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Put me down with a Tamiya 1/48. Thanks.
Finally got to a place where documenting progress made some sense. It was a very late night over the weekend when I had a chance to play with PE for the first time, and so I'll show you my efforts.
A bit of the back story: I haven't built a Tamiya model in 20 years or more. I was a fan of their armor back in the 70's (who remembers the mini tubes of glue? I've still got a couple in the stash!), but my building has slowed and I've been enamored of other subjects, so I haven't bought or built any of their kits in at least that long. That all ended when Clemens decided to get this build under way.
Of course I've read the reviews - shake and bake and the bit about so well engineered that there isn't a ejection pin mark to be seen.... All I can say is this kit must have been engineered before all of that. Every time I think I'm ready to build, I see another defect to be filled.
I ordered my stuff right up, but my internet supplier of choice was out of Pfeil's. That said, it still took them 30 days to send the balance of my order because they were waiting on a nice little addition for my A-#3 Whale and Clemen's carrier group build.
So I ended up finding my kit on Amazon and it showed up poste haste. As mentioned earlier, I also picked up the Eduard unpainted PE, some Ultracast exhaust stacks and the True Details smooth weighted tires.
I started by hitting the various components with the appropriate 66 or 02 as required. It was then that the ugly little pin marks started rearing their heads. What to do but break out the Mr Surfacer and get after it. Note that none of these pictures have any weathering yet, but that will come with time.
When all was taken care of, I hit the bits with paint for a second time, and got around to looking at those main wheel wells. They are awful big and awfully boring and empty. So I figured I'd clutter them up a bit.
I found a picture of a wheel bay on the intarwebs showing some lightening holes and some electrical wiring and hydraulic plumbing. That got me thinking and this is what I came up with:
The thicker of the two is my 'hydraulic line' and the bundled wires underneath are electrical wiring. Thu ugly white is my pathetic attempt at a hydraulic junction, there will be two lines from there, one to the main gear actuating cylinder, and the other to the brakes. Not crazy with my scratch skills, so I'm going to thin the junction a bit so it doesn't stand out so much. I also figured that I'd have the cowl flaps open, so I spent a bit of time with my razor saw. Here is the pilot's seat What a pain in the rear making those belts lie flat. Yikes! And finally, here is the panel. I've also got some work done on the cockpit itself, but I need to do a bit more and glue in some fiddly PE bits. More as I get stuff finished up
The thicker of the two is my 'hydraulic line' and the bundled wires underneath are electrical wiring. Thu ugly white is my pathetic attempt at a hydraulic junction, there will be two lines from there, one to the main gear actuating cylinder, and the other to the brakes. Not crazy with my scratch skills, so I'm going to thin the junction a bit so it doesn't stand out so much.
I also figured that I'd have the cowl flaps open, so I spent a bit of time with my razor saw.
Here is the pilot's seat What a pain in the rear making those belts lie flat. Yikes! And finally, here is the panel. I've also got some work done on the cockpit itself, but I need to do a bit more and glue in some fiddly PE bits. More as I get stuff finished up
Here is the pilot's seat
What a pain in the rear making those belts lie flat. Yikes! And finally, here is the panel. I've also got some work done on the cockpit itself, but I need to do a bit more and glue in some fiddly PE bits. More as I get stuff finished up
What a pain in the rear making those belts lie flat. Yikes!
And finally, here is the panel. I've also got some work done on the cockpit itself, but I need to do a bit more and glue in some fiddly PE bits.
More as I get stuff finished up
Looking great, Marty!
scollen: You're on the list. Welcome to the GB!
Nice work MA, looking good.
I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so
On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3
Looking good MAgather! The PE looks good and I like that cowl flap idea. I on the other hand have taken one step forward and two back...
The step forward: I found unexpected treasures on my local IPMS club's group-pilgrimage to an LHS in a neighboring city on the weekend...I picked up the Eduard PE set and a CMK resin set for the Pheil. The resin set includes one engine, but I purchased it for the two pair of exhaust manifolds with open tips. I'm not planning on using the engine at this point unless I put it on a stand in a hanger diorama or something, but those manifolds were exactly what I was looking for.
The two steps back: my workbench has been packed up and draped with poly for the next several weeks while my basement is unexpectedly under construction (my son the carpenter volunteered to develop my basement if I started it NOW). When done I will have a dedicated modelling room complete with spray booth vented directly outside, a photo booth with dedicated lighting, a sink, and two work benches so my son and I can work simultaneously. And for viewing the all-important reference programs, the modelling room opens off of a new home theatre...
It'll be nice when it's done, but I'll be mostly on the sidelines cheering until construction's complete.
Cheers,
Brad
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
- T.S. Eliot
caSS:
I can appreciate the anticipation of a great new modeling space as well as the frustration of being sidelined. I like the sound of that resin set, but I think there is a bunch of work that comes with an upgrade of that level. I jumped into this build because I needed a break from my 'in over my head' project on Clemen's Modern Carrier Aviation GB.
Bish: your comments are welcomed, I've seen your work. And of course to meine freunde Clemens: Vielen Danke!
I got some good work done on the landing gear last night, but no pics as of yet.
SSpartan
I have the Tamiya 1/48 Do335B-2 heavily Armed Version with some resin goodies that I have been itching to build so request permission to come aboard.
Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!
Rigidrider Stop it, stop it! Your making me feel old! (lol) When I started buying those tiny bottles of testors enamel paints as a kid they were .12cents. Doug
Stop it, stop it! Your making me feel old! (lol) When I started buying those tiny bottles of testors enamel paints as a kid they were .12cents.
Doug
I still have a couple of Testors bottles from a loooong time ago, marked at .19 cents and they are still good. Those were the days!
Permission granted.
It's great to have you in here as well, PJ! Are you trying to participate in every GB I host?
SchattenSpartan Permission granted. It's great to have you in here as well, PJ! Are you trying to participate in every GB I host?
Thanks for having me here SSpartan. Seems like a great way to lower the stash count but I don't want to overcommit on GBs so this one will be it for a while.
If you want to reduce the amount of models in your stash a bit more, I have a radial engine GB planned for June or July 2014...
PJ...WOW... now I do feel old! LOL I remember using those little Testor bottles, with those useless little Testor brushes (the little plastic handles) snitching a little gas from the lawn mower to clean them with, and if you forgot and left them in the gas too long the handles would melt! LOL...
When Life Hands You A Bucket Of Lemons...
Make Lemonade!
Then Sell It Back At $2 Bucks A Glass...
SchattenSpartan If you want to reduce the amount of models in your stash a bit more, I have a radial engine GB planned for June or July 2014...
Cool, sounds like a plan.
Rrider
We are not getting older, just getting wiser!
OK, gents. I'm going to show you my Testors square bottle collection, and make you all jealous. And true story: The RLM 70 Schwartzgrun for my props and spinners on my Arrow is Humbrol that I bought in the mid 70's. I stirred it up this weekend before I realized I didn't like my spinners..... but that is my next post.
Speaking of paint, Anybody guess what this is? And no, it's not a Rorsach test. And yes, it is VERY relevant in this GB.
plastickjunkie SSpartan I have the Tamiya 1/48 Do335B-2 heavily Armed Version with some resin goodies that I have been itching to build so request permission to come aboard.
Forum | Modelers Social Club Forum (proboards.com)
Spinners and more spinners. As I mentioned above, I was getting my prop assemblies together for paint, and while test fitting I decided that the prop openings in the spinners were way out of scale. Because I measured them? No, because they looked NASTY. Knowing Tamiya, they are perfectly correct, but to my eye they look way off. My model, MY way.
So I pondered for a bit, and decided on a quick and easy fix. I took .010 x .080 styrene strip, cut some appropriate lengths and formed it around a mandrel for a bit - no fancy hot water or anything, just used my fingers to form an arc around an appropriately sized tube .
I then slathered on the glue and stuck the strip into the openings. The natural springiness of the plastic filled the openings just fine, and the deed was done.
Spinners with untrimmed stock glued in:
Spinners all trimmed up, along with the Eduard PE rudder pedals and an intake scoop. Don't those openings look a heck of a lot better?
Looking good, Marty! I really like the idea of using plastic strips to make the cutouts smaller. May I ask what thickness that plac sheet has?
I was thinking about hosting similar group builds in the future:
They would run for 6 months each and have one particular late-war german aircraft as the theme:
How about the Me 163 for the next one and the He 162 for the one ofter that?
Clemens....
Sure, pick the late-war aircraft that I have to go out and buy! But count me in, as I've decided on a new theme. I'm building a bunch of war prize aircraft.
That stock for the spinners is .28 mm x 2.0 mm (or here in the US .010 x .080) Evergreen strip styrene. Here is a link to their catalog. www.evergreenscalemodels.com/index.htm
A better shot of the nose spinner on the radiator assembly and cowl
And oh yeah, that would be the office there in the middle. Note that I've dropped the right arm rest.
Thanks Mustang. Doing the 190 GB was a blast, great bunch of youngsters.
MAgather
I also have those Humbrol tins from the 70's, many are still good. I painted the prop for my FW190D-13 that I just completed for the for the 190 GB with Humbrol RLM70.
SchattenSpartan I was thinking about hosting similar group builds in the future: They would run for 6 months each and have one particular late-war german aircraft as the theme: How about the Me 163 for the next one and the He 162 for the one ofter that?
Clemens,
In all seriousness I was looking for a 1/48 163 recently, and i'm not sure there are a whole lot of options. I'll be scouring the intarwebs to find whatever I need to join you. Radial, rocket or jet. Any thoughts on in-line FW....
Just suggesting - lots of cool Doras and everything after......
Yo Junkie,
I've been impressed with the old Humbrol stuff, but I had an issue you may want to be aware of. everything stirred up OK and I got a nice finish off of my paints, but it was pretty much a one shot deal. The pigments and carrier seemed to clump up and become unusable after my first use. I mixed it all up and it was fine for airbrushing, next time to do touch ups (admittedly a significant amount of time after the original spray job) it was all funky and unusable.
Your mileage may carry.
Yes I have noticed that. It either gets extremely gritty or develops a thick film and it's time for the trash. They only lasted 30+ years while I've noticed the new paints, specially the small Testors bottles go bad pretty quick.
Yeah, it's too bad, I really like Humbrol, and the line is pretty sketchy at the LHS that carries them. I still biuy them from time to time as I want to support the company.
The worst is Testors MM acrylics. 1-2 years and they are shot. I have had some luck feeding them Testors acrylic thinner when I see them on the down side, but it's kind of a pet peeve. I buy a specific color, and I'm not going to use it very frequently: I want it to last for 5 years. I might build something else that needs that color.
Anybody got good things to say about shelf life for acrylics? Maybe Ill take this to another forum as it is severely OT.
Sorry Clemens!
Ebay has several. Here's my Dragon 1/48 Habicht that I did about 4 years back
and I have these two on deck for future GB
Very very nice on the 163,Junkie, no doubt. Are the belts part of the kit? I
Yea, I'm probably going to have to prowl Evil Bay in search of a Komet. One of my LHS's has a Salamander in stock, I should buy it now just to make sure. I had a 25 year period where I wan't bullding the German stuff, it represented all that was wrong in the world to me.
That said, I've always loved the technology, and now that can bring this stuff home and paint it like it is all american what an opportunity.
Thanks. The Dragon kit brings pe seat belts and a few other things. I really don't see the need for additional pe since they are very well detailed. I actually picked these up on Ebay a while back. I have seen them at vendor's tables at shows too. By the way, my 'S' model pictured was merely a towed glider trainer to teach the novice Komet pilot how to land.
Thanks Junkie, I didn't know that about the 'S'. I haven't built Luft aircraft in forever, and haven't really done any research since back in the day.
And since I didn't get any takers on guessing on my black and white photo above, I guess I'll have to give you some help.
I'm building W. Nr. 240102 aka VG+PH. This is the only surviving airframe, and was rebuilt by Dornier. But all sources indicate that although they repainted it as specified w/ RLM 81 and 82, the original dark paint was not RLM 81.
Contemporaneous photos show very little contrast between the colors, to the point that you can't make out the camo patterns.
More on this topic with sources and citations, when I start painting, but that picture was a test to see how Testors MM 82 and 83 would compare. Look close and you will see a rough splinter pattern.
Here is a shot of my landing gear in process. Near as I can tell, the nose gear has no exposed hydraulic plumbing, but in walk around of the restored 240102, I can see a steering piston down on the nose wheel, so I'm working on adding something along those lines. I have added brake lines on the main gear.
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