2014 BRAILLE SCALE (UPDATE)

hey theun

nicely done.

Thanx Rob.

I recall an intercepted radio message between the Cuban pilots and their ground controll stating that they (the pilots) could easily visually pick up the SAAF Mirage F-1's over Angola that were painted in the same color scheeme. The SAAF then changed the buff to dark earth :-)

The interesting thing about this scheeme is that the camo pattern was repeated on the wings under the slats.

We also used the "sugar scoops"  on the underside of the rear fuse where the normal NACA ducts were as the engines here in Africa needed the extra cooling in our "hot and high" conditions

Theuns

Fantastic job Theuns!! I am a huge fan of dressing North American aircraft in unusual nations colours. This was a tremendously good idea and it looks great. Two enthusiastic thumbs up

OK guys I am calling this Academy F-86 e dressed up as a South African Air Force Canadair CL-13 B (Sabre Mk6) of #1 Sqn

This was the the colors it wore during the 70 and 80's. All enamels, AM decals and alclad semi flat as a claercoat.

There it is...

Hmm...new badge is slow to show up

Cool badge Wayne! Sportin' it now!! That big Russian veh is going to be epic!

That is a monster 1/72 scale kit Waynec!

having done the job/distance separation a couple of times it can be quite annoying but i spent 4 of my first 5 weeks of marriage on maneuvers in hohenfels in the BRD in '75.

i picked up a more modern (than UNIMOG) BdW 4x4 to add to my 1/72 warwheels collection. here is the built SICKLE missile canister and i started on the TEL frame. it's not bent just a camera optical illusion but this is a big vehicle.

Dang! number two? I've barely got my Mustang primed and pre-shaded and it is currently the only one I am tinkering with.  Swordfish is looking so far.

Ha ha....cml, I've got NO life LOL....my wife and I are both in the military and we are unfortunately posted to different bases (I'm at the Recruit depot in Quebec and she's in Toronto). SO, I've got scads of time on my hands.

Yes, that's the new tooled Gladiator from Airfix. Keeping with my 'non-traditional' mode of markings, (not going to be British) she's gonna be marked as a Finnish AF version.

WHAT!???

Rob - slow down, you're putting us all to shame here ;p

I'm super impressed - you've already got the fuselage together on your 2nd build and I'm still swanning around with painting my cockpit.

I need to up my build speed.

That's a new Airfix release, correct? The detail in the 'pit looks very nice, especially given the size.

Kicked off the Gladiator tonite. Must say, quite a bit of flash on this kit. Not terrible, but, enough to have had to spend some time cleaning up surfaces. Anyway, really not much to show tonight. Fuselage together and cockpit in. Uni-coloured aluminum, so, not much to show, but, wanted to get something accomplished. Going to be a true Braille scale as this thing's fuselage is quite tiny. Will start sanding the joints tomorrow as I find Airfix's soft plastic needs more time to cure. 

I don't do armour much, but, I'd surely have picked up that Tamiya for that price!! Good score

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the tip - I've heard of people using metal foil before, but never tried it myself.

I had a look at my LHS, but they don't sell any - unfortunately our options for supplies here down under don't quite compare to the USA and UK.

I'll keep an eye out though, maybe a craft shop will have some.

No further progress on either project since the last update - despite the long weekend we had to celebrate the Queen's Birthday, my time was spent cleaning the house and furniture hunting with the fiance. I did score a 1/35 Tamiya Abrams though from a toy shop close by the furniture shop - had been mis-priced by $10, so, I snapped it up!

cml

To make matters worst, now the tape masks are lifting! Might have to add some more...

cml..can I make a suggestion for masking? Bare Metal Foil: This is a self adhesive foil that is super easy to work with, cuts easily with a sharp knife and stays in place for the whole build. I have been exclusively using it for canopies for years. After removal, there is usually a slight film of adhesive left on the glass...Goo Gone from the dollar store on a q-tip take it away and leaves the paint alone. Microscale makes a liquid masking solution as well that I have had some success with too. Your joints are looking good and I hear you about re-scribing...not always easy.

wayne..looking good thus far. This build of yours is going to be epic!!

As for the F4U - Rob, you're right, it's a real pleasure to build.  It's coming together nicely.

Most of the cockpit is now painted. I still haven't attached the instrument decal. Will do tonight.

A little more work on the A-7.

This is testing me - but to be honest, i'll only get better from these challenges. I've already learnt a lot about puttying and sanding. I don't enjoy rescribing and for some reason, have great difficulty doing it, so any panel seams lost may not make it back on the plane....

I attached the intake trunk and filled and sanded to try and smooth over the gaping shape difference.

The canopy is also masked and attached. More trouble there. The front portion cracked down the centre when i was masking. Luckily it was still on the sprue, so i slathered it with Testors canopy cement to try and reinforce it.

To make matters worst, now the tape masks are lifting! Might have to add some more...

Good start Waynec. That is a big 1/72 vehicle.

Sounds like you've got you're hands full with all the possible parallel builds you've listed.

i have started my SS-25. i think this is my first 1/72 armor so may as well start off with a big one. in the bunker, which seems appropriate concerning ICBMs, and Russian classical music on the DVD player for mood. these are all the parts for the SICKLE canister, total of 13. only have to get real serious with the top seam as the bottom seam is on the erector. taped and puttied seam , removed tape and smoothed some with acetone nail polish remover. will be ready for sanding on Sunday. just like a locomotive boiler or gun barrel.

Those 20mm barrels look terrific!

Great Guns!! Lookin good..

Got the Aber 20mm barrels installed and they are miles ahead of the plungers Italeri provided.  I also got the PE onto the landing gear, should be able to get some primer sprayed tonight or tomorrow after a tad more cleaning up.

cml

I hope nobody minds, but can i do a concurrent build in this Group Build?

I'd like to add the the Tamiya 1/72 F4.  It's only just dawned on my typing this that one is the namesake of the other.

This was a new tooling when i bought it back in 2007/08. 

FINE WITH MOI. i just picked up a BUNDESWEHR 4x4 truck to go with 6x6, 8x8, and ELEFANT tank transporter. and i ordered a PST S-300 (SA-10) radar vehicle  to go with my SA-10 launcher and SA-10 carrier 8x8s.

i may be doing parallel  builds too.

ROB - nice job on the HURRICANE.

Geez, thanks...

Rob,
     Nice Hurricane, you set the bar pretty high for this GB!

I've done this one, you're going to like the way this goes together.

I hope nobody minds, but can i do a concurrent build in this Group Build?

I'd like to add the the Tamiya 1/72 F4.  It's only just dawned on my typing this that one is the namesake of the other.

This was a new tooling when i bought it back in 2007/08. 

The detail on this kit is great - really exceptional for 1/72.  Here's a few pics of the control panel, cockpit and side consoles.  I'm really looking forward to starting this one too.

A little more progress today on the A-7.

A few seams on this build - i'm normally a shake'n'bake builder.  This one is testing my skills a little bit more than i thought it would.

Here's the intake after putty and sanding

Cockpit installed with some 2 gram sinkers to keep the nose on the ground:

An example of the seams on this - the inside of the intake needed judicious sanding to get it aligned nicely:

Hoping to get most of it together by the end of the weekend...maybe even start laying some primer down.

Nice Hurricane!! Jeez you got that together quickly.