OK FSMers,

It's a shame that this build's been pushed to the 2nd page.  Let's see if we can change that...

Steady progress has been made on my builds, however, I have good news and bad news to report.  First, the good news...

For all practical purposes, my builds are 99.99% done.  You've seen the VMFA-232 bird, here's a teaser of the VF-111 and VF-84 jets.

Now, the bad news...

I say I'm 99.99% done because primary construction and finishing are done.  The only thing left is to correct some minor decal problems. 

While I was putting the finishing touches on the VF-84 and -111 jets, I had part of the modex lift off both sides of the nose on the -84 build.

Also, part of the CAG's name on the -111 jet lifted off the canopy rail.

Not to worry though, I've ordered a replacement sheet and once it arrives, I'll repair the damaged decals and finally put a fork in these jets.  Once that happens, I'll post some final pics.  Just thought I'd post a little something to show how close I really am to being done.

Feel free to leave your two cents.

Thanks for lookin',

-O

O that is some splendid work!!!! Glad to hear the decal issue isn't irreperable!!

O -- echoing Richie, these are gorgeous builds, and I'm glad you'll be able to salvage the damage. It's been marvelous to see them come together and I think we've all benefited from being able to observe your technique.

This seems like a good juncture to talk about the future!

After a considerable amount of interest at the outset, we have only about a 10% completion rate, which is unfortunate, but probably reflects everything from the end of the tax year to the onset of summer. I know just how much real life and competing builds cut into any GB, my own piece is lying ready (sort-of) for paint, I'm at the stage of trying to decide when it's been filled and sanded enough, which is always frustrating.

We're ten days away from the scheduled end of the build, but an overrun was always allowed for, so how about it, guys? Who's still building, who's still keen to start? I would certainly like to get my own offering onto the ramp!

I was about to publicise a brand new aircraft GB, First Generation Jets, "Gen-1." Anybody here up for it? The six months til New Year...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Mike,

I'm still going with the build.

Hoping to finish by the deadline.

Cheers,

Gabe

Thunderbolt379

I was about to publicise a brand new aircraft GB, First Generation Jets, "Gen-1." Anybody here up for it? The six months til New Year...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Mike I would be up for it!! However, I don't know if I would be able to complete something if I started. Would love to see some of the builds that would be present.

I am still plugging away on my D model. I sprayed a clear acrylic on the camo and it dried hard as concrete, decals would not stick to it and I ruined most of my custom decals. I sprayed future on it and it would not stick to it either, so I am trying to salvage what I can. I can no longer make this bird 100% accurate, so I'll try for about 90%, 2 to 3 week timeframe but I'd rather finish than scrap it. Lessons learned for next time. What kind of flat finish is best over the future? Thanks for the help, keep the exellent Phantoms going, nice work everyone.

Would the First Generation jets be limited to post-war or U.S.. only? Would Arado ar-234's be included?

xradio81 -- I'm so sorry to hear of your problems with the clear coat. The only clears I've had experience with are the Microscale acrylics, I've used a lot of their Satin, brush-applied with excellent results, and some of their Gloss also. It has a remarkable self-levelling ability. Their Flat almost certainly needs to be sprayed to dry flat, applied by brush it dries bright due to the thickness of the coat. I have used Tamiya X-22 Clear Gloss and a spray coat went on with a pebbly finish, definitely not what you're looking for.

If you're looking at stripping the finish and starting again, check out the Reich Defenders III thread, there's an excellent tutorial on stripping using Gunze Levelling Thinner -- talk to Daywalker for the lowdown, it does a tremendous job.

By all means keep going, take all the time you need, these builds are about getting projects to the finish line!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

xradio81

Would the First Generation jets be limited to post-war or U.S.. only? Would Arado ar-234's be included?

Absolutely! I've put up a thread to test the water on the Aircraft forum, I've included a rough list of potential subjects, from Germany, England, the US and Russia -- there'll be lots more, France, Sweden, Argentina and Italy all had post-war jet programs.

Cheers, M/TB379

Thanks for the words Tbolt, I am actually in the Reich Defenders III group build and they have been very helpful, my 190 clearcoat is great, but the kit decals broke-up and were unusable so I ordered a new sheet.

O- looking good! If a decal goes bad why does it always have to be one of the most visable ones? I had the same problem with a F/A-18 I was working on so I know the frustration.  Still you're almost there.

Xradio- sorry to hear about your problems, sometimes nothing seems to want to go right. I've built dozens of models using some technique or the other and then for no apparent reason had one go bad.

T-bolt- my F-4EJ is done! I finished her late last week and then noticed I forgot to put the hydralic cylinders for opening the canopy in place before gluing the canopy to the model. I've thought about pulling the canopy off and putting the cylinders in but frankly after musing about it the last few days think I'll just just leave her as she is since they're not that visable. One of the guys at work is on vacation/holiday so I'm working more hours but I'll try to get the photos posted soonish.

I like the idea of the first generation jet GB but not sure if I need to join in right now. I signed on for Stikpusher's Korean GB with some armour and have several more I really need to get some work done on. Perhaps later on if it's ok with you.

Ah, there ya go! Plenty of good advice, as always. It's a bummer about the clear on the Phantom going wrong, and no mistake...

I'm adzing the leading edge of a 190 A-8, and adding the canopy to a D-9 at this moment...

Cheers, M/TB379

Gamera -- terrific! I think I agree, if the canopy is at the right angle, only you and Berny would know if the hydraulic jack is missing, so why spoil a perfectly good piece of work? I look forward to your gallery pics!

Cheers, M/TB379

Mike since you mentioned the first gen jet gb here could you please post the potentials here as well, so as to save some of searching for the poll, just a suggestion. I have several candidates, I think. F-86, Banshee, F9F, F3D Skynight, Working on a 262 atm, XF-85 Goblin, etc.

Thanks Mike!

Now that I think about it I do have a half-finished Nakajima Kikka in my stash that I abandoned when I couldn't get the natural metal finish on the underside to come out right. I've promised Vetteman to do some stuff for his NM GB so if they come out ok I'll be willing to throw the Kikka into your GB sometime in the future if you're willing to accept kits with some work done on them.

Richie -- your wish is my command:

Germany: Me 262, He 162, He 176, He 280, Ar 234

England: Gloster E28/39, Gloster Meteor, dehavilland Vampire and Venom, Hawker Hunter, Supermarine Swift and Scimitar; Camberra bomber.

US: P-59, P-80, P-84, P-86 (incl. YF-93 and F-95), XF-85, XF-90, XF-91, F-94; Convair SeaDart, McDonnell Phantom, Banshee, possibly Demon; Vought Pirate and Cutlass; Grumman Panther and Cougar. B-45 Tornado, B-47 Stratojet, YB-49.

Russia: MiG-9, 15 and 17, Yak-15, 17 and 23, Il-28, etc.

And that's probably far from comprehensive, heck a jet-boosted B-36 would qualify!

Gamera -- sure! Crossovers and pre-started are fine!

M/TB379

Hehe thanks Mike, I think I qualify for all categories, getting some finished is another story, but will endeavour to get at least one, maybe.

Ok gentlemen here she is. I think I over-did the weathering for a peace time airshow aircraft but as I said a bunch of the Hasegawa decals for the stenciling silvered and the weathering was my not entirely successful attempt to cover it up. The giant Zotz decals even though some of them had to be layered four deep went off like gangbusters. Otherwise I think she came out rather well.

After finishing her I noticed the instructions told not to attach all three drop tanks at once. Well too late now, my story is they're flying a REALLY long mission...

Edit: noticed I need to fix the small blade antenna on the back of her spine. More importantly the elevators are uneven. I didn't glue them in place since the last Hasegawa Phantom I did they broke off so I just stuck them in place so I can remove them for transport. If anyone has a good idea of how keep them straight and removable I'd love to hear it.

Sharp!  I like her markings.  Well done!

-O

What a striking scheme, very nice job. Did the Japanese make these birds or were they made here to their specs? Are you saying the decals were too thin?

PHABULOUS build, Gamera! You've sure earned your Phantom wings with this one! Sweet! Those markings are outrageous and the paintjob looks wonderful. Overdone for peacetime? Perhaps, but there's a subtle, subconscious communication in weathering that tells the viewer the object is real, so a tad too much for real life creates 'miniature reality,' and that's a good thing!

Cheers, your build has been added to the honour roll in the lead post.

Mike/TB379

O- Thanks! Looking forward to the rest of your Phantoms.

Xradio- according to the instructions Mitsubishi Heavy Industry produced the F-4EJ under license from McDonnell Douglas in '68. Mitsubishi started updates to them in '80 as well as adding better ground attack capabilities.

The large decals are all Zotz and worked great. The stenciling was the original Hasegawa decals. I've never had much luck with Hasegawa decals on anything. Strong setting solutions like Micro Sol and Gunze Sanyo cause the decal to wrinkle up normally but they never flatten out and dry all wrinkled up. So I've been using just Micro Set which is pretty weak and the decals don't seem to want to suck down fully. I should have replaced the stenciling with aftermarket but I'm not sure anyone does stenciling for an F-4 in Japanese. FSM recently had an article about applying the decal in a pool of Future brushed on the model and I think I'll try that next time around.

T-Bolt- Thanks! I'm glad you think the weathering isn't over the top. Other than Hasegawa decals I had a ball with this GB so thanks so much for hosting it!

Gamera that is a stunning build and VERY colorful!!!! Your weathering to me is fine. Your colors are believable and well done. This on the other hand is how NOT!, I REPEAT NOT!, to weather your Phantom!!! Somehow it got a commended in spite of it all! I mean the turkey feathers are almost chrome like!! You ain't never gonna see that bright a metal on a J-79 anywhere!!

Simpilot: Thanks! I was really afraid I'd overdone it, and once it's on there's no way to take it back without repainting the whole darn thing.

The Phantom you posted is well... interesting!

Well, I hate to say it, but I'm going to need more time.  I FINALLY painted the white bottom today.  I'll give it a couple of days, then I'll shoot the gray (hopefully).  Ordinance needs decals, and then adding all the fiddly bits.  It is not even remotely as beautiful as the finished builds here, but I learned some from the build, and I think I'm going to like it when it is done.  Darn thing is big, and it is only 1/48!

The phinished Phantoms look great!  Anyone of them photographed in front of a background, and people would swear they are real.

Cheers,

Greg

No problems, Greg, take all the time you need -- finishing rhe build is the important thing, and having fun and refining your art! I look forward to seeing you Rhino!

For myself, I'm finally getting the chance to production-line through some resin seats, and my fresh gas bottle is now on so I can get back to spraying, hopefully starting to get my -J into color soon.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Hi Mike ;

I was suppose to build Hasegawa's 1/72 RF-4E in Israeli camouflage for your F-4 Phantom GB .

Unfortunatly I never got started on the kit ; However I would still like to contribute a F-4 to your great Group Build , perhaps you may allow me to add a previously started Fujim 1/72 RF-4C...

The fuselage halves and wings are glued together and I had done some preliminary airbrushing to the gear doors / wells and landing gear struts as well as some silver and burnt Iron around the exhaust area .

These really cool decals arrived in the mail today , Experts-Choice RF-4C , 106th Reconn Squadron , Birmingham , Alabama ...

I kindly ask if you would allow me to post a few more WIP pic's and finish this bird off in these great decal markings .

Kind regards ,

                               John .

Hi John,

By all means! -- I have that kit, I know it'll build into a good looking bird, and those markings are Phabulous -- go for it! And if you need time beyond the 30th, take all you like, the object here is to build Phantoms!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

OK Phanatics,

They're done!  Check 'em out here:  >>LINK<<

I really enjoyed working on these builds.  Thanks for the laughs! 

Cheers!

-O

O you have done yourself proud!!! The triplets are stunning!!! WELL DONE MATE!!

John, looking forward to seeing your build get farther along!!