Lockdown 2020 GB

This is done, glazing was a nightmre, rest of the fit quite bad.

The 20mm MG 151 I scrtchbuilt and it is very basic , just needs to look like  gunship. These were used by the SAAF as COIN cloe support craft for the infantry.

IMG_20200423_155455 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

IMG_20200423_155442 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

IMG_20200423_155428 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

IMG_20200423_155414 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

I recall many years back I did a medivac in an Allo3 and there was a strong headwind for the 60 odd Km flight. The ASI indicated 85 Kt but the cars on the highway was passing us like we were on a snail....not the fastest helo arround LOL

Theuns

Getting some work in on the fishing trawler..

I also was in a funk the last week with working on my project...something must have been in the air.

We have been locked down since 23 April for 3 weeks, this was extended to 3 May. Now we were told we will be opening in stages but as from 1 May we are still under lockdown with only esencial economic work happening like mines and big indutry,I wirk for myself in aircrat maintenance and rebuild so I cn see that I may not go back to work for a long time still.

All good and well but when the money start to run out things get ugly, here in SA the Gov has called up another 73 K odd military to enforce the lockdown....dark days ahead I am affraid. 

Besides, I am running out of tamiya thin cement!

Theuns

Sorry to hear that. Where in South Africa are you?

Stay safe! Thats the important thing right now. I can send you one of my bottles of Tenex, but it might take a while to get to you. PM me if you need it.

Your Alloette looks real nice! Well done. 

Started putting decals on but I have to make a few so this is it for now on the jug.

Some late night work on the fishing trawler. Started to paint the little details on the outside of the main cabin.

Im In Johannesburg but we have no mail or courrier  services now, I have found a little MiG cement to carry on with in the meantine.

That Jug looks great, I love the metal look.

I am nearly done with the F-15, just the last few things to go on and then I will pst pix.

Theuns

Calling it done, with all the filling and sanding required to get stuff to fit it came out nice.

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Its configured for a long range bombing mission 8 Mk 83 1000 Lb's

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Academy 1/48 F15 IDF by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Theuns

68GT, I've said it before but,Nice Jug!

Theuns your eagle looks great! The engine cans look perfect!

Thnx, I will also start on  1/48 Itleri IL-2 and mybe a 1/48 MRC H-34

Looking closey t the pix I now see I mounted the til hook up side down LOL

Theuns

I have had this Itleri 1/48 IL 2 kit for some time and with the lockdown moe joe going well for once decided to build it.

I was quite heppy looking at the kit, knowing that it is a rebox of the Acurte Minitures mold expected great things from it.

The detail on this kit is really very good, fine scribed and some raised detail.

The cockpit is nicely detiled, quite "busy" for  WW2 aircrft, the instructions call for RLM 02 as a  base color. I did some pre shading to try give the look of "depth" to the floor and side walls. The seatbelts are masking tape with wire buckles.

IMG_20200427_064653 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Then one needs to carefully guise this onto the joined fuselge halves.

IMG_20200427_083502 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

The IP is very cool as it is a clear piece with decals as the back nd then the front is painted. I used PVA glue as a mask for the dail faces. 

IMG_20200427_083654 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

This is the part where the eagerness to build this kit started to bleed off. One needs to glue the wing top and bottom sections together and then onto the fuselage. I dry fit tested this onlt to see that this would lead to an ugly wingroot fit that would be hrd to fill and rescribe. I glued the wing top sections to the fuselge pulling them up to meet the wingseat.

IMG_20200427_084549 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Then the bottom section of the wings go on nd I found that they dont line up either, There is a nasty step between the inner and outer wing sections. This sits right on the joint where the wheel well fairing needs to go and I think it would be difficult to fill and sand.

IMG_20200427_085608 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

So I installed a spreader onto the bottom "flat" wing section to raise it to the level of the inner wing pannel. 

IMG_20200427_085608 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

IMG_20200427_091450 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Untitled by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Knowing that I would have to sand this seam and scribe it again, and that it was basically under stress from being pushed into place I went with stretched spure and cement to fill the seam to be structural.

Itleri 1/48 IL 2 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Strangely the orhte side din not have this problem

Itleri 1/48 IL 2 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Now the cowling is where the fun really started, this is built and then glued to the fuselage/wing front.

It had to be wrangled into place and glued in small sections to even remotely line up.

IMG_20200427_083531 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

In my view this cowl is overly complex

IMG_20200427_083549 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

There is also a marked step between the wing and fuselage joints at the rear that will need adressing.

IMG_20200427_155014 by Theunis van Vuuren, on Flickr

Theuns

The beating heart of the beast.  Vipers cast aluminum V-10.

Theuns, I've never made an Accurate Miniatures kit but I'm really liking this one! 

Snake, that preshading is really going to make that finish pop.

Gotta have that Armor All shine!

Your IL-2 is coming along beautifully.  Nice work!

Both cockpits look great Mopar and Theuns!

I made a bit of progress on the Enterprise. Sanded the seams, primed, sanded, primed,

Painted flat white then reprimed the engine grill area. I made some masks and painted the grills black.

I see what looks to be an original Enterprise in the first pic?

Yes, from the '60s. with lights that don't work anymore.

The T-55 really was a neat looking tank.

Howdy friends.  Calling this one done. 

Mopar Madness

Howdy friends.  Calling this one done. 

 

 

 

 

That is one gorgeous snake!

Tht Viper looks fantastic, I love the blue, well done I got you up on the front page :-)

Theuns

Well done Mopar Madness!

I love the blue paint.

Progress, slow, but progress.

This project is starting to take shape.

Mach 2 is infamous for poor quality castings, and this kit is probably the worst M2 kit I've seen.

I would have thrown it at the wall a while ago if it's wasn't such a pretty prototype.

This is sort of a semi scratchbuild.

My word those sprues look like  real chalange. You are however meking a nice model from them :-)

Theuns