First Annual USAF Vietnam Group Build

Ahh...good eyes - you noticed there were two seats there .  To explain that, I'll have to reveal a dirty little secret...I misplaced a package of loose parts from my original kit so I bought another kit. Hopefully, I'll find the original parts someday....

Russ

Thanks, Ken!. I found some pictures online and modified the seat that came with the kit.

Cheers,

Russ

Striker8241

Hi, All,

I've been really busy the last few weeks helping my son renovate his rental house so I've had little time to do any modeling. I did manage to begin work around the navigator's console. The first picture below shows the original kit navigator's seat and my modification to a more authentic version. The second picture shows the lower bunk temporarily in place and the approximate location of the seat. I'll be starting on the navigator console next.

Cheers,

Russ

Nice work Russ!  So tell me, where did you get the more authentic version of the navigator's seat?

Ken

Hi, All,

I've been really busy the last few weeks helping my son renovate his rental house so I've had little time to do any modeling. I did manage to begin work around the navigator's console. The first picture below shows the original kit navigator's seat and my modification to a more authentic version. The second picture shows the lower bunk temporarily in place and the approximate location of the seat. I'll be starting on the navigator console next.

Cheers,

Russ

Striker8241

Nice pictures, Ken! Thanks!

Russ

Your are most welcome Russ, glad you enjoyed them!   

Ken

Nice pictures, Ken! Thanks!

Russ

Hi Everyone,

I took a trip to Grissom Air Force Museum last Friday, which is just an 80 minute drive from my house.  I had been to the base before several times, but never visited the museum.  All of the aircraft are stored outside.  I took lots of pictures so I thought I would share some with you:

This first one is a B-47B Stratojet:

 The next picture is a TF-102A Delta Dagger.  Note that this is an early version Case X wing production model:

 This next picture is of a F-100C Super Sabre.  Of note is the fact that Neil Armstrong was the last pilot to fly this particular F-100C!:

 The next picture is of the O-2A Skymaster.  This particular Skymaster flew hundreds of combat missions in Vietnam from 1968-1971:

 This next picture is of a EC-135L.  It flew many missions in operations "Just Cause (Panama) as well as "Desert Shield" and "Desert Storm":

 The next picture is of a GT-37B "Tweety Bird".  The "G" designation is for "Ground", since this aircraft ended it's life as a ground trainer when it was no longer fit for flying:

 This next picture is of a F-4C Phantom II:

 The last picture is of a F-105D Thunderchief:

Ken 

Striker8241

Sorry to hear about your friend, Ken. I'm sure he'll be proud of the model you're building for him. Good of you to do that!

Russ

Thank you Russ.  It will be bitter sweet.  He has always admired my work that I have brought into the IPMS meetings, so I know he will be happy to know that I am working on his aircraft.

Ken

Sorry to hear about your friend, Ken. I'm sure he'll be proud of the model you're building for him. Good of you to do that!

Russ

Hi Everyone,

I have not announced this yet but now is as good a time as any.  I am going to put the F-4E I have been building on hold and enter a new kit for this build.  The reason is that a very close friend has recently disclosed he has terminal cancer.

This person served many years in the USAF as a pilot and served in the Korean War as well as the Vietnam War.  One of the aircraft he flew was the SR-71A Blackbird!  This will be the aircraft I will be building for this build.

My friend also flew the F-84E Thunderjet in the Korean War.  I will be building that aircraft as well in another group build at the same time.  In fact, it will have priority, and the Blackbird will get attention when I am waiting for paint, glue, etc.

Another aircraft he flew was the U-2.  So if time permits, I will begin building that after the SR-71A is complete.

Ken

Kiwi

Finally getting set up in the new house after a 2,500 mile drive from Michigan to Seattle. What a huge, beautiful country. My designated modeling area is almost ready to go and I can finally start on my sky raider contribution to the build!
 

Great to know you made it ok and are getting established, Tim. Hope you really enjoy your new job and location.

Russ

Kiwi

Finally getting set up in the new house after a 2,500 mile drive from Michigan to Seattle. What a huge, beautiful country. My designated modeling area is almost ready to go and I can finally start on my sky raider contribution to the build!

Hi Tim,

Glad to hear you made the trek safe and sound.  Looks like you have a great workbench setup ready to go!

Ken

Hi Everyone,

It has been a good while since I have posted anything.  I hope that will change very soon.

I record the evening news so that if I can't watch it live I can watch it later.  I just now got a chance to see yesterday's.  I thought it would be fitting to post it here that the North Vietnamese General, Võ Nguyên Giáp, past away yesterday.  He was 102 years old.

I am sure most of you know how ruthless and cunning he was.  He was a very formidable enemy!

Ken

Striker8241

Great information, Ken! Thanks!  

You are most welcome Russ!  I have definitely bookmarked the website myself.  I think it will be a great resource.

Ken

Great information, Ken! Thanks!  

Hi Everyone,

I just found this very cool page on the internet that has some great tips on using Testors paints and other products.  You will probably already know some of the information but I am willing to bet you will learn something you didn't know.  Here is the link:

http://www.hubhobbyshop.com/hint12.htm 

Ken

GreySnake

Ken, some of the paint did come up. Nothing that's going to ruin it or anything. Its going to take me longer to clean my airbrush then touch up work.

Glad to hear the damage wasn't severe GreySnake.  Still frustrating none the less.

Ken

Ken, some of the paint did come up. Nothing that's going to ruin it or anything. Its going to take me longer to clean my airbrush then touch up work.

GreySnake

Well I made the stupid mistake of trying to use the kit decals Coated them Microscales decal them hoping I could save them. I've always heard Monogram's decals were thick but I never imagined how thick. The shark mouth is about the only usable one on the sheet and it took a ton of Mirco Sol.. Oh well a new sheet is inbound from evilbay. So the thud is on the back burner till then. Guess I'll go back to working on my Stuka for now

I am really sorry to hear that GreySnake!  That is such a let down.  I hope it didn't cause any damage to your paint job!

Ken

Well I made the stupid mistake of trying to use the kit decals Coated them Microscales decal them hoping I could save them. I've always heard Monogram's decals were thick but I never imagined how thick. The shark mouth is about the only usable one on the sheet and it took a ton of Mirco Sol.. Oh well a new sheet is inbound from evilbay. So the thud is on the back burner till then. Guess I'll go back to working on my Stuka for now

Thanks Ken!

Going to try to get the model ready for its gloss coat tonight. Hopefully over the weekend I can get the decals done. And then my least favorite part the missiles. For whatever reason I really hate working on missiles and bombs.

GreySnake

Hey guys Got the F-105 painted about a week ago and finally got around to taking some photos.

 

This is the first freehand camouflage I've done with my airbrush, think it came out alright. Just wish on the the soft edges along the grey and tan were a little softer. Anyway that's all I got for now. Just a few spots to work on and its off to gloss coating and my favorite part the decals!

GreySnake

That looks great GreySnake!        I disagree with you on needing it to be softer on the green/tan.  I think it looks just right.  At least from the pictures.  Of course you are always your worst critic!

Ken

Thanks Rex

Russ thanks, that's means a lot! The SEA colors are just straight out of the bottle Tamiya flat earth for the tan and dark green and green.

GreySnake

Hey guys Got the F-105 painted about a week ago and finally got around to taking some photos.

 

This is the first freehand camouflage I've done with my airbrush, think it came out alright. Just wish on the the soft edges along the grey and tan were a little softer. Anyway that's all I got for now. Just a few spots to work on and its off to gloss coating and my favorite part the decals!

GreySnake

That's looking good, GS!  Those planes really cooked under that hot sun and the paint bleached out fast. Any demarcation between the colors soon blurred. I think you've captured the essence of a hard worked SEA fighter-bomber really well.

Cheers,

Russ

freehand??

uh-oh,,,,,,,,,,you should have masked the canopy

haha,(couldn't resist),,,,,,,,nice job for a freehand SEA scheme

you are at the fun part of the build now,,,,,once you gloss it, each decal you apply makes it look more and more like the aircraft you intended to build

Rex

Hey guys Got the F-105 painted about a week ago and finally got around to taking some photos.

This is the first freehand camouflage I've done with my airbrush, think it came out alright. Just wish on the the soft edges along the grey and tan were a little softer. Anyway that's all I got for now. Just a few spots to work on and its off to gloss coating and my favorite part the decals!

GreySnake

Ken, instead of a left fuel tank it carries a AGM-45 shrike missile. It looks really weird with its load out that's for sure.

GreySnake

Got the belly painted tonight.

 

Took twice as long as it should have. My Badger airbrush was giving me trouble since someone didn't clean it right after last use

Hi GreySnake,

Looks like it turned out just fine even with the troubled airbrush! 

A quick question, where is the left wing tank?

Ken

Kiwi

Still no modeling but out in Seattle for a wedding and managed to squeeze in a quick run around the Museum of Flight at Boeing field, pretty cool!

Cool pictures Tim!  Thank you for sharing!

Ken