Classic Kit GB [Official Thread]

Don't think the hole I was asking about is for the radio antenna - the antenna (if present) on AT-6 (and SNJ as far as I know) is on the starboard (right facing forward) side just ahead of the canopy.  The kit's antenna mounting location is flashed over on piece 11 (or 47 for the SNJ with machine gun) and needs to be opened.  The hole I'm talking about wasn't flashed over.  Checking the decal diagram, the hole is just in front of decal DD which reads "Move brush lifting lug on rear of starter to off position for hand cranking."  I guess its for manual starting.

Barry 

That was actually my first idea....a cranking point, just like on a TBD Devasatator, but I don't know squat about SNJ/Texans

(and actually...."abaft" would be more accurate if the point mentioned was at mid-fuselage or aft of that) 

I had an old Peugeot car that had a cranking hole in the front bumper, and a crank. Really came in handy when setting the timing.

John would know about that aperture.

I found the color scheme for the Sunderland which is a little different than that on the box, but seems to match the codes that came in the decals. Oh, they shattered in a test, so scan and print it will have to be. Or, I may paint the markings, since there's only roundrels, flashes and two digit codes.

Ahh, but of course... The old pigout had all kinds of desert rally survival features that are hard to remember now, like washable air filter, valve train all in the block i.e. flat head. Low compression, easiest car I ever had to bump start.

Absolutely indestructible channel framed, giant coil spring, refillable shock third world turkey.

It finally met its end through transmission failure, but is was a beautiful 3 speed ZF

viper_mp wrote:

Well folks, the Dauntless has bested me.  There are too many issues with the build [being it is a 2nd hand model] to build it with working anything.  not only that, but I have broke two dive flaps, and took a chunk out of a third [drilling holes].  So for now, I'm kickin it aside and switching it for a Classic re-issue Revell A3D Skywarrior

I am SO close to ripping the cockpit out and installing a firecracker instead The age of the Dauntless molds definetely shows...If I do continue, It's going to have to be mounted on a stand anyway since I forgot to install the gear struts before putting the wing halves together.  I plan to get a cheap wooden base and use brass rod somehow attached to the model.

Yeah, its the ole A3D /RB-66.  Funny thing is I have it as both.  One is an A3D the other is an RB-66. The difference....engines and markings.

Ben- I know the feeling. The istructions werent very clear and I ended up installing the gear wrong.  The port side is on the starbord and visa versa.  So the first time I attempted to retract them, it broke a pin inside.  now they will lock in the closed position, but not in the open.  So it wouldnt sit right if I left it.  Have to glue.  This really is a crappy kit.  

Rob.....I think I would like to withdraw the B-26 from this build and stick with the P-47 Raz. With the time frames what they are.....I'd like to join the Medium Bomber GB also.....and I can use the B-26 for that.....without buying any new kits! Heck, I'm still stocking my paint supplies!

Hope this is okay? 

Okay.....

I realize we don't have numbers or comraderie (yet) of say....FAA GB....but let's not let the thread go to Page 2!

Has anyone building come across any 'age related' kit troubles or contemplating some AM stuff to beef up the kit? 

Don't know if its 'kit age' related, or my age related, or lack of basic skills, but I'm on my third try with this %#&! AT-6 instrument panel.  The molded on detail just doesn't seem to have enough relief to catch enough paint off a dry brush to make it stand out.  I have some Mike Grant instrument decals and a Waldron punch set and I have been tempted to use them for the instrument faces.  My plan is to give the panel one more shot - this time using stretched sprue as a paint carrier.  We'll see how that works.

By the way, I made an interesting (to me) observation during the paint-swear-strip-paint (repeat) operation.  I use Tamiya acrylics and do not usually use a primer.  For this build I experimented with Tamiya's Fine Surface Primer (L).  I found that the acrylic paint came right off the parts that had been primed (just using a regular kitchen cleaner spray "Fantastic" to strip the paint) but the paint stuck strongly to the parts that had not been primed.  I would have expected exactly the opposite - isn't that what a primer is for?

Barry 

drdull wrote:

Don't know if its 'kit age' related, or my age related, or lack of basic skills, but I'm on my third try with this %#&! AT-6 instrument panel.  The molded on detail just doesn't seem to have enough relief to catch enough paint off a dry brush to make it stand out.  I have some Mike Grant instrument decals and a Waldron punch set and I have been tempted to use them for the instrument faces.  My plan is to give the panel one more shot - this time using stretched sprue as a paint carrier.  We'll see how that works. By the way, I made an interesting (to me) observation during the paint-swear-strip-paint (repeat) operation.  I use Tamiya acrylics and do not usually use a primer.  For this build I experimented with Tamiya's Fine Surface Primer (L).  I found that the acrylic paint came right off the parts that had been primed (just using a regular kitchen cleaner spray "Fantastic" to strip the paint) but the paint stuck strongly to the parts that had not been primed.  I would have expected exactly the opposite - isn't that what a primer is for? Barry

That's wierd, but I've never used a primer with Tamiya acryls and they seem to do just fine. I only use a primer with Alclad, which is Krylon gloss black decanted and sprayed by airbrush.

I havent tried the Tamiya primer, but I almost always prime all my models with Wal-mart's $.94 equipment grey primer.  Works great. 

As for the IP, try using a silver pencil instead of dry brushing.  It might work.   So far the only problems I'm having with the A3D is the basic "it dont fit" problem.  

Don't want you guys to think I have Bailed out on you or something like that. I have been trying to finish up the Partial Builts taking up my workbench. You know those projects that get sidelined because you do not have the right color of paint .                                                      Sean
 

Finally got the instrument panel to an acceptable (if not great) place by using stretched sprue.  Not knowing what I was doing, I first tried using the very tip of the sprue as a sort of single strand paint brush - didn't work.  Then I tried dragging the side of the sprue across what little raised detail there is on the panels.  That worked fine as long as I was careful not to get the sprue too close to the back part of the panel.  I'll try and post some pictures soon.

As for the primer - yeah, it is strange.  As I said, it was an experiment and I think I'll stick with straight paint until I have a problem.  I sort of forgot the "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." rule.  Looking forward to seeing what you guys do with the SBDs.  I remember having that kit as a kid (a long, long time ago). 

drdull wrote:

Finally got the instrument panel to an acceptable (if not great) place by using stretched sprue.  Not knowing what I was doing, I first tried using the very tip of the sprue as a sort of single strand paint brush - didn't work.  Then I tried dragging the side of the sprue across what little raised detail there is on the panels.  That worked fine as long as I was careful not to get the sprue too close to the back part of the panel.  I'll try and post some pictures soon. As for the primer - yeah, it is strange.  As I said, it was an experiment and I think I'll stick with straight paint until I have a problem.  I sort of forgot the "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." rule.  Looking forward to seeing what you guys do with the SBDs.  I remember having that kit as a kid (a long, long time ago).

Nor sure you want to look forward to seeing mine Every time I  paint or add a part, I find another problem, but I'm fairly determined to finish it working parts or not.

Okay, update, sorry, no pics right now...

The P-40E, I screwed up the landing gear, & have to finish it "in flight". (I'll be darned if I'm not finishing it.) But it is a learning tool. (note to self, Never use super thin CA glue to attach a retaining cap on working landing gear...it seeps & locks up...)

Pappy's Corsair---all major assemblies together...Fuselage, Wing, Engine, & cowling, all together, wing-foldup & down. (will have to display w/wings up though, one side has a small gap when wing in down position, will provide pic at a later date.) Forwarning, I am going to be painting free hand w/AB, the three colors, just so you are forewarned. I'm glad to be in a GB, (MY FIRST), w/o AM parts, been waiting for it actually, but I need to work on some painting skills though.

 Regards, Dave.

P.S. When doing the "separation lines between the colors, should I be using a lower pressure?

Thanks in advance.

The lower the pressure, the finer the tip, and the thinner the paint you can make go through the spray gun the better.  With a gravity feed gun it's not too hard to do freehand, but with a suction feed it is harder because it takes more air pressure to lift the paint up to the nozzle.  Best to loosely mask it with paper if you can.

Freehanding demarkation lines is tough, because its hard to fill in behind the line with the same tip. If mimicking the little 1 inch guy with the paint gun, it takes a bunch of passes.

Tip from me who is not a good modeler, but leathery with experience. The classic olive drab over neutral gray demark, is a soft spray at full size, but a pretty sharp spray at 1/72.

I clamp the sucker (wingy mess), hold a piece of index card in the left paw, the spray dealy in the right stump, and with the paper abt 1/4" from the skin of the victim, spray along front to back. Trick learned from the old days of rattly cans out back of Mom's which btw is still not uncommom (new Mom).

BTW gravity cups are good, but I always wear the "you aren't going out in those!" clogs.

Bondo, thanks for the data....with a tri-color F4U, (white, med & dark blue), is it wiser to work bottom to top, or vise versa?

John, sorry my AB is an Iwata Dual action Grav. feed, should have mentioned that.

Mike, Yeah, I realize that now, should have used an old stand by, the Testors Orange & White bottle. Guess I just carried away/zoned in on the build.

Will be putzing tonight on both birds....update w/i 18-48 hours.

Dave

Hey guys, wanted to let you know I havent abandoned y'all.  I've been on pre-deployment training. [no, I wont be deployed, but my unit will]. But I get to run maneuvers with them for the next couple of weeks.  No modeling, but I get to shoot my M134D mini-gun.  So its all good with me.

Hart- For the Navy tri-color scheme, I start with the white, then mask it and do the intermediate blue, then mask that and do the see blue.  then go back and touch up.  I did this one recently on a P-59 Airacomet and it came out real nice.  i used tamiya flat white, and then MM enamels for the other two.  On mine, I mask the white to blue line, but I freehanded the other demarcation.  I do the same with SEA camo, mask from the light to dark, then freehand from medium to dark.