Quick update everybody- Ms. Second Front is out of the booth and ready for completion. I mixed up Tamiya OD with some Khaki  about a 3-1 ratio, and thinned it out a little. It laid out nice, and I followed that up with some clear. I'm pretty happy with her.

Thank You Gentlemen for the positive feedback. Your words are definitely encouraging as I am making a push to get "Eight Nifties" done in time for WestFest 2012 in Grand Junction, Co. on April 28. It's a stretch but I'll give her a shot. Regardless, WestFest is what I get to do for my 50th birthday so I've got my Spit from the Spitfire GB and a 1/48 Hasegawa Typhoon Mk Vb to enter.

                                         Joe

Joe- I can smell the oil and grease from here

Finished painting the cowling on '2 Big and 2 Heavy' for the zillionth time last night! Somehow I scored a big gash from sanding her and I can't seem to repair it so I doesn't stick out like a sore thumb under the NM. I got my camera back last week and will post photos if I ever get the thing fixed!!!

Joe Rix - Beautiful engine! I really like the detail work, it will look great on the completed project!

OUT DOIN your self again Rudrat lookin good,hope you are getting on the rest this weekend still to much snow out side

Fine looking powerplant ya got there, Joe. I know what you mean about the color differences. When I was researching how to paint mine, I came across a variety of pics, and each one seemed a bit different than the one before in regards to color call-outs, so I went with the one I liked best. Good call on saving the resin option for where it will be seen in its entirety. With only the front really visible, the kit engine will work fine. Again, nice work!

Alright , the engine is finally complete. Albeit not detailed to the gnat''s a-- my intent was to give a nicer appearance in the the closed up cow;ing and try my hand at wiring a radial engine. As you may have noticed this is the kit engine. I opted to reserve the Quickboost engine for an open cowl job later on, (Darn, Shucks, that means I need to get another Tamiya Jug). In the number of photos I have of the R3800 there is quite a variety of colors for the wiring harness and plug wires. Thus, went with a couple of pics that were similar and painted the harness housing MM Jet Exhaust and the wires MM Olive Drab. They may not be exact but they give a nice contrast. Please share any obs, pro or con.

                                                                   Joe

Very well done, especially considering the scale!

That green appears very closely matched to vallejo 'bronze green'. You must have a 10X magnifier on the ole optivisor!

Many thanks fellas! With the 'pit and now the wheel wells done, next up will be to button 'er up. Should be happening in the next few days.

Chris - yes, the belts are PE from an old Eduard set I had kicking around. Along with a microscale decal sheet, they'll most likely be the only aftermarket used on this build.

Gamera - The credit goes to my magnifiers and optivisor. I'd be lost without those guys! When I take 'em off, I can't even see what I just worked on.

Mike: Yeah, hard to believe that's 1/72nd! Gee whiz you have sharp eyes!

Holy Cow Ruddratt, that is really amazing! If it weren't for the tweezers in your pic I would honestly have a difficult time believing that is 1/72. Youd skills are excellent.

                                                                        Joe

That is some great work there Ruddratt! What detail!

Ruddratt: that looks amazing! Great work.  Can't believe that's 1/72.

Did it come with the harnesses or are they a/m PE?

I might have to pick myself up one of those kits next time i see one.

Wow,, ! very nice job !!

OK fellas, here ya go. The pics may seem a bit dark, but man, that thing is so tiny and boxed in that it was tough getting enough light focused in there. I took a ton of 'em, and these were the best i think I came up with, some of the entire 'pit, some w/o the IP, and some of the IP itself. It was trial and error on the base color going for that particular green that seems common to these birds. My first attempt with MM interior green looked way off, my second, using Tamiya IJN green, looked better, but too dark, so I cut it with some white on my third attempt and that's where I left it. May not be perfect, but it's fairly close. Anyway, hope you like the pics......

I admire you guys for tackling that 1/72 kit. It does seem nice. I've had it in my stash for a number of years, just never attempted it...yet. Going from a 1/32 Jug build to a 1/72 right away might be quite an eye opener! I look forward to seeing your progress, ruddratt.

Doogs, thanks man! I'll try my best to keep the bar up to where you and the rest of the fellas have set it. Been havin' a ball with that little jug. The 'pit is done and I'll try to get some pics up tonight. One thing I'm rediscovering while doing this build is that where I had been looking at WWII subjects as decompression builds, I am again seeing that they are every bit the challenge that their WWI counterparts are, just in different areas. It's been a while since I've tackled a subject from WWII and I'm enjoying the heck out of it, challenges and all !

47M it is. 

Frank - you're locked and loaded on the roster! Can't wait to see your Jugs!

Mike - after seeing the beauties that are your biplanes, I'm dying to see what you pull off with a P-47, even if it is in squinty-scale. I'm also not surprised to hear Tamiya's 1/72 Jug is as packed as it is. If it's in any way related to the 48th kit, well, I've said time and again it's one of the best 1/48 kits of anything ever put into a box. Don't know if I can call it the best, but top five definitely.

randy - -D or -M...hmm...I say the -M, just because nobody's done one in this GB yet!

well, change of plans. this hasegawa razorback has major warp problems. im just going to turn it into an alcad 2 tester. 

time to break out the tam kit. 47D "bubble top" or 47M?

thuds, I'm sure Doogs will be along to add you to the roster. A nice pair of jugs is hard to say no to.

I'm building the same kit. Man, there's a lot of detail packed into 1/72 scale on this bird. I think it's one of their better 1/72 scale entries.

Hello ,

I'm trying this Again hopefully the third time is a charm ,I would like to join this group build .

the aircraft I 'll be building will be the Tamiya 1/72P47d

The subject will be Walter Beckham's Little Demon from the 353rd FG

& hopefully Fred Christensen's Rozzie Geth II /Misfire from the 56th FG

Thanks for being patient ,

Frank C

Cml: The wiring you did there looks pretty swanky

cml- Excellent work my friend! I really like your detail work!

I've got photos in my collection of the following Republic beasts: Darling Billie, Gorgeous Geri, First Fighter, Filthy Fanny, Jacquie 2 Puss in Boots, Miss Lucky Legs, Skippy, Just Waitin', Some Punkins, Daisy Lee.

Mostly on checkered cowl birds.

panzerpilot; ruddratt – thanks guys!  I’ll be sure to keep posting update pics as she progresses.

DoogsATX – just had a look at the Quickboost engine online.  They look terrific!  I might look at getting their seat for my P-47M build, I really like having the harnesses molded on the seat (as opposed to the decal harness on my current build).

Joe: thanks mate!

I used copper tubing from Albion Alloy.  I think they market specifically for the hobby market - both my LHSs seem to stock them.

The tubing has an internal diameter of 0.5mm and external diameter of 0.7mm. 

One tip though: i originally glued all the attachment points on first.  I cut the tubing with a new No.11 blade, by rolling the tube under the blade until it cut through (thanks DoogsATX for that tip!).

However, on a few, the glue completely clogged the tubing, so for those, i snapped them off, cut new tube, glued the wiring into the tube, then attached the whole component.

I'll definitely do it this way round next time - was much much easier.

Looking forward to seeing your WIP!

cml

Wow, you can’t turn your back on this GB for a second! I’ve been out of the loop this week, then come back and see these terrific builds!

Dude - try running it! It's like not paying off a credit card, with the compounding interest!

The engine's looking good - think next time I tackle a Tammy Jug, I might give one of those Quickboost engines a try, just to shake things up.

cml, ya really did justice to that engine. Very fine work! Should look awesome mounted to the jug.

Cml. Really nice! Well done. I certainly look forward to seeing the rest of your build!