BUILD PROGRESS SO FAR

It's been a couple days of final exams and I am nearly back to the Batcave to complete the project, so I thought I'd show some more of how things were going last I left it.


Rubber has unevenly met road in adding the sensors to the underside rails. Lots of sanding work done and still to do to make these work well.


A beautiful profile emerging.


Proud of my work on the interior rails of the cockpit glass.




Not too shabby from the side so far. That nose bubble is going to be sanded down to more accurately replicate the APX-111 IFF box as seen on the Super Hornet.


This was my main source of infuriation and error so far. After mopping up a disastrous attempt at using unexpectedly runny Tamiya putty to add in the leading edge extensions, I cleaned up as best I could with the time I had and added in this dry modeling clay putty stuff. Hopefully it has cured long enough to sand when I return to it, and I can find more sandpaper to clean off the billions of sticky particles of putty still clinging to the wing gloves.

To tide myself over some more here's some additional shots of the pilot and RIO I liked.

Coming along 

Looking pretty cool  so far 
If im building a leading edge extension what I do is make the extension from plastic card first..that's the guide..then I build it up with more card and let that go bone dry first ..then shape it will a knife ..sand it smooth then putty ..it's a bit of work but it works every time ..I have something in mind for the F-14 delta which will work..I think   

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on December 14, 2022, 10:37:44 AMLooking pretty cool  so far 
If im building a leading edge extension what I do is make the extension from plastic card first..that's the guide..then I build it up with more card and let that go bone dry first ..then shape it will a knife ..sand it smooth then putty ..it's a bit of work but it works every time ..I have something in mind for the F-14 delta which will work..I think   

Agree 100%, it's much easier to work up a shape like that than with putty ou similar products. I learned that the hard way when i built my first F-16W and tried to shape new wings and the DSI intake just out of Tamiya grey putty...





I believe i can call the DSI intake a success but the wings failed miserably so i had to use a CD plastic case to make them.

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on December 14, 2022, 10:37:44 AMLooking pretty cool  so far 
If im building a leading edge extension what I do is make the extension from plastic card first..that's the guide..then I build it up with more card and let that go bone dry first ..then shape it will a knife ..sand it smooth then putty ..it's a bit of work but it works every time ..I have something in mind for the F-14 delta which will work..I think   

Ahh, the inexpensive hobby of modeling, in which I discover that I need new paints, a decal set, plastic card, et cetera before each day is out.




...but I already bought them anyway lmao

Quote from: Tomcatter on December 14, 2022, 05:05:15 PM

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on December 14, 2022, 10:37:44 AMLooking pretty cool  so far 
If im building a leading edge extension what I do is make the extension from plastic card first..that's the guide..then I build it up with more card and let that go bone dry first ..then shape it will a knife ..sand it smooth then putty ..it's a bit of work but it works every time ..I have something in mind for the F-14 delta which will work..I think   

Ahh, the inexpensive hobby of modeling, in which I discover that I need new paints, a decal set, plastic card, et cetera before each day is out.




...but I already bought them anyway lmao

Oh don't forget the dozens of different tools ya need for scratch building as well ..ive got over 120 knife blades in 6 different styles ..im not sure if I have more tools than I need but hell having some is good..having many is better 

Having no tools is a catastrophe!

Couldn't agree more ...everything stops dead without em ..if you saw just how many different pilers I have you'd know I either A have enough or B I have a problem 

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on December 14, 2022, 11:17:56 PMCouldn't agree more ...everything stops dead without em ..if you saw just how many different pilers I have you'd know I either A have enough or B I have a problem 

I'll go with "B".    


And, yes, Styrene* is your friend for this kind of work.



[*: Both the product & the goddess! ]

As you can imagine I've got to have a heap of styrene ..building armour requires tons of it so when ever I can get that for cheap I do ...im not running out of .5 mm sheet anytime soon ..24 sheets of that alone and yes I did count 

Guy B I think was the right option   

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on December 14, 2022, 11:17:56 PMCouldn't agree more ...everything stops dead without em ..if you saw just how many different pilers I have you'd know I either A have enough or B I have a problem 

Option C, I have most but not all types of plyers so will buy more if I find a type I don't have.    

Gondor

I kinda had no choice to get as many as I have and there's only one thing which caused it...PE ..alot of tanks ive built come with PE..some with a small bit some with many sheets and the more tools you have for that stuff the better.
Pliers for this and that and you find em in some places ya wouldn't expect like Spotlight...a shop for curtains which does also arts and crafts ..like jewelry making and picture hanging and a heap of tools 

I have several of most of my hand tools. Some for the model desk, some in the garage and others in the basement. Depends on where I'm working as to which way I go to find one. There's never one right where they're supposed to be. I swear they walk around when I'm not looking like the characters in Toy Story.

I'm not wardukw the tool man  but sometimes I think it's possible..the amount of tweezers alone is scary..ive got over a dozen knife handles alone ..ive got my go to handles and other just hold blades for scrapping and so on .
I haven't counted the amount but yeah I ain't going to need anymore ...that is until I find something I haven't got but absolute