F-5U Morsair (December 2004 - May 2008)

[John Howling Mouse]

Oh, that's so funny: somewhere around here I have an industrial lamicoid stating "WARNING: ANTI-GRAVITY FIELD" which was given to me by the millwrights at a former employer's site.  Guess they thought it suited me.

Yeah, I'm thinking I can protect the canopy well enough, even by laying it on soft towels but HOG's right when he says that all the underside bits (landing gear, scratchbuilt pylons, fueltanks, doors, etc.) would be twice the number of parts to bust off.   So, it's canopy mods first, then I'll flip this byotch over to work on its belly.

Speaking of canopy frame mods, I got lucky and hit on just the right (close enough) template for each half of the shroud I'll need to fill the gap b/w the vacform canopy from the F-2G racer and the dissimilar aperture I cut out for the cockpit:





And I think I'll paint the lower framing in yellow to match the tailfin and wingtip flashes.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Yep the yellow frame would definitely work, Barry..... go for it.

Ian

[Brian da Basher]

I concur with Mr Hunter-Gatherer: a yellow frame matching the wingtip and tailfin flashes would be killer!

Brian da Basher

[Eddie M.]

Whatever you dois going to look great. It warms my heart to see this on your workbench.
  Eddie

[kitbasher]

This really is a beauty, JHM!  Can't wait to see the finished item.   

[John Howling Mouse]

Thanks for the continuing encouragement, fellow Whiffers.  This has been a long, LONG ride, eh?
Not much that I can show you right now for an update but here goes:

I used rockets from some other kit (huh?) and scratchbuilt the little pylon-jobbies to fit the wings....sort of.  One pair of rockets will hang lower than the others.  It's an artsy thing.  The fueltank pylons are also scratchbuilt to (hopefully) fit the contours under the fuselage):


This is (I think) the first time I've ever masked and spraypainted a vacformed canopy (whole different ballgame than that of a regular injected canopy):





I've got the canopy frame shrouds cut, shaped and painted.  I just have to be patient enough now to let them fully dry before I attempt to apply them to the canopy (have to tape them while the glue sets).

[BlackOps]

Hey if this one's getting close to completion does that mean there might be some ugly helo's on the horizon?   

Lookin good JHM! I love the dinged up drop tanks, Ya got mad skills 

[Eddie M.]

Hey if this one's getting close to completion does that mean there might be some ugly helo's on the horizon?   

Lookin good JHM! I love the dinged up drop tanks, Ya got mad skills 

Took the words right out of my keyboard Jeff! I especially like the look of the rockets. 
    Eddie

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Hey if this one's getting close to completion does that mean there might be some ugly helo's on the horizon?   

Nahhhh, he's not brave enuff 

Ian

[lancer]

This has been a hell of a ride, but it has produced a hell of a masterpiece at the end of it. Superb work Bazza. Also I think that this thread holds the record for the longest and largest build thread on the site don't it??
Now, about ugly heol's, there is no such thing as a good looking helo...so there!

[Brian da Basher]

I'm really impressed with your work on the load-out Mr Howling Mouse!

I'm not sure I get the concept of masking the canopy, however. It's 1/48 scale right? Should be easy to free-hand in that scale right?

We're also curious about the Top-Secret Metoer Project that you so shamelessly teased us with all those years ago.

All kidding aside, I always look forward to your updates. I feel like a kid playing with toys next to a modeller of your talent!

Brian da Basher

[SimonR]

Hey if this one's getting close to completion does that mean there might be some ugly helo's on the horizon?   

Hey, I had forgotten all about the World's Ugliest Helicopter! We demand its return to the MouseWorks hangar.

[sotoolslinger]

JHMouse , you are a whiffing deity. Would you lower yourself to photoshop the F-5U with my F-5V ? They would look so cool together.

[John Howling Mouse]

Just a few late-night tease pics for now:

[jeff3385]

Brilliant man... a long time in the works, but looking soooo goooood!!! I really like the yellow accents. Can just see this buzzing a beachhead somewhere. You need to add VMA squadron markings to it though. The thing simply screams 
THE MARINES HAVE LANDED