Monogram Mafia III

TarnShip

Devil Dawg decals for the MARStian

www.cybermodeler.com/.../decal_fad_48010.shtml

don't get drool slobber all over your keyboard, now, lol

Rex (the other kind of MART-Dtian)

In the immortal words of Jethro Bodean: "Ho-o-o-o-tttttt Dawg!" Thanks a bunch for the web link, Rex! I owe you one. Next time I'm up near Nashville (my brother lives in Fairview), I'm gonna have to buy you a beer.  

Well I have confirmed that my eyes are only good enough in braille scale to paint tiny things just for effect. Here's the cockpit. Its OK though its gonna be sealed in and viewing will be very limited through the windscreens anyways lol. 

TarnShip

Devil Dawg decals for the MARStian

www.cybermodeler.com/.../decal_fad_48010.shtml

don't get drool slobber all over your keyboard, now, lol

Rex (the other kind of MART-Dtian)

Oh I need to get that set for my OA-4M as well... I have a Two Bobs set for my Hobbycraft A-4M, but this will do nicely for the fast FAC....

Stik, you need to add me to the roster.

stikpusher

TarnShip

Devil Dawg decals for the MARStian

www.cybermodeler.com/.../decal_fad_48010.shtml

don't get drool slobber all over your keyboard, now, lol

Rex (the other kind of MART-Dtian)

Oh I need to get that set for my OA-4M as well... I have a Two Bobs set for my Hobbycraft A-4M, but this will do nicely for the fast FAC....

Speaking of that OA-4, how hard is it to convert to a TA-4? Lots more marking options.

Here's a small update, didn't get much modeling done since friday seeing how I work mostly weekends but I have the cockpit finished, intakes put together and sanded. Here's some test fitting of the intakes and bottom half of the plane...

My what molded detail you have...my what large gaps you have.

I've built two of these before so I know how much putty/sanding I have...just got a bunch of little stuff to do before I get there.

Here's a tip- try some strip styrene shims instead of putty in those gaps. If you add it to the intakes before you glue them in place you will find that you do less sanding and lose less adjacent detail. With a little experience, you can make it look like a natural panel line. Nice progress so far!

MV, I thionk backdating the OA-4M to a TA-4J is a bit of an undertaking. The M is a bit huskier and has more bumps and antennas and such.

Reasoned, you are added to the roster, my apologies for missing that earlier.

Cody, your build is updated on the roster.

Hey Carlos! I'm in with my 1/72 scale Revell F-4B biplane and the F-8 Bearcat. I am a bit surprised that you didn't add me earlier since you saw my kits at the IPMS meeting the Friday before I left. I guess I had to enter them here. If I can get done with time to spare, I may even work on my 1/72 scale Monogram Space Shuttle.

Josiah, you're bringing back memories of the time I built one of those for the one guy who was the senior project manager for the development of that aircraft back in the fifties. Way to go! The B-52 is bringing back memories as well. I have one on my ceiling now, but I also have a kit in the stash. I've always wanted to do the bare metal finished one, maybe I'll do that for the Mafia IV Group Build.

Nice work everyone!

Josiah

That cockpit looks great. Looks like your build is advancing nicely.

I was able to paint and wash the seats and cockpit. The kit's seats are just as good as resin ones IMO. The molded detail is just great!

IP's are done.

The pit tub is done too.

Have to let the washes cure and then will spray some clear flat to kill the gloss and assemble the office.

Nice work there, y'all!

PJ, that cockpit looks awesome! Beautiful paint work sir!

Mark, I remember you buying those kits, but for the life of me I could not remember exactly which two they were by the time I got home that evening... LOL! I knew you would remind me here once you got back online. I have a strong feeling at your build pace, with those two kits that you will be the first one here to complete your two builds.

No picture to post this time but progress report. Have all inner surfaces zinc chromated. Rear turret is done and ready to be installed. Landing gear installed in fuselage. Will close up the fuselage this evening.  

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Hey, guys.  I'm still here, still following, and still in.  I'm just waiting for my LHS to get more Monogram in.   I'll be checking on Friday.

Here is where I am at so far with the first kit the F-15C:

Got all the rescribing done

A bunch of filling and sanding and more filling....and more sanding. Plus rescibing parts that I missed.

Masked the camo pattern with micro mask

Paint laid down. Just have to install the rest of the main parts and finish up painting and touch ups. 

stikpusher

PJ, that cockpit looks awesome! Beautiful paint work sir!

Mark, I remember you buying those kits, but for the life of me I could not remember exactly which two they were by the time I got home that evening... LOL! I knew you would remind me here once you got back online. I have a strong feeling at your build pace, with those two kits that you will be the first one here to complete your two builds.

That's cool Carlos. I kinda figured that. I don't know how accurate you are about my speed, but I could possibly finish one quite early. Stayn tuned, pics forthcoming...

Man, B_one, you're one quick builder!!

Lol yeah I have 5 builds going on . As soon as I complete a step on one to the point where I have to wait, I move on the next kit. It actually saves a bunch of time and less idle hands.

B1, you are off to a flying start as well... Wow! Already painted? Or at least the base camo colors. Sweet!

Mark, I know that F8F can be done in an afternoon with the right approach- the one that I think will take more time is the F4B. Multi color paint scheme compared to monotone, you could add the rigging wires if you're feeling really adventuresome...

Thanks guys...stik thanks for the tip I'll have to try that.

Golly jeepers B1 you're scooting on that F-15, it's looking good too!

Thanks, the long part of this first entry will be the glosscoat, waiting and gloss coating some more for the decals and weathering. Plus the kit weapons have some major holes in the sides from the molding process. Those will take some time to fill and shape.

Got the fuselage closed up. Not much seam filling at all needed fit is pretty good. Doing wings tonight.

Couple of dumb questions....

How does one know if a kit is 'original' Monogram or Revell (aside from the fact that Stik would set me straight)? And does the start to finish in six months mean for both kits? ie, both kits done within a 6 mo timeframe?

TIA

Greg, there's a little cross-pollination between companies, so some (not a lot) are not "original". If you have a couple of kits in mind, someone can verify for you, or you may want to look at the Monogram build post in the aircraft section to see what qualifies, or possibly inspire you to build.

There are a handful of molds that R/M obtained from either Revell Germany, or a few Japanese companies. Primarily Hasegawa or Trimaster. Otherwise. probably 95% of their line up is either original R/M, or one of the companies such as Aurora or Renwall whose molds they obtained after those companies went under.

And yes, both kits must be done within 6 months, the time starting from the date that the first kit work begins upon.

I know for a fact the Monogram Pro Modeler 1/48 F-4E is a repop of the Hasegawa one for 1/2 the price. I recently picked up one on ebay for $35 with free shipping. Knock the shipping off and the price is about $25. Not a bad price for a really nice Hasegawa kit with recessed panel lines and two decal sheets.

Thanks for the input, gents. This really sounds like fun, yet as I am way late on one GB and almost dropping ball on the other (been a rough yr, not my nature to drop the ball on commitments), don't want to be a drop-out. And I'm awfully slow, the 2 in 6 mos...not too sure.

I will be watching this GB with interest, though. And maybe someday if I light a fire under my own backside, well, who knows.

Greg, I dont know where your personal kit/build interests lie, but they have more than a few kits that are easily weekend builds in their line up. I know the pair that Duke Maddog picked up at last months IPMS meeting would both qualify as such. I would not reccomend building say their 1/48 B-17 and B-24 kits in 6 months timespan, unless you are a speed demon in your build pace. But their catalog of old and current kits has got to have something that will fit the bill for you.

PJ, off the top of my head, in the 1/48 Pro Modeler line the F-4E, A-4E, and P-38G came from Hasegawa. The Ju-88s, and FW-190D & G are originally Tri Master molds. As PJ said, many can be found in their Pro Modeler boxings for less than their Japanese counterparts.

It's interesting to track the less-clear origins of kits, post-merger.  The ProModeler 1/48 P-40E was based on Revell's pre-merger 1/48 kit, which was itself supposed to have been pantographed down from their 1/32 kit, apparently.

Yes, that kit is indeed a dressed up version of the late 1970s vintage pre merger Revell kit. That was one of several single seat WWII fighters that Revell released at that time. The others being a P-51D, Spitfire Mk.II, and the Me-109G10. The Mustang has been re issued as part of a combo twin set of "Reno Air Racers" by Revell Germany with the Monogram T-6, but not solo post merger. The Monogram 1/48 P-51D released around the same time was a much nicer kit and keeps getting re issued instead. But the Spit and 109 are still going strong in R/M boxings even today as they near age 40...