The Forgotten War GB (6/25/08 - 2/28/09) - Deadline Extended Yet Again!

Mike-I was getting ready to recommend the Talon product, but then saw that you can't get them easily.  Bummer.  However, do you have access to Testor's products?  I used their spray can German Silver on an old Monogram P-51 kit before I had an airbrush and it looks good.  Probably with a little polishing & a coat of flat it might work.  You might also consider getting some old scrap plastic or kits and testing the various options that are available to you.

Good luck. 

Hi Charles --

Many thanks! I'd love to try the Talon acrylics with polishing powders, but you can't get them in this country, and the US mail won't carry them overseas. I'd have to order probably from Hannants in the UK. I would LOVE to get into Alclad, but the same story applies. Citadel is a range I've not even heard of! We have Gunze Aquaeous here but I don't think we can get their laquers...

I'll pull out the last acrylics shoot-out that FSM did and check their performance reports, I seem to recall the Tamiyas getting a better report than the range did ten years ago.

I just redid the yellow trim, more solid and the shade is more representational. She should be a beauty!

Cheers,

Mike

Mike:

From what I've used (which means this does not include ALL options) Alclad is very easy to use. I'ts even pre-thinned. The drawbacks would be the cost of buying several shades and cure-time needed to avoid problems. In the end it's very realistic.

Of the acrylics, I've tried Citadel products and the silvers are very fine pigments. They thin nicely with Tamiya thinner.

I have also tried, and like, the Gunze Sangyo laqcuer line of acrylics. They need sealed, but they are relatively finely ground.

I've not tried them, but I've not heard any negative reviews of the Talon products (by fellow GB member Hawkeye Hobbies). THose that have tried them, like them.

I've only tried the Tamiya acrylic XF-16 Aluminum and their chrome product. They are admitedly old bottles, so if Tamiya has re-formulated them, please disregard my comments.

Whatever you go with, I look forward to seeing your pics!

Charles

Hi Charles --

I see -- I heard Tamiya had ground their pigments much finer these days, I'm sorry to hear it's still a bit coarse. I might go with an enamels job, pulling back the brightness of silver with flat aluminium, to get the dulled-down look many planes exhibited in the severe weather conditions in Korea. I was mainly concerned about the pull-up effect of metallic enamels, if I was going to get at least a second tonal shade I'd need to mask and I've not had great results in the past.

I'll think about this,

Cheers,

Mike

MIke:

I've not used enamel, but rather acrylics and lacquer (Alclad). I guess it comes doen to the fineness of the metal flake in the pigment. Tamiya's acrylic metallic is fairly coarse (XF-16) and looks more like silver paint than metal, but I can't comment on their enamels...

Charles

Hi all,

I've finally managed to get some color on my Mustang -- I spraying the yellow trim. It's 12 years since I last sprayed the color yellow and it was only after I started that I remembered the covering opacity of yellow is practically nil (I didn't undercoat...). Oh well, it showed up a wingtip seam that needed correcting! I'll recoat today, and it gives me the chance to adjust the shade slightly, the color I'm seeing in references is definitely a warmer yellow than the one I used yesterday.

Still not decided whether the main metalic will be enamel or acrylic... Anybody here ever sprayed Tamiya's metalics? What are they like???

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

Yowsa!!  That is just too cool! The in flight display is awesome! Nicely done Charles.

Jerry

Yo Mucker -- fantastic job! The smoke display stand is amazingly effective. This is a superb build -- you should send a few photos to FSM, I'm sure they'd show up in Reader Gallery!

Mike/TB379

Woo hoo! I was hoping to sneak this in as the "last of 2008" but after I think about it I'm glad I didn't rush it. Rushing at the end is my nemesis.

Kudos to the cameraman who is making sure that you can't see the uneven areas of the yellow band. I borrowed the "smoke" display idea from other modellers I've seen on this and other forums. Just some stuffing "donated" from one of my childrens' toys. I haven't told them Stripey had liposuction yet.

Here is a Korean War T-33 (Hobbycraft 1/48) using decals from the kit. Big thanks to Mr. C. Wayne Sharp, who's Korean War T-33 build I used extensively as a reference. He was even kind enough to send me some pictures he hadn't posted of his build.

THere's still the better part of a month to complete your builds, guys!

She's coming along great, Jerry. The scratch work will put this over the top once it's painted Keep those progress pics coming. I've got a few more Sabres in the stash and I'm taking notes as you go along!

Charles

Wow!....the Alclad finish looks great Charles. That's a gorgeous model.

I really like the Mustang too Bob. The Talon finish is impressive as well.

I made a little progress with the Sabre. Hasegawa left alot of detail out in the area behind the seat so I did a little scratch building. I'm also in the process of swazzling up the gunsight. The fit of the nose cap was improved by adding a styrene shim. I hope to add the wing unit soon.

Cheeers.....Jerry

Mucker -- SWEET T-33! The Alclad looks fantastic, I wish we could get in over here! Nice save on the yellow band, the problems don't show through to photo-level. That's a great-looking plane!

Bobbailey -- Nice work! I'm buildng the same kit, using the third decal option, at the moment I'm trying to decide on the paintjob, whether to go with Tamiya acrylics and a solvent-based post-shading, or spray enamels and settle for a simple panel wash... She's a sweet build, that's for sure!

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

Great paint job & build Mucker.  Very impressive.

I've finished the Mud Movers GB so I can devote more time to the Sherman for this GB.  For what it's worth, my build for the Mud Movers was a Korean War F-51D

This was the Tamiya 1/48th kit-easy build and my first experience with NMF.  This plane was flown by Capt. Jim Rogers, pilot who also shot down a MiG-15 during his tour in Korea.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jwrogersjr.htm

Edit-Broke out the Sherman & the razor saw this evening.  Took care of removing parts of the suspension and gluing on the 'correct' parts for the Korean 'Easy Eight'.  This is an old Dragon kit-fit is questionable in some areas.  I'm not looking forward to the indy links.  But we are moving forward.....

Another update:

the major painting and decaling is done. I've got some smaller areas to finish such as the landing lights, etc. and then attaching to a base. Wing tanks and bombs will be added, too.

Almost there....

Sorry to hear that, Aaron. I know how you feel, though. At least your son brings a different perspective to it and saves it from being all for naught. Kids are neat that way.

I hope you can get the Panther in. I may have an extra bottle of the dark blue you need. If it becomes a problem for you, let me know and I'll see what I have.

I'll be going for the "save" of my yellow ID band again today.

Well unfortunately the F-84 just isn't going to happen. I tried to paint it and the silver made a weird alligator skin pattern due to the paint remnants beneath. My son however thinks it looks cool so I think we are going to finish it up for him, but it won't be anything ever seen over Korea.

This just sees to have been a cursed kit for me, I can't remember a build going so wrong. Not the kits fault it actually went together pretty well, just an unfortunate paint mishap.

I do have an F9F Panther in the stash. Since we have a 30 day extension I might try to squeeze it in to replace the F-84, at least I won't have to deal with a NMF. I'm not sure if I have the blue paint for it though which could be a problem.

Aaron, Steve, son't be shy about posting some progress pics!

So what did y'all get model-related ofr Xmas? My father found a cool book for me called "Fight Talk". It was published in 1945 and shows all of the signs a wire and cable company that supplied the army posted in their factories to boost morale and improve the quality of the cable and wire going to the "boys" on the front line. As you page through you realize it really was a different world back then. it was a pretty neat gift to get.

Charles

Hey Everyone!

There are some great builds going here. I haven't been at the bench since early October - don't you hate it when work gets in the way of fun? Anyway, I have next week off and January is usually one of my slowest work months so I expect to get the A/B-26 Invader finished by the Jan 31 deadline.  I started re-scribing it today and also am working on converting the glass bomber nose into the gunship nose.  I used Super Fine Milliput to change the shape and now I need to sand to shape and figure out how to make the gun ports.  As I get a little more progress made, I will post some pictures.  Thanks!

Steve 

Hey Charles....stopped by to see whats going on during my lets call it "Sabbatical"....the pit snd piots look great..very nice shading, great depth on the figures. The allclad looks great too...you are becoming a pro with that stuff...KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. Hope to join you all again this coming year!

Well I wish you my friend and everyone else a very Merry Christmas and my Santa bring you many kits for the new year!!!!

Carlos

Thanks, Jerry. I'm finally comfortable with the Alclad procedure of Tamiya Gloss Black covered by Future. 48 hour minimum cure time. Alclald. So far no cracking.

My guess is that I didn't let the Tamiya gloss white cure enough before applying the model masters yellow. It coud be that the Model Masters thinner reacted with the not-cured Tamiya paint (which I used Tamiya thinner on)?

I should probably ask Triarius! He knows this kind of stuff.

****************

Well, I'm off to Cleveland for the Holidays. I may even be able to break away to a hobby shop or two.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Charles