[FS: Werner's Wings 1/48 AH-1G/Q/S Main Rotor Deflectors]

CH-53 book sold.

 

Jon

[FS: Werner's Wings 1/48 AH-1G/Q/S Main Rotor Deflectors]

CAVU Publications CH-53E book added.

 

Jon

[Academy 1/48 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion]

On 3/27/2024 at 4:33 PM, Retired Bob said:

Absolutely superb,   as is the "little"  CH-46E.  Do you have a wide angle lens to get them both together?

 

I do have the lens, but not the space!

 

18 hours ago, Michael Taylor said:

Fantastic. Believe me I know how much pain the rivets induce but if I may ....The colors on your horizontal tail fin are reversed :l ...sorry....

 

Thanks for the feedback. I was a bit confused about the horizontal tail. Academy had a dark national insignia (FS35237) on a pale background (FS36375), but their camouflage scheme is wrong, certainly for this airframe in 2006. In the end I went with this photo from the CAVU book of light (FS36375) on a dark camouflage (FS35237):

 

 

Jon

[Academy 1/48 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion]

Thanks to everyone who has commented. I've very much appreciated reading the response.

 

Jon

[Academy 1/48 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion]

On 3/26/2024 at 2:55 PM, Bell209 said:

Wow, that's an awesome build! I particularly like the way you've weathered the blades - they're all different, as they should be. As a helo maintainer, I often see this with blades, even when they're a set. Great work!

 

Thanks for that Bell209. I was using the incredible CAVU publications book on the CH-53E which noted that blades could vary from almost new to heavily worn on the same aircraft. The underlying colour is too yellow (I painted yellow over tan, but didn't really get through to the tan!) and the wear pattern is not perfect because it turns out Academy didn't mould the blade profile perfectly smooth.

 

 

19 hours ago, Peter W said:

That really looks superb Jon. You can certainly see where the hours have been invested. A bit worrying how you rate the Reskit parts as I've got all of these in my collection ready for when I start mine 😞

 

Pete

 

Unfortunately they are a real mixed bag. I was forewarned by Chris Becker on YouTube, who showed how poorly engineered the intakes are. I was going to ditch them completely, but then Bernhard Schrock's peerless build shamed me into using them: https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=14143&p=albums&album=64551

 

10 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

It certainly passes the 'is that a model or are they studio shots of the real thing?' test.

They're beast of a Helicopter, but this one is a beauty. One to be very proud of.

Now all you need is a huge display cabinet...

 

It's so massive it won't fit! I've boxed it up in the hope it will survive a trip to Telford, and then maybe it can spend the rest of its life sat on top of a display cabinet gathering dust

 

2 hours ago, SimonT said:

That’s awesome, just needs an Osprey sitting next to it 😎

 

I don't have an Osprey built (yet - it's in the stash!), but I do have a 1/48 CH-46E from the same squadron and cruise:

 

 

2 hours ago, Flyingdutchman said:

What a great build! Truly amazing. Even with the detail photos it still has a wonderful finish! Did you use masks for the MARINES on the back? Does not look like a decal.

 

Evert

 

Thanks  It is a decal. The only painted marking is the national insignia on the horizontal tail surface.

 

Jon

[Academy 1/48 Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion]

Good afternoon all,

 

Bit of a mammoth project for me. It's taken five months and one week of (almost) daily modelling, and thus well in excess of 200 hours. It could (and maybe should) have consumed so many more.

 

The basic kit is from Academy and the decals are a scheme provided by AOA Decals that represents a CH-53E from HMM-264 in 2006. The sheet covers multiple types and thus some of the markings are required from the kit sheet, and some (like the national insignia on the horizontal tail surface) need to be painted.

 

Additions are numerous:

 

Added UHF antenna above and below fuselage
Scratchbuilt GPS antenna on fuselage spine
Modified antenna mount on starboard side of spine
Peanut light added to tail tip
Eduard and Archer resin rivets all over (of several pitches)
Resin wheels (Armory - nice but don't fit)
Resin exhausts (ResKit - nice)
Resin air intakes (ResKit - awful)
Resin tail rotor (ResKit - nice)
Resin main rotor hub (ResKit - mediocre (at best))
Blades dropped
Blades magnetised (i.e. removable)
Rotor blade hub magnetised
Resin refuelling probe (ResKit - nice)
Refuelling probe magnetised
Cables for NVG sensor arm
Cables for engine intakes
Cable for refuelling probe
Scratchbuilt search lights lower front fuselage
Exhaust shroud made from foil
Scratchbuilt engine intake struts
Scratchbuilt Lifting eyes
Scratchbuilt Maintenance struts x2
Eduard brass (inside and out)
Pitots replaced with brass tube
Rotor hub wired
ANYZ connectors dotted all over the place
AOA decals

NVG sensor removed

Chaff buckets modified to be empty

 

There's a lot wrong with it, but I won't list that here. On to the photos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking and comments welcome.

 

Jon

[1:48 Fairchild Republic Thunderbolt II - Warthog by GWH]

Apparently this is now in stock at Lucky Model.

 

Mine's coming to the UK via air for £62 all in, which I think is pretty good.

 

Jon

[1/48 - de Havilland DH.115 Vampire Trainer T.11/J28C by Pilot Replicas - released]

4 hours ago, general melchett said:

 

You could be right, Steve, but looking closely at the photos, there is some fisheye distortion going on that may give that impression. I'd be surprised if PR got it that wrong, as they had a few examples to go on and generally turn out accurate kits. Have to wait for more information.

 

Didn't they LIDAR the Vampire as well? They certainly did several pending releases.

 

Jon

[1/48 - Beechcraft T-34A/B Mentor by Minicraft - released - new Academy & Mono Chrome boxings]

Now available in the UK, and at a reasonable price

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AC12361?result-token=gGMTQ

 

Jon

[Hasegawa 1/48 McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1]

16 minutes ago, Duncan B said:

I don't know how I missed this one earlier but I'm so glad I found it now. What a fantastic build and finish, I actually swore out loud when I first saw it, "bloomin' heck" or words to that effect lol.

 

I know you say you painted the main wheels the wrong colour however I have distinct memories from my horrid 4 months working in the wheels, tyres and brakes bay at RAF Leuchars of a few non painted metal finish wheels coming through the system. I'm not sure if the FAA used them but we did (they were mostly all white ones with some black ones and a very few of the non painted ones in the system if I recall correctly).

The only fault I can see with the kit is that the stabilator isn't lined up with the pivot point of the cover plate which also should sweep with the stab as it pivots but that's down to Hasegawa and is such a nit picking point anyway.

A really spectacular build and is inspiring me to get one of my Hasegawa kits out of deep stash to have a go (someday!).

 

Duncan B

 

Thanks Duncan for your comments and feedback, especially in relation to the wheels. I've found it very difficult to determine the colour of the main wheels on any Phantom I've built (including my F-4G and F-4B this year) due to the wheels always being in deep shadow or obscured by ordnance/drop tanks.

 

The stabilators on the Hasegawa kit are a much better fit than their American Phantoms and these are simply pushed in place, which is why the pitch changes between photos (which was intentional for 'artistic' reasons 🙂 ). I have a couple of Hypersonic sets that allow you to change the cover plate so it's accurate, but it's way too fiddly for me to bother fitting!

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[Anyone else not able to access their back orders at Hannants' website?]

About a year ago all my backorders were deleted for some unknown reason and I had to re-backorder all of them. 

 

Jon

[Do you have a modelling niche?]

In terms of aircraft modelling, my niche might be big enough to not even qualify as a niche, but considered in the light of modelling in general, I think it does: 1/48 Postwar military aircraft (with no duplications of type).

 

I think there are significant benefits to having a niche, and I wrote about that earlier this year: https://jonbryon.com/2023/07/08/upsides-to-limitations-of-choice/

 

Jon

[1/48 - Lockheed U-2R & S Dragon Lady by Hobby Boss - U-2R & U-2S released]

On 12/13/2023 at 2:45 AM, JeffreyK said:

...not a peep from Chinese sellers on Ebay or Aliexpress...

J

 

It's been a while, but I lived in China for a good few years and the LHS owner always said Trumpeter/HB kits were released to the domestic market last, except for PRC subjects. I wonder if that's still true?

 

Jon

[Bench time]

I'm 45, have a family, job, etc., and manage a minimum of 30 minutes a day, but usually more like 60-90 minutes, so probably around 10 hours a week at the bench. This is mainly down to the joys of shift work.

 

Jon

[FS: Werner's Wings 1/48 AH-1G/Q/S Main Rotor Deflectors]

F-35 book reserved for Latinbear.

 

Jon

[FS: Werner's Wings 1/48 AH-1G/Q/S Main Rotor Deflectors]

F-35 book added.

[FS: Werner's Wings 1/48 AH-1G/Q/S Main Rotor Deflectors]

CH-53E interior PE set added.

[Kits for sale - Tornado added 1/3 + price reductions]

I'll take the Meteor FR.9 if that's ok.

 

I'm there Saturday and Sunday. Name a time and place for the exchange!

 

Jon

[Hasegawa 1/48 McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1]

2 hours ago, Nathan Yech said:

Absolutely stunning British Phantom, MRP paint right? Color used on the underside? Cheers...

 

Thanks Nathan (and everyone else!). The EDSG is MRP EDSG mottled over the top with some Mr Color 331 DSG. The undersides are MRP White, Mr Color Off White (C69) and Insignia White (C316).

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[1/48 Trumpeter's Mig-23M canopy fix?]

A correct vacform canopy came in this set:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/ciro-models-c-433-mig-23m-mf-big-correction-set--218601

 

 

Jon

 

 

[Hasegawa 1/48 McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1]

26 minutes ago, niko.b said:

Hi Jon

 

Would it be possible to fix the links to the pictures of your awesome phantom?

 

Cheers

Niko

 

Hi Niko,

 

Thanks for the heads up. All fixed now. I think there will be a lot of posts of mine that need fixing - I'll do it on request

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[Tamiya 1/48 McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II]

Photos should all be back now.

 

Jon

[Tamiya 1/48 McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II]

2 hours ago, SoftScience said:

Where have the photos gone?

 

I've had to change internet hosting plan recently as the costs were becoming sky-high and my website generates no income. I'll fix the photos soon with correct links.

 

Jon

[Tamiya 1/48 McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II]

5 hours ago, DrumBum said:

Hey Jon,

 

Congrats again, I am wrapping up my Tamiya F-4 and it will be much better as a result of seeing yours.

 

I was wondering how you finish the metallic hydraulic extension struts on the main and nose landing gear? They look very authentic.

 

I have been wrapping them with self adhesive foil but find they always look to much like plastic and its difficult to remove all the wrinkles.

 

cheers for now and thanks

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks  The oleo struts are made with ANYZ Models Chrome decal. It's not particularly easy to use, but very shiny. In fact, maybe too shiny - I've just ordered some of his aluminium decal stripes to see if that looks better on a future project.

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[Eduard (old tool) 1/48 SNCAC NC.900]

Hello all,

 

I finished this yesterday: Eduard's 2008 Weekend Edition 1/48 Fw.190A-5 as a French SNCAC NC.900 from 1946. The kit is pretty stock except for seat belts and a pitot and pilot's step both made from Albion Alloys brass tube. The decals are from PT Decal, and unfortunately designed as the black text on the rudder is integrated into the tricolore...which is sized for the Tamiya kit

This kit has a reputation, but I found it went together perfectly fine *except* for the gun bay doors on the wingroots and nose. Eduard really don't want you to fit these closed, and doing so is a nightmare. Still, aside from that, no big issues.

 

No one really knows what colour these were. Mine is based around darkened Olive Drab with some mottling in RLM71. 

 

The wing roundels are too small, paint got into the starboard side of the canopy and so is misted on the inner surface, and I wish I'd put more contrast into the weathering of the prop. Still, it was a fun build.

 

Thanks for looking and comments welcome,

 

Jon