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Sweetwater Jug: Hasegawa P-47D-40


Madmax

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Wow Sean, 

the metal finish and the masking really turned out nice. Well done.

 

On 2/3/2023 at 4:29 PM, Uncarina said:

Spectacular! That really does look like metal, and I’m happy to see no paint lifted using the masks. Thanks for the heads up about using micro-sol/set directly on the paint. So no rusks with the coffee?

 

Cheers,  Tom

Tom milk tart beats rusks hands down every day of the week. :rolleyes:

 

 

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On 2/3/2023 at 8:17 AM, MikeMaben said:

Nice work Sean  :speak_cool::popcorn:

 

Thank you Mike.

 

On 2/3/2023 at 10:11 AM, Tolga ULGUR said:

Looks beautiful.:clap2:

 

Very kind of you Tolga.

 

On 2/3/2023 at 4:29 PM, Uncarina said:

Spectacular! That really does look like metal, and I’m happy to see no paint lifted using the masks. Thanks for the heads up about using micro-sol/set directly on the paint. So no rusks with the coffee?

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

An interesting thing that the Alclad DIDN'T lift Tom! :hmmm:

 

I suspect that the combination of AS-12 as a primer, White Aluminium as a base and then whatever you want on top of that - which is then buffed with micromesh (8000) - is the happy mix. I would be lying if I said it wasn't still a bit sensitive to fingerprints or the adhesive of the masking tapes/vinyl, but it didn't lift anywhere, which on my previous attempts at NMF it did do... every time!

 

On 2/4/2023 at 2:45 AM, mc65 said:

just WOW! :bow:

 

the NM finish is spectacular, as the stenciling directly on it!

 

Hey Paolo, Yeah - the stencilling straight onto the 'metal' is the key to the look!

 

On 2/4/2023 at 9:21 PM, Cheetah11 said:

Wow Sean, 

the metal finish and the masking really turned out nice. Well done.

 

Tom milk tart beats rusks hands down every day of the week. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

So I suppose rusks won't do for the next set of masks then Nick? :lol:

 

15 hours ago, Brad-M said:

Beautiful work. That NMF is just grand, and painting the markings just adds to it like a cherry on top. Well done!

 

Yup, sprayed markings have become the way to go, if one has the right contacts for masks! Thanks Brad.

 

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One of the aspects of building models that really appeals to me is the research. One of the prime sources of images and information, as most of you already know, is restored aircraft. Many of them are not terribly accurate however, and when one does find a really good restoration, it is a thing of joy.

 

One aircraft, in terms of sheer excellence in accurately portraying its vintage and lineage, is the P-47D-40 at Yanks Air Museum in Chino, CA. It has formed the basis of most of the colour and marking choices I made, apart from what is on the Ferris painting of course. I would love to visit the museum one day, as I suspect it is a place of excellence. This is the Jug I'm referring to...

 

Republic_P-47D-40-RA_Thunderbolt_%E2%80%

 

Interestingly, she came off the production line 44 aircraft later than the one Ferris' Buddy's brother flew, and was also delivered to Sweetwater, Texas in 1945.

 

Screenshot%202022-04-08%20at%2009.10.18-

 

And I stumbled upon a picture of the sister ship to the one in the Yanks collection - one aircraft later!

 

Republic_P-47D_Thunderbolt_P-47D-40-RA,_

 

Enough rabbit hole stuff, back to the build. The stencils on the underside went on surprisingly well - out of 24 stencils, only one didn't stick properly. I suspect that any of the wet-transfer failures I've experienced have been as a result of not washing the surface properly, since there is a fine metal pigment residue left over from the buffing process.

 

IMG_7517-X2.jpg

 

Then the IFF lights got their colours and the belly got some oil. The oil has subsequently disappeared and I have to try it again, since I now remember that one can't paint over clear enamel with more clear enamel unless you have spayed some protective coat over the first layer - the turpentine in the second coat just eats up the first.

 

IMG_7521-X2.jpg

 

Ah well, a bigger challenge lay ahead. The tail number must be compiled from individually cut wet-transfer decals. Not for the feint hearted or decalophobics...

 

IMG_7537-X2.jpg

 

It actually worked out pretty well, and only two numbers on each side pulled away slightly when removing the transfer film. Here you can see the 5 and the 9 are darker than the rest, since I simply put another decal on top of the first.

 

IMG_7549-X2.jpg

 

There aren't that many stencils on the upper surfaces, but those that are there make a surprising difference, to what is actually quite a bland colour scheme. It is very satisfying peeling off the transfer film after leaving it alone for eight hours.

 

IMG_7540-X2.jpg

 

The right hand side of the fuselage looks particularly good with the red trim. Silver, red and black - works every time - fishing lures, party decor, racing cars...

 

IMG_7546-X2.jpg

 

A little peek into the rear of the cowl flaps. Worth the effort of putting in some detail.

 

IMG_7556-X2.jpg

 

The flaps got their additional scratch-built actuator arms attached.

 

IMG_7563-X2.jpg

 

 

The rudder got some steering 'cables' attached.

 

IMG_7564-X2.jpg

 

The Master brass barrels were cut to size, guiding stubs attached to the rear, and sprayed with Alclad. Pity they aren't aluminium, then one could just polish them.

 

IMG_7566-X2.jpg

 

Gear legs got their placards, detail painted and matt coated.

 

IMG_7570-X2.jpg

 

And finally for today, the tires got some dust, the hubs got creep markers, and the inner doors got their share of exhaust staining...

 

IMG_7578-X2.jpg

 

Amazing how much stuff has to happen before the final assembly can take place! 

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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11 hours ago, Madmax said:

Amazing how much stuff has to happen before the final assembly can take place! 

 

 

Ain't that the truth!

 

This must be the nth time I've brought this up but it's the attention to detail that really sets this build apart. Well, that and the next level modeling skills, of course.

 

Glorious -47, Sean, this beautiful replica should rightfully take place of honor on your display shelf.

 

Big ups, dude :punk:

- Thomaz

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On 2/9/2023 at 3:46 PM, Uncarina said:

Sean, help me, I’m running out of superlatives! With that metal finish the rivets really pop and are too good a detail to pass up. Likewise the painted/ dry transfer markings. Well done! 

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

Thanks Tom. I think this is an accessible way forward for NMF finishes, and I see potential to play around with many more techniques, like the armour fraternity do...

 

On 2/9/2023 at 10:00 PM, John Stambaugh said:

A top shelf build for sure. I really enjoy following these superlative modelers as I have come to terms with the fact that I will  never be in this league.

Thanks Sean

 

Hey John, I also feel that way when I look at many of the other works on this forum - I just keep watching and learning! Not a bad place in cyberspace to hang out after hours (or during work I suppose :lol:). 

 

On 2/10/2023 at 1:00 AM, LSP_Kevin said:

Fantastic work there, Sean!


Kev

 

Thanks for your constant support Kev.

 

On 2/10/2023 at 2:46 AM, TAG said:

 

Ain't that the truth!

 

This must be the nth time I've brought this up but it's the attention to detail that really sets this build apart. Well, that and the next level modeling skills, of course.

 

Glorious -47, Sean, this beautiful replica should rightfully take place of honor on your display shelf.

 

Big ups, dude :punk:

- Thomaz

 

So pleased that you enjoy the detail stuff Thomaz! There's more to come...

 

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Into the home straight!

 

I often debate panel detail with my friend, Nick. He insists (correctly of course), that real aircraft don't have accentuated panel lines, and reminds me of how aircraft, that we both flew, actually looked. Despite all of this, I just can't stop myself from doing that panel thing. :rolleyes:

 

Here is a raw plastic wing with fresh NMF:

 

IMG_7590-X2.jpg

 

Arguably it doesn't need any other attention, if it is to be a fresh from the factory aircraft, but the subject I chose was at a training unit. I suspect it did lots of weapons training and possibly stood outdoors.

 

So I gave it just the most delicate oil paint wash (Van Dyke Brown and Lamp Black mixture) along the main panel lines.

 

IMG_7584-X2.jpg

 

But then I figured that since I had dented the top of the ammo doors, people were walking on the wing! Surely that would leave marks? So here I tried a new thing (for me at least). I took some of MIG's metal pigment and experimented on the Alclad surface. The Gun Metal pigment worked well to simulate trafficked areas, and the Polished Metal works brilliantly to actually polish surfaces. I think one could go to town with various pigments to achieve different effects on the Alclad - lot's of potential for future builds. I may have got a little carried away on this one.

 

IMG_7583-X2.jpg

 

IMG_7661-X2.jpg

 

All of this weathering was going on while the aircraft stood on its wheels and I discovered, once again, that anything one modifies on a kit probably won't fit as intended, or is bound to break - because one made it too thin. The tailwheel was the weakest link and now I can see why John (Thunnus) chose to use a metal paper-clip to remake 'Eileen's' tailwheel strut. Having seen JayW's advice to John about that very mod, I thought I should pay attention to the shape of the 'knuckle' and fashioned the leg out of flattened brass tube, with 'pins' from thin hypodermic needle with a sleeve of a thicker one glued on top. Thanks for the technical drawing on John's build Jay!

 

IMG_7598-X2.jpg

 

Here it is in place, and also to illustrate that the unit on top of the retracting arm can actually be seen in the Hasegawa well. I thought it was a steering unit, but then I noticed John referred to it as a 'tail wheel centering unit' and now I think that means it is actually a sort of 'shimmy-damper' - something the T-6 could really benefit from!

 

IMG_7610-X2.jpg

 

While the model was upside down, the flaps finally went into place. They require some careful adjusting to get the size of the 'slot' correct, and the two sides symmetrical. 5-min epoxy is useful in this regard for much of the final assembly, as it give one a little bit of time to adjust stuff. As you can see, the oil is back!

 

IMG_7626-X2.jpg

 

IMG_7658-X2.jpg

 

A big radial like this is bound to leak some oil, and I based my underside weathering on this photo...

 

CjuMDk0-X2.jpg

 

Some oil is spilled or leaked into the airflow on the top as well. I went with the filler-cap spill since some of the stencil's lettering came off. Lets pretend it got wiped off with many top-up oil spills. :whistle:

 

IMG_7645-X2.jpg

 

I used some soft graphite pencil (8B) rubbed on sandpaper and gently buffed on with an earbud to simulate gun-blast staining on the wing.

 

IMG_7644-X2.jpg

 

I'm pretty pleased with the way the control surfaces on the tail came out. Having separated them gave me the opportunity to paint the inside surfaces with Zinc Chromate, as they would have been, and it offsets the NMF very nicely.

 

IMG_7671-X2.jpg

 

Another fun little detail is this antenna isolator (if that's what it is called) next to the aerial mast.

 

IMG_7633-X2.jpg

 

Apart from the lovely gun barrels, the Master pitot-probe is a thing of beauty.

 

IMG_7684-X2.jpg

 

A last chance with the canopy off to photograph the most spectacular bit of AM in this build - yes, the Yahu instrument panel. The inclusion of one should definitely result in instant disqualification from a competition...:lol: (Just kidding of course)!

 

IMG_7677-X2.jpg

 

RFI photo's to follow shortly. Thanks to one and all who clicked like, laughed along or wrote a note.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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