Thanks Gamera.

Thanks Joe Rix: You have some nice smooth seems on that Corsair. Looking forward to the first coat of paint.

Thanks Lostagain: I've found that you can mix up either, X-10 with X-9 or XF-56 with XF-10. Or you can use XF-64 instead of X-9 or XF-10. Start off with a one to one ratio, then add more metal or more brown if need be. Some excellent detail work on your cockpit.

Thanks Bish: The jagdpanther is lookin' great, those beefy exhaust really fit the size of the vehicle. The three tone camouflage came out great. My StuG III figures have a simpler camouflage pattern. Great job.

Thanks Tony: Nice pre-shading on the Spitfire. Nice camouflage pattern. Tried my hand at freehanding on 1/72 spitfire a few months ago, the small scale is harder to do than 1/48. Yeah those old decals can be tricky to work with.

Thanks Mustang1989: The Arado cockpit is coming along great, think I'm going to try my hand at making seat belts for the Bf-110.

Thanks Blkhwkmatt: Great detail work on your cockpit, those fabric seatbelts look great.

Thanks Hogfanfs.

The Bf-110 is slowly coming together, both wings are on & rear twin tail. Even built a stand out of balsa wood, for the aircraft to sit on either right side up or up side down.

Have run into some small fit issues. The round piece that goes on over the rear of the cockpit area does not fit flush with the surrounding airframe. Behind the pilot seat there is a part that spans the top of the cockpit, it's a little short so I used a styrene strip to fill the gap, and I'm using CA glue to fill the little gaps on both sides of the styrene strip.

I was going to airbrush the main colors on first then assembly the main landing gear, but to save time I decided to install it. There's about six parts per landing gear.

For this model I wanted to airbrush the clear parts separate from the main aircraft, all masks where cut by hand, Tamiya 18mm and 6mm tape was used for masking.

Thanks Dan. Not much progress to report from my end. have been plugging away at the base, but it took me two days to paint the mortar in the brickwork. I do now have the rest of the road and pavment added and have started fitting out the house, so will post a short update in a day or so.

The 110 is coming on nicley, but thats more filer than i would have expected in an Eduard kit, though my experiance is rather limited. Hell of a masking job as well.

mustang1989

Man Joe that sure looks like a smooth coat of primer. Rattle can Tamiya? I may have to invest in one of those pens you're talking about. There's a guy in the automotive modeling realm that's put out a video or two on painting smooth automotive finishes by the name of Donn Yost. He uses MM Metalizer rattle can paints for a primer coat for the same reason you use that silver pen and delivers fantastic results in regards to smooth finishes.

 

I would definatly recomend that pen. I struggled with seams for years, but since Joe sent me one, they are 100 times better.

Hey Dan, nice work there- she's coming right along.

For seams like that I've been using lots of Perfect Plastic Putty. You can dab it on, wait five-ten mins so it's semi-set and then rub it with ah moist cotton swab. The swab will slowly wear it away till you get it where you want it.

And my hats off to you on the masking. I hate it even the pre-cut ones. I'm embaressed to say I even sorta avoid planes with complex canopies like that.

Excellent progress Dan. I'm with Bish, I've never seen or built such an ill fitting Eduard kit. Really has me scratching my head. Kudos on the masking. I, too, will avoid any complex canopy unless I can get my hands on a mask set. I pride myself on my patience but, that right there stretches it a bit too much.

Thanks Bish.

Thanks Gamera: I'll have to look in to getting some of the Perfect Plastic Putty.

Thanks Joe Rix.

The canopy’s have fifty shapes in total to mask, took roughly four hours in total. Some square shapes are the same width so I cut a long strip of Tamiya to to with five or six centimeters, then just cut the length. Yeah I've used quite a bit of putty on this one.

The top section of the nose would not fit with the 20mm canons mounted to the center piece, so I glued them to the openings where they stick out in the front. The nose would not go onto the main fuselage flush, so it took some sanding and a little grinding with squadron sanding sticks.

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

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

Looking forward to seeing a lick of paint on it.

Cheers

Tony

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...............

Excellent progress Joe. Sweet detailing you've 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? 

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? 

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.......

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,

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 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!!

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.

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.

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: 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?". 

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: 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. 

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.

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.

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

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:

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.