Yellow Wing (1930 - 1941) Group Build May 2007 - May 200?

Where is everyone? I know, you are all glued to your televisions watching the Tour de France on Versus like me in your spare time right?

I am just about to start placing the decals on my Vindicator.  I have run into a few fit issues towards the end of my build, and I am still deciding which canopy will be installed (the single piece, or the multi-piece).  Overall I think that Accurate Miniatures makes a nice kit, but their directions could have been a little easier to follow at some stages.  Anyway, I will try to get some photos posted in the not too distant future of a hopefully completed SB2U-1.

Well, I'm here.  I haven't started yet, but that's only because I've been busy trying to find a job.  Believe me, there's nothing I'd like better than to sit down and start to throw a kit together, but I have a wife who's home for the summer and I know I'd never hear the end of it.  She already thinks I'm a stereotypical sitcom out-of-work husband.  And my oldest is going to college in 2 years, so I want to get back out there ASAP.  Otherwise, I'd be posting pretty good pictures of a horrendous modeling job right now.

Don,

My one and only child is going to be starting college in two more years as well.  having been in some group buildds with much younger individuals, it is different being in a group with someone that must be close to my own age.  Good luck with your search, I hope that you are progressing along with that satisfactorily.

For the Group, 

I finished my Vindicator last week, and I am pleased with the results.  I must admit that the diretions got really strange towards the end with the wrong parts referenced in the painting tips as compared to what was actually being installed in the steps.  I found that the separate window sections do not fit properly to allow for them to be posed open in the back, and the painting masks for them were less than satisfactory.  I actually wound up painting the window frames by hand, except for the section that was painted over on the real planes.  I am having some issues with getting my Kodak program on my computer to download photos from our camera, but I will get some photos taken soon and do my best to get them posted here.  I hope that everyone else is making some progress as well.

As promised, here is my finished project:

I wanted to include a shot of the engine, as Accurate Miniatures does a very nice job with replicating them in their kits.  The decals with this kit were nothing short of phenomenal and adhered very well even without using Micro Sol.  The final sealant is Testors Metalizer Sealer, airbrushed straight from the bottle (gotta love easy stuff).  Let the questions fly, I will be glad to share how I did what I did.

Scott,

Awesome work love the color scheme used. Thanks for being part of the build and showing us your work.

Now I just wish I could get time for building myself.

Thanks again hope you enjoyed the build.

Cheers,

Thom 

Don,

The Willow Green is straight out of the bottle Testors Model master enamel ("Willow Green", product #2028).  For the masking, I simply used Parafilm M, and fortunately for me, the tail markings were painted around naturally existing panel lines, which took out any guess work.  The paint really does come very close to matching the decal color, so I left well enough alone.  Thanks for the compliment, and let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thom,

Thanks for the compliments, and thanks for allowing me into the group.  Just because I have completed this build does not mean that I will not keep checking in on the progress of others.  Although I have a fair amount of stuff that I am committed to building now, later this year I may try to sneak another plane into this group build.  If nothing else, I will post a photo or two of the yellow-winged planes that I will be building for my USS Saratoga that I am working on now.

More Power Scotty wrote:

As promised, here is my finished project: I wanted to include a shot of the engine, as Accurate Miniatures does a very nice job with replicating them in their kits.  The decals with this kit were nothing short of phenomenal and adhered very well even without using Micro Sol.  The final sealant is Testors Metalizer Sealer, airbrushed straight from the bottle (gotta love easy stuff).  Let the questions fly, I will be glad to share how I did what I did.

Way Cool!

ps1scw,

Thanks!   I did not notice until I was looking at your comment that my photos have a January 1, 2003 date on them.  I swear, I just finished the build!  I guess that I need to figure out one more thing with our digital camera.  

That's probably running off of the firmware date for you camera - when you buy it and put a battery in for the first time, it typically comes up with the date the camera's firmware was released.  If you remove the battery for any length of time it will revert to that date when you put the battery back in.  While digital cameras can be so easy to use, setting them up before you start using them can be a royal pain.

And we do believe you. 

Don,

As fast as that camera goes through batteries, that is probably what happened.  Fortunately for me, the kit was not released back in 2003, so that adds a little credibility to my story.  Well, that and the fact that my first photos showed a 2007 date.

Sure, Scott.  We know what's really going on.

You have one of those flippin' sweet time machines!

Don,

You have figured out my secret.  Now I must ensure that you never let anyone else know.

*ulp*   homina homina homina.....

 You know, I'm having the devil of a time getting started.  I feel guilty as you know what working on a model while I'm supposed to be looking for a job (and my benefits run out at the end of the year, not to mention money).  But I will persevere, and hopefully slap something together worthy of your laughter admiration.  Oh yeah - and find a job, too.