Mach71: Whoa! She looks amazing!!!

The retro pack looks pretty darn good to me. Are the black stripes decals or painted on?

Thanks very much!

The retro stripes are decals, but I'll end up using some paint. 

Luckily I have 2 sets of decals so I have spares.

mach71

Yah, it would be nice to get a full line of colors. I'll have to try the Tamiya bottles. I'm expecting they would airbrush even better than the rattle cans, and they would cost less.

Say Mach, I did a little more research and I found an AK Interactive offering they call acrylic lacquer. Their color offering is awesome and they do have an on-line distribution network within the US. Even better I found a hobby store in Michigan that seems to stock them well. And for me, they are only one state away.  The product seems promising. I am ordering some to try. 

Just an FYI.

Nice!

Please let me know how they work out! How well they airbrush. What thinning is needed.

My local hobbyshop is 45 min away, next time I'm there I'll look for them.

For me paint is a very hard decision. I grew up, as we all did, with Testors enamels. As bad as they are I know them well. 

I resisted the switch to the Tamiya acrylic's for a long time, now I love them but I'm still learning how best to use them.

mach71

Nice!

Please let me know how they work out! How well they airbrush. What thinning is needed.

My local hobbyshop is 45 min away, next time I'm there I'll look for them.

 

For me paint is a very hard decision. I grew up, as we all did, with Testors enamels. As bad as they are I know them well. 

I resisted the switch to the Tamiya acrylic's for a long time, now I love them but I'm still learning how best to use them.

 

I am with you about paint. I had followed the same path. I like Tamya acrylics as well and it has been my go to paint for a few years. They are extremely reliable, and predictable. Just occasionally, I have seen issues with paint pulling off during masking. It has been in small areas. I am pretty matiuclous about cleaning parts. So, I can rule out mold release agents. But, this is not my reason for exploring. l am in the mood to try something new. I recently used lacquer paint on some pieces and I was amazed at how quickly it dried, and how nicely the paint covered. There are benefits to both. The quick drying helps minimize paint creepage during masking and the quick coverage helps keep the paint layer thin, maximizing detail. This would help with demarcation lines too. And supposedly, lacquer paint has better bonding properties. The downside is of course the more costic chemicals.

I will let you know how it goes when I get there. It’s a new adventure. 

Thanks Bakster!

I hit the capsule with some semi matt clear this morning, and it's still very shinny!

I'm all out of dullcoat. Oh well. 

Funny you should say that because I had a similar experience. Yesterday I sprayed a custom mix of Dullcote and Clearcote, it was probably an 80/20 mix. If I sprayed close to the model it came out glossy. If I sprayed about 7 to 8 inches from the model (more like misting it on), it came out semigloss leaning towards dull. Spraying farther away gives the surface a slight grit to it, but nothing I can't live with. So--this is something that I need to experiment with. Maybe next time I don't add gloss at all. Anyway--I am pretty happy with how it came out because I was shooting for near semigloss. I will post pictures tonight.

Btw. I received an email this morning that my order of AK Lacquers have shipped. I ordered them late Saturday evening and as of Monday 7:45 am they are shipped. Now, THAT-- is good customer service. I have ordered from them before with the same sort of speed. The place is called, Michigan Toy Soldier. I need to see what else I buy on-line that I can buy from them. I believe in supporting businesses with good service.

Later...

Matte/Flat is an odd thing. Alclad matte is the only one I've found that's consistantly flat and has never turned white on me. 

I ordered from Michigan Toy Soldier a few times years ago and had good luck with them. I've been ordering pretty much everything from Sprue Brothers here lately though. 

Well oddly enough I was looking for something else and I found a can of Tamiya flat clear!

Of course it was just after I ordered some from Amazon. Oh well.

I hit the capsule with it and now I have a semi gloss black finish! Just what I wanted.

I did get the outer PVC "glass" glued in. It's drying now. I also cut a window mask for it in case I want to dull her up even more later.

I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but If I can get the Mercury wrapped up in the next week or so I'll start a second built.

I have these 2 kits that just arrived.

I was going to build the Pegasus plastic kit, but watching scottrc build his Estes Saturn V got me thinking. Always a bad thing.

Any thoughts? The Pegasus will go together fast but it won't fly. I havn't launched a rocket in years, it could be fun.

Mach71> Either one of the V2s would be nice.  Go for the one you think you would enjoy building the most! 

As for me, I've been kinda lazy after the model show.  I was rather tired after I got back and slept a good part of Sunday.  This morning I continued with the task of installing windows for the CM and got those in.  I must admit that the plastic bottle was a good idea.  The plastic is very clear and soft enough to cut with scissors which made sizing them rather easy.  The flat spaces on the bottle were big enough for all of them.  I'll post photos of the work along with some of the model show tonight.

I must admit that I didn't get many pictures of models as I had to stick around my vendor table rather than wander the hall as normal.  Sold a few, so I'm happy.

Gary

Gamera

Matte/Flat is an odd thing. Alclad matte is the only one I've found that's consistantly flat and has never turned white on me. 

Gamera

I ordered from Michigan Toy Soldier a few times years ago and had good luck with them. I've been ordering pretty much everything from Sprue Brothers here lately though. 

Glad the windows are sorted!

mach71

I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but If I can get the Mercury wrapped up in the next week or so I'll start a second built.

Cool!  Great to hear.  Keep this GB going with cool stuff. And like Gary said--build what is more fun for you. That is my advice too.

As promised here are some images. DullCote is applied. 

And below is what could make a mess of things. I will paint the crown with primer, then slowly build up color trying to not make the paint too wet. I think that in the end it will look like garbage. But--if I am patient--maybe I will come out ok. My biggest concern is how thick a paint layer I need to go. Then, hope it doesn't crumble as I demask it. I should probably score the edges before pulling the tape up. Correct? Any last minute advice?

Update. I forgot to post the last image of the canopy. Now there.

amazing work Bakster

modelcrazy

amazing work Bakster

 

Bakster, That paint looks fantastic! As does the masking on the canopy.

Soon Pancho should have your steak dinner ready.

Great job!

Bakster: She looks fantastic!!! Only thing I do with canopies when unmasking is to pull the tape up at a sharp angle, it's supposed to be better at keeping it from peeling up with the mask. 

Thanks Mach. So far--so good.

mach71

Soon Pancho should have your steak dinner ready.

Oh boy.. That means I am gonna crash and burn.   Lol...

Gamera

Bakster: She looks fantastic!!! Only thing I do with canopies when unmasking is to pull the tape up at a sharp angle, it's supposed to be better at keeping it from peeling up with the mask. 

 

Btw. Since my return to the hobby I have not built a lot of models that had decals. And when I did, I didn't seal them with any sort of coating. My first build was an Avenger TMB3 where I made the model in a high gloss finish, and I didn't want to ruin it by spraying a coating that could potentially add imperfections. I have to say that I love how the Dullcote mixture responds on this model. It balances the stark contrasts between decal and paint. And, it seems to make the decals pop. 

Thanks for the Kudos, Gam. Onward ho!

Bakster> I can only echo everyone else's comments on the X-1.  Excellent work!  I agree about the coating making the decals pop.  They look great!  I think the canopy is going to be just as good.

Project Report:

A power outage at the work facility forestalled any attempt at a report last night.  Need to talk to the crew about a power back-up.  Those storms have a nasty habit of happening at the worst possible moment (like Apollo 12).

I have gotten the windows installed, and the plastic bottle was great.  I think if I need any windows for future projects that is the way to go.  Easy to cut to size and crystal clear.

Here are shots of the result.

Now the capsule is sealed up and ready for final detailing.  The gap around the heat shield is being filled as we speak (drying).  RCS nozzles need painting and then some final coats of paint.  We'll see how that goes.

Mission Director (GAF)

Today in Space History:

1948 April 9 - .

• XS-1 Flight 85 - . Crew: Lundquist. Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 49. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Lundquist. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. AF flight 27. Powered pilot-check flight..

1948 April 9 - .

• XS-1 Flight 84 - . Crew: Lilly. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 36. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Lilly. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. NACA flight 16. Stability and loads investigation. Mach 0.89..

1959 April 9 - .

• First group of US astronauts announced - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Glennan. Spacecraft: Mercury. At a press conference in Washington, D.C., NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan announced the seven pilots had been selected for the Mercury program.

This is Part One of the actual press conference.  You can compare it to the one in "The Right Stuff".

As promised, here are a few shots from the Anniston model show.  I must admit, I thought I had taken more than this.  I think I didn't get the camera phone button pressed just right, so photos were missed.  Oh, well...

Have to post this one to justify having these photos in the "Race Into Space GB". 

I was behind a guy with some great science fiction models.

And a general shot of the venue.

Overall an enjoyable show.  I managed to pick up a 1/48th scale Monogram B-24D, a Special Hobby Sikorski R-4B helicopter (surprised me to no end that someone had one) and some 1/35th German figures for a planned diorama.

No Panzer IV "H" models for sale, though!

Gary

mach71

Well oddly enough I was looking for something else and I found a can of Tamiya flat clear!

 

Of course it was just after I ordered some from Amazon. Oh well.

 

I hit the capsule with it and now I have a semi gloss black finish! Just what I wanted.

 

I did get the outer PVC "glass" glued in. It's drying now. I also cut a window mask for it in case I want to dull her up even more later.

 

 

I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but If I can get the Mercury wrapped up in the next week or so I'll start a second built.

I have these 2 kits that just arrived.

 

I was going to build the Pegasus plastic kit, but watching scottrc build his Estes Saturn V got me thinking. Always a bad thing.

 

Any thoughts? The Pegasus will go together fast but it won't fly. I havn't launched a rocket in years, it could be fun.

 

 

 

Go with the Estes.  Its a fun kit to build. Its also great to be able to see a model fly, that is if it doesn't windcock, fail to deploy the chute, or explode on the launch pad.

Nice work on the X1 Baks.  And your capsule is well detailed CAF.

Me, I have not been able to get near the bench.  I was in a community theatre play that took up a lot of time, then its Spring so both landscaping and cycling are also eating up time.  Work has picked up, which is a good thing. 

Maybe I can get some time in this weekend on the Saturn V.  I don't have much left to do before the task of painting.

Scott

Scott>  Yeah, those other things in life sure take up our time, don't they?    I figure I'm dedicating about 1% of my free time to modeling, and quite a bit to sleeping.  But progress is being made, and that's all that counts!  Sounds like you've got an active life!

For anyone interested, we now have 100 days left in the group build.

Gary

I am scheduling to launch my Saturn V hopefully at 3:17pm (my local time) on 7/20.

LOL!  With live coverage, I hope? 

Can you impersonate Walter Cronkite?

Gary

 I sound more like Kermit the Frog.  

scottrc

I am scheduling to launch my Saturn V hopefully at 3:17pm (my local time) on 7/20.

And thanks Gary and Scott about the X1.

As a heads up, Space X plans to launch another Falcon Heavy tonight at 8:00 pm EDT.

Where to watch is listed here:

https://www.space.com/spacex-falcon-heavy-arabsat-6a-launch-landing-webcast.html

Gary

PS> Launch delayed until tomorrow night due to high winds.