Well, I've got a lot of catching up to do. One word, homework...
Theuns, I think Marge turned out great! 1/72 is like a different world to me and not easy to work with.
Helo H-34, your build is looking good. I've eyeballed that kit several times at one LHS and it's tempted me. Guess I was kind of afraid it would go together like this old Monogram kit. Think I'm going to hold out for a 1/32 Trumpeter some day.
Wabash Wheels, your F-5 is gorgeous! I really like it and the blue you went with looks perfect.
B-17Pilot, nice job. I hadn't noticed that frame till you mentioned it. Checked out the pictures I have and sure enough, there it is. Did you add the opening in the fuselage top for the boarding ladder? The Monogram version doesn't have it and I wish I had thought to open it up.
Vance, detail away buddy! We still have about 3 months.
P-38Guy, thanks for all the information and pics you've been posting.
I've gotten a little done. A little over the weekend but mostly today. Added some shims to the booms and got them fitting a little better.
Epoxied some weight behind and too the cowlings. Not quite enough, will still have to add some in the nose. I used some .22LR bullets I pulled from a box of ammo that didn't want to shoot in anything I own...
The gun barrels in my kit were pretty rough. Nothing round about them. I cut up some brass .062 tubing and .030 rod and made some new ones. Didn't add the step down at the muzzle or drill them out yet. Took a little while but they're better than they were.
Got the cowlings glued on the booms. They didn't match up very well so I had to putty and sand but have to add the seam back. Went ahead and glued the booms on. I think they lined up ok but there's still a bit of filling and sanding to do.
That's about all for now. Not going to sand them all the way off but I've been working on sanding down the multitude of rivets a little. They are pretty much all there on the 1:1, just not so prominent. When I get to that point I do intend to go with NMF so who knows what it's gonna look like in the end...
Tony