Dan: That's some sharp paint work. 

Looking really nice Dan, god to see the paint going on.

Thanks Joe Rix: Congratulations on your 1^st and 3^rd place.

Thanks Mustang1989: Excellent work on your cockpit, great detail.

Thanks Gamera.

Thanks Lostagain: Interesting use of brass tubing for the landing gear, a nice touch.

Entered my Bf-110 into the painting stage, last Thursday I washed the surfaces down with soap and water with a Q-tip. Some of the parts in the cockpit area had to be removed to make masking easier.

Model Master Acryl grey primer was airbrushed, the top side just after lunch and the bottom later on after dinner. To make a long story short I have decided to stop airbrushing model master acryl paints, there just to frustrating to airbrush.

Friday I pre-shaded with Tamiya X-1 Gloss Black, usually after airbrushing Tamiya I let it dry over night, but to help speed things up I airbrushed the top in the morning and about four hours later I did the bottom.

The first of four colors was airbrushed on Saturday, I use Model Master enamel RLM 76. Same as before airbrushing the top surfaces in the morning, then the bottom later in the day. The enamel flats dry the fastest, about four hours with light coats. Sunday I applied the second coats of RLM 76.

Sunday was a off day to let the paint dry fully, in perpetration for masking RLM 75. In the past I had problems with paint pealing up after removing masks, on my StuG III after posting shading it I let it dry for a full day, then I masks it up to airbrush the interior. When that was done I removed the masks and it didn't peal up any paint.

Tuesday I masked up the top of the wings for RLM 75, to help reduce the over spray I turned the PSI down to 10, and had the airbrush needle open three to four turns. That worked out pretty well, two coats where applied. The next day I removed the Tamiya tape, no paint was pealed up, and nice straight sharpe lines where left behind.

Wednesday was freehand RLM 75 on the top of the fuselage, and the top of the rear tail. I though I masked up everything but a small about of over spray landed on the top of the main wings. The freehand work was done with 10 PSI and three to four turns of the needle open, two coats where applied.  (Forgot to take photos, will post them later.)

Thursday I airbrushed Tamiya X-1 gloss black on the bottom of the wing.  The RLM 76 over laps the leading edge.

Some stunning work there Joe, i love the detail your putting into this.

Lots of great work in here. I haven't been on much due to some travel and a lot of work commitments, but I've been watching via email and will get to my La-7 before the end of the year.

-BD-

Thanks Joe and Gamera.

I finished off the side panels before I head off to bed. Just had to get a flat coat on 'em tonight so I could concentrate my efforts on the IP tomorrow.

and the Macro Monster strikes again to help out the situation. Looks like I've gotta tidy up those white strips beside ckt breakers. Man my eyes must be failing me even under the visor.

Yeah, great job on the cockpit there, love how you keep adding new stuff in there. Great work on the levers, I always knock them off faster than I can attach them. And very cool work on the wiring.

Your cockpit is magnificent Joe. And the best thing about it is that it will all be wonderfully visible under that big canopy. Great work.

Lostagain: Thanks and man that's some real handy work with the brass.

Joe Rix: Thank you sir.

I managed to finish the cockpit tub and am now working on the side panels. After that I'll be working on the glass enclosure, which is a real PIA on this kit. Any ways, here's the completed tub:

LA: She's coming along great. Love the landing gear.

Gentlemen, Thank You very much for the kudos. I truly do owe much of my modeling abilities to you all here. You folks and the other members of the forums are the very ones who taught me and encouraged me to bring my modeling skills up to this level. Thanks.

Joe: Your up to your usual excellent attention to detail antics. I love it.

Lost: Super effort on building your landing gear. Quite impressive. Man, I haven't soldered anything since I worked at Radio Shack when I was in high school. Yes, I mean that was a very long time ago.

Joe,

Congratulations on the awards. Is that the Hellcat from the '45 build? Not suprised it got a gong.

Dan,

Good work wrangling it all together. Impressed with your rigging to set the radar correctly. And as for masking those windows...

Mustang,

There's the Chevy! Followed you going back and forth on the finish, and it has come out a pearl. And if the Arado matches, it isgoing to be great to watch.

Bish,

That is a real monster there!

I am very slowly chipping away at the MB5. I had cut up some brass to solder together for the main landing gear. Haven't soldered for many a year, and there was a serious collision between my vision and my abilities, but trying again and using superglue helped recover a lost cause:

Next was the radiator and air passage:

And a couple of other small things to show but I have run out of time.

I will be out of the loop for the next month with hockey, cycling and a niece's wedding, but looking forward to the progress whilst I am away.

Dan: Great job with the jig- everything looks straight and perfect. 

Joe: Congrats! I know what you mean, I don't go to compete but if I do win something it is nice. 

Mustang: If everything looks as good as the cockpit she's gonna be a winner too! 

Bish: Gosh I know how annoying that is, hopefully they'll have your computer back up and running soonish. 

Dan: This should be fun watching the paint fly on this one.

Joe : Congratulations Joe. Looks like you did pretty well at the show.

The last couple of days have had some very tedious work involved but I think it will be all worth it when the cockpit tub is finished. I got the wiring installed at the back side of the rudder pedals and all painted. I've still got some detail work to pick out on the pedals themselves but I had to get some sort of progress shot up. Looks like I may have to zip that L/H rudder pedal off and trim the front of the pedal up a little. Macro shots........the best tool and set of eyeballs a guy could ask for.

Dan: Wow! Outstanding work on the radar antenna. Your rig worked like a charm.

Bish: That's a bummer. Hope you get things straightened out quickly. In the meantime, don't you worry none. We'll take of the GB thread just as if it were our own. Hey! Who's got some cute kittie videos to post?

On my front, the WestFest 2016 model contest was great fun. Not quite the turn out that we had hoped for but, what was there was fantastic. There were 90 entries of which 72 were in for competition. Judging was quite challenging, especially in the diorama category as there was some really fantastic displays.I was very very surprised to come home with this:

It certainly was an honor but, in all honesty, I go to this contest mainly to support a small group and the hobby overall. I get a bigger thrill when I have veteran modelers come up to me and ask "Wow! That's great. How did you do that?". 

Thanks tempestjohnn.

Thanks Gamera.

Thanks Mustang1989. 

Thanks Joe Rix.

Thanks Bish.

Both front antennas are on now, each one has three brackets. The bottom antenna has also been attached but you can't really see it in the photos. This Messerschmitt is almost ready for primer.

Dan, love how you did that with the anyenna's, really nice work.

Guys, afraid your going to have to excuse me for a few days. I got a new printer last week, but when i went to load it on my laptop, the disk drive was not working. So i have had to take it in for repair and it won't be ready until the middle of next week. I have managed to hi-jack my step daughters laptop tonight but she is back off to Uni on Fri and i would rather head myself over the head repeatadle with hevay objects that use the other halfs iPad. I can check the site from work but i can't log in a post.

I am sure you will manage fine and i will catch up next week.

Dan: I love the inginuity you used to build you stand for your antenna. Clever modeling at its best. That is indeed a sweet scheme you've chosen. It will be fun to watch you apply that.

Thanks Gamera. I only missed the 1946 theme by 8 years with this one.

Dan: I'll be looking forward to seeing the outcome of that cool scheme you've got selected. That does look good!!

Mustang: Slick job there. The gloss paint looks perfect and I like those flame decals and the interior. 

Dan: She's lookin' good. I agree, very clever jig you've rigged there to keep the antennas straight while drying. 

Thanks Tempestjohnny.

Thanks Joe Rix.

Thanks Mustang1989: Cockpit is lookin' great. Nice looking Chevy to.

Thanks Moff: Yes the colors I plan to use are RLM 76, RLM 75, RLM 83, RLM 70 and black. It looks like the black color they call out for is flat black.

Thanks Gamera: Yeah I didn't think I would be using this much putty.

Next up is gluing on the Lichtenstein radar, this G-4 version uses the FuG 220 SN-2 version. By using a testors bottle with balsa wood and a styrene strip as a holder, I was able to aline the antennas straight and level. The balsa wood stand was used to hold the aircraft level, large testor bottles were places under the tail to hold the stand in place. The aircraft was hold in place with nails driven part ways in the balsa wood.

Here is the paint scheme I'm going with,

Thanks fellas.

I should be on the Arado full steam now after finishing my Chevy up after 8-1/2 months of building. I'll be taking this one to the show in San Antonio next February. I know I'm crashing the GB scene here but this is what's been holding me up in getting underway here.

and what's behind the scenes.......

Dan: Those are some nasty looking seams but looks like you've got everything under control there. 

Mustang: Some really nice work there, you can't rush perfection. 

Moff: Have you gotten anymore work done? 

Bish: Awesome work on the Jgt. E100, I love the dust and dirt! You know me, I'm a weathering fanatic. Are you going to add any MORE dirt?  

qlabs:  Great start! 

JOERIX:  Great top about the silver pen, I'll have to try it. I'm always struggling with seam lines, the little buggers  

DanTheMan: Yes! I didn't realize you were building a Bf-110, I love those! Can't wait to see how it'll turn out. Any particular paint scheme in mind? 

Excellent progress Joe. Sweet detailing you've done.

Bish: I may just have to go ahead and get one then.

Dan: Dude, there aint no way I'd free hand the mask on that thing!!! Wow! Nice job on that masking and the overall progress looks right nice.

Everyone: Ok gang I've got some pics I think are worth sharing so you guys know I'm still building an aircraft. lol . I decided to do before and after photos because just looking at it the cockpit at first doesn't really look like I've mad a lot of progress. There are a few items more however and yes....................it's been tedious.

This is where I left off:



and this is where I'm at now:



More on the way soon...............

Looks very clean Joe, but a bit short in the nose :)

Looking forward to seeing a lick of paint on it.

Cheers

Tony

If nothing else Dan, you have some remarkable puttying and sanding skills. excellent work.