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North American T6G Texan


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Use the force Luke. Actually don't use force, use the tape One-Two. I crash formed a bunch of light covers fot my T-6s but they come out slightly thicker than needed and then you have to trim them to fit. I tried on one and I gave up. It was then that I had the tape idea. Just don't use the heavier duty tape as it's thicker and more sticky, making it difficult to work with. 

 

I like the way you are adding extra detail to your T-6 as the kit by itself is a little crude and begs for improvement. It is coming along great.

 

BTW - saw a picture of a P2V Neptune in the same Guantanamo color scheme and it was quite something. 

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Yeah Wlad this will be the next approach, if I'm not happy with the current one in the final stages.

For the moment, I just begun adding some structural detail in the flaps area...I intend to put them in "down" position.

Also work is almost ready with the engine...couldn't stop myself  dry fitting it to the fuselage, just to see how it looks...

 

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  • 6 months later...

Hi Guys,

 

I had some problems with this build...because I managed to smash the windshield. The piece was completely destroyed and I was unable to source a new one...so I reluctantly bought an entire new kit...in the shape of the British variant - the Harvard. On this occasion, I noticed that although the 2 kits are nearly identical, the plastic from the Harvard box is much more crisper an looks newer...

However, I installed the new windshield and also the fixed canopy between the 2 cockpits. Masking was fun indeed.

Then I thought on how to display the aircraft...canopy open or closed.

The problem is that the transparencies are so thick that they would look ridiculous on open position...it is just impossible to install them one over another, in the normal open position.

So I decided that the 2 movable sections of the canopy will not be glued. They may be posed in completely closed position, or they can be completely removed and the interior cockpit can be seen in this case.

 

That's it for the moment, cheers   

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Sorry to hear about the smashed windshield. I also got two kits and found the plastic to be very different. The first one was an original by Ocidental from 2002 with nice crisp plastic. The second was a "re-pop" by Heller from 2004 with soft plastic, sink marks and some parts being short shot. Both differed in some options but essentially the same. In my case I had a ton of decals from the first kit and I wanted to build another version.

 

As for the canopy, I did the same thing as you suggested. Remove the sliding portions and pretend they're open, for pictures, then put them back for storage (keep the dust out B)).

 

Cheers,

Wlad

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You're making a really fine job of this T-6 One-two, I like it a lot. The canopy issue is a bit of a nuisance because the aircraft and all the detailing you added is crying out for the sliding sections to be open, I think I'd try plunge moulding some just as an experiment.  I haven't built a 1/48 Harvard yet but Kitty Hawk's 1/32 T-6 builds up into an impressive kit though there are issues that need addressing with the prop and undercarriage.

Max 

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Thank you Guys, glad you liked it.

 

I shifted my attention to the flaps area. I want to represent the flaps in landing position...but the kit's pieces are completely inappropriate for such a thing.

So earlier in the build I made some flaps from scratch...however this was a long time ago and I came to dislike them.

So I took the original flaps, modified and improved it and the result seemed to me to be better that the first attempt.

Then the flaps was installed in landing position. I still have to scratch some actuators and rods, but I think that once painted it will be a decent representation...

 

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Looking nice.

 

A shame that Italeri illustrate a proper RAF/RCAF Harvard on the box lid showing the longer looking rear portion of the canopy but in plastic its the standard U.S type.  

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok, slowly moving ahead with this one also.

 

I finished the flaps by mounting some flaps actuators also. On such a big flaps, they were quite visible.

I also installed the elevators, in a slightly dropped position. Generally, when the aircraft was parked on the ground and the controls were not locked from the cockpit, the elevators sat in a quite pronounced dropped down position. However, I was unable to pose them in such a position, since at the time when I closed the cockpit I didn't decided yet that I will split the elevator controls (and consequently, the stick is not positioned for a very nose-down position of the elevators).

Nevertheless, I think they look ok.

 

Then I started to work on the gear legs...I added some PE and some brake cables.

That's it for now.

Cheers and thanks for looking.

 

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Love the detail on the flaps and the oleos!  The drawings in the background of your pictures look very useful, where did you get them from?  I'm just starting a Harvard build (1/32nd KH kit) in the "Radials Rock" GB and whilst I have quite a lot of resources, you can never have too much!!

Max

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Good luck with your 1/32 Harvard, Max...put those drawings to a good use:)

I will follow your build with interest.

 

Now, I was working lately on all sorts of small details. No big deal, but time-consuming.

I separated the rudder tab and installed it back after some modification.

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The locking mechanisms were represented on both cupolas...they are quite visible on the real thing also.

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A new pitot tube was made from scratch...the piece from the kit was looking like a telephone pole which should be installed on the wingtip...

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Also I installed the linkages to ailerons and the related tabs. Aileron linkage is PE, compensator tab linkage is thin evergreen rod...I know it's kinda too thick, but this is what I had available.

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I installed some small "pipes" on the air intake under the engine. On the real thing, some 5 draining pipes (or something of this kind) are visible there.

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I worked a little bit on the engine cowling also. If installing the cowling on the nose as it is, you end up with something like anti-tank armor on the nose. The edge of the cowling is inadmissible thick, when comparing with the real thing.

Therefore, I thinned the edge of the cowling to look more like the original one. This will make the installing of the cowling more difficult, because there is no more direct contact between the fuselage and the cowling, but I guess the effort will pay off later... 

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That's it for now.

Thanks for looking guys,

Cheers/

Edited by One-Two
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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello Guysss.

 

Finally I'm committing this one to the painting stage.

First the interior green for the canopy frames interior color.

Then some Mr.Color white primary sprayed over the whole model. I'm using white primary because of the color scheme I'm gonna use...gloss yellow wings and tail leaven no other option than white primary, I guess...

After the primary, very few corrections were needed...now let's see how the painting will come out...

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok so finally I applied the basic colors.

All colors are old Model Master emails. Interior green US for the flaps/wheel well area, yellow gloss and dark ghost gray.

I had some problems with the yellow gloss...which didn't work with the original MM thinner (the pigment had separated), but instead worked reasonably well with Mr.Color thinner!! 

Anyway, this is how it looks now. I decided to go with the Guantanamo Bay markings...which I know isn't very accurate (Gtmo machines were SNG 5), but which I really like:)

 

Cheers,

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Coming along nicely One-Two. The scheme you're after is actually for drones and drone control aircraft. It so happens the Gitmo squadron you reference, VU-10, had drones and the T-6 (SNJ-4 or 5) was likely a drone controller.

 

Cheers,

Wlad

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On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 10:39 AM, shortCummins said:

is that yellow straight out of the bottle or had you added a drop of red? It looks just right

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

John, the color is Model Master 1514 Gloss Yellow airbrushed straight out of the bottle. Nothing was added. As said, I couldn't use the original MM thinner and put some Mr. Color thinner instead.

 

9 hours ago, Wlad said:

Coming along nicely One-Two. The scheme you're after is actually for drones and drone control aircraft. It so happens the Gitmo squadron you reference, VU-10, had drones and the T-6 (SNJ-4 or 5) was likely a drone controller.

 

Cheers,

Wlad

Yes Wlad....indeed the Gitmo machines were SNJ 4 or SNJ 5's...so T6C or T6D respectively....while my model is a T6G...not much difference, only some details between the various sub-variants of the Texan.

 

Thank you so much Guys for your comments, I'm very glad you like it.

Cheers,

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Thank you Blitz. It's a nice kit, but it really needs improvement in few areas.

If you decide to go for it, go for the box with the Harvard markings. Although it's the same kit/same producer (both Italeri), the plastic in the Harvard box is sensibly better that the plastic in the Texan box.

 

In the meantime, I just airbrushed some flat black on some areas: the anti-glare  zone from the upper nose, the ADF case, the traffic areas from the root of the wings.

Tonight I hope I will put a gloss coat...as preparation for decals...

 

Cheers,

 

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Decals on.

Surprisingly for me, the Italeri decals were a total disappointment.

They refused to conform with the panel lines, unless treated with some Mr.Softer.

Also they were translucent. I mean you can really see through them...the underneath paint was visible under the white of the tactical numbers and national markings (under the white stars especially).

I was so wee weed off that I forgot to take pictures of the decals at this stage. 

In order to minimize this unwanted effect I just used some white paint over the most visible areas (white stars and tactical numbers). I'm not totally happy with this, but is already much better than before.

Because the decals did not conform well to the surface (pane lines were not visible under the decal), I probably insisted too much with Mr. Softer over the national marking from the upper left wing. As a result, the decal was damaged and again I was forced to do some repairs with blue and white paint.

I discovered also that the painting instructions is misleading regarding the placement of the stencils. Consequently, I did not used all the stencils and for those used I tried to inspire myself as much as possible from various photos.

 

However, this is how it looks now, with decals on and rudder permanently installed.

A new protective gloss coat will follow soon, and then some wash for the panel lines and minimal weathering, since these birds were pretty well kept, in general.

 

Cheers,

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