RidgeRunner

Oo … I do love a Republic jet . Nice work, Patrice

Not yet. I'll probably cut most off with a chisel and hen mask around each area and sand back.

Well, I got a fair bit done today. My first task was to get the airbrakes and intakes fitted. THe former are simple but at the eleventh hour I realised that I hadnt modified the cones. The kit parts for this are resin and it required that the stryrene is cut away and the resin cone fitted after a little trial and testing. It seems to be a double cone and went on easily. To cut the styrene I used a piece of card (from an old business card) as a spaced and then cut along that. This also, of ciourse, protected the lip of the intake. Here is the modified intake in the centre with the original to the right, together with the remaining new cone still on the moulding block. I then cut out the slot in the fin for the rear warning receiver. Again this new part is resin. I used a small narrow chisel for this. It should clean up okay and I will use PPP to fill gaps. However, I forgot to thin the two strakes/fins alongside the fin. I have since masked the surround and sanded them in situ. Then, after sanding the inner faces, I assembled the wing halves and, once dried, I fitted them, employing one of my patented jigs for alignment Thereafter I filled the nose cone with fishing weights and fitted it to the fuselage. It is a rough join and will certainly need a fair bit of filling and sanding. I reckon I'll be getting the Gloop out ;). Along the way the instructions ask you to fit various small parts but these can wait until I have the basic shappe filled and sanded. Otherwise I'm prone to knocking things off or sanding them in error! Back again tomorrow Martin

I will be getting more construction done today but, for now, here are the decals that arrived over the weekend . Plenty of spares! The various grey serials etc are to give me choice when i t comes to application. Martin

Very nice, John.

Excellent stuff, chaps. As is now apparent from posts @dogsbody, it is the D I am referring to. Thanks everyone. Martin

Yes, Stu, and she transited over here, albeit in the midnight sky

I use Colourcoats Vert/Green ACF08. There is/was huge variation so you can probably just use what you think matches your references. Martin

I know almost nothing about this but I have seen photos of post-WW2 Mustangs with black lines radiating from the wing root outwards along the upper surface of the wing. A caption I have seen refers to them being related to dive bombing and aiming. Was this a WW2 idea? Martin

Exactly, @scotthldr, as I’ve said. I’m getting more and more convinced that the two colours are close to midnight blue and scarlet. Certainly, as I had previously thought, the blue was not Insignia Blue as it is too dark. Martin

I received my latest set from Mika today and they look great. I will post a photo when I can. Martin

That is true, Miguel. I'd like to start with the original colours which I can then blend to faded areas. If I can!!!! So far I reckon Midnight Blue (Hex #191970) is pretty close. Also I think the red is scarlet (Hex #FF2400). Martin

A South American Mirage - what a great choice of subject!!!! I will be watching closely :). I like those decals Martin

Hi all, I am a 100% enamels users but, for health reasons, I am considering a switch to acrylics. In the past I have been through a similar period of consideration and stuck with my enamels. However, I probably should try. I have a few questions for the collective and would be grateful if your advice: 1. are acrylics as durable as enamels once hardened? 2. when using how do you keep the flow? My little experience of acrylics has meant a rapid clogging of the airbrush 3. is the range of colours as good as enamels? I am primarily a post war jets builder. any suggestions? 4. how easy is clean-up post painting! 5. How are acrylics thinned? Water? 6. I think enamel washes can be used over acrylics? That’ll probably do for now! ;). Thanks in advance. Martin

Very nice, Ray. Seeing her takes me (and others, I’m sure), back to the 1970s Martin