Fleet Air Arm Group Build

-Neu-

to the FAA Group Build!  By all menas, glad to have you aboard.  If you could, send a private message to Tango 1 and he should add you to the roster.

Looking forward to your pics!

Woo Hoo!! a Sea Hawk. That's a first, good choices. Welcome aboard, rum call is at Second Dog Watch.

Captain Bondo

Welcome Neu,
I like what your building, be sure to post some pics.
Cheers...

Not a problem Aaron!!! Was wondering what I was going to do with them. Will try and get them off 2mora but might be Monday if not. Have to make copies of the instructions as well. The figs are looking great!!!!! Want to find a homemade way to cast stuff!!! Where there's a will there's a way!!!

Neu!!!!!!! Looking forward to those builds that's for sure!!! And the accompanying pics!!!!!

Neu those are some great looking unique kits! SHould be quite a show!  Beware of the Capt Bondo! Guard yer mug well!

 Thanks Ritchie After progressing on the Tamiya and Trumpeter beasties I was looking for a way to jazz up the old Revell kit!

Ok finishing up on the figgies and ready to seat them in place when dry. I always use a bunch of paints. All types. Enamel, acrylic, water colors what ever strikes me. All part of the fun. The Uniforms are 6 diff shades of brown and there are 8 diff colors in the faces alone. A mixing of washes and touch ups. I added the PE belts and buckle to the gunner to give an undone belt as he is standing. Little stuff to add character.

 I always hope that someday soon aircraft figgies will catch up to the standards of the new Armor figs. Both resin and plastic.  But since Capt Bondo would not allow me to crew the Stringbag with Afrika Korps Infantry I had to make something from nothing.  Not too bad a result considering I started with just an idea!

Hey Guy I did some figgies for my 1/32 Swordfish as well!  Not as artistic as your work but they are custom made and unique!  I sculpted them from boogies taken from Bondo's royal nose as he slept!  The mix of alcohol, glue fumes and musalage just is a perfect media to work with!

 They may not talk to me like Guy's great work or stand up and dance like Frank's paint work but they will do . Ready to go search out the Bismark!

 Where is everyone? Holy cow!  I thought it was the week end?  Where are the girls? Where is the rum!  Where is the crew?  Oh my!

 Well I still be a building even in the strongest tempest of the gail I shall prevail! Build and Build some more FAA is the order of the day!  So FAA it shall be!  anyone ... anyone...

just an echo!

Well did the engines. Straight OOB except the paint suggestions.  Trumpeter wins out there as Tamiya wants the whole works to be mostly semi-gloss black.  The Trumpeter kit beats out the Tamiya in some detail as it includes all PE and stuff in the kit where as Tamiya charges extra on an already expensive kit!  And well the Revell kit. What you see there is the detail!

$ 8 vs $80 give and take I reckon! The Trumpeter kit and the Tamiya kit are the same parts just different sizes. They even go together the same way just in a diff sequence for some reason.  Wish they had included the crew figs. They would be great in 1/32.

 Oh Don't rock the boat baby! Don't tip the Boat over! 

 

Argh I be pardin'n ye forgivness Aaron, I was stuck in the engine room swabbing the remains of last nights mid rats off the deck after the boys got a wee too much torp juice in em and the seas got a wee bit too rough.  I tell ye, that stuff may have been good goin' in, but it sure ain't pretty comin' out!

Good news be the Admiral owed me a favor (I whittled him a new peg leg!) and sent along a few bottles of his finest Cognac!  I know its not up ter the standards of our bilge pump oil....errr, rum......but I be sharin' anyways mateys!

Enjoy!

Brian

 Ah right on time Brian. I finally have a bit of good news.  i Actually have heard from our lost hero, Namrednef! Yes he is healthy and well. As well as Nam can be I guess but he was swamped with a job recently that absolutely dominated his time. Very long hard hours but he says it is over and after a bit of recovery me may well see him again!  Thought you all would like to know he is fine!

 I think we have a brief check in now from most of our missing. Tempest Johnny with the new move and bum shoulder, Roy is being held prisoner in the basement,  extc... ectc everyone pretty much unless I am missing someone but Roger/spike/ desert rat/  I am hoping he just found a GF or something to occupy his time as that Border patrol stuff is no joke nowdays.  Anyone hear from him at all?

Aaron the figs look great!!!!Really well done!!! I know your frustration with the 1/72 'bag as that is the kit I scavenged bits from to add to my Airfix one which had a much better cockpit area!!!! I heard that actually is the old Matchbox offering!!! Anyways will be next week before I can get those bits off to you!!! Will greatly improve the interior and the frontal area of the engine!!!

GLAD to her Nammy is doing ok!!! Thanks for the update!!! Spike and Roy need to report back in and then I think all will be accounted for!!!

 Oh I am not really frustrated with it Ritchie. I Expected that after I read your stuff you sent.  I sent a PM asking if I should wait to start scratchng stuff which I think I'd better. Working on the other 2 for now then I will try and catch it up. Thanks again!

sfcmac wrote:

Where is everyone? Holy cow!  I thought it was the week end?  Where are the girls? Where is the rum!  Where is the crew?  Oh my!

Some of us have day jobs! I guess you can't go roaming the rails anytime soon after rum call, though, can you? Here's to friday, I finally had some good news at work, and we're off to the pubs on the pier. Wine, women and song I say!

What do you do with the drunken sailor, what do you do with the drunken sailor, what do you do with the drunken sailor so earlier in the weekend???

AAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Tonight I hope to assemble the Stranraer, and maybe start cutting sprue for the Whitley. I did a little more research and the rear turret is of Frasier Nash design, think I'll start there with my vac parts and the resin guns.

Kids, alcohol and no. 11s do not mix, so model responsibly!

Cap'n Bondo, RAF CC,

Bondo you mean your gonna do that whole Seaplane in one night? Geeze thats bold!

 Maybe I should make a drink!

 Here is what I mean't about the IP's there isn't one in the 1/72 version..... yet! 

 The first real diff in the parts other than size.  I must say the Trump is actually a grand improvement.

Now The idea of decals is a cool one. But the very VERY uneven surfaces and flat decal are hard to match up. The Tamiya decals were just dials and really bad. Didn't lay well or ract to setting solution good at all for me. Would do them 1 dial at a time if I could do it over. Lucky for me I had two sets with this edition so I managed.

The Trumpeter decals are more colorful and fit like a puzzle over even worse surfaces but lay down with setting solution. The Clear part does make it hard to see.

Moving along! One step at a time!

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the mail box..... comes  KARATE DEE DEE!

Why does Trumpeter do that? Why? I built one Trump kit, the 1/32 Mustang, and I do not, do not no Sam I am, I do not like... it makes zero sense. I put on my Bondo thinking cap and tryed to figger it.. do you flood the face with black, then wipe off the dials? Its a really stewpid thing. Now I am not an IP kinda guy, sheesh at 1/72 but of what the flock it makes NO sense to me, kind of like green eggs and ham.

All in one night, no. It's a challenge. The wing has a center and outer third sections above, and cannot be pre assembled or else all the struts won't never fit. So build first, then putty and paint. I'm gonna paint the fusey first, then the lower wings and stick em on. Then struts, top wing then paint the top of that.

Ain't got no decals neither, but I'm going to paint them on. More chore.

Cheers, men it's a great evening here. Lavender clouds, a nice night sky.

Billy Bondo and he's Admirable to the ladies!

New Hampshire wrote:

Argh I be pardin'n ye forgivness Aaron, I was stuck in the engine room swabbing the remains of last nights mid rats off the deck after the boys got a wee too much torp juice in em and the seas got a wee bit too rough.  I tell ye, that stuff may have been good goin' in, but it sure ain't pretty comin' out! Good news be the Admiral owed me a favor (I whittled him a new peg leg!) and sent along a few bottles of his finest Cognac!  I know its not up ter the standards of our bilge pump oil....errr, rum......but I be sharin' anyways mateys!   Enjoy! Brian

Peg Leg? This Admiral got no peg leg, just standard equipment here, always been fast enough of foot to keep both.   Raiding the Admiral's Cabin whilst me is out Saving The World?  Egad!!   Blast!!  First the comely wench disappears, then me best likker is fed to the swamp rats.  Grrrrrrr!!

jeaton01 wrote:

New Hampshire wrote: Argh I be pardin'n ye forgivness Aaron, I was stuck in the engine room swabbing the remains of last nights mid rats off the deck after the boys got a wee too much torp juice in em and the seas got a wee bit too rough.  I tell ye, that stuff may have been good goin' in, but it sure ain't pretty comin' out! Good news be the Admiral owed me a favor (I whittled him a new peg leg!) and sent along a few bottles of his finest Cognac!  I know its not up ter the standards of our bilge pump oil....errr, rum......but I be sharin' anyways mateys!   Enjoy! Brian Peg Leg? This Admiral got no peg leg, just standard equipment here, always been fast enough of foot to keep both.   Raiding the Admiral's Cabin whilst me is out Saving The World?  Egad!!   Blast!!  First the comely wench disappears, then me best likker is fed to the swamp rats.  Grrrrrrr!!

And wa' zacly the issha wit' pins o' pine? Rather fancy mine, spesh since she's hollow!

ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Jeaton I'll have you know that the Supermarine Stranraer is in to the booth for the first of many coats. Everything seen from upside down is aluminium dope, two coats so far. Next the dark sea grey on the uppers o' the lower. it's a rum thing for a bipe, the lower wing has a spar what you'd duck under and the upper wing, well she just keeps formation up there. Lucky no gun position up there this time around.

Still waiting for that damn Ukrainian to sell me those brassy little Lewis guns.

What's next for you? The Fort is/was a Beau(t).

But On Topic, the Whit is off her sprues and I'm marking the surgery required for the Falcon vacs. Pics tomorrow night.

I kinda missed that you fobbed off, and yes you did Sir; your duty for a competition on that mongrelly little flea trap. Not favorable, Sir. I'm inclined to pose another Captainsd challenge soon. Stay alert boys. This Neu fella never showed up for 'is ration, may need a turn on the gratings, we'll see.

Rumours of Nam are welcome, although the LtCmr chose not to share 'is wearabuuts. Neverland, I reckon.

Hey all... thanks for the encouraging words. I'm away this weekend playing the barbarian's game with other gentlemen (though with my lot it might just be barbarians through and through). So if I go missing, don't worry its because I'm either incapacitated from my sport of choice or its aftermath.

Nevertheless, I did find an hour this evening to work on the cockpit. The Special hobby is one of those models that I feel are great in theory, but terrible in practice. There is glorious amounts of extra resin parts, but its fit leaves much to desire. As a result I had to trim some of the nice side panels they give (on the upper half of the fuselage) to make it fit with the cockpit tub that sits along the bottom half. You can't see it well because of my crappy phone camera... but trust me its there.


For painting I've been using this site as reference, which is great. I've got the basic metal and black parts painted, so the next time will be all the fine details, like switches and weathering. If it goes well I'll break out the fancy camera and take some picts.

-neu-

Hey Capt Bondo sent ya one of those PM thingies. May be able to help. My matchbox model is long gone but oddly I still have the decals!

Oh man snuck in there Neu!  Looks grand from what I can make out and I can see a lot cuz my pictures are shakey as well.  Sometimes I find that if you take it further back where it can focus then simple edit the image by cropping the part you want before  sending it to the server it can clear them up and zoom in better than the camera can.  JUst what works for me.

Neu that Sea Hawk is looking great quickly!!!!! THANK YOU FOR POSTING THAT LITTLE LINK!!!!!!! I clicked it and saw the sea hawk stuff then saw 'Buccaneer' at the top!!! Need I say more?! Looking forward to more pics!!!!!!!

Welcome aboard Neu and great job so far!!!!

Brian

Hi folks,

Aaron your Swordfish are really looking good and well done on the figures, I'm sticking with the OOB till my courage allows me to take a plunge into... making things myself.

Richie I cant wait to see you get to grips with the Bucc, I've seen another build thread on it and I believe it's a bit of a git! I'm sure you can tame it tho .

Cap'n Bondo your Stranrear looks like it's gonna be a beauty, makes me want to try and build something a little different myself.

Neu, good to see you up and running, more pics asap please.

Well Mrs Spike is at this very moment on her way to China which means I've got five days of not eating properly and lots of Hellcat bench time .

Hope to get plenty done, pics to follow.

Cheers... 

Thanks Mike!!!!! Well it has already started even with the ejection seats!!! The seats come in 4 pieces. The bucket halves, cushion bit and then the 'I'm outta here handles'. There were prominent ejector marks on the join for the bucket halves so just trimmed them and the allignment nibs, flat sanded and glued. The join is going to be hidden behind the cushion piece so not a problem and the handle bit covers most of the join on top. The seats started with 4 pieces, but wth the PE going on ends up being 16 pieces total. If I counted right, all up with plastic and PE bits, there will be 120+ pieces in the cockpit area alone!!!!!!! A little at a time, a little at a time!!!

simpilot34 wrote:

Thanks Mike!!!!! Well it has already started even with the ejection seats!!! The seats come in 4 pieces. The bucket halves, cushion bit and then the 'I'm outta here handles'. There were prominent ejector marks on the join for the bucket halves so just trimmed them and the allignment nibs, flat sanded and glued. The join is going to be hidden behind the cushion piece so not a problem and the handle bit covers most of the join on top. The seats started with 4 pieces, but wth the PE going on ends up being 16 pieces total. If I counted right, all up with plastic and PE bits, there will be 120+ pieces in the cockpit area alone!!!!!!! A little at a time, a little at a time!!!

Richie,

I could pull 4-5 kits out of my stash and still be short of the parts count in your pit!  Pics soon please.

Aaron,

You pay 80.00 and don't get a crew, but you pay 8.00 and get one.  The 8.00 was the better deal.  Stick the figs in there and no one will notice there's no pit.  However, it's not like you don't have a pattern to scratch one should you be so inclined.  You're really knocking them out.

Neu,

I have that kit in the stash.  Looking forward to watching your build unfold.

Capn Bondo,

Any pics of your progress?

I feel like I'm back in school at the moment with my modelling.  I know the paper's due in a month but have no motivation to get started. 

simpilot34 wrote:

there will be 120+ pieces in the cockpit area alone!!!!!!!

Are you crazy?  

Wait a tic, you must be- after all, you ARE hanging out here with us.

Aaron- I forgot to comment on your figures, well done!  Do they have names?  Do they talk to you?  

Daywalker wrote:

simpilot34 wrote: there will be 120+ pieces in the cockpit area alone!!!!!!! Are you crazy?   Wait a tic, you must be- after all, you ARE hanging out here with us.

And I keep coming back for more!!!! But I wouldn't have it any other way mate!!!!

 

Daywalker wrote:

simpilot34 wrote: there will be 120+ pieces in the cockpit area alone!!!!!!! Are you crazy?   Wait a tic, you must be- after all, you ARE hanging out here with us. Aaron- I forgot to comment on your figures, well done!  Do they have names?  Do they talk to you?

Big time!  I think that the 1/32 Ju-88 has a lot less than that.  120 parts and PE stuff wowzers.

 Stayed up really late last night working on the trio of stringbags.  Got some more swordfish ref articles in the mail there Ritchie! Right on time!  Staying up late made me lazy and tired today and I have work tonight so blah!  I have completely painted and prepped the internal stuff for both the 1/48 and 1/32 version. The parts are begining to differ  a bit now.  The Forward MG is much more detailed on the Trumpeter kit and it is very nice to boot but  I can't knock Tamiya as I don't think it really shows that much.

 There are extra bracing cages in the Trump kit as well behind the crew area and up to the tail. Tamiya doesn't have em but again not a part that is seen anyways.

 All I really have to do is glue the halfs together  and the fuselage's are pretty much done.

Hey Buddy  on the 1/72 divine scale?  Oh You and Dave need help I say!  All I really have done thus far is cut off the added cover where the Navagator sits. Only two crew are given and they put a cover over the third part as in later versions a long range fuel tank was added there but not in the kit marking options.

Ritchie says he is passing on a bit of that pit love with some PE parts so I am beggin off until  I get that help from down under. May hate him for it as it sounds like there are some really tiny parts!

 Capt Bondo the check is in the mail!  Er at least your decals are!  I do hope they help you and maybe even motivate you to post a pic or two! ( of the model not your laundry!)

 Now as fer naming the crew? I know one has to be named Wing Comander Bondo  what about the other 2? Thanks fellows off to work!

Looking good Aaron!

One thing-

You may want to double-check your references on the colors for the fuselage interior.  From what I have read, the fabric sides were given a redish primer coat, then the dope over the top.  IIRC, gave it a weird mottled color.  At any rate, if you decide to go with the interior color you have, it looks like you may have missed a bit on the rearward side of some of the details.  Have fun at work, and don't wreck any trains!!! (sure do hope I don't have any of those psychic powers! )

Daywalker wrote:

Looking good Aaron! One thing- You may want to double-check your references on the colors for the fuselage interior.  From what I have read, the fabric sides were given a redish primer coat, then the dope over the top.  IIRC, gave it a weird mottled color.  At any rate, if you decide to go with the interior color you have, it looks like you may have missed a bit on the rearward side of some of the details.  Have fun at work, and don't wreck any trains!!! (sure do hope I don't have any of those psychic powers! )

 

4 or more clear coats go on before the UV protective British dull red coat, so it will only show a little on the inside.  That is why the mottled look.  Almost like mildew in appearance.

sfcmac wrote:

Ritchie says he is passing on a bit of that pit love with some PE parts so I am beggin off until  I get that help from down under. May hate him for it as it sounds like there are some really tiny parts!

Yes Aaron there are some rather tiny bits to contend with. Inside and out. Like I said, there were some things I wouldn't even attempt!!!! Will get them off soon.

Aaron thats a very busy looking work top you got there, good to see it all coming together. those engines look really nice what paints did you use?

Frank any update on your corsair? I saw the underside and it was looking great.

Richie thats a heck of a lot of parts but I bet its gonna be worth it, Pics please?

Here is my finished engine, hope you think it looks ok. I used a sharpie on the wires.

 

I've done the cowling to coz I got excited and couldnt wait, actually preshaded this but I managed to put to much Navy blue on so I've done a little post work which doesnt show up to well on the pics. I actually went for this all over blue scheme because I thought it would test my shading skills..... and it has!

Hope you like,

Cheers...