Revell Monogram Group Build!!!

I like your work on the Mig.  That squiggly paint job must have been really labor intensive.

Darwin, O.F. 

A little progress on the M finally!

What do you guys think of the possum huntin' gun I have on there?  The lightning sat in the box in my truck all afternoon on a 100+ degree day, I'm sure you know the rest.  Actually, I just installed the kit pieces to help me get the nose right, I will be replacing them with brass later.

I like the Mig.  It is nice to see one in something besides a NMF.  The cammo really changes the character of the plane.

Well fellas, I am calling this one finished. I have noticed some small details that need a little tweeking here and there but overall shes done. I have decided to put this in adiorama and use the figures it comes with with maybee a few extras. In quick review. This is a very nice kit with good detail and fit overall. Only problem I had was the wing to fuselage joint at the top had a major gap that was a pain to fill. I ended up putting shims in and liquid cement to fill the grand canyon with plenty of filler and sanding. The rest of the fit was very good. It was painted with MM enamils and weathered with pastel sludge wash and pastel powders. The only recess detail was on the engines and flying surfaces so not much to do there. I used a silver pencil for chipped paint on the cowls and prop blades which I over did the effect and will correct that. The kit decals were terrible as the shattered into hundreds of pieces when they hit the surface and I had to piece them together with a tooth pick. They are also translucent and the invasion stripes show through them. I wanted a D-day bird so I painted the invasion stripes (uuggghhh) and I had to make the yellow code letters to properly represent them as the kit supplied ones are grey. I will now work on the figures to go with the kit in a diorama.

Thanks for looking and any comments and critizism welcome.

Steve

Very nice Steve!

I really like the shots with the ptroopers, they really give life to the model!

Looks awesome, Steve!

When I finish the Spit I think I'm gonna start the kit I promised for this GB.

Mac, good progress so far. I like how that's coming together.

Steve, excellent model of the C-47. Makes me want to build one now.  I'd say that your chipping on the cowls is just fine; looks very realistic. I think you just need to fix the ones on the blades. Paratroopers look great. A good wash on them will bring out the detail, after you re-paint over the flesh-colored paint bleed. If you do this well on this model, I can't wait to see her in the diorama you plan! Bring it on!

Thanks for the comments guy's. The props did not look too bad in person but then on photos they look just like scratches so I will be re-painting and chipping again. By ther way, should the chipping be mostly just on one side?. As far as the troops go, I just bloobed the flesh colour on for a starting point and I will be adding different colours and washes to finish them off. Also I will probably put some black on their faces with some pastels. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Steve

A note on props from an old DC-6 mechanic;

A propellor blade has a face and a back. The face is the surface which bites into the air as it's turning. That means that the surface on the engine side is the face and the surface away from the engine is the back. The majority of chipping is on the leading edge and on the face (engine) side of the blade as that is where most of the contact with grit, sand and other abrasive elements occurs. A few chips do occur on the back side (forward surface) of the blade but they are far fewer than what would normally show on the face (engine) side of the blades.

That being said, I really like the Gooney bird Steve. Looks like it's ready for a trip to Nijmegen with a load of Screaming Eagles....

Also like the tiger stripes on the MIG and Bondoman has a major project going with the Pine Island.....good stuff!

Thanks Daryl! I'm going to shoot you a PM so we don't go off topic here, about propellers.

Sidure,

Beautiful work on the D-Day Gooney Bird.  The paratroopers add a lot to the image.

Darwin, O.F. 

Looking for some help out there in model land.  I lost the side windows for my P-38, might any of y'all have these parts?

You may want to see if Squadron makes a vacuform canopy for that kit. If no replacement parts turn up, you can build it in the open configuration. On a P-38 the side panels roll down like on a car for entry and exit in addition to the clamshell top.

The side windows do not totally disappear when down. The top edge is still visible.

I think I can dig out some canopy panels. Screaminhelo watch for a PM this afternoon when I get home from work.

Thanks Daryl, the parts arrived today!  Hopefully I can get them on and shoot some paint with my new AB that I have been aching to use for two weeks!

This post will take the prize for most dumb question ever asked in a GB thread but....

Do you have to be GOOD to join a GB? Or can a clueless newbie join in?

I came back to the hobby a few months ago after a 30 year hiatus... and just got my first AB :) ... been slowly building the Revell P-51D (1:48) and learning techniques (and making many errors). Would be neat to join GBs to learn from experienced modelers, but feel funny about posting my crappy build in the middle of such great kits.  thanks for the info.

JMart, absolutely not just for experts, one and all are welcome. On behalf of most guy's here I think I can say that you learn more being a member of a group build and the wealth of knowledge around is amazing. I say welcome and jump in and start having fun and improve your skills. Welcome back to a great hobby. And by the way post some of your work and we can help and give advise etc.

Steve

JMart wrote:

This post will take the prize for most dumb question ever asked in a GB thread but.... Do you have to be GOOD to join a GB? Or can a clueless newbie join in? I came back to the hobby a few months ago after a 30 year hiatus... and just got my first AB :) ... been slowly building the Revell P-51D (1:48) and learning techniques (and making many errors). Would be neat to join GBs to learn from experienced modelers, but feel funny about posting my crappy build in the middle of such great kits.  thanks for the info.

There's not much thats more fun than GBs. Post a digital photo of your box top and you'll have it explained to you why the kit came with cigarette smell. Explained five times.

I am a newbie as of March. Grab a couple and go. Keep it to three before you finish one.

You'll figure out the few that are pros, most of the rest are more like you or me.

Best of all, when you can't figure out why A doesn't fit with B, swanny or ernie or daywalker or... will let you know.

It's Big B... Doll, right? I'm dying for a 'stang modeler; not me, to do my favorite: Upupa Epops.

god I hate these emoticons- model on!!! =8:-)

JMart wrote:

This post will take the prize for most dumb question ever asked in a GB thread but.... Do you have to be GOOD to join a GB? Or can a clueless newbie join in? I came back to the hobby a few months ago after a 30 year hiatus... and just got my first AB :) ... been slowly building the Revell P-51D (1:48) and learning techniques (and making many errors). Would be neat to join GBs to learn from experienced modelers, but feel funny about posting my crappy build in the middle of such great kits.  thanks for the info.

At one time, ALL OF US were clueless newbies. 

My first bit of advice is "Don't get overwelmed by the work of others".  Use the work of others for inspiration and a goal to reach.  Each model you do will get better as long as you have fun with it and don't feel like you must reach some sort of 'bar of acheivment' with this group.

Second "The only stupid question is the one not asked"  Who knows, 5 other people might have the same question as you.

sidure , bondoman , mph34  - Thank you for your reply and kind words... I must admit this group is a lot more friendly that other "newsgroups/forums" I have been involved last few years... :)

Anyways, I would like to enter the GB with my (in progress) Rev 1:48 P-51D (aka the "test bed"); OOB with scratchbuilding anything I have managed to break so far... The build is already a success in my eyes because: (1) I came back to the hobby, and it IS an enjoyable relaxing endevour (2) I learned/re-learned lots of techniques; (3) I got my youngest kid "hooked" on (good) plastic!

I will post pics once I get photobucket account going.

Progress so far (kit has been on my workbench couple months):

1. Cockpit - learned to drybrush and "Future" the dials; however, cockpit slipped forward (inside fuselage) about 5-8mm between dry fitting and gluing the fuselage :(

2. Fuselage and primer done - sanded that seam until it looked as smooth as a baby's bottom. Upon priming, it still looked like a baby's bottom, except one with diaper rash. Rubbed the primer away on the seams, will re-fix using the putty/acetone method found in Swammy's site.

3. Wheel assembly - Done/re-done 7 times. Finally got a paint scheme that sort of looks like "tire" (you mean, we dont "flat black" the tires anymore?). Except I broke one of the wheel assembly thingies...

4. Panel scribing - read about Revell kits having raised panels ,decided to attempt to scribe them. Good, except I did them free hand with an Xcto knife at 90o angle (not 45). I sanded most of it down, who knows what it will look like after main paint/some weathering.

 I seriously thought of using my 40% off coupon at Michaels and get another P-51D..but decided to finish this one (i sort of owe it to the kit!) as a "baseline" of my abilities..hopefully I can see progress on the next builds...

Im sure I will post questions in the near future.... Im bummed about that "slipped" cockpit, but cant think of a way to fix that short of opening the fuselage...

Cheers, Jim

You are obviously good at this.

Waiting to see pics, too.

You know what you need to do re: the cockpit, don't you?

Good to have you aboard.

The Pine Island is finished, I'm mounting her on a base which will have a smooth black sea over which the crew is raising a Mariner.

I've discovered that there is a point where all of the PE starts to come back off again, so I've got to put her down. Pics soon.

Ill try get good pics this weekend...

Bondoman: No, I dont know what to do about the cockpit... its glued to the fuselage side, and fuselage is closed... some point during that process the assembly slipped a few cm north... Ill take a pic this weekend.

JMart wrote:

The build is already a success in my eyes because: (1) I came back to the hobby, and it IS an enjoyable relaxing endevour (2) I learned/re-learned lots of techniques; (3) I got my youngest kid "hooked" on (good) plastic!

I say for all three reasons.  Though I am not sure I'd call a Monogram kit good plastic.... Maybe plastic with lots of potential.  Welcome back to the hobby and welcome to your youngest as well - the hobby needs new blood I mean more of the younger generation.

Starta new kit. Have a couple going at once. God knows RM makes em. Close your eyes and free associate.

A '67 Mustang.

The 1:32 Corsair was a classic for the ages.

I'm doing the Pine Island 1/400 which is because I loved navy ships as a kid ... and... its got a bitty little Mariner that I was mad about because when I was 10 it shoulda been a Catalina, but now I get it. Next, a F-82 twin Mustang; BTW the Ace in Berkeley has abt 5 on the shelf at $ 15 each and if you do one I won't because I've committed to too many other GBs.

Oh and I finish three kits a year, Yes I know I'm fast.

Things are going very slow. Too many GBs I guess Anyway I worked a bit on the rather ugly instrument panel for my F-15. It consist of a transparent piece of plastic with an ugly decal glued to it's back. I tryed to paint some of the frontside a little, but I'm not sure if it improve the looks of it.

Next I'll try to remake the joystick and some detail on the side panels.

Azgaron

bondoman - Thanks for the tip... however, wings are also in place.. i will leave "as is" and do better next time!

mph34 - Thanks... Revell plastic is still better than "Credit card" plastic ;) I chose Revell for nostalgic reasons, cost and I figure I could use the practice....

TheLastPriest - Thanks for the tip... yes, this is one is the ubiquitous "big Beautiful Doll".. If yuo have a Michaels Craft Store near you, you can use the 40% off coupon they stick in every Sat/Sun newspaper and get revell kits for 6-8$.

 Ok, back to figuring out this Photobucket web site so I can post pics