Lockheed GB anyone?

Mucker, that is a perfect time frame, coun't me in with what ever I've got in the stash, hmm, lets see:

Monogram P-51 and P-38, Heller Arado Ar195, two old 1:144 jets (Mig23, F4 phantom, partially built), the AMT/Ertl three Starship Enterprise set and an Airfix BF 110c.   Oh yeah and I can't forget my Monogram B-17s!  Not a whole lot but it'll keep me going!

Keep in mind 4 years is just OOB. For AM parts and scratch build add 2 and 3 years, respectively.

I remember starting this large Trumpeter P-38L about 3 years ago and thinking how nice of a kit it is. I apparently hadn't gotten to the body assembly yet. Don't get me wrong...it's a very nice kit with a LOT of parts, but as I am attaching wing to engine boom and thinking that the only decals options and for NMF, there is a lot of little spots that need filler and fine sanding. I guess the best way to put it is "it's not a quick build".

Still nothing photo-worthy at this point.

Hang in the Mucker she really is not that bad. The sheer number of parts is enough to make you go running to your stash and pull out a nice  1/48 Tamagawa kit to slap together. I have all of the major assemblies build and mocked up. It looks like a little seem work will be in order but all in all not to bad. Actually mine is not for this build but for the P-38 group build I decided to punish myself furthur by chosing the 1/48 Classic Airframes Lockheed Model 14 for this group build. So far the fit is not bad but ever seem is just a bit off and many parts need to be reshapped. I just wanted to build something classic for this build. I have made some progress with it but nothing worth posting pictures of yet. Both builds are moving at a snails pace and driving me nuts! Thank God everyone here is very relaxed about deadline on group builds. I will probally need the whole year on both of them to get them done.

                                                                                     Soulcrusher

ruddratt wrote:

Soulcrusher, yep, we're a fairly easy going bunch here. I've never been crazy about deadlines anyway, especially when it comes to doing something that relaxes us. We like to keep it fun, so take your time and enjoy!

That's good news!  I sure haven't been setting any records with my F-16 progress.

I'm with Mucker.  I have been doing my modeling from the sidelines since Christmas.  I have enjoyed seeing those 1/32 kits going together though.  Those are impressive kits and the work going into them is inspiring.

ruddratt wrote:

Soulcrusher, yep, we're a fairly easy going bunch here. I've never been crazy about deadlines anyway, especially when it comes to doing something that relaxes us. We like to keep it fun, so take your time and enjoy!

Thats how you run a good Group Build.........well said my friend.

Now.......lets see some more F-16 progress pics!

Just following the excellent example you guys set on the now famous FAA build, Darren. That is one of the key aspects of it that make it so appealing to me.

....and progress pics are upcoming, but unfortunately not on the F-16 (at least not yet ). For now, think biplanes......

Daywalker wrote:

At my local IPMS show today, I managed to win a Tamiya 1/32 F-16CJ in the raffle!  This thing is cool!  May have to change my entry to one of these if I can figure out where to put it!

I know someplace.........BC is a big province, buddy!

*Prepares for rock-paper-scissors duel with Dave*

Seriously, sweet pick-up, my friend! I'm all prepared to change your entry again...just say the word.

TANGO 1 wrote:

Understood. I'll get over there and take a look.

I should have some up there in a few days, Darren. Looks like I'm getting into the mood again (paraphrasing 'Monty Python') to "put wings on top of other wings".

I am happy for you Frank nice score! Could you rub a little bit of that luck off on me I could use it. I just reinjured the same shoulder I did 6 months ago and it makes modeling a little painfull. Figures just as my schedule was starting to open up time wise injured again. My Classic Airframes Model 14 is sitting there mocking me as a type. We enoy and get crackin on that F-16 she is gonna take some time. Mabye you and I might finish about the same time!

                                                                                        Soulcrusher

The P-38 is going together bit by bit. I can see I have a lot of body work to putty and sand my way through, most of it my fault. Call it error operator when assembling. This things is BIG and hard to hold while you glue. The interior was done about 3 years ago...the instructions called for a black seat which I didn't think twice about back then...now it seems like it should be interior green or aluminum. Any of you know what the "L" variant seat color was?

Oh, and Soulcrusher, I hope the shoulder starts feeling better. There's nothing worse than having time to model but not being able to.

Thanks Mucker it is tought getting old. She looks good so far.  I painted my seat interior green like the rest of the cockpit. You are almost caught up with me on my entry for the P-38 group build. I hope my old wing heals quickly so I can get some good bench time in and make some progress on my Model 14 and P-38.

                                                                                    Soulcrusher

Nice work Mucker she's really coming along and sorry but no I don't have any idea what the seat color was on the "L" variant.

Cheers

i know its late, but there still time to build some models for the GB

I'll be building a Testors 1/48 SR-71B BlackBird Trainer

Holy cow!! That is one HUGE model, Charles! Lookin' real nice, too!

chewybr, welcome to the GB! There's still plenty of time to join in on the fun. Looking forward to seeing your work. You've been added to the list on page one, so help yourself to a group badge!

the SR-71 is coming along nicely, i've been avg about 4 hours a night so its coming all together so fast

 i have friday and the  weekend off. so i should be done...and then all i need to do is paint the bird, which will be easy cause its back

SC- thanks Mike!  I can't wait to build it, though will be a while as I have no idea where I would it put it yet.  Sorry to hear about your shoulder, here's a little good luck for ya!

Charles- Wow, that thing is massive!  I can see why you need such a heavy-duty clamp to hold it together.   As for the seat color, I don't know nor could I find any reference photos.  If I had to fathom a guess, I would go with Int. Green.

chewybr!  Looking forward to seeing your work.

Charles,

your build looks like its coming along nicely-it'll be a most impressive sight when its done.

As for the seat colour, I would also go with int.green like Frank suggested. 

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here she is, when i was moving to around to take the pic i broke off the rear wing :(

That's huge, Chewy...nice looking Blackbird! Classic beauty.

Progress on the P-38: I've got it just about put together, but now the long road of putty and sanding will start. Since I'm sure to ruin some detail and not everything lines up perfectly, I'm shying away from the NMF finish and looking for an OD/NG scheme. I found a plate in my P-38 In Action book of "Geronimo II"...one of the only OD/NG P-38L schemes I coudl find. A friend is going to try to whip up some decals.

Do any of you know of aftermarket declas for a P-38L that are NOT NMF?

Hey Mucker I have since glued my booms to the wing and i also have hade some ugly gaps appear on the under wing to boom joint. It is inevitable on this bird that some of the nice rivet detail will be lost in the effort to eliminate some of these unwanted gaps. Me myself I would rather lose the detail and have flush joints. I have done a little research and it appears all L series were delivered in NMF. I have not uncovered any photos of L models with field applied camo either. I prefer camo over NMF also but in this case it looks like I am have to give it my best effort. the plane I am modeling Major George Lavin Jr. plane Itsy Bitsy has alot of panels painted black so there will be alot less NMF showing than normal. Where are your worst gaps appearing? The fit on the top of the wing to the boom was pretty nice but the under wing gaps are pretty nasty.

                                                                             Soulcrusher

SC: The wing-to-boom fit on both sides is less than perfect on mine. One of the underside wing to boom areas is absolutely aweful, but I can't really fix it without setting myself back weeks. I'm thinking that as it is unseen on the underside, I'll give it a little more work to mnimize the impact but that's it.

I really like the Itsy Bitsy scheme, but I'm holding out for some camo. If there was just one or two flaws in my assembly, I'd let it go, but I gaffed in too many areas on this one.

Nonetheless, I blame my self for most of the goofs and still maintain that Trumpeter has put out a very nice and detailed kit.