Mud Movers GB - July 1st - Dec 31st 2008

Arki - that comp pic is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Super-sweet. Can't imagine how you're displaying these monsters!

I'm running out of room!

One month to go gentlemen.

Let me see if I can't take this one down to the wire.....I did get the stencils on Sunday evening, canopy has been Futured and the rockets and napalm tanks are painted.  Hope to shoot a coat of Future tonight and maybe get an oil wash on the Mustang by weekend.

Hate to see this GB end-it's been a fun and stayed active the entire time unlike some others I've been involved in.

I got the F-15E primed today (finally!) I hope to be able to airbrush it tomorrow.

The A-10 needs some work. That thing is a putty monster.

a fresh coat of future is currently drying on the mudhen.....tonight is another all nighter as I get ready for work tomorrow night....so hopefully, I can get some decals put on in the wee hours. With any luck, the F-15E will be complete by monday evening.

The Hog is coming along, though I am starting to wonder if the time waiting for parts might have been too much to overcome before the deadline. It is possible it could be finished, but it will be at 23:59 Dec 31st.

The SLUF on the other hand should be done in plenty of time. I primed it white already, but discovered some areas I need to touch up with some Surfacer 1000 before I spray the grey.

I snapped a quick shot of the F-15 just before I started the major decal work. Damn there are a lot of stencils on this thing!

Obviously missing a couple things. I attach the gas tanks and pylons after a panel wash, that way I can get everywhere....and the engine nozzles will get attached at the same time the gas bags do

Thanks Bob!

I am ahead of schedule this morning. I already have the second coat of future drying....perhaps it can be finished before I go to work this evening

Got the Mudhen all finished up....I attached the tanks and nozzles abotu five minutes before I had to leave for work. I hope to be able to set up the backdrop and take some photos of it tomorrow night before work

Next aircraft profile: A-1 Skyraider

Height: 15'-8"

Length: 38'-10"

Wingspan: 50'-0"

Weight: 25,000 lb maximum takeoff

Powerplant: Wright R-3350-26WA at 2,700 hp

Speed: 295 mph

Range: 1,315 miles

Armament:

(4) 20 mm cannons

Up to 8,000 lbs of ordnance on 15 external hardpoints

Ah......the good old Spad!

Here is my now complete F-15E

Nicely done Paul!   That's two F-15E's completed for the GB and your second build as well.  

Did you have any issues with the front windscreen by chance?  Mine was horribly bowed out.  Just curious. 

Thanks Arki.

I didn't have any issues at all with the windscreen....the only real issue that I had was with the outer wing sections. There was a pretty noticable step between the two parts.

-nice work Paul.  Keep'em coming.

I did get a panel wash on the Mustang last night and tried 'coloring' a few panels for the 'different grade of aluminium' effect.  Not sure if I like the results yet.  I'll try to post some pics later today.....after I drag the Christmas decorations out of the attic.....

edit-decorations are out of the attic, tree is up & decorated (actually, I just brought the stuff downstairs-my wife & son put the tree up & decorated)

Here is the Mustang.  Overall I'm happy with the oil wash-adds a little worn look to the plane.  Next time I will paint some panels with a different shade of Talon's paints.

Great stuff, you guys. Keep it up!

Bob - can't wait for the finish on that Mustang. NMF looks pretty sweet so far.

Thanks Dupes.  I don't think I'll do any pastel weathering like I had planned. I was using an article from a recent FSM regarding weathering a NMF and was wanting to try it.  So maybe I will......

Again, I can't say enough about the Talon acrylics-very easy to work with.  I'll order some different shades before my next NMF project.

wow Bob.....awesome....simply awesome.

Next profile, the Mil Mi-24 Hind.

Height: 21'-3"

Length: 57'-3"

Width: 21'-3"

Weight: 26,500 lbs max takeoff weight

Powerplant: (2) Isotov TV3-117 turbines @ 2,200 hp each

Speed: 208 mph

Range: 280 miles

Armament:

(1) Yakushev-Borzov Yak-3 12.7 mm gatling gun w/1,470 rounds

Up to 3,300 lb of external ordnance

Well, I was able to find the can adapter and hose for it, so I'll just have to pick up a can of air either tomorrow night on my way to work or Monday when I wake up.

Murphy's Law may have thrown me a curveball, but it does have a nice side effect.

With a can of air being a lot quiter than a compressor, I can now airbrush at night while the wife and kid is asleep.

I've got some work done on the Apache finally. The rear electronics sponsons in the kit are wrong for the D model, so I did a little modification.

The kit maintains the pointy ends like the A model, I cut this off and built it up with sheet plastic. Not 100% right, but a lot closer than it was.

Aaron, welcome back to the GB.  Nice to see some progress. 

I know less than nothing on the Apache, so I wouldn't know if the modification is close or far from correct, but I can say it looks like a success.

Murphy's Law is a b--th.

I am alll set to take a trip up to Harbor Freight and look into one of their compressors....but the weather is not cooperating. The roads are so icy that schools are closed and no one is going anywhere....hope I can get out. I hate hand brushing!

Lady luck shines at last!

About 10 this morning, the city trucks finally came up my hill and sanded the hill. I was able to make it to Harbor Freight and get a new compressor. I got one of their 3 gallon, 100 PSI jobs and added a moisture trap for less than 100 bucks. I intend on testing it out tonight!