AndyC Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Hi all...here is where we got to last night... Fitted the nose cone (more about that further down) and it left a large gap at the bottom due to the mismatched fuselage lengths Which I filled with card, cut to shape with my sprue snips and then sanded Finished this stage of sanding and then I looked at the profile - what do you, the BM 'massive' think? I think it is too flat at the top toward the tip and blunts too quickly at the tip but only on elevation (see the wings shot below - it's OK on plan). I would appreciate some advice? Looking at pics, I think it needs to be a touch more bulbous... Anyway, I then started fixing the wings in place - I was going to leave them off but decided against it - the Monogram system of attachment is not user-friendly to fitting wings after painting without the risk of cracking the seams on the body. At last, she starts to look like a Tomcat As mentioned early on the kit is a 'D' but only partly - and I would have to add a hell of a lot more to the kit to make it a 'D' which with the starting quality of this kit I wasn't prepared to do. As such it has the 'D' chin fairing which is no good to me as I want to do a 'B' so I will have to fashion a TCS pod. I made a start on this with suitable diameter sprue and plastic card to build up the mount. I then cut the lower portion of the 'D' fairing to fit on the bottom of mine but this has to angle downwards and forwards rather than flat, so last job last night was to fashion a sloping mount for that I need to tackle the AN/ALR-67 RWR's under each wing (which of course are not present on the Monogram kit) and I will have a hunt through the spares box tonight for a suitable donor part. Thanks for looking and all comments welcome Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Hi Andy, This is indeed turning into a bit of work! I hope you have stock in the putty company. What you've accomplished so far looks good! I like the new chin pod for your "B" model. Regarding the nose, it does look a bit off from the side, but it's the very tip that jumps right out at me, as it is quite bulbous by itself. I would try reshaping the tip first, so that it follows the same curves as the rest of the radome, and see if that helps. It can't hurt, since I think you'll have to do that anyway. In the side view, the top curve should be pretty close to a mirror image of the bottom curve, I think, so you are right in saying the the top looks too flat. As always, check references. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Yes,the revell kit nose is not perfect. The tip is too bulbous and the top side is probably not enough. Sorting the tip is easy, the rest is not IMHO and I'd leave it as it is. Nose problems apart, you are dong a great job there ! Looking forward to see it with the first coat of paint on ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Thanks Bill and Giorgio for your opinions - much appreciated. I had stared at that nose for ages knowing it looked awful and how to fix it - a second opinion was worth seeking! I attacked it with a sanding stick last night and will do some further work on it tonight - it already looks better (I will post some pics tonight/tomorrow) I was afraid I may have to fill it but actually most can be fixed by vigorous sanding. Re-scribe Friday and then undercoat on. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 (edited) Hi all A bit more progress. Wheels and main u/c legs painted... I also managed to finish my TCS pod using sprue, card and half a cotton bud stalk all held together with CA and Squadron White putty! It still needs properly fairing into the fuselage I think it looks OK although I think the forward slope is too much - sod it, I'm not doing any more to it The nose has had a going-over too - I think there is still some more work to do on this but much of the flat spot has gone now and at least the curve top-to-bottom is more uniform. I will continue with it tonight and tomorrow. Also fitted the two RWR receivers under the wings fashioned out of two 250lb bomb halves, sanded and shaped (for the bigger one) and the tip off a 25lb rocket sanded and shaped (for the smaller one). They need some final blending in - another job for tonight/tomorrow. This will be a very 'short-legged' operational Tomcat as I have just realised that Monogram don't give you the auxiliary tanks which are evident on just about 90% of all Tomcat pics I have seen! Tight wads! I have found a couple of pics (including the 'B' model) without these tanks but I'm surprised they aren't in there. Ho-hum! I suppose I should have expected this - I won the kit off eBay for £4 about 5 years ago, so I can't really complain! Thanks for looking! All comments welcome as ever. Andy Edited February 23, 2012 by AndyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Andy, as you mentioned the RWR bumps under the glove vanes, the aircraft will also have another RWR antenna at the end of the beaver tail... again it will not be hard to add using plasticard, but it's another little thing to add.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Nice progress! Your attack on the radome has left it looking much better. Keep up the good work! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Hey Bill and Giorgio, thanks for the latest encouragement! Yesterday's work as follows... RWR/ECM pod on Port nosewheel door fitted (missing in kit) and TCS pod finally faired in properly. I also snipped off the antenna on the Starboard door as that appeared on the 'A' only. OD to the canvas covers in the cockpit comings and dry brushed with grey (may add a wash for lowlights) I also masked the canopies and checked the fit of the windscreen - it's predictably poor, sitting in a slight dish at the front, so I sanded down the top edge of this dish such that I can fair in the windscreen once I have put the black undercoat on it. I added the dorsal GPS receiver from a piece of circular rod thickened with Gator Glue to fatten it I took Bill's advice on the intakes and carefully cut and fitted some very thin card and the intake join has disappeared. Cheers Bill! The nasty little gap between the leading edge and the intake was flooded with liquid poly and a small length of plastic strip laid. Sanded flat now and join has all but disappeared. Afterburner petals for the engine all have 3 ejector pin marks on them! These are filled and await sanding Giorgio, I checked the beaver tail RWR and there is one there - a little under-sized but I'm going to leave. My enthusiasm for yet more filling and sanding is starting to wane! I also sprayed the u/c doors and remaining gear legs too. Thanks for looking! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I see this build s becoming a struggle where the filler is your friend ! You're getting there though, don't give up !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 I see this build s becoming a struggle where the filler is your friend ! You're getting there though, don't give up !! No chance! Finishing post in sight! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark M Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 oh my god what have i let my self in for! im copying this! cracking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phat trev Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 "I thought I saw a Putty Cat" I did, I did Nice build btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 oh my god what have i let my self in for! im copying this!cracking Hi Mark - yeah I saw you starting this and I was thinking of referring you here before you got too far! It's actually not that bad a kit if you know where you are starting from and understand its limitations vis-a-vis an accurate 'D'. The fit is atrocious in parts though and I really don't think I did anything wrong in putting it together! Good luck with yours - I'll be watching! Andy "I thought I saw a Putty Cat"I did, I did Nice build btw. Love it! That's what she will always be - my 'Putty Cat' Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Evenin' all Just a quick update. I re-scribed the nose area and missing wing bits and then shot some Halfords plastic primer on her after masking where necessary (cockpit, intakes and engine area). Because I have had to use so much filler on the nose, the scribing looks absolutely gash there - really bad and uneven in depth, so after priming I filled the scribing in with White Squadron putty and rubbed it down. I will have to either have a compromise and no panelling to the nose, or I may draw the lines in. Disappointing but there we are. The primer gave me a chance to rub down any uneven areas (of which there were a few!) and then I re-shot it plus all the AIM-54, 9 and 7 missiles. I am aiming to get some Ghost Grey on before I go away this weekend Thanks for looking Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Andy, It's amazing what you've done so far. You would hardly know that this is the lousy old Monogram kit. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not the train! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Andy, if you have to fill areas that need rescribing, forget the normal fillers and use either a two part epoxy or superglue (for smaller gaps). A product I find very good is Isopon's P-38 that you can find in Halford's. It's way tougher than other fillers and can be rescribed well. It's also cheap enough.. and can be used on your car in case you have dents to sort... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 A product I find very good is Isopon's P-38 that you can find in Halford's. It's way tougher than other fillers and can be rescribed well. Giorgio I have heard that mentioned elsewhere before and may give it a go - I have a few R-M kits in my stash so it may come in handy I think the panel lines will be drawn in on this one now Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Hi all Been a while! Other stuff going on - but I've managed to get something done on this errant Tomcat this week and the end is nigh. After priming and rubbing down (and priming and rubbing down) I got to a stage where I could spray some finished paint and went for the Light Ghost Grey (or my take on it). I used Tamiya X-19 Sky Grey as an 'equivalent' - I was going to use Humbrol paint but got down the LHS and forgot the numbers I thin examined various pics and the schematic shown on my decal sheet to ascertain where to mask for the topside. Various schemes and the one I want to do was none too clear, so I chose one I thought most appropriate and masked her up. I then sprayed Tamiya X-66 Medium Grey. The end result was a little 'blue', so I toned it down with a second coat with some white added in to give the finish a blotched and weathered appearance The canopy was also sprayed the same. The last major job before Klear-ing the kit is to mask and spray the main wheel wells white and to paint the various RWR lumps and bumps a yellow/buff colour. Until then thanks for looking and all comments welcome Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 On my monitor the colours look good, guess it means that tamiya paints can be used to represent a TPS painted machine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Looking good, like Giorgio said, seems that the Tamiya paints can do FS! Be good to see the Pukin' Dogs markings on this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Thanks Giorgio and Parabat Yeah, I was intending to use Humbrol as I said but did a quick test spray with the Tamiya. I would say that, allowing for scale, the latter comes close. The XF-66 does need lightening a touch. I have spent the evening so far masking off the wheel wells and spraying the weapons. All the photographs I have seen show the weapons to be a slightly darker grey than the Lt Compass Grey, so I have sprayed mine Gunship Grey - right or wrong! I will mask these for tips when dried. I am going to experiment with drawing on the panel lines on the nose area and see how this goes. If that is good, I will Klear and start a light wash and then some charcoal weathering. I have also done the wheel door edges with a red Sharpie! Photo updated tomorrow and I hope decals on maybe Sunday? Will be good to put this one to bed Andy EDIT: Gunship Grey is too dark - re-painted the underside colour! Edited March 9, 2012 by AndyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 Hi all As above, the weapons were re-sprayed Lt Compass Grey (or my version of it) and the tips masked off and sprayed white A general view of the top-side The 'Corro-guard' strip on the leading edge of the wing was masked and Alclad Airframe Aluminium sprayed. The RWR's were also painted - my photographs show them as yellow, so that's what they were brush-painted (Humbrol 164 on a white undercoat). Wheel wells were masked and painted too. General underside view Klear (probably 2 thin coats) on this afternoon ready for decals Thanks for looking Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Congrats on finishing, she looks great, well done. Always good to see a Pukin' Dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Congrats on finishing, she looks great, well done. Always good to see a Pukin' Dog! Cheers mate - yeah I'm glad I went for the 'Dogs' machine over the 'Swordsmen' Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Good job Andy, more so as the kit you built was not really the easiest around in terms of fit.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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