US Army Air Corps GB - Deadline extended again to June 30, 2009

I agree that the effect with the PE flaps will be great but they sure were fidgety little buggers to install.

Charles, the Legend set was a breeze to work with.  I do feel like I'm going all out on this build with some new things, like the flaps, that I've not tackled before.  Today I affixed brake lines to the struts and while testing fitting the struts, decided that Academy doesn't give a lot of connectivity strength for those parts - it's a tiny little knob that is intended to support the weight of the kit.  I know it will support that weight, but I am mulling drilling out the struts and inserting brass rod to give it additional support.

A little more progress to talk about.  Sorry, no photos.  My own computer has decided to die - not sure what's happening there, someone said I may have a virus but I wonder if the motherboard might be done - so I'm on my wife's PC where I don't have my photo software.

Any way, I did drill out the struts and inserted a piece of rod to give more strength to those parts.  Have not attached the struts yet permanently but did test the attachment strength and it looks good.

Per my resource book, the P-36 did not have windscreen framing along the front curvature of the windscreen.  Instead there was a bar installed inside at the top with two wires (four total)attached and coming down the inside of the windscreen and connected to the fuselage.  I have decided to replicate that first by sanding off the molded on framing, sanding the part down with 12000 grit sandpaper, and now it has a coat of Future drying.  There was a tiny bit of hazing left over from the sanding but I'm thinking the Future will clear it up, if not I'll strip the Future and go at that piece again.

I next have to fashion that bar and wiring.  I have a good piece of wire for the bar but I'm not sure that I have anything small enough to do the double wires on either side.  I may end up just doing a single wire for each side.

Fini.  Hasegawa's 1/48 P-38J with PYN-Up Decals, Alcad and MM paints, Eduard PE detailing.

I have a few seams with didn't quite come out like I'd hoped, but for the most part I'm happy with her.  The PYN-Up decals were superb.

Thanks for the hosting this GB Aggieman!  Great opportunity for me to finally build a P-38.

Good work on that P-38.

I've enjoyed hosting the group builds that I hosted because I've been able to follow someone else's work on a particular kit and even implemented procedures that I've noticed other's using in some of my own builds.

Finally some progress photos (first) and then completion photos in a subsequent posting.

Flaps:

Landing Gear:

Windscreen:

And now on to the finished build.

The decals are actually spares I had left over from a P-40B build I did about a year ago and in this use are probably fictitious - I know these particular markings were used on a P-40B but have not found any visual evidence that these markings were ever used on P-36s.  The kit decals - which being Academy have a bad reputation - were intended either for a French Lend-Lease unit or for a NMF version that I was unable to do because of the damage that I caused to the right upper wing.

Inspired by the photo Viper posted of his P-36s, I have 2 more pictures to show.  My just-finished 1/48 Academy kit alongside my ancient (built in '96) 1/72 Monogram kit.

Yeah - gorgeous work, aggieman.

Looks like you could hop right in and go for a ride.

Holy Page Three Aggieman!

Only two weeks to go and I finally started the P-26.  Wings are together as are the wheels and wheelpants.  Have hit it with a dark gray auto primer to keep the yellow plastic from bleeding through.  Will hit it with Tamiya after a light sanding.  Pretty sure I'll make the deadline, it seems to be a fairly simple kit--wait a minute, I said that about the High Planes kit for the Mustang build too.  Will post pics when I have something to shoot.

Looking really nice , Steven.

I'm a bit behind schedule...I'd like to change my entry, too. I just MIGHT pull it off in time: 1/48 Hasegawa P-51D in lieu of the P-47N. I just started today painting the interior parts. I have an old KMC resin kit which is really nice.

in all honesty I probably won'yt finish by the 8th but I'll give her a good run!

Charles,

I've updated your entry and extended the deadline so you don't feel like you have to meet the 8th.

I actually like it when the wife heads out for a night or two with our daughter but I find that if I don't have anything on the modeling bench, I don't know what to do with myself.  Since it's not football season and there aren't any movies these days worthy of my hard-earned dollars.

Looking forward to the 'Stang.

Well I'm making some great progress on the cockpit and interior pieces...almost done with this part. For some reason  the radio compartment looking rather "lacking". Ad minimum, I'd like to add some wiring. I'm also going to flat cote the "wood" floor and add a few spots of red to the interior. I need to Future the gauges as well.

Would any of the goos folks out there have any reference pics of the radio compartment?

The good news is that the bulf of the work is almost done.

Fellow Army AC/AF builders,

I'm trying to squeeze in my 3rd bird for this GB.  Its coming down to the wire.

I am working on Academy's P-47N, which I hope will have a NMF when I'm done.  I shot a coat of Krylon gloss black the other night & I did have some very slight orange peel.  This is my first time using Krylon.  I think my problem was, I was shooting too far away.  The stuff dried very quickly.  Luckily, I was able to wet sand the peel after 48hrs.  After washing up the model, I shot some more Krylon from my AB.  This time I stayed a little closer & got a much nicer sheen.  The minor peel that remained seemed to diminish as the paint leveled.

I'm hoping I'll make the deadline

Looking forward to it, Darth...I'm also interested in your comments on the kit as I have one in my stash.

 As for me I will come down to the wire, as well. Work and family vacation has slowed my down a bit but it's still possible by month's end. I am almost ready to spray the black undercoat for my NMF (Hasegawa P-51D).

Doesn't look like I'll be able to make the deadline

I was able to lay down the primer coat of gloss black & get a nice shiny coat of Alclad2 polished aluminum on my P47N.  I masked off the cowling & empannage for yellow, but need to hit it again.  I want to make sure it has cured.  Once the 2nd shot cures, I'm just going to leave the masks on & hit the yellow with future, then decal & dullcote it.  I'm not planning on putting any kind of cote on the NMF.  Once the yellow is done, I need to spray the anti-glare.  I won't be able to finish by 5/31.

Mucker, let's keep in touch, when I get this thing finished, I'll shoot you a PM.  Although I'm realitively inexperienced, I haven't had any issues with this kit.  Everything has gone together pretty well & the details look great.

Not gonna make it either.  Airbrush crapped out on me.  Gonna see what they've got at Squadron on Fri.  If ya'll ain't doing anything this weekend, Scalefest is going on in Grapevine TX, just north of DFW airport.  In addition to the contest, Squadron is having an open house.

darth_trader wrote:

Mucker, let's keep in touch, when I get this thing finished, I'll shoot you a PM.  Although I'm realitively inexperienced, I haven't had any issues with this kit.  Everything has gone together pretty well & the details look great.

Aboslutely, Darth. THat's good to hear that no major issues have happened. Personally, I like the Academy kits I've built.

Lewbud: I'm envious of you Texans. Not only do yo have nice weather and beautiful women down there, but you have Squadron in your state!

Steven: I'll be pushing the limit. I got my masks in yesterday and need to spray the gloss black undercoat tonight. I usually let this cure for 48 hours, so I'll have the 30th and 31st to get busy!

So far it's going along very nicely, though. I don't remember any major issues with the Tamiya P-51D, and this Hasegawa kit hasn't given me much trouble either (knock on wood).

mucker wrote:

Lewbud: I'm envious of you Texans. Not only do yo have nice weather and beautiful women down there, but you have Squadron in your state!

Mucker,

I will definitely agree with you about the women.  Weather is nice right now, but will be hating it August when there's been no rain for over a month and the daily highs run about 100F.  Now I know the guys in the desert will say that's nothing but remember it's a DRY heat.  Gonna be in your fine state towards the end of next month.  Hitting the Corvette Factory and Museum on the way to the Bloomington Gold Corvette meet near Chi-town.

Lewbud: Wave  to me as you get clos eto the Ohio border and you pass the "Florence Y'all" water tower I-75. That's 10 minutes fom my house.

Steven: I won't miss it by long. I'm happy with being past the deadline...I'll still "git er done"

Aggieman wrote:

With all these "not gonna make it"s what say I extend the deadline to June 30?  (I won't actually be around on that date as I'll be touring this State on vacation with my family)

Would say your call, but it looks like you've already made it.  You gonna try to make Scalefest Saturday?