MONOGRAM MAFIA II GB

Quick update on the P-40.

Finished up the gear. I shortened the axles and sanded down and drilled out the tie down points. Since this is intended to be a gears up belly one wing is going to be off the ground and I had a Chuck W moment and carved at the scissors some to make them more like the actual rounded ones. The nose on this molding was really rough. The picture doesn't do it justice in its raw form. The top has had some Squadron White gobbed on it and is partially done. I may need to add some more putty for shaping the carb intake. The holes for the sights needed to be filled anyway since the sights were offset to the right. I am hopping of getting this to the paint stages and maybe even getting the bottom gray on this weekend.

I still need to sand the frames off the front of the windscreen and cut out this section from the other canopy for the armor glass plating. Then just painting and decalling. This is going to be close as I need to be done by the end of the month to get made and only have bench time for a few days a week over the weekends. Plus I gotta keep an eye on quality as Ms Owl has set the P-40 bar pretty high already.

P-40 and Me109K update

The paint has been stripped from the 109 and I am repainting it with MM enamels (I love these, hate their Acrylics). In stripping the 109 I resolved the issue with the paints not curing.  The RLM 76 was mixed in a bottle, it did ok. Same with the RLM "84" as this was that RLM 76 with a dash of Testor's Zinc Chromate Yellow. The 81 and 82 were mixed in some resealable pots from HobbyLobby. The paint was starting to cure in these, that is why I started this before finishing the P-40. With these paints I had to add thinner to get them back right. I think they are usable but will take some time to cure, as they were slowly curing. I figure if I did the 109 with them it would probably take 6 months to a year for the paint job with the curing times involved. Which really stinks because I am pretty happy with the way these colors look. Currently the RLM 76 on the bottom surfaces is done and I have a top coat to go on the RLM "84" on the sides, which I will do in a minute before work can resume Thursday night.

On the P-40 front, work has continued on the gear doors and these are some work on this kit. They have some issues with the gear down and more with them up. The part for the rounded end of the bays is not as wide as the place for it in the wing. The closed doors also are not as wide as where they should mate up without some work and will not line up with the rounded end bits if not installed a specific way. So a word to the Family if doing one of these with the gear up first glue the closed door to the inboard side of the bay. After this has dried force the door over and down to meet the outboard side of the bay. This area will probably still require putty work and rescribing the doors. I did not bother with such since I am putting this plane on a base. I also let go some nastiness on the side that will be down and it was a good thing I did this one first as I did not do it as above. I needed some paint on things to check my work so I went ahead and put the first coat on the underside. Again since this model will be on its belly with one wing on the ground I have very little final sanding necessary here. I also had to add some more putty to the carb scoop and this has been shaped and primed. There are still a few divots in the putty but I think paint and sanding that will finish them off.

This first pic shows the 109 after one paper towel in the stripping process. The RLM 82 came off quick. The P-40 shows the gap from gluing the outboard side first..

This second pic shows the 109 after she has been striped. MM Enamel 76 seems to have a "greenish" cast to it to me. My mix looks correct in hue and a bit off on shade, while MM's looks off in hue and on in shade to me. The P-40 is in the background getting some submition treatment to the above described order of things. At this point I had to scrounge another closed door from one of my other copies as the first got destroyed trying to go outboard to inboard.

Here is the current status. I hope I kept things dry enough around the canopy on the 109 that no nastiness happens. With the P-40 the right wing will slightly be off the ground.

I am not sure if I can get the 109 done under the wire with what painting I have left and Thursday through Sunday night to work on it. I know the P-40 will not be done by then. There are too many small things to take care of with the painting left for the time I have.

Here is the 5th for the build, Show Time 100  Monogram's F-4J pretty much straight from the box. I did try to add a little bit of creative gizmology in the engine area. A little bit of wire bent into circles and some heavy foil to replicate the look of the innards of the engines.

And with that I thought that I would have a "family photo" this one is all five for the group build.

Now if I can get some credit for the build and have I missed the new badge for the build or are we sticking with the old one?

Very nice Phantom MK I do like it a LOT!

Well I am kicking off my second build, the classic 1/48 F-100D, The Hun.

So far  have begun building all teh quick simple stuff that I could do before beginning painting.

The wings and vertical stabilizer

bottom of the wings

The fuselage has some options for a few open access panels. I glued them shut as I want this one to be a simple quick build over the next few weeks.

And the cockpit, ejection seat, and main wheels

kit included ordinance- I will only be using the fuel tanks, the Bullpups and Mk.82s are going to my spares bin

and I will instead be using these M117 750lb bombs that came from a couple Hobbycraft A-4s

More to come over the next few days...

You've got me interested Stik, I'll look forward to the next instalment.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony. I would like to knoick this one out over the next few weeks that I have off of work.

Hey Stik.. the Hun is a sweet kit.. I did one in the First MM  Group Build.. ck out that thread to see it, I did mine camo, and tried some raised panel techniques on it.. and did the "burnt " look to the tail around the engine.. She pulled a 1st Place at DownEast Con in Saco Me. this past spring.. Have fun with it !

P38, I built this kit way back when it was new issue, and remember it being a good build. All my test fitting and minor building so far confirms that. I googled a bunch of reviews last nite and jut couldnot understand some of the trash talking about these old Century Series kits. I guess I am not snooty enough. I will go have a look see at yours P38. I do eventually want to build another in camo for my Vietnam collection, since this one will be aluminum lacquer of 1965 early Vietnam, but it will be many years off. I would like to do a twin seater F before another D.

My big project this morning was the afterburner. I hate a flat empty exhaust face and just could not leave well enough alone. I am using the same method (with a bit of a twist) as I did on my Argie ESCI 1/48 Mirage IIIEA build, using a B-26 main wheel for the afterburner face.

First up, the parts before surgery

Then the wheel cut out from the tire with my scribing tool...

And finally the original flat burner face cut away, the wheel with a sprue fan spool end added, and the interior of the burner can with some texturing added using a round needle file....

Very tricky on the afterburner, I have a Hun in the stash I may have to dig it out. Plus I have several B-26 wheels that I could use the way you are . I really like the fact that new ideas always show up and most of the time they are pretty simple. Thanks for the comment on the Phantom. The decals were the hardest part of the entire build.

Thanx MK. Ya never know how or where those odds and ends salvaged parts will come in handy. I also have a pair of wheels off of a C-47 that have a very similar look and can do the same thing if needed someday. What was difficult about the decals on your Phantom? Or did you just mean that the build was so simple and went well that the decals were the hasrdest aprt without there being any issues?

Well I began slinging paint during the midday. Interior Green in the Wheel Wells and Speed Brake well, and Dark Gull Gray in the cockpit. Next up is Aluminum on the gear door and intake interiors, and some flat black beneath the windscreen. I am trying out a loaner Grex airbrush that is making the rounds in our AMPS Chapter, and so far I am happy with the temporary new toy.

The build was easy, they are lot of decals to put on, plus they were old I and had to be careful with them. That is what made them the hardest part. With lots of Microset and Microsol they snuggled right down. For the money the Monogram Phantoms are the best around. I have built the more expensive Hasegawa kits and they really don't look any better to me.  

Beutiful Phantom and Skyraider !!!!!!

Yeah I gotta agree on the Skyraider too! I always like them in Air Commando/Sandy markings

Now I understand what you mean about the decals being difficult. Old ones can be a challenge. I hope that mine are co operative when I build mine one day. I may have to bump it up a bit just to avoid that issue... I have only built the Monogram 1/48 F-4C/D back when it was new, and remember loving that kit as my pride and joy for many years back then. Unfortunately it did not survive being packed away by my mom after I left for the Army...

Well here are a few progress pics of basic painting so far...

cockpit components in Dark Gull Gray with intake in Aluminum

Interior Green speed brake and wheel wells, and area around the landing lights Aluminum (to ease masking later)

and the completed unpainted modified afterburner

MKelley

Here is the 5th for the build, Show Time 100  Monogram's F-4J pretty much straight from the box ...

 

Inspirational!  Seriously.  I recently got one of these, and will also build more-or-less OOB.  I hope I do anywhere near as well as you did.

Old Ordie Thanks for the pat on the back. Stikpusher since you mentioned the C/D version here is mine from about a year ago

Is that the High Tech release with the PE set? That's the one I have in my stash now of that kit. But I really do wish that they had included the option of a center fuel tank as well as the gun pod. Finding Mig Killer markings for one of those that had a gun pod mounted during a kill is a real snipe hunt... I could make mine a mud mover with the gun pod but...

Anyways yours looks very good in the  Europe I wraparound camo MK

ok now, lots of pics of todays tiny work on my Hun

upper fueslage under canopy area painted

upper fuselage sidewales painted and washed (still need to clean up the wash on all the cockpit parts)

cockpit tub

bang seat

instrument panel (not a very good pic)

a few views of the seat in the tub and with the IP

M117s x 4

and cockpit parts with ordinance

Thats all for today/tonite...

Hey guys,

So good to see my fellow Mafiosos rollin' out another great batch of Monogram classics!  You guys are truly a talented bunch of folks.  MK, really love your family of five shot; great looking planes of some of my favorite subjects!!

And Stick, looking forward to your Hun build; looks like you are off to a great start.  Will follow your progress closely and rip off, I mean "borrow" some of your techniques. (Love the improvement to the exhaust can!!)

It's 0100 hrs. here on the east coast; my wife and I are in a local hospital keeping vigil on my uncle who is close to death as we speak....It is so good to see your work and remember with great fondness how much I (dare I say "we?") felt in younger days building the greatest American made model kits known to man: Monogram kits!!  

Keep 'em comin' guys; hope to get back within the ranks soon!!

Getting there.

The paint is on the 109, it still needs a bit of work with the stippled overspray effect. I also need to mask the Reich Defense band and come up with some Green for that since that did not port over into the Model Master enamels I am using on this. Since I need to get the decals on it tomorrow I not sure how I am going to handle the number, it should be a blue 7 but I don't have time to mask it and it's white outline.

Work continues on the P-40 sadly the nose is one place this kit really shows its age at. Ready for putty and then sanding.

Stikpusher, yes it is the Hi-tech version but, it had decals for the oldest F-4C in TAC. A unit out of the Arkansas Air National Guard. If I remember right that was the only decal option for this kit.

Tal Afar Dave, I have been there myself with family members. Hopefully those fond memories help you through the hard times. After building them for about 48 years I still think that Monogram gives you the best kits for the cost. They don't have the most pieces but, they have enough to make me happy and with a little creative "gizmology" they look pretty good.

Ok...finished up the "Night Lightning". This kit was tough. Lots of filling/sanding...maybe it was a lemon, built plenty of these over the years and don`t remember having this much trouble. Some of the trouble was my fault but some was ill-fitting and possibly warped parts. Anyway, here it is...

OK??? I posted, or thought I posted a bunch of pics...only the 1st one posted...???. I`ll have to try again later...this new format stinks.

MK, yes the High Tech series each only have on marking option on the kit decals. I did not know that the markings in the F-4 kit are for the oldest serving Phantom in TAC. Pretty cool.

Big Dog, your two builds are progressing nicely. I really like the late war camo colors on your 109. Just like modern aircraft, the greens are more visually interesting than grays.

Trouble, your Night Lightning looks good. I gotta agree about the new format issues. Before you could bang out a reply and not have to special click for smilies, pics, hot links, etc....

If I was the President and had it my way....

Well here are the latest updates on my Hun...

first up I cleaned up the excess wash with thinner this morning, and then some light dry brushing of Aluminum on cockpit interior high wear and edge areas...

cockpit tub

ejection seat

seat placed in the tub

IP glued in place on upper fuselage half

the landing lights I glued in place on the lower fuselage half

next I appled some Model Master foil to the back of the lights

and the view from the outside... unfortnately the pic does not look as good as it does to the Mk.I eyeball due to the glare from the surrounding Aluminum paint

And finally I glued the cockpit tub/intake in place, attached the wings to the upper fuselage, then glued the upper and lower fuselage halves tigether, sandwiching the wings in place...

and finally a few close up shots of the cockpit in place

Right now its time fo the cement to dry before I can start on the seam work...

 Well, I have no idea why my pics won`t post...doing the same things others are on Photobucket...copy the direct link and paste it into the add image box...nothin`!

 Ahh! finally! Still don`t know what happened..lol. Lets try another...

NOPE! WTH!! Anyone know what is going on or what I`m doing wrong??

Ok..getting nutty with this now...can only post one picture at a time it seems.

Now I used the "add video" option and it posted...let me try another...

It worked but I`m using video, not image...???...

OK..now lets see if they stay....

I am posting off photobaucket in the same manner as I did before under the "use rich formatting" format. I click on "use rich formatting", then double click on the image code to copy the image code for each picture that  I want to post. Then I paste the img code on my reply. As you can see above I have no issues that way when I post multiple photos/images.

BTW Trouble, your Night Lightning looks pretty nice

And I could not help myself, but I also glued on the intake nose and the afterburner to the main fuselage. Now it is really starting to look like a Hun.

Stik-

So you`re not even using the insert image icon? Just pasting the img. code right into the reply area? If so, sounds even easier than the way I used to do it.

Trying Stikpusher`s method..didn`t work...once again worked with the add video icon...go figure!

I don`t know...works on add video but not add image...prolly some setting that`s off. Thanks for looking!

Len

Yes, all I do is highlight and copy the img. code off photobucket and paste it onto the rich formatting reply

I use Internet Explorer for my browser. Works like a charm, no insert image/video icon used.

More progress on my Hun this afternoon. The seam work between the nose and wing leading edge is done excpet for a bit of Super Glue filler that I just applied and am waiting on to dry. Tomorrow I will hit the area between the stabilator and the wing flap traing edge.

the Night Lightning looks good. From what I have read the finish for the nightfighters was actually a little glossy so you have hit the mark for the finish.

Well looks like I will make it after all. The 109 is in Gloss and I will be able to do the decals and dull tomorrow. Looking back it seems the paint has fought me the whole way on this one. I recall that when I did the wash on the interior I had some hazing occur and had to do it over, then there was the whole strip the paint off that was the reason we were doing it in the first place thing.(Still bummed about that) Heh and I just thought I was done with the painting last night! I knew I had a bit of loose ends, but I spent from about 1 to 9 today finishing that off. The back plate to the spinner disappeared somewhere along the way so I had to rob one from an unfinished version. Funny story on that it is unfinished because I saw how sucky the MM Acrylics were going to be with a brush on the camo. Funny story number 2, the Reich Defense Band is done in MM Acrylics because I could not mix up a RLM 25, I just don't have an intense enough blue I think. Naturally that bled and some of it lifted, so I had to fix it and the camo with brushes. Did I mention I don't like MM Acrylics?

Since this monkey is off my back I can finally catch up on some of the GB talk. (Funny story there as well, I had projected this mentally as my 4th build, but the paint I was going to use up on it was starting to thicken up. We see how that ended up)  And this GB is why I joined this site, actually saw the first one but too late to join up.

@MKelly I really like the family photos, that's what like the cost of two Tamigawas there? And some really nice looking birds. Every one of those has looked great to me. As far as the Badges the Don asked for submissions but there haven't been any posted in the forums. I think he has some that need some finishing with a graphics program.

@troublemaker66 I am really glad to see your pics of the P-38 Night Fighter. Dude that rocks! Gloss black and raised detail! I built that kit as a kid and can't recall if I did the Droop Snoot or the NF. I know seeing you build it has led to me getting one for what should be my 5th build. Not sure which version yet I want to do, I was thinking the NF with all the cutting and stuff, but then there is the droop snoot which is cool, and the decals for Marge in NMF and then MKelly reveals there is the F version stuff in that box and I am thinking of the French camoed birds I have a profile of in a book. Decisions, Decisions. Wait, they are Revellograms, affordable and readily available! I hope what ever I build is as nice as yours or for that matter MK's.

@stikpusher I think the only Monogram Century series I ever built as a kid was the Thud. I keep seeing that kit and everybody says how nice it is. What you have done so far looks excellent. I think my favorite C series is the Voodoo as I did a nice one of those in 1/72 way back when, so I really haven't given that kit much thought. Seeing what yours is looking like may change my mind.

Based on some earlier trips down memory lane I have a P-39 slated as my next build after the H81 A-3 ala P-40 is done. I am thinking about 3 to 4 weeks on that with paint drying times and stuff. There are only a few things left to do before paint and then there is drying times with my weekend schedule. The P-39 I plan on doing a Guadalcanal dio. I picked up one of the little scene deals from Micheals in Columbus, Ga. with the palm trees. That was a bust, as I figured with Ft. Benning close by there may be some model selection, but it was only a few of the Mob oldies but goodies and little else. I plan to pick up a pack of palm trees from Hobby Lobby to make a tree line like on the 'Canal.