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AlexB

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  1. AlexB
    I tried to tint the front screen green, as I've seen in photos of the real thing. I mixed a tiny bit of green acrylic paint with some gloss lacquer and I didn't think it had worked, but I've just noticed in the previous closeup photo, there's a tiny hint of green on the front screen. That'll do!
  2. AlexB
    The wings and nose cone now fitted. I've modified the kit parts a little to prevent the wing glove vanes popping out with swept wings. These little wings only appeared at supersonic speeds and I believe they'd actually been completely disabled on the real F-14As by 1989 (this model will be finished as it appeared in 1989) I trial fitted the canopy just to make sure it'll be OK. Painted the main spars grey first so that's the colour that will appear inside rather than the black the outside will be finished in. I'm surprised at how much of the internal cockpit detail remains visible, so I think I need to tidy it up a bit more. I'll be messing with jet exhaust today, as I obtained some clear acrylic rod which I'll use to display the aircraft, mounted from a board with the rod inserted into the tail pipes... never done that before, so play time... I've also noticed in the photos that the upper and lower halves of the forward fuselage aren't properly aligned. The lower half is maybe 1/3rd mm inboard from this view of the starboard side, but the same amount proud on the port side. I'll have to tidy that up too, as it's now bugging me!
  3. AlexB
    The build continues. Wings fitted. I've painted the areas that will be awkward later, and this time the paint went down without a load of dust. During the week, while I was painting the picture, I added a little colour to the boring white helmets. Not strictly correct, but, hey, artistic licence again!
  4. AlexB
    While I get my head around painting enamels without making them look like a woolly jumper I splattered some paint on paper. Another long forgotten hobby I've decided to revive. First painting in at least 10 years. I blame the fact I got the artists acrylic paint out, and got distracted, I guess I should get back to the Tomcat now!!
  5. AlexB
    Those missiles aren't attached yet of course, just a trial fit to take a photo in context. I have a silly idea about how I might display the finished jet, involving a forced perspective technique I've seen used on dioramas, typically something like a 1/72nd plane over flying some 1/200 (or smaller) ships. I'm going to attempt two planes in flight, so obtained Heller's smaller 1/144 Tomcat... no idea how it'll work out, and I've never built a 1/144 kit before. They are tiny!!! Side by side comparison; Less than 2 weeks to the anniversary, so I'll only focus on completing the 1/72nd kit for the moment!
  6. AlexB
    I didn't manage to get much done this weekend due to the emergency surrounding our central heating failure - that's fortunately all sorted (well a temporary solution is working) for the moment so I did a little faffing. Experimented with dirtying the surface to show detail, knowing that the paint will cover this up. But I think I'm happy enough with a wash technique that won't irreversibly bugger up the top coat once I'm done. Also painted the missiles. They're not accurate for the late 1980's period this plane will represent, but I wanted a contrast to the dull grey, so they're in early 70s white. Kit instructions say the Phoenix missiles should be white, but the Sparrows are Gull Grey, of course in reality there's more to it than that, Artistic license applied!! Freehand painted; white brushed enamel base, detailed with artists acrylic. Any seriously wobbly lines can be straightened with a toothpick as the acrylic can be easily chipped from the enamel. Not perfect by any means, but I like the effect so far.
  7. AlexB
    I've "stripped" the paint again... sort of by accident in that I used a mild plastic scourer dish washing sponge thing in an attempt to knock the rough stuff off... Sadly that's abrasive enough to remove the raised panel lines too. This is a learning experience, so I'm not too worried, the F-14 will eventually be mounted far enough away from picky eyes! Weekend trials will commence without a wooly jumper, but with some more new brushes (Expo this time). (subsequent edit: Disaster with home central heating put paid to any play time! I think all my paints will be frozen, I know I am!!)
  8. AlexB
    I know it's always a joke about kids building "airfix" kits and painting them with a dusty hairy brush... hmmm this brush painting lark is hard work. First attempt the surface was rough and dusty, so I left it a day and being a car/bike guy I polished it back using t-cut which basically stripped the paint. Fine. New Harris brush, fresh out of the packet, brand new Heller enamel paint... and the result is this mess. Advice?
  9. AlexB
    What a gorgeous looking aircraft!
  10. AlexB
    Thanks John, I think its a rebox of the original 1970s Airfix kit.
  11. AlexB
    I painted the turbine blades, but once they're installed they're invisible without a torch!! IMG_9070 Still, at least I know it's done eh!
  12. AlexB
    I've started a build at "Building the ancient Heller F-14A Tomcat 1/72" https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235084357-building-the-ancient-heller-f-14a-tomcat-172/ Prepare for massive closeups of diabolical work! 😉
  13. AlexB
    And from above; IMG_9029 And another; IMG_9031 Crikey, massive photos make the job look really rubbish!! I'll have to make the photos 240px square to hide the terrible workmanship!!!
  14. AlexB
    OK, Flickr privacy settings stopped the posting of the photos! I've attempted to "detail" the cockpit a little, but once the fishbowl is fitted I'm pretty sure it'll be invisible! IMG_9023
  15. AlexB
    I've not attempted to build a model kit for decades, since the 1980s actually. Now I'm getting on a bit I decided I best proceed with doing some of the kits in my stash. My main interest is UK based RAF/USAF stuff from about 1970 to 2000, but I've ended up with a few other things in the stash that I can practice on first... And as it's the 50th anniversary of the first Tomcat flight later this month I figured I may as well start there! It's a wheel up OOB build, of a kit I bought second hand, which turned out to have a couple of bits missing... Not done a huge amount to it so far as I was waiting for paints and glue etc. (I tried to buy locally but to no avail... mail order from the big H in Londonshire) Hmmm I set up a Flickr account but the forum isn't allowing me to embed the links. Back in a bit!
  16. AlexB
    Thanks all for the welcome! So far this old Humbrol F-14 kit is living up to the reputation of needing a lot of filler! I'm building it wheels up, and the kit doesn't appear to have been created with that option in mind, the main wheel doors aren't quite the right shape and I bodged a support structure to keep them in place while gluing and ended up glue leaking through onto an exterior surface damaging the surface finish. Doh. It's also a second hand kit, purchased many moons ago, and there's a couple of bits missing; the two small antennae the fit behind the cockpit and one of the nosewheel doors. I'll make the antennae from spare fins of the Phoenix missiles I'm not using (I'm kitting it with 4 Sparrows + 2 Phoenix leaving me 4 spare Phoenix), and I've simply filled the missing wheel door as there's no wheel bay on this kit. Main annoyance I've spotted so far is the crew sit too high in their seats. I didn't notice until all the cockpit was glued into place, so that's where they'll stay. They don't hit the canopy so not a major fail! Keeping me out of trouble though... I'll have a rummage on the forum to see how we do the photos stuff. Cheers
  17. AlexB
    Ha ha, sound advice, except I'm probably the worst critic I'll have! It'll never be good enough for me!!!
  18. AlexB
    Hi all! I finally signed up after reading many amazing posts over the years while I filled up my stash boxes, sold them again, filled them up, sold them, moved house... filled up stash boxes AGAIN..... I always have plans to build something, usually aircraft, but sometimes military vehicles and model railways, but life and work get in the way, and it never happens. Then the other day I realised it's the 50th anniversary of the first F-14 Tomcat flight in December 2020 and I've got an ancient kit in the loft. What better reason do I need to actually build it? Not built anything since I made loads of rubbish Airfix and Matchbox military aircraft when I was a kid in the 70s/80s, and that era is the really the stuff I want to build now. I'll mainly be sticking with OOB 1:72 stuff, certainly until I get practiced enough to show off!! Maybe the Tomcat will turn out OK, and perhaps it'll be ready in time for the 21st December 2020 anniversary... don't hold you're breath, it's been 35 years since I tried! Cheers Alex
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