1/48 Monogram Kingfisher X2, FINALLY DONE !!!!!

Well folks, this train finally pulled into the station. What a long journey this one was. It would have had these done long ago, but I started a new business and I am just running hard 25 hours a day and I have zero build time. I am forcing myself to slow down and build some, and that is the only reason this got done now.

So, The second Kingfisher went much more smoothly than the first. Possibly due to my understanding of the kit more after fighting the first one. The only gripe I have about the second one was when I un-masked the canopy the frames all flaked off and they look horrid. I touched them up a tad, but mostly just sighed and carried on.

To recap what these are. The float version was a new bird stationed in stateside in Quonset while the wheeled version is also a new bird fresh off the line and headed for the West Virginia as the Commanders in Chief plane. I assume it had its float added soon after the ref pic was taken. As far as I know neither bird ever saw any action. I just adhore Kingfishers and that's why I put myself through this process.

The kits look pretty darn good actually once you put all the AM parts in them. But, you are going to be hard pressed to find anymore Cutting Edge pieces for these and the Lone Star parts are good but much much more work to make fit. They are far better than what the kits come with. 

All in all I am pleased I got these done and I love having them sitting with all my fighters, they really do look like they belong there. Thanks for coming along on this LONG journey.

BK

Well, I am getting more and more done on the wheeled version. I must say that this one went together far easier than the other one. I actually enjoyed building this one. SO, with this up date I will bring you up to speed.

I have the plane mostly built. Just small bits to add. The paint work is done and decals are mostly done. I say mostly because one of my decal sheets has grown legs and I can't find it. I need the squadron insignia from it to complete the decalling. I will look hard this weekend and if it doesn't turn up I will wrap this up without it. Anyway, here are the latest shots.

BK

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

BK

That looks really great Brandon! Love the paint job!

To do what you did with this old kit. Your fight in the end was worth it.

Good looking Kingfisher, Brandon!

Brandon, you are doing a beautiful job on the Kingfisher. I am 87 & still building sailing ships. I have over 200 fighter planes in glass cares & have switched to ships. What I want to say is interesting on this plane & I have built it too. Not as detailed as yours tho. 

  We were at the air & space museum at Dulles  8 years ago & I saw a Kingfisher hanging over the Enola Gay. When I went up to look at it, I saw that it was the exact plane that my brother flew in off the Indiana in WW2. That was a first for me to see the same plane that he was in . I haven't been on the aircraft forum before & will have to come back.

I already saw a beautiful P 47 that was from my CO's sqaudron in WW2. I was in after the war but Col. Glenn Eagleston was our CO then.

A phenom of a job, most  amazing!

Brandon that one came out looking fantastic! I am a big fan of the color scheme and I would have never known it fought you by the way it turned out. Really nice work here!

Turned out really nice. 

For a kit that was somewhat of a problem child that looks really good. Nice one Brandon!

Brandon,

For all the sturm und drang this kit engendered, you've done a wonderful job!

Looking forward to what you do with the 2nd kit.

At this point I'm calling the float version done. This one fought me every step of the way. I could have done far better I feel, but in the end I think it is still far better than the kit was to start with. I hope you enjoy the pics. Parden the dust, I forgot to blow it off before the shots. This is what happens when you leave the kit on the desk while you work on another.

BK

richs26

If a -1, you could do a diorama where the mechanics are getting ready to change the wheels for the kit (Vought) float on its beaching gear.

Checking my reference material it is a -1. It is #4-0-3 destined for the Virginia as the "Commanders in Chiefs" plane. As far as a dio, that's a really cool idea. I intend to work on this one a bit slower as the first one was not fun. I am enjoying this one but I'm not gonna rush it so I may look into that idea. Thanks for the input.

BK

Excellent work on your -2 Kingfisher.  Good choice on the LSM float as that is an EDO which was used for -2/3's.  The kit float is the Vought float which is for the -1.  Which version are you going to do for the wheeled version?  If a -1, you could do a diorama where the mechanics are getting ready to change the wheels for the kit (Vought) float on its beaching gear.

Very nice work on that cockpit

Where is the dihedral in the wing?

Well, the float version KF is nearly done. I only have some small bits to complete and I'll post up the pics.

Meanwhile, I have been working on the wheeled verion and I am liking it a whole lot more than the first one. The cockpit in it is a Cutting Edge piece and you just can't find those anymore. It is super nice and I left everything nice and clean and crisp as the photo of this one I am working from is from the factory when it was just finished and preparing to ship off the the Virginia. I hand painted the instruments, there were no decals used. I'm pretty happy with the look.

I should have the float version posted up in a few days. Thanks for stopping in.

BK

Jay Jay

Did you paint the blue and red stripes on or are they decals?

BK

Gorgeous paint work there Mate.  I was hoping mine would look near as good in this scheme but it's on hold for a while.

Did you paint the blue and red stripes on or are they decals? Either way their just perfect.

I am making slow progress as usual but its starting to show. The paint work is mostly done, for what it's worth, and I have the decals on. I have some small things left to do but nothing overwhelming. I look forward to seeing this one done and working on the other one. I think I won't dislike that one as much as this one.

BK

You got that right. I was going to paint them in those schemes but with the floats attached it was clear that a dual or triple color scheme was going to be a HUGE pain to paint. That is what made me change my mind to the aluminum laquer instead. Now that I've painted it that color I actually like the look, and it's differernt than the standard blue you always see. My biggest regret on the changes I've made on the kit is that it was a fight most of the way and the kit has turned out to be less than fun to build. This dislike for the kit has changed my mind in several ways. I changed the paint schemes to both be aluminum laquer birds, both US and one will be on wheels. All of this is due to the issues I've run into along the way that I just don't want to repeat again. They will look pretty decent when done, but I won't be doing anymore of these. I'm looking forward to build the Kitty Hawk one that I have. I think I will enjoy it much more. Thanks for looking.

BK

Very nice. Clearly a change of heart regarding finish though. So much for one RAF one and one triple blue one!

Well, the attempt at painting the insignias on was a total failure. SO, I removed them pulled the floats off so I could apply decals easier. I didn't want to do that but it was needed. I have the bulk of the paint work done; just need to touch up a couple spots. I will add the float support struts and apply decals very soon. Since this is a stateside bird I have to remove the bombs off the racks before I apply them and given the design is going to take a bit of scratch work. All in all it coming along nicely even though I hate this kit at this point, but I will complete it anyway.

BK

Well, I slept on it last night and decided that pulling the struts wasn't what I wanted to do and I did consider using Tamiya ET to soften them up. I also considered just fighting them on and calling it done, but that didn't sit well with me either. So, I've been wanting to get into stenciling my insignias on anyway and why not start on this plane. I'll will paint all the wing insignias on rather than fight the decals. Here's to first attempts.

Also, I have begun work on the second KF that will be a wheeled version. I want to show the plane in both forms it was made and I just don't want to fight that float attachment again. It looks good when done, but I won't be doing another one of those, it just sucks to do. 

I began laying on some color on the float version, but you all will have to wait to see it all done before I reveal the scheme; I think you'll like it. I'm not going traditional on this one. 

Thanks for all the kind words and for stopping by.

BK

Hi Brandon,

Your build so far looks great, nice attention to detail.  I like your re-alignment technique with the wings.  I built an AM TBM-3 Avenger a while ago and put in a Vector engine as well; had the same fit problem - engine diameter was too large to fit inside the cowling.  I did the same thing you did, first thinned the cowling until I could almost see through and then still had to file off tops of some of the cylinder heads. 

Now I'm building an AM SBD-5 Dauntless and plan to install a Vector engine as well.  The engine is still in pieces so I haven't been able to test fit yet to see if there'll be a problem.  Just eyeballing it looks like it might fit, but hard to say.  I'm in the process of putting a pager motor inside the engine to animate the propellor so it's taking a little longer. 

Thanks for posting and keep showing us your techniques. 

Steven