AIRCRAFT - USMC Group Build (ends 7/30/04)

Today I got my reference books from squadron!!! And a nice, crisp clean canopy. Unfortunately, I got the wrong scale resin tires, but have plenty of time to replace 'em!!! Hey James, have you decided if you were going to get a photo-etch set yet?? I was just wondering, 'cause if you want we could kinda do it step-by-step together if you wish...it might help us both out when one of us ooops it!!! LOL For the record, nothing beats the Discovery Wings channel!!!

Just to let everyone know I am temporarily on Hold. I need som Superglue to instal my PE parts before I can continue. I am going to paint both at the same time. I hope to get glue soon.

Hey Heath, yeah I was thinking on geting the photo-etch, but I'm so far behind. Honestly I haven't had the time to do anything lately. And when I do have the time, it doesn't feel like its long enough to start anything. Just as proof, I still haven't been able to try the air brush. I don't know maybe I'm just making excuses. I will see what I can get done this weekend if the wife will let me. To be truely honest, last Monday (Presidents Day) we were at block buster and my Daughter saw this game she wanted to try and I saw one too. Prince of Persia for PS2. Dang, it was a good game, so I wasted the whole day on it. It was one of the best console games I have played.

Hi all,

My plan for the next few nights is to prime, paint, and assemble the landing gear. Oh, and I want to do the fuel tank as well. It's split in half and I don't want the seam to be too noticable.

Regards,

Was taking a break from the 1/72 F-18C, D and the EA-6B which all 3 is nearly done, to start on the Monogram EA-6B but didn't get anywhere with it due to a badly warped L/H bottom wing. E-mailed Monogram to replace both upper & lower wing parts, damn the luck! So I started on the Monogram A-4F (Hasegawa). Might be ready to start painting it tomorrow along with the A-4C which was in the paint hanger. Got about 6 kits in work right now, busy but love it!

I know how that is James, I wasted a few days a couple weeks ago on Medal of Honor Frontline, and I still need to sit down and wrap up Final Fantasy X-2. Just don't have the time!! Don't feel bad....I probably won't be able to touch the kit until this weekend!! Then, I'm going to start on the "office".

Jim,

You asked about how I quote people when I post. In the upper right corner of each post is a link that says, "Quote". Click on that, and you'll be able to edit the quote of the post you're responding to.

Regards,

Hi, guys. I'm back. Unexpectedly spent ANOTHER week traveling all over God's creation. So, I'm just now (27 Feb 2004 2322EST) getting back on the Internet to peruse the USMC Group Build. I'll have the listing of everyones' projects posted sometime this weekend. Sorry that it's taking so long. Sometimes my job takes precedence over all else that I want to do. I think my wife likes it, though - gets me out of her hair for awhile. Hope everyone is having great luck with their respective projects. Mine is still in the same condition that it was in when I last posted. Maybe it'll be finished by 30 July 2004......

Alrighty now, here's the latest (and first!!) listing of the Group Build Projects. But first.....

tonka45,
Sorry, but I just now saw and read your request to join the Group Build tonight (27 Feb 2004). Please accept my apologies for not responding to you sooner. You are absolutely welcome to join in on this group build. The rules are in the first posting of this forum. Just build as many USMC aircraft models as you wish, and post photos of them no sooner than 30 July 2004 (you can post as many in-progress photos as you wish before then). You choose the kit. Doesn't matter what scale, manufacturer, era, etc. As long as it's a USMC aircraft, with the proper USMC markings. And have fun building it!!!!

Here's the list:

AJACKETSFAN: North American-Rockwell OV-10 Bronco (unknown scale, manufacturer)

boybuddho: undeclared

EasyCo: undeclared

Jeeves: Accurate Miniatures 1/48 Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless

Keeg: Chance Vought F4U-1D Corsair (unknown scale, manufacturer)

kik36: Tamiya 1/48 Chance Vought F4U-2 Corsair Night Fighter

Lufberry: Monogram 1/72 McDonnell-Douglas F-4J Phantom II VMFA-333

stoomfluit: Hasegawa 1/72 McDonnell-Douglas RF-4B Phantom II VMFP-3, Hasegawa Grumman F4F Wildcat (unknown scale)

willuride & wife: undeclared

garydmason: AMT 1/48 Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat Night Fighter

ridleusmc: Italeri 1/72 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion HMH-464

sentry: Boeing-Bell V-22 Osprey or SBD (unknown scale, manufacturer)

TimL: Tamiya 1/48 Chance Vought F4U-1D Corsair, Tamiya 1/48 Grumman F4F Wildcat

Scott53: Hasegawa 1/72 McDonnell-Douglas F-18C Hornet VMFA-251, 1/72 McDonnell-Douglas F-18D Hornet VMFA(AW)-225 Bengals, 1/72 Grumman EA-6B Prowler VMAQ-3

wibhi2: Revell/Monogram 1/48 McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier II VMA-311, AV-8B+ Harrier II, & AV-8B Night Attack Harrier II

usmcsm: Hasegawa 1/48 Douglas A-4E/F Skyhawk, Fujimi 1/72 Grumman EA-6A Intruder (or is the -6A also called the Prowler?) For some reason, Electric Intruder comes to mind................

jimz66: Hasegawa 1/48 McDonnell-Douglas F-18C Hornet VMFA-115 Chippy Ho, 1/48 McDonnell-Douglas F-18A Hornet

plasticmod992: HobbyCraft 1/72 Bell AH-1Z Cobra

wayne baker: Hasegawa 1/48 F4U-4 Corsair VMF-323

tonka45: undeclared

Well, that makes 21 participants in our friendly little group build. I'm looking forward to seeing everyones' handy-work here. Good luck to everyone!! I'll update the list as new participants come aboard.

By the way, which forum tells how to post photos? I can't seem to find it, and I know it's on one of them.

Gary, welcome back!!! Don't feel too bad, I just finally received all of my AM parts, and reference books, and I picked up the seat last night to clean it up...that's as far as I've got. Looks like we have a great range of planes for this!!! That's fantastic. That link is
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4462 it is in the Community Assistance Forum, as a sticky, that's how I'm able to find it myself when I forget!!!

Gary Chippy Ho is for the USN, not USMC. I have to purchase decals for that one yet. I have no $$$ right now and so I don't know what squadron will be represented.

Sorry for the confusion.

I do have decals for the A model for the USMC already not the C.

Hi Gary et all,
posting images is rather easy. Alls you need is web space somewhere.
Put your images there and then use the [ img]image web address[ /img] tags (had to put a space in the brackets to get them to display properly).

On a side note. Since I couldn't seem to locate one of revell's newly released av-8b's , I went to ebay and located one and an av-8a (the old monogram release- and I have an old superscale sheet for the 8a's). So you can add an "A" model to my list.

Ya think I might have gone overboard here? :0)

Gary if you could when you get back in, I know you seam to have a very hectic schedual, could you put that list on the first page, do it in your opening topic box at the top of page one. Anytime you need to add to the list add it there so we don't have to "dig" for it?

Not meaning to be disrpectful I just figured it would be easier to keep track of, that is what I plan to do with the NMF build once I can get back in. I just thought it might be a better place to put it.

Ditto jimz66.
Have any of you used Brookhurst Hobbies? As Gary will atest I have been looking for 1/32 A-4(Hasagawa) details for a while. Found camdecals parts,finally , at Brookhurst. Ordered them and recieved them the next day! Ever seen a 48 year old retired Marine act like a kid on Christmas morning?
Ordered seats for the Fijimi EA-6A last week from Squadron. They are still not here.
Hope to be posting a progress report soon. I am letting life kick my butt right now and that is NOT what I am about anymore. Modeling is my outlet and this build is helping me stay focused on what I enjoy. You all are great!
Heath,
I love Discovery Wings too but it pisses me off when they spend half an hour talking about the Spitfire but P-40's are on the screen. Reckon any one of us could get a job in the QA department there.

Did some shopping this weekend, and came back with more then I had in mind. I've bought myself for my Wildcat (1/72): Eduard detailset and Superscale decals. A Hasegawa SBD Dauntless (1/72) including PE divebrakes and a piece of carrier deck, and Superscale decals. A Fuijmi OA-4m Skyhawk (1/72). An Academy OV-10d Bronco (1/72). A Hasegawa F-4j (1/48) with the Aires cockpit set, some Eduard PE and Aeromaster decals.

I guess I'm lucky that I have to drive half across the country (well, Holland ain't that big, but still...) to get these things. Otherwise I would be doing this kind of shopping every week, and I haven't that much room or money.

stoomfluit,
Caution on the Superscale decals! I use them alot. I don't know about anybody else but I have found some are old and dry. They sometimes come apart when you try to apply them. A good idea to have some Microsol decal film on hand just in case.
No need to feel guilty. I can't remember ever leaving a hobby shop with out more stuff than I came for...neither can my wife.
"are you sure you need all that stuff?" "Sure honey. I can't finish my next project without it!" Well...I ain't lyin' to her am I?

I've have used some Superscale decals before and so far, so good. But in the the shop they had some that were pretty old and yellow, and some looked brand new. But thanks for the warning, I will be carefull.

And so far I'm pretty happy with what I've bought and I won't get beaten up by the wife as well! I'm still young and happily unmarried

Here's some progress pics of my F4U cockpit....I've been adding the PE this weekend. I'm not going to paint it just yet...my younger brother comes by once a month, and last time he was here, he expressed his curiosity about the resin and PE pieces. I figured it would be easier for him to see the pieces....as well as some people here as well....so for those who wonder...I painted everything zinc chromate, so that when I sand things off, I can see where I need to add the PE....and it also acts as a primer as well. So the zinc chromate, and the gray are the original kit pieces, the silver pieces are the PE pieces, the white is some styrene I had to add, and the only thing resin is the seat.


Here's the full cockpit set, notice the cat hair...even taking pics I have to deal with it!!! See what I have to put up with!!



The white piece in the upper right portion is a piece of styrene I used to replace an original that I accidentally sanded off...oops



Here's that awesome resin seat by Ultracast...but I still added a PE lever on the side.

On to Phase 2....engine and fuselage PE!!!

"I've decided on the AMT 1/48th Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat nightfighter. Has anyone else built this kit? So far, my experience with it isn't so great, BUT, I have tackled tougher kits. What's your opinion of it?"

I am currently building this kit. It goes together well, but do yourself a few favors.

1. Dump the plastic-eating "rubber" tires in the kit. Get the cast resin set.

2. Eduard makes a great photo etch set for the engines as well.

3. Look for detail sets for the interior as well (seat belts,etc)

4. Try try try, to find a different set of decals fo rthis kit. The kit supplied set are about as thick as pancakes!

That's about it from me.

--Jon

lookin' cool . can't wait to see it completely painted and weathered (?).

Hi all,

It looks like things are going really well for most of you.

I managed to steal about an hour this weekend to glue together the centerline fuel tank, wipe down my model to get rid of excess decal setting solvent, and put one more coat of Future floor wax on the Phantom.

I'm undecided as to whether I'll try to put a dull, or semi-dull coat on the plane as a final coat. I like the look of the clean/glossy plane, and I can even justify it based on the history I know ofthe plane I'm modeling.

More to the point, I don't think I'm ready to take my first crack at weathering on this plane. I want to wrap up the build, make the base, and paint the figures. Then I'll be done.

Regards,

All parts recieved. Cover me, I'm goin' in.

Hi all,

I managed to do a little more work last night. I sanded the seams off the centerline fuel tank. I hope I'll be able to prime parts tonight.

Regards,

I finally got my glue today so I can get started either this or next weekend and keep going on this group build. I have been working on the NMF stuff this week. So I have been doing something. Hope all is well in the world of the USMC GB. Good Luck everyone.

Folks,

You can now peruse the first posting in this group build for the project listing. Great idea, jimz66. I shoulda thought of that. Oh well. It's my first group build......I'm learning.

My IPMS modeling club (IPMS/Roscoe Turner Indianapolis) is having our annual contest/show this coming weekend ( 6 March 2004), so, if you're in or near the area, please stop by. It's at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel on the east side of Indy at I-465 and Pendleton Pike. All day long. Lots of VENDORS!!!!!!! Hopefully, I'll be able to get the new Hasegawa 1/48 AV-8B Harrier II this weekend. I've got four of the Revell-Monogram versions. Gotta get the Hasegawa kit now.

My F7F-3N hasn't made any progress since my last posting. BUT, it'll be ready by 30 July..................

I got mine the other day and have started it. It's a beautiful looking kit. The fuselage is an
8 piece affair with lots of room on the inside to apply glue in a little trough - I happen to like gluing from the inside when possible. Like the RM kits the front wheel bay doors are moulded closed, but unlike the RM kits, there is no front wheel bay.

I question if the ejection seat really needs to be 7pieces - and no harnesses are supplied (I have no idea how I am gonning to make those as of yet). The cockpit is a bit sparse in comparrison to the black box set (Okay, I was spoiled here) and decals are provided for the instrument and switch panels which could be integrated into your painting techniques. Also like the RM kit the side walls are rudimentry. From what I've seen of the clear parts, be prepared to polish out the seems. The nozzles also look like they are going to be problematic with seams, but the seams in the interior vanes may be hidden by the small (scale) opening apperatures.

Other than that at this point, I am very happy with this kit with hasegawa's finely engraved panel lines and wonderful tight joints. I think that it will build itself into a beautiful replica as far as I can tell.

wibhi2,

Which of your Harriers is the Hasegawa kit?

Regards,

Thier newest BII+, I saw recently that they have another one -a BII - plus a little known and very cute (did I just say cute?) egg shaped harrier, which I saw on ebay.

Well, guys, I finally finished my F7F-3N, and, to say the least, I'm not particularly proud of it. It wound up being a tail-sitter, even after all of the weight that I added to the nose. Plus, I attempted to add exhaust stains to the engine nacelles (my feeble first attempt at weathering), and you can tell that I ATTEMPTED to add the stains. It looked awful. But, a photo of it will still be posted on 30 July.

Based on the above comments, I've decided to build another model for the Group Build. I finally got my hands on the new Hasegawa AV-8B Harrier II Plus today (6 March 2004), and I plan on having it ready for 30 July as well. The cost is very reasonable ($25), and, judging from the parts in the box, it looks great!! I'm excited about building it. The decals look great as well. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Speaking of which, I've noticed that no one has posted to the Group Build since 4 March (except for this one). I hope no one has become bored with this. Look forward to seeing everyone's pride and joy here soon!!