Mo that looks awesome dude!!!!!!!!!! WAY COOL!!! To bad bout the IP, but they aren't hard to pull off. Just annoying I know!!! Excellent work!!!

Well i think I have gotten the color for my interior sorted out. If it ain't right, it ain't gettin' fixed! Unless I find out something else before I button her up!

One without flash, and one with.

great looking guys ! Now I'm not sure if i want to add mine[:

Jason

Wow, Mo!!! What a top notch job on the cockipt!

Richie...looks much better. DId you find out anything on j-aircraft.com? There is probably nothing conclusive. The exterior color of the zero has been an age-long debate with some very good research by all sides. I'm sure a more obsure Aichi Jake interior color has the hornets nest already stirred!

mucker wrote:

Wow, Mo!!! What a top notch job on the cockipt! Richie...looks much better. DId you find out anything on j-aircraft.com? There is probably nothing conclusive. The exterior color of the zero has been an age-long debate with some very good research by all sides. I'm sure a more obsure Aichi Jake interior color has the hornets nest already stirred!

 Thanks Guys, Appreciate the comments but the credit really goes to the folks at Aires. This is the first resin pit I've seen, and I was really amazed at the level of detail.

 Hey Mucker, I was planning on a Zero build too, figures there would be controversy centering around the color. Just my luck. As long as it isn't pink I'll be OK. I'll plan on sticking with the paint call out in the instructions, if I get that far.

Mobious wrote:

mucker wrote: Wow, Mo!!! What a top notch job on the cockipt! Richie...looks much better. DId you find out anything on j-aircraft.com? There is probably nothing conclusive. The exterior color of the zero has been an age-long debate with some very good research by all sides. I'm sure a more obsure Aichi Jake interior color has the hornets nest already stirred! Hey Mucker, I was planning on a Zero build too, figures there would be controversy centering around the color. Just my luck. As long as it isn't pink I'll be OK. I'll plan on sticking with the paint call out in the instructions, if I get that far.

LOL!

Yeah, me too! The 1/24 Zero I hope to complete in time will be in IJN Gray. Whether it WAS gray or weathered into gray I'll leave up to the rivet counters. For me, a Zero just looks right in good ole IJN Gray!

Did not get much done today, not feeling good. 2 weeks to go till surgery. Hopefully Ill feel better. I repainted the underside of the Jake with XF-20 looks a lot better. Hopefully tomorrow Ill be abel to paint the upper side.

Hope everyone has a good evening

jd

Hey Mobius..that pit looks familiar....I did that Cat a while back...a word of advice....the landing gear struts are very fragile,....I snapped one then had a hell of a time lining up the gear correctly. Dry fit and double check. On the other hand the pit is looking real good. Thats one thing I noticed aboutthat kit, the detail on the pit once it came together was real nice. I didi use the PE though.

 Carlos

 Thanks Guys, Appreciate the comments but the credit really goes to the folks at Aires. This is the first resin pit I've seen, and I was really amazed at the level of detail.

 Yeah, I am very impressed with Aires lately.  A bit off topic but it's good to give credit where credit is due.  I used to try to focus on Black Box, but have used the Aires on some other kits and the detail is fantastic, and they don't require near the amount of sanding.  The Cockpit set for the ME-109 just popped in there.  No glue, no sanding, the thing just pops in.  Plus you get results like what you accoplished.  Very impressive.

carsanab wrote:

Hey Mobius..that pit looks familiar....I did that Cat a while back...a word of advice....the landing gear struts are very fragile,....I snapped one then had a hell of a time lining up the gear correctly. Dry fit and double check. On the other hand the pit is looking real good. Thats one thing I noticed aboutthat kit, the detail on the pit once it came together was real nice. I didi use the PE though.  Carlos

 Hey Carlos, thanks for the heads up on the landing gear/struts. I've already broke a strut on an FW190 I built and it was never the same. I dropped a book on it.

 I snapped that photo of the interior just before I started assembly, I was about to start fixing the PE. I've finished both pit walls and the seat harness.

 I do have a question about positioning the control surfaces, I've read that it's best to add half round stock to the control surface after removal, then groove the mating wing surface to accept it. This way a tighter fit and appearance can be had. Is that the best method or is there an easier way that you may know of?

 Thanks Stu,  it's great to read that the pit drops in. I've checked a little and it does look like a good fit.

 Mo

Thanks mucker!!! I just went over the green acrylic with some humbrol light gray I had and it has that grayish green tint while being mostly gray, so I think I can live with it. I agree with you on the Zero in gray! Just doesn't look right otherwise!! My abso lute favorite scheme for the Zero or Hamp, same diff, was the overall gray with green mottling camo. You know the spotted dog scheme!! I think it just makes it look mean and I like it!!

JD Your bird is coming along quite well my friend!!!!! I did find several things on the site, but as you said, nothing conclusive other than the fact that most cockpit areas were painted in the range of gray-green and everything in between. But the metallic blue-green was NOT in the cockpit area accept for a few things attached to the sidewalls. Anyway, I can live with it as I said.

Mobius....using the halfround will give you the cleanest fit. I cant think if an easier way. BTW I broke the gear strut cleaning the flash off of it...tells you how fragile it is. Good Luck

Carlos

Hey guys Just wanted to let you know I'll gone on vacation for a week. Can't wait to see the progress when I get back

Jason

 Thanks Carlos, I've ordered .060" and .080' half round. That should cover about any control surface.  I'll be starting on the landing gear struts shortly, with care!

 Sherman, Hope everything goes well, and looking forward to updates.

 Jason, have a safe vacation, enjoy! Looking forward to your safe return.

 Mucker, the pit took some fitting. All the bulkhead locating tabs had to be removed for the fuselage and from the lower wing. I noticed on the Wildcat, and a Buffalo that I'd built, that there are windows located in the lower fuselage. Is this something common on Naval AC, or just on a few types. I'm guessing they're for carrier landings.

 Mo

These birds had windows to help the pilot look down...another thing if I remember was the bulkhead had to be sanded a bit to fit once I closed up the fuselage...double check..everything else was a real good fit. The wing roots dissappear.

good Luck..lets see some more pics

carlos

 Hey Carlos, Just fitted that bulkhead into position. It didn't fit real well. Ended up using putty to fill some gaps. It wanted to set forward of the wheel openings. The reference doesn't show this. Anyway, I went on to fix the lower wing and now, I've still to remove the flaps and control surfaces. Oops.LOL! I'm glad to read the rest of the kit goes together smoothly. that bulkhead had me fluently speaking Sailorish! I'll try to get some photos up later.

 Mo

 Well It's later and here are a few photo's of progress...

 " border="0" />

 The IP that I'd lost made the fitting of the pit a little more difficult than it should have been. I also opted to use the kits gun sight. The cooling scoop for the electronics was opened up using a drill and a scalpel.

 " border="0" />

 As Carlos warned, the fit of the bulkhead just forward of the cockpit is not the best. It set to far forward and extended past the landing gear bay opening. I sanded both the bulkhead and the fuselage to get a better fit. Putty was used to fill the gaps created by all the sanding. This is an area that I wish Tamiya would reengineer. The landing gear bay should be built as a subassembly, similar to the pit, not spread out over 5 steps. I can see trouble in detailing this area.

" border="0" />

 This is a shot of the flaps removed. This was accomplished by both exacto knife and a scalpel, then the wing and flap were sanded. The flap is actually a 2 piece affair that I haven't seperated yet, I'm letting my fingers heal.

 " border="0" /> 

 This is an area that I'm concerned about. The sliver of wing between the aerolon and the flap. I'm considering removing it with the aerolon and building it from sheet styrene taking into account the wings profile then blending it back onto the wing before both the aerolon and flap have been fitted. I hope no one is couting rivets, there have been a few KIA's already and I'm sure that with the next round, there will be more lost.

 Mo

Mobius...now you are going far beyond what i did.....told you about that bulkhead......good luck with the rest..careful with those struts!!

You know funny thing happened yesterday..was at the local HS getting a couple of paints and when I got home found a Ki-43 in the bag with the paints...I guess a stowaway...oh well looks like I have to live with it.....looks like a nice little kit.

Carlos

 Hey Carlos, thanks for the heads up, greatly appreciated. As for the stow away, I can relate. LOL. Happens to me all the time. Looking forward to seeing that Ki-43.

 Mo

Mo that is looking fantastic mate!!!! Can't wait to see it all done up with things askew!

Carlos, is that the Hasegawa Ki-43? And what scale? I have the 1/72 and it is very nice!

 Hey Simpilot, Thanks for the positive comments.

 An update on the Wildcat. A photo of all the control surfaces and the flaps removed. The rudder is a seperate piece.

" border="0" />

 I haven't cleaned up the edges yet. I'll be attaching the half round stock to the leading edges of the aerolons and the elevators after cleaning them up. Also the wing and stabilizer will be grooved to accept them. the elevator was a bit tricky to remove because of the thickness and unusual tabs at the ends. I did manage to save that sliver of wing, and I did a quick digit count. Yep, they're all still attached.

 Mo

Mo I'm very surprised you managed to save that sliver of wing!!! How did you get such a fine cut, besides patience??? Looking good!!!!!!!!

Well here's a shot of th extent of detailing I am doing to the cockpit. I HAD to do something to make it look more the part when everything is closed up! So just added some unpainted Tamiya-like tape with a touch of humbrol 56 for hardware and a stretched sprue stick to liven things up a tad! Not much and not up to my usual detailing but as I said, this is OOBish and just doing something to make it a bit better, not to mention I want to finish at least one build within the given time! Here's a couple pics!

And a shot of a guy I work with's 1/32 Revell F-14 Tomcat which got a 1st place!!!! The oleos are drill bits cut off and MY WORD they look real!!!!!!!!!

 Hey simpilot, Patience was in short supply. lol. I scored both sides of the aerolon until it was free, then scored the seam where it meets the wing, paying close attention to the corners in order to obtain a clean break. After scoring the hinge area several times, I used flat bill pliers to work the aerolon until it could be snapped. I was surprised myself, I was expecting both corners of the aerolon to break and ended up with a clean break all around. 

 Here is a photo of the tools I used. The exacto knife on top is fixed with a razor saw blade. I recently picked these up for figures. Only used it after I'd scribed good clean lines to follow.

" border="0" />

 the cowling flaps came apart pretty clean too. I still have the 2 at the bottom near the exhaust to do, but I think a file might be the best choice there. I plan on using brass to build new flaps for the cowling anyway. 

 That is a gorgeous F14. My son and I built a couple jet aircraft a few years back. I built an F16 and he built the Tomcat. Neither one looked as nice as your freinds, but we had a blast. 

 Mo

DiscoStu wrote:

I had a chill last night when I noticed that the dive flaps on my Dauntless are severely warped.  I may have some others in my spares box, but should that turn up empty does anyone have any recommendations on flattening these buggers out?  I'd like to avoid shelling out cash for PE replacements.

Stu:

Heat them without melting them (not-quite-boiling water) and then bress them between two flat objects, like books, until they cool.

 Hey Stu, Would you please post photo's, I'd like to see how that works out for you. I've had similar problems with warped kits before.

Stu,

If you've got access to one, you might try using a hair dryer.  Might give a little more control heat wise.

 Bondoman, thanks for the tip. I'll try a soft drink can to form the cowling flaps. The fact that it's aluminum, should be easy to cut.

Thanks Again,

 Mo

Its the 1/48th....now I need some referenc on Jap. Army Fighters I almost always stick to navy planes....still should be a fun kit

Carlos