HadesOmega

Finally got the 14" bird done. The main color coat was an attempt at a custom Diamond White I read online. It consists of the following Tamiya acrylics: 200 drops (full bottle): X-2 (gloss white) 1 drop XF-16: (flat aluminum) 2 drops XF-21: (flat sky) The command module sensors and engine bells were done in AK Interactive Extreme Metal (polished aluminum); the main and booster bells were lightly oversprayed with shades of clear blue and purple for the heat discoloration effect. The small vernier thruster bells were carefully hollowed out by hand with a small Dremel ball-end bit (and it was nerve-wracking!) Everything less the metallics was tied together with a final Tamiya flat clear coat. Since the paneling decals weren't included (at least in my kit), gray panel details were masked and airbrushed. Now Eagle 1 has some company on the display shelf. Enjoy!

Outstanding build! One of my favorite Eagle variants.

Great minds think alike...

Hmmm... Okay I'm in! 😁

Well, the Eagle is done and dusted. Thinking of displaying her in a similar fashion to my Hawks, mounting it on the wall in a shadow box. The real trick is finding one that fits the model's dimensions. I guess after clearning the workbench I should get cracking on my next project... 😁

Happy Breakaway Day! Just need to finish the detailing, apply window decals & attach the pod boosters, then a final satin clear over everything.

She's getting there...just have to finish paneling the passenger pod and then she'll be ready for Alan to test-crash fly. 😅

Latest WIP of my 14" 1/72 MPC Eagle. Paint is a basically all Tamiya acrylics. I got a set of the optional aluminum engine/VTOL bells, and while they're not exactly cheap they do kick up the realism a notch. I was planning to give the passenger pod the red stripes and make this a rescue eagle, but I think I'll do up my big 1/48 scale kit that way instead.

It may be based on SBY but doesn't follow any movie, anime or manga. Here's a little blurb from a random Google search: "1/700 SCI FI SHIP Suyatta's Combination Fleet series in the sky has aroused great repercussions in the science fiction market after it was launched with its unique original design and story background. However, only Nagato and Mutsu were too lonely. I-400 and I-401 came to support. "In order to make up for the disadvantage of the number of warships, SRK decided to build a batch of special warships with both reconnaissance and assault functions. This type of special warship is equipped with reconnaissance airships and long-range thrusters. In addition, confidential models of torpedoes and mines were also equipped on battleships for combat testing. These torpedoes have the appearance of a meteorite camouflage. These special warships are called "special-type air submarine ships", and the two known as I-400 and I-401 are currently in service. "In order to deal with the enemy's increasingly powerful anti-potential capacity, the I-401 was replaced with a meteorite-shaped camouflage shield." There is also a space submarine available, the "I-400."

This is one of the weirdest things ever (the central bridge "pagoda" is detachable and transforms into a mech). So I ordered it and it got added to my stash. 😁

Showing some big Super Valkyrie love!

Outstanding build! I just received the same kit, shopping for photoetch bling for some additional touches. PS: 1/20m you have the big PlayMax kit? I've been wanting one but they're hard to find, and the price jumped considerably. I should have bought one when they first hit the market.

Watching this build, because I'm a Macross fan!

Very nice build! This kit has been on my wish list for ages.

Better view of their final home on my wall.

Both are done, used a shadowbox display case from a local craft store. I fabbed up a couple of styrene "holders" that support the Hawks from the forward wings. One of the circular dome bases was trimmed, primed and painted to somewhat resemble the planet from the War Games episode. The star field was made by flicking white paint from a toothbrush, and a light mist was applied diagonally to simulate a bit of nebula. I have yet to get a couple of framing nails in the wall but that's the final thing to do. Guess I'll get cracking on the 1/72 Eagle next, hope I can find another case to fit it!

Thanks all!

***UPDATE*** Wrapped up the build and final painting this weekend. Displayed alongside my first version, now planning out a cute little display for both of them together.

More progress! Weathering added this round. I use a homemade wash mix I found on the interwebz: 4 pts. dish soap (I use detergent) 1 pt. paint (Tamiya Nato Black) 1 pt. plain water Apply and wait for it to dry completely before rubbing it off with a Q-Tip (or cotton bud, for our friends across the pond). The major advantage is that it doesn't attack certain plastics, such as Bandai, and if you don't like it you can easily clean up with a damp cloth/Q-Tip and try again. I found that the color I used gave the plain white paint a nice off-white finish in addition to building up in crevices and making raised features pop a bit. I'll be adding some more subtle weathering before gluing on the last of the details and tying it all together with a couple of light coats of clear Tamiya TS-80 flat lacquer. One caveat about this last, though...don't use it over any metallic paints, because it really dulls down the shine, hence the engine bells, vertical lifters and side maneuvering thrusters will be the very last things added.

Dry-fitting painted sub-assemblies today (main engine, side boosters & missile pods). Still have a fair amount of final painting before decal application can start.

My first build for 2022. This will be the companion Hawk to the all-white version I posted up here last year. Similar paint colors with the exception of using Tamiya X-6 Orange, which is a gloss but will be flattened with TS-80 after decals are done. Nasty seams! 😠 I ran some Tamiya masking tape on both sides of the command module and puttied them up: The result after masking tape is pulled: Some elbow grease, all better now! Hmm, something's missing... 🤔 Ready to hunt some Eagles! 😆 Time to sling some of that signature orange livery. top and bottom. After the tape is pulled. I swear, a clean masking job reveal is like unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning. More to follow later!

Oh absolutely! The bigger 1/48 Hawk is at the top of my 2022 wishlist. 😉

And just in time too! This turned out nicer than I expected. The kit base is just temporary, I have a display plan in mind but it won't come to fruition until I complete Hawk #2 with the alternate colors.

Please excuse the decal backing paper carnage in the background! 😆 Nearing the end of completion of my MPC Hawk (this is the Round 2 re-release). I wanted to do the orange/white scheme but for some odd reason couldn't find a proper orange that looked good to my eyes, so all-white it is. It's pretty much a straight OOB build, primed with Badger Gray Stynylrez and sprayed with a couple of gloss coats of white (Tamiya X-2), for ease of decal application. When all is done she'll get a clear flat finish. Although the parts didn't literally fall together like a Bandai kit, the assembly went better than I expected, with the exception of breaking one of the tiny lunar lander legs that brace the rear engine assembly, despite careful use of my Tamiya hobby nippers. 😡 But hey, it just made me think of this build as a trial run of patience for one of the Bandai Y-Wings in my stash. Microscale Micro Set and Microsol were my two best friends when it came to help wrap those tiny orange decals around the trusswork. One little trick I learned for finishing the main and booster engine bells: 1. Polish the bare plastic with ultra-fine grit sanding pads. I used a Gundam "Raser Balancer" sanding stick, which I've read is equivalent to 2000 grit. You'll get a nice glossy finish. 2. I airbrushed two mist coats of Tamiya X-1 gloss black followed by a heavy wet coat . That's right, no primer! 3. Again, I applied two mist coats and a final wet coat of AK Interactive Xtreme (481 Polished Aluminum). When dry you get a nice sheen that almost rivals the aftermarket aluminum Eagle bells. Finally, I don't plan on using the included base. If I can find a shadow box that agrees with the model's dimensions, it'll become a wall hanging.

Stumbled upon this while doing a web search on this very system. I haven't seen all that many reviews on it, so this is the first. Have any members purchased this as of late?