ERK

I also built this - its real fiddly and yes a few poor fits first - the two front fuselage pieces (the floor at the front from quite a way back and Just behind the entrance door all the way towards the nose - needs a lot of sanding so the fuselage sides will meet. Also parts 84,85 and 88 are for the main undercarriage legs/mudguards - and yes fiddly to cut away (side cutters with a pointed nose are really needed here). The fit of the engine nacells are fiddly and need carefull filling with a rounded file to get them to slide over the wing into place at both ends. Also then watch out with the main u/c units as getting them down into position in the nacells is near impossible as the u/c units are wider then the opening, I solved mine by sanding the lower leg sections down abit flush with the oil tanks, also the u/c units are slightly too short by about 3/4mm I made this difference up by gluing inside the wells were the legs sit - some plastic flat stock then sat the u/c units ontop of that. The rear parts of the legs are also fiddly and need (Gentle bending) to get them in posiion in thier lugs - then glued well. Also when you fit the canopy together its fiddly as there are seperate small glazing sections that have to be added, then the fit on the fuselage can be a bit hit and miss - I suggest a few dry runs before you glue it down. I should also have said the fit of the rear fuselage to the front is also a bit of a pain and needs careful placing to get it to lign up. The wings mate with the fuselage well - but the cut outs in the wings for the plastic spars need a bit of sanding inside to let them fully fit. Apart from those the rest of the kit is a joy to build. Hope this helps. Erk.

Indeed, its quite a large kit. Erk. Thanks John. Erk.

Hi all, I started this build about Two weeks ago - I will jump straight to the present, I have assembled and painted/weathered the cockpit - main floor, fitted the main rows of bench seating and decided to convert the last Three seats (each side) at the rear into folded up seats, I have also detailed the rear bulkhead sections above the rear ramp, the other inner wall needs the same detail - then plenty more work before I can close up the fuselage. Erk

Superb, no real Issues and very little flash - also very good instructions and very well protected parts on the spru's. All in all one of the best kits I have built, I place Kinetic up there with Eduard for top ratted kits and build quality. Erk.

Yep, it was the stripped down finish out in the Atlantic - just an over paint in the light Grey scheme. Erk.

Thank you. Erk. Thank you. Erk.

Thank you for all the nice replies. Erk.

Excellent work. Erk.

Superb job - finish and the setting certainly makes a difference. Erk.

Great work there mate - what a fab collection of F4's. Erk.

I have been working on this for the last couple of months and finished it last week, I also made a HMS Hermes part base for it to sit on. Erk.

Hi all, Im still about - just having a break while I build my Kinetic 1/48 SHAR. "I will be Back" Erk.

Hi all, I am making slow pace with these 15 down 100-odd to go, latest finished minus a dull top coat - two more french 51 ligne. Erk.

I brush paint everything as I do not own a sprayer, also I have tried diluting but with boiled tap water after it has gone cold, also I shook the living daylights out of the bottle first before emtying half the bottle into a jar and then mixed in the water to 50/50 mix, then I thoroughly mixed and shook the jar for about ten minutes - I have been doing the stiring and shaking before every coat applied lightly with a brush about 5 times now but each coat is staying a satin finish. Erk.

Am thinking of starting one of these next year but would loved to have had a bash at its interior aswel, I have a question - could I bash the same companies M1 interior kit and mock up the parts used to make up a Challenger 2 interior? Any thoughts?

Interesting comments - I am having nothing but trouble from Vallejo Flat Acrylic Varnish as I can't get it to go flat no matter what i do, it just stays a kind of satin despite many layers spaced over days leaving each layer a day or so to harden. Erk.

I have also been having issues with Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue (supposed to be a Matt) both the Flat Red and Blue are not drying Matt but are retaining a sheen lika a satin despite giving them each a thorough shake and stir and even having a good bit of Flat Medium mixed into the jar, no matter what I do I can not get them to go Flat/Matt, even trying to apply Vallejo Matt Varnish ontop still will not flat them - after five or six attempts. Erk.

I could see what you mean after checking out pics on the net, so I have re done some already making the uniform more brick - red ochre colour by adding some oak brown to to my flat red. Mind you I am now having problems getting a really flat paint finish from both the Vallejo Acrylic paints (red and blue especially) and even the Vallejo Acrylic Matt varnish - tried every trick in the book - shook it / stired it till may hand fell off, wattered it with distilled water to about 40/60 (40 = water) even added some Vallejo Matt Medium - and done several thin coats heated with a hairdryer between coats - but still not going flat - more like a satin finish. Its funny cuz blacks, whites etc are loverly and flat right out the bottle. Erk.

Indeed Phil, its from these fine people. https://www.coastalkits.co.uk/newstore/large-airfield-display-base-3.html Erk.

I was sent another bottle and some Flat Medium that is supposed to help. Erk.

Hi all, more progress - so after talking with the shop where I got my paints from they decided to send me Two new bottles of Vallejo Flat Red and Dark Prussian Blue, but they also sent me a freeby of Vallejo Flat Medium, they told me by adding a bit of this to the paints it will help to dull them and achieve more of a flat finish. Anyway on with the figures - more work on the 5th KGL. Erk.

Its in Vallejo's Waterloo colour set supposed to be accurate for the British uniforms of the Infantry regiments at Waterloo, it just looks weird in the bottle or jar that I am now using - it looks really pink like a salmon pink colour, weird. Erk.

Only trouble I am having now after changing over from Tamiya Acrylics to Vallejo is - the Flat Red does not look very red in the pot - looks more like a salmon pinky colour, also despite giving the paints a thorough stir (till my hand hurt) they are not going very flat and are keeping a sheen to them. I am applying the paint ontop of Vallejo Black Surface Primer thats had a couple of days to dry, so that should not be an issue. Erk.

These look great mate, lots of detail and colour. Erk.

Yeah its strange, in the pot it looks like a dark pinky salmon but after a few coats are on it dries red, shame about the shiny finish - only happens with the red and blue, the white and bauge are nice and flat, I read up on the net its down to the pigments not mixing aswel despite sriring the living daylights out of them. Erk.