Moments of Zen

[NARSES2]

I hope you can find homes for them. Best of luck

Thanks, Chris, all pups have a new home and a family to look after them.

Great, well done 

[TheChronicOne]

Welcome back, bud!!!  Ain't no fun like some attic fun --unless it's hot as the blazes off in there.   

[DogfighterZen]

Welcome back, bud!!!  Ain't no fun like some attic fun --unless it's hot as the blazes off in there.   

Nothing a good fan and a cold drink won't solve. 

So, i've had some more time to work on plastic and today i got the Gazelle ready for paint! All the antennas and sensors are on, guns are on, just leaving the HOT missile tubes out for later in the build.
Time for some camo...

[DogfighterZen]

So, i've finally decided to start the Phantom!! I've got a month and a half to finish it in time for the What-if GB over on the Portuguese modelling forum.
I've always wanted a Phantom with PoAF markings but i've been delaying the build... no special reason, just wasn't feeling like it was time to do it and if i'm not in the mood, it's not happening...
After painting the Gazelle, i felt good spraying a camo on it so i remembered what my plan for the Phantom was and felt like the time has come, i'm finally going to paint something in a SEA camo scheme.
Like i said, the Gazelle has been sprayed with the camo, brush painted the fenestron rotor, exhaust, HOT missile tubes and the guns, and the main rotor blades were sprayed.
Just a few licks of paint to go and it's ready for a gloss coat and decals.
The cockpit tub and IPs of the Phantom were sprayed as were the seats.



So, 2 builds in progress but i somehow believe i'm not going to take too long before a 3rd is thrown onto the bench... maybe another chopper.

[TheChronicOne]

Hold off on the chopper for the upcoming whirly bird GB!   One is good enough for now. lol 

I keep wanting to build one of mine but I'm trying to wait. 


Glad the Phantom is going..... GMTA, I almost started one today myself but replaced it with something else.

[DogfighterZen]

I wasn't aware that there will be such a GB... will wait indeed!
I was delaying the start of the F-4 build cause at first i wanted to do a conversion of the F back to an E variant but i don't have a pair of slatted horizontal stabs so i might end up doing it OOB as an F.
Will try to do some work on it and on the Gazelle today...

[DogfighterZen]

Well, the Gazelle is almost finished! 
It just needs a couple of details done and then i'll put up a thread with finished product pics and the back story, but that will take a few days cause i also need to concentrate on finishing lyrics for a couple of new songs i've been working on but here's a teaser. 



Almost ready to go ahead and really get working on the Phantom. Still haven't done anything else on the cockpit bits, but i wanna do a good job on this so i'll be patient and wait so i can properly focus on doing a good job on a beautiful kit.

[Old Wombat]

 

[NARSES2]

Looks good mate 

[DogfighterZen]

Looks good mate 

Thanks, guys. Glad you like the little bugger, i had a lot of fun with my first chopper, just waiting for the whirly birds GB for my next one.

So i have been working, slowly but i have made some progress on the F-4, the cockpit has been finished and close up in the front fuselage halves. Still a lot to do and i've decided to stick to one build at a time strategy cause time's been short.
Had to twist and cut a few arms and legs on the Revell pilot figures takens from a US/NATO figure set to make them fit.
I had a bit of fun painting the cockpit, it's nothing much but here's a selection of the best pics i could get, to make up for my time away from the forum. 

[Old Wombat]

Very cool!

Douglas Bader flies again!

[DogfighterZen]

Very cool!

Douglas Bader flies again!

Him and his stumpy RIO.   

[PR19_Kit]

I had a bit of fun painting the cockpit, it's nothing much but here's a selection of the best pics i could get, to make up for my time away from the forum. 

Ah, you've got that one bristle brush out again, haven't you? 

[TheChronicOne]

It's good to see they let amputees into the ARMED forces now. 

[DogfighterZen]

Ah, you've got that one bristle brush out again, haven't you? 

i do have one lousy brush with only 2 or 3 bristles left on it but i didn't use it for this. I looked up some pics of the Phantom's pit to get some real references, sprayed the parts with some XF-19 light grey and then tried to paint the details more like a dry brushing technique, just a tiny bit of black paint on a 2/0 brush to highlight the instrument dials and red/yellow/grey/white for other details and the buttons.
When i was happy with the colors, i used Testor's window maker glue on the dials to give them the glass look. I think it turned out ok but i also think that next time i'll have a bit more experience and do a better job... It really is a bit of wasted time cause most cockpits in 1/72 are so small and hidden from view but i know it's there so i guess that makes it worth the time and effort. 

It's good to see they let amputees into the ARMED forces now. 

Hey, if they can climb Mount Everest and do tricks on skateboards, i guess they could also fly jet fighters, right? Besides, they still have their arms...