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AIRCRAFT - Accurate Miniature Group Build

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  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 3:53 PM

Building this kit has been a joy to this point. Accurate Miniatures provides a wonderful kit right out of the box. The need for any detail set is not required from the base kit. Only thing I would add which I did are seatbelts. I will use the kit decals for this. My dwindling supply of Aeromaster Acrylics will be used throughout this project. Except for the natural metal bits in the engine and dive flap acuators which will be MM Aluminum and Steel.

Interior Green is used throughout the interior and related components.


The kits instrument panel is very nicely detailed. No resin replacement needed here. Just love AM's clear design. Just some patience and a detail brush to bring out the details.

Next step is to install the rest of the interior bits, the windscreen and prepare to paint the airframe. I will display this with open canopies so I will need to test fit the stacking of each glazing panel.
Back to bench I go.

Chuck
Fly Navy
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 5:32 PM
Looks real good! I like your seat bealts.
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State
Posted by rjkplasticmod on Monday, June 14, 2004 7:23 PM
Chuck, great progress so far. Should be a winner.
RICK At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 9:19 PM
Good progress, Chuck. While I'm not an enthusiast of pre-shading, I can appreciate the work involved.

I got the Stormovik painted today. I used MM Russian Underside Blue, Topside Green, Earth Brown, and a mix of Aircraft Interior Black & Neutral Gray for the "Weathered Black." Camo is freehand.


Cutting the mask on the windscreen for the tiny frame lines has been the most tedious part of this project so far. It looks like it came out alright, but I'll know when I remove the mask.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 10:19 PM
Nice! Thumbs Up [tup]

Is that blue...Like really blue? Because mine is. So then i feel better.Wink [;)]
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 10:52 PM
Yes, John, Russian Underside Blue is VERY blue. On Discovery Wings Channel, the "Wings of the Red Star" series shows restored Russian aircraft on display. Model Master's color is very close, being slightly less vivid.

I have to touch up the demarcation line in a couple of places, but I shot this on a black background to show the color more clearly. In the other pics, with the blue background, there are reflections from the paper on the underside.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 12:59 AM
QUOTE: On Discovery Wings Channel, the "Wings of the Red Star" series shows restored Russian aircraft on display. Model Master's color is very close, being slightly less vivid


I was looking at your background, its just about right.Smile [:)]

Ive seen that before! In fact thats the only research...Doh!.Tongue [:P] I didnt what the book{s} Its just to much money. I get two kits for that money!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 2:11 AM
John - I just found this pic of a Stormovik in a museum.

The MM color is pretty darn close.
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Manila, Philippines
Posted by shrikes on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 5:29 AM
Okay, guys... I've decided to ruin a perfectly good kit by starting on the Avenger! Tongue [:P] I'm still working on the interior, and Gunze Interior green seems to come out rather translucent. This is my first time brushing on laquers, so should i thin it down a bit and go for a second coat?

The details will be in enamel which leads me to my next question... I've been studying the Instrument panel, and i haven't figured out a good way of painting it... I'm thinking i should liquid mask the front of the instruments, paint the front, then paint the reverse side in black, cratch off some of the paint to represent needles, etc... and then overlay it with white. What do you think and how do you guys do it? Big Smile [:D]

Oh, and Pix! would you have any close up pics of the forward section of the cockpit of your avenger?
Blackadder: This plan's as cunning as a fox that used to be Professor of cunning at Oxford University but has now moved on and is working with the U.N at the high commission of cunning planning
  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Dallas
Posted by KINGTHAD on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 8:06 AM
Nice build guys, I will try to get my pics up soon.

Thad
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: 37deg 40.13' N 95deg 29.10'W
Posted by scottrc on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 8:16 AM
Chuck, nice work on the SBD. I started spraying my interior green last night and it looks like this will be a fun kit. I have never pre-shaded before but after looking at yours, I may have to try it.
BTW, are you using the kit canopy or vacuformed? They seem kinda thick for me.
Scott

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 10:03 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by scottrc

Chuck, nice work on the SBD. I started spraying my interior green last night and it looks like this will be a fun kit. I have never pre-shaded before but after looking at yours, I may have to try it.
BTW, are you using the kit canopy or vacuformed? They seem kinda thick for me.
Scott


Thanks Scott:
I will be using the kit canopy sections. Reading other reviews have pointed out they are able to stack correctly. But like Pix am not looking forward to masking the frames. The detail in the kit is just too nice to have them closed.

Chuck
Fly Navy
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 10:30 AM


Pix:
I use a Paasche "H" model airbrush, been using it for years. Tried others (and still have them packed away) and never found a comfort level thatI have had with the Paasche. Like you I also free hand my camo schemes. Unless a hard line is required then I'll mask. What do you use to achieve your excellent finishes?
On your "Flying Tank" it's a wonder I don't have one of the kits offered by AM yet.. Having the IL-2 PC game it's a wonder I have not picked one up yet. Seeing the builds in this thread have me seeking one now and hopefully can pick one up soon. Nice work.

Chuck
Fly Navy
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 11:03 AM
Thanks, Chuck. The canopies don't bother me. It took about half an hour to mask all of the Avenger's "glass."
I use a Badger 150 airbrush, with a medium needle/nozzle. It does everything I need. For panel lines, I use an enamel wash. I mix the base colors (4 for the Il-2) with black until I reach a shade that matches the shadows I see in the panel lines under the light. I prefer a subtle look. I'd rather look at the model, and not the effect.

This is the kit I'm using - it contains all the parts for wheels or skis.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AJ3409
Its a great deal. Get two, so you can have both versions.
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: 37deg 40.13' N 95deg 29.10'W
Posted by scottrc on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 11:07 AM
I agree on the fine detail. This kit is a lot of fun. BTW are those aftermarket seat belts?
I saw that Great Models has the masks in stock. I have never used them before. I use Frisket mostly, I also use acrylics so this has been a safe alternative. I just completed a B-25 and that was a chore masking the nose frame, and had some "issues" with bleeding since I used enamels for the OD and had the ratio to thin.

QUOTE: Originally posted by uscusn

Thanks Scott:
I will be using the kit canopy sections. Reading other reviews have pointed out they are able to stack correctly. But like Pix am not looking forward to masking the frames. The detail in the kit is just too nice to have them closed.

Chuck
Fly Navy

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 12:47 PM
Scott:
The seatbelts for the pilot are Eduards PE, I cheated prepainted type. And only because they are so easy to use. I used the decal seatbelt for the rear gunners seat. They do not look very good. Should've use the PE ones I already had.

Chuck
Fly Navy
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: SO CAL
Posted by cplchilly on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:19 AM
Well Im in I will be doing the 1/48 Yak-1 with the skis (dont know if Im going skis or wheels yet). Has anyone built this kit and how is it? It looks like a great kit and I would like to stay close to out of the box I dont have a lot of experience with aftermarket parts though Im not afraid to try them (just afraid that my wife will find out what I paid for them).Tongue [:P]
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  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:31 AM
QUOTE: (just afraid that my wife will find out what I paid for them).


I know whatcha' mean.Black Eye [B)]Big Smile [:D]

Anyway, Actually you dont NEED for the aftermarket. The only seatbealts....thats it. AM is pretty good kit.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:42 AM
This is certainly tangent to the subject, but I wasn't the first to raise the issue: I found the Encore/Squadron 1/72 I-15 w/skis in a recent flier for $2.98, along with a Yak 9 DD/T/K complete with two full fuselages at same price. These little kits are real gems, and I get a kick out of just looking at the parts through the wrapping. But, I don't do 1/72, and these babies deserve someone who can give them a proper build. I will never use them, so....
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: SO CAL
Posted by cplchilly on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:13 PM
Thanks easyco, are we still looking at a Jan. 1st finish date?
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  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: SO CAL
Posted by cplchilly on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 9:57 PM
Well Ive got the fuselage and and cockpit together and what a cockpit this is one great interior. So far the only problem Ive run accross is they fill the mold for the fuselage enough and theres a hole in the side. But I decided to use some baremetal foil and maybe patch it as battle damage, what do you guys think? Tongue [:P]
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  • Member since
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:12 AM
Ya Chilly, I think Jan1 should be enough time.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 17, 2004 5:54 AM
cplchilly: I'm going to build this same kit soon & Pix has given me some ecelllent advice
on it since he's already done a Sturmovik with wheels. He's the go to guy here. I think
a few others might have built this one too.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 17, 2004 10:11 PM
Even though there aren't many decals, I spent two days applying them. The yellow surround for the stars are separate, so I had to wait for the lower layers to be "snuggled down" with Micro Sol. Since I dropped the flaps and used the PE dive brakes in the open position, I cut each of the four wing stripes into four pieces at the appropriate angles.
The decals are from Three Guys Replicas, and they are great. The whites & yellows are opaque, and the printing is crisp enough to read the hometowns of the crew chief & assistant !

I still have a lot of work to do, and some of these pieces are dryfitted & tacked in place. I needed to make sure the wing stripes were aligned before it was too late. I hope to be done with the Apache sometime this weekend.


  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: SO CAL
Posted by cplchilly on Thursday, June 17, 2004 11:52 PM
Hey moby what are you using for that greygreen interior color, I checked at my hobby shop but the enamel doesnt even look green just grey I was thinking of mixing my own any suggestions?
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  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Dallas
Posted by KINGTHAD on Friday, June 18, 2004 8:30 AM
Nice looking build Pix

Thad
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 18, 2004 10:08 AM
Looks good Bill. In fact, its real good!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 18, 2004 11:14 AM
Pix:

That is a pretty impressive Apache. The yellow trim adds a little color to the drabness of this particular paint scheme. Again the extra details like adding the dive brakes in the open position really sets it off very well. Nice work once again Bill. Mine is pretty plain, did not use the kit decals. I'll bring it out of storage and take some images of it. This will not be part of this group build, this was completed a few years ago.

Chuck
Fly Navy
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State
Posted by rjkplasticmod on Friday, June 18, 2004 2:27 PM
Pix, great looking bird. Nice clean build. Coming along great.
RICK At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 18, 2004 6:16 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by cplchilly

Hey moby what are you using for that greygreen interior color, I checked at my hobby shop but the enamel doesnt even look green just grey I was thinking of mixing my own any suggestions?

chilly: I always mix my own colors for oddball shades like this one. I may be a bit off in the tone but it's not as if the fate of the world hangs on having the exact
color for a Sturmovik's wheel well interior (Heresy!). It looks kind of similar to the grey-green used on the interior of some Luftwaffe aircraft. Good luck on the build. I'm starting mine in a week or two. Are you doing the white camo or the
earth tones camo?
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