Secret Santa GB 2018 - Nearing the Finish Line!!

Well, I resolved the fit issue with the fuselage. Took some patience, Tamiya putty, Squadron putty, Mr. Surfacer, and a lot of sanding. Thank you Brandon and Steve for your suggestions!  I can tell this bird is going to be a beautiful addition to the display case. Santa did real good!

Nice fix Chad.

Looks like you nailed it. Great work on those fit and seam issues.

BK

I'm so sorry I haven't been posting more.  I have been very busy at work and with the kids. But I have been doing some with the P-47!!!

Again, this is just an awesome kit!  The fit is perfect, the build is just fun!!!  I'm getting ready to do the decals and then a bit of weathering.  She's not far from done now.  LOL!

Hope to have more pics tonight!

Oh ya, that looks good. I love those jugs. I completely understand the time crunch. I too have been very busy with work and I just haven't been at the bench much lately. But on a positive note I did manage to come up the the proper colors for my 102. This is why I plan on a whole year for these builds, life just has its moments when it gets in the way. Glad to see your work again.

BK

BrandonK

Oh ya, that looks good. I love those jugs. I completely understand the time crunch. I too have been very busy with work and I just haven't been at the bench much lately. But on a positive note I did manage to come up the the proper colors for my 102. This is why I plan on a whole year for these builds, life just has its moments when it gets in the way. Glad to see your work again.

BK

 

Thank you BK!  It has been a pleasure building this kit!

I did the decals!!!  There were quite a few small ones, but no issues with the decals at all.  Well, I spilt my Micro Sol...twice... on my mat during decaling but I don't think that counts.  LOL!

The decals that go around the cowling were the toughest for me.  But with a lot of patience (and even more Micro Sol), they go down nicely. 

I just can't say enough good things about this kit!

Nice work on that -47.  

Going to get back to the Vindicator this next week when I get the PBY done for Bish's Commonwealth GB.

Been fighting work on the motorhome for the past month...what a nightmare.  Just doing the brakes and a waterpump....ended up doing the shocks, ball joints and front bearings.  Only one place to get most things for it, and between all of it, around 3K took wing.

Beauty job on that Jug Eagle. I believe MicroScale gets most of thier MicroSol/Set revenue from us spilling 3/4's of it on the workbench.

GH, it sounds like you'll have most of that motorhome replaced by the time you're finished.

I have everything packed up and ready to load in the van for the trip back on May 3rd. I'm planning on replacing the carpet in the hobby room with laminate floor when I get back, so I won't be getting back to the bench immediately. It will however help from loosing so many parts. 

MC, you're not kidding.  Looks like we'll need to replace the fridge and propane take and probably the roof AC unit.

It's a 1978 GMC 26'.  403 olds, front wheel drive, has the look of the old Lumina vans of the 90's.  Only made around 13,000 total, and 10 years ago they figured half were still registered.  Kind of a cult around them.

I get to do the laminate deal this summer during the house remodel...ugh

Checkered nose AND invasion stripes, I'm surely in love now. Wowzers what a looker.!! Great work there.

GH, yikes on the money spent. I used to be a mechanic years ago and worked on the MH's and I hated it. They are so tough to get to many things. Sounds like you love yours quite a lot. Hope you get many fun miles and trips from it.

Steve, good to hear you're about home. Make sure you shake that carpet out good and make a new kit from the parts that fall out.

Sounds like all of us are pretty busy, and summer is just around the corner. Good times.

BK

Thank you all! 

Yeah, the stripes were not bad at all...the checkered nose...that was a toughy but turned out pretty good.  I'm weathering now and she just might be done this weekend!  More pics to come soon!

Thanks again!

And I second the comment on the kits and work being done in this GB!  Spuer work everyone!

BrandonK

Make sure you shake that carpet out good and make a new kit from the parts that fall out.

I should be able to gleen enough for my Steampunk/kitbash GB next year.

That Jug looks good.  Progress on the Buffalo - first time using alclad gloss and it covered really well but took 5 or 6 days before it wasn't tacky.   Got the gear on and decals - they are still setting in the pic but I think I may wrap this one up in the next couple days.

Well John, that looks super good. I need to get mine going. I really like the buffalo and you have nailed the look on this one. Very nice.

BK

Again...great work being done!!  Very inspiring!

Well, I'm calling it finished!  What a great kit!!!!  I can not say enough good things about it.  I liked it so much...yes, I did...I went and bought another one!!!  I couldn't help it!  It was such a fun kit and I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a long range escort or ground pounder....so I got another one to do a ground pounder version.  LOL!

The fit on everything was great!  It just came together almost on its own.  The decals were good too.  I had issues with the cowling decals (checkered decals), but that was just me.  LOL!  This is one of Tamiya's best kits I think!

I'm not sure if the drop tank load out is accurate, but I couldn't help it.  They both looked cool!  LOL!

BK....thank you for hosting the GB.  I enjoy this one more and more each year! 

P.S.  BK, your choice on completion pic.  Thanks again!

Excellent job on the big ole gal Bobby 

modelcrazy

Excellent job on the big ole gal Bobby 

 

Thank you sir!  I would highly recommend this kit to everyone!!

Thats a great p47 kit - I built the exact same one/same markings a bit ago.  Nice job!

Calling this Buffalo done.  I got a TON of junk in the paint- I can only assume it's due to the drying time of the alclad gloss and alclad flat (and my not covering the model).  Anyhow - here she is in New Zeland markings.  To my secret santa - thankyou for the gift.  It was an enjoyable build (until it became a dust/fiber magnet :/ )

Good looking Buffalo John. I know what you mean about stuff in the finish 

Eagle, great work. What a gorgeous looking AC. You totally nailed the kit and the GB theme with your eagerness and thankfulness. Excellent work all around and thanks for participating. Front page is updated.

John, the Buffalo looks great. I too understand the bits that find their way into the final finish, very frustrating. But, hey, non of the real planes look as good as we make them. Yours is fantastic and a real inspiration for me to gather up some new decals and maybe a cockpit set and get mine going. Thanks for taking us along on this wonderful ride. Great finsh on this great bird.

BK

Plodding along, finally took pics from camera and loaded them.  Pits done and ready to go into fuselage.

Can't remember if I ever put up a pic of the box or not....

GH, that is building up nice. I've always heard good things about these old AM kits and it appears they are right. I never noticed or knew that the pits were bare metal or painted silver. That's a nice change from the standard green we always see. It gives the pit more of a bare minimun look than when they are painted green. I love the look and your details look very crips, almost made of metal. Very nice.

BK

Thank you, the color callouts seem to go that route.  Noticed I have to clean up the raft straps though.

Lot of fiddly, fragile parts for the pit buildup as well.  Little less hair than before.

Eagle,

Nice job on the T-bolt! I need to find one of those in 1/72.

John,

Good job on the Buffalo! Was this a crossover with Bish's Commonwealth build?

I need to get back to the bench, just haven't been motivated recently.

Hey guys,

Made it back home to Idaho and started working on the hobbyroom floor. It should take me a few days, then I have several other things to around the house like the yard . At least redoing the floor will also allow me to reorganize the room. The organization was getting pretty bad.

I'm also looking for another job. There are several, just not many in electronics for the pay I need or any who will bother to give me the time of day. Something will come up.

Buddy, as per our talk about Hinds, I found this. Chad looked but couldn't find any decals for it 

Lewbud - nope, didnt think about that.  Just a secret Santa build.  Super fun experience and thanks to my secret Santa and BK for running the GB.  

Modelcrazy, glad to see you're back in the digs.  My brother was stationed at Mt Home AFB for years and later worked for Zilog.  Visited the great state of Idaho a few times.  And that is one wicked looking Hind.

That is a very nasty looking Hind. I would never attempt to apply decals over all those complex surfaces, it would wrinkle everywhere. But it is very cool.

BK

[quote user="BrandonK"]

Eagle, great work. What a gorgeous looking AC. You totally nailed the kit and the GB theme with your eagerness and thankfulness. Excellent work all around and thanks for participating. Front page is updated.

Brandon...thank you for hosting the GB!  I really enjoy this GB every year!  Gives you that being a kid feeling again.  LOL!

Thank you Brandon!!!

Eagle90

Brandon...thank you for hosting the GB!  I really enjoy this GB every year!  Gives you that being a kid feeling again.  LOL!

I appreciate that very much. The world could use a great deal more of the being kind feeling right now. I enjoy this GB more than all the others because it carries more meaning than just building a kit, you're building a gift and that's special. I really want to thank everyone for coming along, it makes it really fun.

BK