Gift GB

Ye, and they work really well. This is the red side on my recent Stuka.

I started with completing the build last night > then moved to adding decals....

I have to wait a day or two for more printer ink to arrive before I can complete decal work...  

Remaining "to do's":

1. clean glass

2. print and apply custom decals and underside decals

3. engine exhaust wash

4. touch up detail paint 

5. install two port side pitots-waiting until after the Mission to Albuquerque custom decal is applied so I don't have to fight around them to get it on.

I'll hold off on posting many shots until completed...but, for my own personal enjoyment of "antsy-ness",

Here are a few shots of one of my "creative latitude" efforts in customization that I could not resist in getting a pic of: (The mission credits-bombs, do not appear in any image I have of Z-8, but in the true fashion of honoring her and her crew...I'm giving them to her). The third of four Z-8's in the pacific theater was credited with 7 missions and was lost on her eighth mission on 17 March 45 over Kobe. No credit was given for this last mission...

for the last image today...the writing next to the mission credits is barely visible under a 3x magnifying glass, but my camera picks it up well from 8' away! (it has a 250mm zoom lens on it).

I cut the rest of the text off because the next line was the serial number for one of the two kits you could build OOB and did not apply in this custom kit build.

Looking forward to completing her soon and thanks for looking!

Bish- your Stuka in diaorama is excellent! Very nice work! I aspire to be as good as you and others here!  

Thanks Z, i must admit i am pretty chuffed with it. The Stuka is my favorite aircraft and i am glad i did this one some justice.

The 29 is looking stunning. I am curious about the front section of the fuselage. It looks very different from the rest of the aircraft. I am guessing this matches the real thing, was there a reason it was like that.

Bish

I am curious about the front section of the fuselage. It looks very different from the rest of the aircraft. I am guessing this matches the real thing, was there a reason it was like that.

Z-8 in images I have...just not as much as I recreated!  ...probably not that much variation in wing panels either.

Well, i like it. Alclad does take some getting used to, i still haven't got the hang of it yet.

Yup, the Stuka looks good all around, Bish.  I will have to give your method for lights a try, since plain paint looks kind of flat.

Z:  it's a great job on the NMF.  These are difficult to accomplish, I find.  I'm never sure how much variation is enough--or too much.  Three shades like you used might be something I'll try.  It sure looks good on your '29. 

Here's a photo of a B-17C/D I did years ago--Colin Kelly's plane from early in the Pacific war.  I used silver Floquil RR paint on it, although I don't remember specifically which one(s).  As you can see, I used only two tones of it, cuz I didn't want it to look like a patch work quilt. I think I might have added gun metal to the basic color, but somehow the two-tones aren't quite enough. 

You avoided the "quilt-look" on your B-29, though!   

Thats a nice B-17 check. Is that the Academy C/D kit. If so i have the same one, though planning on doing it as an RAF Fort I.

Concur on the nice looking 17!! What does the Floquil RR paint cost compared to Alclad? about the same? Same size bottle?

Z:  here is a link to Tower Hobbies.  They show the three Floquil silvers.  I can't say that once applied, I see much difference in them--but if I were really perceptive, I'd be Sherlock Holmes.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0095p?FVPROFIL=&FVSEARCH=Floquil+Silver&search=Go

I've never used Alclad, so I don't know what it costs.  I usually make the silver paint really thin--about 1/2 paint and 1/2 thinner, so by the time I'm done, I have twice as much as I started out with.  I used to add about 20% Floquil Glaze to it, since talk was way back when that this helped smooth the paint.  I've stopped doing this, and haven't really noticed any deterioration in application or appearance.

You still have to make the plastic really flawless--no scratches, seams, etc.  I usually sand it down progressively with finer and finer sandpaper, then polish the plastic with toothpaste and an old cotton t-shirt.  Then, it has to be carefully washed, cuz you don't want to leave any toothpaste on it.  No, not at all!

Floquil is a strong, hot-paint--it is not acrylic.  But it seems to grip the plastic very well, and when dry, it develops a pretty hard, durable finish--very useful when masking, so it resists paint pull up if the surface is prepared adquately.

It's an option, but if you're getting good results with Alclad, there's no reason to switch.  If you do try it, probably do it with something that isn't too close to your heart! 

I think its about time i posted an update for my build. I have been at it 3 weeks, but its been slow going. I think the thought of all that rigging has been putting me off. But now i have decided just to go for it and hopefully i get it right.

This is the kit.

I am doing this OOB, so theres not a great deal of detail in this one.

Then got the fuselage closed up and the tail on.

I am almost finished getting the wings on prior to painting, so should have some more pics tomorrow.

....oh, now that is going to be sharp Bish!

29 build update...nearly complete. Fussing with the small decals between the bomb bay doors. I believe there are about 10 or more and all of them combined would not cover 1/2 a postage stamp.

Stunning work lads! That Handley will be a rigging nightmare! Bish , just love the Stuka mate, the crew really give it some "feel"

That B-29 came out very well indeed. Just as a matter of interest about the "different" hues or colors of Alclad sheeting on full size- it has to do with the amount of copper they mix in the alloy to get different strengths od sheeting. The more copper the stronger the allu sheet gets, but it also becomes more brittle.

Inorder to form it into shapes without  the allu cracking, they need to sometimes heat the sheets to soften it for working. Then it needs to be  heat treated again to get the strength back, this also colors the allu sheet slightl brownish.

The one mechanic where I trained said it needs to look slightly like "toast"  LOL!

As for my next Gift build I think it will more likely be the 1/32 Revell F-6f Hellcat. (need to brush up on skills before tackling the Mustprang)

Theuns

Thanks for the confidance boost Theuns just what i need.I am still really chuffed with the Stuka.

Will the F-6 be in addition to the other two, or do you want me to take one of the other two off the roster.

CMK- had not heard of this method before..."then polish the plastic with toothpaste and an old cotton t-shirt".

I'll have to give that a go as well on the next build that I do w/NMF. Thanks for that tidbit!  

Hey, team!

Well, I've finally finished the Skyray, albeit with a multitude of learning experiences and challenges. Pics aren't thebest, and I apologize..

 This Tamiya kit is AWESOME, one of the best I have built, to inclue the decals which applied without a hitch..includng the large blue ones. The only thing I added was a Eduards aftermarket cockpit set. Any issues I had were not with the kit, but with my choice of building materials and my skills..

The Good:

1. The cockpit turned out better than I though. I went creative with a couple of things, but only for the purpose of enhancing details.

2. I am very please with the landing gear. I took my timeon the small part to ensure the best detail and paint possible. I'm especially please with the use of copper wire for brake lines. They turned out super.

3. I used paint instead of decals for the red intake markings and the flat black between the front of the cockpit and the nose. I used Tamiya NATO black and provided a perfect contrast. I think my masking techniques paid off a little.

The Bad:

1. PRIME. I WILL NEVER PAINT A MODEL AGAIN WITHOUT PRIMING. I paid the price on this big time. I used Testor Model Master Acryl...and it loved to come off with the masking. Not sure if it's becuase I should have washed the model a little, but I also did not like the performance of Testors which leads to...

2. Avoiding Testors Model Master Acryl in the future for large areas. This bloody paint loved to stop in the middle of spraying with my Iwata HP..regardless of how much I thinned them. However, flow got a little better when I used Tamiya acrylic thinner  instead of the Testors brand. Wierd. Regardless, the Tamiya I've never had a problem with, but the color selection is limited. I wish Tamiya would produce the range of colors that Testors had. I need to find a new paint. Any ideas or suggestions????

3. This model would have been sooooo much better if the paint had performed the way it should. I had no control  or decent focus on good application of the paint.  

New Technique:

I thought I'd share this need little method I found really works when painting stripes on arresting bars or ejection seat handles:

Tape the item onto a black piece of paper: Note. You painted the base color already (i.e. white for arresting hooks, yellow for ejection rungs.) When the paint is dry, masking of the area...but don't wrap it around. Just cut out the right width, then place it across the portion(s) you want masked. Using a toothpick, just tuck-in the little excess between the paper and the part.

DRYBRUSH the color (black) on to the part...build up gradualy until you get full coverage. So much measier, and I've had 100% success with this.

Anyhoo...photos..

That looks really nice. To have your pics show on the page, you need to use the rich formatting button. I will take an image direct from you PB account for the front page if thats ok.

I am supposed to be in this gb but have been waiting since january for white ensign to restock and deliver the pe set for my belfast. I ha ve no idea when or even if i will ever get started let alone finished.  i am not a happy bunny, sorry.

Nice looking jet, Beckyhead.  Very sharp,, and nice job on the shading.

That will be an impressive plane, Bish.  It's got a lot of struts!

Z Square 8

CMK- had not heard of this method before..."then polish the plastic with toothpaste and an old cotton t-shirt".

I'll have to give that a go as well on the next build that I do w/NMF. Thanks for that tidbit!  

Beckyhead: very nice looking Skyray you got there!

Mate, I think it best if you delete the P-51 and maybe the A-4 (1/48) for now and just add the F-6f please. I will see how far I get with my building this year, I might be starting a new job soon and it could 'interupt" my play time!

Theuns

Thanks for the compliment of the shading. That turned out a little better than I though. The panel lines too.

By the way, has anybody ever had problems with Flory's promodelers wash? It left stains on the finish that I had to lightly sand off.

Beckyhead- the skyray is top shelf. Love the detail work you did on the landing gear. Were the stars on the blue areas decals or hand painted?

Beckyhead, nice Skyray! It does look like a nice kit and you did it justice. I also love the shading!

Bish, good progress on the Handley. I've always had a soft spot for WWI aircraft. Can't wait to see how your build moves along! By the way, I'm a fan of your Stuka as well.

Theuns, no problem, i will get to it. Hopefully you wiull get the chance to build the otehrs soon. Its a bummer when work gets in the way, but needs muct and all that.

Becky, i use Pro Modeller wash all the time and have never had a problem. I find that any excess can be removed with a damp cotton bud.

bad, thank you, i can't say i am falling in loive with them lol. And thanks on the Stuka comment. I hate to seem like i am bragging or anything, but i am pretty proud of that and i think its going to take something to match it.

Time for another update. She is almost ready for painting. Seems a bit odd to paint it half finished, but its the best way i can think of to rig it without getting paint on the rigging. I still have to do a bit of sanding and the masking. One of the supports for the right engine has gone AWOL, so need to replace that as well.

Here, you can see the holes for the rigging, but i ned to add some more as there are none for the cross wires.

And yes, the rear of the fuselage is twisted. I didn't notice this until to late.

The stars were part of the decals; the decals were top-notch in this Tamiya kit. Used the Micro-Sol and Set, but very little.

Bish: that monster of an aircraft is coming along nicely!  How's the fit?  I remember building a few Airfix kits back in high school.....