Monogram Mafia III

Ditto on revell customer service. they have saved me on numerous occasions. Thier customer support and parts replacement program is second to none !

Another update. Since the Fokker has a VERY poor excuse for a cockpit, I decided to add a few things just to make it a bit more realistic using some reference info I have. I scratched out a floor, rear bulkhead and a basic IP that will get a couple of instrument decals. Did the wood graining thing to them and now they have to dry out for a couple of days. Meanwhile I sliced up some thin strips for the fuselage framing.

Nothing fancy but close enough I think

The fabric would have been a doped linen color so I would think it would have looked like a khaki inside. The outside color would not have bled thru since the dope sealed out the cloth.

The framing adds more detail to the pit area.

The rest of the details have to wait for the oil wood tone paint to dry. Still need to scratch out the ammo box for the Spandaus.

Great choice on the jeep kit; one of my all time favorites. Can't wait to see how it turns out!!

Everyone is doing an awesome job!  thanks for sharing all the pictures and building ideas!

Dave

PJ,

Love the wood grain treatment on your Fokker's floorboard!  And THAT is NOT the face of a GUILTY dog!!! LOL!!!

PJ, wow!  Great job on the wood!  Looks awesome!

Eagle90

Got some time to throw some paint on the jeep and AT gun last night.  Started a little weathering with the chrome silver dry brushing, but still have a lot to do weathering wise.  Also, the AT gun needs some dirtying up! 

Eagle90

Dave and Eagle thanks. Amazing effect you get from the oil paint over the acrylic. My wife thought it was real wood till she saw the bottom unpainted part.

Eagle. That little feller is looking good and is shaping up nicely. Here are some pictures of a Ford Jeep delivered 7/31/43.  I photographed it in Juno, Alaska when I was there in June. Beautiful summer weather in the mid 60's!

PJ!!!!!!!!!  Thanks so much for the reference pics!  Man, the rock!  After seeing those, there are some "scale" issues with the kit, but man, there are some details they nailed!  Thanks again!  They are going to come in very handy!

Eagle90

You are welcome Eagle. Those Jeeps are freaking indestructible. That looked original down to the rifle mount on the windshield. I wanted to talk to the owner to get more info. I hung around for a while and waited. The wife and I went two doors down to get an ice cream and 5 minutes later he was gone! If that jeep could talk I'm sure it would have some interesting stories.

I read an article about a Jeep that was in the D Day landings and made it back to the States after the war. It was eventually restored by a collector who had it shipped to Normandy for the recent D Day Celebrations.

Now that is cool!  I'd love to test drive one!  Thanks again so much for the pics!

Eagle90

No sweat buddy!

Plasticjunkie--that floor is excellent!  Your grain technique came out beautifully!

Eagle90--I love your choice of that Jeep kit.  I built that as a kid, and I remember comparing my finish to the photos in Shep Paine's "Tips on Building Dioramas" brochure that went with it, and thinking, "Mine doesn't look anything like that..."

PJ, that wood work is beautiful! I definitely need to learn your technique for that and add it to my bag of tricks.

Eagle, nice to see that classic jeep and gun kit coming along. I cant wait to see that one done. Any plans for particular markings?

Thanks Baron! Glad you like it.

Stik..Thanks and it's really easy, nothing to it. I paint the basecoat MM acrylic wood and when dry I then slop on some burnt umber oil paint covering everything. Then I take a clean dry brush and start making streaks, fading and feathering as you go. The more you brush the lighter the tone. To get stains or knots just wait a day or two for the oil paint to dry and use a fine or med sized brush dipped in more oil paint to create them. Down side to this is that it needs to be left alone for a few days for the oil paint to dry, then shoot some clear flat or gloss.  

Well at my build pace that sounds perfect. I will have to experiment with the technique you describe to see what will happen. Do you use a completely dry clean brush for the streaking, or one moistened with a bit of thinner?

Dry and clean. Sometimes you may have to lightly dip it in thinner and dry 99% off on a paper towel to drag the thick paint. The final layering is done dry to smooth and feather. You have to play with the paint till you get the hang of it.

Stik  

Not Monogram related but dealing with wood graining. Here I'm working on the Polar Lights Guillotine for an upcoming show. The wood graining and staining specially around where the neck would go is very apparent. The front of the blade has a sink mark that I had to putty 4 times to make it completely go away.

Blood would have stained the wood so I applied more oil paint to this area.

the Baron

Plasticjunkie--that floor is excellent!  Your grain technique came out beautifully!

Eagle90--I love your choice of that Jeep kit.  I built that as a kid, and I remember comparing my finish to the photos in Shep Paine's "Tips on Building Dioramas" brochure that went with it, and thinking, "Mine doesn't look anything like that..."

PJ, great Jeep pictures; looks like the operations officer (S-3) is a little lost, not sure when the 1st Armored Division served in Alaska! LOL!!! Nice to see one of those classics still out on the road!

Dave

Tal Afar Dave

PJ, great Jeep pictures; looks like the operations officer (S-3) is a little lost, not sure when the 1st Armored Division served in Alaska! LOL!!! Nice to see one of those classics still out on the road!

Q: What's the most dangerous thing in the world?

A: A Second Lieutenant with a map...

PJ I will take your advice here! Beautiful Guillotine!

You're an artist PJ.

Gosh, thanks modelcrazy

Glad to help stik.

Stick,

As a former Louie, I can say that I was geographically challenged a time or two, but not as bad as a fellow LT who led an entire TOW company into the Korean DMZ, putting the entire 2ID on alert for a couple of days.....but you are entirely correct.  Some of our young officers still play up and reinforce that hideous stereotype!!!  (I was blessed with great NCOs that kept me straight!!! ....and at least I had enough common sense to listen to them!!   

The invention of the GPS has definitely infringed on the development of young officers!!

All good times I am sure... at least now in hindsight and over a cool refreshing beverage anyways... Out of deference to those that I drove and/or RTO'd for once upon a time, I will only say that I have partaken in similar adventures... at their direction of course... abd leave it at that.

and some related famous last words... "sure I can land nav - see my Ranger tab?"

Lets just say that most stereotypes have their basis in fact somewhere back along the line...

I'm not completely happy about the finish. I used Acrylic for the color coat which made it very dull. I then sprayed gloss lacquer so I could lay down a black wash. This did not go as well as planed, the wash was too thin and just beaded off. I then thickened the wash and applied, but then I couldn't get enough of the excess off to be happy with. So in frustration I decided this will be a very dirty Hind (I've seen pictures, there are some). So I then lightly sprayed some exhaust streaks, and sprayed a dull coat to knock down the gloss.

I didn't like my method, does anyone have a better one?

I've ordered a canopy for the Hun from Squadron last night. So I will be building a F104C and F100D. COOL!

Steve

modelcrazy

Your Hind looks very good. The blade droop looks very realistic and your paint came out very good. I really don't see anything wrong with it and you should be very happy with the results.

As for the washes I have found that on glossy surfaces it just washes off unless you want the effect on panel lines, louvers, or sharp details. I like using washes for color modulation over a flat surface so it is absorbed and does not roll off as with gloss. The flat gives it a bite into the surface and gradually changes the tone.  

I hear ya, Stick!!!  It is good to look at our past follies in hindsight with a cool, refreshing beverage that relieves the pain!!!  I miss those days some times, until my knees and back start hurting, thinking of those light infantry rucks!!

I have one of these that came in a bulk purchase a while back.  It's partially built but your making me think of resurrecting it.

Modelcrazy, your Hind looks great! I like the display base, too.