yes the Gotha is a beast - even in 1:72 this thing is HUGE!

by the way, my limited experience tells me that Roden and "easy to assemble" don't go together well!

Best regards,

Sasho

Wow, the Gotha is a monster. I've got one or two Roden kits in my stash and hope they're easier to assemble though.

Love the paint scheme there.

well finally got some more bench time on my Gotha. Geez I must really be a sucker for punishment. This Roden kit hasn't been that much fun to build. The plastic is so brittle and the fit issues are horendous, but I'm still plugging away at it trying to get it finished.

the wing and engines aren't glued on. Just checking to see how everything fits so far.

I am thinking that I should have stopped while I was ahead, but this kit is showing me how to deal with alot of issues I never faced in abuild before.

Oh nice work on the radiator there and I love the Nieuport! The kicking jack*** insignia is really cool!

Well, MIke, where's that picture?  Got my shades on for it!

Tim, I'm going to have to Red Dog the DH9a to get it done, but I will.  Though that 20 days is getting prit' near!

Just to milk the mug thing a little more, here is a picture of the radiator assembly.  The cores are painted gun metal and then drybrushed with Model Master stainless steel Metalizer, the shutters got the same treatment as the fuselage wood framework, a final coat of Tamiya Clear Orange for varnish.  Painting bits and pieces mostly lately, multiple colors on each one.  The outer skin is painted battleship grey, WW II British ocean grey.  Looks just like the plastic color to me.

This weekend our RC club had a big meet we call Wings of Victory, and in honor of the GB a Nie 28 at the meet that just has a little air under the tires is included.  I took over 650 pictures this weekend.  I hate myself, it's time to edit them.

John, Chuck - great mug shots fellas! I've yet to order mine, but I love the mugshot idea, so my wife is gonna shoot a pic of yours truly holding the Eindecker for now. If you guys focus on the plane, I promise it'll be a lot less scary!

Cliff - I'm really liking how the Nieuport is progressing! Brings back a lot of neat memories too, as it was one of my first bipe builds.

Greg - great job on the Morane, especially the weathering. The resemblance to the Fokker E-series is uncanny - lots of similarities.

Tim - kind of bitter-sweet that the GB is coming to a close, but I'm still eagerly anticipating the progress on both yours and Aaron's builds, as well as the final GB vlogs.

All right, gentlemen! Twenty days and this Group Build is finished!

Chuck - Excellent pic!

Gamera - Lookin' good! I think you're gonna get over the line before me.

So, last week, I was out of the office, and Aaron is out this week. Needless to say, we've been busy.

All I've done this week is a lot of prep painting and getting ready for the final assembly, so nothing exciting to show in photos. But my plan is to be done by next Friday, July 19. There's still a lot to do, but I think it's within reach.

It's great to see you guys with your mugs, and we're glad you like them. OK, I'm off to build machine guns. If I get them finished before the end of the day, I'll snap a pic and post it.

Also, I hope to do three more vlogs for the GB: two highlighting builds and progress here at FSM, and one final sign-off.

Have a great weekend!

Tim

--

Thanks guys!

And that's the best looking set of mug shots this side of the post office. 

Geez, with a mug like that you could go on late night TV selling them things!

Gamera -  cute little Nieuport.  Can't wait to see her fully done

OK - against my better judgement, here's my "mug shot" - y'all be nice...

Ordered a week ago Monday, and it arrived this past Saturday.  The family and I left for a 3 day camping excursion the next day, so I haven't even had a chance to give it a test swig yet.

looking good Gamera, love the side decals.

Nice MUGshot Greg. Oh wait didn't someone else already use that line?

Thanks Greg, I hope to have the wing on this weekend and start rigging her (shudder).

After I took the photos I painted the single machine gun, laid a black wash on it, and attached it to the slot on top of the cowling. Then I trimmed down the slightly oversize decals on the rudder. So I'm making a little progress...

jeaton01

Nice finish, Greg, it looks very good indeed!  I'd really like to get the nice look on clear doped linen that you achieved someday.

My cup arrived earlier than I thought, and it is ready for duty!  I challenge everyone else to post a portrait of their mug with their mug!

Awesome!

Greg - Great work! I'll add it to the hall of fame up top.

wing_nut

John, I hope you're not in witsec.  It's common knowledge that wiseguy's love to build models and lurk in the forums and have names like Vinnie the Sprue Cutter and Salvatore "Slide Mold" Carpaccio.

Not to mention Luigi "Three Tweezers" Marinello. He used to run PE for the Chicago outfit out of a little mom-and-pop model shop on the South Side.

Gamera - Excellent work on the Nieup! How long before "wing on"?

Well, the Nieuport is slowly getting there:

Greg I just love that little guy.

John, I hope you're not in witsec.  It's common knowledge that wiseguy's love to build models and lurk in the forums and have names like Vinnie the Sprue Cutter and Salvatore "Slide Mold" Carpaccio.

Bish

Its a strange looking aircraft with that large spinner.

I've seen it referred to in more than one source as the first truly aerodynamic warplane design. Unfortunately, the same spinner that gave such beautiful streamlining also caused serious engine overheating problems, and was abandoned before the aircraft (shortly) went out of service. Also had a high landing speed, stiff (wing warping) controls, and was not greatly loved by its pilots (nor feared by its opponents). Only something like 49 were built.

All that said, it's a neat-looking design. An interesting comparison in design philosophies to the similar-layout Fokker Eindecker.

Greg, that's a real beauty. Its a strange looking aircraft with that large spinner.

John, your braver than me. I wasn't going to post my face on here, there may be children looking.

And love the shirt.

Thanks for the kind words, Gents.

John - great "mug shot" (was I really the first to use that?), and I also LOVE the shirt.

Greg: Wow, fantastic work there! Love the finish on the wings and the cowling/spinner! Beautiful!

John: Cool mug photo and I love your shirt!

Greg - excellent rendition of this unique monoplane, and grats on a second completion

regards,

Jack

Nice finish Greg it looks great.

Stilll waiting for my mug to arrive. Probaly got seen by customs and it look so good they want one too

Nice finish, Greg, it looks very good indeed!  I'd really like to get the nice look on clear doped linen that you achieved someday.

My cup arrived earlier than I thought, and it is ready for duty!  I challenge everyone else to post a portrait of their mug with their mug!

John - Great to see the DH.9 progressing. (Also nice to see your "larger scale" construction project coming along.)

Ssasho0 - Welcome back!

Bish - The mug looks great, especially displayed with the mighty 0/400.

Here's an extra 7.9mm MG added to the sweeping firepower of the Allied cause. A very nice little kit, built pretty much OOB except for some attachment points for the EZ-Line rigging, and the bracing rods for the deflector plates on the prop.. Still have to touch up a "bird strike" or two on the paintwork, but all in all I'm pretty happy with it.

Thanks for the kind words, guys. Sorry, I've been quiet here. I hope to have some more progress shots Thursday or Friday.

Bish, that mug looks killer!

I ordered mine from Cafe Press on the first, it was shipped on the 2nd, and it is supposed to arrive the 12th to the 16th here in Northern California.

marc, no, I ordered it from here.

http://www.yourdesign.co.uk/

I just stumbled across it. But I don't know if there's a US equivalent.

Bish, did you order that form Cafe Press?  i didn't see the red rim and handle as an option in the choices.

Wow Bish, very cool!

Yep, they look very cool! Thinking I'll be ordering one as well.

Tim & John - love the progress you fellas are making on your builds!