Lifeline

I finally have my temporary work bench up and running. After repairing several models which broken during the move, I continued the zipper I'm following the kit instructions with all white scheme. I have thoughts to paint it with light blue undersides, but I didn't find any reference photo of this practicular airframe (N811NA) with that scheme... Decide to paint the nose anti glare too, since I torn the decal when trying to apply it... Cheers, Mario

Thanks for all the kind words, gents.... Like I said the overall fitting was good, except for few parts which I think it was due to my fault... Filled the wing, I want to build it without any pylon Primer on... Meanwhile I try to play a bit with the ejection seat with masking tape and lead wires... Not bad...? Cheers, Mario

Hi, I have several century series in the shelf, but none was actually slotted for GB... and the I found this when we were packing for a move.. I can't remember when I bought this, but when I saw the decal.. I know it should be build at the earnest.. and it would be a good reason to join this GB, with a NASA bird. Beside, I already build the natural metal zipper few years back... So after a short permission on the GB chat room, I start the build; Hasegawa provided the instrument panel as clear parts... Can't really understand why, though. I'm sure the 1/72 F-104 is one of their older masterpiece.. the fitting and level of detail surpass their other releases in 1/72. I just add throttle lever in the cockpit Cheers, Mario

Yes... Judging from the state of the decal, it seemed NASA version is the best option. Cheers, Mario

I found this when we're packing to move into our temporary house. With decal start to yellow.. Mind if I join the GB? Cheers, Mario

Fujimi 1/72 F-14A Tomcat OOB other than Custom printed decals, and safety pin for the AoA probe. Paint from Ammo MIG's Modern US Navy Paint set. The kit started of as a build for local group build here, but I passed the deadline. Depicting "Voodoo 1" from the well known "documentary" of the most dramatic air-air engagement in post-vietnam war US Navy history. Above the indian ocean, in 1986, Voodoo 1 was able to defend against 6 enemy migs and even score a kill despite being damaged from enemy gun fire. The pilot, who was a top graduate from the Navy Fighter Weapons School prior to the engagement, will ultimately reach the rank of admiral as the US Pacific Fleet Commander later in his career. A deep review of the engagement by The Operations Room channel on YouTube can be seen here; With the adversary 1/72 Hobbyboss "Mig-28" Cheers, Mario

With so many PE already installed on the island, it's getting difficult and risky to handle. So I attach it to the deck, attached the mast and antennas. Interestingly, Academy provide many of antennas, but only shows instructions to attach few of them. So reference is your friend to identify spots to attach it. Also the crane, with so many PE it feels like build a whole kit. Colored the windows with marker. At this time I realized I should paint parts of the mast black.. don't know how I would do that, yet though. I actually try to mask the deck marking with the provided masks on the most aft landing area. Which I failed... So I masked the area and paint it with different dark grey tone. Cheers, Mario

Putty on the flight deck to fill the "trenches" meant for landing markings and elevator. Meanwhile PE affairs continue for the helicopters. I realized I can't continue the build unless the flight deck assembled and painted. So, all masked and prepared. Choosing what kind of grey for my ship build is always a challenge for me. This time, since it seems that ROK Navy use the same shade of grey as USN, I use Mr.Color 306 (FS36270) with a bit of white added. Critic, Comments, or any reference are very welcome. Cheers, Mario

Problem solved... (I think) Btw... I finished most of the PE for the island. Cheers, Mario

Yeah not just you... It also happens to me.. and being deemed class one obese on my latest med made me even more offended. Still trying to resolve the problems.... Sorry for the inconvenience, guys. Cheers, Mario

Hi, I bought this kit almost a year ago, just to add another flat top for my growing 1/700 armada. Academy made the kit as one of it's "multicolor snap fit" type of kit, but in a few review it was said to have a good detail, and I also bought Artwox Model PE sheet. The hull already came assembled between the upper hull and lower. As like other ship I have, I will build it as waterline. The details are quite good, and looking at the details on the stern, it feels like Academy going to release version which have well deck? I'm having a great experience with this set. The fitting is really good, although the instructions is confusing for some parts. I drill out the area around the hull and build a simple faux gangway to prepare the PE Railings. Cheers, Mario

Hi, It's ironically intended as simple out of the box project of mine which became a bit complicated, and become a shelf queen. Then it was continued in the KUTA GB, but get postponed again due to work and life. The in progress reports are here from the KUTA GB section; https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235103598-the-almost-forgotten-phantom/ The decal process.... Yes.. I honestly consider stencils are fun 😁 I was able to use all the small stencils. Ironically the problem was on the nose number. I somehow lost one of it... Luckily, I was able to replace it with leftover decals from other kit which have the same size and fonts. The other problem was on the external fuel tanks decals. I were able to torn a bit part of it during the process... https://i.postimg.cc/RhCbmWxH/IMG-20220411-013043.jpg The red marks are red paint, acting as the primer before yellow paint added. other than that, all went okay.. clear coat the kit and slightly weather the kit. Avoiding to make it too dirty. And the figures, Both came from other Hasegawa kits, slightly modified by re-posed the head and the hands, add twisted wire as the oxygen line, and add visor for the RIO figure. Cheers, Mario

Wow.... I always thought Zvezda's Mig-21 has fitting issues and low detailed, but your build really made me think otherwise. Love the interior colors too. Interesting to see the Mig-21 looks very clean... Hmmm... Air Koryo Il-76? Any pictures of the interior? Do they fit the commercial seats or just regular web seats in it? Cheers, Mario

Hasegawa 1/72 F/A-18B NASA Dryden Flight Research Center WIP as seen here; Yes... I know white object over white base is a bad idea. But it was raining hard outside, and I need to catch an urgent flight. Cheers, Mario

painting was done and followed by decals. Which was challenging, but done it all. Also a bit details on the Ejection seats. Figures from PJ production finished.. And fitted into the cockpit, although need a few modification to get more natural poses. Canopy shows no problem but need a bit touch up with the paint. Not shown here but I fitted small parts such as landing gears and the doors, antenna. Then followed by semi gloss coat left overnight to dry followed by enamel wash. When I peeled the masking on the canopy. Tuned out the masking liquid was not fully covered the clear parts. Nothing I can do except scrape the paint and lacquer clear coat using sharpened sprue, then coat the clear parts with Alclad aqua gloss. The results after few hours, with no more required parts left on the sprue Cheers, Mario

.It was a month ago when I start the decal process when this happened; I was about to give up, but remembering the efforts I gave, and giving up is not the spirit I joined KUTA GB. I decided to order DXM Decals. Which arrived few days ago. I choose this scheme due to it slight similarity with the scheme I originally intended. A bit repainting are required.. Ready for decals... Cheers, Mario

Primered and painted... A lot of gaps and other imperfections which addressed. Even when the white paint is on. I made a cardboard guide for the tail fin angle. Gosh I hate white, it's always hit and miss for me. And this one is definitely miss. Final result was uneven and thick. A factor I need to count to choose the weathering later on. Cheers, Mario

I recast the instrument panel from Academy 1/72 kit and use it to replace the original ones. Need a sanding and fitting, but it's better than the flat instrument panel Hasegawa provide. I personally think the wing tip pylon on Hasegawa's Hornet looks toyish, so decided to experiment on it a bit using strip styrene to simulate a rails. Also modified the HUD using wires and clear acetate End result with wet paint all around it... I planned to depict the aircraft like on the boxtop pictures. So it will be closed canopy with figures. I played around with the ejection seats (which I robbed from the Academy kit because it's slightly better than Hasegawa's) and the canopy when I realized the ejection seat will be seated too low in the canopy. While in the real thing; So I added 2 mm plasticards under the seat; Not perfect at all, but that's the highest I can. Any millimeter higher and the canopy won't be closing. Cheers, Mario

I remember building hasegawa's Hornet a long time ago, and several things stuck in my mind was the problems around the middle section of the fuselage. That's why I start with this area to address the problem right away. I cut off and sand this solid section away on the lower fuselage sidewall that will made the side of wheel well to make it more like the one in the real aircraft. Added small plastic strip to help guide assembly. Hopefully this will helps with the sub assemblies later on. And small experiment to deal with the non existent intake of hase 1/72 F-18 kit.. Using blank paper, and leftover from recast ing experiment. Far from accurate, but better than staring at blank wall that Hasegawa originally intended... As for the cockpit? Another experiment in near future... Cheers, Mario

Hi All, I was actually searching on what kit I should build for the strike GB, when I saw this in my stash.. Upon inspection I found that the decals is starting to yellow. So it need to build immediately. Sprue shots; I do realize @zebra already start with the 1/48 scale of the same subject. And mine will be rather quick build and surely without the QTEP apparatus.. So I hope it's okay to enter this GB with this build? Cheers, Mario

Happy New Year! The build continues with masking and primers. Turned out I've added a few detailing before it was shelved before, such as rivets on the elevators. I also found Eduard's exhaust details in the box. A bit tricky but added small details. Not as good as resin, but should be ok. One of the detail hasegawa doesn't provide is the ribbed nose cone. I originally add the ribs using thin copper wire. It looks ok at first, but primer shows all the glue marks and other blemishes. So I decided to strip it all, sand it and make a new one using thin fishing line, which easier to glued on the plastic surface and doesn't easily deformed. Painting continue using Mr.Color H308 and H307. Those who build Phantom will agree one of the challenge is painting the exhaust area. After a rather tedious masking and several metallic paints later... I will tone down the stipes later, probably by dry brushing it with gunmetal or black pigments. Added simple wiring on the landing gears, using the Eduard PE sets instructions and thin wire Will follow up with clear gloss to prepare for Hasegawa's thick decals. Cheers, Mario

Hi... It's slowly coming back to me on what was the plan for this kit. I remember plan to depict it the way it was shown on the box picture. Manned, running in the taxiway, flaps up. So I have to open up the auxiliary door underneath the fuselage. The bay internal details made from wires. I keep it simple since the real things really confusing and it won't be seen later on anyway. The doors was made from pla-plate. Added PE HUD unit from Eduard. It's too wide in my opinion. I hope it won't be noticed under the curved cockpit clear parts. Masked cockpit clear parts plus the PE parts added. I also modified the scoops near the nose area with metal sheet from beer can. The kit parts.. The "Beer Can Parts"... Cheers, Mario

Hi, I'm joining this GB with this; I think I started this build sometimes last year.. Honestly I forgot what kind of plan I got for this kit. The F-4E PE left over I kept inside the box is a clue that I did plan something. I remembered I add recast side panel details from other resin set for F-4, and engine face in order to add Gene's seamless intake method. Blurred but you can see the intake splitter strakes from styrene sheet and needle AOA probe. I also added several wirings on the cockpit And the engine pressure gauge (?) Wires and styrene sheet also on the wheel wells Cheers, Mario

Passing to see the future GB, and saw the 2021 KUTA in the current GB section, and I thought I don't have any.. I realized I was wrong when I back home and saw this on the rack; Started it sometimes last year I think... Cheers, Mario

Mind if I join the GB @Col., Sir? I just realized majority of my stash are Bomber/Strike/Ground Attack Aircraft... So I'm still considering what to build 😉 Cheers, Mario