Zoukei-Mura F4J Phantom II 1:48 (WIP)....a couple of WIP boo-boos

JOE RIX

Gee, I'm a bit late to the engine party. Bravo Greg on your ingenious and effective recovery on the engine painting issue.

Better than being late to your own funeral, which my dad always said I would be.

Not sure how ingenious it was, but I sure do appreciate your encouragement and kind words Joe.

JOE RIX

It all looks to have come out in the wash.

The irony here is with all that engine detail, I keep wondering how a quick slop wash might look. But alas, I am hoping to get the fuselage attached to the belly and wings today, so I'd best keep moving forward.

willuride

I just saw this WIP thread.  I want a few of those kits but mama gets a little red faced if I get too much. 

I hear that, brother.

Just looked up the Monogram Black Bunny kit. Love the paint scheme. That would be a fun kit to have for the box art alone. Sure like to see it when you're done, or before.

Thanks for your kind words, and it's nice to have you following along. Haven't seen you around much, it's really just nice to see you, period.

I'm thinking of doing a WIP with what I have left of it.  I have to get it to where I am first.  I will have it by the first of September.  Also, I am going to try and get more involved on here.

willuride

I'm thinking of doing a WIP with what I have left of it.

You should!

willuride

Also, I am going to try and get more involved on here.

That would be great!

I've gotta say that I really like how that Vallejo Metal Color turned out. Very convincing. I may have to pick some of this stuff up. 

Good save with the engines Greg.

mustang1989

I've gotta say that I really like how that Vallejo Metal Color turned out. Very convincing. I may have to pick some of this stuff up. 

Good save with the engines Greg.

 

Thanks, Joe. Sorry I'm so late replying, senior moments are becoming more frequent.

BTW, the Vallejo Metal Color not only looks good, it sprays like a dream IMO. Dries fast and is durable, too.

So I got the Phantom primed. This will be my first go at black-basing, so wish me luck. Top is Stynylrez black (regular, not gloss) and bottom is Stynylrez grey which I am going to try the same techique as the light gull grey over black base, except insignia white over grey on the bottom.

I gotta hand it to Zukei Mura, this is the first prime job I've ever done where everything looks better after the primer. There are virtually no flaws. No putty. A couple of minor fills due to modeler error.

I forgot to finish sand the wing leading edges, I think I need to touch up the right leading edge flap a little, and maybe touch up around where I made a mess of installing the Master metal pitot tubes on the tail. Or not.

For some reason, this is the most fun I've had yet doing a prime job. The primer laid down so well, dried to a perfect smooth satin finish and all the ZM detail just popped.

Magnificent progress Greg. Good to see you moving along. The primer coats do indeed look excellent. I am intrigued to see how your priming technique turns out. It should work out quite well. It appears to me that you are having a good bit of fun with such a nice kit. Looking forward to your painting update. You're doing terrific. Keep it coming my friend.

Greg - Seriously a great build, your work is impressive. The fine details of the kit really do show up well, this will be one to watch throughout the project.

I sense some increased modeling spirit from you, the quality of this ZM kit might have sparked more enjoyment and interest in the process, yes??? Not many kits do keep us motivated so well.

Thanks for the detailed posts and photos.

Patrick

Looks real good. I like the black baseing and you will do fine.

Great to see you at the priming stage - I've been enjoying your progress. You deserve kudos for persistence and for sharing the ups and downs of the build with us. Looking forward to your next post!

It's been a long and adventurous slog...but she's looking magnificent. You have single-handedly made me hungry for one of these kits...the moreso, since I've got the old Monogram version 'stalled' under my desk with not even the cockpit finished up yet!

Wow!!! That stuff does lay down smoothly.

Greg, that looks like a really nice kit, and your modeling skills make it look even better. 

I really like that primers satin and smooth finish. 

Keep bringin it!

Ben

JOE RIX

Magnificent progress Greg. Good to see you moving along. The primer coats do indeed look excellent. I am intrigued to see how your priming technique turns out. It should work out quite well. It appears to me that you are having a good bit of fun with such a nice kit. Looking forward to your painting update. You're doing terrific. Keep it coming my friend.

 

Thanks for your encouragement, Joe. I am having fun, you're right.

patrick206

I sense some increased modeling spirit from you, the quality of this ZM kit might have sparked more enjoyment and interest in the process, yes??? Not many kits do keep us motivated so well.

Your Spidey senses are working, Cap'n Patrick. The good quality of this kit is making it a more fun build so far.

You're welcome, and thank you for hanging in there with me as I progress at my usual snail's pace.

crown r n7

Looks real good. I like the black baseing and you will do fine.

 

Thanks, Nick. Again, thanks for following along.

mrmike

Great to see you at the priming stage - I've been enjoying your progress. You deserve kudos for persistence and for sharing the ups and downs of the build with us. Looking forward to your next post!

 

It's good to have you, Mike. Thanks for being here.

Since you mentioned interest in the ups and downs, I might just share my control surface boo boo and recovery from some weeks ago later.

gregbale

It's been a long and adventurous slog...but she's looking magnificent. You have single-handedly made me hungry for one of these kits...the moreso, since I've got the old Monogram version 'stalled' under my desk with not even the cockpit finished up yet!

 

Well Gregory, as you follow along if you end up buying one then that will have been an accomplishment for me.

Thanks for your kind words, encouragement, and your patience.

mustang1989

Wow!!! That stuff does lay down smoothly.

 

Joe found the thread yet again! Yeh!!!

DRUMS01

Greg, that looks like a really nice kit, and your modeling skills make it look even better. 

I really like that primers satin and smooth finish. 

Keep bringin it!

 

Ben

 

Thanks, Ben! It's nice to have you along and I appreciate your encouragment.

Tojo72

Very nice Greg,I had not checked in since you finished the cockpit

 

That's understandable, Tojo, becuase I'm so doggone SLOW.

Thanks for not giving up on me.

Looking great greg!  Seem work looks solid.  Can't wait for the color coats.  Btw,  what markings are you doing?

While I drink coffee and wake up, thought I'd share a couple of poster tac jig repairs from the past couple of weeks.

I've discovered poster tac (or BluTac depending on where we live) used with a sub-surface like a self-healing cutting board to be more useful than just masking camo. This is probably old news to most of you, but it was a big deal to me so I thought I'd share.

First one: This is a little bulkhead inside the nose gear bay that supports the actuator arm that opens and closes the side-facing nose gear door.

I was not paying attention and even the miniature side cutting Tamiya sprue nippers were too aggresive and broke the part.

This is the Rube-Goldberg jig I made to glue the fiddly parts together.

The break was just below the larger diameter of the arm. After everything was in position and Tamiya Extra Thin was brushed on the join, I applied a little 'press together' pressure on the poster tac until I saw the join bulge slightly with molten styrene. You can see my thumbnail impressions from that part of it.

The join was surprisingly strong. I proceeded to break it again not long after gluing in the part, though. Unbelievably was able to find it and it will now be a finishing touch/repair when I add the gear door down the road.

The ailerons and flaps are two pieces each, and all 8 parts have at least one locating nub. I was happily cutting them from the sprues a few weeks back when I realized I had mistaken the locating nubs for injection points and cut them off.

Evidenced below; part 12 is where I nipped off the locating nubs. Part 11 is how it should have been

I came close to doing this a few times on this kit, so if you are new to ZM as I am, use caution as there are other instances of this.

I used the same idea to repair.

Amazingly, it worked. Everything lined up.

Again, for anyone interested in building one of the ZM Phantom series, if posing the controls surfaces other than neutral, these nubs are supposed to be cut off anyway. I wanted to pose the surfaces down, and wish I would have now, but that's another story.

Now, I should get off my rump and go paint something or other.

Greg

Well Gregory, as you follow along if you end up buying one then that will have been an accomplishment for me.

Had me going for a minute there.

Usually the only time I get the "Gregory" is when I'm in trouble....

Great build, really enjoying it!

BTW, you're not alone in occasionally snipping off important bits that look like sprues! If I had the proverbial nickel.... (It's particularly easy to do with 1/700 ships...and any Eastern-European manufactured kit!)

Great idea on the putty 'jig'. I've tried the same thing with those peel-off glue-dots...but your way looks better!

gregbale

Usually the only time I get the "Gregory" is when I'm in trouble....

Oh boy does that hit home. The only people I recall calling me "Gregory" were Mom and Dad and my dear freind, pilot mentor, and former occasional FAA designated check pilot who are all gone now. Now that you mention it, I miss it so enjoy it. Even if it is your domestic superior and you are in trouble.

gregbale

 

 

Greg

Well Gregory, as you follow along if you end up buying one then that will have been an accomplishment for me.

 

 

Had me going for a minute there.

Usually the only time I get the "Gregory" is when I'm in trouble....

Great build, really enjoying it!

BTW, you're not alone in occasionally snipping off important bits that look like sprues! If I had the proverbial nickel.... (It's particularly easy to do with 1/700 ships...and any Eastern-European manufactured kit!)

Great idea on the putty 'jig'. I've tried the same thing with those peel-off glue-dots...but your way looks better!

 

That makes me feel better, thank you.

gregbale

Great idea on the putty 'jig'. I've tried the same thing with those peel-off glue-dots...but your way looks better!

I hesitated to post those repair shots, you just made it worth it.

Greg

gregbale Great idea on the putty 'jig'. I've tried the same thing with those peel-off glue-dots...but your way looks better! I hesitated to post those repair shots, you just made it worth it.

Never hesitate to post hints, tips or technique my friend.

It's up to us wiley veterans to show the young whippersnappers how it's done....

The Doogs Models site says an advantage of black basing is your project looks bad ass under black primer.  That plane looks really cool under the black.  Good luck with the technique.  Looking forward to the seeing the result.