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Not so Golden Scooter - Calling this one complete.


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Well I couldn't really leave it alone so I have done the preliminary filling and sanding, I also fitted the underfuselage panel which was a very good fit then I tried the wing/underside;A4GB14_zpscbbf9677.jpg

The transition from Photobucket seems to have made it look like an egg plane for some reason. The wheel wells that I had earlier praised fouled the fuselage giving the whole wing anhedral. the fit of the plastic was problematical. The mis sized fuselage halves meant that it fitted where it touched.A4GB16_zpse02db39b.jpg

This was the best I could do.

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So at least I have some idea of the issues. At the moment Hannants have the Hasegawa TA-4 at a cheaper price that I paid for this!

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Work took me away from home for a week so progress is glacial but the top side of the wings are on and the filling and sanding of the underside is progressing. Slow boring work and not worth a picture but definite progress. Pictures hopefully later this week when something more positive to report.

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Photos as promised.

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The fuselage length differences bit me again as the fin end/uppper fuselage panel didn't fit. I should have put it in place before i attached the wings as I had to get it out of the fuselage twice! Eventually i used a blob of blutak to hold it in place, then glued it to one side, then once set filled the other side. Hopefully it will stay in place

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There are no locating holes for the tailplanes, so I drilled out the engraved location points but that meant that the starboard tailplane was about 7mm out of place sticking out from the rear of the fin! Filled and drilled until they both fit in the right place. Starting to look like a family sized scooter though.

Next the wing fillets and as I can't find a starboard side photo only the port side will have the gun port

Thanks for looking

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Ouch, it doesn't seem to want to go together without a fight!

With my new work schedule I'm not going to get to mine till late November, am a bit worried I may not get to finish in time!

Keep plugging away, it's looking great, you'll tame it!

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Some more filling and sanding and here we are

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I drilled the port wing fillet for the gun port and attached it in a previous session but when I came to look at it this morning it was nowhere to been seen. As it was stored in a box you would think it would be there but no.

So I raided my spares box for an unused part from one of my Hasegawa builds, hence the different coloured plastic. That still needs to be drilled out. I've gone for the closed canopy look on this one, I'm hoping to have her one on the SIG stand at Telford so no vunerable pieces for ease of travel.

I reckon a little more work and it will be time for a trip to the paint shop for some primer to show all the faults.

Onwards and upwards.

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And filled and sanded and filled....

The first coat of primer showed a few more blemishes which I've dealt with. The second got me here.

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If you wonder why I got the undercarriage on so early, I couldn't remember putting weight in the nose so I needed to check the stance. Luckily I must have put some weight in.

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The slat guides and possibly the end of the refuelling probe are next then onto the painting proper.

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Watching with interest as I'm about to add this machine in the hybrid RAN/RNZAF scheme to the GB in 1/72. Talon's earlier comment about the wingtips reminded me that this aircraft soon acquired green ailerons in RNZAF service, apparently to help with formation keeping. They are visible in the well known 4-ship "all the colour schemes" T-bird sortie photos. I'm not sure of the shade, but the tonal variations in one of the shots suggests to me that they may be euro-1 camouflaged rather than merely "green". As well as the camouflaged drop tanks this makes the scheme a bit more interesting than the somewhat bland gull grey over white :).

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Just some rough and ready painting before I preshade and mask. I've done the slat bays in red, they were subsequently painted black but red is right for the timeframe. Oddly the ailerons were painted in Euro 1 camouflage not the white in which they were delivered. I hear this was to make them more visible when close manouvering but it is equally as likely they were just the nearest spares.

No more work for a while as I'm busy at work. I might finish her for the end of the GB but she won't be at Telford sadly.

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A bit of unexpected free time plus a bit of forward plannig has got me this far:

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I used tamiya White and Gunze Sanyo Light Gull Grey over preshading. The port wing has the red and white strips painted on, the blue strip will be cut from the decal sheet.

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I added the Quick boost refueling probe, but I'm bound to knock it off a few times.

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Just needs a bit more weathering and glossing before decalling can commence. Given my work schedule (and my wifes birthday celebrations) I still don't think it will be ready for the SIG stand at telford but I'm confident of finishing her bfore the end of the GB.

Thanks for staying with me.

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On removing the masking from the front of the intakes I realised what I thought was painted masking tape was actually bad joint lines, so some remedial sanding and filling needed to be done over the weekend.

Not perfect but ok.

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I added the slats and nose bay doors, I lost the first replacement refueling probe so i attached the second one I bought in anticipation of this happening and added the ariel on the back of the canopy fairing. The anti-dazzle panel isn't looking too straight on the photo so that will need sorting then its going to be glossed and decalling may actually commence.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Work really has got in the way recenttly, but as I am self employed this is no bad thing. Now if my employers will only pay the bills!!

Anyway, I have got some of the decals on and added the brake chute housing under the tail which is missing from the CA kit. I found a suitable section of plastic in the spares box and matched it to an unbuilt Hasegawa kit, earmarked as NZ6206 the only RNZAF machine to fire its guns in anger.

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this is the port side where the trial markings were placed, the Model Alliance decals were not quite right and need another section of white added. Still to add a lot of markings but at least I have started

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The starboard side is much plainer again a lot to add. Not going to be ready for Telford so I can take my time and get this done before the end of the GB.

Thanks for looking.

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it looks great, a very unusual colour scheme.

Am so annoyed I had to bale on my build, it would have been great to see the plane at different stages of it's life! But I have so little free time at home now I doubt I could even build something simple within this time frame!

Can't wait to see her finished!

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More time today and the markings are all on. I overpainted an oversized roundel and finflash plus a rectangle of clear decal with medium sea grey to replicate the painted out markings on the port fuselage.

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The starboard side looks very plain in comparison.

I lost the blade aerial again and had to make a new one, so the score is lost aerials 2, lost refueling probes 1 and there is still a lot of detail work needed before I can call this one finished.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Post Telford, I got chance to do the last bits and pieces. Sadly somehow there is a little bit of masking take inside the cockpit and that where it will have to stay.

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Not the most fun build but I really enjoyed the the painting and putting the stickers on. I bought another TA-4 at T elford for £15 so maybe I'll do '55 in the two tone scheme.

Thanks for all of you who stayed with me through this whingefest.

More photos in the Gallery section

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Thanks for the kind comments chaps, It is a scheme I've wanted to do for a long time, the frustration is the lack of starboard side photos.

Thanks for all your support and help.

TR I hope they are paying you well if work is keeping you away from home. Take care.

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