US CARRIER AVIATION GROUP BUILD 2013

SchattenSpartan

I just updated the entry list.

Welcome to the GB. Joe and checkmate!

How are you going to paint those wildcats btw? They must be so tiny...

Ghost, are you in too? If yes, just tell me the scale of your kit and I'll put your name on the list as well.

Clemens

Yup, I'm in, that kit's in 1:48 scale.  I just picked it up from the hobby shop and opened it up.  wow, the detail looks awesome,  the only downsides are the instructions that barely deserve the name, and the lack of folding wings, which is going to take up a lot of shelf space.

You're on the list as well, Ghostrider.

Welcome to the Carrier GB!

Cheers, Clemens

SchattenSpartan

Well, I wish you good luck with this project. I wouldnt even think of building something that tiny! I can't wait to see how they turn out.

How man are you building btw?

Cheers, Clemens

TarnShip

innocently strolls in with color painting guide and decal help for 1/700 Navair

scroll down to #700-63 at www.starfighter-decals.com/1700-de.html

that is what is so cool about Mark's stuff,,,,from 1/1200 to 1/48 is possible, depending on your subject,,,,,,and he gives us the differences in cruises, he doesn't make us use 1968 Enterprise on the 1969 cruise

I got part of my AM orders in today, all that's left to arrive before we can start cutting sprues is the resin....

Gotta say that I'm looking forward to this GB, and the Tomcat kit in particular as I haven't made an American aircraft in a long time (since the 80's!).

What AM stuff are you using, Dre?

It's really nice to have you in here btw.

Clemens

Well here she is in box form:

and out of box form:

Of course you know Im definitely trashing those decals and going with something a little newer. I'll also be replacing alot of the interior with Hasegawa's offering which will include a pilots seat, control stick, rudder pedals, instrument panel (and not the revell decal for the IP), gunners ring with the twin .30 setup and rear gun ammo boxes. I'll also be using lead foil seat belts with photo etch buckles and other goodies. Other than drilling out the dive flaps and a couple of other things it'll be mostly a no frills build.

Sounds interesing, Joe!

It's really hard for me to not start building on the Wildcat right now... That kit looks so sweet!

Clemens

Dre,

I'm gonna be watching with evil intent. And maybe I'll put some work in on the fiddly bits on my Tamiya A.  My internal name for the project is "From Scaredy Cat to Pukin' Dog". I've been dragging this kit around for 30 years worrying whether or not my skills were up to the challenge and buying AM from time to time as well. I think I have at least 3 additional sets of decals, 6 seats, Waldron placards, weighted wheels.... The beat goes on.  

Not sure the detail level is commensurate with your copy, but with some tender love, it will be big, bad and a defender of the fleet for sure.

Best, Marty

Clemens, once I get everything in one place, I'll snap a pic to show off the goodies and the kit.  

MAgather- I hope it lives up to your expectations (and mine).   The last F-14 I tried back in the 80's was ...  not too good.   I was too busy playing with the swing wings to make a decent model out of the kit.

And oh yes, once it is finished it will be BIG.

Let me guess:

If you put all the AM stuff on the box of the kit, there would be no box visible on the pics?

Oh, and some music for ya all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF0qSpAJTeI

I like the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th track best...

Clemens

Oh, the kit box is big enough that it has a carry handle, so it will still be visible underneath all the goodies.

SchattenSpartan

Sounds interesing, Joe!

It's really hard for me to not start building on the Wildcat right now... That kit looks so sweet!

Clemens

I feel the same way, the only thing that kept me from starting my TBM as soon as I brought it home was the PE cockpit that I ordered, it probably won't come in the mail for another week.  I hadn't even considered that the GB won't start till next week anyway  I'm half tempted to run out and buy a cheap kit to occupy myself in the meantime.

I have my airacobra to keep me busy at least!

Clemens

I posted this question in the aircraft forum but figured I'd ask here since it's for this group build:  does anyone make markings for late model AIM-54 Phoenix?  The markings included in the Hobbyboss kit are inaccurate for a 2003-era Phoenix

I just posted the Scalemaster link for you on that thread

www.pacificaeropress.com

there is another more Modern decal company that did some,,,,,,,,,but, I don't remember it

Rex

here is the "kits" and their "kaboodles" shot for this group build

I am going to do an F4B-(undecided number) also at this time, for my CV-1 to 76 build,,,,,so, it is in the pic also

the Rose Parts wheels are for the F6C, I wanted to work something from the old RosePlanes company into this, the three injected kits have Starfighter's steel rigging sets, the Vac gets plastic broom bristle rigging,,,,,,,the decals are a combo of these kit decals, the Starfighter sheets, and some Wildcat stuff I have that won't be used on F4Fs later on

I think I have all of the markings bits located now,,,,,,the SBC gets a scheme straight off the Starfighters sheet,,,,,,the rest will match photos with decal bits and paint masking

the SBC gets 2 very old, very poorly painted bombs on its photo etched bomb racks,,,,,,,from my first Hawk SBD back when I got my first paint brush

I am chomping at the bit to get started, lol,,,,,,,,so, I thought I'd post the "kit and kaboodle" shot while I waited

Rex

OOH, so many nice looking planes! I can't wait to see your progress on them!

I can't post any pictures right now, because the only thing I have here is my lil Wildcat...

The Corsair should arrive next week or so and the 2 engines for the Tamiya kits as well as the F3F should come here by the end of May.

Do ya know, if there was a F3F-1 with this nice blue/gray color scheme the wildcats had as well?

I want to build mine in that colors, but I couldn't get a kit of the F3F-2 so i just took the F3F-1.

Clemens

TarnShip

I just posted the Scalemaster link for you on that thread

www.pacificaeropress.com

there is another more Modern decal company that did some,,,,,,,,,but, I don't remember it

Rex

Fightertown Decals had the AIM-54C on their F-14 Data Sheet decal set, but I couldn't find that anywhere.  I pinged the contact in the link you provided, thank you, so we'll see what comes of it.  Funny thing is I only need the markings for 1 Phoenix.  The things we do for our hobby, eh?

TarnShip

I just posted the Scalemaster link for you on that thread

www.pacificaeropress.com

there is another more Modern decal company that did some,,,,,,,,,but, I don't remember it

Rex

Try Two Bobs  Decals. I have the Scale Master ones and they are ok, but basic and older I think.

I looked in Two Bobs,,,,,,,but forgot to check a part of it

If you look through all the sheets, including the OOP sheets he has up,,,,,,,you might find a paint guide on one of the pages, even if it is 1/32

why only one Phoenix? if I may ask,,,,,,,they almost always loaded them in even numbers

sorry, Clemens,,,,,,,the closest I find to your 1942 Trainer F3F-2 color scheme is a 1941 Trainer F3F-1 in overall Gray with Black codes

And speaking of decals and markings, I've run into a conundrum with some Wildcat markings from the Coral Sea era.

I picked up Starfighter Decals 1/72 sheet for the US Navy at Coral Sea, and the instructions for the Wildcats show one star on the top of the port wing and one star on the bottom of the port wing--nothing on either the top or the bottom of the port wing.

I thought at the time that it was standard to have an insignia on the top of the port wing and the bottom of the starboard wing--or even, at the time, that the Navy put insignias on both the top and bottom of both wings, but the decal instructions clearly indicate placing the US star on the top and bottom of the port wing only.

From the profile included with the decals, you can see that the Wildcat has nothing under the starboard wing.  The Dauntless shows the underwing star on the starboard side. 

Starfighter includes markings for Wildcats from VF-2 and VF-42, and the wing decal placement diagram shows the same locations for all of them:  upper and lower port wing.

I checked what sources I could, and I am unable to verify exactly where the wing insignia should go.  It does seem that US Navy aviation markings were in a state of flux in early 1942.

I hope maybe someone here can provide me with some kind of guidance and information, please?

I don't know...

Should I build the gray one or should I do a what-if blue one?

What do you think?

Clemens

TarnShip

I looked in Two Bobs,,,,,,,but forgot to check a part of it

If you look through all the sheets, including the OOP sheets he has up,,,,,,,you might find a paint guide on one of the pages, even if it is 1/32

why only one Phoenix? if I may ask,,,,,,,they almost always loaded them in even numbers

The F-14D I'm doing is for VF-31 in OIF.  Pics show its common load to be 1 or 2 AIM-9, 2 GBU-12s, LANTIRN pod under the Starboard side and a single AIM-54C on the other side.  I'm guessing likely to counter the weight of the LANTIRN. 

I have a two questions to everyone who is familiar with the B-25 Mitchell:

1) Are there any decals for "Take-off Time" in 1/48th scale?

2) Is there any way to convert the Accurate Miniatures B-25C/D to a J? I want to build one in 1/48, but not the old Revell kit, if it's possible...

Just ignore the 2nd question. I just found out myself that I would have to relocate the top turret to the front. No way I'll do that!

Do you know any other nice nose-arts for the B-25? Preferably a C,D or G model.

Clemens 

SchattenSpartan

OOH, so many nice looking planes! I can't wait to see your progress on them!

I can't post any pictures right now, because the only thing I have here is my lil Wildcat...

The Corsair should arrive next week or so and the 2 engines for the Tamiya kits as well as the F3F should come here by the end of May.

Do ya know, if there was a F3F-1 with this nice blue/gray color scheme the wildcats had as well?

I want to build mine in that colors, but I couldn't get a kit of the F3F-2 so i just took the F3F-1.

Clemens

I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure the F3F-1 was phased out before the blue-grey schemes were introduced.  Every picture i could find of one had it in the pre-war chrome/grey livery.

Then I'll do a "what-if" blue one or the gray one Rex told me about... I don`t like those shine NMF-ones as much as the painted versions.

If it's any consolation, they were painted silver, not just left bare metal (the bare metal would rust on a ship, so it had to be covered with something).