Collin

Interested in how these HB kits build up and look when finished. Value for the $$$? Cheers Collin

Nice job and inspiration. I just took mine off the shelf to start decaling it tomorrow. Cheers Collin

Bummer

Converting this kit to an Echo variant…are the part in the kit to do that? Collin

Very interested to see how that UV resin window experiment works out. Been great following your build here if an iconic kit. Cheers Collin

It's the last 20% of the model. The dreaded last 20%....or as the Model Geeks podcast calls it....MoJo Killers. Decals on, wash on, flat coat on. Canopy unmasked. Now its time for: Painting the pilot Painting and detailing the ordnance & Sniper pod Landing lights Mounting the weapons and stores Installing the engine nozzle Static wicks...a lot of them And a coat of graphite powder on the main body to simulate the shiny yet grimy look of the HG. Off we go....

A-7’s dropped Walleye II as well. Guy in my Airwing was a former A-7 driver (flying Hornets when I knew him) and was kinda famous for dropping his WEII and smacking his target, while his wingman’s AAW data link pod went bad....so he tuned up his buddies Walleye II with his pod and drove that one into the target. Walleye had a uniquely developed warhead, so a bit more powerful and destructive than a normal MK-84 warhead. Cheers Collin

I’m taking a break from white paint for a bit, but I do plan on doing the red/white T1 two seat TF-18 with the Testors kit. Someday. Cheers Collin

What part of Upstate? I grew up in the Binghamton/Johnson City area....was part of that local IPMS group before venturing off to college in the late 80’s. I think it’s still active. Cheers Collin

About every bottle of my buff-able Testors MM metallic dark colors in my paint stash. Honestly I was like a witch making a magic potion, little of this...little of that. Recipe not followed. Sorry I can’t be more help. Thin coat of Future as a pre-decal gloss. After the decals and a wash, going to flat coat the model...then try a rub of black graphite powder to give it that metallic look similar to the first gen HG paints. Cheers Collin

Sneak Peak. My 1/48 what-if in-flight....built up then put on the shelf...then taken back off the shelf and slowing working the decals and weapons. Eventual loadout will be 6 x WCMD in test config (orange test tail sections) and a few exercise-test HARM...along with a CATM 9M/9X x 2 on the wingtip BOL launchers. Cheers Collin

Why COVID-19....because from 6-feet away, it looks OK. This is the mid-80's, second release of the Monogram Hornet F-18A which I actually build as a 14-15 year old. Kit goes together OK...just be ready to fill and sand, and loose detail, but overall I think the outline looks good. OOB build....EXCEPT for the bombs and Sparrow missile/rail...and dual sidewinder rail stolen from a F-4 kit. Caracal decal sheet CD48158 went down beautifully.....except for one little detail that I changed. The slime lights on the tails and fuselage practically disappeared when applied. So I went to my decal stash and found some other slime lights which you can actually see. In no way does this take away from Caracal decals...I have used three sets and they are wonderful. Painting was a pain.....won't lie there. Blue on white....tough. Be ready for tons of masking if you choose this scheme. Well this will be off to the display case onboard NAS Pax River to join my other test birds on display.....socially distanced in the display case of course. Cheers Collin

Trying to just have fun with these Airfix kits. This is their PR XIX done up with Xtradecal X48-118 for RM643/Z. The only non-OOB part is the exhaust stacks. Clear glue still drying on the camera ports. Marbled on a PRU Blue color from SMS....great paint. Xtradecals....great as well. Kudo's to Airfix for allowing in-flight builds....they give you the parts to build gear up which I really appreciate (wish all kits did this). The issue I have is the pilot figures. I painted the kit pilot up and it really looked great. To get him to fit in the cockpit...I ended up cutting away about 2/3rd's of him to get him to fit (legs gone...backside...gone, lower back...gone). Very frustrating...but it's a Spitfire cockpit...can't see anything anyway. LESSON LEARNED: I will never build another in-flight kit and attach the canopy BEFORE I paint and finish. This is the second or third build I have had fogging on the inside of the clear parts after I thought all the glue had set and off-gassed. This could also be paint and overcoat fumes sneaking in during the painting process. Regardless...I will improved my builds by adding the canopies as one of the last steps of the build. Lesson learned. So off to the work desk she goes....to keep my two Mosquitos company. Cheers Collin