OFFICAL NO AFTERMARKET Group Build

Thanks everyone!

JMart

I also have GIMP – cant beat the price, but man its has a STEEP learning curve!

Haha... yes it is! I've had GIMP for years and have mostly given up on it!

I see what you mean with the P-51. I wouldn't mind having something like that in my house, but it ain't technically my house (It's my parents house) I still like the idea. If you hang it up on the celing, the pannel lines shouldn't be that big of a problem (especially if you place it close to a light bulb. then you won't see the details)

I havn't seen any photos of that Corsair in the water. Can you give me the link? (it's killing me, not knowing about the photo)

I acually like Testors, because they seem to be close to (and, from my experiance, less than) Revell's prices. Yes, the detail is a little worse, but I can live with it (unless it's something obvious)

For an up-date on my builds, they are all stalled, due to a lack of paint. I'll try to get it in the nest few days or so. Hopefully I can get it done before August 16th.

There are quite a few wrecked Corsairs in Pacific waters, here are some links:

http://kristinnovakdesign.com/Files3/Portfolio/Content/TravelSite/bonvogage.html

http://www.livingwarbirds.com/vought-f4u-corsair-pictures.php

(scroll all the way to the bottom for the one above)

http://www.mundadive.com/sites.htm

(again, scroll to the bottom)

http://www.pacificpinnacles.com/TravelDiveLog/2004/Sep052004_Corsair_TurtleCanyon/Corsair/index.html

this one is the 'famous" one

I know I saw a model of that one somewhere, maybe even the GSM pages? Cant recall....

Thank you for the links. It was killing me not to know what photos you were talking about

Some very neat photos! I would love to dive on a wreck.

Sorry guys I havent been commenting the last few days, was a combination of being under the weather and too many irons in the fire.

Supressionfire y all means your Hetzer would be most welcomed here, as would you of course. I really enjoy your builds. I will have your build listed on the front page in short order.

Jmabx your Flamingo is really coming along nicely, that cockpit is sweet. I am really impressed with your IP and cant wait to see how it finishes.

Guys I cant really complain about the Testers kits I have built at all, in fact they are the ones that got me started to really attempt scratch building. That was the F-104C Starfighter in 1/48, learned a huge amount on that one after building my first ejection seat and gear bay detail. I also built the P-47 Thunderbolt, it was my first NMF build using aluminum foil, had a blast on that build. I have an F-5 on the bench as fill in when I am waiting for glue or paint to dry. I am planning a wild paint job for that one, will be an air racer. I have also built their golden age air racers, Laird Solution, Howard Ike, and am just finishing up the Travel Air Mystery Ship, and had a great time with them as great decompression builds. I still have the Gee Bee R-1 waiting to be built.  So for the money and learning possibilities they are worth it to me. Just my worth

Good morning. I've made some progress on the P-47. Let me just say, it is not an ideal kit. Great for scratch building missing detail, which is plentiful, but its rough in all other aspects. Fit is a real let down, as you'll see in some pictures.

Since I still have yet to purchase my moisture trap and regulator the entire paint job so far has been hand brushed. Yes. Hand brushed. Not really something I like to do or recommend but it was a throw back to my roots, well, probably all of our roots essentially.

Well, time's a wastin'....

Here are the wheel wells with a detail painted...

Here is a full shot...

and here is the scratch build gun site....

There is still a lot to do. It looks pretty weathered but that is how I like 'em. Beaten and war weary. You may not be able to see them greatly in the pictures but the wing roots have some seams. I'm notoriously terrible at removing seams, especially along the wing roots. I'm relatively happy with it so far, let me know what you think.

That P-47 is looking good, Oddman. I never did like sanding the seams on anything eather (mainly because I don't like re-creating the pannel lines lost in the process...)

My builds have slowed to a complete stop, so, in order to show that I havn't been waisting time, I have a few photos of a locomotive I'm scratch-building from the ground up for your enjoyment. (Yes, Good ol' Railfan 233 is showing some of his railroady side)

This is an NW/2 switcher in HO (1/87) scale that I started for a challenge (Yeah, about the "challenge" part) It has been a fun build so far. Admittedly, I guestemated on the radiator grill openings, since I forgot about them untill after I glued the hood on the frame.

Here's the rear of the unit, looking all nice in it's yellow styrene sheet (acually, another For Sale sign...) Yes, I do plan on building some details for the interior, since it can be seen fairly easily.

Here's a front-side view of the locomotive (my goof with the radiator very aparent) Also apparent in both photos so far is a lot of pencil scribblings. That's how I keep track of the parts (although it doesn't matter, since I always smudge it when cutting everything out) It's worked so far.

Here's the last photo, with the plans for the NW/2 (I got them from the Model Railroader December 1979 issue .)

I don't have plans for powering this locomotive, so it'll be a static display (so, technically, it's a scale model in the classic sence) I plan on doing it a an abandoned locomotive forgotten on an overgrown siding, so I can get some practice with heavy wethering. Mabe I'll place it in the old South, with Kudzu growing over it, and mabe an Oak tree growing through the radiator openings.

(In hindsight, mabe this would be a good thred subject for the Scratch-building section) Well, this is my first attempt at scratch-building from the ground-up (and my "As the glue dries" project while I wait to get that paint I need, which I hope to acomplish soon) Mabe I'll take a look through my parts box, and see if I got anything that resembles the guts of a locomotive. If so, I may build an engine compartment.

Railfan223,

Impressive scratch building!

Oddman rush,

Great looking Jug!

vetteman42,

Tanks again! The Hetzer should arrive this week if customs doesn't take interest into it... I sometimes wonder what they do with everything that is obviously not a threat to national security, yet I do feel safer at night knowing they enjoy checking out my Squadron shipments.

Jon - I can't believe that you brushed that!   It was post shaded I presume?

Railfan - The little switcher is looking good.   I love old diesel switchers, especially the Alcos and Baldwins and F.M.s!   I haven't opened them in many years but I have boxes full of old HO scale stuff. Mostly engines and a few pieces of rolling stock. Amongst it all, I have plenty of dummy switchers. Most of them unpainted. I bet that there's even a couple of SW-2s in there! The little GE switchers are cool too. On the other end of the spectrum, I love the six axle engines. Especially the old high hoods like the GP/SD-7/9, the RSD-7/RS-11! Got plenty of them too! Oh, and the Alco Centuries!

Sorry for the rant!

Jon Nice work on the P-47. How did you hand brush such a nice paint job with weathering and all. If you can do that with a paintbrush you must do amazing airbrush work.

Railfan I am impressed with your scratchbuilding. You dont even need a kit. lol!  If you have a plan or an Idea it gets built. You the man!

I want to start the Calipso soon but have too many GB goin right now I have enterd too many but will start this next week. I have enjoyed watching you guys build great stuff

Damon

Railfan 233

Mabe I'll take a look through my parts box, and see if I got anything that resembles the guts of a locomotive. If so, I may build an engine compartment.

Hi Railfan,

Splendid idea, I think you should do it.

Here is a "heeeavy loco weathering" example

My Mig3 build is coming along nicely although a bit slow ... photos later in the day ...

Cem.

Ok, as promised ...

Over the weekend I have been able to work on the cockpit of my Mig3.

One part of the work was scratchbuilding the trim wheels, oxygen tube, seatbelts, emergency power cut-off handles (?), and so on ...

Other part was to cut out small parts from original kit cockpit and add them on the framework.

At the moment I'm working on the instrument panels and hope to get finished with the cockpit completely in about two weeks (I'll be away next weekend so no work on Mig3).

Ok, here are the photos:

On the bottom right the oxygen tube is visible ...

On the photo below trimwheels and trim line detail can be seen; wheels are made of 0.5 mm brass wire whle the trim line is made of steel guitar string. There should be two trim lines but I could fit only one ...

Seatbelts are made from frames of used PE parts and some material that is used for labelling fabric (like t-shirts).

One of the smallest parts I had to deal with was the small red whatchamacallit lever on the cockpit floor. The footstraps are made of copper sheet.

And the cockpit assembly so far ...

Ok, that's all for now. I hope your builds are coming along nicely too ... have a good week ...

Cem.

You are looking good Cem. Just build a little diorama of a factory, and put the cocpit in, and I'd be fooled into thinkint it was the real thing (even if the MIG-3 cocpit wasn't built as a seprate unit before going into the aircraft)

Thanks for the photo, and everyones approval of my locomotive. It's a little off the topic of "No Aftermarket", since it's a pure scratch-build from the ground up, but I think I may keep posting here for it (if it's O.K. with you Vetteman)

You are right, Nomad 68. I normally don't scratch-build from the ground up, but if I got the plans for it, it normally gets built eventually (In fact, 'm looking into some books with plans for 1/72 scale armor on Amazon right now...) 

Well, that's about all I got for now. I just need to go to the hardware store, and get the paint, and then I should be set to continue on with the Monaco

Thanks guys.

I did post shade the P-47. A tedious process I might add, with only a brush.

First I set down the base coat, two coats actually, using Model Master enamels which brush on really well compared to Tamiya Acrylics which is the other staple of paints I use. The base coat was dark green for the top and neutral gray for the bottom.
Once that was complete, I pulled out a Testor's enamel bottle of Olive Drab. It was the only OD I had on hand, I don't prefer to use Testor's paints in the little rectangular bottles, but I had to make do. Then I dry brushed the OD on, panel by panel. Then added a drop or two of white and dry brushed again. (You may ask why I didn't use the OD as the base coat and to that I say I find Testor's enamels less that sufficient for covering large swaths of plastic, its too thick most of the time and I didn't feel like altering the chemistry to get it right, therefore MM enamels it was)
After the OD was complete I did the same process with the gray, lightening it with white and dry brushing it on.

Since then I've done some pin washes for the recesses in the control surfaces and cowling. I also experimented with dot filtering. I over did it a little. Its not a technique I normally use and haven't nailed it down yet. I tried it first on a spot you wouldn't really see, and it looked terrible. So I restricted the colors to only white. I may or may not add some yellow, but right now it has a nice faded streaky look so I may leave it. I'll post pics soon. Decals to come.

Railfan, the engine looks really good so far. You're a better man than me, building something from nothing! Good work. How's your truck and police car coming?

Cem, love the look of that pit. Very convincing. I like the straps. Interesting flight stick in the mig. Am I mistaken or is it similar to the Spitfire's? More like a ring than a stick.

Thanks, Oddman. I really don't consider myself to be a great builder. Scratch-building from the ground up, at least like I see it, is just your regular skills of cutting styrene with a hobby knife, and gluing parts together.

The only difference is that you got to measure and cut-out the parts yourself, and then clean them up and build them like you would any regular kit. (Try it. go and find an issue of the Model Railroader magazine or a Railroad Model Craftsman magazine that has a scale drawing of a locomotive, railcar, or a building, and give it a shot.)

With the Dodge Monaco police car, I'm still waiting for a trip to Home Depotso I can get some white spray-paint (the only hitch in my hobby, I use spray-can paints, which seem to run out in no time flat)

With the M-35 fire truck, it's done except for decals and tools (Darn, I just realized I was at the hobby shop today. I completely forgot about it) I got an AMT/Eartl Ladder Chief fire truck model in the mail from an auction website a few days ago. I plan on doing my own decals for it, so I'll salvage the (still good) decals, and see what I can piece together with them.

Cem - Awesome work on the cockpit!!!   Impressive!

Oddmanrush all I can say is my airbrush work doesnt look half as good as your brush painting, I am truly impressed. Very nice detail work on those gear bays too

Plasticaddict your MiG cockpit is nothing less than amazing I hope you are building it with an open canopy or from what I have read the early MiG-3 didnt have a canopy. Beautiful work.

Railfan that is very nice work on that switch engine indeed. Although I cant include it in the group please do keep posting it here I am sure most here want to see it finished, I surely do. I had an N gage lay out at one time so I like trains but dont know much about them.

Hi folks,

@ Jon: yep, it is like an elliptical ring, I don't know about Spitfire stick but this one surely is a bit odd. There is a small lever on top which I guess for the guns and the pilot can hold it with two hands if the need be.

@ Jeremy: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

@ vetteman42: Thank you! And you got it right; I'll build it with open canopy. This one will be the "Za Rodinu (for homeland)", I imagined it to be new, fresh out the factory after test flights. There is a photo of that particular plane in front of the factory during the handing-over ceremony showing many interesting features including misplaced (rotated) red star.

Take care,

Cem.

Hello again,

On my previous post I've said:

plasticaddict

On the photo below trimwheels and trim line detail can be seen; wheels are made of 0.5 mm brass wire whle the trim line is made of steel guitar string. There should be two trim lines but I could fit only one ...

I was thinking that I've made the trimwheels bit too wide so the outer one portruding from the frame. But checking the prototype photos again I've found this:

I think without knowing it, I did the right thing ... now all I have to do is to add the trim line that's outside the frame!

Happy ... happy ... happy ...

Cem.

vetteman42

Railfan that is very nice work on that switch engine indeed. Although I cant include it in the group please do keep posting it here I am sure most here want to see it finished, I surely do. I had an N gage lay out at one time so I like trains but dont know much about them.

Alright. I'll keep posting up-dates here on the locomotive (It will probably be on the tail-end of up-dates for the Monaco police car, and the fire engine I got in progress for this build) It seems like there are a lot of members here that were model railroad enthusiasts at one time or another.

 I'll try to piece together the decals for the M-35 soon, using the extra decals from the AMT/Eartl Ladder Chief truck I recently added to my stash.

Vetteman, thanks for the props! Believe me, I have to make up for my poor assembly and clean up skills by trying to lay down a nice finish. I tend to overlook seams and cut corners during the process which really detracts from the model. I gotta learn how to take my time sanding and filing and filling gaps. When I'm on a roll, I don't like to be slowed down, but I pay the price.

Cem very interesting. The Mig 3 is my favorite Soviet fighter of the war, based mostly on looks alone. I wonder if they took the idea from the British, as I'm unfamiliar with any other aircraft with a similar flight stick. It just looks odd to me, and maybe awkward to fly. My American mind is used to the stick so seeing this, or the Spitfire's grip, just never seemed 'right' to me.

The ring or " spade" grip wasnt just there for no appearant reason. One writer explains it like this:

" Early MkI/II's had a straight vertical stick and rudder bars fitted and had no adjustment spare a somewhat moveable seat back. However on more than one occasion the seat back collapsed during approach causing some hairy and sometimes fatal landings. Modifications added rudder pedals on slides which could be adjusted for leg length and the vertical stick was replaced with a curved model with the spade grip on the end which curved back toward the pilot. This reduced the need to hold your arm out so straight to fly which relieved some strain on long cross-country flights. The result of the stick being nearer the pilot necessitated the spade grip so that it could be held at a more relaxed angle and not require you to bend the wrist the wrist so much. A side effect of the curved spade grip stick mod was that it solved problems with the straight stick getting jammed. When performing a "sporty" dive approach pushing the stick all the way forward pushed it behind the edge of the instrument panel. If it was moved to the side at all the top of the stick would get stuck behind the panel and you couldn't pull it back. Negative "G" plus a somewhat panicked pilot let to a few accidents. With the curved stick having the top further back it never reached the panel when pushed fully forward."

Another reason i read about, that makes sense to me somewhat, is that you could operate the spade stick with two hands. Especially convenient in a dogfight where grace had no place, just roaring full throttle engines and max G manouvres.

Richard

Richard, thank you for that! Who woulda thought it actually served a purpose? Again, I've never thought of operating a plane with two hands....perhaps I played way too many flight sim games on the computer when I was younger. Joystick and keyboard is a far cry from the real thing I suppose....

Well early in the war the pilots did not have power steering and the likes so imagine flipping a plane from left to right quickly... must have involved some form of muscle power i guess...

Richard

I have a little up-date for the fire truck: I got the decaling done.

I decided to do my own fire department for the fictious town of Pine Hill, FL (I use that when I need a location for a diorama/ railroad layout, so why not give it a fire department?)

Here's the last offitial up-date on Pine Hill Engine 2, with the decals pieced together from an old sheet from the AMT/Eartl 1/25 scale Ladder Chief America Lafrance ladder truck.

Here's the passenger side, where my lack of being able to do anything in a strait line is apparent (I should have done this with some masking-tape guides)

Here's the driver's side. Same story with the strait lines.

With the exception of tools and some small details( which will be built and collected as time goes by), this truck is done.

Jon hi,

Considering that both planes are products of almost the same years I wouldn't know who's design was first.

But I'm with you; I like this plane first and foremost for it's sleek lines. On the other hand it is such a unique and important machine, it's almost a crime that many people know very little about it.

For all who is interested, I suggest visiting Massimo's site for a comprehensive and detailed history of MiG3's.

@ Railfan: Your straight lines looks ok to me; maybe we both not very clever with them

In the meantime I have a question about the build: we said NO AFTERMARKET. I have the MiG3 PE set of Eduard saved for my other MiG3 project. Would it be considered using aftermarket if I copy and use the instrument panel backing paper (with dials and all)? Or else I'll have to draw it on the computer.

Cem.

Cem, that is an awesome website! The pictures and color schemes are interesting and its very informative. I'll have to book mark it. As much as I love the Mig 3, I haven't built one yet so it'll be on my list now.

I have a small sneak peak at the P-47. I've added half of the decals....

I had to lighten it a little so it may look odd. I took the photo from my cell phone. Any way, I like the way the white dot filter turned out. Looks very worn and streaky. I'll just have to weather the decals a little as they stick out a bit much. I should probably have the whole thing finished by tonight, tomorrow at the latest.

Then its back to the A-4. I ordered a regulator and moisture trap from airbrushoutlet.com. Hopefully it'll be in the mail soon. I ordered it on Sunday and they said it ships within 1-3 business days. Any one ever deal with them before?

The P-47 is looking great Oddman. I can almost see it parked on a runway somewhere on an asian island