Doug: They turned out pretty well to my eyes, nice work! I think I read somewhere that navy pilots left their swords with the crew but army pilots flew with their katana strapped to their belt!

Thanks Craig,

I was going to put the wash on the life vests. You are right about Tamiyas customer service. They are great.

Doug

Well, I finally had a chance to shoot some paint on my Zero.  I needed to touch up some over-spray on my F-107 using Alclad II aluminum, so I shot the parts that needed to be painted aluminum.  The stick, wheels, engine, and prop.  I really like the Alclad, but it's expensive.  I'm still waiting on the X13, xf71, and xf76 to arrive from HK.  It's been three weeks.  Never again.

Craig

Thanx for comments guys, nice updates there , good pilots too 

Weekend situation on my workbench... not in picture but under wip a su-2, an alouette III , ab Me-323 and a ju--290... exagerated i have 

Craig: Looks good so far. And I know what you mean about the waiting when you need something for a project you're ready to move on, I ordered some stuff from Lucky Model some years ago and they held up the entire order for almost a month for one figure...

Bsyamato: Wow, your workbench looks like mine except yours is cleaner! Sorry to see the canopy broken but the thermoformed one will probably look better than the original.

Nice going guys,  Back after a fast w/e trip to Seattle for a 4x4 convention and found Betty's new canopy on the porch so back to work after I get my day job done for today.

Congrads Goldhammer, good timing there!

Hi Everyone,

A little more progress on the Zero.  The photo etch that I purchased for the instrument panel also included the seat belts.  So today I assembled them.  I used Future for the "glue".  I will let this dry and then I will attach them to the seat.

Ken 

Ken: Looks good! I admit I have problems getting the PE belts to drape like the real thing but they look one heck of a lot better than I can paint them.

Adj: Nice work there- I like those extra control levers you added in there!

Gamera

Ken: Looks good! I admit I have problems getting the PE belts to drape like the real thing but they look one heck of a lot better than I can paint them.

Adj: Nice work there- I like those extra control levers you added in there!

Hi Cliff,

These belts are the lap belts, so hopefully I will be able to bend them over the seat to shape them.  That's the plan at least.

On another note, I have decided on the color for my Zero.  I am going with the later color green.

Ken

Ken, ajd,

Looking great. I messed up my seat belts decal to the point that I had to take it off the seat. I was going to have the pilot sitting on the wing but now he will be in the cockpit.

adj looking real good with the scratch built parts.

Well I should have my parts in from Tamiya soon. Gary at Tamiya fond all the parts and will be shipping them real soon. I have got almost as far as I can go with the zero for now and I will be posting photos of what I have got done so far.

I got my order of Tamiya paint ion for the zero and I have to say I really like them. They spray very nice thru the airbrush. Oh speaking of airbrushes I got a new one. A Sparmax Max-35. Not the most expensive one but a step up from my Neo.

Doug

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

A little more progress on the Zero.  The photo etch that I purchased for the instrument panel also included the seat belts.  So today I assembled them.  I used Future for the "glue".  I will let this dry and then I will attach them to the seat.

Ken 

Future as glue?  Does it hold?  I'm having a hard time getting my PE seat belt parts to stay together.  Tamiya liquid cement and CA's don't work.

Craig

Ken: I've never really got them to drape on the seats like cloth even after much poking and prodding with tweezers and a brush handle. Maybe you can give me some tips?

Doug: Great to hear things coming together there.

Craig: I've heard of people having good results with it, haven't tried it myself. I normally use Gator Grip glue for all PE type stuff.

Gamera

Ken: I've never really got them to drape on the seats like cloth even after much poking and prodding with tweezers and a brush handle. Maybe you can give me some tips?

Doug: Great to hear things coming together there.

Craig: I've heard of people having good results with it, haven't tried it myself. I normally use Gator Grip glue for all PE type stuff.

Thanks Gamera.

Here is what I have got done so far while waiting on the parts.

Got the PE done and some of the smaller assemblies.

Wow, ajd, you are really movin' along.  Looks good.

Nice progress Doug.  Those PE parts are fun, huh? 

It's been three and a half weeks since I ordered my paints.  Was hoping they would be in today.  Nope.  I'm official pissed now.   The ebay shipping window was the 4th thru the 17th.  Wonder if they're stuck in customs?

Craig

flyerduke

Wow, ajd, you are really movin' along.  Looks good.

Nice progress Doug.  Those PE parts are fun, huh? 

It's been three and a half weeks since I ordered my paints.  Was hoping they would be in today.  Nope.  I'm official pissed now.   The ebay shipping window was the 4th thru the 17th.  Wonder if they're stuck in customs?

Craig

Thanks Craig.

Wow if they are stuck in customs you may be in for a longer wait. I know how you feel just waiting a week for something to come in. Drives me nuts. I'm not sure when the parts from Tamiya are going to be here. Kinda in a lull right now. May break out the Panzer IV just to have something to do. I don't think there is a group build going on that I can put it in right now

Keep your chin up. They will come in.

Doug

Adj: Looks good!! I paint my yellow leading edges but haven't tried painting the fuselage stripes but love how yours turned out. The green and grey look 'right' to me.

Craig: Hopefully it won't be too much longer. Though if you want to get them in a hurry start something else and once you're deep into it the stuff you need for this one will show up!

Gamera, when it comes to masking stripes, I have started spraying a light coat of dullcoat along the edges of the tape. It seems to seal in the edges and prevents alot of bleeding. It really helps when painting fuselage stripes, as the back end of the stipe is a shorter distance around, so you inevitably have bunching up of the tape to keep a straight line.

Gamera

Adj: Looks good!! I paint my yellow leading edges but haven't tried painting the fuselage stripes but love how yours turned out. The green and grey look 'right' to me.

Craig: Hopefully it won't be too much longer. Though if you want to get them in a hurry start something else and once you're deep into it the stuff you need for this one will show up!

Cliff- I'm actually winding down on another project.  I wanna get going full tilt on the Zero.  I have started work on the prop, engine, and wheels.  I'll post pics soon.

Adj: Thanks! Very good idea there, I've used it with Future on canopy masks but never really though about it for the fuselage like that- very clever!

Craig: I know what you mean, once I get started on something I hate being held up. I'm stuck on a Wildcat right now because part of the decal sheet I cut off with two friggin' decals vanished on me...

Flyerduke, if they weren't sent by air mail, your paints are possibly tied up in the labor dispute at ports of Long Beach/Los Angeles.  There is a big backlog at those ports.

Spruesome

Flyerduke, if they weren't sent by air mail, your paints are possibly tied up in the labor dispute at ports of Long Beach/Los Angeles.  There is a big backlog at those ports.

That's what I was thinking if it's not customs.  Don't get me started on labor unions!

Ajd: Looking good!!!

Appreciate the kind words Gamera! How is the weather out in the Franklin County area area? Hope you stay warm. We aren't supposed to have a wind chill above 0° F here till Friday adternoon.

Gamera, I'm sorry I missed listing for  IV! I'd like to jump in, but have to check stash or figure what to do ifOK with you...

Thanks

Doug

Gamera,

 I forgot I signed up for this GB.  Gotta go look for the Zero I signed up for.  In the mean time add this 1/72 Hasegawa Ki-43 Oscar to my list.

John

Doug: I was wondering where you and a few of the other regulars were! Sure, no problem at all, just let me know when you decide- still a little over ten months to go yet.

John: Looks good! I love that mottling and the chipping turned out great! I'll get you down right away.

Adj: Well, we got six inches / 15cms of snow dumped on us Monday night but by Tuesday afternoon with scraping and the temperature it was gone from the roads. So no problem for me I've been able to get back and forth to work without any problems- feel sorry for those that got hit with much worse concentrations. I slid up yesterday scraping out the parking lot at work and sprained my wrist but if that's the worst thing that happens I'm more than happy!

The temperature around here has been running around 35F/2C so it's not melting too much otherwise. It's running -2F/ -19C  this morning with a high of 12F/-11C today. We're supposed to hit around 50F/10C Sunday with 100% chance of rain so hopefully that will melt it all away.  Just stay safe everyone. Break out the Snuggie if you have too!