regulus

Have you seen these?: http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=BM48053

You can see from the photo below that there are not a whole lot of traditional rivets per se, but many of the fasteners were steel screws (showing their rust) all over the airframe. And most, if not all of these were flush. Photo by R.Sutherland.

Thank you for your very detailed coverage of the variants, and especially the tail cone details. I'm finishing the Eduard 1/48 MF now and have split the seam on the bottom of the tail area (not engineered as a cone, but as halves) now about a dozen times. I've decided to wait until everything else is finished to deal with it, as even gentle handling has forced it to split again. Lee

Yes - you're correct, it is PAS-Decals. The IL-76 engine upgrade is what I'm after for the Zvezda kit. Will attempt to place an order this week. Thanks, Lee

This Russian company offers a lot of nice 1/144 schemes, but I'm actually interested in the resin -90 engines for the IL-76 upgrade. Have found their site, but it doesn't offer the Union Jack button to provide ordering instructions in English. Anyone else have any luck here? Lee

There was a very detailed cutaway of the Merlin (proper Navy version) posted outside the archive rooms at Yeovilton FAA Museum, and it apparently originated from a FAA newsletter or similar publication. Lots to consider that would supplement photo/walkaround coverage. I've tried tracking this down, but to no avail. Perhaps someone else here had the issue? Lee

I believe Hannant's no longer list this in Future Releases, or listed with any of their Art Models kits. Anyone have an update?

The Aviation News plans by Peter Cooksley are generally erroneous with regards to shape and detail. Panel lines at wrong stations, and some fictional altogether. And unfortunately Airfix used a lot of this reference as the basis for their kit. Fortunately, the overall dimensions are accurate and the kit offers a great starting point. The major item of issue that the aftermarket (even the Alley Cat engine panel tops) doesn't address is the shape of the intakes, being closer to the MR.4 than the standard production Nimrods.

Because the return on investment became negligible for Classic Airframes. It was no longer comfortably profitable, and continuation of the line was not affordable. I believe a Gannet AEW was in preparation, and just like the Firebrand that DynaVector actually had patterns for, would not have made sense to produce for the sake of continuing a line that count not be counted on to be financially burdensome to the owners.

I designed and cut them out via a Roland Stika cutter. The translucent Oramask material is thick enough to run a needle scriber against, then a conventional scriber after that is done. The oval panel just ahead of the windscreen that I filled in on the kit, then described with a custom vinyl guide, was almost lost under the primer, paint, and topcoat - but it's there, barely perceptable. The vinyl cutter was used also for a custom mask: the white stripe between the black and turquoise colors.

Completed Model:

https://www.facebook.com/Kineticmodel/?fref=ts

Pictures?

That's a sweet rectangle scribing template you've got there. Custom, or where did you source it? Great work! Lee

If they're the same as the AEW.2 aircraft, the sidewall designation is 64 x 22.5 - 26.

This just posted: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206891181655252&set=pcb.1022049841150494&type=3&theater Lee

What (max) diameter are the little motors? Are the eccentric weights easy to remove? Thanks,

I printed this compressor fan for a GEXX engine in 1/72 for an ongoing project. It was printed via Print-a-Part and at the time, and five years ago, cost me about $40 or £25. While the intention was to use it as a pattern master for casting copies, the surface texture is too rough to use. Attempts to prime and sand were frustrating, and within 6 months the parts began to "oxidize" with a white powder forming on the surfaces of the original printed parts. We use a contractor who has a machine that will do 17 micron resolution, and there are still noticeable striations evident at even the highest resolution. At present, another contractor is offering a PhotoSilver resin that is supposed to be the highest resolution medium available on a state of the art printer. The quoted cost to print a pair of 1/48 aircraft wheels was over $150 or £100. So there are issues that will require waiting for the technology to become affordable, and to also be sure the printed material is stable over time, if you intend to print kits and assemble their parts from a device next to your computer. I don't see this as being viable (to a quality standard we're used to with injection molded parts) within the next decade, due to cost as well as quality of resolution.

I agree with the necessity to apply a gloss sealant to your base colors before applying the wash process. Another approach for "spot washes" - where you're not following extensive surface features such as panel lines, but working on nuts, bolts, or other small bossed items on the surface of the model is to use a 50/50 mix of Future(Klear) and water, with a drop or two of acrylic paint, dark grey or black. Mix this well and apply with a fine brush and it creates the most convincing shadows around such items. It can be done with recessed details such as rivets, but again I'd warn against taking long brush strokes on panels or extended intersections, as it doesn't perform well with those applications.

May be of some interest: http://www.hyperscale.com/2015/features/c2afb72_1.htm

Finally started showing up in the States and sold out quickly. Going for about $76 from Sprue Bros or $66 from Freetime Hobbies. (£49 to £42) http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/hbs81739.htm http://freetimehobbies.com/1-48-hobby-boss-russian-ka-27-helix/ Beautiful kit mind you.

News to anyone?: http://www.xtmodel.com.cn/html/2015/pexplain_0420/22.html and http://www.xtmodel.com.cn/html/2015/pexplain_0420/21.html

You might consider using paper. If the louvres are the same size (or if they're tapered even), and you can draw, sketch, or print them on paper you can then saturate the paper with CA, cure it with accelerator and it behaves much like styrene. Only thinner than 0.005" in most cases. If for example the louvres are 4mm wide and 0.3mm deep (or proud of the surface) you cut the paper in this width, then slice out the 0.3mm strips. This being again done after hardening the paper with CA. A bit of folding and repetitive trimming and you can make X number of louvre strips (I'd advise making 10% excess) and choose the best of the lot that you need. Carefully apply from the direction the louvres open towards. As for where to post these queries, go to Modeling > Tools & Tips > Scratchbuilding (or whatever subtopic your post falls into). Lee

American Racing Minatures have re-released a few of Chris Etzell's kits from years back. This is the Indy Car series that Eddie Cheever won with in 1998. It is a curbside kit, without engine, etc and comes as a mix of resin, white metal, vacuum formed windscreen, and decals. A very nice kit of an attractive subject. A lot of the panel breaks were inconsistent, so I ended up filling and rescribing most of these, and cut scribing guides from vinyl that matched the panel contours. The first photo shows sanding back after filling with CA and priming the resin upper body. There's an oval panel ahead of the cockpit that I'd filled and used a cut vinyl scribing guide to recreate, although with a fine scriber: Same thing for the lines on the upper sides: The transaxle was painted and a brass driveshaft installed to the dimensions required by the instructions. The cockpit was primed semigloss black and covered with Scale Motorsports carbon fiber decal material. The material in front of the instrument panel is in the process of snuggling down. The seat was also covered in this material. More to come as the suspension and wheels are assembled.

Very nice, fine work. Are you turning the connectors on this? Lee