Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

I've dry fitted the wings to fuselage and the fit there also looks to be good, but I'll wait until glue has been applied before confirming that as sometimes with my builds they dry fit great and then get a wiff of glue and...... 

Well when it came to gluing the wings they went on like a dream  Will just need the tiniest bit of PPP at one of the wing root trailing edges and that is it. I now have a completed airframe and need to think about her finish ?

[NARSES2]

Well managed to get what little psr was needed done yesterday and it really was just a little PPP and a damp cotton bud 

So now thinking in terms of the finish for her. The kit supplies 3 schemes : the prototype which did fly a couple of times and then 2 What If in service schemes (the other boxing of the - II supplies 3 What If schemes) and I can't really make my mind up. I may well do a mix and match using bits from both the What If options. One thing that has struck me is how large, especially for a Japanese single engined fighter, she is and also how quietly elegant.

Busy week coming up so won't get to much done, hopefully a little bit, but it will be a fairly fallow one.

[NARSES2]

Little bit more work done on the Ki-87. Almost at the painting stage, but it's quite strange really in that seams that I would normally be perfectly happy with on most kits I'm still working on simply because the fit was so good in the first place I want to do it justice ? Human brain is a silly thing at times 

Anyway here's some photos of my latest completed kits, 2 real world and 1 What If

[TheChronicOne]

Hell they all look good!!!  I gotta pick a favorite though so it's the first one.   

[Thorvic]

Gaining momentum there Chris and turning out some nice models from what can be trying kits 

You going to do the new Special Hobby Phantom FH1 in FAA markings to go with the Attacker when it comes out ? (Its being redone)

[NARSES2]

You going to do the new Special Hobby Phantom FH1 in FAA markings to go with the Attacker when it comes out ? (Its being redone)

That's the plan Geoff. I have got the origional ? MPM kit in the white box, so I'm hoping they re-tool it. Overall Gloss Sea Blue, with F.A.A. markings ?

[NARSES2]

Well the Ki-87-I has been primed and I've started to get some paint on her.

I'm very impressed with this kit. The fit (with one exception) has been excellent and after I'd primed her I was very surprised by the finish. I could have even got away with the natural metal finish examples on the transfer sheet (the prototype and one What If operational example) which with my normal standard of seam finishing is not generally an option. Not down to me but the mould makers  I'll definitely be getting the -II which would have been the production aircraft when it comes out.

The one exception to the overall excellent fit is the canopy. It's not bad but it will either fit perfectly at the front, or at the rear, not both ends at once. Now you can, with a fair bit of pressure close the gap at the rear, but it's a fair bit of pressure not just a squeeze. So I'm going to try epoxying the front half of the canopy and giving that 24 hours to cure. I can then use 5 min epoxy on the rear half and apply pressure for the 5 mins, clamp it and after 24 hours, with the wind in the right direction it will be o.k. ? Touching wood.

Need to start thinking about my Cold War GB build. I know what it will be, just need to start it. Probably next week

[NARSES2]

Well the canopy fix appears to have worked and just needs a little fairing in of the windscreen/nose join. It would be good if more companies started to do what Airfix have just started doing ; including the section immediately in front of the windscreen with the windscreen moulding. Simple idea that can save a lot of work. Meanwhile colour has started to be applied to the wing leading edges and tail, she will be quite a colourful bird.

Good day at MK yesterday although the journey knackered me a bit. Small increase to the stash, see separate section, and lots of great models to see whilst catching up with people 

[The Wooksta!]

RS kits have traditionally had issues with their canopies.  I never got them to sit right with their resin kits.

[NARSES2]

RS kits have traditionally had issues with their canopies.  I never got them to sit right with their resin kits.

Yup, I know what you mean Lee. This one, especially in comparison, wasn't that bad at all and in the end was quite easily fixed.It helps when the rest of the kit fits like a dream though.

[NARSES2]

Progress on the 87. Mainly masking but at least the main camouflage colours can now start to be applied. Has anyone noticed by the way how similar the colour of Tamiya's masking tape is to that of Japanese ident' yellow that was used on the wing leading edges ?   

[NARSES2]

87's underside has had IJA Grey applied and I've started on my AZ Models SR 53. Nice kit, good detail and fit so far is good as well. But then it should be as we know where the masters came from.

[NARSES2]

Little bit of progress, but most of my "free" time has been spent on editing the GB suggestions list. Done the first couple of trawls now just need to leave it for 24 hours before going through it for hopefully the final time. Then it's just a matter of getting it ready so I can present it here.

Reminds me of work. All good fun 

[NARSES2]

Well main paintwork on the Ki-87 is done. I tend to use Tamiya paints on my Japanese models on the assumption that they must know what the colour was ?  Anyway I think I finally may of got the hang of brush painting large areas with it after 30 or more years. It's a strange paint and if not thinned it seems to start to dry before you get to the end of the brush stroke ! When thinned, and the final coat was quite heavily, the first bit painted is dry before you finish the last bit. As I found out to my relief when I inadvertently grabbed the port wing as I turned the model around 

[NARSES2]

Well masking tape is off the Ki 87 and there are a few touch ups necessary. Then she can be glossed and get her transfers. Hopefully end of the week as real life is sticking it's oar in again at the moment