jimbot58

I figured out the mystery of the "odd" Marine decals:

Here is the sheet: you can see the Marine marking in the center.

The instruction sheet, which shows no indication about these markings.

(The sheet is two sided with common markings on the back)

Notice how empty the lower 2 drawings appear?

Lets look at the real thing:

Viola! Looks like a miss print on Academy's part!

You notice the fuselage missile pylons actually cover part of the star on the side: the instructions do say to place the decals first before installing this part.

Not sure which version to build: Navy or Marine. If I go with Marine, then the nose gets repainted black.

Decisions, decisions.

Jim

Good catch on that Jim!  Once again quality control is non existent!

Ken

jimbot58

Other updates:

Ken, RF-4B is, what else, a Hasegawa kit. 1/72 scale of course.

Painting bits and pieces: doors and more doors. Working on filling some ejector pin marks.

I'm using some of the Perfect Plastic Putty. My one complaint is that I thought I had the cap good and tight, but I ended up digging out a dried glob out of the end before I could use it. This time I wrapped the entire thing in cling wrap. Hope that helps.

I received the detail set for the 102 today. No plans to start it very soon as I need to clear up some of the other builds first

The Su-27 calls for Humbrol colors. I had trouble finding cross-overs, and decided to go with the Humbrol. My LHS carries Humbrol, but wouldn't you know they were out of the EXACT same colors I needed. I must not be the only one building this kit. I ordered some from SB. Should be here by Friday, though I actually won't be ready for them for a while.

Jim

P.S. I've never used this line of paints. Anybody have tips and advise? I read somewhere that Testors thinner works for airbrush thinner

J

Good job on fixing the sink holes Jim.  Your work as always is top notch!     

Ken

Jim: As usual nice work, I've started using the Perfect Plastic Putty and love the stuff. I just dig out the dried 'cap' whenever I use it.

BTW: IPMS Stockholm has a chart if you want to cross-reference the Humbrol range to another more available in the States:

BTW: As I said a few posts back I am finally back to work on the Wildcat. Hopefully I'll get the gloss coat on this weekend so she's ready for decaling. I did a little work one Hellcat last night- hopefully she'll be ready for paint soon. 

Gamera

BTW: As I said a few posts back I am finally back to work on the Wildcat. Hopefully I'll get the gloss coat on this weekend so she's ready for decaling. I did a little work one Hellcat last night- hopefully she'll be ready for paint soon. 

Nice work Cliff!  Nice job on the pre shading!    

Ken

Thanks Ken, I'm trying the streaking technique Lawdog uses here too.

Well ken, here's the final pics of the F16, I am calling this done. Fortunately the pics don't show all the flaws in the paint job. Overall it was a nice kit which I am glad I finally got to do, the only let down was the paint, the contrast between the 2 greys is not as much as it should be and it is as bad in the flesh as it is in the pics. But the varnish was the real spoiler.

Overall, not my best build, but certainly not the worst. But I did learn a few tips, especially for dipping the canopy and especially tinting it, I was really pleased with how those came out.

So here you are.

Thanks ken, its been a real pleasure to take part, sorry I wasn't as active as I should have been. One reason I am trimming down on GB's.  I am guessing you are going to carry this on for another year, if so I would love to take part, but this time I will wait until I have trimmed down my commitments a bit.

Thanks again.

Bish

Well ken, here's the final pics of the F16, I am calling this done. Fortunately the pics don't show all the flaws in the paint job. Overall it was a nice kit which I am glad I finally got to do, the only let down was the paint, the contrast between the 2 greys is not as much as it should be and it is as bad in the flesh as it is in the pics. But the varnish was the real spoiler.

Overall, not my best build, but certainly not the worst. But I did learn a few tips, especially for dipping the canopy and especially tinting it, I was really pleased with how those came out.

So here you are.

 

Thanks ken, its been a real pleasure to take part, sorry I wasn't as active as I should have been. One reason I am trimming down on GB's.  I am guessing you are going to carry this on for another year, if so I would love to take part, but this time I will wait until I have trimmed down my commitments a bit.

Thanks again.

Great build Bish!      The paint blemish is barely noticeable.  In fact, I bet if you didn't mention it, most people wouldn't see it.

Yes, this build will continue as long as I am alive to do it.  So you are most welcome to come back anytime.  As you can tell, we are pretty laid back here, and all builds that are not completed are more than welcome to continue in the next.  So no deadlines here.  We hope to see you back real soon!

Ken

Thanks ken. I will try and pop in and see how all are doing. Unfortunately at the moment I have my own deadlines due to being in so many GB's. I hate over running but also hate to rush builds. So I plan on cutting back my commitments so then I can enjoy the builds more and concentrate on getting the builds I want.

Thanks again, and this is a great thing you are doing here.

Bish

Thanks ken. I will try and pop in and see how all are doing. Unfortunately at the moment I have my own deadlines due to being in so many GB's. I hate over running but also hate to rush builds. So I plan on cutting back my commitments so then I can enjoy the builds more and concentrate on getting the builds I want.

Thanks again, and this is a great thing you are doing here.

I think your build look fine to me. I didn't know you were also doing a base for it as well. Pretty cool.

I know what you mean about trying to over commit. I keep threatening to join a couple of other builds, but just trying to keep up with the 4 projects I have going now, plus work, projects at home and so forth, not to mention some recent health issues, I decided to try to complete some of these before hooking up a new GB.

Not sure what what other GB's you're involved in now, but I'll have to look into them and see what you're up to.

Stop in and say hello!

Jim

Well, surprise, surprise! Woke up this morning to a blanket of snow! The report from NOAA puts the total in my neighborhood at about 7 inches. I look out my window and would say that's pretty close! It appears that it's already starting to melt with the warm temps we have had lately, with 50's and 60's predicted over the next 2 days, it shouldn't be here long.

I have this week off now, with no major plans other than maybe a day trip or overnighter to Nebraska. I know, doesn't sound like much, but I have managed to find out more about my Dad's family, locating my grandparents burial sites and even my great grandmother's grave site as well. All of them ethnic Germans  born in the Volga river region of Russia. Sounds dull, but of interest to me. I even managed to find the address of the house my Dad was living in when he was drafted. Not sure if he grew up in that house or what.

I hate masking, don't you? I spent an hour doing all this to spray the metallic area of the exhaust and all for a minute of spraying! I removed the masking last night and will buff it out today. Updated photo to follow.

I picked the magnesium as it seemed closest to what I have seen in actual photos.

Also turned over all the little doors for painting. White again!

(there should be another photo here, but FB seems to be having issues at the moment.....)

Jim

Thanks Jim. I do all my 72nd aircraft and 35th armour builds as diorama's. This sort of base is a pretty simple one and doesn't take long to knock up. I am now down to 7 GB commitments, but I tend to only work on one at a time and have now started an F-111 for SP's Vietnam GB.

I know what you mean about masking, especially for something small. Looking forward to seeing how that turns out.

Hey Bish, maybe it's the photo but I only see one area that looks frosted. Really nice work on the F-16 and the base and figures really set the scene.

Jim: Pretty cool to find out your family background like that - I have no idea about mine.

jimbot58

Well, surprise, surprise! Woke up this morning to a blanket of snow! The report from NOAA puts the total in my neighborhood at about 7 inches. I look out my window and would say that's pretty close! It appears that it's already starting to melt with the warm temps we have had lately, with 50's and 60's predicted over the next 2 days, it shouldn't be here long.

I have this week off now, with no major plans other than maybe a day trip or overnighter to Nebraska. I know, doesn't sound like much, but I have managed to find out more about my Dad's family, locating my grandparents burial sites and even my great grandmother's grave site as well. All of them ethnic Germans  born in the Volga river region of Russia. Sounds dull, but of interest to me. I even managed to find the address of the house my Dad was living in when he was drafted. Not sure if he grew up in that house or what.

I hate masking, don't you? I spent an hour doing all this to spray the metallic area of the exhaust and all for a minute of spraying! I removed the masking last night and will buff it out today. Updated photo to follow.

I picked the magnesium as it seemed closest to what I have seen in actual photos.

Also turned over all the little doors for painting. White again!

(there should be another photo here, but FB seems to be having issues at the moment.....)

Jim

Hi Jim,

Very cool history on your family!  I am lucky in that my Mom was really BIG into genealogy when she was younger.  This was before the internet, when you had to travel to each town to look up records (birth certificates, death certificates, U.S. census, etc.).  She traced our family tree all the way to Samuel Fuller, one of the original members of the Mayflower.

I totally agree with you about masking!  Hate it!  And just like you said, all that time and effort to just spray some paint in a matter of seconds!

Ken

Hi Everyone!

I spent some quality time at the workbench today!  It was all about the front instrument panel.  First I started out scraping the paint off of the plastic where the photo etch is to attach:

The rest of the pictures show the gradual process of each piece of photo etch being attached:

Ken 

Son Of Medicine Man

jimbot58

Well, surprise, surprise! Woke up this morning to a blanket of snow! The report from NOAA puts the total in my neighborhood at about 7 inches. I look out my window and would say that's pretty close! It appears that it's already starting to melt with the warm temps we have had lately, with 50's and 60's predicted over the next 2 days, it shouldn't be here long.

I have this week off now, with no major plans other than maybe a day trip or overnighter to Nebraska. I know, doesn't sound like much, but I have managed to find out more about my Dad's family, locating my grandparents burial sites and even my great grandmother's grave site as well. All of them ethnic Germans  born in the Volga river region of Russia. Sounds dull, but of interest to me. I even managed to find the address of the house my Dad was living in when he was drafted. Not sure if he grew up in that house or what.

I hate masking, don't you? I spent an hour doing all this to spray the metallic area of the exhaust and all for a minute of spraying! I removed the masking last night and will buff it out today. Updated photo to follow.

I picked the magnesium as it seemed closest to what I have seen in actual photos.

Also turned over all the little doors for painting. White again!

(there should be another photo here, but FB seems to be having issues at the moment.....)

Jim

Hi Jim,

Very cool history on your family!  I am lucky in that my Mom was really BIG into genealogy when she was younger.  This was before the internet, when you had to travel to each town to look up records (birth certificates, death certificates, U.S. census, etc.).  She traced our family tree all the way to Samuel Fuller, one of the original members of the Mayflower.

I totally agree with you about masking!  Hate it!  And just like you said, all that time and effort to just spray some paint in a matter of seconds!

Ken

Ken, that's pretty cool that your mom was able to find that out! The Mayflower! I guess maybe I have become a bit more interested in this lately as most of my family is gone, I just guess I'm trying to make some connections to the past. It would be very hard to track my dad's family back any further than I did, considering the time period, and all the changes that took place in Europe over the last several hundred years. I probably learned more about my 'people' in general yhan family itself.

I know much less about my Mom's side, other than they were also German immigrants as well. I did find one article about a Sauber who went to work for the railroad in the Chicago area, who I think is my great or great-great grandfather.

I wonder if it would be worth joining ancestry.com and see what else I might find.

That's pretty incredible Ken, I have no idea when my folks came over.

I heard someone say that when ancestry.com is running a free week or so deal you can get a bunch of information and then not sign on for the service- no idea if there's any truth to this or not.

Gamera

That's pretty incredible Ken, I have no idea when my folks came over.

I heard someone say that when ancestry.com is running a free week or so deal you can get a bunch of information and then not sign on for the service- no idea if there's any truth to this or not.

Yes, they do offer a 14 day free trial. I've considered it but never have tried it.

Well, I made my little trip Monday, across the corner of one state into another, and found the gravesites of both of my grandparents. Kind of sad in a way, as they had passed 16 and 18 years before I was born and I never had a chance to meet them. If only one could step into a time machine, imagine the stories they could tell!

I also went by several of the houses I had found listed, including the house my Dad was living in when he was drafted in '42. I also went to the address listed in the obit. where my grandfather passed away. There was an empty lot! No house, but there was still a driveway and a fence across the front with a gate. Somewhat of a mystery!

I think about how tough it must of been for him (my dad) growing up. Born into the family of poor immigrants, he was one of 9 children (i think second to the youngest). He could never complete his education due to being called on to work and help his family. His sister was brutally murdered when he was 15 (she had been stabbed 47 times by an abusive husband and was barely 18 herself!), My dad's  father was stricken with cancer and died at the age of 62 when my dad was 18, and his mother passed just 2 years later of a heart attack. A short time later he is drafted to go fight in Europe, then afterwards, he is discharged here in Denver at Ft. Logan. With no family to go "home" to, I see why he stayed on in Denver.

Well, no other plans this week, so maybe I'll get some work at the bench done.....

Jim

Hello again!

Did some time at the bench, mostly on the A-10.

I've been trying to figure out how to paint the dark oval on the under side of the aircraft, that's suppose to confuse an opponent in a dog fight.

That area is very very busy with the faring for the gun, blade antennas, and the sensor pod on the side. I wasn't sure how to do it with any regular masking.  decided to try Silly Putty:

After spraying, I had to touch up a few places. Not perfect, but if you study the first photo, that one isn't perfect either! Looks like it was painted freehand to me!

I don't think it looks half bad?

Jim

jimbot58

Well, I made my little trip Monday, across the corner of one state into another, and found the gravesites of both of my grandparents. Kind of sad in a way, as they had passed 16 and 18 years before I was born and I never had a chance to meet them. If only one could step into a time machine, imagine the stories they could tell!

I also went by several of the houses I had found listed, including the house my Dad was living in when he was drafted in '42. I also went to the address listed in the obit. where my grandfather passed away. There was an empty lot! No house, but there was still a driveway and a fence across the front with a gate. Somewhat of a mystery!

I think about how tough it must of been for him (my dad) growing up. Born into the family of poor immigrants, he was one of 9 children (i think second to the youngest). He could never complete his education due to being called on to work and help his family. His sister was brutally murdered when he was 15 (she had been stabbed 47 times by an abusive husband and was barely 18 herself!), My dad's  father was stricken with cancer and died at the age of 62 when my dad was 18, and his mother passed just 2 years later of a heart attack. A short time later he is drafted to go fight in Europe, then afterwards, he is discharged here in Denver at Ft. Logan. With no family to go "home" to, I see why he stayed on in Denver.

Well, no other plans this week, so maybe I'll get some work at the bench done.....

Jim

Hi Jim,

That trip must have felt a little like traveling back in time.  Even with the house gone, you were standing at the spot where a lot of history took place.  I hope it was a good trip for you.

Ken

jimbot58

Hello again!

Did some time at the bench, mostly on the A-10.

I've been trying to figure out how to paint the dark oval on the under side of the aircraft, that's suppose to confuse an opponent in a dog fight.

That area is very very busy with the faring for the gun, blade antennas, and the sensor pod on the side. I wasn't sure how to do it with any regular masking.  decided to try Silly Putty:

After spraying, I had to touch up a few places. Not perfect, but if you study the first photo, that one isn't perfect either! Looks like it was painted freehand to me!

I don't think it looks half bad?

Jim

Hi Jim,

I would say that you nailed it.  And I am sure no two planes were alike.

Ken

Wow, very cool Jim, you're making me want to look up my history now! And I love Silly-Putty - great masking stuff as well as holding small parts in place while painting.

Son Of Medicine Man

jimbot58

Well, I made my little trip Monday, across the corner of one state into another, and found the gravesites of both of my grandparents. Kind of sad in a way, as they had passed 16 and 18 years before I was born and I never had a chance to meet them. If only one could step into a time machine, imagine the stories they could tell!

I also went by several of the houses I had found listed, including the house my Dad was living in when he was drafted in '42. I also went to the address listed in the obit. where my grandfather passed away. There was an empty lot! No house, but there was still a driveway and a fence across the front with a gate. Somewhat of a mystery!

I think about how tough it must of been for him (my dad) growing up. Born into the family of poor immigrants, he was one of 9 children (i think second to the youngest). He could never complete his education due to being called on to work and help his family. His sister was brutally murdered when he was 15 (she had been stabbed 47 times by an abusive husband and was barely 18 herself!), My dad's  father was stricken with cancer and died at the age of 62 when my dad was 18, and his mother passed just 2 years later of a heart attack. A short time later he is drafted to go fight in Europe, then afterwards, he is discharged here in Denver at Ft. Logan. With no family to go "home" to, I see why he stayed on in Denver.

Well, no other plans this week, so maybe I'll get some work at the bench done.....

Jim

Hi Jim,

That trip must have felt a little like traveling back in time.  Even with the house gone, you were standing at the spot where a lot of history took place.  I hope it was a good trip for you.

Ken

It was like time travel in a lot of ways. Right there was the sugar factory, the industry they worked in, both farming and the production of.

It's odd to say, but I found I loved that little city, as I am so tired of living in the "big" city. Really, how many people can say they want to move to Nebraska? I think if I knew how to get a decent job there, I would move in a heartbeat!

Jim

Working at the bench the couple of days was painting and decaling.

The RF-4B gets a white tail:

And this area ahead of the cockpit will be black:

And as to decals! I tried using the kit-supplied decals for the A-10, but typical of many of the decals supplied with Academy kits, they were thick and I couldn't get them to conform, no matter how much solvent I threw at it!

It was one of the blue ones as seen below:

I finally gave up, and used a piece of tape to remove it. I went ahead and switched to a set of TwoBob decals I bought a while back. They depict a training unit out of Nellis AFB. I think I only paid 3 bucks for it as they seem to be dropping all their 1/72 scale line.

They are printed by Microscale, and work well the set and solvent.

The down side is that several of the markings are two-parters!

These for example:

First layer down:

Finished vertical slab:

More to go......

Jim

P.S. Luckily, the F-8 kit came supplied with Cartograph decals and work great!

J.

jimbot58

Working at the bench the couple of days was painting and decaling.

The RF-4B gets a white tail:

And this area ahead of the cockpit will be black:

And as to decals! I tried using the kit-supplied decals for the A-10, but typical of many of the decals supplied with Academy kits, they were thick and I couldn't get them to conform, no matter how much solvent I threw at it!

It was one of the blue ones as seen below:

I finally gave up, and used a piece of tape to remove it. I went ahead and switched to a set of TwoBob decals I bought a while back. They depict a training unit out of Nellis AFB. I think I only paid 3 bucks for it as they seem to be dropping all their 1/72 scale line.

They are printed by Microscale, and work well the set and solvent.

The down side is that several of the markings are two-parters!

These for example:

First layer down:

Finished vertical slab:

More to go......

Jim

P.S. Luckily, the F-8 kit came supplied with Cartograph decals and work great!

J.

Hi Jim,

Big bummer about the Academy decals!  But great job with the Two Bobs decals!  They look great!

Ken

You're making good progress there Jim. I know what you mean about company decals, I generally end up replacing most of them with aftermarket. Seems like it wouldn't be much more expensive for them to replace them with quality ones like Cartograph. I've used Two Bobs a few times and really liked them.

BTW: I am using the box decals by Hobbyboss on my Wildcat and oddly enough they're working quite well. Should be done decaling by the end of the weekend. 

I have heard Academy decals have a reputation for being difficult to work with. I have done only one other Academy kit and that was an F-117 stealth fighter. Hard to judge from that as there are NO curves on that plane. A few of them did silver on me, but that was more inexperience on my part. It was one of the first kits I completed.

Jim

I was just reading about these: inflatable tanks!

Wouldn't it be fun to set one of these up in your driveway overnight and scare the bejesus out of your neighbors?

"Hey! Didn't I ask you to turn down that stereo?"

Used for misleading the enemy and for training simulations as well. (A lot cheaper to blow up a $3000 dummy than millions of dollars for a real one!)

I guess you can actually buy one on-line!

Jim

Lol Jim, if I only had $3000 to throw away