Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Great story Aaron!  Some of the details are a little foggy, so it must have really been a good one!

After my second failed attempt at painting the EDSG/DSG/Sky FAA scheme on a Corsair, I put the model away for a few weeks and went on to other projects. 

Again, I had gone against what I usually do for the paint (I thinned the Tamiya acrylics with 91% alcohol only, instead of my usual Tamiya thinner) and also opted against the masks, thinking I could get the demarcations sharp enough freehand.  WRONG!!!   The paint dried too quickly and left more of a dust on the surface.  I tried to smooth it out, and it was going fairly well until I got to areas with raised details.  The rub down took the paint right off! Angry, I put the model aside until I had more patience for it.

Today, I grabbed some Q-tips, paper towels, stiff brushes, and removed all of the offending paint.  I was nervous about trying to reomve it from the canoy around the masks, so I left those alone.  I managed to remove all of the paint without damaging the model!  Also while painting, I found a couple of blemishes that I will fix this time around.  Here's how she looks tonight...

On the bright side, I am getting pretty good at stripping paint, especially on Corsairs!

NAM  WELCOME BACK!

 Frank great job on the clean up.

Aaron you never cease to amaze me.

Frank! That Corsair looks good as new! Maybe better!  Looks like you were able to get a good shade in the panels?  Did that Q-tip method take a long time?  Dod you use simple Green or thinner on the Q-tip?  Hows about the  scheme? Are you going to redo the DSG over DSG?

So many questions!  I am waiting for you to find a Corsair with the Slinter scheme!

 Now somebody throw Nammy a cover up!  He is scaring the fish!

Thanks fellas!  Glad to have her back on the bench.  Nothing worse than a pitiful Corsair sitting in a box with a bad paintjob.  Gonna do it right this time, don't worry!

Aaron- I used 91% alcohol for the airframe, and soaked the LG doors, flaps, and cowl in Simple Green (thanks for that tip!).  Total time to strip it down was about three hours spread across the entire day.  And yes, I am gonna do the EDSG/DSG/Sky scheme again, I know I'll get it right this time!  I have seen all of yours and they are great inspiration- thank you! 

Thanks Mike!!! The IP is part of the Eduard interior set for this kit. The Airwaves set I have for it is mainly just the speed brakes and some exterior bits. I also have the Eduard exterior set as well. Some weighted resin feet as well.

Frank, I have to agree with Mike, I would have been chuffed with the first go on the paint!!! But as I know we are our own worst critics and if it didn't look right to you, then there was no reason why you shouldn't have stripped and started over!! Espaecially since you did just as good a job taking it off!! ( that didn't sound right)

Well I finally was able to make that trip down to the Galveston Flight Museum.  Next month it will be one year since Hurricane Ike completely destroyed the place.

I could not find any of the aircraft below there today.

Us Navy sailors helped clean up the sewage and debries but the salt water really took it's toll. I notice the Hurricane in the background Lewbud!

 The scope of the damage is still incredible to me. If you recall my pics of the first trip I was thrilled by all the original artwork and Pilot autographed prints and personal items of so many many aces from all sides. The Model of the Hornet and the Lost Liberator in the desert. Everything even the room they were in is just gone.

 Only the gift shop and one large hanger with what has been restored thus far is open to the public. Precious few items when compared to my first trip before the storm.

 The Navy blue PBJ has now become a Doolittle Raider.

 This area is roped off from the public. In it are so many of the aircraft and artifacts being restored by many volunteers. The Civil Air Patrol really helping out as much as possible. So much of that stuff just can't be cleaned up and repainted.  What ever remained was lost or severely damaged.

 To see so many working in that area and hard work it looked to be really was the light house in the storm for me.

 One vintage Vehicle out of them all remains. No sign of the motorbikes.

The Blue Angel's Bearcat Really looked outstanding!

The  clerks in the giftshop were jealous of my shirt!

All in all  still very sad to see. They are planning war bird rides tomorrow  and continue to raise funds for restoration.  Very sad to see that big  Hustler still missing large wing sections and such and even sadder to not see many that were there. Even the little Jap Baka or Oka is gone and the 262 engine extc.  Took all of ten minutes to see what was left but I took loads of pics on what was there if anyone one needs a good ref pic.

 Spent the rest of the time next door at Moody Gardens with the kids.

Thanks for the pics Aaron!  I agree- very sad to see the damage done there.  I recognize a few of those AC from AirVenture in Oshkosh, sadly none of them came this year.

Very cool shirt you have there BTW!

Daywalker wrote:

Thanks for the pics Aaron!  Very cool shirt you have there BTW!

Yeah  I think that shirt would go well with the Drunken State shirts I've seen

Aaron, looks like you had one helluva great time, and the pictures are worth a thousand words!  Those are some saaaahhhhhweeeeeet looking birds they have there! (both metal and winged prehistoric! )

Brian

bondoman wrote:

For a laugh, go to the bottom of the forums homepage and click "forum statistics".

Ar, impressive indeed cap'n.  And to think we are but a mere pittance from 500 pages!!!!

Brian

MMMMMMMM would love a taste of ye brew Cap'n Roy!!! My entry in the pot is "Portside Porter" Aaaarrrgghhhh!!!!!

Hehehe well we are a talkative bunch aren't we??? Good stats to see, thanks Cap'n bondo sir for the heads up!! Also saw that you and Frank are in the top ten most active users. Frank is #10 and Bondo is #5, when I checked. GREAT STUFF!!!

Report from the Matchbox Mayhem GB, Captain Bondo here:

Got the decals on. Thanks to Aaron for giving me his as mine were shattered; they are 40 years old.

I soaked each one for a half hour, brushed off the muselage and let them sit for ten minutes. Then I peeled each one off the paper with tweezers, doing the old lift-flush in solvaset- lift bit until it came up on the tweezer like a contact lans. Layed down in a lake of Solvaset, brushed off the bubbles and flooded with Microsol. They are sleeping in Microsol right now and look like alligator skin, but in the morning I will respect them. I love old kits.

Bondo, she's a fine looking ship there fella.  Glad Aaron found you some replacement decals!

Speaking of Aaron, I'm beginning to think he's got a cloning machine.  Pumping out builds by the dozen, works 40 shifts a week and still has time to take the family on outings to Jurasic Park.  Not to mention attending Poupon U (and how does he know they wear flannel - did Frank tell him)!!!

Da Plane Boss! Da PLANE!!!!!!!!

Looking great Capt Bondo!!!!!! I bet they smooth out fine when dry! They needed to be used and you were just the man for the job!

Dave did you notice the town and state that shirt was from? Flannel land USA!!!

Oh yeah Roy! I'd call it Air Wing Ale!!!

sfcmac wrote:

Dave did you notice the town and state that shirt was from? Flannel land USA!!! Oh yeah Roy! I'd call it Air Wing Ale!!!

Actually no Aaron, can't read what I can't see.  Now that you mentioned it though I can see what looks like Wisconsin on the bottom line.  Must need stronger reading glasses, man I hate getting old.

Roy, In honor of the CAG who started this whole sorry motley cruise and for major suck up points I'd call it Tango 1 Ale!!!

razordws wrote:

sfcmac wrote: Dave did you notice the town and state that shirt was from? Flannel land USA!!! Oh yeah Roy! I'd call it Air Wing Ale!!! Actually no Aaron, can't read what I can't see.  Now that you mentioned it though I can see what looks like Wisconsin on the bottom line.  Must need stronger reading glasses, man I hate getting old. Roy, In honor of the CAG who started this whole sorry motley cruise and for major suck up points I'd call it Tango 1 Ale!!!

.....or CAG cool-aid!!

Cap'n Bondo sir, Very very nice work on a true classic!!! Looking forward to the top deck going on!!!!

 Pickeled Pirate?

sfcmac wrote:

They needed to be used and you were just the man for the job!

 I have developed a fondness for these. The Stranraer has been a pleasure, and I've started the Privateer over in War in the Pacific GB. I've also got a Heyford in the stash, and am building the Mystere 4 for my collection of Israeli stuff. They are all original molds, and go together like the good old kits always do, not too many parts but they fit, which to me is much more satisfying than these Trumpeter things where 400 parts later it's all a mess of gluey fingerprints, no sense of alignment.

sfcmac wrote:

Pickeled Pirate?

Ha!  Just googled it.  Like there fight song. 

Who needs Harvard, who needs Yale?
At POUPON U, you'll never fail!
Stanford, Princeton? Big mistake!
POUPON U's a piece of cake.

Maybe we should make upone for our crew?  

over and out!

Hold me over the rail while I vomit, dommit!

or

I Nam what I am!