That's one su-weet Sabre you built.  I've never seen one with those nose colors before, and it looks extra cool.  I'm watching a couple of Academy kits as well as the ESCI ones.  I built one of theirs quite a few years ago.  Academy is one of my favorite manufacturers.  The price is reasonable, and the quality is great.

I'm dying to see how the TF-102 comes out.  I had never even heard of it until your build started.  It looks great so far.

Rich

Hi folks.  Not much going on in here I guess.  I have some good news.  I sent an email to Testors and explained what happened to my Sabre.  They had me send them the batch/lot number on my can of ELO.  It turns out it was a bad batch and they had a bunch of folks with this issue.  They are sending me out a new can, and they paid for the destroyed kit, so I have another of the same kit on the way.  It should be here by sometime next week.  Until then, I'll just keep busy with the Mossie I am doing for the Way Too Many Props Build.  I'm just wondering how hard it would be to tear the cockpit from the old one out of the dead fuselage to reuse it since it came out so good...  Ah..  nah.  Rebuilding is half the fun I guess.

Rich

Wicked, epic outcome.

Hi folks.  This morning I was reading my email, and I saw a few posts from another build I am doing (The Way Too Many Props Build).  One of the participants lost his Father last week.  His Dad was retired air force and served in WWII and Korea.  He was there when the USAF officially became a separate entity from the Army, and was one of the first to be a member of SAC.

This got me thinking about our upcoming first annual Bernie memorial trip to the Museum of the USAF in Dayton.  While the trip is primarily to honor Bernie and his service to this Country, perhaps it would be a good time to remember all of the other heroes who kept this Country safe, at the risk of their own lives.

Let me have your thoughts.

On another note, the F86 replacement is on it's way and should be here in a couple more days.  They shipped it Parcel Post instead of the Priority mail they were to supposed to use...

Yesterday, My lovely Wife Debbie officially graduated from the University of Toledo.  She now has a B.S. in Health Information Management to add to her three associates degrees and her various certifications.  Let's hope that this opens a few doors for her.  I am sooo proud of her.  She worked her tail off for years to do this.  It was especially satisfying for her because she accomplished it at an age where most people are starting to plan for their retirement.  Her Mom took us out to Applebees for a celebratory dinner afterwards.  I have a short video of her getting her diploma on Facebook if anyone is interested.

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=432634660083064

video.php?v=432634660083064

Speaking of military deaths.

This is kinda upsetting. I feel sorry for his wife.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/6871039/Wife-watches-soldier-husbands-death-on-Skype

Hi Everyone,

It is finally over.  No more school.  I got an "A" on my first final which was the most difficult.  But the night before my second one, my wife kept me up all night tossing and turning.  The exam was a timed exam and with little sleep, I was unable to concentrate.  Consequently I ran out of time before I could finish and got a "D".  It brought my final grade for the course down to a "B".  But it is all over now. 

I have been playing "catch up" since Wednesday.  In fact, at this moment I am working from home on the servers at work.  But everything will return to normal fairly quickly.

Rich:  Very sorry to hear about the demise of your F-86, but happy to hear about the replacement being sent to you.  Shows that Testors is a company that really does care about it's customers.

On the topic of the trip to the museum, who all is going?

Buzz (the other Ken): Nice work on your TF-102!   It is coming along very nicely!

Mikey:  Your Corsair is also looking really nice!

Cliff:  The Havoc is coming together, I look forward to seeing the next set of pictures.

I made some progress on the ejection seat handles.  I like the smaller diameter wire I used.  It looks a lot closer to 1/48 scale.  I thought I would give a little more detail to how I did them.

First, I took some detail stripping tape that I aquired from a local auto paint shop and cut a small piece and adhered it to the surface of my cutting board:

Next I took a straight edge and cut along the length to get the first side straight:

Then I removed that piece so that I have a nice straight edge to use for the next cut:

Now using the straight edge again I cut a very slim piece, leaving it in place on the cutting board:

Then I take the wire that I had previously painted yellow, clasp it in a clamp, take one end of the tape and wrap it around the wire.  Then, with a lot of patience, slowly with some pulling to stretch the tape to what looks about right for the thickness, I twist the wire to wrap the tape around it.

Here is how it turned out:

As you can see, I have two different degrees of thickness to choose from.  It really isn't difficult, just takes patience.  The next step is to cut them to length and attach them to the seats.

Ken

Hey Ken:

Listen, you deserve congratulations for your exam scores. Doesn't it figure you would do better on the harder exam, then get tripped up by circumstance on the easier one?

Well done!

Nice work on the micro ejection seat handles!

As for Dayton, you want to do a weekday and Rich wants to do a weekend.

I'm so darn tired and my back is so dang achy, I honestly don't feel up to driving for 12 hours each way right now.

I was very motivated to go last year, and i still want to go. I am a bit bagged. Maybe there is a better way for me to do this on the cheap. -I'll keep everyone posted.

I haven't even sniffed MEK for almost 6 weeks running now......

I don't get my Disability until like the 4th. of the month, so I wouldn't be able to do it the first weekend in June.  It would have to be the weekend of the 9th. or later.  Weekdays are somewhat problematic since Debbie is still working as a volunteer at UTMCO (University of Toledo, Medical College of Ohio).  She works Mondays and Thursdays normally.  A weekday might be doable if she doesn't have anything scheduled.

Ken, Congrats from me as well.  Now you must be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel almost here.

Have a great week folks.

Rich

Bockscar

Hey Ken:

Listen, you deserve congratulations for your exam scores. Doesn't it figure you would do better on the harder exam, then get tripped up by circumstance on the easier one?

Well done!

Nice work on the micro ejection seat handles!

As for Dayton, you want to do a weekday and Rich wants to do a weekend.

I'm so darn tired and my back is so dang achy, I honestly don't feel up to driving for 12 hours each way right now.

I was very motivated to go last year, and i still want to go. I am a bit bagged. Maybe there is a better way for me to do this on the cheap. -I'll keep everyone posted.

I haven't even sniffed MEK for almost 6 weeks running now......

 

 

 

Bockscar

Hey Ken:

Listen, you deserve congratulations for your exam scores. Doesn't it figure you would do better on the harder exam, then get tripped up by circumstance on the easier one?

Well done!

Nice work on the micro ejection seat handles!

As for Dayton, you want to do a weekday and Rich wants to do a weekend.

I'm so darn tired and my back is so dang achy, I honestly don't feel up to driving for 12 hours each way right now.

I was very motivated to go last year, and i still want to go. I am a bit bagged. Maybe there is a better way for me to do this on the cheap. -I'll keep everyone posted.

I haven't even sniffed MEK for almost 6 weeks running now......

 

 

 

Hi Dom,

Thank you for the kudos!

As far as the museum trip, one thing I was thinking about was maybe checking out some of the camp grounds close by.  It would be a lot easier on the wallet, so maybe you could afford to stay a few days longer to make it worth your while for the drive.  Just a thought.

Ken

Sparrowhyperion

I don't get my Disability until like the 4th. of the month, so I wouldn't be able to do it the first weekend in June.  It would have to be the weekend of the 9th. or later.  Weekdays are somewhat problematic since Debbie is still working as a volunteer at UTMCO (University of Toledo, Medical College of Ohio).  She works Mondays and Thursdays normally.  A weekday might be doable if she doesn't have anything scheduled.

Ken, Congrats from me as well.  Now you must be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel almost here.

Have a great week folks.

 

Rich

 

Hi Rich,

Thank you for the Kudos!  And by the way, tell your wife congratulations on her achievements as well.  That was a lot of hard work!  I am sure she is glad to have that over with!

Ken

I will let her know.

You know, that campgrounds idea is interesting...  I just wish I still had my camping gear.  With the exception of a couple of Coleman propane lanterns, all of my stuff was stolen when we left our last place.  I'm wondering is I can find a tent at a yard sale or something... hmmm...  We had been talking about a camping trip someday.  My Daughter has never had a real vacation, and I haven't been camping in years.  It would give me a good excuse to finally get the heavy duty power inverter installed in our van.  It's been sitting in a box for months now. lol

Hmmm......  Something to think about anyways.

Rich

Son Of Medicine Man

 

Sparrowhyperion:

 

I don't get my Disability until like the 4th. of the month, so I wouldn't be able to do it the first weekend in June.  It would have to be the weekend of the 9th. or later.  Weekdays are somewhat problematic since Debbie is still working as a volunteer at UTMCO (University of Toledo, Medical College of Ohio).  She works Mondays and Thursdays normally.  A weekday might be doable if she doesn't have anything scheduled.

Ken, Congrats from me as well.  Now you must be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel almost here.

Have a great week folks.

 

Rich

 

 

Hi Rich,

Thank you for the Kudos!  And by the way, tell your wife congratulations on her achievements as well.  That was a lot of hard work!  I am sure she is glad to have that over with!

Ken

I would love to go, unfortunately there's a rather large body of water in the way.

Scorpiomikey

I would love to go, unfortunately there's a rather large body of water in the way.

Stupid water!

That is amazing shot.  The rainbow effect is amazing.

Not a lot here today.  I've been feeling a bit under the weather since last night.  I think I might have gotten some bad Chinese food for lunch yesterday.

My replacement for the ESCI F86 arrived today.  I think I will start it tonight if I am feeling more up to it in a few hours.  I am really thinking of trying my Aluminum Plate metalizer on it.  I haven't used the stuff before, but I think it might be worth a try from all of the info I have found on using it over the last few days.  I will see how assembly comes out before deciding since everything I have read says that even the slightest surface imperfection will be amplified tenfold by the metalizer.  I did pick up another can of Chrome just in case.

The decals that came with the replacement kit are in a lot better shape than the ones that came with the last kit, so I still haven't decided if I will use them, some third party ones, or the ones I recreated.  I'm sure I will have it figured out before the kit gets to that point.  One thing.  Does anyone know who makes a Black Primer?  On the last kit, I just used flat black Model Masters enamel, but I wanted to try an actual black primer if I can find some.

Oh well, off to do some prep on it.  Images will be posted when I have enough to make it worth sending them up.

Rich

Hi Rich,

I hope you start feeling better soon.  On the subject of black primer, Floquil makes some.

Ken

Hey guys just got back and still catching up on stuff!

Rich: Sorry to hear about your problems with the F-86, very nice that Testor's was wiling to replace the defective product and reimburse you for the ruined kit. Nice work on the Mig- 37. I and I think pretty much everyone else built the F-19 kit back in the '80s. I thought the Mig-37 was pretty cool but never picked one up, kinda wish I had now.

And a big congrads to your wife as well!

Ken: Nice work there!

Kbuzz: Nice work on the TF too, super work on getting all the seams sanded down and smoothed for painting.

Mike: Hope things are going better there, the new photos of your F4U look really good. Hope you get your computer problems sorted out there, guess I've been lucky. Though skeptical of Steam at first I've not had any problems with it. Crossing my fingers.

I have to admit that I never got a chance to build the F-19.  Or many Testors kits for that matter.  My local shop didn't carry many.  I'm waiting for some new sculpting tools to be delivered so I can putty the Ferret into completion.

I got quite a lot done on the F86 tonight.  Most of the interior cockpit is painted as well as the ejection seat.  I decided to go with the stock decal set.  It's in good shape.  I also got the primary painting done on the landing gear and the doors and air brake insides.  I am still not sure if I will build it wheels up or down, but I have a while before I HAVE to decide so I can wait and see how the wheels come out.  I like to use MM Steel for the landing gear as the Testors Silver it calls for is kind of chinsy looking to me.  The Steel has a more authentic look to me, so I always swap anything Silver for either Steel, Aluminum, or Chrome, depending on what part it is.

Rich

Gamera

Hey guys just got back and still catching up on stuff!

Rich: Sorry to hear about your problems with the F-86, very nice that Testor's was wiling to replace the defective product and reimburse you for the ruined kit. Nice work on the Mig- 37. I and I think pretty much everyone else built the F-19 kit back in the '80s. I thought the Mig-37 was pretty cool but never picked one up, kinda wish I had now.

And a big congrads to your wife as well!

Ken: Nice work there!

Kbuzz: Nice work on the TF too, super work on getting all the seams sanded down and smoothed for painting.

Mike: Hope things are going better there, the new photos of your F4U look really good. Hope you get your computer problems sorted out there, guess I've been lucky. Though skeptical of Steam at first I've not had any problems with it. Crossing my fingers.

Greetings everyone,

I spent the evening mowing my Mom's yard.  It was quite high.  I meant to do it on Sunday but the work on the servers at my job took longer than I thought.  It rained here Sunday night and most of the day yesterday.  I am wore out. 

Hey Rich, it sounds like you really went to town on that F-86!  If there was a contest on who could build the fastest, I would put money down on you!

Ken

It's not a really complex kit.  A few fit and alignment issues, but nothing bad.  I tewnd to divide the assembly phases into sections and work on them concurrently.  I get a lot more done that way.  SOmetimes I find that the instructions do not show the most efficient or logical sequence.  Today I got the fuselage buttoned up with the cockpit completed.  I also masked and painted the last of the landing gear components, and assembled the wing sections.

Son Of Medicine Man

Greetings everyone,

I spent the evening mowing my Mom's yard.  It was quite high.  I meant to do it on Sunday but the work on the servers at my job took longer than I thought.  It rained here Sunday night and most of the day yesterday.  I am wore out. 

Hey Rich, it sounds like you really went to town on that F-86!  If there was a contest on who could build the fastest, I would put money down on you!

Ken

Rich:

Don't throw that bubbly wonder out!

It has a unique intake. Of course, if you ran over it and used it as fire starter,

i won't hold that against you.

VooDooKen:

yeah, fracking baggged,,,,,,,frack the grass.....lol......

uuuhhh.....is Franklin using your ejection seat handle wire as a buggy whip yet?....jess wondrin'.....

Scorpio:

Well, you could start swimming now. Yeah, yeah, a few silly sharks, but you will wear them out about

2000 naughts offshore.......

Good news, I saw a kit, and almost fell in love......there's hope yet fellas!!!!

Don't worry Dom.  I never throw anything away, usually...    I saved it for spare parts.

Here are some images of the new F86.  It's just about ready for gap filling, and luckily my supplies came in the mail, so I have everything I need for that.

Here's the cockpit assembly before touch up.

Here is the cockpit mounted in the starboard fuselage half.

Here is the assembled fuselage with the cockpit installed.  I had to do a slight adjustment to the cockpit since it was skewing a tiny bit on one side.

Now the cockpit install is complete.

Here are the wing and fuselage assemblies prior to mating.

The mated fuselage and wing assemblies.  I used the elastic to make sure the wings had the correct dihedral angle.

I still haven't decided whether do do this one gear up or down.  Any comments or suggestions?  I also picked up a 1/2oz jar of MM Aluminum Plate non-buffing metalizer.  I'm just not sure if I want to make this one the first I use it on.  It's an older kit, with the normal amount of surface imperfections and I know that metalizer really makes those show.  What do you guys think?

Bockscar

Rich:

Don't throw that bubbly wonder out!

It has a unique intake. Of course, if you ran over it and used it as fire starter,

i won't hold that against you.

Rich: Nice progress you're making there! I like the Metalizer though I had better luck with the buffing sort. The non-buffing never really gave me the shine I really wanted. Only thing I hate about it and the reason I dropped it for Alclad is the Metalizer is just so dang delicate. If you even look at it the wrong way it will peel up. Just be super careful and you should be ok. You'll want to make sure the surface is perfect, even putty will show up as a different sheen. You might want to use super glue on the seams or Mr Surfacer might work, not sure about that.

BTW: Finished inking the panel lines on the A-20 today. Will try to get to the canopy and clear parts this weekend and start attaching the small parts. Not sure if I'll take photos soon or wait till I'm done.

Hi Everyone,

Dom:  Yep, I think Franklin was using that ejection seat handle as a buggy whip!    I started on bending it to shape and realized that once again it is a little too large for 1/48 scale.  I think the thickness of the paint along with the tape took it over the edge.  So I am going to once again go back to the local hardware store for some copper wire.  One thing I can say is that I am getting a lot of practice at making these handles!

Rich:  Zipping right along with that F-86!  As far as votes for landing gear up or down, I always thought that aircraft always looked best with the gear up.  But it really comes down to how you are going to display it.

Cliff: Good to have you back.  I look forward to seeing the pictures.

SOMM (the other Ken)

Rich:

No worries....like I need more F-86's......lol......

Wing man is looking good Rich......

VooDooKen:

Hey, when you get those tolerences within a few 100 thou', let us know, maybe you could spin a few extra inches and sell them to us!

I'm going to use the old one to practice puttying in the wing join before I go for it on the new kit.  I have a new putty tool set and I haven't used tools like them before.  Although the danged refueling probe broke off again......  I'm leaving it off this time.

Yeah, about three years ago I was in a LHS and saw the pre-built 'pilot' series, and suggested that the

kits would be perfect for Estes 'D'....ahem.

Mind you, i blew up a few kits when I found out i could fuse blank ammo.........lol......

Yah, I don't like those either.

I had a Monogram A7 kit once that got trashed after it was built.  I was staying at a foster home and we had a lake less than 2 blocks away with great swimming.  There was this raft out in the center of it.  So one night we packed the A7  with firecrackers, stuck a small A8-3 in the end, put two loops in the top, ran a length of clear heavy duty fishing line out to the raft and made sure it was really tight.  Then we put the A7 on the line about 20 feet up in a tree, put some lighter fluid on it, stuck in an igniter and gave it a bad carrier landing. I swear it was right out of a movie, we filmed it in Super 8, but I don't have the print anymore.  You had to see it...

Rich

(O.K. so I was a bit nuts as a kid.  Who hasn't given a dead kit a viking funeral at some point in time. lol)

Bockscar

Yeah, about three years ago I was in a LHS and saw the pre-built 'pilot' series, and suggested that the

kits would be perfect for Estes 'D'....ahem.

Mind you, i blew up a few kits when I found out i could fuse blank ammo.........lol......

Funny, I think I'm the only modeler who never blew up or shot a model as a kid. I did do a job on a few with pliers and a soldering iron in an attempt to make them look like they crashed.

I'll see about getting photos of the A-20 up soon. Not much left to do now as long as I don't really screw the pooch in the eleventh hour. Just the clear parts and the landing gear and I should be done.

I never did, i was never allowed near explosives (i was a special child, give me a knife, things got sliced, give me fire, things got burned, family didnt wanna risk explosives)