CLOSED Cold War Group Build- All Groups-May 1st-Dec 31st CLOSED

O.k. here are some more progress pics, I have put the base coat on and have added the rust and did some wreathing. Do I need to seal the rust? If so how? I have heard of using hair spray, but won't that blow the rust off? Anyway, I am going to try to blacken the damaged area ( more ) and blacken the road wheels. What should I do with the tracks? How should I weather them? ( I still have to put the engine in ) Any suggestions about anything welcome!

I need some help with the markings, which # do I use: 383, 163 and a star or just a star?

I might be putting this in a small dio.

Nice work there on the damage Anthony.

I'm having internet connection problems lately- so I've got time to tinker with the Hokum.
I've never masked canopies before and It's getting me crosseyed- all's going well though

Very realistic looking damage Anthony.

I was sitting last night, considering the pile of unbuilt kits that I have, and some of those are fairly large kits that I want to get a start on. For this build I think I'm considering doing the Trumpeter SA-2 missle on transport trailer. Still not a sure thing, as that IS-3M is calling out to me as well.

Got my PE for my F-102, so hopefully will start soon, hoping to get a little farther on my RF-4 first.

caliber 35 makes a very nice engine for the T-55. resin. available from squadron.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tankmaster7 how'd you do the damage? nice work. You're gonna put an engine in the open flaps right? it'll look odd if there's just nothing there...

Thanks, I found a peice of metal lying around and used that. I cut it with my Clarke rotary system, something like Dremal. Anyway I cut the metal to shape, bent it and super glued it to the side. As for the engine I'm not sure about what I'm doing yet, where could I find one for Trump?

EDIT: Would the T-34 V-2 engine & transmission set work? It's by Maquette and said it suitable for the T-34, IS series, T-54, T-55 and T-62

how'd you do the damage? nice work. You're gonna put an engine in the open flaps right? it'll look odd if there's just nothing there...

O.k. as most of you know I am now doing a burnt-out/hit T-55, I've damaged the left side and have sanded down the wheels to where the metal would have been after the wheels would have melted. This is my first type of model that I'm trying this on and so far so good! ( worried about weathering) Here are the progress pic's…

Yardbird - the Tamiya 1/72 F4D kit has the decals you're looking for, for VMF-115's Ford marked VE 16. They may be a slightly later vintage than 1956, but still within the CWGB time frame. It's another option.

Regards,
Dick

Go ahead and start.

I'm so far behind right now, that I won't be able to update this this week. Welcome aboard Dick.

QUOTE: Originally posted by rlawson Hey, yardbird, watch out for the L/G mounts in the Airfix kit. The main leg has to mount at the rear of the well, and Airfix reversed the part numbers for the right and left well "roofs". If you follow their instructions exactly, the gear will be too far forward, and you'll have a tailsitter for sure. The struts are pretty spindly, too. Dick

Dick,
Thanks for the advice. I would like to do one of mine in the markings for Marine Squadron VMF-115 (VMFA-115). I have several pictures of their F4D's in the gray over white scheme. I also have a decal sheet with VMF-115 markings in all white, obviously for a dark blue plane, probably for the F9F Panther. The F4Ds were dark blue very early, but by the time VMF-115 started flying them in 1956, I think they were all the gray over white. Oh well, I like the Blue with white marks, even if it isn't totally accurte from a historical standpoint. My other FORD will be from VMAF-3, the only Navy squadron to operate with the USAF NORAD. NAS North Island, San Diego was a long ways away from the great hoards of Russian bombers coming over the North Pole. Maybe they were going to sneak in from Mexico.
I see that Meteor Productions has quite a list of AM decals and update sets for the 1/72 and 1/48 F4Ds. I am going to follow my usual approach and do the kits out of the box with only what mods I can do myself and a few parts from the spares box. They won't be "earth stopping, contest winners", but they meet my expectations and enjoyment level. The kit decals are totally unusable, so I have to use AM decals.
Are we allowed to start on these or do we have to wait for May 1st? Some of the other posts seem to indicate that work has already started.
Darwin,

I'd like to get in on this one, too. I'll also be doing the 1/72 Airfix Skyray, but this one will be from the Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake, CA. This F4D was the launch vehicle for several satellite orbiting attempts in the summer of 1958. This was an attempt to counter the great PR the Soviets got from Sputnik, but success could not be proven, so it was hushed up. Do a search on "NOTSNIK" for more details.

Hey, yardbird, watch out for the L/G mounts in the Airfix kit. The main leg has to mount at the rear of the well, and Airfix reversed the part numbers for the right and left well "roofs". If you follow their instructions exactly, the gear will be too far forward, and you'll have a tailsitter for sure. The struts are pretty spindly, too.

Dick

Thanks you all. Scratchbuilding a rocket of any kind isn't the most difficult thing but really is much much easier with a lathe. If I had one the main body would be done in 5min. Oh well, have to do it the hard way: tubing and putty

hey ibeam!!!! looking good!

Looking good I-beam!, I haven’t posted any pic's of it yet but I've actually I am 'destroying' it and making it, or try to make it look like it's be 'hit' and rusted. First attempt.

That T-55 is looking good Anthony14. If it's challenging to build the Trumpeter version then that makes it more satisfying when it's done. Looking forward to more progress.

Here are my updates. The Nike Hercules will work out to be 1/72 scale. Thats a 1/72 figure in the pics. The Russian Kilo class sub is marked as 1/400 on the box.

So mine does not... ok then thanks anyway.

It depends. Early T-55's did NOT have the gun on top. They were retrofitted in the late 60's and 70's I believe.

Am I even suppost to have a gun on top? I see that the T-55A has but the one I have, on the box it justs said T-55 1958

The whole gun that's on top of the hatch

what do you mean by gun assembly? which parts exactly? I'll see what I can do about that.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tankmaster7 Here's my T-55

Hey, Tankmaster7 is there any chance you still have the directions for the T-55; I need the gun assembly part above the hatch, in Trumps. directions they don't include the steps but give the pieces. My e-mail is stobs5@rogers.com Thanks

I would like to joing this Group Build, if I may. I just got a sheet of decals on ebay for the Douglas F4D Skyray that has markings for VF-213 and VFAW-3. I have two 1/72 Airfix kits in the closet warehouse that have been gathering dust for a whole bunch of years. They need to see the light of day and the smell of styrene glue.

Darwin, O.F.

Anthony14 Go to the automotive section of Wal Mart. They have quart and gallon cans of Bondo, but that would be way too much for a modeler. They also have some in what looks like a large toothpast tube for about $3.00. Be stingy when you apply it because the acetone in it sometimes attacks the styrene and could leave worse marks than you are trying to cover up. It does sand easily, but has a softer, more porous texture than the plastic, so it takes paint differenty. At least one coat of a good primer is a necessity.

Darwin, O.F.

roadkill, I'll be building a 1/700 scale soviet sierra class sub as well for this build.

Like Overkillphill said Bondo is a good choice. It doesn't dry as hard as granite like squadron putty does though. You can still scratch it with your fingernail after it's dried. Can't do that with squadron putty. Here is my half track with bondo in all the gaps and ejector pin marks.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Anthony14 Dose anyone know of a filler ( to fill gaps ) that can be found in a Wal-mart, etc. The LHS is too far to go just for that.

Never tried it myself, but I've heard some guys saying that they use bondo/body filler, which may be available at Wal-Mart but would certainly be available at a local auto parts store.

Lol, yeah, those Trumpeter series of the T-54/55 tanks aren't the greatest. I built one a while ago, and I think I'll use it as a basis for a AT-T scratchbuild.

Tamiya T-55 GOOD... Trump BAD!

Here's my T-55