US CARRIER AVIATION GROUP BUILD 2013

Dre,

Ah, now that is the spirit. I only have one piece of resin to add, an electronics canoe but I might want to throw a mold because I have designs on an ERA-3B that was a fleet threat that I need the same canoe for. Pretty cool, ghost gray over white eith a big Russian 10 on the nose and a red star on the tail.

I'm debating whether I want to scratch the electronic warfare station in the former Bombay. The only way to see it would be to open the new door I was just going to scribe.

I've stuck my 'Cat back in her normal spot on the shelf, but I did give her resin private parts a bath a couple of months ago.

Thanks, I'm really optimistic that I can get all this built and painted within a 6 month time frame, as my last finished project took a year with far less AM involved...  but I set the goal so there's nothing left but to drive on.   I'm going to waste a lot of time at work digging up photos for references!

Thats some really nice Resin and PE you got there, Dre!

Can't wait to see your progress on this!

Clemens

Aires makes some really high quality stuff- as good as these look I'd LOVE to see the masters that they're molded from.   Someone is doing incredibly fine work in the Czech Republic.

Wow Dre, we were posting at the same time and so I didn't see your pics.  I LOVE the resin. I also have the Wheeliant but for the A. Love those wheel weels. I think I'm going to want some of those.  Where did you get them?

Dre

I'll be washing/degreasing the Aires resin sets and doing a bunch of cockpit research today in preparation for this GB...  gotta have some reference materials to use.

I know it's not exactly the same, but I've got a few pictures of the F-14A at a nearby museum if that would help.

MAgather- I got the all resin bits from MegaHobby.com- quite spendy compared to other online sources, but they were available when i ordered them last week.   I don't know if I'll get the Aires exhaust cans or not- depends on how well the kit parts build up.

Ghostrider114- any helpful pics are appreciated!  I'll probably order some reference books this week since I've got so much deep detail to paint.   Sad to see that A cockpit in such a shabby condition- did you swipe some switch panels?

I went through my paint stores today and I have all the major colors I need in MM enamels, so I'm ready to rock this thing.

I don't know the story on this particular aircraft, but I do know that usually when the Navy decommissioned Tomcats they removed a lot of the avionics so the Iranians couldn't get their hands on them.  I think the Museum removed the stick so people couldn't mess with it (odd, since this one's canopy was closed anyway), most of the aircraft they had were missing the sticks.

here's the backseat in the same bird.

Interesting (and very distracting) place to set a smoke detector...  

Ghostrider114

I don't know the story on this particular aircraft, but I do know that usually when the Navy decommissioned Tomcats they removed a lot of the avionics so the Iranians couldn't get their hands on them.  I think the Museum removed the stick so people couldn't mess with it (odd, since this one's canopy was closed anyway), most of the aircraft they had were missing the sticks.

We have an F-14A here at Wings over the Rockies.  I used to volunteer there and met up with a guy who used to work on Tomcats.  From what he told me most museum Tomcats will always have their canopy closed.  No "Open cockpit days" on those museum pieces.  What he said was that in order to open the canopy you needed the compressed air from the tank in the nose wheel bay, which they make inert when they roll them into museums.  Without the tank the canopy won't open. 

One funny thing he did mention and I saw first hand is that a Tomcat never stops leaking hydraulic fluid.  Even after being drained of all its fluids the Museum piece at WoR was still dropping pink fluid.

Interesting facts, DiscoStu.   If I make a base for this, it should have some ground stains?

I was at the post office and recieved my Corsair today!!!

Just in time!

Cheers, Clemens

Only 2 days left, fellas!

My Wildcat is already lying on my bench! I haven't started it, of course.

Clemens

SchattenSpartan

Only 2 days left, fellas!

My Wildcat is already lying on my bench! I haven't started it, of course.

Clemens

My Dauntlass is ready to be freed from the plastic!

Nice timing with the Corsair, Clemens.  How many models do you have on the bench right now?

Can we go ahead and remove resin pour stubs??   I guess that's not technically "working on the kit" but parts preparation.

My Cutlass is yelling at me "send me in coach I'm ready to go"

Do I really have to count them? Fine... Wait a sec...

It's 7 models.... not counting the big Thunderbolt for the Ground attack GB

Yes, you can go ahead and remove the pour stubs! And no, It's not "working on the kit".

Clemens

Hey Clemens.......can I take the parts out of the plastic bag before the 15th!? 

Yes, you can remove your parts from the bag. NO you may NOT play with the bag! You might suffocate someone. VBG

MAgather

Yes, you can remove your parts from the bag. NO you may NOT play with the bag! You might suffocate someone. VBG

LOL!  Probably me! 

Thank you for getting that clear, MAgather.

You can do whatever you want, guys. As long as you don't start building untill tomorrow, of course!

Cheers, Clemens

Just 11 hours more till the green flag. The steam in the catapults is building up.Getting the arresting wires greased and putting the bow into the wind.

The deck crew is wrapping up their morning FOD walkdown...

The deck is being respotted for flight ops...

Queue the Top Gun theme.

Just to get us in the mood

alarm set for 12:01 am

I will be awake already,,,,,,but, it should make me jump, since I will forget I had it set by then

I will start on my wildcat tomorrow afternoon. I got me all the paints I need for it's interior today

Clemens

I'll probably be busy moving most of tomorrow, but as soon as I can get my bench set back up I'll get started.

I'll finish up trimming the resin bits tonight...  can't wait to start.

Me too, Dre! That Wildcat will be a cute little winged barrel...

Clemens

I'm pissed, I forgot that I'm traveling tomorrow through Friday.  You think TSA would be ok if I bring my #11 Xacto in my carry on and a bunch of lacquer paint?  If not, I'm not gonna get a fast start.

On a more serious note, I decided to that I need to cast a couple of parts, and after digging out my mold making stuff (this will be a first), I realize that I need a precision scale. I've got an Amazon order on the weigh (pun intended) that is going to solve that problem.

I'll be checking progress from afar, so post early, post often.

Best, Marty

are you using one of the powdered mold making RTVs?

those are cool, just weigh the powder, get the same weight in water,,,,mix together, mash into your Lego box with the part in the bottom,,,,,,,and you are done for a one piece mold, and just flip the first half and repeat for a two part mold,,,,,,,,use some Plaster if you are trying to save some money

takes the Yuck right out of casting a few parts,,,,,,,,or upgrading 2/3 of your Phantoms with the same quality pylons the other 1/3 came with

Rex

ps, I don't actually weigh it,,,,,,,I made a balance like we had in Chemistry sets in the sixties,,,,powder in a cup on one side, get water in the matching cup, until balanced,,,,,,,,pour one into the other, mix and use