AIRCRAFT - Battle of Britain Group Build (Jan 1st 2005 - May 31st 2005)

Nice pics Tanky! Ahh yes, the good ol' ping pong table. It would make a very nice base for a BIG diorama one day. I'm with Rick on the background, those leafs are way outta scale!

Well

I have a number of selections for a NA GB, time though is always the issue!

cheers

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 A couple of months notice would be great, gives everyone time to start researching the topic, finish current builds, and gives Jules, Tom and I time to relive our early days with Krempes and her funny antics. She is a mean ol' cow, but she has a heart of soot!!

remember the time me you and Jules hijacked the milktruck when they came by Happy Acres to deliver? They had nothing but butter once we got through... of course good old Kremps came and bailed us out at the last minute as always... pretending to those officers we were escape lunatics and all!!! hmmmph! and those guys believed her! shows how much they know!

Sorry haven't been talkative lately folks... trying to get myself out of this modeling slump I'm in. Finally got the ultracast seat for my RAAF kit painted and decided the harness paint was too thick so it is soaking in superclean as we speak! I think this weekend will go better.. the wife is taking another belt test for karate so she'll be gone half a day at the least!!! (only 2 more tests to black belt, her SECOND black belt that is.. mind you I walk a thin narrow line around here! )

Tom, probably takes two Black Belts to keep Rudy in line .

Soprry, no progress to report on the Hurricane. Got it primed but it needs a little more seam work on the bottom join. Had to put it aside for a couple of days to work on another project.

Regards, Rick

Rick - I don't think a patriot missile would keep Rudy in line!!! The wife got a shock the other day though. she came home early from an inservice and SHE had to take care of him after he had been crated all day... By time I got home her hair was sticking in all directions and she had dark circles under her eyes... ends up all the puppies she said she had raised were while she was in college and the lady she was renting from trained them for her... so when she got home they were already tired and obedient!!

He's taken a turn for the better slowly... I am starting him on daily walks on a short leash basically to show him who's boss and also get him used to listening to commands... it's crazy but it will be better in a month or so when he is a bit older!!! Never thought of walks before, as we live on about 2 acres and there is nothing but free space for him to run in... but figured the HAVING to listen to me due to a leash will help!!!

The leash training will help a lot. We took our Corgi to obedience training classes when she was about 4 months old. Dog didn't learn much, but my wife & I did . Turns out our Corgi was an Alpha pup. That's a good thing because the alpha's are usually the most intelligent, but a bad thing because they are the most aggressive and want to rule the pack. Took a while, but she is now the most intelligent & well behaved pooch we've ever had.

Regards, Rick

Well some serious clicking at Great Models and Meteor Productions has only come up with the Eduard masks. I have read about the Black Magic/CE ones but not Eduard.

Are the Eduard masks any good at all and can they go over acrylic paints without damage?

cheers

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 A couple of months notice would be great, gives everyone time to start researching the topic, finish current builds, and gives Jules, Tom and I time to relive our early days with Krempes and her funny antics. She is a mean ol' cow, but she has a heart of soot!! remember the time me you and Jules hijacked the milktruck when they came by Happy Acres to deliver? They had nothing but butter once we got through... of course good old Kremps came and bailed us out at the last minute as always... pretending to those officers we were escape lunatics and all!!! hmmmph! and those guys believed her! shows how much they know! Sorry haven't been talkative lately folks... trying to get myself out of this modeling slump I'm in. Finally got the ultracast seat for my RAAF kit painted and decided the harness paint was too thick so it is soaking in superclean as we speak! I think this weekend will go better.. the wife is taking another belt test for karate so she'll be gone half a day at the least!!! (only 2 more tests to black belt, her SECOND black belt that is.. mind you I walk a thin narrow line around here! )

Oh man, that was a classic.
I remember Jules asking Kremps (AFTER she bailed us out), if we could take another run in the truck, cause he wanted ice cream for dessert
If I recall correctly, he got Ipecac that night.

Nice build there Tanky, very impressive mate.
And the NthAfGB is gonna be a blast with this crowd in it, that I know for certain.

QUOTE: Originally posted by madmike Well I have a number of selections for a NA GB, time though is always the issue! cheers Mike

Boy tell me about it Mike, I have a list of "want to do's" as long as my arm but you're right time is going to be the killer.

I will have to restrict myself to one aircraft and one tank (maybe )

Cheers
Darren

I managed to attach the wing to the Hasa Hurricane last night, wing root fit was perfect, but a yawning great gap at the back, and slightly smaller gaps either side of the nose.

This is starting to remind me of a Dragon kit, the detail is great, but there are a few bits and pieces which don't seem to fit at all well. Case in point being the wing inserts. The ones for the guns are slightly too shallow, and the ones outboard are the wrong shape, being too pointy when compared with the adjacent wing leading edge.

The gaps have been fillied with Milliput, it's the first time I've used this stuff, and I must admit I was quite impressed. I found that by dipping a Q tip in water, I could smooth off the filled area, just like with the filler and acetone trick.

I'll try and post some pictures.

Karl

Holy So much has happened. Karl and Rick you guys are way a head of me and my hurricane now, I've kinda slacked off while progressing on my Typhoon. Karl I notice some of those issues too, oh well! Great Martlet Tom! I think I still like the USN colours better though.
Tanky good progress picks. Darren, nice spit.

I just have one thing to say, too.. many.. group... builds!! aarrggh!
I would love to get into some of them but I just know I won't have the time!

Mike, I'm surprized you couldn't find the masks on Meteors' web site. Did you check under the Black Magic link ? The Eduard masks I've tried are less than ideal, although I understand they have recently switched to Tamiya tape for their masks, which should be a big improvement. Only problem, I don't know how you tell if it's the new or old style.

Regards, Rick

Rick

They do not have masks for the Spitfire I or II only the MkV. Now I will have to consult my references again as I am not too sure if the MkV had airframe differences to the earlier Spitfires. I know the wing varies, particularly due to armament changes...

I will have another look today

cheers and thanks

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by madmike Rick They do not have masks for the Spitfire I or II only the MkV. Now I will have to consult my references again as I am not too sure if the MkV had airframe differences to the earlier Spitfires. I know the wing varies, particularly due to armament changes... I will have another look today cheers and thanks Mike

Mike the Mk.V masks are the ones that I have and there is no difference in the standard A or B pattern between the Mk.I, II and V. It actually says this on the instructions, sorry I should have mentioned this earlier.

Cheers
Darren

Bewdy!!

I was worried about that!

I will go forth and order. Tempting to order the canopy masks but I am not sure about the Monogram vs Tamiya canopy differecnes!

cheers

Mike

Well, just ordered the Eduard masks from the LHS, they called JB hobbies and they are in stock. I will get them on Monday. So here goes. Are the Eduard ones re-useable?

cheers

Mike

I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be as long as you put them on their backing sheet properly

Darren

Due to technical difficulties, I'm posting this for Joe Rugy:


Submitted for your approval...the quality of photo is not that great and neither is the submission, but what the h*ll, if I am getting back into it this is as good a step as any...

Airfix 1/72 Scale. 17 Squadron Pacific Coast Decals. Built OOTB except for the "tape" over the gun ports which is red tissue paper put down with diluted white glue and decal solvent. Poly Scale paints. Dry brush and pastel weathering. I was not thrilled with the prop hub. I wanted to stick to my original plan which was to go OOTB for as much as possible.

This is my first "serious" effort in over five years, it is actually more like ten years. It is a good reminder or yardstick of how much farther I must go.

Many thanks to Waikong for posting this.

Joe she looks fine from here , keep em coming

Thad

For an airfix kit OTB she looks pretty good to me Joe.

Looks good Joe. That's an old kit that you have done justice.

Regards, Rick

North Africa Group Build?! Why was I not informed? With the nutty Aussies and the Texans in it? I have to go find a kit that fought in North Africa!!!!

Razor, Thad and Rick...

Thanks for the boost! I was really apprehensive about putting it up there, your words mean alot, especially when I have seen your work. Biggest things learned were;

Nostalgia does not cut it...Airfix is a blast from the past, memories are fun, but raised detail, scant pit fixings and 8 up decals are no fun now that I am older.

A little research can go along way, in this case just looking for some different decals helped alot.

I hope to have a new home computer soon so I can post my stuff...Waikong thanks a bunch for your help!!!

On the Bench Now:

Airfix A-26 Firebomber 1/72 just started, cockpit being scratched, all raised rivets are gone and rescribing started. In the back ground of the Hurri photo you can see the beginings of the pit for the A-26.

Marquette Yak-3 1/72 not bad detail for this maker, heaps of flash though. Panel lines are a mix of raised and recessed. Fit is a pig's breakfast! Buy stock in Squadron cause by the time this one is done I will have sunk a fortune into Green Putty !!! Seriously considering using the kit as a master for a resin casting. Not counting the filling sanding and rescribing the build of the major components is 60%, more or less, wheel wells are closed in...

You're welcome Joe. Airfix, Marquette, wow, you really go for the tough ones....

Sure why not...The Airfix is for strictly sentimental reasons. The Marquette was for price, I wanted a kit to "practice" on...you know scribing panel lines, closing in wheel wells, different paint/weathering techniques etc. If it works out, lots of pride, if not I am not out a ton of $ (speaking in relative terms).

Point of Fact, the Marquette may be a test bed for a really "big" project. The detail on the kit is not bad, it is a mix of raised and recessed panel lines. The layout is correct for the type, Yak-3. The fit is a bad day in Bosnia ! I am filling and sanding ALOT!!!

So the Imp of the Perverse grabbed me and whispered "Make this the master for a resin mold" . Okay I said not knowing anything or anything better to say...

My stash is as follows (all 1/72):

Hasegawa
F/A-18
A-4
Tamiya
Bell X-1 {1/48} [for the OOTB GB]
P-51D
Airfix
F-86
A-26
Avon
Lancaster Dam Buster {Just picked up on E-Bay}

Joe, you do like some challenging kits. I've got lazy in my old age & try to find the easier builds these days .

Regards, Rick

Joe, you did a great job on the Hurricane.

The first kit back is always a tuffy, and an Airfix kit just makes it doubly difficult.

Having said that I'm sure that Hasa's Hurricane has Airfix genes, as the fit of a few parts is distinctly reminiscent of the former's products.

I'm still applying Milliput to the rear wing to fuselage joint. I think I'll end up re-scribing the fabric marks with a homemade scribing tool.

Karl

Much appreciated KJ...love your favorite quote by the way...Mr. Churchill where are you when we need you !!!

Sometimes I just don't know where my brain is!!!!

Started to install the landing gear in the He 111 a couple of days ago only to discover that I got the landing bays mixed up and installed in the wrong wing section. . Somehow I don't think the landing gear is supposed to be at a 60 degree angle to the wing! Anyway, after I calmed down (this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby?) I have been able to reconfigure the gear so that it looks okay. No one will know except me when its done. Just thought I'd share this with those of you planning on doing this kit. Pics coming soon!!

Dave, ouch that had to hurt. Glad you could " Compensate ". Looking forward to the pics.

Regards, Rick