RR: Great looking engine!

Thanks guys for the advice, I've brushed a little Mister Surfacer on the cowling and will give it a light sanding. I'm crossing my fingers...

Well, swelling has gone down and RoM has increased - however, my finger is still purple.

Still one day left before the extra long weekend - looks like i'll get some bench time after all!

Ruddratt: really loving that engine!  Can't wait to see it coming together.

Just out of curiosity, did you have to drill out the shell chutes or does the kit come like that?  If so, that's some great detail for the scale!

Thanks fellas!

Chris, yep, they were indeed molded that way. It really is a great little kit, and after what I've read about and seen regarding their 1/48 entry, has got me thinking I should pull the trigger on one of those as well.

Nice to hear the finger's on the mend, too. Excellent!

Guys - excellent work going on! Work's had me going a bit bonkers this week, so not as much time to post as I'd like. It's a good problem to have I guess, but frustrating all the same!

Gamera - something I've done when facing those annoying scratches is to hit the scratch with some solvent first to "soften" it up a bit, then brush it with Mr. Surfacer 500. After that, wet sanding with progressively lighter grit. It's worked well for me in the past, and I think the solvent helps alleviate the sharp angles that Mr. Surfacer can get hung up on.

ruddratt - wait - you've never built one of Tamiya's 1/48 Jugs? I HIGHLY recommend giving one a go. I know I say it all the time, but I really think it's one of the best 1/48 kits ever boxed (and that goes for all three - the Razorback, -D-25, and -M (which can also be a D-30+). Looking at your build-up of the 1/72, it looks like it's very heavily inspired by the 1/48, though it looks like the gear bay-to-fuselage bit has been simplified, and if I'm not mistaken the flaps are molded in place.

i would love to be working on my tamiya 47M but school has me busy. 

and i totally agree with doogs. tamiya Jugs are awesome beautiful kits. no need for resin what soever. 

Doogs: Thanks, I think things are under control now but I'll try some solvent if it's still there.

Gamera - good to see you were able to whip those gouges into submission. Looking forward to the pics!

Doogs - you're bang on about the 1/72 Jug. The flaps are indeed molded to the wings.....and yes it's true - I've yet to experience one of these guys in 1/48, and ya know what?.....something just had to be done about that, so I pulled the trigger on one! Yep, the razorback, along with an Eduard PE set for the engine and other bits. Been eyeing those gun barrels on the Ultracast site too, and will most likely take the plunge with them as well. Looks like I'll be hanging around the Jug GB for a while. Man, you sure know how to make a point!

Just wanted to say thank you for all the kind comments about the Lindy P-47...I tried my best on it. Also...to everyone else who has posted pics of their builds...WOW. Awesome job guys...they look amaziing! 

Lucky, my P-47 entry took a first place in last night's club monthly contest.  Not as prestigious as Doogs ModelFiesta 1st place but it's nice to be recognized.  Truly an award winning GB.  Thanks Doogs!

Congrats satch! Just goes to show...who doesn't love Jugs?

Guys - I'm going down a very interesting path with regard to the 1/32 Trumpy P-47N. In trying to figure out the best way to get the Academy 1/48 markings for "Expected Goose" into 1/32, I've reached out to Maketar about getting custom masks done up. Response so far has basically been "sure, no problem!". Really curious to try them out, since they're stuff's done on kabuki paper, the same material as Tamiya tape.

Satch - Kudos on your accomplishment. Certainly well deserving.

Doogs - Who/what is maketar. Sounds interesting.

                               Joe

Hey Satch, that's awesome!!! Congrads!

Doogs: Interesting, I'd never heard of Maketar till you mentioned it. Very cool website, I may have to give them a try myself.  Please let us know how much they charge for the custom masks.

Joe: Did a websearch and this site came up. I'm assuming these are the guys you're refering to Doogs?

http://shop.maketar.com/

Hey guys, just checking' in over here, whilst tied up in the 109 gb. Those jugs are looking mighty fine! Can't wait to dig into mine here in a few weeks!

Way to go satch!!

Ruddratt: you gotta give their 1/48 a try too - i'm building my first for this GB, but it's easily the best kit i've built so far.

When i build Tamiya's M, i'll have to source some PE seatbelts like you did - i think that's probably the only thing missing that would really enhance the kit.

Satch: excellent work!  I've just started to go to an IMPS chapter down under, but think it'll be a while before i start submitting any of my work.  Some of the stuff those guys turn out really is excellent work.

As for my build, i sat down and got the seams filed (as well as some detail).  I hate rescribing, so that's going pretty slow now.

Wings are together and dry-fitted too.

Not long now before the primer coat...

Geof: Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Chris: Ditto, waiting for more photos!

Thanks everyone for the advice on my cowling. I painted a little Mister Surfacer on her and gingerly buffed it out then sprayed her and it seems to have done the trick. Now I need to paint the anti-glare panels. I'm to the point of decaling my A-20 so I may be a little slow getting it done though

Chris - yep, I've got one on the way (the razorback). Been checking out reviews on top of what I've been told about it - looks like an outstanding kit!

Gamera - glad you got that guy fixed! Been multitasking myself a bit, the 1/72 Jug along with a WnW Se5 in 1/32 started a while back. I'd like to see that A-20. You doing that for a GB?

Mike: She's in both Son of Medicine Man's Berny Memorial GB and Panzerpilot's Twin Engine Bomber GB. Hopefully I'll have photos up tomorrow (Tue.) night. The SE5 sounds really cool, always liked that fighter.

Edit: Just posted the photos.

Cliff, thanks for posting those pics. I went and took a good look at 'em - man, that's a sweet build ya have goin'  there! I'll be sure to pop in there more often to check your progress.

The SE.5 I'm plugging away at is one I started a while back for Marc's (wingnut's) Great War GB. Lot's of neat stuff there. Doogs did an amazing job on his WnW Sopwith Pup, which if I recall correctly was his first bipe, and he knocked it right out of the park!

Mike: Thanks!!! And the SE.5 is awesome, so much stuff going on with the forum I can't keep track of all of it. I love Great War aircraft - it's just all that rigging scares the krap outta me.

Ok, here's a few photos of the Vintage Fighter Series 1/24th scale P-47D:

Size comparison with the 1/48th Tamiya kit box.

Size comparison with 1/48th Tamiya kit

Wing gun covers are removable with detailed parts for the eight .50s and ammo belts

Cockpit parts and pilot

Engine details

Ordinance: metal and paper drop tanks, bombs, and triple bazookas

Instructions and transparent parts

Decals, nice but I'll probably order the Zotz set with the nice cheesecake nose art

Leaning toward either Virginia or doing Passionate Patty too

Gamera- Wow, what a kit! That is the biggest Jug ever! Can't wait to see this one come together. How do the parts look as far as sink marks and flash, etc?

Ed,

No flash, and I haven't looked at all the parts carefully yet but so far I haven't seen any sink marks, just the usual injection marks placed where they aren't visible. Very happy with the kit, Vintage put a lot of work into getting it right. Only thing here is if you want one get it, I don't think Vintage Fighter Series is still in business. Dang shame, hopefully someone will pick up the molds and put them back in production.

Afraid I don't know when I'll start this kit, not anytime soon though. It's one of those 'it's special so I want to build up my skills so I can get it as close to perfect as possible' kits.

Cliff

Holy Shmanoly Gamera, that critter's awesome! Umm... Are your neighbors aware that you may be taking up part of their driveway with that.

Making  a bit of progress on my part as I got tamiya gray primer on "Nifty" yesterday.

                                                                     Joe

Dang, Cliff - that Jug is a monster!!

Well, as I think it was Mae West said- 'Too much of a good thing is... delightful!'

I'm thinking I may have to build a hanger for it when I do start the build... I have no idea where I'd put the finished model, it's just the whole ideal of a 1/24 Jug is so bat-guano, over-the-top, crazy I couldn't resist.

Whoa!  What is that, DDD?

That is one huge model!  When did you acquire it?  I can't even imagine tackling something that big, i still get nervous buying 1/48 (though i do have my eye on a few 1/32s).

Hope you post some pics and a WIP log when you finally get stuck into it.

cml

Whoa!  What is that, DDD?

That is one huge model!  When did you acquire it?  I can't even imagine tackling something that big, i still get nervous buying 1/48 (though i do have my eye on a few 1/32s).

Hope you post some pics and a WIP log when you finally get stuck into it.

DDD, Lol! Picked it up about a month or so ago but just recently got my camera back though. I want to make sure everything is perfect when I build her so I'll be practicing on my smaller jugs. Not sure when I'll start the 1/24th kit but not soon though.

Doogs: Measured her last night- wingspan 21.5 inches / 54cm and length from cowl to tail not including the prop and spinner 17 inches / 43cm.

Gamera

...

Doogs: Measured her last night- wingspan 21.5 inches / 54cm and length from cowl to tail not including the prop and spinner 17 inches / 43cm.

Models like that should be sold with extra shelf space - i literally would have not shelf big enough to store that thing!

I know what you mean about building up skills - i've got a bunch of "nice models" i'm deliberately not building anytime soon, until i feel like i can do them justice.