Mighty 8th GB 1-Nov-2010 - 31-Oct-2011

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SQS9138

Is this the set you mean. I am referring to the middle one, 9138. Not sure which kit this is meant for, Hannants. If so, i will measure up my B-24 windows, they look exactly the same. I have got some of those sets for other kits, i rather like these window sets.

Lester looks about right but Worcester is usually pronounced Worster. While i am from Norfolk, a rural area often associated with farming and inbreeding, my Mrs is a northern lass from Manchester, so we are often and we are always picking each other up about how you say this or that. Even in a country this small theres alot of variation.

DoogsATX  I have thought about making my own, maybe with clear styrene sheet and sheet styrene for the framing, guess it shouldn't be to hard. But i have never heard of thermo forming.

Looking very good. The seam doewsn't look to bad,  thats the joys of an NMF finish, it shows up everything. Its all a big learning process thsi hobby. I used to use SnJ years ago but its become hard to get hold of over here, hence my switch to Alclad.

Doogs:  that is a nice looking metal finish, and they are not very easy to accomplish.

Bish:  yes, 9138 looks like the right set from Hannants.  The number matches what Squadron themselves sell for the Hasegawa "G."  (Squadron's item number 9176 seems to be the set intended for Academy).

Accents and regional expressions are great.  I remember when I taught school in North Carolina, and in the secretary's office, she asked me to "mash the button."  She meant:  "turn on the light."

Anyone know of any shots of the cockpit of a Razorback that shows the seat?  I picked up the True Details a while back but it looks like the length from back front to back is a little short and it doesn't contain the small brace or whatever that is on the inside where the bottom meets the back.  The Ultracast seat would have probably been better to get I'm not sure its worth the 10+ dollars if the True Details is close enough.

Ok i cant resist. Im going to enter with my Dragon 1:32 P-51D 5-NA

Not sure who im doing it up as yet, im thinking of "Frenesi" from the 357th, ill have to do a little more research as the 5-NA didnt last very long, altho i could modify it and put the fillet in on the fin.

Scorpiomikey O, nice, a 1/32nd kit. I have added you but left out the unit and location for now. And welcome to the GB and thanks for joining.

check Thanks, ye on Hannants its says 9176 is for Minicraft. I will have a look at those B-24 waiste windows when i get back, see if they measure up.

Bish - fermis' P-40 build has an example of thermoforming a canopy...I can see where it would be really useful for doing a flat pane like a waist window, too.

redraider - I've got an excellent P-47 book that definitely has shots of the Razorback cockpit. Sadly, it's in the garage. I'll see if I can't snag a shot from it tonight. Also, FYI on the Ultracast seats, they come in pairs, so you're really getting two seats for $10. Didn't realize this when I ordered my P-47 seats, and didn't realize the Monogram's cockpit was a one-piece tub with the seat already molded in. So now I've got four seats...guess I'll just have to built four more Jugs!

Scorpiomikey - 1/32! Nice! The big scale's been calling out to me lately, too. Broke down and ordered Eduard's Bf-109E-4 Trop, and I've got Hasegawa's P-47, Wing-Scale's B-25, and a Wingnut Wings Sopwith Pup on the Christmas list. Looking forward to seeing the big 'Stang!

Work kicked my butt yesterday - and between that and various other obstacles life decided to hurl up - I almost didn't make it out to the bench last night. But I tend to be (even more) grumpy the next morning if I don't at least go putt around out there, so out I went, and ended up making some good progress.

First - I got the Ultracast wheels painted. My one cave to AM on this build, but they're totally worth it.

Next - I've got the big ol' paddle prop about 90% painted. Still have to do some detail painting around the prop hub. Colors are Tamiya Flat Yellow, X-1 Black, and Alclad II Airframe Aluminum.

Also painted the blast tubes. They look all curved and whatnot, but it's an optical illusion from the NMF. These are also finished in Airframe Aluminum. 

Finally - I laid down the base coat of MM RAF Ocean Gray enamel. Tonight I'll be going back to fade and blend. Hoping to be spraying the RAF Dark Green probably on Thanksgiving.

Doogs Thanks, i will check that out. I'm not planning on building the kit that needs it to some time, so got a while to sort it. Being forced to build 4 more jugs, isn't life a ***. Would love to see what you you think of that E-4Trop, i am really thinking about that one myself.

Bish

Would love to see what you you think of that E-4Trop, i am really thinking about that one myself.

You'll probably see soon - think I'll be cracking into it once I wrap up the Jug. Kinda itching to shake things up, and I think a 1/32 build might be just the thing. That...and I want to save my Corsair for my planned Weathering GB...

I have 4 1/32nd kit, but haven't built any yet, once i get my GB's out the way i might start on one.

A weathering GB, now that will be one to watch for. Migth sure i will be able to take part, but i will deffinatly keep on eye on it. I could do with picking up some tips for aircraft weathering.

Ok, im doing my bird up as 44-13318 Frenesi from the famous 357th FG not sure of the FS, still doing some research.

Try this link, its from Little friends. Should have the tail codes for most or every aircraft.

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/357thfg.php

except frenesi lol ( i did find out its meant to be pronounced "Free n Easy")

Frenesi P-51D 44-13318 Flown by Maj. Tom Hayes 364FS, 357FG 8AF Hayes flew an early D model without a fin fillet. Serving one tour in the Pacific theater and 2 victories, Hayes was transferred to Yoxford, England in 1944 where he added 9 more victories to his score within a total of 85 missions. He remained in the Air Force after the war and retired as Brigadier General in 1970.

How do you get such sharp demarcation lines between the wheel and the hub? I tried to mask but that just made me yell at the dog. What I ended up doing is flowing the tire color to the wheel and then spent an hour on each wheel dry brushing the flange on the wheel.

Well i paint my hubs when still of the sprue, assuming they are seperate from the tire. Ifs the hubs and tire are one piece, i paint and weather the hub and then brush paint the tire.

jbrady

How do you get such sharp demarcation lines between the wheel and the hub? I tried to mask but that just made me yell at the dog. What I ended up doing is flowing the tire color to the wheel and then spent an hour on each wheel dry brushing the flange on the wheel.

I use one of those green plastic circle templates that you can buy anywhere. Hold the hub against that and spray. I've only tried it on two kits, but it's worked well. Hard to get a perfect fit with one pair of tires - they had that flat/bulged thing going on - but the bit of overspray was easy to knock out with a detail brush. I use Vallejo Black Grey for tires, and it has amazing coverage properties.

Gear thingies weathered and ready for assembly...

I'm still not crazy about the wash. I left it on for less than five minutes and it was rock hard. I had to soak the parts in universal acryl thinner and scrub like hell to get the parts as light as they are now... maybe sealing the enamel with a dull coat before the wash? I'll have to give that a shot next time.

jbrady

I'm still not crazy about the wash. I left it on for less than five minutes and it was rock hard. I had to soak the parts in universal acryl thinner and scrub like hell to get the parts as light as they are now... maybe sealing the enamel with a dull coat before the wash? I'll have to give that a shot next time.

The wash looks pretty solid from here...maybe a bit heavy but not too bad.

You might want to try a gloss coat instead of a dull coat. Dull coats create a slightly rougher surface, with more little crevices for the wash to bite into. With gloss the wash will run to panel lines and such, and be easier to wipe off of flat surfaces.

I'd also recommend trying some artist oil paints and making a wash out of those. They have a very long drying time so you can keep working with them until you're happy.

Mixed it up a bit with the Ocean Gray last night.

Started with the base coat:

Then hit the main panels, some random streaks, etc, with 50/50 Ocean Gray/Flat White:

Then went back with a 75% thinned Ocean Gray to blend things back together:

One problem I've noticed with using Talon acrylic/SnJ enamel and the polishing powders is that the Dremel kicks crap everywhere. I wiped down the upper surfaces before I started painting, but obviously didn't do a great job, as I keep finding little cotton fibers from the polishing wheel stuck to the cowl, or the wing, or what-have-you. 

I think I'll be sticking with Alclad going forward. I like the polishing idea, but it's just too messy!

Thats another reason i prefer Alclad, no messing around with those powders.

Have i got this right, the scheme you are doing has an NMF underside and a grey top side. Thats a bit different, can't say i have seen that before.

Bish

Have i got this right, the scheme you are doing has an NMF underside and a grey top side. Thats a bit different, can't say i have seen that before.

The scheme on this one's actually pretty unique. NMF underside and Ocean Gray/Dark Green camo topside, with a red cowl and yellow rudder.

There's actually a lot of debate about whether Schilling's mount was NMF or Neutral Gray on the underside, with the compromise position that the port wing was replaced, and the underside left unpainted. But there's a pic out there somewhere showing the main starboard gear door looking very much like bare metal as well. 

Needless to say, I'm calling the paint version of gizmology on this one, and going with the scheme that looks cooler!

Now that does look nice, and very different. We normally just see the OD top and Grey underside or all over NMF. And going with the NMF underside, good choice.

Got the principal painting on the Jug completed tonight, and finally got to strip off the cowl and rudder masking. The camoflage lines are a bit harder edged than I wanted, but I'll take it.

While I was taking pictures, I also test-fitted a few of the Tamiya blast tubes:

WOW, i love that piant scheme. Deffinatly differant from OD. What did you use to mask.

Thanks! I used silly putty - stayed FAR away from play-doh this time...

I just noticed that i had not re done the dates on the GB badge. So i have just put a new one up with the correct dates.

Doogs, looks like your will be the first one up on the front page. Silly putty is hard to get hold of over here, so i use Bostic White Tac, similar to their Blu-Tac but alot easier to work with, but i still learning to work with it and trying to master a feathered edge with it. But then in 72nd scale thats not so much of an issue. You have done a brillant job with that.

DoogsATX: Love that camo. I hope I can do something like that someday.

I got the major painting out of the way last night. Needs touch up and I have to decide how much to ding and weather the airframe. I remember reading in "Thunderbolt" that Johnson's crewchief kept his aircraft in pretty good condition and the few pictures I have don't really help.

I'm not unhappy with the result but I know I have a long way to go to match some of the other work I see here and on other sites. I have to be more careful with small decals. The instrument panel decal disintegrated under Micro Set so I got blank dials.

Thats looking very nice, pity about the dials, but we live and learn.

personally i don't go to over the top with weathering aircraft. Staining and a bit of chipping would be the main thing, plus the panel lines.

Thanks again, gents! I still have Monogram's decals to worry about, though, so I'm far from out of the woods yet!

Bish - Elmer's makes a white-tac over here...I definitely prefer it to blu-tac since its a lot less stick, but I've also found it's not as malleable, and in the warmer months it has a tendency to stick to surfaces. Not as bad as that play-doh did on my Yak, but frustrating nonetheless.

jbrady - the paint's looking pretty solid from over here! The only thing I'd suggest would be maybe varying it up a bit. The Wolfpack planes were generally kept in good condition, but that doesn't mean a showroom finish. Paints faded against the beating of flight, and the more intense UV at higher altitudes. Touch-ups wouldn't quite match the original finish, etc. From what I've read, a freshly waxed P-47 was about 10 mph faster, but that's not so much about the condition of the paint as the smoothness of the surface. 

Here are a few pics of 56th FG birds that show how battered even well-maintained planes can look. You can definitely see the effects of the waxing, but also the kind of battered and fading paint underneath.