Sweeet looking F-51 Gamera - luv the NMF!  I didn't know the ROK flew them during the Korean conflict!

OK, its just past 6:30 PM in California and I'm calling this M-26 DONE!  This was the first kit I started in 2020 but it's the last one I finished.  In between I completed 10 other kits....not a fact I'm overly proud of!!  Sorry it took so long all!

I had a plan to add stowage on the rear deck, but all I had time for was one little knapsack and a gas can!   I may add the stowage later, maybe not....

The pics aren't the best....my front photo booth light went out so I had to use the flash on my cellphone.  Kinda washed out some of the detail

Thanks for hosting the GB John 3:16 KJV!!  I learned quite a bit about the Koren conflict while researching this tank!

Happy New Years All!!  2021 in a few hours!

freem- Your build is on the roster! Thanks again for joining this build, and please be sure to vote in the contest on Saturday! 

Great finish there, Gamera! Thanks for being a part of this GB! Just let me know what pic you'd like on the roster when you get it. :) What would you like to name your Mustang? 

Glamdring, looks like you're almost to the finish line! Congrats! 

I've changed the contest voting day to Saturday (January 2nd) and am allowing models finished tomorrow to be contest-eligible. Hopefully, I can get both of your final pics and build titles on the roster. :)

Happy New Year, everyone!

Okay, she's done... mostly. I'd like to pull the prop off and redo it. But I'm going to call her done for the GB...

Sorry about the bad lighting, the sun's gone down here. I might see if I can get some better ones taken this weekend.

Robert: She looks good- so close to being done! 

I have some last minute progress myself, after literally having to dust this project off.  

The big step today was decals.  

I am going to try and finish the vehicle tomorrow.  The dio plan with the crew has been abandoned due to storage issues.

She's coming along great there Ernest! 

This one is going down to the wire!  Two more nights left....but today I did the pin wash, flat coat and finished the majority of the painting, just a few more little details to go.  Tomorrow is all about weathering; probably just settle for some oil paint blending (dot method) and some dirt/dust pigments on the lower hull. 

Thanks for the compliments, guys!  John 3:16 how about the first pic, the one from the aft end of the plane.  And lets call it something clever and original like F-80 real NMF.

For making the model unique, using the AM decals may be even better than using the orginals that came with the kit. :) Good going so far! 

Ernest: Ohhhhhhhh that looks so good! Good luck on getting her done! I'm crawling toward the finish line myself. 

freem - U.S.'s first operational jet fighter!  Love the F-80!  Great looking natural metal finish!

Paint is on!

First a coat of Stynylrez black primer followed by Tamiya Flat White - black&white technique:

Then base coat of AK Interactive Dark Olive Drab (Air Series #41).  Seemed a little to light and green so I gave it a mist coat of Vallejo Model Air OD to darken it and tone down the green (the Vallejo OD is more olive/brown).  Followed this with my usual coat of Gauzy Shine Enhancer for a gloss coat.  Here's the arsenal:

And last I applied the decals (the kit decals were old and cracked so I had to buy a AM set from eBay): 

Already working on the tracks and assorted parts.  Pin wash and filters tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll keep on track to finish by EOY!!

Freem: Oh cool, nice to see her done. Great job you did on her! 

freem

And DONE!!!!

 

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Actually finished Christmas Eve about 2300hrs while waiting for Santa!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good work, freem! Thank you for your contributions to this group build! Which pic would you like for me to place on the roster and what would you like to call your build? 

Thanks, Chris, for the answer.  I really like the look you got.  Wish the pictures were bigger, though.

And DONE!!!!

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Actually finished Christmas Eve about 2300hrs while waiting for Santa!

John--Yep 3M 77 and hardware store mineral spirits.  I've seen some done with Bare Metal Foil adhesive, but never tried it.

Ernest: Good luck! I want to see her done!

Just sprayed the final protective coat on the F-51 except for the prop. It's still giving me fits. If I don't get it right I'll just slap it on to be finished for the end of the GB since the rest of the fighter is done. Hopefully photos soonish.

Looks good and ready for painting, buff!
Merry Christmas back at ya! :)

Hoo Boy!  One week left....its getting down to the wire!  Happy Holidays to all!

Whoever said, "The devil is in the details." sure got that right!  All those fiddly bits at the end sure slowed me down.  Plus I broke a few of them, tried to build replacments from scratch, failed miserably  and finally had to scrounge replacement parts from other kits.  Finally managed to get it all together today! 

Tomorrow I'll break it down and get it prepped for painting.  Goal is to have the decals on by Monday night so that I can do some weathering on the final finish and have it done by end of Thursday! 

Freem, the foiling looks great.  Thanks for the lesson on the adhesive, it it 3M77 that you are using?

Sorry I didn't get a chance to contribute to this gb. Everyone who did has done a great job. Nice work.

Thanks for telling me about the foil method, freem! A good technique!
Unfortunately, only one of your pics came through, at least on my end. 

Freem: She's coming along great!!! 

You're right about the dull look of the NM finish, I always get carried away and go for a shinier look than is accurate. 

Almost done!

Decals on and she's got legs!!

 I used 3M spray adhesive cut with mineral spirits on household aluminum foil. Most pics of F-80s I've seen plus planes I have actually viewed look pretty dull so I used the dull side of the foil.  Pour a puddle of thinner then spray the adhesive in it to a honey-like consistency then spread it around the foil, let dry and apply.

John 3:16. realistic looking tank.

John 3:16: That looks good! Nice work, looking forward to seeing her all finished up!!!

And thanks guys, started on the canopy parts today so cross your fingers I'll be done soon.

Jeaton John: From what research I've done it seems the landing gear bays on P-51D/F-51Ds were left in plain natural metal. The only painted part was the large wing spar that ran across the back of the gear bay that was painted in yellow zinc chromate. I'd forgotten to paint this- thanks for the reminder!

Some pics of the track treads done and of the tank as it is now. I had thought of using wet effects to make the tank look wet (post rain), but it looks mostly done and I really don't want to ruin it now... 

Good job, Gamera! It has turned out pretty well! 

nice and clean work. 

Looks good, Cliff, nice and shiny.  Going to put some green in the wells?