Gift GB

Correct on both counts Bish. That is a decal, and the way it is printed is genius. It looks so real, one can almost feel the surface texture of the fabric used on the actual aircraft. I have to tell you, these decals that come with the WnW kits are out of this world. The D.VII I'm doing has no less than 6 humungous sheets that barely fit in the box. The printing is amazing on all of 'em - nothing is out of register, the finest print on the gauges is actually legible - and carrier film is almost non-existent. Plus, they go on like a dream.

I am a little relieved. I was half expecting to say you had painted it. I take it all of the outer pattern is also decaled.

My step dad used to build RC aircraft, and he had a few WW1 aircraft with the lozenge pattern and they looked stunning. These WnW kits do look very nice, i could even be tempted myself.

Mike, the cockpit looks like a model in itself.  It's like a fine sculpture.  Nice work!

checkmate - many thanks for the comments! Glad you like it so far!

Bish - sorry if I had you worried there.   Yep, all the lozenge is/will be done via decals, but I've seen guys paint it on as well. Not sure how they did it, but I seem to recall seeing pre-cut paint masks for just that purpose. I'm guessing your stepdad actually painted it on his RC stuff. That alone makes him a better modeler than I'll ever be.

New to the forum, new to the community, limited time...

Would like to jump in for the heck of it.

Received a Revell/Monogram 1/48th B-29 from co-author of my website http://www.cooksontributeB29.com and the wife for Christmas.

Would classify myself as "rusty at best" when it comes to skill level. Last build I can recall was the USS Constitution and Cutty Sark w/full rigging and sails back in the late '80's.

If ok to join the roster, I'll review the forums on how to grab badge and post WIP images.

No airbrush here...can't risk practicing on this kit! lol

Did complete priming and some spray painting during unusual warm (60 degree saturday), in Ohio January.

Will be doing the kit as Z Square 8, S/N 42-24849, "Mission to Albuquerque" in honor of my wife's uncle who was radar operator on her and KIA 17 March 1945 over Kobe.

If I am able to pull off a "bombing" good job on the build, she will be the centerpiece of a revamped loft area theme.

Your more than welcome Z. Welcome back to the hobby and to the site. Thats a nice looking website you have there, and a great tribute to your wife uncle.

To post pics, you will need a hosting site, photobucket seems to be the most popular. It can be a bit trouble some at times, but it works in the end.

This should help with posting the pics.

doogsmodels.com/.../how-to-post-your-photos

As for the badge, copy it to your PC and then add it to your hosting site, then add it to your sig the same way you add pics to posts. Hope that helps.

Hi Bish ;

My brothers girlfriend gave me a $25 Gift Certificate for Christmas  from one of the hobby stores here in Sydney ;

I plan on going to Hobbyco this Saturday (19th) and pick up a 1/72 scale kit .

Not sure what I'll get , probably a helicopter kit , so is it okay to join in with you and the others with my gift certificate ?

John

Sure is John, glad to have you on board.

Thank's Bish ;

I was having a look on Hobbyco's web site just to see what kits they have in stock and a 1/72 Airfix S2B Buccaneer caught my eye as did a Italeri GR-1 Jaguar . Both kits look to have desert storm markings , although I'm sure I have some 1/72 Model Alliance Jaguar Desert Storm decals somewhere in the stash .

There's also the Hasegawa GR-1 Jaguar kit available , I wonder which Jaguar kit is better between the two ? . Anyway , not exactly a helicopter kit as first planned but I'm leaning towards something British from the Gulf War (1991) .

John .

Not sure which of the Jaguar kits are better, i do have two of the Hase kits and they look very nice, i think the Italeri one is much older. Just found a review on Britmodeller which says the hase is the best jag around, and the Italeri has a number of issue's. I would always go for Hase over Italeri, but thats just me.

Not sure about over there, but here the two are about the same price, so its a no brainer.

Found a review for the Bucc if you fancy a read.

www.cybermodeler.com/.../kit_airfix_4049.shtml

Seems to be an older kit with sparse detail inside.

Thank's for the help Bish 

The link you posted for the Airfix S2B Buccaneer was quite interesting . The kit looks okay to me except that the outer wings are molded seperatly and initially I was concerned about getting a good join between the inner and outer wings but I went and checked Hannants and saw some Airwaves PE Wing Fold for the Airfix Buccaneer and thought it would just as easy to do a wing fold than trying to get a nice join . Even though it's an RAF jet and the folded wings were probably not often in use parked on the ground , it should look okay anyway . Hannants had some Flightpath PE boarding ladder  as well , I already had a few things in the shopping cart but hadn't reached the (UK) 19 pounds min payment for overseas orders , so with a resin ALQ-119 ECM Pod for 1.29 pounds to suit the Jaguar GR-1 ,so I reached my total and placed an order ...

Modellingmadness had a nice review of the Hasegawa GR-1 Jaguar kit ;

http://modelingmadness.com/scott/mod/16jagpreview.htm

I like the boarding ladder that comes with the kit and I would guess that the canopy can be posed open .

So I'll pick up the Airfix Buccaneer and Hasegawa Jaguar kits first thing Saturday morning ;

I found the Model Alliance Gulf War Jaguar decal sheet in my stash

Lot's of options

Including an aircraft called "Johnny Fartpants" ..................Mmmmm   

John . (johnny)

So your going to get both, nice. Will you get both with that voucher, or will you have to add to it.

I have a few WW2 bits from Flightpath and they look really nice. I had been ordering direct until Hannants got them in. How do you find ordering from Hannants, i can't remember were in the world you are, but i am still surprised at guys from other parts of the world ordering from. I have been useing them for about 25 years and i do a lot of orders.

Johnny Fartpants, classic, thats sounds just like the RAF. I have a soft spot for the RAF's Jag as they were based at Coltishall, which was juts on the each of my home city, and i used to see them a lot when i was younger. Look forward to seeing yours.

Bish ;

I live in Sydney and have been ordering from Hannants for about 7 years now . I would say that about 75% of my kit purchases are from Hannants 20% from ebay and sadly only 5% locally . There can be quite a price difference with kits from overseas being so much cheaper , even allowing for postage , I still come out in front . Orders usually arrive within 10 to 14 days and allways nicely packed in sturdy cardboard boxes .

I'll aim to get both kits and I'll have to add about $10 as well , plus I must remember to buy some paint while I'm in the store  .

Here's a close up of the decal placement guide from the Model Alliance sheet

John .

Thats not bad going, thats about £23 for both those kit. Funny thing is i sometimes find it can be cheaper for me to order some kits from the US, including postage. But that can depend on the deals they are doing.

I would say i get about the same percentage of my stuff from Hannants. But luckly it only takes 2 or 3 days, but then i am only 45 mins drive from there main store. Its got a lot better since they changed there site a few years ago.

I couldn't recall where the name Johnny Fartpants came from, so just searched it. It was from a Mag called Viz which was very popular back in the 80's/90's. I found this as well.

Mike-  Holy cow!  What an amazing job on the D VII cockpit!  You sure you didn't work for Fokker in a past life, my friend?   Keep up the great work, can't wait to see your next pics!

Ernie

Thank's for the posting the pic of the actually nose art on the RAF GR-1 Jaguar Bish

The decal is quite small on the sheet and I needed to use the magnifyer to see it .

I raced off to the hobby store this morning with my gift certificate and picked up the Hasegawa GR-1 Jaguar

They had sold out of the Airfix S2B Buccaneer , oh well , I'm happy I got the Jaguar anyway and later today I'll make a start on 'Johnny Fartpants' .

John .

Nice one John, have added that to the roster. Ye, thats the same Jaguar kit i have two of in the stash, so will be watching closely.

Slow progress on my Gundam model, with the holidays and traveling for work and everything. I'm going with a blue and gray paint job, and here are the blue pieces.

Preshaded:

And painted:

Now I get to actually start assembling the thing!

By the way, Photobucket works much better than Flickr for posting pics.

Looking good so far, and don't worry, theres plenty of time.

I have noticed a few people have problems posting with Flickr. I know PB can be a pain in the butt, but it does work.

bl: Looks interesting.

BL: Off to a good start!

Here are a few WIP images from the 29 build...

Not especially pleased with the Testor's "rubber" paint tone...has too much of a brown tone to it in my opinion. Probably will do a flat black or a black wash to bring it more into realism. Close up below:

Thoughts anyone?

A good start Z. I am never to sure with tyres. I have heard people say that straight black is not realistic. One book on modelling German fighters says to use grey. But all the photo's i see of tyres, they seem to be black. If its an aircraft operating from a grass strip, then i can understand it being brown with dirt.

That colour you have used deffinatly doesn't look right to me.

A small udate on my RAF GR-1 Desert Storm Jaguar .

I was mixing some Gunze H-58 Interior Green for some French helicopter builds and decided to mask around the wheel wells and lower cockpit section on the Jaguar .

Once the green dried I masked for upper cockpit section and sprayed H-333 Extra Dark Sea Gray

Hasegawa's instructions suggest glueing the cockpit halves together (step 2) first and fitting it to a seperate main body section (step 4)

Mmmm , I'm wondering if it might be easier to glue each front cockpit piece to the main fuselage half  first

I think this way it might be a lot easier to get the join right and I'll fit the intakes after most of the fuselage is together .

Anyway some glueing next hopfully things will go well .

John .

bad - lookin' real good! First time I've seen blue as a preshade color, but man, it works! That looks awesome!

Z - You're off to a fine start. I'm with Bish on the tire color - a bit too earthy, but heck, I build bipes, and their tires can be gray, tan, or even a pinkish hue, so I may not be the best guy to ask on the subject.

John - that's a lot of masking goin' on there, but it's lookin' great! I like the idea of completing each half separately, then joining them. My thoughts are it would be easier to fill a seam down the middle than sand away a step where the front and rear halves join.

John, nice start. I will keep that tip in mind about joining the fuselage.

Thank's guy's ;

Well Ruddratt was right , the join between the cockpit front section and the main body worked out nicely with everything finishing flush on the surface .

Close-up ...

When I tapped both fuselage sections together for a dry test fit , the fuselage join along the top is quite good and there is only a small gap just behind the front wheel well that will require a little more tamiya putty than the rest of the join

Well Bish , I'm very happy with this approach to joining up the fuselage halves ; Next I'll glue the cockpit tub in place , then the fuselage halves .

John .

Glad that worked out for you John! It's looking really nice. Keep up posted!

If that works, why tempt faite. As well as two of these kits i have one of the two seater which i think is done in the same way.

Now i come to think of it, i am sure i have a few Hase jet kits that go together like this.

Helo- that is looking good.

All- I'm starting to get envious of the airbrush paint as I begin to think of the large surface area of the B-29! Just have no experience with it. Showing my age here, but I am wondering if it was even available in an affordable context to modelers when I built the Constitution back in the late 80's. Did a deck wash and detail paint all by hand back then.

Update to this post...

As I sat last night watching an old WWII film, the tire color kept poking at me...scrapped the movie and decided I would go fix the tires on the 29. I first started with a flat black repaint. When I assemble the tire halves, I'm sure I'll have touch up to do. Then, I'll probably do a wash of custom grey/black tone.

...and just so I didn't feel like I spent time without forward results, I gave the bomb halves a dose of olive drab and silver for the fuses.

Well, I asked my wife for a 1/48 scale Navy/USMC jet....her choice. She bought me a 1:48 Douglas Skyray from Tamiya. This is a very sweet kit, and boy was this a pleasant surprise on Christmas morning! The only I ordered for the kit was the Eduards detail kit. So, with your permission, I'd like to join this build.