Lockheed GB anyone?

Go on. Build it. You know you want to..........................

Nobody is building a U-2 or an SR-71?  Yikes!

Maybe I should change my entry to one of those.  Any opinions?

Mike, with your permission I have an idea.  I have a 1/48 U-2R and a 1/48 SR-71.  My idea is to ask for a vote by the other GB members for which one I should build.  Whichever has the most votes by 12:00pm Monday is the one I will build.  Any objections/ideas?

darson wrote:

TANGO 1 wrote: Darren, many thanks! Got the pics this evening and they are a great help. I'm still working on the 'pit and have to say that I am not sure that I am happy with my efforts on the I/P so far. I've used the Eduard set and am seriously thinking of replacing it with the kit item. I'll finish both then fit whichever turns out best. No probs at all, if you need any more of any particular area of the aircraft just let me know. I'm using the Eduard set myself but I'm afraid I'm stuck with it come what may as I've already shaved off all the IP detail so that I can attach the PE bits. Cheers

Darren,

I compared both I/P's and to my taste, the Tamiya one has more detail, I plan to use the decals for the instruments and see how it looks when I'm finished. I tried this technique on my Corsair II a while back and it worked. I think the Eduard I/P will be fine so long as you are carefulwhen you paint it up. The pit definately needs lots of creful painting to bring out all that detail, I'm still working on mine............

Hopefully, I get it right now I have some good pics to work from.

Daywalker wrote:

mucker wrote: I appreciate it, Frank. I'll keep that offer in mind as I plough forward. How isthe Academy kit by the way? I hear it fits nicer than the Hasegawa one.  I heard the same thing, which is why I chose the Academy kit over my Hasegawa kit.  If the Academy one is the better fitting version, then my sympathies friend... Here is one of the booms with the warpage... Good luck!  I'll be keeping a close eye on yours!

Ouch....look at the bright side: that bird must out-turn anything in the skys in left hand turns Ok OK that was bad...

The warpage isnt as bad in the boom on the Hasegawa kit but the boom-to-center section fit has some large steps. I'd like to build the Academy kit one of these days and will be really interested to follow your build. Keep those pictures coming.

TANGO 1 wrote:

Darren, many thanks! Got the pics this evening and they are a great help. I'm still working on the 'pit and have to say that I am not sure that I am happy with my efforts on the I/P so far. I've used the Eduard set and am seriously thinking of replacing it with the kit item. I'll finish both then fit whichever turns out best.

No probs at all, if you need any more of any particular area of the aircraft just let me know.

I'm using the Eduard set myself but I'm afraid I'm stuck with it come what may as I've already shaved off all the IP detail so that I can attach the PE bits.

Cheers

Daywalker wrote:

Sorry if this was intentional, but did you know the control wheel is on upside down?  Just thought I would mention it in case it was accidental.

Aaack! Shows how much I know about P-38's!

Darren (Tango 1), that F-117 by Tamiya is a sweet kit! I have one in my stash but have been putting off building it until I can get my mitts on some AM for it. That 'pit just screams for super-detailing, especially with that huge canopy wide open! Can't wait to see how yours turns out, and I just know you'll come up with another of your awesome trademark display bases for it too!

mucker wrote:

I appreciate it, Frank. I'll keep that offer in mind as I plough forward. How isthe Academy kit by the way? I hear it fits nicer than the Hasegawa one.

I heard the same thing, which is why I chose the Academy kit over my Hasegawa kit.  If the Academy one is the better fitting version, then my sympathies friend...

Here is one of the booms with the warpage...

Good luck!  I'll be keeping a close eye on yours!

I appreciate it, Frank. I'll keep that offer in mind as I plough forward.

How isthe Academy kit by the way? I hear it fits nicer than the Hasegawa one. 

My pleasure!  Always glad to help.  Many times fresh eyes have saved me from doing similar things.

I have spent a lot of time lately looking at photos of early Lightning offices.  The Academy P-38E kit I am working on has the gun firing button on the wrong side of the wheel.  Now, I have to either make a new one, or somehow grind it off w/o damaging it and make a new one for the other side.  If you need any other photos, just ask!  I have the P-38 Squadron walk-around with quite a few B&W and color photos of early Lightnings. 

Daywalker wrote:

Mucker- Nice detail and a great looking office!  Sorry if this was intentional, but did you know the control wheel is on upside down?  Just thought I would mention it in case it was accidental.

I'm glad you pointed that out...it completely slipped past me and I doubt I would have paid that close attention now that the cockpit is in...at least it's repairable! Thank you.

I should have used a lame excuse like: The pilot was backing into his parking spot.

Mucker-

Nice detail and a great looking office!  Sorry if this was intentional, but did you know the control wheel is on upside down?  Just thought I would mention it in case it was accidental.

Mucker,

superb work my friend! I really like all those details in the 'pit, very nice indeed!

Darren,

many thanks! Got the pics this evening and they are a great help. I'm still working on the 'pit and have to say that I am not sure that I am happy with my efforts on the I/P so far. I've used the Eduard set and am seriously thinking of replacing it with the kit item. I'll finish both then fit whichever turns out best.

razordws wrote:

Looks great Mucker those Eduard zoom kits are the cat's meow aren't they.

You're not kidding there, Dave. For a relatively small price the color zoom fret really spruces up a mundane cockpit. After a few trials and errors with the small PE pieces I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. Maybe for Christmas Santa will will bring a PE folding tool?

darson wrote:

Charles that looks excellent , you've done a really bang up job on the front office.  As to the slight warp you were mentioning, it's not noticeable from your photos. Cheers

Thanks darson and Mike. You can't see the warp from the picture (intentional), but I should probably take one looking right at the plane from it's 12 o'clock. You'll see 1 tail fin at 90 degrees and theother at 95-100 degrees. It's not THAT bad, but I am being particularly anal with this build. Since this is a GB and it's still WIP it won't be embarassing to post a pic of the warpage...some of the wisdom out there may have a better solution that the hot water treatment I'm planning. I'll try to get a pic tonight.

Charles that looks excellent , you've done a really bang up job on the front office.  As to the slight warp you were mentioning, it's not noticeable from your photos.

Cheers

Well I've got a big jump on the Hasegawa P-38F...although the pace will slow down considerably from here as I have a lot of body work to do! I'd have to say this kit is giving me a good run for the money and challenging me in every way. My strategy so far has been patience...something I hope I can continue. I've read many have shelfed the kit in frustration before.

The fit is sub-par for Hasegawa and I have a slight warp in one enginer boom in the tail area...I'm thinking some hot water may take care of this. If I can pull this off I'll be pleased that I was able to "model" a little.

As this is a gift for my father, and will sit undisturbed for a long time on his shelf, I plan to build it with a closed canopy. I have the squadron vac-for canopy which is supposed to be easier than the 4 piece kit canopy.

Here' what I have so far: I've used the eduard color zoom kit for the interior. 

TANGO 1 wrote:

Hey folks-hows it goin' over here? A quick update from me.............work started on my F-117 today and I got the bang seat and I/P painted. I have already put a display base on my drawing board and I have a couple of neat idea's as to how I'm going to pose this one when I'm done.

Daz I have some excellent references on the F-117 including some great photos of the cockpit and wheel wells.  I'll shoot them through to you tonight when I get home from work.

Also don't forget the exhaust vents on the Night Hawk are titanium gold with a row of (off) white space shuttle tiles at the end.  I'll add a photo of this to the other stuff I'll send you.

Cheers 

Hey folks-hows it goin' over here?

A quick update from me.............work started on my F-117 today and I got the bang seat and I/P painted. I have already put a display base on my drawing board and I have a couple of neat idea's as to how I'm going to pose this one when I'm done.

Also......I picked up a 1/72 SR-71 at the UK nats last weekend. I may build that one as well..........

Dave, that is an awesome plane! Would that be the Hasegawa kit?

SoD, you've got a spot reserved should you decide to join our GB. It's a fun group we've got assembled here, and you and your Blackbird would be more than welcome!

SoD Stitch wrote:

... I'll let you know if I'm stupid enough to join another GB!

Oh wait, I already joined this one!!! 

Mike, still haven't bought a kit for this one yet as I have not found the one I'm looking for but my LHS has a CF-104 that is calling my name.

What?!?!??!? Nobody's doing a YF-12/SR-71?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I haven't decided yet, but I may join; I've got a YF-12A in a box that's about 25% done; I plan on swapping out the GAR-9's for a couple of first-generation SRAM's (there was a nuclear strike version of the F-12A on the drawing board in 1965 that would've been capable of launching SRAM's from 80K feet; imagine the range those things would've had!). I'll let you know if I'm stupid enough to join another GB!

Mike,

I've had this one around for a few years.  Every time I pulled it outta the box and read about the fit problems, I broke into a sweat and put 'er back in the box.  But, no... not THIS time! 

Daywalker wrote:

I had both this one and the Hasegawa one, but decided to go with Academy as most write-ups say it's the BEST fitting one of the bunch!

I built one of those many moons ago, buddy. Turned out OK. I don't remember any warped parts, though. Is yours a re-release or one you've had kicking around for a while?