Monogram Mafia Group Build

The hot setup was the boat tail Duesie.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/monogram-metal-plastic-duesenberg-113056679

These kits all had a die cast body/ fender assembly- everything else was plastic.

Hans von Hammer

Outstanding work on the Dawg, Mike..

Tell me more about that MG though.. Not familiar with Monogram and die-cast...

Hans,

Monogram did a series of car kits in the late 70's with metal bodies, off the top of my head there was a 57 T-bird, MG-TC, a Jaguar of some kind and a 53 Vette.  I know the T-bird, Vette and MG have since been re-released with plastic bodies.  The Vette is one of the finest Corvette kits out there.  Got to hang out some with the CAF guys in Lancaster, Tx.  Got to see their L-5 and the Cold War Air Museum's Hind come in from an airshow in Bryan.  Aside from spending time in the land of the heathen (a Ford guy at Super Chevy weekend), it was a good day. It was for a good cause though, helped with the Make and Take, what a thrill it was to help plant the seed in some young'uns.

I was finally able to get back in the mancave and working today, sure was relaxing leme tell ya. Anyway I made a bit of progress on the P-51, got the wings and fuse glued together. I like to pose the control surfaces on the 51s I build and this one is no exception. I read a tip in FSM submitted by Fermis that I decided to try out, and it worked perfectly even though the tip seemed kinda, well, strange at first glance.  I cut the flaps and elevators off with sewing thread, the cuts were very clean and straight needing a minimum of clean up and was much faster than cutting them with a hobby knife. Thanks Fermis

All these cuts only took a half hour neat huh.

I dont know if it was me or the kit but the seams arent bad on this one at all, not much clean up to be done other than on the radiator scoop. Hopefully I will get back to the bench again tomorrow.

Kermit the Mitchel is coming along very well, your seam work is to be envied for sure. Cant wait to see some paint on her, I will also note the nose weight thing for my build. Glad to see you are back building too

Troublemaker your SBD is looking great, I like the fact that you drilled out the dive brakes a nice touch. I have gotten missing parts from Revell with no trouble at all a couple of times, would have to consider their customer service top notch. So you should have no troubles there. Testers is another one that has great customer service too.

I scored at Michaels the other day, went looking to buy an A-10 kit with my 50% off coupon and spotted the only armor I have seen there, a 1/32 Monogram, yes a Monogram Box, not Revell, brand new M48A2 Patton Tank So guess what I walked out with for 12 bucks Me thinks this will be my first armor build.

Ok you wise guys...

I`m 99.9% done with my SBD. Took some crappy pics of my progress. I cut the 2 section canopy into 5 0r 6 pieces and shot my self in the foot by doing it...can`t get it to fit right now... Thinking about beggin` Revell for a new one..lol.

Here`s what I have...

I`ll clean it up and take some better shots later today. Thanks for looking...Len

Hey guys,

My B25J is just a few hours away from the paintbooth. Just some last moment gap filling around the glasswork and engine nacelles left.

The only thing that didn't go as planned was the fact that 40 grams of weight in the nose, as instructed by revell wasn't nearly enough so i am dealing with a tail sitter.... So i am forced to make it a parked aircraft with the little stairs attached to the belly at the back. Just might work....

Masking all this glasswork took me a full evening...:

And since the method worked for a submarine with exposed side i did recently i chose to fill up the holes and bomb bay with wet kitchen towel. Worked great last time...

N e ways. Next time you see her she will have some color on her

Richard

Normally I do leave it off unless I have to have it on for some reason.  In the case of the panther, the front gear strut is modled as part of the front of the landing gear bay, in one piece.  The only seperate part is the small torsion spring which attaches to it.  The size of the opening to the bay after buttoning up the fuselage makes it very very difficult to get the thing in after closing everything up.  And for painting, you need it in place.  Otherwise you won't be able to get a good glue seal on it.  This one kit just always seems to have the same issue...  The stupid strut always snaps off just below the level of the gear doors, so it's not hard to close the doors neatly at least.   Lol.  I was looking for another strut, and I found the stuff I needed to repair the P39 kit so I might be able to get that one done as well.  As they say out west YeeeeeHawww!!!

Rich

Hans von Hammer

Sorry to hear about yer bad luck gear luck, Sparrow.. Sounds as if you may have to leave the gear struts off until the almost very last step on future builds...  I do more often than not, since I gotta handle the aircraft pretty firmly at times, in order to punch open flak holes and stuff like that... There's really no reason put the struts in the bays anyway, unless it's impossible to fit them after you close up a fuselage or nacelle...

Another thing you may try in the future is wrapping the struts in masking tape if they have to be installed during the early stages...  The tape will act as a stress-relief...

 

Hans von Hammer

Another thing you may try in the future is wrapping the struts in masking tape if they have to be installed during the early stages...  The tape will act as a stress-relief...

 

Sorry to hear about yer bad luck gear luck, Sparrow.. Sounds as if you may have to leave the gear struts off until the almost very last step on future builds...  I do more often than not, since I gotta handle the aircraft pretty firmly at times, in order to punch open flak holes and stuff like that... There's really no reason put the struts in the bays anyway, unless it's impossible to fit them after you close up a fuselage or nacelle...

Another thing you may try in the future is wrapping the struts in masking tape if they have to be installed during the early stages...  The tape will act as a stress-relief...

Yeah I've seen that place. We get up to Phil's in Moss Landing sometimes.

I was thinking that the metal car kits were a different brand, but memory deceives me I guess. I'm going to see if I can find mine.

My vote which is also a WAG would be that the F9 wells were green. But I don't really know. All the pics I have  are b/w.

Thanks for the info Bondoman. If I was going to Carmel, I wouldn't use 17 either. The worst road I have been on is Rt. 175  from 101 from Hopland to Lakeport. There are hairpin curves there marked for 10mph, and that is the best speed for them or else you will go off the road and straight down!

I know of a nice little Japanese restaurant (Hanabi) in Castroville at the mall where rts. 156 and 183 meets that serves good food with tempura artichokes as an appetizer. What do you expect in the artichoke capitol!

My Vietnamese Coastal Junk is coming along, There are some fit problems, more gaps than anything else. As a civilian boat it will look nice.My wife should appreciate it.

Mike T.

There was a Duesenberg too.I have that MG in the stash somewhere, but I think the metal has deteriorated.

I'm going to start my Phantom Mustang as soon as I finish the Pucara for the Falklands/ Malvinas GB.

Mike, Route 17 brings back a lot of memories. When I was a kid we used to spend a week every summer down in Santa Cruz, at Rio Del Mar, a couple hours south of where I grew up in Palo Alto. At the time there was no barrier in the centerline and it was really a bad road. My wife just inherited a house down in Carmel, and we go down every weekend to work on it, but I will NOT use 17.

Years ago there were saw mills all along the ocean side of 17, Scotts Valley etc. And Santas Village theme park.

I've got a book called something like "Central Coast Railroads" which is about the train line from San Jose to Santa Cruz and up to Davenport. Now they switch the cement plant up there from Watsonville.

There also used to be an old flume that ran along the south side of the canyon up there, across from the highway.

Thanks Hans - I tried to get the wood on the bed to look like oak, while more of a western hemlock look to the logs. In the past month I had to travel from San Fran down to Watsonville just south of Santa Cruz via Rt. 17. Rt 17 goes through the Santa Cruz mountains and there are numerous large conifers along the side of it. I noticed that the bark was definelty a flat texture and did so. I found the chain to be a little short and replaced it with blackened anchor chain I had in my spare box.

Monogram came out with a couple of cars with diecast bodies during the 1970's, the MG-TC (1pprox. 1948-50) was one of them. Its a great car to go alonside my Tamiya Morgan Roadster (Ducky's car from NCIS)and Lotus 7 Series II (the "Prisoner" opening scenes). The instrument decals came from spares as well. The kit didn't come with decals at all.

Mike T.

Thanks for the info, but the point is now moot.  I don't know what the frak is with this kit, but every single time I build one, I have issues with the weak nose gear.  It just snapped in half at some point and I can't find it so I have sealed up the bays.  This is now an in flight build minus the pilot.  I had to wait for the gear bay doors to dry and should be painting thew last today.  I decided to give the bottom another coat of BAB.  There were a bunch of dark areas I only saw when I brought it out to dry on our porch.

Rich

Hans von Hammer

 

I'm not 100 percent sure on the correct color for the Blue Angels birds in the landing gear bays, so I stuck with the Interior green called for in the instructions.  If anyone has any better info, please let me know.

 

Don't think it really matters, but generally speaking , on operational Panthers anyway, the colors were either Dark Sea Blue or White (on the grey /white camouflage scheme started appearing sometime in the mid/late-50s, with white interiors allowing easier visual inspections of the bays for hydraulic leaks)... 

However, while  watching "Men of the Fighting Lady" the other night, the F9F bays were Dark Sea Blue (this movie was dated 1954 also, so it's definately post- Korean War), same as the camouflage.. Now for the SWAG...

Since the Blues' aircraft were supposed to be able to go back into operational service at any time, I'd say they were blue in there as well... I also have a pic or two of Voris's  B.A. F9F that shows part of the nose-gear bay door as being dark-clored, guessing it to be blue..

 

Outstanding work on the Dawg, Mike..

Tell me more about that MG though.. Not familiar with Monogram and die-cast...

I'm not 100 percent sure on the correct color for the Blue Angels birds in the landing gear bays, so I stuck with the Interior green called for in the instructions.  If anyone has any better info, please let me know.

Don't think it really matters, but generally speaking , on operational Panthers anyway, the colors were either Dark Sea Blue or White (on the grey /white camouflage scheme started appearing sometime in the mid/late-50s, with white interiors allowing easier visual inspections of the bays for hydraulic leaks)... 

However, while  watching "Men of the Fighting Lady" the other night, the F9F bays were Dark Sea Blue (this movie was dated 1954 also, so it's definately post- Korean War), same as the camouflage.. Now for the SWAG...

Since the Blues' aircraft were supposed to be able to go back into operational service at any time, I'd say they were blue in there as well... I also have a pic or two of Voris's  B.A. F9F that shows part of the nose-gear bay door as being dark-clored, guessing it to be blue..

kustommodeler1

Well, Hans, sadly I may have to turn in my badge. Starting June 6, I will be attending college for 2 years, as I was laid off in November last year, and the paperwork has finally come through on my trade adjustment act, which pays for the tuiton and materials to attend classes, as my work was directly affected by outsourcing.

My first semester I'm gonna have three 8 hour days and two 12 hour days a week. This will get my pre-requisites out of the way quickly though, but there will be no time to build.

 

I am so sorry folks, but I gotta take advantage of 2 free years of college!

 

Just let me know what you think. Thanks.

What's the Maximum Effective Range of an excuse?

My wife's doing the same thing, her company closed and went to Mexico...

You still got time...

mississippivol

I finally found something to get the nose down on the Peacemaker. Turns out it was a long shank padlock. With that, I have the fuselage together. Some nasty seams and cleanup will commence shortly. If I can get a camera, I'll post a couple of pics.

Glenn

Might be a little late, but for the B-29 I sandwiched a machine screw in the nosewheel and drilled a corresponding hole in the base to keep the Superfort's nose on the ground (If you ain't a diorama-guy, just make the base as long as the fuselage, and wide enough to accept the landing gear... Dunno if that'll work on your B-36 (because of teh wheel-size in 1/72), but it's an alternative to putting bar-bell weights in the noses...

Sweet Build

I finally found something to get the nose down on the Peacemaker. Turns out it was a long shank padlock. With that, I have the fuselage together. Some nasty seams and cleanup will commence shortly. If I can get a camera, I'll post a couple of pics.

Glenn

Don Hammerloni, paisano's,....

I present you proof of my latest work as promised. The B25 is just about ready to close up and receive it's wings:

More proof of Monogram/ revell superiority soon

Richard

Hans von Hammer

 

64th FIS/405th FW
82nd FIS/51st FW
509th FIS/405th FW 

Well look at that...pretty sweet! I just realized that the Encore Models (re)boxing of the 102 comes with SEA scheme decals as well - may have to see if I can find someone who doesn't plan on using them.

Hey everybody,

Just popping by to let everyone know i am still alive Been in a modelers block black hole build depression kinda thing but i think im starting to see light at the end of the tunnel...

Been recommencing work on my B25 again this weekend and i will post some WIP's soon

Richard

Well.  I just got through shooting the main Blue Angel Blue on the F9F.  I'll let it cure overnight before decals.  The paint job came out pretty good.  I'm starting to feel more confident with the airbrush, Although I am still having an issue with the jar slipping out of the receptacle on the brush.  I really think they should have used metal for the feed tube.  Plastic just wears out too fast.  I'll post some images when she's all dry, before decals and after.

Rich

Here's my Mack Bulldog Log Carrier. It wasn't an easy build, as I found the instructions not exact with steps out of sequence. But its finally done. With it is another Monogram kit in the same scale 1/24 of rhw MG-TC which has a diecast body.

Mike T.

bondoman

Glenn I kid you not. I got a 2 1./2" long 1/2" bolt and filled it with nuts. Glued it in the compartment where the gun turrets lived.

I believe it! This is going to be one heavy joker.

Glenn I kid you not. I got a 2 1./2" long 1/2" bolt and filled it with nuts. Glued it in the compartment where the gun turrets lived.

Hi ya'll,

I haven't posted since announcing, but I was finishing up on the Phantom GB. I did get the B-36 started back in March, but am now going full bore. I've got to get some more fishing sinkers, I don't think I'm ever going to get the CoG forward enough to avoid the pedestal.

Glenn

Well.  The major assembly is finished on the F9F Blue Angels Panther.  Here are a bunch of WIP Images taken over the construction process.  Tomorrow it's paint and decalling time.  I could have gone to paint today but it is much too humid here right now.  So On with the show.

First off, the Pedigree..

Now the WIP Images...   "In the Beginning.."

Next is a shot of the painting process about halfway done on the cockpit tub and instrument panels.  They look a lot better in person than the images.

Now the front landing gear bay.  I'm not 100 percent sure on the correct color for the Blue Angels birds in the landing gear bays, so I stuck with the Interior green called for in the instructions.  If anyone has any better info, please let me know.

Here is the cockpit and landing gear bay installed right before I closed up the fuselage halves.

Here is the Fuselage assembled and banded to dry overnight.

After assembling the fuselage, I installed the tail elevators.  One thing that has always impressed me about this kit, is the tightness of the fit.  You almost never have to sand to get a good fit.  And for an inexpensive kit, that is rare.

Here we see it with the wings freshly added and clamped on.

Here is the main cockpit glass canopy section.  I have already installed the rear deck in the canopy.  I am opting for a closed canopy on this one.

And lastly, the main aircraft sections after final assembly.  I almost always wait until after primary paint before installing landing gear.  It get's rid of a lot of otherwise needed masking. 

Pardon the arthritis gel in the background.  I tend to go through a lot of it when building nowadays.. lol..  Anyways.  Since this is a Blue Angel plane, I will not be installing any under wing stores or tanks.  I should have her ready and painted tomorrow, then just decals and some detail and touch up work and this bird is ready to fly.  I hope the Don approves.. :)

Rich

Well, Hans, sadly I may have to turn in my badge. Starting June 6, I will be attending college for 2 years, as I was laid off in November last year, and the paperwork has finally come through on my trade adjustment act, which pays for the tuiton and materials to attend classes, as my work was directly affected by outsourcing.

My first semester I'm gonna have three 8 hour days and two 12 hour days a week. This will get my pre-requisites out of the way quickly though, but there will be no time to build.

I am so sorry folks, but I gotta take advantage of 2 free years of college!

Just let me know what you think. Thanks.