Yo Helo;

If you're into modern armour, the Academy Stryker is incredible!!!    I've got one completed back in the states, plus two in the box.  A real nicety if you can happen across it, is that Academy sup0plied resin stowage for a select limited series of them!!!  I've got one of those at home also!  The resin is perfect and a much appreciated addition to what is all in all a superbly moulded and built up kit.  BTW, they're dirt cheap here in Korea!  I've seen the kit list for as much as $30[USD] online and I get them for between $6-$10 here, I can't remember the price off of the top of my head.

BACK ON TOPIC!  I was able to get off of my lazy sphincter last night and for the first time in a long time shoot some spray paint at my Academy and HobbyCraft Sabres.  The only extremal difference between the two kits (apart from the canopy deck) is that the HobbyCraft has a bottom fuselage nav light.  Why Academyu chose to delete this minor detail is beyond me.  I also hit the wing tanks with Tamiya Gloss Aluminuym while I was at it.  From this point out it's more a matter of painting and basic assembly.  Everything's pretty much ready to go.

I didn't realize that the tyres have a different tread , so I will look for a set of those True Details resin wheels as well . Thanks for the tip .

I've been looking at the 1/72 Academy M1126 Stryker these past couple of days ;

My first APC build , I guess I may as well make a start on the kit , it will be OOB .

                                         John .

John, thanks for the link.  I remembered how you spliced the two together, but I forgot about your -4 issues.  Thanks for the tip, to be forewarned is to be prepared, or something like that.  Holding the fuse up to the drawing in the Detail and Scale book shows it short 1 cm between the cowl flaps and the front of the fuselage.  It looks like I will have to move the exhaust cut outs forward and the exhaust glare shields.  I thinnned out the inside of the cowl flaps with my motor tool to position them open.  I thought about dropping the flaps, but I really want a short and sweet project.  I am using True Details wheel/tires since the kit ones do not have to correct tread, and  I am going to rob my Hobby Boss Panthers of their 100 lbs bombs, since this kit comes with no ordnance.

My M32B3 will have to wait.

Cheers,

Greg

Hi Greg ;

Happy New Year to everyone as well .

Greg here's a link to page 40 of the Korean War GB , where i started a 1/72 F4U-5N ;

/forums/p/129001/1336118.aspx#1336118

I was kit bashing the Revell kit with the High Planes resin kit . Apart fro the fuselage extension I also added a plug to the wing top center edge .

When I built my two previous Italeri F4U-4's , there was an issue with the wings when I glued them to the fuselage ; That is , one wing angled up higher than the other , so I had to use some masking tape attached to the underside of the wing and stuck back to the fusalege and pull one wing up higher . Also it may be a good idea to leave off the horizontol sabilizers (tail planes) and paint them seperatly as mine look a little out of level when I view my F4U-4B's from the rear . Might have something to do with pulling one wing higher and slightly affecting the landing gear stance ?

Anyway , I look forward to finishing a lot of my on-going builds during the first few months of 2012 , I'm trying to resist the temptation to open any new KW kits until I finish the incomplete ones ....

That's my New Years resolution

                        John .

Except for the Academy 1/72 M1126 Stryker , which I opened a couple of days ago and cut open the plastic bags to look at the sprues !!!

Happy New Year!

I finally painted a flat coat on my LVT about 45 minutes ago.  Weathering and final assembly to follow soon.  I have been building a nightfighter meteor for another GB that has been dragging on.  So, I opened up the RoG F-4U5 (1/72), and saw it had the N parts, and started it.  I held it up to some scale drawings to see where I need to extend the fuselage.  I made some cuts, and I am making a plug.  Other than that, the kit seems nice.  The engine needs a little work, but for this scale, not too bad.  I should have some pictures up soon.  It felt good to actually do something for a change.  This week it will be back to the books.

Cheers,

Greg

Helo,

The only TF-102 Conversion that I know of is the RVHP resin set.  But keep in mind, there's at least two versions, early and late!  The Case X and Case XX wings are the big difference.  Each comes with decals appropriate to the version.  The F-102 and TF-102 were both deployed to Vietnam as air defense interceptors for Tan Son Nhut AFB.  The only air to air action recorded for the F-102 resulted in a loss for the delta winged bird against a NVAF MiG.  Another unusual series of events in Deuce history was that they were used in air-to-ground missions as well!  Armed with 24 Mighty Mouse rockets in the weapons bay doors and an excellent IRST ahead of the windscreen, on more than one occasion they were sent out at night and found VC camps using the IRST and attacked with rockets.  The Deuces were deployed over the Pacific using probe and drogue aerial refueling with temporary probes rigged externally to the aircraft.  They were seen in both ADC grey with TAC thunderbolt fin flashes and in SEA camo.  One of the more interesting set of pictures of them is in a late sixties issue of National Geographic about the USAF!

Having said that, I've got the RVHP TF-102 (late) conversion that I plan to use with the requisite Hasegawa kit for a NDANG bird.  It is WONDERFUL and well worth the $40 [USD] spent on it.  It also allows you to use the interior weapons bay and you can add in the Airwaves PE set for even MORE detail!  My single seat bird got the added Airwaves set, an Aeroclub seat, and metal landing gear.  It was fun to do the decals, I used the fin flash from the Matchbox F-101B kit and other decals from both the Hasegawa kit and Superscale.  Which reminds me, make sure that you get the appropriate kit from Hasegawa!  The older kits are originally AMT molds and have the CASE X wing and no IRST.  The NEWER kits have the IRST and the CASE XX wing.  If you want to build  one of the really early birds, the RVHP conversions also provide the option of buying a version with the smaller tail.

Anyway...

Back onto the group topic!  I've gotten involved in the Hobbycraft/Academy Sabres and there's a few minor details that are different.  The only thing so far is that the Academy kit has a separate back deck for the cockpit canopy.  Everything else is identical, so far.

Happy modeling, folks!

Andy , thank's for the info on the TF-102 and F-106B Vacuform conversions , particulary scratch building those control yokes . I might look around to see what reference books are available on both two seaters .

Greg , I didn't realize that the venerable Couger was still flying during the Vietnam War , now you have me interested in another  Airmodel or Falcon vacuform set .

Nice work Stik on repairing the paint finish on your F-86 , I hope the rest of the painting process goes well . In fact you have inspired me to get on and finish my 1/72 Banshee and Panther ...

I'll mask the wing leading edges this afternoon and airbrush the gloss sea blue ; It would be nice to post a couple of finished pic's on New Years day !!! 

                             John

I will report  back and show results on the Floquil Old Silver. Today I will be masking up for the panel effect with that color, but I want to give the Testors Aluminum time to cure as I know how stong Floquil paints are.

Bondo, I am happy to hear that your Thunderjet is back on the assembly line. I look forward to progress pics.

Gregbbear

A Suez '56 GB would be cool.....

Well I have two ideas for Group Builds I want to run this year... first up is Summer of '42 which would run June thru September- summer months, and be to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the history changing battles of that momentous summer. Any subject from that time period, Axis or Allied.

The second GB would start in October and would be the Arab Israeli Wars, including Suez and run October 2012 thru June 2013....

I will be floating feelers in late Spring and late Summer respectively... 

Thanks Bondoman, I appreciate it.

A Suez '56 GB would be cool.....

I pulled out my LVT-(a)5 to see where I left off,  I need a flat coat and weathering.  Closer to the finish line than I thought.  I am going to try and get it done this weekend if it doesn't rain.

Interesting idea Draken, about using an Estes as a basis for a static model.

Cheers,

Greg

bondoman

(2) BTW- Azur has finally released the Vautour.

Yep , I snapped up three of them in the one hit ; I like how the kit comes with 3 decal options ( Metal , two tone and three tone camouflage) .

I also picked up some Valom MD 450 Ouragans , the kits only have one IAF/IDF decal option and camo paint scheme , I think it's around the time frame '67 , although the same sharks mouth decal seems to appear on the earlier all metal Ouragans from '56 ; I would need to do some more research to be certain .

Just finished cataloging my stash including Decals , Resin and PE ; "OH MY" have I spent (invested) some money these past two years .

                      John .

bondoman

Very much ignored in modeling are the missile squadrons of SAC/ USAF. Curious, since they probably won the (cold) war. Again, good stuff.

Actually...

I've got an old Estes 1/72 Titan II that I modified to be a non-flying version, scratchbuilt the engines, and it's now painted.  I'm PLANNING to make a Titan II LCF with silo.  It's been a project that's been going on for decades on the back burner.

The plan is to get it all together and display it at the local air museum.

Greg- PM incoming re the FAC article.

Stik- sorry to take so long but I've got the 84 G out and on the ramp.

BTW- mention Suez and I'm all for a GB. Only place the Valiant saw action.

(2) BTW- Azur has finally released the Vautour.

Andy- very excellent stuff on the ND ANG.

Very much ignored in modeling are the missile squadrons of SAC/ USAF. Curious, since they probably won the (cold) war. Again, good stuff.

Hmm, I might rethink my ordering some Falcon sets???  I would like to build the TF-9J (post '62 name) fast fac of the USMC in Vietnam.  There is a rendering of one in a Squadron Air War Southeast Asia that has always intrigued me.  SAMI had an article about this conversion earlier this year.  I am going to have to order a back issue.  I'm not sure how I missed that one?  It has a hellcat on the cover.  Usually, I just blow those magazines off because there is nothing but Luftwaffe stuff in it.  No offense to Luftwaffe builders, the Luft overkill has made me kind of sick it for now (except for NF's and heavies of course!).

Sorry if I keep bringing up other conflicts.  I just like tapping into the knowledge base of you guys, and I trust your opinions.

Stik, the Sabre is gonna be great.  The "old silver" is supposed to be a good alternative to metalizers.  I have a bottle, but I haven't tried it yet. 

Andy, very interesting about the ND ANG stuff.  And I appreciate your perspective on the Vac Forms.

John, thanks as always buddy! 

Cheers,

Greg

Heya Helo!

This post reminded me, I'd not replied to your much earlier post on building vac-forms.  I've only built a few and they results are pleasing to me.  My first was the Airmodel RB-57F which I bashed with a Testors'/Italeri B-57 to get a cockpit, landing gear, engines, and external details like antennae.  It didn't win anything in a contest, but I was quite proud of my first full vac build.  I'm sorry that I don't have any pictures at the moment, as all of my vacs are back home in the states.

I've also built the F-106B which turned out beautifully, except that I forgot to include the interior weapons bay.  Everything was great, fit nearly perfect except for the radome.  I decided to add a radar and electronics boxes in the nose and leave the radome off for maintenance.  I also robbed details from another Hasegawa F-106 to have the second seat and scratch built the details for the extra seat.  The control yokes were fun to build, no really!  It doesn't have a standard control stick, it has a T with a handle coming out of either side of the branches of the T.  One is for controling the aircraft and firing weapons/radio switches.  The other is for controling the radar.  This is the same system as used in the F/TF-102.  I scratched both control yokes, added the radar screens with hoods, and throttles.  Also really nice of Falcon, was that they had both of the spines possible, I used the add-in for the aerial refueling port.  I've added it to my collection of North Dakota Fighters.  I'm building a collection of every aircraft type flown in North Dakota.  Starting with the ND Air Guard and Minot AFB.  Minot had the 5th FIS "Spitten Kittens" flying F-94's then F-106A's and B's with T-33's and T-38's as support, then transitioning to F-15A and B's with T-38's before being moved to Reese  AFB and transitioning to a training role with only T-38's.  The 5th BW flew B-52H's the entire time and wer supported by KC-135A's.  At Grand Forks AFB they were flying B-52G's supported by KC-135A's. The BUFF's wer replaced by a fleet of Bones before the base transitioned to KC-135R's.  The NDANG started out with F-51's supported by B-26's and C-47's.  Then they transitioned to F-94B's then C's, followed by F-89D's then J's.  Their support transitioned to C-131's at this time.  Then they moved on to F-101B's and then F-4C's then D's.  I've built all of the different paint schemes of the Phantoms (SEA Camo which they arrived in, ADC Grey [which required buying a half dozen custom made spray cans at a auto body shop], the Hill scheme they retired in and the one-off ND Centennial scheme as provided by Fujimi).  They also had a C-130A for support at this time.  The F-4's transitioned to F-16ADF's with two different tail schemes.  I have detail pics and decals of one of the a/c that overflew the pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.  They have since transitioned to C-21's and drones.  The only drone that I DON'T have is the Global Hawk which is available but is quite spendy at $50!!!

Anyway, the other vacs that I've done have all been conversions, but no where near as much as the Falcon F-106B.  Overall, I'm pretty happy with my work on vacs.

Sorry about the digression on ND aircraft...

Well here is my F-86 back on the assembly line... looking pretty rough after I removed the bad old screwed up areas and redid a couple seams on the fuselage. I polished the edges as smooth as I could so the transition wont be too stark in the paint. No major step.

close up of the seam work... super glue polishes as smooth as glass... much better than putty,,,

and overall with the repaint and close up of the same area...

Nice flight of Sabers Draken. All you need to do is put something on your laptop that looks like PSP and you'll have a 1/72 ramp for them  I will respect your request and hold off adding them to the front page until all seven are done.... If I may throw a request in there when all seven are complete for an individual shot of each, plus a group shot.

I forgot to mention that I have Falcon's Triple conversion #3 F-106B , F9F-8T and Mirage IIID .

I can post some pic's of what Falcon offer and you could compare it to the Airmodel kit over at ARC .

                   John .

Excellent WIP on the Sabre's Andy , particulary the RF-86A

Greg , I just noticed over at ARC , on the front page a modeler built the Vacuform Airmodel/ Hasegawa F9F -8T Couger . The finished model looks awesome .

                 John .

Cool looking trio of Sabres!  Neat stuff as always Andy!

Cheers,

Greg

Okay, here's some up-date pictures of the Sabres I'm building.  Three of the seven are 'done'...

The Frog/Heller/Hasegawa E/F leads the Matchbox F-86A5(OOB) and the Matchbox/Fujimi kit-bash for an RF-86A.  The second pic shows good details on the cameras of the RF kit.

The Matchobx kit is OOB and includes the radio compass aerial behind the pilot!

The atchobx RF kit with Hobbycraft decals.  The decals were HORRIBLE!  They were thick, wouldn't conform to any surface, wouldn't stick to anything, and wouldn't respond to ANY setting solution!

Except for the horrible sea at the intake, the Frog kit wasn't all that bad!  The fit was pretty good, the exterior detail was acceptable.  Too bad they didn't have the slightest bit of interior detail, including actually having gear bays!

Don't bother putting these on the front page yet, Stik!  I want to get the entire collection of Sabres built and in my classroom before you bother.

Greg, I certainly will share the Suez builds on here. Although I doubt either one I plan on will be during the run of this GB. I have another Tamiya Centurion that I will modify to a Mk.5 at Suez, along with an Italeri M47 that I will do in French Suez markings. And possibly an airborne Jeep off the sheet as well.

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope all is well.

Stik, when you do some build-ups of those tanks on the Bison sheet, please share! 

Andy, glad you are having/had a good Christmas over in Korea.  I too am looking forward to your Sabres.

John, I wouldn't fret, you still finish way more than most, and as long as you are having fun, who cares?  I was getting really down on myself for not finishing anything, and then I realized that it is "my" hobby, and as long as I'm having fun, that is what matters.  I guess that is why I was a "vacuform coward".  That Falcon set didn't look like much fun!  Except now, I want the two seat cougar also.....

Merry Christmas all!

Greg

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Yeah I couldn't agree more with a big THANK YOU and God bless you guys and gals that though your sacrifice and service away from your families and friends I can be safe from harm while celebrating with mine.

John: You don't want to even know about all the stuff I've started and not followed though. I've looked though internet lists of phobias several times for a 'afraid to finish things' phobia but never found one.

Hi Andy ,

I missed your earlier post about finishing the F-86A and RF-86 Sabres ; Good stuff and I look forward to the pic's .

I'm glad to hear you had a great Christmas dinner and the upcoming trip to the War Memorial sounds great too . I'm happy to see pic's of anything that you may be able to photograph , I hope the weather is fine for your day out .

All the best Andy ;

               John .

And it's now Xmas in the western world! 

Teh waifu and I spent the day with a friend who works with the Cp Casey MWR.  We went to a wonderful Xmas dinner buffet at the officers' club on post.  I paid for all five of us. Said Merry Xmas to a bunch of soldiers and a Marine or two.  Had a wonderful Christmas dinner that couldn't be beat (insert Alice's Restaurant music), and then it was back home to a nap and more reading about the DPRK.  I'm currently reading a 2000 edition of what used to be someone's text book about the DPRK.  Really interesting info about how daddy Kim and Li'l Kim keep the populace down.  At the same time I've got a book by Gen. Matt Ridgway about the Korean War that I read in the throne room.

For Xmas from teh In-Laws I received a Visa gift card for $90 which I spent at the COEX ASEM Academy hobby shop!  Picked up a T-6 for the decals, an F6F Hellcat for a drone, and a poop-load of paints.  Only two bottle paints, but each spray can costs about $10 USD.  I spent nearly all $90 at the hobby shop!  I also stopped at the monster book store in the mall and picked up a couple English language books (both Stephen King.  I'm a masochist, I MUST be to keep reading his tripe) and ALMOST got another book about the Koreas.  Glad that I didn't, I already had it at home.

Tomorrow I'll be going to Itaewan (the major western tourist shopping district near Yongsan Garrison in Seoul) to check out the used book store, have some lunch at a wonderful Thai restaurant and then hit the War Memorial Museum.  They've got that traveling human body exhibit there, as well as having finished the remodeling stuff on the different services.  I'm told that they even have the 'rifle range' operational again!  If anyone has requests for pictures, now's the time!

Happy holidays, and happy modeling to all!

Merry Christmas everyone ;

And I echo those wonderful words Stik posted about all the Service Men and Women serving around the world .

Thank's for the kind words everyone on those RF-8 builds ; Obviously not Korean War related but It's been ages since I posted a pic of a completed model aircraft , you guy's would probably fall of your chairs if you saw how many builds I have started over the past two years that are 50% to 70% built . I catalouged my kit  stash again the other day ....800+ and I have justed started going through the stash of Aftermarket decals , Resin and PE . There's stuff there I forgot I had .

Nice score on that Lot 7 , 1/72 kits Greg , those F9F-8 Cougers don't come along that often , the F11F-1 tiger is even a rare'r kit to find , good luck if your looking for one of those .

I'm putting together some 1/72 Vietnam War Huey's at the moment along with an USAF HH-3E , it's a bit of a change from the Korean War and I'm looking to have them done by New Years .

So I'm looking forward to getting back into KW come 1st January ;

BTW , I built those new display cabinets a few weeks back to display my next generation of finished builds but there now chock full of all my recent kit purchases , I now need another cupboard.......

All the best everyone

                    John .

Well said Stik.

John, thanks for the photos.  And I am always glad to see your other builds.  The RF-8 shots are great.  So far I have chickened out on buying the Falcon set.  Well, that and the money I was going to spend at Hannant's, I spent on ebay.  Oops.  I found a lot of 7, 1/72 Hasegawa planes for $50 shipped, to include a couple that I have been wanting for awhile:  F9F-8 Cougar, S2F-1 Tracker, F9F-2 Panther, EA-6B Prowler, A-10A T-bolt II, F-5, and an Mi-24 Hind E.  Still nothing compared to the mega-deal somebody got last week that I missed! 

Since I have no tests this week, I might try and break out something to work on.  It would be nice to be able to put the LVT in the finished column.  I need to finish some stuff, so I can start some new stuff.  I have aquired way to many cool things since school started!  Just call me John the second!  Except he actually builds (and finishes) stuff.  Off topic, but I saw a really cool 1/72 set of armor decals from Bison.  It was UK and French armor in Suez '56 to include:  Centurions, Bren Carriers, and even French LVT-4's.

I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas.

Cheers,

Greg

It is now Christmas in the ROK. A Christmas that can still be celebrated there thanks to the sacrifices of United Nations forces on that peninsula so long ago. Who still stand guard to prevent a repeat combat. Merry Christmas to all here and take a moment to think about, and if you do, pray for, those troops on the DMZ and elsewhere in the world who are unable to celebrate this holiday with their loved ones. At best they have their comrades in arms with them.

Merry Christmas to all.

Good news everyone!

I've not only finished the Matchbox F-86A-5 in OOB decals, but also made the Matchbox/Fujimi RF-86A with Hobbycraft and Microscale decals.  I'll get pics and post them when all of my Sabres are done.  I've just started and completed the building of the ancient Frog F-86F in one evening.  It's incredibly basic having a plank piece for the cockpit tub, a see through nose to tail fuselage, a pilot molded as part of the ejection seat, and basic gear with no gear bays.  The gear and bay doors stick straight out of the solid wing.fuselage.  I took one pic of the project before starting and forgot to take WIPs because it went so danged fast!  On another note:  Both Heller and Hasegawa took over this mold, Heller adding open gear bays with no detail and a basic tub interior and seat, while Hasegawa simply added the open gear bays.  Nothing else was added on the Hasegawa side.  So, if you're looking for an incredibly basic airframe to use as a finishing project/slammer/airbrush tester these things usually only run about a buck or so on eBay.  Mine was done essentially OOB with the only detail change being that I cut the side fins off of the fuel tanks (also part of the Hasegawa and Heller kits) as this was only on the later model post war Sabres.  I painted the tanks an OD green to represent tanks made in Japan.  These tanks had such a totally different separation characteristic that they were painted OD green so that pilots would easily recognise them.

I've got two Academy/HobbyCraft kits of the E/F and two Fujimi/Testors kits of the E/F left to build.  I'm going to have one with checker board tail, one with a stars on blue band tail, and one with yellow fin flashes.  Should be a NICE set of colourful birds when all are done!

Have fun and happy modeling, dudes!