Thuens, I totally get where you are coming from. I too have to build the nice kits and feel good about it while I take my time here and there to work on the garbage. But, this allows us to to truly model and make those ugly kits look pretty good in the end. I would not like this hobby if I worked on those type of builds non stop. It would make me nuts.

BK

This Italeri F-22 is fighting me aal the way, the fit is as poor as it gets, either that or I can not build models...

I have come to the realization that I have very limited time and kits like these just waist it and drives my nuts.

SO, I will work on it between other kits, but will not really go to any great lengths to make it nice, just get it done.

I will however concentrate on kits that are a pleasure to build, afterall it is supose to be fun ;-)

Well Bob, those are the details that only the builder can see. It looks very good to me and I don't see any issues with it at all. Well done, Sir!! I'll update the front page.

BK

Thanks Theuns!  I'd like to get my hands on a Prowler kit as well.

She's all done!  I learned the hard way to align bombs and sway braces at the same time.  Since I didn't, some of the bombs don't line up right.  Oh well, I still like how it looks overall.

I just love the lines of that A6, I have the Italeri 1/48 Prowler to build soon but the Intruder looks nicer ;-)

As for the F-22, I dont want to have all the weapons bays open, they supply the doors to these only in the open position, and to close them thye really dont fit well, so it will take some carefull work to close it all up.

Theuns

I agree with Gamera, that does look good, Bob. I still don't have one of those in the stash and honestly, I don't know why. I need to rectify that.

BK

She's looking good Bob! 

I first tried the tinting on my F4 with tamiya clear blue and clear. A drop of blue and lots of clear and layered it up like you said. And yes, I think it does look good, and yes the metallic hue is still ellusive. Looking very nice.

BK

Theuns, your canopy looks pretty good to me!  

With school out I've finally gotten enough time to make some progress on the Intruder.  Decals are on, and the squadron emblem on the tail has been giving me so trouble.  A few well placed cuts with a new no. 11 blade and Micro Sol helped it out.  Now I need to put on a flat coat.

I also got the landing gear ready to go, and the rockeyes.  Slowly getting there...

That cockpit is gonna look cool

Thanx Brandon, the Tamiya clear yellow is quite thick and a few drops in future maked a nice tint, then it takes quite a few coats to build it up, but that way I could controll the level of tint I wanted. 

I tried dipping but the results were not good.

This was more of an experiment to test the tinting as I have NICE 1/48 ea-6 Prowler I need to tint the large canopies.

This tecnique gives the look but still doesnt have a metallic feel :-(

Theuns

Actually, that tint looks really good. The tone of the yellow is excellent and it pulls off the look of the gold tint very well. I like what you've done. I want to do an F-22 but I don't know who does the better kit. Your work here will help in my decision.

BK

Looks pretty good in the photo. 

Thanx, I got the fuselage joined up, some filling and sanding to follow.

Here is my attempt at "gold tinting" the canopy with tamiya clear yellow in future air brushed to the inside of the canopy. 

Poor quality pic ,sorry

Ohhh, looks very cool Theuns! 

I finally got to start building this 1/48 Italeri F-22. There is not really allot to show progress wize with this tipe of model where allot of detail is hidden inside te fuselage.

Here is the engines and thrust vector plates, I used alclad burnt iron to get the colour right

In 1/48 this is a BIG model

Cockpit

You can also use artists oils and orderless mineral spirits for panel washes also. I use that method when I only want the panel lines to take the wash and not the rest of the surface.

BK

Highly recommend Flory Washes. Unfortunately they are only available from the U.K. But well worth the wait.

Ya, make sure you have a good clear gloss coat down and then do a panel line wash. It will look the part then and not be over done.

BK

Yeah, I think I'd go with a panel line wash at least. Not sure what else you could do, I've not applied much weathering to NM aircraft I've built. 

Nice job there castel, ye a wash would really help.

Thank you gentlemen . Any tips on how to weather it, to make it look it flew few times? Some kind of wash maybe to take away that "brand new look" shine?

Thanks...

That pilot looks the part in the pit for sure. And all those little red dots to paint; I would need therapy after that. Nice work.

BK

Hey CN, great job there. The canopy looks perfect! 

A bit more of a progress here...

The canopy

The wingy-thingy has wings now...

The workplace

Armed...but is it dangerous :-)

CN: Nice clean job on the masking there. 

Dang, I really, really, need to get mine out and get some more work done on her. November will be here before I know it.  

You are moving right along now. It will be in paint before you know it. I always liked the looks of the Saber Dog over the more common Saber. Nice work so far.

BK