]

Dorking around and added some wash. Color me impressed! The panel lines look pretty good as do a whole host of scratch built details.  Love it when a plan comes together! And check out those gaping holes for the slat arms...gotta fix those. 

-Peter

[Anthony in NZ]

SUPER COOL is an understatement Peter!  Another unique masterpiece in the final stages....I hope you're going to keep this one, given your connection.

[Out2gtcha]

Awesome!  Really looks amazingly cool when on the base! I might have missed it, but what did you use metal wise to keep things so still with so much weight out front of the hook?

 

Out of curiosity, is there any "bouncing" or wobbling of the Prowler if the base is moved?

[easixpedro]

1 hour ago, Anthony in NZ said:

SUPER COOL is an understatement Peter!  Another unique masterpiece in the final stages....I hope you're going to keep this one, given your connection.

Oh, this one is staying in atop my little curio cabinet. At least for now.  Have been toying with sending it to Pensacola. IF and mighty big IF they can display it. Only reason I say that, is the Museum Director is an old Prowler guy and was a CO in the same hangar that my first squadron occupied. We'll see I guess!

 

53 minutes ago, Out2gtcha said:

Awesome!  Really looks amazingly cool when on the base! I might have missed it, but what did you use metal wise to keep things so still with so much weight out front of the hook?

 

Out of curiosity, is there any "bouncing" or wobbling of the Prowler if the base is moved?

Easy to miss--thinks it's all the way back on page 1 or 2?  It's essentially 2 pieces of 3mm music wire that a friend welded together for me, as my welding skills haven't improved since 8th grade Metal Shop, (and who knew that welding a plastic model could be a thing?)

 

First effort failed immediately, as I tried having him weld the V-Joint.

 

Second effort was having him butt-weld them together along the section that became the actual hook.  All in all, it's about 1mm thicker all the way around compared to the kit part, but no one will really notice as the visual impact is much, much greater overall.

[JayW]

On 3/1/2022 at 12:49 PM, easixpedro said:

Have been toying with sending it to Pensacola.

 

Peter - it was the superb F4U in the naval museum in Pensacola that convinced me to build one.  When I walked up to that thing, it seemed obvious it was the centerpiece.  It was the king of kings in that big bay.  Unforgettable moment in a great museum.  As for the Prowler - I am so impressed by all the antennas and intakes and other add-ons.  Well done representing it all.  One day you will have to make a PowerPoint slide identifying them all!  

[easixpedro]

On 3/1/2022 at 11:48 AM, Out2gtcha said:

Out of curiosity, is there any "bouncing" or wobbling of the Prowler if the base is moved?

 

Totally forgot to address this above. Yes, a slight bit of bounce. No side to side movement though as it's secure within the base when attached. The wobble/bounce really comes from that huge moment arm going on. Even had it on the F-4B scene with its heftier set up.  

 

Imagine that for transport I'll brace the nose with something to keep the wobble to a minimum.

Edited March 2, 2022 by easixpedro

[easixpedro]

15 minutes ago, JayW said:

 

Peter - it was the superb F4U in the naval museum in Pensacola that convinced me to build one.  When I walked up to that thing, it seemed obvious it was the centerpiece.  It was the king of kings in that big bay.  Unforgettable moment in a great museum.  As for the Prowler - I am so impressed by all the antennas and intakes and other add-ons.  Well done representing it all.  One day you will have to make a PowerPoint slide identifying them all!  

Somewhere in all my junk of old pubs/manuals and gear, I have it.  Just haven't bothered to dig it out yet.  Then again it could have been tossed years ago and I've forgotten.

 

But I'll also make a plug for Jake Melampy's "Modern Prowler Guide."  Best coverage of the plane I've ever seen.

[easixpedro]

So minor heart attack tonight as I find myself performing delicate surgery. 

 

I'd filled the gaps for the slat arms and then tried brush painting and blending it in. Frankly looked like crap. Most builds, I find myself rushing the final bits and realized I was falling into that trap again. Time to take a step back and assess.

 

So I did the reasonable thing and began sanding. Let's just say I went gingerly as I really don't want to snap a slat off. Or the antennas.  Or the speedbrakes. Or the refueling probe. You get the idea...

 

Don't know why I didn't think to check it before we got to here, but fair warning for others. Would've been much easier to fill with styrene before we got to this point. Live and learn, just happy that I haven't tried to rush and call it good.

[JayW]

Sequencing - with so much scratch building, sequencing is key.  Man - the Navy wanted people to know with no doubts that high lift surfaces were deployed on this craft.

[Timmy!]

So much of modeling is chucking the fear of doing things twice.  Zen is happiness that you only had to do something twice.  
 

Keep chugging and the spirit of the subject, you have a great start and “in close” makes or breaks a good pass (just saying, I’m not tail hooker).  Stay true, last bits as good as the first, even though they’re boring AF.

 

Timmy!