Battle of Midway Group Build, 3 June, 2017 - 7 June, 2018

Fabulous cockpit, D!  Nice work with those instruments!  You can almost read the dials.

Doug, it's always grievous to come across a kit as uncooperative as this one, but I like your idea!  Very innovative.  The damage looks pretty realistic to me, and I think you're going to pull this off very well.  

Scott, Thanks... yeah, I'm pondering my next move... I should be able to make something work, but what a PITA!

CMK Thank you, and I guess thats just part of the hobby.... But I sure am having my share lately! lol...

Doug

scottrc

The F4F does look like a perfect candidate for a flight deck crash dio.  Were any wrecked on the island?  Maybe set it on land as is with a few gooney birds sitting on it.  

 

I believe that the VMF-221 had rigid wing -3s and not folding wing -4s. But yes, at least one of their Wildcats ended up crash landed after they fought the Japanese.

Tough break about the self destructing plastic. I've never come across anything like that before out of box. Only on plastic that had been in contact with certain cleaning chemicals for too long.

f

Hey Doug, sorry about the self-destructing plastic.  That kit really does not want to be built.  Seems like a crash dio would be appropriate considering the trouble this kit has caused you.  A pilot figure flipping off the plane would seem about right.

I probably would have made a short video involving low grade explosives and called it "art".

D

Doug, thats not good. It was coming along nicley as well. But i am sure you can make somthing of it.

Dwayne, nice job on the pit there.

Thanks guys.... Stick, Yeah, plastic is usually very forgiving, but there are many grades of styrene, and having worked at Model Products many years ago, I learnedhow critical the process is, IE temperatures, Grades of plastics, ammount of recycled granuals to virgin stock, etc, etc... Also the age will cause it to degrade (some types) so... I'll make someyhing out of it.

Dman, Bish... Yeah, I'll come up with something, Thinking about a forced perspective dio, likely in flight.Oh well, Really makes one want to put time into it. But again.... Just part of the hobby sometimes. Thanks again guys...

Take care all,

Doug

OK, I think I've decided on what to do... 

Finishing up the "Battle Damage" 

Getting the initial weathering started...

Not feeling quite as disgusted as I was, But hey, I'm not done yet... Still a ways tyo go.

OK, Starting to see some end results now, I hope... More in a bit, Decals next.

Take care all!

Doug

Thats coming on nicley Doug. I still haven't built up the courage to do damage, maybe i need my hand forced into it.

That's very convincing, Doug.  Good work!

Nice save! That looks like truly horrid battle damage!

I am starting to see it now.  Great save.  Hard landing on the deck or on the airfield, and the landing gear crumpled.  The damage is convincing.  This could turn out really well despite all the issues.  My hat off to you for sticking with it.

D

Bish

Thats coming on nicley Doug. I still haven't built up the courage to do damage, maybe i need my hand forced into it.

 

Bish... As good a job as you do on your builds, you should have no problems at all... Just remember, the big mistake most make is drilling bullet holes from the outside in. If you take a rotory tool and thin from the inside, then either push the rest of the way through with something like a toothpick, it makes for a much more convincing look. Thanks for the kind words!

Doug

Stick, CMK... Thanks guys... I guess I try always to go into a build with a "Plan B " just in case. 

Dman... Some times I have to just sit back and think for awhile... (and it makes my head hurt") But it sort of beats seeing how far it'll fly on its own power! LOL...

Thanks again guys...

Doug

That's the spirit Doug! My plan B is always a wrecked subject just in case.

Looks good. 

Rigidrider

 

Bish

Thats coming on nicley Doug. I still haven't built up the courage to do damage, maybe i need my hand forced into it.

 

 

 

 

Bish... As good a job as you do on your builds, you should have no problems at all... Just remember, the big mistake most make is drilling bullet holes from the outside in. If you take a rotory tool and thin from the inside, then either push the rest of the way through with something like a toothpick, it makes for a much more convincing look. Thanks for the kind words!

Doug

 

I'l keep that in mind. I have plenty of spare plastic i wil probably never use, migt be worh pracicing on that. I can just see a dio of a 109 back at base with pilot inspecting the damage.

Rigidrider

Stick, CMK... Thanks guys... I guess I try always to go into a build with a "Plan B " just in case. 

Dman... Some times I have to just sit back and think for awhile... (and it makes my head hurt") But it sort of beats seeing how far it'll fly on its own power! LOL...

Thanks again guys...

Doug

 

My "Plan B" is usually the trash can.  

MC.... Just got to have a plan "B"! lolol...

Bish... OK, got to see it now!, Thats a good idea...

CMK... Well, it did kind of lay in the trash can for about two days. I just hated to think that I was going to be whooped by a silly piece of plastic. lolol... but again, I'm prone to seeing how far they can fly on their own power! lol...

Made a star on the Avenger about a week ago. Its quite a basic kit, not much to it. The only addition is a basic Airwaves PE set which doesn't have a lot of detail, but its a slight improvment.

On the right is the pilots position, everything other than the seat and bulkhead are PE. The other 2 seats just have seatbelts. The only other PE part is the IP. After doing some reading up, i painted these portions bronze green. I didn't do any weathering as there is nothing to weather and with the closed canopy, your not going to see much.

I then got the pits and rear gun position in place. It was a bit of a sequeeze closeing the fuselage, the PE floor bent a little which i think was the problem, but nother major. I replaced the rear gun with one out of the spares box, the kit one doesn't look like anything.

Fit was ok, just a little filler. The cowling needed sanding down the sides as it was bulging out.

I then got the legs and antennas on and used liquid mask for the clear parts.

Shes now down in the paint shop with a coat of primer. Should be getting the paint on tomorrow.

Nice work, Bish.  Academy kits are kind of hit and miss; some of them are pretty good--like their F4F-4 Wildcat.  Others, not so much.  Yours is looking good.

Bish, your just moving right along with that one! Looking good !!!

Well, I'm back at it, Had a little down time with family, and visiting (Day trips) some of the local model shows, Lots of good stuff to see! So, heres some more from me.

Decals are on now... Not many to apply on this one, and they are the only thing so far that has'nt gave me any problems.

Pilot at the controls...

Guess I'll go with a prop loosing RPMs.

And the beginings of some smoke. Therew will be alot more when done.

And thats about all for now. More in a bit! Take care all...

Doug

checkmateking02

Nice work, Bish.  Academy kits are kind of hit and miss; some of them are pretty good--like their F4F-4 Wildcat.  Others, not so much.  Yours is looking good.

 

Thanks check. Ye, i know what you mean. This ones a mixed bag on its own. Lovely engraved detail on the outside, nothing on the inside. Even the wheel bays are blank, but not to worried about those as it will be secured to a base.

Cheers Doug.

Looking really nice. I like the prop effect and the smoke is coming on well. Will you be painting that.

Bish

Cheers Doug.

Looking really nice. I like the prop effect and the smoke is coming on well. Will you be painting that.

 

That looks great Doug. That's the way to do a prop blur.

That's a great piece of work, Doug!  It's looking really good--for an impending disaster.  Nice save!  

Hey Doug,

Your project has taken a different approach since I was last here and I really like it.  

Bish, glad to too you have joined with an Avenger.

As far as myself, well, its a month of traveling and working, so no modeling for a few weeks.  Bummer too, my Akagi is looking so tempting to get started on it.    

Scott

Thanks Scott. Have a safe trip, hopefully you will be able to pop in while your away, if not, see you when your back.

Steve, CMK, Thanks for the kind words. I tried the prop a couple different ways and for now... I've setteled on this one.

Scott... Yeah, this ones been a real struggle, brittle old plastic, ill fitting parts, glue not holding... oh well. Its coming along for now...

Thanks again all.

Doug