Official Alley Cat GB Sept2010-Sept2011

Yes, nice tip.  I'll try that next time.

No pictures at the moment.  I'll try to get some taken and posted soon.

Darwin, O.F. 

Nice tip. Ill have to remember that.

Any photos yardy?

yardbird78

I finally got some work done on my F6F-5 Hellcat for the Blue Angels.  I made a mess of the paint job.  The paint was too thin and there must have been an Afghanistan dust storm going through my basement, judging by the crap that settled in the paint.  It would be too much work and destroy the detail if I sanded off, so I am just going to live with it and hope the pictures don't show it too much.

Darwin, O.F. 

you may have had a Static issue, if you did alot of sanding, or polishing, you may have built up some static cling. Next time try, rubbing the model with a dryer sheet,, you wont have to rub the whole plane, just the body and wings. the sheet will disapate the static.. less dust next time..

I finally got some work done on my F6F-5 Hellcat for the Blue Angels.  I made a mess of the paint job.  The paint was too thin and there must have been an Afghanistan dust storm going through my basement, judging by the crap that settled in the paint.  It would be too much work and destroy the detail if I sanded off, so I am just going to live with it and hope the pictures don't show it too much.

Darwin, O.F. 

Great looking builds everyone!  Sorry I haven't been able to start on my builds yet.  I got 2 to finish then the F4F-4 will be on the bench.

Mike, Good luck with everything.  We are here if you need us.

wow dude, and i thought i was in the wrong lane of lifes highway. Good luck with everything and if i can do anything to help lemme know.

Just want to let everyone know that i haven't forgotten about this GB.  Things just haven't been going well over the last 5 weeks or so.  We had a few deaths in the family followed by a couple of hospital trips by my brother, mother, and now most recently, my 19 year old brother (who we found out has Type I diabetes).  Needless to say, it's been fun.   

The builds so far look great.  I'll be making some updates and taking some pictures soon. 

Mike

Just so people know, this GB is still active. Im just not on as often as id like to keep things moving.

That F7F is a beaut! Have to agree I'd have loved to have seen what the "1946" fighters could have done with a year (heck - 6 months) to prowl the South Pacific. The Tigercat, Bearcat, F2G Corsair...

Very nice looking Cats people. 

Those are two absolutely gorgeous "Cats".  Very nice work.

Darwin, O.F. 

Here's another shot with the seat in.

cheers,

Dean

Hey guys,

I finally got started on the F9F-2 Panther. It is the Trumpy kit.

Hey all, I've finished  my 1/48 AMT F7F-N2 Tigercat.  No, it's not one of those colorful beauties that a couple of you are planning.  This model represents an aircraft from VF(N)-52 during carrier qualifications aboard the U.S.S. Antietam on April 8, 1945.  I decided to deck her out with bombs and rockets for a little visual excitement.  As I said during the build, this kit is gem.  The fits were great except a little fill work around the nacelles at the forward wing attachment.  I added a little scratchwork in the cockpit, wheel wells, and wired the engines.  But otherwise it was built straight from the box.  Right now Model Masters enamels are my paint of choice.  The final coat was a mixture of insignia blue and Blue Angel blue.  I don't know the ratio.  I played with the color to get a slightly worn look.  And I was trying to use up some paint that I never have used.  I gave it a light weathering with artists oils, sealed with Krylon satin rattle can.  To top it off, I worked and ochre pastel chaulk into the seams to give the panels a little depth.  I sat a pilot in this one, because he busied things up in an other wise plain cockpit.  I broke his neck and turned his head to the side to create a little life rather than the "stare through the windscreen".

Like I said in my previous posts, this kit is a hidden gem.  AMT got it right.  There is a lot of room for scratchbuilding. but the exterior detail is very good.  Landing gear, sway bars on the tank and bombs, rockets, and the engines are first class.  As you can tell, I had a great time with this kit.  Completed, it just looks right setting on all three.  There is a lot of engine and a lot of firepower (4 X 20 mm cannon & 4 X 50 cals) on a relatively small airframe.  I wish it would have had a year on the loose in the South Pacific.  We would have known a lot about the Tigercat.  I didn't know much about the Tigercat before building it.  Getting to handle the airframe, and imagining the power of those two R-2800 Double Wasps made me think of the potential this aircraft had.  It's performance numbers were outstanding.  Reports from the test pilots called it the best plane they had ever flown.  But its arrival at the end of the war and the rapid evolution of the jet quickly pushed it out as an operational fighter.

italeri 1/48 done

revell 1/48 5%

revell 1/32 60%

i dont know if il do the 1/72 cat

Nicley done all. just quickly eatthis, can you give me the details for all the F-14's youve got going so i can get you list of builds tidied up?

I think im up to date now.

iv started another tomcat this one wont shoot photograph or bomb anything and will have a cleaner airframe ;)

Scorpiomikey - can you put me down for Tamiya's F4F-4 as well? 

I'm planning on building it as one of the Cactus Air Force Wildcats of VMF-223. Should be a fun opportunity for some extreme South Pacific weathering!

From what I've seen peeking in the box, the Hobby Boss kits skate a very fine line on the rip-off front...the cockpits are almost indistinguishable!

I love the his and hers Wildcats, great job.

I'm finally getting a start on the Bearcat, it is a rebox of the 1976 Monogram kit. It offers a CAG plane from 1947 (the box art) and a Naval reserve Bearcat from 1952.  

and the reason I'm really enjoying my return to Airfix, Matchbox and Monogram kits, an hour and I have something resembling an airplane. Great kits for those on the go without much time to build.

Thanks RAF74! The call letters are indeed their initials...now just have to figure out where to put them in their rooms where they won't get destroyed within three weeks!

I'm assuming that the call letters are the kid's initials?  Very cool...They look great

Finished up the Wildcats last night. 

Overall, the Hobbyboss is a decent kit. Some great elements, some less great. Either way, these kits were fun to build and great to use as a testbed for some new techniques and paints, and the boy at least loves his (Lola, being four months old, could care less).

I should be back later in the year with the Eduard Hellcat. 

Here are some of the WIP pics

The Office:

Work on the engine:

Pre-shading done...Had a heck of a time with the cowling, but I finally got it.

Got her under paint night before last.  Finished up the landing gear and got that installed..Started on the canopy today.

Thanks very much

not too late at all, ill sort that out for you now.

Is it too late to join this build?  If not I would like too.  I have a Hobby Boss 1:48 F6F5 Hellcat that is a WIP. Some of the WIP pics can bee seen here: /forums/t/131325.aspx

Right, im back, sorta, things are settling down at home, still plagued by migraines though. Im getting there though. Ill try and keep an eye on things, i might miss some stuff though so i apologize in advance if i do.

Thanks for all the support guys.

Eatthis- Great looking Tomcat! I've always loved the Jolly Rogers markings. I just hope mine looks as good.

Doogs- Those Wildcats look awsome. Can't wait to see them finished.

Scorpio- Hey man, don't worry about the builds. We'll make sure they're all good. Take care of yourself first.

Well I'm finally moved. There seems to be a very loud growl from my stash in the closet. I think it's that Tomcat beggin (demanding is more like it) to come out. There's room on the workbench next to the Osprey. Now if I can just keep the Cat from eating the bird. Lol.

Wow, love that yellow Tigercat! Of  course, for the moment I've had enough of painting things yellow to last me several months...

Got the natural metal finishes on the Wildcats last night. Alclad Semi-Matte Aluminum on the blue tail, Talon Aluminum on the pink. More pics thoughts on both paints over in the NMF II GB.

that blue angels tomcat looks fantastic!!