All Subjects - Aussie Group Build 2005

Geez, Sean you're a better man than I am. My idea of tough scratch building is too add some armor plating to my spitfire.

Darren

Jules, I just used a paper mask for the camouflage. It usualy holds itself just far enough off the wing/fuelsage to give a very tight edge to the cam paint job.

I still have a fair bit of work to achieve the standards i've seen here so far.

Dave, awesome Spit mate, looking reallly good!!

Well, just a couple of in progress shots of the scratch building for the Bell 47.
Nothing too flash, seeing as this is my first attempt, but after some sanding and TLC, these 2 bits, and others too come, will look the part after ass'y and painting.
Well, thats the plan anyways


This is the start of the filter and hydraulic cans.
Yes I could have used some tubular styrene stock, but I didn't have any, am to impatient to order some, and wanted to do it that night.

The framework for the rear of the pit.
The kit item is non existent, and the pics I have show it to be a very noticeable feature on the Bell.

The pit frame, and the air filter completed.
The frame is attached and looks a little crusty, but being made from thin stock, I'll clean it up a bit after the glue dries, otherwise it'll just snap like a twig.

Another pic of the filter.
ALOT of parts have to be made and attached to the engine before the engine is placed inside the tail.
Then the really fun part begins, PIPES and WIRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, AFL is hotting up as well!

Raining here today and I still must wash the car, then downstairs to finish the Battlemech and my BoB entry..

I wonder what happended to my Spitfire???

Otherwise I will build a A-4 Scooter

cheers

Mike

Well i go away for a few days and miss some action eh.....
TomNice looking progress on your typhoon mateand as Darren said your seat belts look spot on.........
PingyAs usual another great looking modelwell done but you forgot to add the NSW Rugby League emblem under the Pit...........Hmmmm Footy season must be gettin close....
DaveFantastic spit mateWhat did you use for masking the camo scheme

Well i won't be around as much for the next couple of weeks thanks to a hacker who screwed up my computer but when i get the chance to get on a mates PC i'll be dropping in

I have not got my Spit MkVIII in the mail as yet

Might have to build something else!

cheers

Mike

looks spectacular Dave!!!

Well I spent the better of two hours getting my new DSL modem and provider all hooked up... ends up there was something on their end they didnt do but had to sit through the lady asking me did I do this, or do that... frustrating to say the least... while on speaker phone in the hold queue I did some puttying and sanding on the nose area of the Typhoon, the only area with any real need for it... well along the upper fuselage where the separate pieces that make up the upper cabin area could use some, but I need to study it a bit as I don't want to screw up the panel lines they are supposed to represent...

This is a good kit so far, just the upper fuselage didn't quite line up and the jury is out as to which percentage is the kits fault and which is mine... about half and half or a little more to the kits fault I am thinking... (of course!!! ) This is the Hasegawa MkIb kit by the way... with the car door canopy...

anyway, the weekend is coming and hope to get some more work done to it.. will post pics once I am through sanding and whatnot!

Carl, the only changes I've done from the original is hollowed out the exhaust. All the rest of the panel lines etc are from our friends at Academy.

As usual, super job Dave. Funny roundels he had, the thin white ring isn't often seen all over the plane. Did you scribe any of the detail underneath or is that all off the shop floor? Lots of it.

Once again, here are photos of the Spitfire Mk14E that i've built (not part of the GB but still...). It's the Acadamy Mk14E OOB with Red Roo decals using Humbrol paints. The markings are for SQNLDR Graham Falconer of 451 SQN (RAAF), Germany 1945. The only weathering I have done is a very thin black wash on the panel lines.

Pingy, you are a champion mate, really appreciate the effort you went to

First thing tomorrow I'm building a shrine!!!!!!!!!!

Tweets I got out to the museum today, and got about 50 photos of their Bell 47. I got photos of heaps of different angles, including the back of the panel. Had to do some fence hopping to get some of the angles (that's the best part of a museum with no one else in it ). They are pretty big photos, so send me your adress in an email, and I'll mail them to you.

Thanks for the compliments Tweets and Tom. Appreciate it fellas.

Daniel - looks good! I hope I am as lucky at my first attempt at freehand since about 1989... looks top notch on yours!!!

Darren - thanks! the paint on the harnesses is flat dark tan with a thinned (as in water conistency) coat of Vallejo sand yellow ... everything else I tried was either too dark, lifeless, or too bright... the seat pad is a bit too red but I might even yet dry brush some light tan with a hint of red over the upper areas of it to simulate sun fading...

DarrenEXCELLENT!
Thats the best pic yet I have of the console, thanks a bunch mate!!!

TomTyphoons looking great so far, those belts look pretty life like

PingyVery nice Tomahawk!!
The freehand is pretty good from where I'm sitting, well done!
As for the pics, no rush mate, I really appreciate the fact your going there to take them in the first place

Thanks Carl and Darren. I appreciate the comments.

I painted it with Gunze aqueous acrylics mid-stone and dark earth on the top side, but the underside azzure blue is model master enamel. I sprayed the mid-stone first and then free-handed the dark earth (it was my first go at a free-hand camo job, so if I can do it, anyone can).

The decals were actually quite good in this kit. Some of the best kit decals I've used (they were printed by Cartograf I think.). I was surprised to see that the kit markings were for an aircraft flown by an Australian ace for the RAF.

I gave it a few coats of Gunze flat-clear. Then I weathered it with pastels. I tried to get a pre-shaded sort of effect, and it was easy to do with pastels. After weathering, I sealed it all with another light coat of Gunze flat mixed with Tamiya gloss to get a sort of semi-gloss finish.

Carl I'm not sure about the aerial. I didn't do alot of research into this build but I'll have a look around and see if I can find any info on it. On the box it had the aerials on both sides, so I followed that (probably not the smartest option eh?).

That'll do for the write up I think. It's turning into a bit of a novel.

Thanks again lads.

Daniel, VERY NICE JOB you must be really pleased with that!

I agree with Carl, can you give us a bit of a rundown on the paints, finish weathering etc, I've got to admit I've got a real weakness for the Nth African camo scheme. Also, did you say that the decals are OOB, if so what are they like?

Cheers
Darren

QUOTE: Originally posted by pingtang I finally got around to taking some pics of my tomahawk today. So....without further delay.... My Tomahawk:

So I'm assuming this is the first official completion done for the GB? Well done!
Very nice job. Can you tell us about the paints & finish, I'm about to do an SAAF Mirage in desert scheme so I'm keen to hear about these sorts of colours at the mo.

I've never seen the double-sided arial wire before, strange. Was that done on certain models or locations? I think the P-40N in the AWM has it left side only (New Guinea livery).

I finally got around to taking some pics of my tomahawk today. So....without further delay.... My Tomahawk:







Hope you like it.

Tweets I haven't had a chance to get out to the museum yet, but I'll hopefully get out there tomorrow. Sorry about the delay.

Tweets I hate it when I do that. Here's the link I meant to add in last post. Sorry about that.

http://apma.org.au/reference/helicopter/bell47raaf/bell47raaf01.jpg

Tom, that Typhoon looks just fine from where I'm sitting . Can you tell me what color you used to paint the harness as it looks really effective?

Pingy

Cheers
Darren

lol!!! see I knew someone would understand Daniel! It's not MY fault! It's a design flaw!

Of course maybe if I had looked closer at the OEM parts before I installed the resin ones it would have been clear!!!

Looks good Tom. Sounds like the progress I'm making with my spitfire, I keep haaving to pop things off too. Ah well..... gotta get it right eh? And I know what you're talking about with those Japanese pictures.....Why can't the Japanese draw in English?

ok Darren, as the adage goes - ask and ye shall recieve... here are some dark, slightly out of focus shots of the Typhoon... on afterthought I wish I would have test fitted the whole thing a bit better.. the fuselage came out like a champ... no gaps or overlap... however the resin intake and filter had to be popped out and reinserted as I had it a touch off kilter and it was obvious...

In the cockpit things went better, however again, being as the pictures in the directions were CLEARLY in Japanese, lacking English pictures I placed the side panels for the instruments a little too far outboard and had to again pop one off.. which is evident in the second pic...

I am really tired which is why the pics were done without extra lighting... and I will remedy the side panels tomorrow.. I am happy enough for now...

My score? I give the join of the fuselage and they way the cockpit looks a strong 8... good kit so far and hopefully it will remain that way... I WILL test fit a little better, especially where I am not 100 percent sure from the pics in the directions...

oh yeah and I need to touch up a spot on one harness strap and spots on both buckles I spotted after I took the pic...

QUOTE: Originally posted by darson Tweets check this out, it may be of some help. Cheers Darren

Um, what exactly am I checking Darren??

Carl - haven't done the Eduard kits yet... that's great though... the nearest shop that carries those around me is a good 2 hours away! Well surprisingly (and surprising myself) I didn't go buy anything this weekend... we got our income tax refund in and for some odd reason I put it right into savings this yr...

with that said, maybe next week it wont be raining so hard so I can make it there!!!

Tom- To my amazement my LHS, a large commercial operation generally lacking in anything approaching soul or passion for the craft, has started stocking Eduard kits, including their Typhoon. Do you know anything about this kit? I think Eduard bought the moulds from elsewhere so I'm not sure what it's like. I did have to forcably restrain my hand from reaching for my wallet as my to-do shelf is already buried under various kits.

QUOTE: Originally posted by harvs73 Jules, yes it's the Griffon powered version. It is The Academy Mk14e with Red Roo Decals for a 1946 RAAF acft.

I thought so Dave with the bubble canopy and all, next to the MK VIII and IX the XIV is one of my favourite's...Apparently the pilots had to be very cautious during take off because the power of the Griffon working the prop would cause the A/C to veer of the runway......
I have an FR MK 22 Griffon powered Seafire in my stash and that has a counter rotating prop to stop the A/C from veering off the carrier deck.........

I've done two fifths of five eighths of not much on the Buffalo at the moment but I've made myself a promise to kick it off tonight and at least spray the interior and engine cowling.

Dave cool looking Spit make sure you post some more pictures when it's done.

Tweets check this out, it may be of some help.

Tom, photos please . I'm really keen to see your Typhoon and from the photos and references I have seen, the camo looks hand sprayed IMHO.

Cheers
Darren

Jules, yes it's the Griffon powered version. It is The Academy Mk14e with Red Roo Decals for a 1946 RAAF acft.