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My next build is the 1/32 Tamiya F4-J but it seems it's not! I've been sucking up hours of video and pages of blogs this year to learn new techniques and methods to hopefully be able to produce a great looking F-4. I feel like I've been in class for weeks and spent a small fortune on new tools, materials and paints that will help me get the result I want. I also think I've developed something of a 'starters block' brought on by all this new gear and the insecurity of the result I'll get. For years I've been working with Vallejo and then added Ammo into the mix all being water based acrylics that I've lived with like a wife. But then came the blonde in a short dress that caught my eye, I'm referring to MRP paint. God it looks so good to watch being applied and the results are just amazing. So, while finishing up some other bits for another project, I've been procrastinating about getting started on the F-4 but I realised the key to getting the result I want is to test on a mule. Everybody seems to have one but me. So I scour eBay for cheap kits that would make good mules and even visit the LHS out of the desire to simply go and suck up the atmospherics you can only get in a well stocked hobby shop. Long and short I get my mules, two cheap Academy of ebay and a MK 67 Hawk from the LHS. So I have no interest in R.O.K stuff but the addition of resin and PE in the kit peaked my interest. So here be my mistake that has resulted in this kit going from mule to build project. I had the sole intention this weekend of sticking one of the other kits together enough to create a reasonable surface to slap paint on but opened this kit to have a look-see and the original reason I bought it grabbed me and my brain has deduced this would be a great way to not only create a practice piece for paint but also cutting in a resin part and a cockpit with PE. So here goes the ROK T-59 Hawk that would be mule... It's early beginnings so just the seats and pit put together. Already the carpet has claimed it first sacrifice in the form of one of the seat belts. Lucky I watched that video on making seat belts from masking tape. 🙂 Initial fit looks OK but I can already see sink marks and possible gaps between the wings and fuzz. On the whole this should be an OK out of the box build. My plan for this is to use backbasing for the first time, paint a camo finish (I've been building modern US AFV dessert stuff, it's all sand!) and improve my weathering to create a worn and used jet typical of a USN jet that has been on tour for a while. Along the way I'm trying different glues, new putties, new tools and oil weathering too. Wish me luck! Nick