Rocket Power Group Build 2010-2011

 Made a new wheel assembly out of a tire, rim and axle from styrene, aluminum and brass. Located that with the gear which was given new scissors and brake line.

While researching this plane on the Net I came across several buildups of this same kit. In looking at them I was struck by a few features which really gave away the scale and lack of refinement in the plastic parts. To that end I made note of what I would change. One item was the front gear well doors. So I made new ones from two layers of brass to represent what I assume should have been reinforced stampings of some sort. I also busied up the bay with some "conduits".

looks good so far squid.

^^^

Thank you Mikey!

Well, it's warming up again so I actually crawled back to the bench.

I added a landing light to the wing. The usual way of filing a notch, painting the surround in silver and drilling lil dimples in the back of clear sprue to represent the bulbs and finally shaping the clear lens to the wing then buffing until clear again. I'll just mask this off while painting and voila- landing lights!

The kit main gear was leaps and bounds better than the blob they gave you up front. I carefully cleaned them up to add some definition and then made up new brass "doors" again which entailed making some mounts for those. I used some reshaped U-Channel to help them conform to the struts and shave them down to be closer to scale. This allowed the doors to stand off from the gear. I also added brake lines and a clamp which doubled to add definition in that area. A couple of pieces of brass wire were added inside the wells just to busy it up again.

Sorry to be the straggler around here but with that- I think I'm ready for paint.

Lagging? dude your the only one building at the moment. There were a couple others who started but seem to have shelved their builds. Oh well.

Scorpiomikey

Lagging? dude your the only one building at the moment. There were a couple others who started but seem to have shelved their builds. Oh well.

Well I feel like I'm lagging? Oh wait, that's just my usual DRAGGING. False alarm.

I am still alive and plugging away! Despite rumors.

LOL- So I totally squandered away the couple of days which reached mid 60s! And today I got back to painting. We now have FREEZING rain falling and my garage is back to 'winter cold' temps?

BUT, I went ahead and preshaded followed by my color coats of RLM02. I really wanted the preshading just to give a panel effect since I'll still apply a wash to the panel lines. To that end it was effective enough.

 I've applied the few decals that belong on this plane and given it a gloss clear coat to ready it for a sludge wash to bring out the panel lines. I'm working with enamel base coats (thinned with lacquer), lacquer clear and will use acrylics for the sludge wash followed by flat clear and maybe some pastels. So far this much painting only started less than twelve hours ago. All material choices made to speed up the multi-step process as much as I can in this cold weather. If things keep going well enough I'll get to calling this one done real soon.

I've always liked the wing shape on this one, lookin' good MrSquid! Cold in Georgia... welcome to my world!!!

Looking good. I like the stand youve made.

How are the engines coming along?

That thing is looking really good Mr Squid.

I've joined so many GBs lately, but I do have a 1/32 Me 163 that I shelved a few years back.

 Id actually gotten to the stage of painting the fuselage and wings and was ready to mottle when I decided that the construction wasn't good enough. Here's a photo I took back then, it's regressed since then because I destroyed some paintwork whilst rectifying the areas that needed it. It's got a Grand Phoenix cockpit too.

It was one of those kits that I bought cheaply at a swap meet, the nwent out andspent four times that amount on reference and aftermarket. Sigh.

Can I join up please, might help me to get this thing done.

Cheers

Tony

Vance,

 I like the shape of this plane too. It was sleek but maybe the ME262 along with Hitler seeming to like Messerschmitt and wanting Heinkel to concentrate on bombers all had something to do with the final choice? The Heinkel proved more capable in a dogfight in trials but alas, it was not to be.

Mike,

 Engines are "okay". The kit wasn't the best you know so after adding aluminum trim rings up front and carefully reshaping everything else I think they're almost presentable?

Tony,

 I'd love to see you finish the Comet off!

Thank you gents.

 I'm pretty much calling this one done. After the sludge wash for the panel lines I dusted the plane to dull down the decals with pastels. While this was just a developmental airframe it was also the most used of them all. It started as airframe number one in glider trials before eventually being fit with the four Argus engines. So I wanted it to look rather faded but of course not battle weary. Excuse the washed out pictures. I just got lazy with the camera!

Hope you like it okay?

Very Nice.

Front page has been updated.

Taxtp ive added you to the build list. who makes the 32nd scale kit? Im pretty keen to see that beast finished myself.

I just picked up a testors 1/48 scale Me163, is it too late to join in? Yea I know another Komet but I could'nt pass it up for $7.00

Thanks Mike. The 1/32 Komet is an old school Hasegawa kit, dating back to the early seventies I think.

All of our best wishes to our friends and brothers in NZ at this time of crisis.

Tony

My contribution to the GB is a Testors 1/48 kit,not much to it but hope to scratch a few items to doll it up a bit.The canopy was way too thick so I got  a crystal clear replacement.

I'm cutting up the kit supplied canopy to use the center for the internal windscreen armor

heres the crystal clear

hope all is well in NZ

The instrument panel in the kit was nothing but a flat plastic sheet so I used this leftover panel from another build ,not exact to the type but better than what was supplied

and the wings are together

The basic airframe is ready for primer,unfortunately the panel line details are misaligned

primed sanded and ready for paint

I had a good airbrush session and finished it off  hope its up to standards

Up to standard? that looks mint. I love it.

Mike thanks ,really appreciate the kind words! I hope all is going better for you over there ,cheers Trey

two months to go guys. theres a few of you i havent heard from since they joined.

Trey she's a lil gem to be sure!! Great work!!!

i wish i saw this GB earlier, its too late to start now.

anyway im starting a "Pearl Harbour 70 years GB* " soon start date December 7th 2011 finish December 7th 2012, anyones welcome to join

*im working on a name

Well I will enter my I-302 in this group build as well. If I can only two frets to this plane so it should not take long to build. but some heavy flash to clean up.

If you think you can get it done in 2 weeks. Ill pop you down.

If I had all  the paints it would only take me about a hour to put this together so yeah I think I can get it done in two weeks .

lol sweet, cant wait to see the final result.