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

jbrady-you're making great progress on what I'm sure is a challenging build.

I made some progress on the Monogram 1/48 P-51D-interior is done.  Hope to have the fuselage together, wings on and primed by the end of the day.  Still trying to decide on an O.D. or silver finish....

A little bit of wire along the battery/radio pack and along the side walls would have added to the build, but time is starting to become a concern.

Cheers

Some very nice work there. jbrady, hope your feeling ok, but don't seem to be slowing you down much.

bob, nice interior, i know what you mean about time, i really wanted to add alot more on the inside of my B-17, but i just didn't think i would have the time. Yours is coming along nice even without it.

Got the OD on the Beech. The trick with this one is not to weather it too much. I doubt these aircraft operated much above 5000 feet. They wouldn't experience the ultraviolet fading of aircraft working above 10,000 feet. I decided to fade a little on the top surface and then to dry brush the rib and other details with lightened base coat.

I like it so far. One more dry brushing and then a pin was for the panel lines... this one is in the home stretch.

I like it a lot, a nice approach. You can just tell it's been weathered, but only just. Good thinking on your part, it would have been so easy to over do it.

Nice paint job Jbrady-good thinking on the weathering.  I think you've got it nailed.

Thanks bish.  One of these days I'm going to build this kit (Revell/Monogram) and dress it up a bit.

Anyway, here's where I am now-fuselage is together, wings attached and the fit was very good.  I've still managed to do a less than stellar job on the filing/sanding....and with the silver, it shows!  I'm not going to worry about it....with some creative photography, I might be able to 'hide' most of them...the OD cowl painting is a bit off but the 357th checkerboard on the nose should cover the error....if the Aeromaster decal fits the Revell kit...if not, time for Plan B....

I'm planning on building the 'Arkansas Traveler'.  Future goes on tomorrow, decals Saturday, more Future on Sunday and then the weathering starts next week.

Well it looking good from here bob, what have you used for the NMF.

Bish

Well it looking good from here bob, what have you used for the NMF.

Thanks Bish.  This time I used some rattle can Tamiya Leaf Silver....or is it Silver Leaf?....I forget.  I'm not planning on using polishing powders.  My favorite NMF is Talon acrylic & powders but I am going for quick & easy this time.  I am going to pull out an old issue of FSM that has a good article on weathering NMF's and give that a shot.

Bob: Nice job on the Mustang... Got to build a D model one day.

As for the Beech in the home stretch... not so much. Concussion syndrome and pain meds mean I'm in a perpetual fog. Looking at the model this morning I realized I had neglected a seam on the leading edge of the bottom wing. Wanted to take a pic to illustrate but filled the seam first. Some days I can't remember what I had for lunch an hour ago. Late last night I decided to restart one of my B 25's. The color scheme is OD over NMF. Got the Talon down a couple of days ago masked the demarcation line and then painted the bottom of the damn thing OD. Odd looking bird.

Well bob it certainly looks good.

brady, probably best to take things easy when your not feeling to good. Models may be important, but not at the expense of your health, and theres still plenty of time yet.

jbrady

Bob: Nice job on the Mustang... Got to build a D model one day.

 Late last night I decided to restart one of my B 25's. The color scheme is OD over NMF. Got the Talon down a couple of days ago masked the demarcation line and then painted the bottom of the damn thing OD. Odd looking bird.

haha, you should totally keep it that way. That sounds like too much fun!

Just a quick update to get this page on page one. Got back to the 17 on Monday. Almost got the engines done and should be adding them today. I hope to have the underside painted by tomorrow night, so then i will be able to get the OD on next Mon. have also added most of the canopies and got them masked. Will add a few photos at the weekend.

I am glad this is now coming along, i see some light at the end of the tunnel. This week i have finished the engines and added the cowls. Even the resin quickboost cowls were not 100% and need a little help from Eduard. These are now added, and the masking done. Wedensday i got the underside grey painted. Now home for a long weekend so by Monday i will be able to mask the bottom and spray the TD. That going to be done over a couple of days as i want to get a bit of variety in the OD in certain areas, but fingurs crossed i can have the decals on by the end of the week.

I have also been working on the undercarrage and weaponds, so hopefully these will be ready by the time the painting is complete.

Thanks for looking, and as always, comments welcome.

Bish - the Fort's looking mighty fine! Can't wait to see it with paint!

Speaking of paint...my masks showed up today...sans the 1/48 cowl masks. Long story, but Kenny @ Gators Masks basically gave me the P-51 masks gratis in exchange for ordering several national insignia masks, so it's not like I'm out cash on the missing ones. Anyway...made my own masks (details here) and painted the nose tonight with Vallejo Prussian Blue:

Up next - clear coat and decals!

Thanks, got the first coat of OD on last night. I plan on doing it in several stages to try and get a slightly faded look. I will do a more detailed update on that on the weathering GB.

Mustang looks great, i will deffinatly check out your masks, sure i can pick up some tips there. What did you use for the NMF again.

Alclad

I thought so. One problem i had on my Alclad painted builds was sealing the decals. But then i saw a post the other week where the guy used an Alclad product i wasn't aware of which allows you to seal the decals yet no spoil the NMF finish. I couldn't recall from your previous NMF builds if and how you sealed you decals. Was woundering if you used the same stuff or not.

Finally getting some good progress going, so now i got the OD on thought i would do an update. It had a coat of straight xtracolor OD on Monday, then tonight i faded it. I used xtracolors faded OD, first by adding a few drops of normal OD so it made less of a contrast. Then i added 3 more layers, each lighter in shade and how much i layed on.

Straight OD

The seam between the top turret and radio compartment isn't perfect, but i decided i could live with it to get this done.

Then after 3 coats, each lighter in shade and finer coverage.

After leaving it for a few hours, i applied a final coat with the faded OD lightened with some white, lighter misted over the upper wings and fuselage. Doesn't look much different from the pic above, it is only slight.

The final stage will be to get some faded OD lighted with white oil's to dry brush the rudder.

First time i have tried this approach, and i am pretty happy with it.

Bish - the OD is looking good. Hard to tell the difference between the last two shots, but I think that's probably the result of the lighting.

My P-51 got its decals last night. Insignia and stencils were stolen from a Tamiya P-51 "9th Air Force" edition I have in the stash. Usual P-51D, but the decals are printed by Cartograf, and a big step up from the Tamiya usual. Nose and squadron art, letters, tail number from the kit's decal sheet. 

Ye, it is a bit, deffinatly need to work on my photography. There is a bit of an issue as to the decals, i am not very sure they represent a real aircrfat from the 96th. But as i can't find any more right now, afraid they will have to be good enough.

Once again your up there with the best of them. This is the shrot of finish i really hope to get on my 3 Bodney P-51's and why i did other kits first.

Top notch mate

Another update on the B-17. I have added white oil to the faded OD. I have gone a bit to far. And the upper control surfaces should really be lighter than the rudder, but i don't want to go any further. Hopefully i can darken it up a touch. this time i didn't use my lamps to add lighting when i took the pics, and the real colour of the aircraft has come out in the photo's.

have alos found out, with the help of forum member B17, that the markings for this may not be real. The serial number matchs a C-46. So either they made an error and printed one of the numbers wrong, or its a total fiction of someones imagination. Either way, to late to get any replacements, even if i could find decals for another 17F  of the 96th, which i can't. So, it's possable this aircraft doesn't even fit into my own GB

that is a really light colored B-17. I didnt know the OD faded that much!

Does the specific B-17 you are modeling have a name? If it does would it be possible to look up the name and discover its serial number, and then rearrange the decal?

The fadeing of the main part of the aircrfat is not that much. The control surfaces did fade more as they were fabric, but i have over done it.

This aircrfat doesn't have any nose art, which is one thing that got me suspicious. Not all B-17's had nose art, but there weren't many. I have tried useing the aircrfat codes letters, even the pilots name, which appears on the decal instructions. But they are from a small Czech company, which doesn't even seem to have its own website.

Bish

The fadeing of the main part of the aircrfat is not that much. The control surfaces did fade more as they were fabric, but i have over done it.

This aircrfat doesn't have any nose art, which is one thing that got me suspicious. Not all B-17's had nose art, but there weren't many. I have tried useing the aircrfat codes letters, even the pilots name, which appears on the decal instructions. But they are from a small Czech company, which doesn't even seem to have its own website.

IDK, the pics make the OD body seem really really washed out, more like a dusty grey color than an olive drab green.

what is the problem with getting correct decals? The GB ends in October, surely they would arrive in time, even with snail-mail.

It does look more OD in the flesh. I have done an OD before on my B-24, but not tried to go to this level. If nothing else its a lesson learnt, i have a bit of time, so i may be able to correct it.

If i could find the right decals, then i would be able to get them in time. But i can't find any for the 96th BG, let alone for a 17F.

Bish

If i could find the right decals, then i would be able to get them in time. But i can't find any for the 96th BG, let alone for a 17F.

does it have to be the 96th BG? or could you get another?

Bish,  there is a company in the U.K. called Kits World.  They have decals sheets with call letters, serial numbers, bomb groups, mission, and kill marks.  I hope this helps.

OWl, ye, this is part of a presonal project to build aircrfat from all the airfields of Norfolk. There were only 3 that used B-17's. I have the decals and aircrfat for Thorpe Abbots, Deopham Green only had B-17G, so that leaves the 96th at Snetterton.

J, thanks, i ahve seen there sheets on Hannants, didn't realise they were from the UK though. But again, they don't have anything from the 96th.

I am happy to live with it. I am sure not every B-17 was photographed, and if i find out later that the decal company made an error, i am sure it can be chagned. My guess is that one of the serial numbers is wrong, an easy mistake.

As for the colour, i am going to try a light misting of the faded OD to see if i can recover some of the colour. I wanted to try something different and knew it was a risk. I don't think it payed off, so thats anothe rlesson learned.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, much appreciated.

Been doing some more searching today and i am convinced there's decals do not represent a real aircraft. Either they were totally made up, or they made an error with the serial. To that end, i am going to put it to one side until i can find some markings for a real 17F of the 96th BG. To that end, i am going to change my build to a B-24D lead ship of the 445th BG based at Tibenham in Norfolk. Its not the one shown on the box but the alternate markings. And i have pics of the real thing this time.

I know its a bit late, just under 2 months to do. But as a lead ship it has no weapons and the rear interior will not need much detailing as the hatches for the waste guns will be closed.

Bish-sorry to read about your misfortune with the B-17 decals.  Hopefully you can find a set soon to meet the build that you're working towards.  I really want to add a Fortress to my collection.  Just lacking space & time....

I've made a little progress on the P-51.  This is the old Monogram kit-good detail but the fit can be lacking at places.  I made the mistake of overlooking a few seams that I decided to go back (after painting & decaling) and correct.  Think I'm done now.....not my best work, but given the time constraints, I'm going to move to weathering next.  The Mustang has been Future'd so maybe an oil wash later this week.

I had some trouble with the prop hub & cowling decals.  If I had the time and a different scheme, I'd repaint and start over.  I'll make do with what I've got now.

Cheers

Bob - your pony is lookin' pretty sweet! And I LOVE the lego holders you've got going on. In fact...I think you just helped me figure out how I'll transport a few builds to the local contest in a few weeks. 

Time to steal some of the boy's Duplo!