Jolly Rogers GB...2006-2007

VF-103guy,

Quite an honor indeed.  I have built a few kits on commission for folks who flew in the military, and I have really enjoyed those builds.  If you go back in time with this group build you will see that I based my build on the VF-84 plane that made the first "fleet aircraft trap" on the Abraham Lincoln about eighteen years ago.  The squadron, along with VF-41 were attached to us after construction was completed and when we started sea trials and work-ups for taking the carrier from Norfolk, VA to San Francisco, CA (actually the base was in Alameda).

Scotty-

I've been building models for the Jollies since 2000. It's kind of a long story, but needles to say it is quite the honor!

Thanks! Hope you find the tps article useful!

To everyone who has added some recent photos: Nice Work!  

VFA-103 Guy, how does one get to be the model guy for a squadron exactly?  I "wasted" my six and a half years in the yacht club as a nuke electrician's mate.  I think that I would have had more fun building more models, perhaps of the carriers that I served aboard (Eisenhower and Lincoln).   Just kidding around, it is neat though that you have the ability to use your tallent at "work" for some of the folks around you.  Keep up the really nice work, and I will certainly be reading your article on the weathering when I get a chance.

Looks good Stu! Keep on it.

I need to get my butt in gear, but can't get motivated right now. Must be the weather or the prior problems I ran into. Hope to paint the gull gray soon tho.

DiscoStu wrote:

Your bug is outstanding!  I would love to know how you mottle the grays on top to look, well, real.  My existing technique is a little black along panel lines before adding a top-coat and a dark gray wash afterwards but yours seems to really emulate the real deal.  What's the secret? Photoshop?  Huh?  C'mon be honest...

Thanks!!

I'm sort of VFA-103's model builder I guess you could say, and the 2 Super Hornets were gifts to a couple of officers in the squadron. The lo vis one was for one of the junior officers, and the hi vis one was for the Commanding Officer, well now the former CO.

Here's a link to an article I wrote on how to fade modern US Navy tactical paint schemes.

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=109516

It's a pretty easy technique to use, but I'm actually having to re-write the article because I've added some steps since I wrote it.

Oops, missed a pic...

Okay, as promised I've enclosed some pictures.  In doing so I realized I have missed a major step in the F-18.  I kinda, sorta forgot the flaps. I had them primed to be painted and then got distracted on another kit.  So I'll dig those up, get them finished and attached.  Oh, I'll also get that last dull coat on and get rid of the canopy masks.  Due to some slip-ups on my part during the construction of the cockpit I decided to keep the "lid" on as even with some AM details it still didn't look as good as I hoped.

IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/Stugeorge/Group.jpg[/IMG]

Man, I wish I would have got here sooner!!!

 Although I'm not participating, here's some shots of a few of my Jolly Rogers birds.

My 2 Revell F-18F's.

My 1/48 hasegawa F-14B that I've been working on for 2 years..

well i have some progress pics...and be honest guys...its not the best model ive done but it is the first one ive done in a while with out help from my father....(im 22 and i havent built a model since i was 15) so again be gentle but still be critical:

i just have a little more painting to do....the wheel wells, the boarding ladder

and the landing gear...then some weathering so yeah be gentle 

Egads!!

Gawd, I forgot about the time on this one. I have it mostly white on the bottom of the Tomcat. That's where I got frustrated and put it aside for another GB I had. Then I forgot to work on it (procrastinated is more like it). I am planing to get going again soon (I hope) since there is nothing else on my bench other than the super hornet that has not been touched either.

I'm going to get my butt in gear and put off yard york then to get some work done on them.
I guess I kinda do need an extention, huh?

Kale,

It looks like only two of us have actually finished our projects thus far, so maybe an extension (perhaps to July 4) would be appropriate.  I keep checking in from time to time, and I am half considering adding another kit to the build (if I get a couple of other projects finished).  Just thoughts on my part, and I will check again to see what you decide.

well everybody we have only a couple of weeks left....i have to finish decaling and then ill be done with my santa cat...if by chance anybody wants to extend the deadline by a month let me know and itll be done...thanks

Kale 

DiscoStu,

Just a suggestion, but if you do not have one already, Testor's Model Master put out a spiral bound book a few years ago (I still see it advertised in Squadron) that has a large cross-reference section in the back.  I use this source frequently when trying to figure out Gunze, Tamiya, and Humbrol equivalents in the Model Master line.  I have also seen a web site or two in the past that had some of the information, but the Model Master book has the most complete charts that I have found.

well just letting everybody know that i finally have a full primer coat on and im starting to mask for the skunk stripe and the wheel wells. hows everybody else doing

DiscoStu wrote:

Thank you.  That'll really help when I decide to start work on that Tomcat Wannabe. (Navy family.  Sorry.)

Good one! I'll have to remember that!

More Power Scotty wrote:

Air Force used Light Ghost Gray as the lighter gray on the F-15.

Confirmed for early F-15's

Disco Stu,

 I thought that the Air Force used Light Ghost Gray as the lighter gray on the F-15.  I will do some checking in my resources to verify this.

Discostu,

I wasn't going to bring up the chevron thing, just so you know. 

The Phantom looks phantastic!   I built the 1/72 version by Hasegawa several years ago, and remember the "fun" associated with decal placement.  To my advantage though, the side markings were single decals, not multiple parts as you have described. 

On a separate issue, I picked up the Dragon 1/144 Jolly Rogers F-14 and F/A-18 combo kit recently.  The parts and decals look pretty good, and I may attempt to build it up at some point in the not too distant future for this build.  Of course with Spring hopefully about to arrive in my area , I am hearing the longing "voice" of my road bike wanting to get back out and accumulate miles once again.