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Col.

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Posts posted by Col.

  1. The past week has been mainly spent waiting for paint to dry so that I could then glue some parts together and then wait for that to set before I could then paint more parts and wait for it to dry. At least that process has got me to here now

     

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    With the much-modified figure of Maj. Anderson installed in the much-modified cockpit we're now waiting for the blob of Microscale's Kristal Klear to dry and represent his face mask. A little more detail painting and the unit will get installed into the fuselage.

    While on the subject of the fuselage, and the fallow time when waiting for paint and glue to dry, there's been a little more work done elsewhere

     

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    The tailwheel undercarriage doors needed some packing pieces installed to ensure they sit level with the fuselage, the jetpipe piece is in place, and supporting tabs glued in to take the front undercarriage doors. All this means I can close the fuselage halves round the cockpit unit once it's ready.

     

    Reading through the book over the weekend impressed upon me the fact that everyone involved, be they the US, Cuban, or Soviet personnel, were living with a genuine fear that even the slightest action by any of them had a high potential to inspire nuclear war. The stress they endured during these missions must have been horrendous.

    • Like 6
  2. On 4/14/2024 at 1:35 PM, Alex Gordon said:

    ..if you remember the bits I added to the cockpit last time it turns out that I've fallen foul of the Dreaded Flipped Photo Syndrome. Deep joy.

    Ah damn. I'm not laughing at all Alex :( All I can offer by way of compensation is that you've proved you are capable of creating this detail so perhaps it was a practice session. Your decision to model K4288 as an example of the many otherwise unremarked machines which gave good service to no fanfare is an admirable one.

    • Thanks 1
  3. 9 hours ago, GiampieroSilvestri said:

    Please show me a Hasegawa Fiat G91 and Aermacchi MB326.You are correct that Italeri models have become very expensive but I still have three Italeri (ex-Esci) A-4 that were bought when they cost 19€ and in the Hasegawa kits you only get one or two markings.Aftermarket decal sheets also cost at least 10 or 15 Euro.

     

    Saluti

     

    Giampiero

    I was specifically thinking of the A-4 kit Giampiero and must apologise for not stating that clearly. You raise a good point about the lack of an alternative MB326 kit - a lovely aircraft that, like its stablemate the 339, deserves more attention. It is a pity the various 3D decal producers do not offer (so far as I know) sets to enhance the cockpit of those Italeri kits as they are the ideal blank canvas to lay such items on.

     

    4 hours ago, JFM148 said:

    Honest reviews here?  I only read if they show pictures of the real thing compared to the model and cite book and blueprint references.  99% of "honest reviews" have non of that.  We need evidence, otherwise is 100% "Look, I am THE expert" kind of comment.

     

    Regarding prices in the US, it's another clue how many modellers are buying aircraft models.  Not only Italeri, but a lot of European stuff is really expensive now.  Some items it is cheaper to buy directly from Europe.

    Yes, hence why I stressed when they can be found, all too often reviews go to length at highlighting the positive factors in a kit and make scant if any mention of its faults. In many cases it's only when someone who knows the subject well has purchased the kit and set about working on it that the problems are exposed.

    With regard to prices around the world, I suspect transportation costs are also a significant factor that must be considered.

     

    4 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

    Have you ever considered actually considering at the points raised and seeing if you agree or not?  Or is that below your standards?

    Where's the fun in that? :lol:

  4. On 4/11/2024 at 3:56 PM, GiampieroSilvestri said:

    As I wrote the cockpits must be improved.To eliminate raised panel lines there are sandpaper,lineal and needle.This is more than sufficient to achieve a good result.

     

    Giampiero

    Or, for the same price here in the UK, I can buy the significantly better Hasegawa or HobbyBoss kit and get a detailed cockpit and a full set of engraved panel lines already supplied. Same subject. Same price. Better product. Less effort for a better result. Why then would I pay for an inferior product that takes so much more extra work to achieve a good result?

    If the Italeri kit was £15 or even £20 I'd consider it but otherwise it is not, in my personal opinion, worth the price being asked for an old kit that has been superceded by newer amd better kits that can be found for less money.

    At least the honest reviews, when they can be found, give those few of us who make the effort to find and read them a chance to avoid excessively priced disappointment.

    • Like 1
  5. 15 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

    Id love to get one of those but they go for $60 dollars plus here. Way out of my meager budget allowance. 

    Yeouch! The cheapest I've seen was a C on Amazon for less than £25 delivered but normal retail seems to be around £33 for both the A & C here in the UK.

     

    13 hours ago, Alex Gordon said:

    Crumbs! I don't think mine cost me above three quid!

     

    I've still got these if you need them Col

     

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    and my instructions were printed in blue as well.

    Thank you Alex. Hopefully I'll have sufficient usable decals from between the Caracal and Airfix sheets to cover my needs but will keep your kind offer in mind.

     

    2 hours ago, CliffB said:

    Nice work Col, on the panel lines.

    Re-scribing is one of my pet hates.  Probably because I'm so rubbish at it!

    Thanks Cliff but doing the straight and simple panel lines of the flying surfaces may have lulled me into a false sense of ambition over ability - the more involved fuselage panels are waiting for me :lol:

    • Like 3
  6. 3 hours ago, Alan P said:

    Very sorry to say this but I will be dropping out of this and all subsequent GBs for this year, I just don't have the time available anymore for a year-round GB schedule 😞 good luck with your builds 👍

    Sorry to learn you're not getting the time to model as much as you'd like Alan but hope that the other things taking up that time are enjoyable. You will of course always be made welcome any time you can join us.

    • Thanks 1
  7. Remember those wing panels I was moaning about yesterday?

     

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    Bit of a lump due to panel thickness mismatch on both wings

     

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    I've also added some extra detail to the cockpit while trying to keep in mind just how little will be visible under the closed canopy

     

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    The supplied pilot figure is slowly being modified to better represent Maj. Anderson and his pressure suit/helmet

     

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    • Like 5
  8. 17 hours ago, Colin W said:

    These old Airfix kits take a bit of work but I'm sure you'll have a good model at the end.

    Work indeed Colin but worthwhile to make use of a kit in the stash and all good fun :) 

     

    17 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

    Welcome Col. … I have the very same kit and decals. I plan on doing one of the NMF/Orange birds myself. 

    Must admit that I'm tempted to get the HobbyBoss kit to do at least one of the early NMF machines Dennis. That's the best way to get full value from the decal sheet ;) 

     

    15 hours ago, Alex Gordon said:

    I built that one thirty years ago,it might be rose tinted memories but I seem to remember it was a pleasant build and came up rather well.Enjoy old chum :speak_cool: .

    Same Alex. Lower standards certainly made for more productive modelling sessions :lol:

     

    14 hours ago, modelling minion said:

    Great choice Col, such an iconic aircraft and kit too.

    The Caracal decals should work a lot better than the old Airfix ones, I have the same set in 1/48 for a U-2 (or two) that I have in the stash.

    This GB is the perfect opportunity to get cracking with a kit that's been tempting me from the edge of the stash for a while. Is that the AFV kits you have Craig?

    • Like 4
  9. 21 minutes ago, CliffB said:

    An interesting choice Col.  I look forward to seeing more!

     

    6 minutes ago, Wings unlevel said:

    Very nice Col, it’ll be quite a good looking thing in the CIA sea blue.

    Thanks lads. The plan is to do this one in-flight, thus accentuating the unusual lines and proportions of the machine, so the work avoided to detail the various bays and cockpit is instead directed toward making things such as the airbrakes and undercarriage doors fit better. Or just fit at all. I've done a lot of test fitting to that end and made a start in various sections. Airbrakes first: offer up the petals up to the bays and they fall in below the fuselage surface so packed them up with some scrap plasticard

     

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    That's a bit better

     

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    Same story with the under-wing panels

     

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    As you can see I've also started scribing in the panel lines. The wings in particular gave me cause for thought; I remember building this kit in the late 80s and thinking it was good at the time. Now, however, getting the wings together has me thinking my standards have changed over the years and I'll try to share some photos this evening that prove why :unsure:

    • Like 6
  10. With all my current projects stalled 'til the weather improves sufficiently to allow spray painting I added yet another one to the ongoing pile.

    This year's plan is to finish started models, either by myself or previous owners, rather than open any pristine and untouched kits but all the candidates I had were already being covered apart from this one

     

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    Calling it started is something of a disservice as it seems the previous owner had simply removed the main parts for test fitting and nothing has been glued or painted yet but it gives me the excuse to carry on

     

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    Quite how the 1983 vintage kit decals will perform is debatable so I'll enlist some assistance and a little inspiration from this sheet

     

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    Further inspiration is coming from this publication

     

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    The aircraft being flown by Maj. Rudolf Anderson over Cuba when he was killed on 27th of October 1962 features in both

     

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    So there we have it gang; a Lockheed U-2A, built in 1956, shot down in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

    • Like 9
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