Middle Weight GB 2006

Thanks for that Arki.  Do you need to wash resin first?  Also, what primer should I use, or do I really need primer?  Lastly, I guess resin is fine with either enamel or acrylic?

Yes, washing the resin is a good idea.  Primer or not to primer is really up to each individual.  I swear by it.  I use MM grey primer and it seems to work fine.  Enamel or acrylic will work equally well with resin.  It's simply a matter of taste. 

arki30 wrote:

Yes, washing the resin is a good idea.  Primer or not to primer is really up to each individual.  I swear by it.  I use MM grey primer and it seems to work fine.  Enamel or acrylic will work equally well with resin.  It's simply a matter of taste.

Thanks mate!  I'll try it out.  Here I go into the new world of resin!

edited to add:
Just discovered that the kit I've got is an F-14D, not an F-14A (it was a Revell 'package', so, I threw the outer flimsy bit away, just keeping the instructions, decals, and, with the paints, etc going to the paints draw).  Darn darn darn!  OK, do I build an F-14D as per original, with seatbelts, of course (either bought or made from tape), or go for a different project?  As soon I know I'll let you know!  Now to box up the resin, and wait for a 1/48 F-14A...

Bummer about the mix-up on the F-14. 

Progress on my end has been slow.  The office has been taking up much of my time, but I have managed to get a little filling and sanding done the plane.

Thanks Arki!  I'm going to just whack in some seatbelts, and for the rest, the Revell seats, etc

Any new pics of your progress?  I know what you mean about the office!

Progress on my Shinden...Decals done...on the home stretch.

WOW!  That Shinden looks GREAT!  Nice build, nice paint job!  Wish I could do so well!  Thanks for showing us the pictures Vin.

My own build is barely progressing.  I'm picking up some seatbelts (hopefully) this weekend, from an Eduard set for the F-14D 1/48, part of a general cockpit improvement set, designed for the Hasegawa set.  I know I'm building Revell, but it should be OK.

Speaking of my build.  I've seen thin gates, I've seen normal gates, I've even seen Kopro's gates on a MiG-15!  However, nothing prepared me for these gates.  Almost 1/2" wide, and thick too.  Just how much detail is lost removing this is criminal!  I'm basically using vacform techniques, on a new product from a quality producer, quite extraordinary!  The technique is to gently score back and forth, until the gate snaps, then to sand it back (very carefully, to not lose the intricate, and raised, detail.  Being raised, it can't be re-scored if I slip). I bought it as a new kit, and it's on sale still, however, I bought mine cheap at Woolworths, as a package including paints, cutters, etc.

Here is a picture of part of the mainplane with gate, and part of the fuselage without.



Happy modelling y'all!

Shinden looks fantastic, Vin!

Just to say, after spending more than price of the kit on cockpit upgrades (only to discover it's for the wrong F-14), followed by 2 more seats (only to discover the kit seat were better, and again, wrong version), I've decided to build it OOB.  Partially painted cockpit and seats, and the air ducts and fans in place.  Those air ducts are an example of awful design.  They tried to have one piece which did a few jobs (ducts, underside, and side).  The result is that nothing quite fitted right.  Not too bad, but so complex are the ducts to fit, that impossible to be right.  Sometimes more parts are better.  Oh well, it finally looks OK, just needs some filler, and sanding (the ducts themselves seem to be slightly larger than the mating surface to join to)

Some progress...and some nasty fit problems...

I am on the home stretch with this one...

Looking good!  The paint job looks great, nice and flat.

Looking great, Mike!  Did you take the gear off?

Yes arki-- only because I couldn't get the nose heavy enough to stay down- and the gear was sort of ugly...so I decided to make it one in flight...

Hey, whatever works!

Not much progress, but mainly because another GB project finally hit critical mass.  I've finished it and now the T-bolt will get most of my attention.

I know it is a bit late in the game, but I just got back from a break from models and noticed this GB.  I just turned 30 and was about to start on a Tamiya 1/48 Nakajima Night Fighter Gekko Type11 Late Production (Irving).  It would be nice to be able to include it on this GB.  Thanks!

I've shot the gloss black primer coat in preparation for the Alclad.  I'll let that cure for a week though, so I'll just putz around on gear and ordnance.

Jeeves wrote:

Yes arki-- only because I couldn't get the nose heavy enough to stay down- and the gear was sort of ugly...so I decided to make it one in flight...

I had the exact same problem. Despite about $0.50 in nickles and dimes, I still couldn't get the nose to stay down (and the gear was starting to spray under the weight). Needless to say, it's a tailsitter.

On my front, I have 2/3 colors on the Harrier painted. The last grey will be really easy to apply, but I'm taking a trip up to VA for the rest of the week, and I won't get to spray it for a while. I'm making progress, just slowly.

Joshua

Alcad Aluminum is down, man I love this stuff.  Goes down smooth, looks great, drys fast, smells funky.

Now to let that cure before masking off some panels for Duraluminum application.  Wish I had some Dark Aluminum but I don't and the budget is a little tight at the moment.

arki30 wrote:

Alcad Aluminum is down, man I love this stuff.  Goes down smooth, looks great, drys fast, smells funky. [snip]

.....and how does it taste ?
---
Ben

Don't know.  Still trying to find a good wine to pair with it. 

Just kidding.  Kids, don't try this at home.

Just a wee thought...my F-14 is seemingly going to be one of those projects which draaaaaaag.  As I'm going to be 35 soon (and hence, too old for this GB), I'm running out of time to finish the GB!  Yikes!  Better a move on...(even the Old Guns GB finishes soon.  Me?  Old?  Oh boy, time time time...)

I put the 3rd color and the 50-something decals on the Harrier. I'll go over it with a little more future, then a dull coat and small parts, and she's finished! Too bad it'll still probabily take me another week to finish :-/

Joshua

osher wrote:

...As I'm going to be 35 soon (and hence, too old for this GB), I'm running out of time to finish the GB!  Yikes!  Better a move on...(even the Old Guns GB finishes soon.  Me?  Old?  Oh boy, time time time...)

Don't worry, I'm sure you can be grandfathered with this build.  Get it, "grandfathered?!"  I crack me up sometimes.

I'm decaling the Thunderbolt now and it's slow going.  The ID stripes are decals and I decided to use those instead of painting the stripes.  They look good but it takes time. 

Still decaling....

However, assembly of main gear and ordance is underway as well.  I figure at this rate I'll be finished within a week and half, tops.

A little quiet in here. 

Progress:  Main gear and all ordance is on with maybe 10% of the decaling still left to do.  I'm definately in the home stretch.

Pics of the finished product by the end of the week!  Of course, I don't think there's anyone left to see it, but what the heck since I finished (or will). 

 

arki30 wrote:

Pics of the finished product by the end of the week!  Of course, I don't think there's anyone left to see it, but what the heck since I finished (or will).

I'll take a look.

I'm about to finish the harrier. All it needs is the semi-gloss coat, and the canopy glued on (I lost my white glue). It should be finished on Wednesday, since I only have 2 classes to go to.

Hey, other's are still around!  Good, I was afraid I was left to the crickets.

arki30 wrote:

Pics of the finished product by the end of the week!  Of course, I don't think there's anyone left to see it, but what the heck since I finished (or will).

I'll be here, and others too!