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Monogram Mafia Group Build

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  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Monday, December 5, 2011 12:07 PM

I've got some pics of the finished Zero, I put the finishing touches on it last week and took it along to our club meeting Friday night, but I haven't had a chance to post the pics till now.  Here are the first two:

My object was to build the model out of the box, including not correcting the lack of cockpit floor and wheel wells (though I did cave a little and reproduce an instrument panel, because the original decal sheet was long gone).  I wanted to depict an A6M5 (as best as the kit can do it), stationed in the Solomons in late 43 or early 44, as the Japanese were encircled and left to rot.  My references were primarily the old Squadron "In Action" booklet, and I went for IJN dark green over IJN gray (Tamiya rattle can colors).

I also wanted to experiment with the salt technique, to reproduce paint chipping.  What I ended up doing, through several iterations of paint-chip-touch up was to use a Prismacolor pen and mimic large flaked-off areas.  Here's a closeup:

One of the old-timers at the meeting Friday said the chipping doesn't look right, and he made a good point about following the airflow along the surface.  I've noted it for future reference.  I do concede that it looks like I got going on the chipping, then reached a point where I didn't know how much farther to go, which is precisely what happened Big Smile

Here's a view from the rear:

Decals are by Techmod, for the meatballs, and from another maker whose name I've forgotten, for the tail codes.  I did not gloss-coat, since the Tamiya paint was already relatively glossy.  Markings are made up, with no specific resource, other than images in the original instruction sheet from Monogram.  I decided not to go for the fuselage chevron bands.

For an old kit, it's not bad, I had fun building it, which is a big reason that we build Monogram kits Wink

Comments/criticisms/tips are welcome, as always, and questions.

The A-24 is sitting on the bench, awaiting decals, photos will be available by the end of the week.

 

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:00 PM

No posts since my last ones--did I miss something, or did we close the build?  Or was my Zero the equivalent of an e-fart and it cleared the thread? Big Smile

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Nashville, TN area
Posted by bobbaily on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 2:02 PM

Baron-nice build.  I started on that kit many years ago and threw in the towel....you did a great job, especially with weathering.

I do think this GB is pretty much done.  Everyone is preparing for the sequel....hope to see you there.

Bob

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 5:32 PM

Thanks, Bob!  I knew we were winding down, but I didn't realize I was the last one to finish.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: USA California
Posted by vetteman42 on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 7:21 PM

Baron I would have to say you nailed the chipping, from pictures I have seen, and from what I understand of the Zero the paint they used on them wasnt the greatest stuff and they only looked new for 15 munites or so. To my eye its a great job YesYes Well done sir.

Randy So many to build.......So little time

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Thursday, December 22, 2011 8:14 AM

Well some more pics of the F-15.. she's nearing done..

in keeping with the "theme".. of the original GB this is from.. I've added somemore ordinance.. You can see them peaking out from under the wing...

Photobucket:550:0]

hummm.. are those HVAR's on a F-15 ??WhistlingPhotobucket:550:0]

better shot...Photobucket:550:0]

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, December 22, 2011 11:53 AM

I love the way the dazzle and the retro OD came out!

@vetteman, thanks, it was a fun experiment!  I'm eager now to try the silver pen some more, and I think I won't try the salt technique anymore, it's too much work for results that can be gotten more simply.  And I'll pay better attention to the wing seams, the next time I build the Monogram Zero Wink

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Friday, December 23, 2011 8:21 PM

ok Guys.. an Gal..she's done...

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0]

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Nashville, TN area
Posted by bobbaily on Friday, December 23, 2011 8:25 PM

p38jl-fantastic build....and the paint scheme is outstanding.....job well done....Yes

Bob

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Friday, December 23, 2011 11:27 PM

Luftwaffe 46, kiss your HOs goodbye!Wink That is one wicked wild  paint job! Yes  and adding WWII ordinance to bootToast

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Nebraska, USA
Posted by CallSignOWL on Saturday, December 24, 2011 9:17 AM

woah, that dazzle camo is somethin' else!  Cool

------------------------

Now that I'm here, where am I??

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Saturday, December 24, 2011 8:39 PM

Thanks guys n gal ~!

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Monday, April 2, 2012 9:15 AM

Hey guys n Gals.. Just got back from DowneastCon, 2012 in Saco Maine...

my Monogram F-100 with HVH in the cockpit.. took a 1st in the 1/48 Jets.. ~~!! Photobucket:550:0]

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Monday, April 2, 2012 9:21 AM

Congrats!  A well earned award, she looks fantastic. Beer

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, April 2, 2012 10:55 PM

Bravisimo!

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 9:30 AM

here's the proof...my F-15 and F-100 in the foregroundPhotobucket:550:0]

[me.. recieving my award...Photobucket:550:0]

other club members with their wins.. ( dupes got one shortly after we took this pic.. )Photobucket:550:0]

[Loading up the Tahoe with the vendor scores !! Photobucket:550:0]

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lafayette la
Posted by 40.mm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 11:01 PM

Outstanding !  Congrats to all !

 

                                                                                   The Original 

                                                                          Mike Oscar Juno Oscar 

                                                                                   Outcast !

 

                                                                 End Transmission-Semper Fi 

 

http://www.vairhead.net/forum/dhg.jpg

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, December 6, 2012 11:12 PM

Well, it's a year late, but I finally finished my other entry for the original MM group build, my SBD finished as an A-24 Banshee.  I thought it most appropriate to post the photos here.

I had gotten the kit assembled and painted, and applied a gloss coat in preparation for decals...then got stuck again.  I couldn't decide which decal sheet to scavenge, from among all of the ones in my stash.  Now that's indecision, and that's probably the biggest problem that keeps me from finishing.  So I focused on getting the Zero finished, plus a couple of P-51B's, which in December 2011 were also a year late (notice a pattern to my builds?).  In any case, last week, I bore down and decided to finish the kit in time for our club's December meeting, tomorrow night.  National markings are from a sheet by Expert's Choice.

The kit is basically out-of-box, except for the tail wheel.  The A-24 differed from the SBD primarily in that the tailhook was omitted (though the actuator fairing was left) and the hard rubber tail wheel was replaced with a pneumatic tire.  I scratched that from some styrene discs and aluminum wire.

Weathering was accomplished with oils for filters, drybrushed acrylics and pastel chalks for the engine exhausts, and Prismacolor silver pen ink for the chipping on the wing roots (I applied the ink by touching a toothpick to the pen, then to the model).  Decals settled down eventually, with several applications of Solvaset.

The "US ARMY" ID came from the Classic Airframes' P-43 kit.  That needed no setting solution.

The markings are for the batch of A-24's shipped to the Philippines in November 1941; my sources showed aircraft with no serials or other identifying marks, only the national roundels and the "US ARMY" marking underneath.  That made this one pretty simple.  It's also the first finished subject in my "Doomed at the Start" collection, to commemorate the USAAF at the outset of the Pacific War.

Though it was four years from start to finish, I'd say it took all of 12 hours to complete.  No problems, either, except that the canopy seam came loose when I was removing the masking, so there's a bit of a mark on the starboard side, center section.  It was fun to build, just as it was some 38 years ago or so, when I built one as a kid.

So, better late than never, I guess Big Smile

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

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