Jimd0586

Thank you Tony! That means a lot coming from everyone on this site. Truly! And honestly, I enjoy this forum more than the US forums. Hope you all don't mind a Yank on here!

Thank you! That was done with rock salt, water, and then a Tamiya clear smoke paint heavily thinned. This created a darker shade coat. Once dry, brush away the salt and there you go! I don’t think the mustard tips of the phoenix missiles is accurate, don’t ask where I saw they were that color… but with all the white on the bird, I like the contrast it provides. Part of this hobby is the art too, right? Sometimes it’s ok to trade a little art over accuracy 😝

Thanks. That means a lot coming from someone on here!

How did you upload it directly into the forum? I can't figure it out.

https://imgur.com/a/CokU1fI

Morning! I was working on my Tamiya F-14A 1/48 kit and after finishing some painting on the cockpit, realized the RIO joystick fell off into the abyss that is my carpet. While most people will never notice it, it's driving me crazy. Of course, no one sells 1/48 scale flight sticks/joysticks. Any suggestions? I suppose I could take a sprue and just cut it and stick it there but that would look pretty terrible. I even considered buying a resin cockpit kit for an unbuilt Super hornet just so I could then steal joystick from it, but those are expensive for just a .01 cent piece. Any help would be appreciated. JRD

It's a good one. I just finished mine and even wired it up for working nav lights: https://imgur.com/a/p2oEPeT

Thanks guys. Like I said, I know there are some issues with painting, gaps, and seams. But I think it is wall-shelf level... I wouldn't enter it in a show. You guys on here have some serious talent!

I did! I just got so excited I wanted to show you guys here too!

Here's how it came out. Thanks for all the tips. Scroll down past the pictures on the link below and the video shows the lights I wired up. https://imgur.com/a/p2oEPeT

Finished my Growler! https://imgur.com/a/p2oEPeT

Just finished my Growler. Plenty of issues to point out, I know: Seam lines and gaps are pretty obvious. But I still think she turned out pretty nice. The lights are a nice bonus. I wired them up while building and placed the switch inside the fuselage. The jet nozzle pulls off and you can reach in with a pen and switch on the lights! https://imgur.com/a/p2oEPeT

Thanks for the help!!1 And nice work on your model!

Great. Thank you. Do you happen to have a link to the fibre optic product you are talking about?

Hello all. I would like to add working nav lights to my Meng 1:48 EA-18G I am about to start. This may be overkill, but I am curious what route I should go. I have experience with RC planes so I know how the RC nav lights work but didn't know if there was another option. If I use RC lights I then need the light harness, a receiver, and a larger 1 or 2 cell battery. Are there kits that run off a AA or AAA battery? I could then maybe make one of the engine exhausts removable and slide in batteries back there. Any suggestions on what to buy would be appreciated. If this is just not a good idea from the start, do let me know. I have built plenty of plastic models and painted them, but never added lights! JRD

Jeff, I am on the Washington side of Whidbey island, so I see them fly over Skagit Valley as they come in to land. Pretty awesome sight!

Good afternoon all. I work for a tugboat company in the USA and have for years wanted to build a model of one of our tugboats. I have no clue where to begin, what materials to use, how to shape and build the model. Does anyone have any knowledge or wisdom they could share? I know what I am asking for is basically trade secrets on tugboat model building, but I just don't know where to begin. A bit about me: I have been building and painting plastic models for a few years now. I would say I am above average in skill but not show quality. Scratch building appears to be the name of the game for tugboats as they are so varied in size, style, dimensions, etc. I have access to blueprints of the tugs I would be building. It is my family's company so I have a strong devotion to the final product. Regards, Jim

All great ideas. I actually bought some blank decal paper for another project. I think I’ll try the route of red dots that way. Thank you all for the suggestions!

I just added decals to an SBD Dauntless but they lack the red dot. Ideas on how best to stencil them and airbrush? I am building a coral sea dauntless but the decals were midway so I’ve been improvising. Jim