AIRCRAFT - Natural metal finish group build (ends 10/31/04)

After experimenting with one of the Constellation's engines and some BMF, I ( ulp ) have decided to bite the bullet and screw the paint, I'll BMF the whole aircraft,and the devil take the hindmost. This should be tre`s amusement as I have never done BMF before... ho ho ho.

Hello James, I'll be building MPM's 1/72 Su-9 vac. My name is Christopher but everyone calls me Woody.

Thanks for the welcome jamesz. By the way, I live in Manchester, CT. My name is Nathan, but everyone calls me Nate. Time to get building!

sounds like a list of firsts is growing in this thread gerad. this will the first time i will be building a vac formed kit and i am leaning toward using alum. foil.

joe

Well I am working on my first NMF and I have five on the table. So there is nothing wrong with that.

I ordered two new halves for the B-29 fueselage from Monogram along with Decals for the Enola Gay (If they still have those markings I will have to wait and see. i doubt it seriously but will see. If not I'll take what they give me. I also painted the cockpit floor for the B-29 and many parts for my F-84G today. I will work on finishing the cockpits for the F-84 and F-86, as soon as I get some more work done on my two Hornets for the USMC group build. Keep us all posted everyone.

f-94 still sittin' in the box while I try to do some research. Anyone know if the inside of the flaps and wheel wells where painted chromate green? or where they aluminum? I just can't seem to find any definative answer on that.

I can't get much done at ALL... the house is for sale and the realtors keep everyone busy. Good thing this ends on Halloween. By the way, jimz66, the name's Dan.

Dan good luck with the move and hope all goes well. I hope things are ok on your end. That is why I wanted such a long haul due date. I knew this one would be tougher than normal.

hope your move goes well.

joe

I finally got my car two Fridays ago. So things have been non existant on the Model front the last week and a half or so. I will be back in action once I find a job schedual.

My supply of BMF came in. No more procrastination on the Constellation... hopefully when I am done you won't have to fit me for a size 42L straitjacket.

STOP PRESS.....
i am changing the kit i am doing for this group build. i had started the (very) old airfix P1127 and its a real bear, nothing fits right and its going on the "long term build" pile (whilst i stock up on milliput). i have dug out a couple of EE /BACLightning F6 kits. one by Matchbox and the other by Eastern Express. what ever you do DONT buy the Eastern express kit, its the ancient Frog kit and its awfull. (the Hasegawa kit is just as bad btw). i am going to do the Matchbox kit and am currently deciding on either 5, 11, 19 or 74 sqn colours but i am leaning towards the 74sqn markings.
Greg

SSSSHHHHHH.....Be vewy, vewy quiet....modellers working

Gregers: I heard the old airfix P1127 kit was a real beast. But with proper attention can turn into a real show stopper.

still waiting on the b-18. will wait a little longer but i may have to change to something else. still want to get that kit but want to give myself enough time to deal with my first vacuform.

joe

09-04-04
Despite the fact that my name STILL doesn't appear on the first page, I too am part of this group build and I too have made a wee change. I am just nearing the painting stage of a Tr.IX Spitfire of the Iirsh Air Corps, 1/48 scale. It's a Brigade models conversion usng the Hasegawa 1/48 mkIXc kit.

I am still doing the Thunderjet and the Aires resin bits finally arrived and the cockpit is biult. I have to say though, that the Tamiya cockpit is virtually identical, in terms of detail. Not much of a difference.
And, if time permits, I may do the Academy 1/48 Thunderbolt. That's optional though as I have a 1/32 Sopwith Camel to do as well!!

By the way, any chance of a group build badge??
Liam

Been thinking about that meself.
Wondering if "NMF GB" should be embossed in a sheet metal plate or a metallized block version of "NMF GB" over a black background would suffice.

QUOTE: Originally posted by yeehah12001 09-04-04 By the way, any chance of a group build badge?? Liam

wondered when someone was going to think about doing that.

btw just recieved an email that they will be shipping my b-18 soon. it seems they were overwhelmed by work.

joe

QUOTE: Originally posted by yeehah12001 09-04-04 Despite the fact that my name STILL doesn't appear on the first page, I too am part of this group build and I too have made a wee change. I am just nearing the painting stage of a Tr.IX Spitfire of the Iirsh Air Corps, 1/48 scale. It's a Brigade models conversion usng the Hasegawa 1/48 mkIXc kit. I am still doing the Thunderjet and the Aires resin bits finally arrived and the cockpit is biult. I have to say though, that the Tamiya cockpit is virtually identical, in terms of detail. Not much of a difference. And, if time permits, I may do the Academy 1/48 Thunderbolt. That's optional though as I have a 1/32 Sopwith Camel to do as well!! Liam

cant wait to see these pics. not sure why you were overlooked but i had assumed you were part of this. should be some very good builds coming out of this gb.

joe

Hey a group build badge would be great. We could just use a closeup of a NMF A/C's wing root or the like as a background for the NMF GB text.

Liam I am sorry check your email Then i will post you on PAGE 1. I though I already had you there. Sorry.

Hey, fellas! Been kinda busy, so i haven't been able to post very much here in the forums. A GB Badge would be great! I like woody's suggestion!

Woody's idea sounds good to me too. or maybe a n.m.f B17 with the wording on the nose would be cool.
Greg (of the Natural mental finish g.b)

10-04-04
gregers: nice idea there. A nmf B 17 with NMF on the nose would look cool. All you'd need is the nose/cockpit section with NMF stencilled across it like nose-art!!

Who volunteers??
Liam

i can help with a badge. i got all the art programs you can think of. all i would need is some ideas. gregers has a good idea. as for my planes i finally ordered my decals for the kingfisher. hope they will arrive soon.

there you have it a possible badge and a person who knows what to do with it.

sounds like a plan is forming.

joe

16-04-04
Well, the Tr.IX Spitfire is at the stage for painting and the F-84G is coming along. I had trouble getting the Aires gun-bay to fit and don't think I got it right, but by God! it looks the buisness. Going to be a bit tricky to mask off when the time comes to paint it!

Haven't started the Thunderbolt yet, but will get around to it within the next week or so. The LHS has no Tamiya gloss aluminium, which is my weapon of chioce for natural metal finishes. So I'll have to wait a few weeks for that.
How are the rest of you doing?

Liam

Did the Connie's props in matte aluminum BMF. Each one took almost an hour. When you are a newbie,slow is par for the course I guess. Have two engine nacelles done. They and the rest of the plane in BMF original chrome.

BMF is really tricky stuff, but the effect is, I think, rather sensational. I can't wait for the whole thing to be done... it'll gleam in the dark!

Okay, i did something sensationally stupid... I was trying to strip the paint off of the canopy windscreen (because i had the wrong color on it) when it snapped!!! I need to find a replacement somewhere! On the other hand, i have gotten fairly far in the decaling process, though the rough Philippine Airforce emblems are giving me a hard time.

shrikes: which model did the canopy belong to and what scale?

i have had the experience of bits screaming into orbit when cut from the sprue, or pinging out of the tweezers tha twere holding them while I painted them a helpful black.

It's funny: tonight was the usual Oggy and me model-night (he's building the revell 1/48 Hind and the Academy 1/48 Shooting Star, not for the Group Build, but just cos he wants to) and I was working on the F-84G. I was doing the wheel-wells, replacing the kit parts withthe Aires resin set.
Never have I sanded so much plastic and resin in order to get the wing-halves together (and I sanded a LOT from the Revell Black Bunny Tomcat 1/48- hence my signature), but in the end it worked.
However, the funny bit was that there was a tiny mountain of sanded and filed plastic and resin piled neatly on my cutting board. Now, if I got it together and melted it down, I might just be able to cast a few additional bits for the F-84!!

So, once again, I am at painting stage. No paint. Darn and confound it. Guess this means I'll have to start another kit!!
Or paint the Hurricane.....
or cut the grass..er...no, maybe not. Now where's that airbrush.....

Liam