Eye in the Sky GB

Thanks guys!  For whatever reason I had several cans of silver so I figure I might as well use them up.  Doesn't look too bad if you mist it on but that takes a little practice.

Brandon, the primer coat was Rustoleum flat black enamel.  I've used it a few times before and hadn't had any problems.  Maybe it was something with the humidity?

Bish I really like that design in that it looks different from the typical Luftwaffe camo.  Even better that it's not that far fetched either

BrandonK

Well now, Bish, that is quite interesting. I really like it and if you hadn't said it was a what if I never would have guessed. Very nice and very cool.

BK

 

Thanks BK. Well, it is only a what if in a lose sense. But i do like try and make them as plausible as possable.

Thanks Bob. I am looking forward to doing the 188 after this. I also have a true what if that i think will look good in it.

Got some work done my mt 1/72 ki-46 Dinah III.   the interior was really messed up,  needed to make correct bullkheads and reposition the rear seat, still have a small bulk head to add behind the rear seat.

   And then add detail to the cockpit and the IP

John

John, looks like you'll make a nice kit out of this one. Bare interior to show stopper. I'm still not quite ready to start scratching out interior stuff, but I have to learn by doing. Perhaps I'll grab one of my old Tamiya kits and pimp out the interior on it, those a a bit basic to begin with. 

BK

John your doing some good work on that interior.

Not much more done on the Storch I added the conduit rail on both sides of the block that the plug wires run in and added the plug wires.

I think I'm done adding interior detail to this one,   this is what happens when it's -32F outside for 2 days!

John

Falcon you added a heck of a lot it looks great.

On the Storch I added more wiring to the rear of the block, got the pipes on and made the crossover pipe since Tamiya only had the nubs for it but didn't add it all the way.

Clint your engine looks amazing!  I can't wait to see it with paint on it.

John that's a lot of great detailing.  I can relate to the cold temps here in Michigan.  We didn't have school at all this week so I've been able to spend a lot of time on my Lightning.

Decals are done, and they were terrible.  I don't have many Academy kits in the stash, but I'm going to have to see if the decals are made by them or printed by someone else.  If they are Academy decals I'm getting aftermarket.  These were some of the worst decals I have used.  The Micro Sol just cracked them and comepletely destroyed the upper national insignia.  Luckily I had a spare one that was the same size in my stash.  One of the decals on the tail shattered in the water, but thankfully it was easy enough to paint the red and white stripes.  I'm at the point where I just want this build done.

Lighting is almost there! I hate it when decals just go to 

Well, work on the Hawkeye continues. I think I am past the worst of it. The fit issues with this kit persist throughout the all the major assemblies. I've managed to win all the battles so far, but the war is far from over.

At this point I have the fuselage and engine nacelles done. Those nacelles were not a good fit and the directions about which piece should go on which side of the AC are not included. SO, I had to carefully mock things up and see how it built out to make sure each and every piece was on the correct side of the AC. Once I got that done I fought with the alignment of all the pieces on the nacelles. At this point I am 95% happy  with how they turned out. Progress from here on out should be quicker as most of what is left is small bits and subassemblies.

I did finally get the canopy to fit and fit well. I was so happy with my solution and how well it worked out that I went ahead and glued that bad boy down and moved one. It fits great now. BUT, just yesterday while I was doing some other work I realized that in my rush to take that WIN with the canopy that I failed to paint the upper instrument panel before I put the canopy down. SO, now and forever will this be the one and only Hawkeye to have a grey upper instrument panel. 

BK

Bob, I probably won't get to the Hawkeye very soon and maybe not within the GB's timeframe however, I'm going to start on a 1/72 Airfix BV-141 soon and wanted to know if I could exchange the Hawkeye with the 141?

falconmod

I think I'm done adding interior detail to this one,   this is what happens when it's -32F outside for 2 days!

John

 

Thats one way to keep way John, great detail there.

Bob, there is going to be a slight delay on my build. The cameras that i orered from a UK site on New Years eve have still not arrived. I raised it through e-bay and have now recieved a refund. Evcen though the site still has them for slae, i have decided to go elsewhere and the only option was a seller in the US. Costing me a bit more, but the expected delivery date is still sooner than the Uk site and i reckon i stand more chance of actually getting them.

So just waiting for those to arrive as i need them to do the figures, and then i can wrap it up.

Got all the interior parts that are to painted RLM02 all painted. Also the firewall painted in Alclad II Duraluminum and the engine block got a coat of Tamiya XF-20 Med Grey

Thats all for now, on to weathering next.

Thanks for looking in.

I started on the BV. It's typical of the old Airfix, lots of flash, nonexistent detail, raised panel lines and oversized rivets.....OK the rivets constitute some detail. It should go together quickly and probably take twice as long to fill the seams.

I started in my usual way with a black primer.

modelcrazy

I started on the BV. It's typical of the old Airfix, lots of flash, nonexistent detail, raised panel lines and oversized rivets.....OK the rivets constitute some detail. It should go together quickly and probably take twice as long to fill the seams.

I started in my usual way with a black primer.

 

O the momeries of youth. At least back then we didn't know any better.

Wanted to show what I have got done on the engine. Got things detail painted using mostly Vallejo paints. Black and Model Master Aluminum non buffing for the pistons, Tamiya copper for the pushrods and plug wires. Then one of my favorite things to paint the exhaust. First started by giving it a coat of Vallejo Flat Black, Then a dry brushing of Model Master Aluminum (thought I had taken a Photo here but I guess it didn't save). Next was a very thin wash of Vallejo Royal Blue over it all.

Then after that has dried several very thin washes of Vallejo Smoke mixed with a few small drops of Black and a bit of the Royal Blue wash mixed in too was then applied on the entire exhaust.

Also got some weathering done on the cockpit. Using some Mig pigment mixed with a bit of water and weathered the floor and bottom parts of the wall. I then went back and got rid of about 80% of it with a stiff brush.

Then I closed the sides up it fits togeather very well. I had two spots where I need some filler so using PPP I masked both sides of the seam layed in the PPP then smoothed it out with a damp finger then removed the tape after it had dried for about 15min. This photo is before I sanded it. It was my own fault that it even needed filler I had droped my touch n flow while closing the sides up and it landed right on the edge of seam and a bit came out but no big deal it's fixed now.

Thats all for now. Thanks for looking!

Nice work on that Argus engine Clint.

Hey guys, sorry I've been away so long.  My kidney function is dropping again and my energy levels are dropping with it.

BK it looks like you're past the worst of it.  I'm sure all the effort will be worth it in the end.

Steve, I got the front page updated for your 141.  I've always thought it was kind of a goofy-looking plane, but cool in it's own way.   Can't wait to see what you do with that old kit.

No worries Bish, still plenty of time.

That's looking great Clint!  I really like the weathering in the cockpit.

Got the superchargers on and weathered with pastels.  I noticed that I missed some seams on the bottom.  If I ever build this kit again I'll have to remember to tackle those better.

Some nicework there Clint, i do like the look of the engine.

Bob, sorry to hear you have not been well again. You make sure you look afteryourself.

Nice job on the staining, the 38 is looking good.

My cameras may be here sooner than i thought. They arrived in the UK Sun night and have left London. All the way from california in less than a week. Thats a damn site better than the UK seller i used last time. I reckon they will be here today or tomorrow.

Bob, hang in there bud, we are all pullin' for ya. Don't get to feeling down, keep that positive attitude going.

Your kit is looking fantastic. I agree with all the above comments. Your work on this one is top notch. Keep it going.

As far as the Hawkeye, work continues and things are getting easier. Still have fit issues just about everywhere. It's not that the parts don't really fit, its that they are all universally out of shape and it takes a great deal of effort and creative thinking to make them align like they should. I've read several reviews and builds of this kit and my issues are not unique. Too bad, it's starting to build out in to a nice piece.

BK

Despite the issues it looks very nice BK.

Got color in the interior, almost ready to glue the fuselage together.

John

Thanks for the kind words guys, I really appreciate it.  Here's hoping I can get the transplant done quickly.  I really don't want to end up back on dialysis.  But it is what it is.  I'll get the transplant when I'm meant to.

BK that's really starting to look nice, even with all the problems you're having with it.

John, that looks great!  I forgot that was in 1/72.  I don't know how you guys work so small.

I'm calling this one done.  She's not perfect, but good enough for me.  It might be awhile before I tackle another P-38, they're pretty tough to build.  Any comments/criticisms are welcome.  To recap she's in the markings of the 8th Photo Recon Squadron, based in the Philippines in 1945.  Thanks for following along!

Bob, you killed it. The F5 looks fantastic, and I too cannot see any issues in the shots. She looks amazing. I hear others talk about the 38 being a difficult build, but after the Hawkeye, I think it'll seem easy. I have a Hase 38 in the stash I have been wanting to build. Your work has motivatied me to move it up on the list. Well done, Sir. Hang in there.

BK

Well done Bob, thats come out very nicely. And no, i can't see any seams either.