Reich Defenders IV Group Build: Strike From Above

Thanks, Clemens -- I'll compare OD and RLM 81 and make a visual call when the time comes...

Cheers, M/TB379

Thanks guys!

Mike: I don't know exactly which color it was, but i presume it was jsut normal OD and the Germans simply repainted the lower surfaces in RLM 04. It could've been an RLM color on top as well though. RLM 81 (Braunviolett) is a really good match for Olive Drab (just a tad more greenish). I sprayed some of that color where the USAAF roundels would be on an American Jug.

SS -- p1 updated!

With the final photos for the final active build, RD IV is officially closed now. Please look back later in the year for RD V: Hunters of the Dark!

Cheers, and thanks all for taking part,

Mike/Thunderbolt379

Clemens -- well worth the wait indeed! It's a meticulous job inside and out, with attention to finishing that redefines dedication! I'll get her onto p1 and formally close the GB. It's been an amazing process, not least to see how many things can go wrong and be fixed by determination and skill. BTW, I assume the yellow is RLM 04, but what's the green? It only just struck me that it would presumably be a stock Luft shade, but I'm not recognising it -- did they "bucket-mix" something at the test unit?

Cheers, M/TB379

Clemens,

Looks great; you must be very happy with the final outcome!  Totally worth the wait.

Quite odd seeing her in Luftwaffe livery, but great subject for modeling.

Congratulations.

Here's the final update on my P-47:

Took me longer than I expected because life got in the way...

The only decals on this model are: 1 swastika, fuselage and wing crosses (they are painted over though, so i dont think they count as decals anymore), the number 9 on one of the wings, and 1 of the "T9" code segments. Everything else is completely painted on because those decals didnt behave at all...

Enough talking, here are some pics for you:

I have no idea where that black area on the cowl flaps came from, but it isn't there on the real model...

Engine before final assembly:

And after:

It's a shame most of it is hidden by either the prop or the cowling, but I still think it's a great addition to the Tamiya kit.

I hope it was worth the wait...

Cheers, Clemens 

And Photobucket fails me again...

Fabulous, buddy! It's such a frustration when you do damage along the way, I know what perseverance it takes to get there in the end. I look forward to the pics!

M/TB379

I finally got the pics i promised you so long ago. I managed to damage the model while taking the pictures, so i had to go back and fix all of that. I'll post them later today...

ThunderBolt... Sounds good to me! I'll be watching for the start date... Thanks

Doug

I was at my LHS today in order to get some pics of the T-Bolt, but the owner didn't take the damn camera with him. I'll have to wait untill next Saturday to get those pics, but I'll post them as soon as I can get them up on PB...

TJ -- I think you're right! I'll draft up a feeler and get it onto the aircraft forum later today. This could be a very lively GB indeed!

M/TB379

Doug -- that's one I've been interested in doing for years! Wow!!! yes, by all means, we're gathering squadron members for a nightfighters build, starting either later in the year or kicking off January 1st next year. It has loads of potential, and will be a great project!

M/TB379

I'm no Uhu expert by any means, so I don't know if the ZM canopy is right for an A-7. You don't really pay for the wing spars, but rather for the 2 engines (I've even seen some AM sets that look bad compared to them), a great looking cockpit full fuselage interior (including the "Schräge Musik") and gun bays. It really comes down to personal preference, but I just love my 1/32 birds stuffed with interior details... The only bad things with the ZM 219 are the tires (they look horrible compared to the rest of the kit) and the seatbelts (you get optional seats without them though if you want to add fabric or PE belts).

Hey Mike ( TB)  I think its time to put a feeler out for this. This could be huge. Reich Defender V --They only come out at night--.  Oh I can't keep myself from being giddy

Thanks SS. I had heard there was a couple of issues with the Revell kit. I don't mind paying the sort of money they want for the ZM kit if I thought it would be worth while. But aside from everything else, it seems like your paying for all that wing sparring, which for me, I wouldn't want on show anyway. I wil defiantly be looking out for their 335 and 229 and if Revell don't come out with kits, I will go for the ZM, but when there's a good alternative, I just had to go for that.

And thanks, it will be ages before I get round to the revel kit, but would the ZM canopy work, isn';t the A-7 slightly different to the A-0. I will have to dig the kit out and have a look, still not decided on what AM to get yet.

Bish: The ZM kit looks like it's going to be a great project. They supply you with 2 complete engines that look as nice as most AM engine sets do. A nose weight and metal landing gear are also included in the box, as well as a pilot and radar operator figure (seated)

My LHS had a built Revell 219 on display a while ago and I think there's something wrong with the canopy shape. It looks too wide and flat to me, which results in the whole nose-section looking kinda ugly as far as I am concerned. I could be mistaken of course, but you might want to check that canopy shape...

The ZM kit has 2 different canopies you can choose from: One is the classic approach of molding the frame and glass areas as one large part and the other one consists of the frame being one part and the glass areas provided as separate parts. So if the Revell kit really got the shape wrong I could send you one of the canopies (provided I don't break one and have to use both)...

Did someone mention Night fighters. Been a while since we had one of those GB's. Later in the year would be ideal for me as well. I have 88's, 335's, 262's P.1101 amongst others, but I think this will be the excuse I need to do a 219. I doubt I will be able to do the Revell 32nd kit, but I have plenty of Dragon ones to choose from and a good chance to practice the camo scheme.

SS, be nice to see that ZM kit. I was in two minds but decided to opt for the Revell instead.

I've got 110's 88's and 262's oh my.  Just wish I had a 188

I finished this one earlier in the Pfeil Do335 build with Clemens and am looking forward to another! (Pfeil and some other type) of Night fighter!

Thanks

Doug 

Hey Mike... (ThunderBolt) Night Fighters??? If your putting out feelers, I'm in!

Take care!

Doug (RR)

Really nice engine SS!!

Mike - I'm in for a night fighter build!  Sept-Oct sounds like a good start date.

Steve

Hey Guys, I don't have any pics of the completed Jug yet, but here's a little teaser:

This little gem was probably the most time consuming part of the build (the only thing that took longer were those damn decals). I had to add a pushrods and scratchbuild ignition wire harness as well as the 36 wires (2 for each cylinder) themselves, but I really enjoyed every single step. You can't really see a lot of the engine (including most of the wiring), but it was worth it IMO.

Terrific! I was hoping she was going to make it across the line! I look forward to the pics, as I'm sure we all do, it's a rare bird alright!

M/TB379

The Jug is finished!!!

I might ad some more chipping at the wingroots and access panels, but otherwise I'm quite happy with the way she looks consideing all the problems I had. I can't post pictures yet though because I have to take her to my LHS (they have a better photo setup than me).

I'm in how about sept-oct start

I'd prefer to start later. I have a lot of projects to complete before getting this monster of a kit on my bench.

Well, I guess we're doing nightfighters then -- it's a great theme! That's a seriously fantastic kit and I look forward to having one in due course, until then I'll make do with the Tamiya 48!

I guess the question is when you'd all like to start -- mid-year or later??? Who's in???

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Regarding the next round of RD:

Looky what I found at ma LHS on Saturday:

This beauty was just too awesome not to buy, so I brought her home with me

I don't know how many parts there are in total, but one of the engines alone consists of over 60 parts! My Tamiya P-47 in comparison only has a bit less than 200 parts for the entire model...

The cockpit is also the best OOB office I've ever seen. Everything is finely detailed and the canopy parts are very thin and perfectly clear, so everything of it will be visible on the completed model.

The kit comes with 2 seated resin figures and position lights made out of colored resin as well as metal landing gear struts and a nose weight.