Monogram Mafia Group Build

Still trying to get it all together.  The P39 still fits great, with a little filler needed and a ton of fishing sinkers in the nose to keep it from tail sittin'.  Some issues with decals; knotted up one of my national insignia and attempted to use the old Monogram sheet as a replacement.  It disintegrated as I tried to place it.  A lesson learned; if you want to use the kit supplied decals; build the dang thing less than 10 years after you buy it!!

Still struggling with the Mustang.  Metalizer looks great until I start buffing.  Then the many flaws come out.  First time NMF for me and I'm hoping to salvage it.  You really have to have a flawless finish before you apply that metal finish.  My compliments to those of you on this build that seem to have mastered it.  

Still need to finish up the 'cobra with a clear coat and some weathering.  P51, hopefully some progress over then next week or so.  Seem to be running out of free time!

Comments and suggestions always welcome!

Talafar D.

Bob, Mike, Glenn - great looking work!! 

Ken

mississippivol

Time's runnin' short all of a sudden. I got past the painting stage. Testor's silver first, followed by Testor's aluminum for contrast, mainly on the mid-fuselage and upper part of the wings. I'll probably use some Future on a few more panels for more contrast. It shows up better in person than in the picture. Next step is to get her on her feet (landing gear), then decals, followed by final assembly. I'm having to do everything either in the floor or on the dining room table, t'ain't no room on my desk anymore!

Glenn

Hey hey, you decieded to build the "monster" huh?  i have that one to do for the Too Many Props GB and am delaying as long as possible.  She looks great, any things to watch out for..... other that the size?

Time's runnin' short all of a sudden. I got past the painting stage. Testor's silver first, followed by Testor's aluminum for contrast, mainly on the mid-fuselage and upper part of the wings. I'll probably use some Future on a few more panels for more contrast. It shows up better in person than in the picture. Next step is to get her on her feet (landing gear), then decals, followed by final assembly. I'm having to do everything either in the floor or on the dining room table, t'ain't no room on my desk anymore!

Glenn

Mike, I love your P-40!  The camoflage looks perfect.

One of the -B kits in my stash is slated for a Pearl Harbor Defender finish, and another for my "Doomed at the Start" collection.  It is a great little kit, a classic.  I can't wait to see your finish!

Mike-nice P-40 too....bang up job.  Looking forward to more progress pics.

Maybe I'll get into Hans' B-25 GB around the first of the year, depending on what my schedule looks like.  I'm still a couple of commitments behind at the moment.....

Despite fighting that right side cab door and all window glazing, my P39, "Toddy III," is all decaled up and awaiting a final coat of sealer.  Not my best work, but my best work in years.  I bought that kit around 1990 or so when it was boxed with the former "Confederate Air Force" box top.  One of those kits on the 'to do list' is finally working its way to completion.

Great work everyone; really enjoy the updates and pictures.  I hope to get one up of my P39 in the next coupla days. Just a little weathering and a little touch up here and there.  Hopefully the decals won't get destroyed by my top coat.....

TAD

Great looking early war P40.  Will that be a Pearl Harbor defender??  Does look a little strange without that sharkmouth, but oh so nice!!

Bob, thanks for the kind words.  You know, Hans started a B-25 group build over in the aircraft forum...it's open ended too.  Lots of information to be had over there.  Just sayin...  

Len, the seam wasn't really bad.  The part that I was showing was the area that had been melted.  I cut it away and formed a new section of skin.  It actually wasn't difficult at all.  Don't know what I was fretting over.

Thought that since I showed an update of the B-25 earlier I would show the P-40 and what it looks like currently..

You know, this is the first P-40 I've ever built without some sort of shark/tiger mouth..  Hmm.  Figured I'd try something different..

Mike

Mike-the Mitchell is looking good.  I just added one to the stash this weekend-50% off coupon @ Micheal's...couldn't pass it up.  Now to just get it built....

swingr1121

Got some updates to show.. 

The B-25 is actually looking like one now...

 

 

Remember this?

 

Here it is now..

 

Not too bad, eh?

Not a tail sitter either..  well, sometimes..

 

That's all for now.  With some more rain in the forecast I'll have a good amount of time to dedicate at the bench.  We'll see how it goes..

 

Mike

swingr1121

Got some updates to show.. 

The B-25 is actually looking like one now...

 

 

Remember this?

 

Here it is now..

 

Not too bad, eh?

Not a tail sitter either..  well, sometimes..

 

That's all for now.  With some more rain in the forecast I'll have a good amount of time to dedicate at the bench.  We'll see how it goes..

 

Mike

Got some updates to show.. 

The B-25 is actually looking like one now...

Remember this?

Here it is now..

Not too bad, eh?

Not a tail sitter either..  well, sometimes..

That's all for now.  With some more rain in the forecast I'll have a good amount of time to dedicate at the bench.  We'll see how it goes..

Mike

looking good !

Thanks Hutch.  Yeah, autos & planes are two different animals.  It's been awhile since I've work with a car....having some fun.  Just trying to figure out how to get the radiator in, based on the instructions....

Nice job on the Mustang and Cobra, Bob.  Where do you attach the wings on the Cobra?  Just kidding.  Your builds look very clean....sweet!!!

Stik & Mike-great work.  Seeing your builds makes me want to build more of the older Monogram classics.

Some progress on the P-51D.  Decals on the prop & cowl gave me fits.  I'm not happy with them, but I'm lacking the time and alternate scheme to repaint & decal.  Maybe at a later day...for now, it's all good. And I want to attempt some NMF weathering techniques from a FSM article I saw a while back, so this will work.

For my second build, the Cobra has been painted and decals applied.  I remembered to spray the decals with the Testors Decal Film so they turned out fine....no breaking up.  Also, I noticed that where the hood and trunk stripes had openings, the white would have shown through.  I painted black around those areas, so it worked out well.  I had time today to assemble the engine & suspension components, get those parts primed and drop some of the chrome parts in some Simple Green to strip off the plating.  Most of the exposed chrome parts (wheels, bumpers, roll bar) of the Essex Wire Cobra were flat black/gunmetal. If the Simple Green doesn't work, then I'll pick up some Castrol Super Clean. 

The hood could use a shim at the front, but I'm not going to take the time....that and I lack the skill to do it right.....

That's outstanding work you're doing on that P-40, Mike..

bondoman

You know, I think he actually was pretty sanguine abt the whole thing. If the terrorists got an old guy and a CMOH from the internet, why not run him through security.

No exceptions. Gotta face the fact that life will never be the same again.

The TSA's concern was that it was a "weapon", like a "Ninja Throwing Star"..... They kept passing it around, puzzled by it, according the General Foss... He told 'em "Flip it over, read it,  and it'll explain everything. That's my Congressional Medal of Honor"....

They should've, at the VERY least,  known what it WAS, is my point...  

BTW,  If you buy a Meal of Honor off the internet (or anywhere else, for that matter, and then take posession of it, you're commiting a crime... It's illegal to posses the MoH if you weren't the one that received it, or an immediate family member of the recipient...  It's also illegal to sell the real, received Medal.

Most replicas are one-sided, die-stamped steel as well.. That hasn't stopped posers from using it though... It's good enough to pass in a photo.. But there are some good ones out there too..

You know, I think he actually was pretty sanguine abt the whole thing. If the terrorists got an old guy and a CMOH from the internet, why not run him through security.

No exceptions. Gotta face the fact that life will never be the same again.

Hans von Hammer

I read about his bout with the TSA at the airport and The Medal with some amusement, thinking that, "Boy, is HE ever gonna give 'em a history lesson from Hell...". Turns out he didn't, but he was rather saddened that they didn't know what the Medal of Honor was..  He may have been saddened, but I was PO'd... There's no good reason why any AMERICAN over the age of 13 shouldn't know what the Medal is...  ESPECIALLY during wartime...

 

Are you kidding me?

Hans von Hammer

 

kbuzz01:

 

That's a hilarious tale, Hammer!  Did you build him a Wildcat? 

Ken

 

 

I did indeed start on it... Unfortunately, he passed away before I was able to get it to him..

kermit

Swingr,

My best guess would be to cut the offended part square so the bent molten part is gone. Then cut a piece of styrene sheet to its proper size. Glue that in and add Filler as needed...

Richard

Ditto..

kbuzz01

That's a hilarious tale, Hammer!  Did you build him a Wildcat? 

Ken

I did indeed start on it... Unfortunately, he passed away before I was able to get it to him..

Base coat of Sea Blue on. Bombs. Speed Brakes, and assorted other fiddly bits painted...

That's a hilarious tale, Hammer!  Did you build him a Wildcat? 

Ken

Yeah, I got him to autograph my copy of his book, Joe Foss-A Proud American...  Over the course of the conversation, I asked him if he'd mind if I did a model of his Wildcat for him, and he replied, "Jezuzz Kee-rist, son... You have any idea how many models of those damn airplanes I get , just sent to me? I toss 'em in the trash, I get so many.."..   Feeling a little red-faced, I just was gonna let it drop... Then he said, "But damn-straight you can.. You're the first person that ever ASKED me first...". 

I read about his bout with the TSA at the airport and The Medal with some amusement, thinking that, "Boy, is HE ever gonna give 'em a history lesson from Hell...". Turns out he didn't, but he was rather saddened that they didn't know what the Medal of Honor was..  He may have been saddened, but I was PO'd... There's no good reason why any AMERICAN over the age of 13 shouldn't know what the Medal is...  ESPECIALLY during wartime...