Doogs,

After all the year-end hoopla has finished and I've gotten back into the routine of the daily grind, I have decided to build my 1/24 Vintage Fighter Series Bubbletop. Now all I need to do is decide what scheme to do it in.

I kinda hate to build it 'cause I only have the one kit and it was hard to come by. But I bought it to build, so here I go. 

I am also looking for any 1/24 aftermarket accessories that may be available. I have a Zotz decal sheet, but I would like to see any other items that may be out there. If you or anyone else have any suggestions, suggest away.

Yeah, as Herc said it's a great kit. I picked mine up at a IPMS show for about thirty-five bucks. Handed the vender about $140 bucks worth of kits and a $100 bill and innocently ask 'Would this be enough?'   I was a 'bundler' long before I saw Frank on 'American Pickers'.

Not sure if it's newer or older than the P-47 but it's very recent. As I said great detail and perfect fit. Cockpit nice enough I bought some PE parts but didn't use them. Full engine and the cowling designed so you can have it torn down for a maintenance diorama. Plus two sets of different drop tanks, drop-in panels for different wing types, and three different wing gun mounts. There are enough extra parts I'm going to save them in case I want to modify any older Zero kits.

Shame Hobby Lobby quit carrying it Doggs. It is pretty pricey but with that 40% off it was not too bad. I picked mine  up there when they put them on clearance. It is a great kit though.

That the new Tamiya Zero? I've heard all kinds of great things about it. Depending on how sucked in I get with the Ki-84, I may have to add that one to the stash.

Doogs:

I'm looking forward to starting in on the Tamiya P-47. I'm finishing off this kit:

Brilliant engineering, great detail, and perfect fit. If the P-47 kit is the same this should be fun. The parts in the box look great.

Hercmech

 

DoogsATX:

 

 

panzerpilot:

Nice Doogs. I like those harnesses.

 

 

Thanks! The Ultracast seat in the Tamiya actually had the harnesses molded in...lovely detail though. The ones in the Revell are lead foil w/ some Waldron buckles. Nothing fancy, but I'm going closed-canopy on that kit anyway...

 

 

You mean to tell me you painted those built in belts and got a result as good as that? I am really impressed!!!

Thanks! I have to give a ton of credit to Vallejo paints. Excellent coverage, thick enough that they don't run (unless you want them to). 

DoogsATX

panzerpilot:

Nice Doogs. I like those harnesses.

 

Thanks! The Ultracast seat in the Tamiya actually had the harnesses molded in...lovely detail though. The ones in the Revell are lead foil w/ some Waldron buckles. Nothing fancy, but I'm going closed-canopy on that kit anyway...

You mean to tell me you painted those built in belts and got a result as good as that? I am really impressed!!!

Gamera

Doogs: The Revell kit looks pretty good to me, And the Tamiya looks as good as I've heard, maybe I should have started mine first instead of the Revell P-47N. I had planned to do both at the same time but decided to go one at a time.

I still maintain that the Tamiya P-47 is the best 1/48 kit I've ever worked with. The Bubbletop I did this time last year was brilliant, and the Razorback equally so. Lots of little touches that make you really appreciate the engineering. The wing spar that also lines up the fuselage (and that's impossible to get wrong). The design of the gun fairings and blast tubes. The way the wing assembles so you're not running glue along the trailing edges of the control surfaces. 

O; Glad to see you were able to make lemonade out of those lemons life handed you there

Satch: Very nice, looks great to me!

Doogs: The Revell kit looks pretty good to me, And the Tamiya looks as good as I've heard, maybe I should have started mine first instead of the Revell P-47N. I had planned to do both at the same time but decided to go one at a time.

Bit of an update on my two jugs. After a frustrating night with the Fiat, I got both fuselages closed up. The Revell had some very persistent raised ejector marks on the join line, but other than that went together quite well. Thanks to the spar assembly, the Tamiya went together like it was on rails. Literally.

Tonight I'm going to focus on the Revell's wings, blast tube backstops, and the gear bays of both.

satch - looks like she's coming along! Have to admit I'm a bit shocked how big that floorpan is.

After surgery pictures.

oortiz10

If there's anything that typifies my modeling, it's two steps forward, one step back! 

 

Isn't that the truth? I've now repainted the seat in my Fiat G.55 WIP three times...

Glad you caught the interior framing though!

Speaking of one step back...

I finished the True Details cockpit and put in in the Jug last night. 

The instructions called for completing the whole cockpit and fuselage halves and putting it in from the bottom.  Well of course it didn't fit so out comes the knife.  First I had to take off the kit supplied rear bulkhead from the cockpit and glue ti to the fuselage.  Then I managed to get the cockpit tub snug against the alignment tabs of the kit fuselage.  Got it all glued in and took pictures.

The more I looked at it the more it didn't look right.   The IP was too far recessed under the dash.  I couldn't get the tub up far enough to make it more flush.  So out came the knife again.

After cutting and grinding, I narrowed the tub enough to fit it farther up.  Now the IP is closer to the dash sill and the side panels fit better.  Waiting for Photostream to load the pictures of the finished product.

Satch

Awww...CRUD!

So, I had some time tonight and decided to make a little progress on my Thunderbolt.  As I was removing the masking from the windscreen, I noticed there was some "frosting" caused by the tape I was using.  ("Hmm...that's odd.  Never had that happen before...")  At first I thought it was tape residue, but it wasn't tacky and wouldn't come off.  So, I thought maybe the tape's adhesive reacted with the Future.  In an attempt to fix it, I accidentally knocked off the windscreen while I was (sc)rubbing it with an ear bud.  ("Grrr....!")

But it turns out it was a blessing in disguise because after the masking (and the windscreen) came off, I noticed that I didn't paint the internal framing.  So, here's my chance to fix BOTH mistakes!  

If there's anything that typifies my modeling, it's two steps forward, one step back! 

Oh well, nothing a little TLC won't fix.

Cheers!

-O

DoogsATX

Quick question to the group - anybody...know the lengths of the blast tubes...?  I believe it was 9mm, 6mm, 3mm and .5mm or something like that...

Doogs,

I wondered the same thing when I noticed that my "mystery garage Jug" was missing its blast tubes.  Luckily, I have the Academy -N that has the measurements listed in the directions.  According to the Academy instructions, your measurements of 9, 6, & 3mms are correct.  It doesn't list the measurement for the shortest tube, but looking my pix and drawings of Jugs (P-47s, not the other ones...) it seems that tube's almost flush with the leading edge of the wing.  As a matter of fact, I'd be surprised that they'd even extend 0.5mms in 1/48.  Besides, I bet no one's gonna bust out the calipers if you go with 0.5mm. 

Good luck!

Cheers,

-O

panzerpilot

 

randypandy831:

 

 

and does anyone make these markings for a 48scale? i swear i found a sheet but i forgot.

 

 

 

Yessir. Aeromaster #48-789.

I picked it up a while back from Sprue Brothers, to perhaps try a checkernose later in the year. I have the Tamiya Bubbletop kit, which includes checker decals, but am hesitant to use them. The aeromaster decals are pretty cool. They have arrows to show you "exactlly" where to make cuts to make it fit nicely, in theory.

randypandy831

and does anyone make these markings for a 48scale? i swear i found a sheet but i forgot.

Yessir. Aeromaster #48-789.

I picked it up a while back from Sprue Brothers, to perhaps try a checkernose later in the year. I have the Tamiya Bubbletop kit, which includes checker decals, but am hesitant to use them. The aeromaster decals are pretty cool. They have arrows to show you "exactlly" where to make cuts to make it fit nicely, in theory.

Doogs: Yeah I can tell a pretty big difference between those cockpits Although nicely painted the Monogram one doesn't look too bad.

Randy: Ohhhh, that is nice! I'll have to stop by there next time I'm in the area. Thanks for the tip!

once my skills are a little better i'll pull the tam jug out of the stash. 

von- your not late. anyone can join within the time frame given. 

Hey Doogs, I hate to jump in the pool so late, but do you think I can join in? The Jug is my all time favorite and I have two ready to go! The first one is an Academy P-47N that I will do in Lt. Henry Yaeger's "Some Punkins" from the 73rd F.S. 318th F.G. and then I have a Tamiya Bubbletop that I will do as Lt. Victor Schmidt's "Chautauqua" from the 463rd F.S. 507th F.G. Let me know if it's all good! Thanks!

Mobious

 Doogs, nice finish on the Tamiya pit. Haven't broke open the box on mine yet, but your post are inspiring!

Thanks! You won't be disappointed! IMO Tamiya's P-47s are among the best, if not the best, 1/48 kits on the market.

 Doogs, nice finish on the Tamiya pit. Haven't broke open the box on mine yet, but your post are inspiring!

 Randypandy, Man that pic of the hobby shop brought back some memories. I miss my LHS.

after a little research i looks to be a 78th FG bird. 

Gamera

Ah ok, Ohio is a little farther to drive  

Didn't even know about Fayetteville Hobby, if they're a good hobby shop I'll check them out next time I drive down that way, Don't know when that will be - I'll probably be going on vacation to the IPMS show in Orlando this year.

Not sure about the decals but those cowling checkers look like a pain to get lined up. There was an article in FSM about five or so years ago on masking and painting them which I really liked but never got around to trying.

doogs- yeah, i was thinking about masking the checker scheme. 

oh, your missing out. 

panzerpilot

Nice Doogs. I like those harnesses.

Thanks! The Ultracast seat in the Tamiya actually had the harnesses molded in...lovely detail though. The ones in the Revell are lead foil w/ some Waldron buckles. Nothing fancy, but I'm going closed-canopy on that kit anyway...

Quick question to the group - anybody got an old Revellogram Jug on hand? Need to know the lengths of the blast tubes protruding from the wings (stupid me forgot to measure before slicing them off). I believe it was 9mm, 6mm, 3mm and .5mm or something like that...but need to add the backstops before I can close the wings.

Nice Doogs. I like those harnesses.

Finally! Some progress to share on the Jugs! 

As with the engines, the difference between the old Revellogram Jug and the newer Tamiya is pretty extreme. 

If I were going all out on the Revellogram, I'd have scrapped the kit cockpit and attempted to scratchbuild my own. But...when with a bit of looking can score you a Tamiya Razorback for $20...personally it's hard for me to see why.

Still have a few small bits to see to before I can close up the Tamiya, but the fuselages should start going together tonight.

randypandy831

 

and does anyone make these markings for a 48scale? i swear i found a sheet but i forgot.

Randy - not sure about the exact aircraft, but I'm pretty sure Tamiya's bubbletop has those checkered cowl markings. Though as much of a pain as those are, I'd be tempted to try masking the cowl myself.

Figure you could lay down strips of tape the height of the squares, with tick marks where the squares shift. Then pull out every other strip, cut, and place squares. Then remove the other half and place the remaining squares, aligning with those already put down. Time consuming? Yes. But pretty doable I think!