Moments of Zen

[DogfighterZen]

Painted a bunch of the Raptor's parts, the landing gear, bay doors, intakes and cockpit top so, it's time to close everything inside the fuselage halves.
I'm gonna get it ready to go into the paint shop with the YF-23 and F-35 so the trio gets finished at about the same time.
Already making plans for the next projects to be started and they include the second version of the single seat F-16W.
Gonna try to build it gear down so that means i'll have to cut up an F-18 Hornet for the landing gear and it's bays. Also thinking about different vertical stabs to loose a bit more of the original Viper's roots.
There are a couple more in mind but not decided yet.

[TheChronicOne]

Sounds like a master plan coming together!! 

Sometimes I like to think I'll finish things up around the same time but can never seem to do it. If you can pull off a hat-trick reveal wit' three projects finished all pretty much at the same time you'll get mad respect. 

[DogfighterZen]

Sounds like a master plan coming together!! 

Sometimes I like to think I'll finish things up around the same time but can never seem to do it. If you can pull off a hat-trick reveal wit' three projects finished all pretty much at the same time you'll get mad respect. 

I'm in no rush but i still want to finish all 3 before the year's end and it would be great to finish all 3 at the same time, just depends on me.
The F-35 will probably be the hardest because of the paint job and all the masking involved...
And that brings up the colors and schemes issue, still have to choose the Raptor's colors and nationality and that's it, i had my mind made up for the other two since the beginning.
Raptor's fuse will be glued up right after this...

[DogfighterZen]

Well, after a birthday evening modelling session, the Raptor completes the trio. 

[zenrat]

Birthday?

Happy happy.  Congratulations etc.
How many is it youngster?

[DogfighterZen]

Birthday?

Happy happy.  Congratulations etc.
How many is it youngster?

Thank you, my friend!  I'm still a pup at 38... well, not feeling very fresh this morning because of last nights extra drinks and herbs consumed while watching the ISM live show and working on the Raptor...
Still, i'm now at the bench, ready to work on the trio.

[TheChronicOne]

Happy Birthday, geezer!! Your Geritol and Hoveround are in the post!!!   

[DogfighterZen]

Happy Birthday, geezer!! Your Geritol and Hoveround are in the post!!!   

Thank you! A Hoveround would be interesting to try out on some ramps...

Modelling wise, didn't have time to get much done, only got the weapon bays doors glued in place on the F-22. I have to plan the next stages well to minimize difficulties in masking and painting.
The F-22's intakes and bay doors also need some filler and sanding so it's now at the same stage as the YF-23 and F-35 and, that means it's all going according to plan.

[TheChronicOne]

Happy Birthday, geezer!! Your Geritol and Hoveround are in the post!!!   

Thank you! A Hoveround would be interesting to try out on some ramps...

LMAO.........  the mental image that conjured up is glorious...   

[NARSES2]

Many happy returns 

[DogfighterZen]

Many happy returns 

Thank you, Chris!   

[DogfighterZen]

Small update on the current builds... Pilots of all 3 jets were given last paint touches and are now in their respective cockpits. The YF-23 pilot came from a Revell U.S./NATO pilots set, F-35 pilot was a Revell F-16 pilot with the F-35's helmet added and, the F-22 pilot is came from the spares bag, a Hasegawa F-16 pilot that got his old head chopped off and "Frankensteined" another Revell F-16 pilot's head on it and transformed the helmet into the F-35's helmet, just like i'd done to the F-35 pilot.
Hasegawa's pilots are a bit fatter than Revell's so i had the Hase pilot lose his fat rear end via sanding stick so he could fit in the Raptor's cockpit...

On the YF-23, finally started sanding down the putty, managed to get the weapon bay doors smooth but that was only one of the easy bits... the inside of the intakes should be a bit more challenging but i believe it won't be so bad, i've practiced the technique well enough on my putty-sculpted F-16DSI intake... 

[DogfighterZen]

Went into the cave today but didn't work on models, instead i reorganized my stash, to free up some needed space. Things went well and managed to pack all the kits into the right boxes and ended up with an empty one...
But somehow, i also ended up with the 1/72 ICM Mig-29 9-13 and Academy F-16CJ  kits on my bench...  that makes it a total of 5...   
Anyway, i'm coming close to a week of vacation and that, coupled with no scheduled gigs with the band for the next few months mean i should have time for some modelling real soon.

[TheChronicOne]

Man them kits have a mind of their own these days, ay?! 

[DogfighterZen]

Man them kits have a mind of their own these days, ay?! 

Sure do, i just looked away for a second and before i knew it, both had escaped the sorting/boxing section... Got to put up a fence around the bench next time i do this...
That said, i have the Mig-29 in front of me right now and all i can say is that there's putty on the way...
There are sink marks on the right wing's LERX and on all 4 parts that make up the intakes... And they're quite deep, specially the ones on the back of the intakes' interior ejector pin marks... Oh well, guess work on this one starts with heavy clean up and putty application...