Moments of Zen

DogfighterZen · August 17, 2015, 06:03:03 PM

Ok, update on the bench after the weekend... Forgot that i still had to sand and polish the interior of the Jug's canopy cause it suffered a few scratches from the blade used to cut off some dry CA excess but it wasn't as easy as i thought it would be, it's still a bit foggy at the rear on the inside, even after the clear varnish bath... Oh well, i would never be able to get it perfect anyway so this will be just another flaw but it is a bit frustrating after all the work it gave me...

Moving on, i actually did some painting but it was on the Eurofighter, i've put a pilot and canopy on, and airbrushed the whole thing. Also primed the Me-262 for the final colors, this will be RW as it will be given back to it's owner after finished.
On the F-15CSE, i'm thinking of changing the intakes a bit, maybe try to match the angle of the intake's upper surfaces to the wing's sweep angle. Still in consideration, though.

More soon...

Hasta la pasta

NARSES2 · August 18, 2015, 06:40:39 AM

If sanding canopies I use toothpaste as one of the final stages. Brings them up well

DogfighterZen · August 18, 2015, 09:00:46 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on August 18, 2015, 06:40:39 AM
If sanding canopies I use toothpaste as one of the final stages. Brings them up well

Thanks! Just tried it out and after the varnish bath, it looks much better! Guess it works as a polishing compound, right? The varnish is drying up but the result is already visible.

NARSES2 · August 19, 2015, 07:00:00 AM

Yup it works as a very fine polishing compound. After you've used it then do your future dip

It's an old, old trick from the days before we had all the tools and "compounds" that are now available. I first read of it in a Alan Hall article in the 60's

Rick Lowe · August 19, 2015, 12:23:48 PM

Apparently if you use the toothpaste trick with an old, soft piece of denim as the polishing rag, it's even better.

FWIW

Cheers

Captain Canada · August 20, 2015, 06:56:15 AM

Good tips. F.I.L. needs to clean up his headlights, maybe he can try the denim trick !

DogfighterZen · August 20, 2015, 02:35:11 PM

Quote from: Rick Lowe on August 19, 2015, 12:23:48 PM
Apparently if you use the toothpaste trick with an old, soft piece of denim as the polishing rag, it's even better.

FWIW

Cheers

Well, i might just get to try it on this one, i'd already masked the canopy before i read this, but i admit i could be better...

thanks anyway! I used a piece of an old t-shirt for polishing and was happy with the results but i think i'll have a go with the old denim to see for myself, thanks!

The masking of the windshield and canopy weren't as hard as i thought, the framing is well defined so it's easy to run the blade along, leaving a clean cut on the tape. Being easy to mask is what's making me wanna go back and re-polish the canopy, probably worth it as it wasn't a perfect job in the first place...

Also been drawing up some sketches of my future builds, F-19, stealth and carrier capable F-16s, the possible fighter to come out of my recently added to the stash 1/144 B-1A. This is first kit i buy of this scale, with a fighter conversion/scaleorama in mind, but it can easily turn into a B-1R in it's original scale. If it's to become a 1/72 model, i'll have to decide if it will be a twin or single seat variant. From the sketches, i'm leaning toward the 1/72 model, with an F-15E or F-18D cockpit. Another alternative is to make it an attack or a fighter aircraft. A lot of choices to be made but still a lot of models to finish before i get anywhere near to starting this, it's saved in the future projects folder.

Captain Canada · August 21, 2015, 05:43:49 AM

Interesting : Naval F-16 ? Scale-o-rama B-1 ? And the F-19 !

DogfighterZen · August 21, 2015, 06:15:06 AM

Quote from: Captain Canada on August 21, 2015, 05:43:49 AM
Interesting : Naval F-16 ? Scale-o-rama B-1 ? And the F-19 !

And i forgot to mention the Mig-37 Ferret which i've already started working on... a year ago!

DogfighterZen · August 31, 2015, 01:00:11 PM

Ok, update on the acquisitions front, finally, after over a month held in customs, i get the first of the 1/48 F-16s i've bought, the Kinetic kit. The Tamiya kit is probably never coming and the seller is going to refund my money so i've already ordered another one from another seller, the other one was the last item in stock. In fact, the second was even cheaper than the one lost.

Just brought it into the hut for parts inspection, i've read in a review that a sprue was missing from a factory-sealed box, sprue R containing the unique E variant fin fairing. Fortunately, mine came with all the sprues and bits, and it's a decent sized box full of plastic!!
I'm totally in love with this kit, and while i've read some hard knocking comments on it, but i think those were probably made by JMNs...

I mean, all kits have flaws, and yes, it would be nice to have 100% accurate and perfect fitting kits to build but i also think that would take out some of the building skills part of it all, leaving things more concentrated in model painting and weathering instead... But what do i know, i'm just a noob...

This kit has more weapons than the fighter can carry, very nice detail all around, excellent kit! Shape issues have been reported by some but others say it's just fine when compared to equivalent kits from other brands and scale drawings and plans of the Viper. Since this is the only 1/48 E variant kit out there, i would have to get it as the, now unobtainable, Hasegawa kit was limited edition... Anyway, most reviews say this one is better so no loss there.
The fact that i'm such a big fan of the Viper, is what made me wanna build a bigger, more detailed kit and 1/48 is big enough for me... at least for now...
I also want to make it a Whif cause i don't really see the need to have another RW UAE F-16E model in the world, it's been done, and far better than what i can achieve at the moment so i'm whiffing this sucker up!!

I've also ordered another big one, the Kittyhawk F-35C...

Being the only F-35 variant that i really like, and being 20€ cheaper than the other cheapest kit i found on the web, this was just asking to be bought on my Portuguese hobby store of choice, Bigcat modelismo. There are a few other 1/48 kits on my mind, probably also an F-16I Sufa, Raptor, YF-23, Super Hornet, Mig-29-19, SU-35S and T-50 PAK FA... BTW, the F-16XL is obviously a must get for me, so kinetic 1/48 F-16XL it will be!!

Well, as the summer is quickly coming to an end, that means more time and will to do some modeling. I've managed to match last year's production rate of 2 so far, so if i don't slack around i might even finish more than one before the year ends. With 5 models on the bench at the moment, 2 are in primary paint stages and the other 3 just need a bit of work to be ready for the airbrush. Not seen on the pic is the Airfix F-86E that's just missing the canopy and paint. Actually, all the 11 models in my SBP are at that stage so they shouldn't be too hard finish, right? Best part, probably all of them will be What-If!

Captain Canada · August 31, 2015, 01:23:09 PM

Good stuff !

As far as the F-35 goes, I'm a C guy as well. I would have bought that kit myself, but my LHS only had the a and the VTOL one. I wante s C would look great in RCAF colours.

DogfighterZen · August 31, 2015, 02:10:31 PM

Quote from: Captain Canada on August 31, 2015, 01:23:09 PM
Good stuff !

As far as the F-35 goes, I'm a C guy as well. I would have bought that kit myself, but my LHS only had the a and the VTOL one. I wante s C would look great in RCAF colours.

Oh yeah, bigger wings, right? Our fellow Kit probably also prefers this one over the other 2 variants, don't you think?

That is, if he does like the F-35 at all...

And i do like the Canadian roundel, would look great, specially in the lo-viz schemes.

Well, just 5 minutes ago i've managed to score a Kinetic 1/48 Sufa on auction for 10£ less than every other one on the bay, or on any site, for that matter. It was really hard to find one, as on most of the shops it's sold out... And, as almost all of my stash, this will be Whif, i just don't have any real interest in building RW, but that doesn't mean i don't appreciate and admire those too.

PR19_Kit · August 31, 2015, 03:33:35 PM

Quote from: DogfighterZen on August 31, 2015, 02:10:31 PM

Oh yeah, bigger wings, right? Our fellow Kit probably also prefers this one over the other 2 variants, don't you think? That is, if he does like the F-35 at all...

Hehehe, Actually I like the B version best, but that's because it couldn't do it's VTOL bit without me having installed the MONSTER friction welder that built the lift fan for its engine. They're all made at Rolls-Royce's Compressor factory in Nottingham and I put the welder in there in 2002 or so.

Captain Canada · August 31, 2015, 03:54:16 PM

Nice one Kit !

DogfighterZen · August 31, 2015, 03:58:27 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on August 31, 2015, 03:33:35 PM
Quote from: DogfighterZen on August 31, 2015, 02:10:31 PM

Oh yeah, bigger wings, right? Our fellow Kit probably also prefers this one over the other 2 variants, don't you think? That is, if he does like the F-35 at all...

Hehehe, Actually I like the B version best, but that's because it couldn't do it's VTOL bit without me having installed the MONSTER friction welder that built the lift fan for its engine. They're all made at Rolls-Royce's Compressor factory in Nottingham and I put the welder in there in 2002 or so.

Then i guess you would like to see the B version with bigger wings right?

I've got an Italeri X-35B but the plans i have for that are something similar to the BAe JSF proposal, i really like that design and found a build thread somewhere on the web, of someone using that kit as a base. The wings will come out a bit bigger though... Guess if i wanna build a B, i'll buy the Fujimi kit.
The A variant kits will probably get wingtip rails and A2A missiles, one with AMRAAMs and other with 9Xs. It does make the wing look bigger, just as it does with the F-16. I think it'll make it look a bit better.