First Annual Berny Memorial Group Build

I think I can save her.  But it's going to be a bit before I feel it's safe to repaint.  I want to make sure there is no ELO left on her skin before I repaint.  And I have to get more Chrome anyway.  I'm considering doing the 1/32 scale version I have and using Model Master Metalizer on it.  It would be the first time I've used it and I am feeling ambitious this week.

I hope you have a good Vacation.  I haven't had one since 1987....  Man we need one out here.

Rich

Gamera

ACK!?! Gee friggin' whiz!

Guess that's another reason I'm a dog person.

And she was looking so good, hope you can save her.

BTW guys, I'm leaving on vacation/holiday tomorrow (Sat.) See ya'll in a week and a half!

Hi Everyone,

How is everyone?  I thought I would stop by and just say "hello" and let you know that I will be back in full force after this Wednesday when my final exams are done.  I have two finals, one on Monday and another on Wednesday.  Then I am done with school.  Well, back to studying. 

SOMM (the other Ken)

Rich - OUCH!  Sorry to hear about your "catsaster."  Good luck with your recovery.

SOMM (the other Ken) - Best of luck with your exams, Ken.  I am posting some pics showing some of the problems I encountered (for your enlightenment when you tackle your TF-102.)  This has been a tough one and I still have some serious hurdles to conquer with the canopy.  I shoulda had ten more years of experience before I tried this conversion, but I'd be so old then that I would have forgotten what airplanes are used for!    Hopefully, yours will have a better fit.

More later (maybe), Buzz

Hi Buzz (the other Ken),

I just had to look when I saw your post.  Awesome work man!  I don't know what you are talking about when you say you need more experience, it looks like you are doing an incredible job to me!      Thanks for the pictures and instructions!

SOMM (the other Ken)

Don't worry Kbuzz, the plastic didn't melt so I should be good to repaint in a few days.  In the meantime, I pulled out a builder I have of a fictional MIG 37.  The 1/48 Testors kit.  Not much for detail, but it looks to be a fun build.  It's amazing what $3 on eBay can buy...

Here's a few starter images.  I guess I'll do this one for this build as well, since I'm doing it anyways.. lol

Here's the next Vic.... er, project..

The kit is older, but is complete as far as I can tell.  I was too lazy today, to do a full parts inventory.

The Decals look in OK condition, but a bit fuyzzy.  So I reworked them.  I will put a high resolution image of the cleaned up decals at the end of this message.  It's huge, so expect it to take a bit to DL.

Here are the parts for the first assembly step.

Some of the primary painting is done.  I have a lot to do on the seat and instrument panels still.  Okay now for the big one.  I am not sure if this will come out in full resolution here, so if anyone needs or wants a full res copy and it won't DL here, just PM me your email address.

Well, thats it for now.  More images as it progresses.  This isn't a horribly complex kit, so the build time should be short.  And I have lots of flat black paint now....  lol

Rich

Ouch....more bad news guys, not trying to upstage anyone......

My uncle-in-law, Don Laidler, passed away at 91.

Don served his whole career with the RCAF, and was a squadron leader during the Cold War.

His ride was the F-86, I'll try and dig up some photos.

Apparently he was handy with those 6 .50 cals.......

See that face?, that was him, he never smiled.

See those eyes? Hunting Bear....

"Hey Don, what are the most important skills for a fighter pilot?:"

This is his answer, and he was serious:

"You don't need much skill, but you need to be

a cold blooded killer.....and if you want to survive you never

take your eye off of the fuel gauge."

I think the 'cold blooded killer' line was a common saying

from his time, but he once said, after a few, that his job was

"to kill the enemy." Like so many back then, he hated talking

about his job,and would let you know when it was time to

start talking about the weather again.

He was a man of his times.

-Dom

Do you have any specific info on the Sabre he flew?

Rich

Bockscar

Ouch....more bad news guys, not trying to upstage anyone......

My uncle-in-law, Don Laidler, passed away at 91.

Don served his whole career with the RCAF, and was a squadron leader during the Cold War.

His ride was the F-86, I'll try and dig up some photos.

Apparently he was handy with those 6 .50 cals.......

See that face?, that was him, he never smiled.

See those eyes? Hunting Bear....

"Hey Don, what are the most important skills for a fighter pilot?:"

This is his answer, and he was serious:

"You don't need much skill, but you need to be

a cold blooded killer.....and if you want to survive you never

take your eye off of the fuel gauge."

I think the 'cold blooded killer' line was a common saying

from his time, but he once said, after a few, that his job was

"to kill the enemy." Like so many back then, he hated talking

about his job,and would let you know when it was time to

start talking about the weather again.

He was a man of his times.

-Dom

 

 

 

Rich;

His son John, whom was also an RCAF fighter pilot, has that kind of stuff, I'll get in touch with him.

Here's a sick thing, about 4 years ago, they moved from their apartment, and his custom built

1/32 F-86 was put down the garbage chute!

Along with the custom built F-104 Satrfighter, and Hornet his son flew.

I'll try and get some more info.

Scorpiomikey

In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 
John McCrae

Today in Austalia and New Zealand we celebrate ANZAC day. We remember those who have fallen.

Scorpio, so much has happened, but I saw you memorial and I remember the Australian New Zealand Army Corps mostly from the Gallipoli episode, especially all the guys machine-gunned as they were disembarking.

It's a neat memorial because John McCrae was a Canadian...so we are approaching the 100'th anniversary of so many transitions of the colonies into countries......blood, sweat, and tears......

Yeah Kbuzz.....

that is looking dangerously close.....dangerously close.....to an airplane:

Your gap filling work is looking great. Funny, the plane reminds me of an F-35 from that angle....

PAINT!!!!! MY BIRDY HAS PAINT ON IT. Corsair is sitting in the sun drying, just done one wing so far, wanted to practice before i started masking.

I did a Corsair a couple of months ago.  I should put up a couple of images of it.  It's one of the best Corsairs I have done.

Rich

Scorpiomikey

PAINT!!!!! MY BIRDY HAS PAINT ON IT. Corsair is sitting in the sun drying, just done one wing so far, wanted to practice before i started masking.

Rich:

Don't hold back....would like to see those....

Rich:

Don't hold back....would like to see those....

Okay, you asked for it. lol

Here are a couple more MIG 37 WIPs first.

The Cockpit once completed.  This bird is going together fast.

Another View

And a last one.

The cockpit mounted in the upper fuselage half.   I decided to do this one with gear up.  Someday I might get lucky and find another builder of this kit for a gear down build.  The fit on the landing gear doors is a bit rough, but it's a 1987 Testors/Italeri kit, so I expected fit issues.  And they need to fire whomever they have designing the cockpit sub assemblies.

Okay..  Here's a couple of the Corsair.

Front view.  No I have not detailed the gun ports yet, or weathered it.  I am still trying to decide which technique to use for the weathering.

Here's a starboard side view.  These decals are redos of the originals.  The ones that came with it were bad.  cracked and faded.  So I basically had to completely redo them using the old ones as a template.

And lastly is a port side view.  Most of thw white you see is dust.  I couldn't get a good shot of the inside of the cockpit, whicch stinks because I spent three days detailing the instruments and forgot to take some pics before I buttoned it up...

That's it.  Not too bad for an old Hobby Craft kit.  When we get a new place, I plan on finally getting to the 1/32 Trumpeter 1/32 kit I have in storage.  Until then, I still have a sealed 1/48 Academy kit with me in case I get the Corsair itch again..  Oh yeh, and one R/M 1/32 kit, which is my nemesis.....  Hey Dom, did you ever figure out if you can fabricate those hinges? lol....

Have a good weekend all.

Rich

Bockscar

Rich:

Don't hold back....would like to see those....

Rich:

Suuuuweeet!

Nice looking airplane!!!

Yeah, I'ld like to build me one of those!....lol....

Man I tell ya...  I used to think the R/M 1/48 P61 kit wad bad fitting parts until I started this MIG 37....  It has to be the worst fitting kit I have ever done....  Not one of the body and wing pieces fit right, and I mean significantly off.  Visible gaps everywhere.  I am going to go through a half a tube of Tamiya putty or more.  I better order some more sanding paper too. lol

Rich

Sparrowhyperion

Man I tell ya...  I used to think the R/M 1/48 P61 kit wad bad fitting parts until I started this MIG 37....  It has to be the worst fitting kit I have ever done....  Not one of the body and wing pieces fit right, and I mean significantly off.  Visible gaps everywhere.  I am going to go through a half a tube of Tamiya putty or more.  I better order some more sanding paper too. lol

 

Rich

Besides, a Russian aircraft....lol.....

Why would anyone use rivets or fasteners, when an inert gas welder would do?

Testors probably did what all good Soviet aircraft commissars do....

Send 20% of the project's specified raw materials to an unnamed, unspecified project.....then on to a bank account in Switzerland......lol....

Hey, you're getting the authentic Russian construction experience......yeah, more putty......

Oh and Rich,,,,for gosh sakes.......don't forget to use the Radar Absorbing Putty, or RAP, for that project.

Phew......

Ive been having an amazingly rubbish day. So frustrated right now, cant do any work on my corsair or im likley to crush it in anger..

First, i put a coat of primer down on the bentwing, which then proceeded to drip (even with a really light coat) and crate a massive drippy bubble thing on the cowl.

Then we went to get a warrant for the car. It failed because it had slightly foggy headlights, a "nail" in the tyre (turned out to be a stone) and the window washers didnt have alot of pressure.

Then i went and bought a new game "I know, ill play a shooter game to unwind" big mistake, first it makes me download a cloud server (Like steam) before i can install my game, this EA cloud client gives EA the right to peruse my computer at their whim (its in the licence agreement, cant opt out), once i get past this frustrating experience, i then go to install my game, blue screen of death, restart, try again, freeze, restart, try again, blue screen of death. EA has lost themselves a customer.

So now im sitting here seething ready to send some seriously abusive emails to any EA email i can find. Just hope my mate at EB will give me a refund, if not ill be taking legal action against EA.

Sorry, i just had to rant and give an update as to why my corsairs not finished yet.

Hi Mike,

Sorry to hear about your bad day.  I hope today turns out better.

SOMM (the other Ken)

I feel for you.  I am assuming that a "Warrant" for your car is something like an inspection sticker.  We used to have to deal with those when I lived in Massachusetts.  I think they are just another way for the politicos in power to rip off the public for some more money..  

I know painting is always a frustrating job.  At least for me it is.  It seems no matter how careful you are, something always messes up.  My F86 is a perfect example.  Now it has to sit until I can get more chrome paint, which isn't cheap.

I can't do shooters anymore.  I don't have the reflexes they require.  But I know about EA's seemingly total lack of concern for Customer Support.  They like to keep you in this endless loop of automated emails, which usually have absolutely nothing to do with the problems you are having.  I had a weird problem with graphical corruption in Spore one time, and they are telling me to unplug and reconnect my speakers...  I am really amazed that people still buy their games.  I don't like cloud games.  Steam causes issues with almost everyone I know that deals with it.  I much prefer a standalone game that doesn't require you to have an internet connection to play it, just so it can verify that you own the game...  Draconian at best.  Your BSODs and freezes sound video driver related, or possibly a memory issue in the main system RAM of the video card's  Video RAM.  PM me your configuration and I'll see I can help. 

My major frustration this morning, came when I went to start putty work on the MIG.  And I found my Putty had dried up in the tube.  So now I have a delay in that one as well as the Saber.

Rich

Scorpiomikey

Ive been having an amazingly rubbish day. So frustrated right now, cant do any work on my corsair or im likley to crush it in anger..

First, i put a coat of primer down on the bentwing, which then proceeded to drip (even with a really light coat) and crate a massive drippy bubble thing on the cowl.

Then we went to get a warrant for the car. It failed because it had slightly foggy headlights, a "nail" in the tyre (turned out to be a stone) and the window washers didnt have alot of pressure.

Then i went and bought a new game "I know, ill play a shooter game to unwind" big mistake, first it makes me download a cloud server (Like steam) before i can install my game, this EA cloud client gives EA the right to peruse my computer at their whim (its in the licence agreement, cant opt out), once i get past this frustrating experience, i then go to install my game, blue screen of death, restart, try again, freeze, restart, try again, blue screen of death. EA has lost themselves a customer.

So now im sitting here seething ready to send some seriously abusive emails to any EA email i can find. Just hope my mate at EB will give me a refund, if not ill be taking legal action against EA.

Sorry, i just had to rant and give an update as to why my corsairs not finished yet.

Thanks sparrow, ill do that tonight. Im tempted to take it back to the guys who built it for me. It seems i may have a dodgy graphics card. All the drivers are up to date.

Hulk not smash, got some paint down yesterday.

Im 99% happy with it as a base, i still need to spend a considerable amount of time weathering it. And i need to fix the paint behind the engine cowl. But overall i like it. Not bad for a rattle can job.

Mikey - the Corsair's looking good! 

As for the video - thank goodness I've never encountered that on my golf range or course.  Although I've hit a few balls that I wouldn't have minded shooting down. 

Put a coat of primer on the TF yesterday.  I'm very pleased with the mesh between the resin conversion piece and the plastic aft section.  I have a few little uglies to fix on the main body but am ready to move on to the next challenge now.  I guess that will be the canopy.

Buzz

Well, I had sort of a fit of creativity today.  I got the last of the major parts on the MIG.  Tomorrow, it's putty central, then mask and paint.  I'll take some images tomorrow.

I also got a bit done on a War of the Worlds Martian War Machine (1950s version).  It's paint is pretty much done, and I have started lighting it.  Green LEDs in the front and wingtip blisters, as well as the 3 electromagnetic repulser emitters on the bottom, and a tiny little red LED in the heat beam cannon on the stalk.  I have a seller on eBay who has these tiny red LEDs.  They're like $6 with shipping, and are so small you can fit them anywhere.  I didn't even have to put on an LED because it includes one, already attached.  I am still trying to figure out the best way to power it.  I am probably going to have to bite the bullet and mount a small jack in the bottom or back of the MWM, and put the battery under the base, with a cable and plug up into the jack when I want it on.  A small SPST switch in the base would control it.  If the base and mount in the MWM were different, I could just connect the power through there, but it won't work that way.  Any ideas?

Finally, I  started a 1/48 Revell Mosquito MK IV Bomber version for the way to many props build.  I had started one before we moved for it, but it was destroyed half way complete.  It's a very simple kit so I should have no problems getting it done in time for the deadline on that build.

I'll be posting images of all three tomorrow when I have time to get them ready to upload and put them up.

Other than that, not much to report.  Oh yeh....  I got unbelievably lucky.  You know the big 1/48 scale B2 Spirit kit?  The one that goes for like $60-$100 on average.  I sniped one with three minutes to spare on eBay for (hold onto your hats) $10!!!.  Still in a shrink-wrapped box with a few dents.  I wont be able to do it for quite some time, but hey, now my collection of bombers is one kit closer to completion.  The only ones on my list still are the B66 destroyer and the X/YB49 Flying Wing.  I would love to get ahold of some British bombers (Lancaster and Wellington), but they are ridiculously priced.  I wish Revell would come out with an affordable kit of those two.

Have a good night folks.  I have to go to bed early... Dentist at 8:30AM... ARGH!!!!!

Rich

Well.  Looks like I was right.  The plastic on the F86 won't accept the paint now.  I think the ELO bonded with it and now all the chrome does is bubble up into spots.  So much for that kit.  I can't get another one right now either, so I'll have to pick something else from my limited supply.  I am soooo ticked.  The cockpit came out great on this one...  I really don't want to do a 1/32 here unless I can' find anything else to do.  But I do still have that Hasegawa 1/32 F86F with Japanese markings in the small stash here.  I could do an F15 or something I guess, but that Sabre is burning me up...  A total waste of about a weeks work.  I just ordered another can of Chrome too... 

Rich

Mikey: So, never take a golf club to a shotgun fight....lol.....

Your Corsair is looking real good....

KBuzz, that paint has really pulled the lot together, nice work on the seams, looks original from here.....

Rich, I'm guessing the ELO is a solvent that does penetrate into the plastic a bit. Probably needs to sit like

a fine cognac to let the angels have their share before you try to repaint.....yeah, ELO stands for 'Ever Lasting Oilfilm.......man, I am so helpful sometimes.......

I only seem to have this problem on older kits.  There must be either a difference in the formulation from modern Polystyrene, or there is a chemical breakdown or change of some sort in the older plastic.  Here's some images of the mess.

On the ventral surfaces, you can see the uneven coating.  I simply could not get it to stick.  I tried my airbrush first, then tried to resort to the last and brute force approach, spray can 1290 Chrome.  No luck with either.  Even doing the yellow stripes, which are masked in these shots, I had to go over them like 10 times with the airbrush and they still didn't come out very well.

You can really see the bubbling on this shot.  The other side near the wing base is even worse.

Well, so much for this bird.  I'm thinking of sticking a C6-5 into it's butt and sending it into orbit.

I found only 2 possible replacements on eBay that are both a bit over my normal budget at $25, but IF they are still there by Friday, I might be able to talk Deb into letting me get one of them.  The prices I am seeing on all of the Sabres, even the R/M one has been shooting up for a while now.  All of the kit prices have really.  And I hardly see the ESCI kit anymore.  The two I am watching are like 2 of only 4 that I have been able to find.  And the other two are loony toon priced at over $40.  I wouldn't classify any of the 4 as collectable due to their box condition, so I think $40 is way out in left field.  Hopefully no one with snag either one by Friday.  They are both BINs so at least I won't have to deal with a bidding war.

Rich

Bockscar

Mikey: So, never take a golf club to a shotgun fight....lol.....

Your Corsair is looking real good....

KBuzz, that paint has really pulled the lot together, nice work on the seams, looks original from here.....

Rich, I'm guessing the ELO is a solvent that does penetrate into the plastic a bit. Probably needs to sit like

a fine cognac to let the angels have their share before you try to repaint.....yeah, ELO stands for 'Ever Lasting Oilfilm.......man, I am so helpful sometimes.......

Rich;

Maybe let it rest.

Call me crazy, but those bubbles look like finger prints.

You are busted pal!.....lol......

Also, over time the original mold release may have worked its way into the plastic,

so you get the bad results. I dunno, maybe let the new coat of paint absorb all the

crap and resort to a 600-800 grit.

You might be able to use all of that random scarring to add to the weathering.

It was lookin' so good!

-Dom

Rich - sorry for your troubles, that's really a bummer.  I found a nice Academy F-86 at Hobby Lobby a while back.  Don't remember for sure what I paid for it, but I'm thinking it was 30 bucks or less with one of their 40% coupons.  It was a nice build except for the big yellow decals.  I think it turned out pretty well.

I've started to wrestle with the TF-102 canopy.  I'm about to go blind trying to make these dang vortex generators that sit on top of the canopy - and I need to make 26 of them!! 

Buzz (one of the other Kens)

Dang, stuff that for a joke.