nimrod54 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Hi Neal Just caught up with this, looks fantastic buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 (edited) Hi Neal Just caught up with this, looks fantastic buddy.Thanks John, glad you like it. I've been looking at the reference pic for this aircraft and ones of a similar era and useage (ie not in a war zone) and they seem to be fairly clean but worn. This leaves me in a bit of a quandary regards weathering; normally I'd just use Florys dark wash but I'm a bit worried it'll be a bit heavy and dirty, the alternative would be to use a pencil on the panel lines, or mix my own wash that's not as dirty (a dark grey possibly). Any opinions / advice Edited October 10, 2013 by Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Very nice build after this may go 1/144 for the Tomcat G/B next year Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Looking very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 Very nice build after this may go 1/144 for the Tomcat G/B next year Les Cheers Les, I'd forgotten about the GBII next year, I've seen people do great things with the revell kit. Looking very good. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 2 hours at it and the decalling is 80% done. The fightertown products are excellent, so much better than the dragon kit parts, beautifully crisp and detailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 The decalling is finished, well as finished as I'm going to get it. The fightertown decals were great but the instructions were a bit vague at times so there may be some errors. I've decided to do the weathering with a pencil, try something new again. In the pic above the left hand side is penciled the other side as is. And a profile pic: Needs a mat coat and the canopy finishing off then its on to the final assembly and completetion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 The decals set the model off very nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 She looks very good love the decals Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 16, 2013 Author Share Posted October 16, 2013 (edited) The decals set the model off very nicely. She looks very good love the decals Les Thanks chaps. The decals do make a big difference. A bit of tidying up (sanding and painting) was required but the fins and jet pipes are on. Edited October 16, 2013 by Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Those decals look the nuts Neal, but they also look like they tire your eyes out a wee bit! The Tomcat is looking smart tho. Nice Work!! Kind Regards, Dazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 Those decals look the nuts Neal, but they also look like they tire your eyes out a wee bit! The Tomcat is looking smart tho. Nice Work!! Kind Regards, Dazz The acuracy of the decals is amazing I will admit that I did have to dig out the magnifying glass to check the orientation of the crew names. . . . If I can get the mat coat on tonight I'll be on the home straight to finish, if not there is a chance I'll miss the GB close next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 That looks brilliant Neal, the pencil weathering has turned out really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 That looks brilliant Neal, the pencil weathering has turned out really well. Thanks John, it has turned out ok. The preshading hadn't gone quite as well but overall I've got the worn but not too dirty look I was aiming for. Progress for tonight: managed to get the matt coat on, thank to Enzo Matrix for the advice the Winsor and Newton went on really well with 4 thin coats. It so matt as a finish I think it really works well even when I've brush painted it. I did notice a bit of silvering of some of the decals, I don't think my gloss coat was thick enough or glossy enough really, oh well lesson learned for next time. So the jet has gone away to dry for a couple of days now. From the reference pics the santa cat didn't seem to carry any ordenance but it it always seemed to have the lantirn pod. A quick look in the box stalled revell F-18 turned up a suitable pod, a bit of plasticard to improve the shape, a lick of paint some dry brushing and a scrap decal and I have something respectable. Although the pics don't do it any favours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 (edited) Did they fit alright? I used the Jasmine Models decals for my F-18F and they where oversized so I am now about dubious about aftermarket decals. I know I shouldn't be, but once bitten and all that. Oh I looked into those flaps for the F-14 that we spoke about somewhere (I forgot where, sorry). All the person did was cut the slats/flaps and lowered them. Without seeing a bigger picture, I'm not too sure how much work would be needed to scratch them. However it might be a thing I will try on my next Dragon F-14, instead of the better Revell ones. What pencil did you use for the lines? Is it literally just drawing around the aircraft? Love the pod btw Kind Regards, Dazz Edited October 17, 2013 by Dazzio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 18, 2013 Author Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) Dazz the decals were great for size, although none of them were size-for-size on any part so they're probably less sensitive to the source kit. (Unlike tornado fin decals say we're the dragon fin is different to the revell fin) Ref the flaps; I had a stab at doing that during the Tomcat GB when I made the old revell kit (pretty grim kit) The flaps were a simple cut and reposition, the slats had to be stratched as the piece that was removed was so thin. The slats were really difficult to shape and position to give an even gap. The result was ok but not great and was a bit of pain in the backside to do. For the weathering I used a normal mechanical 0.5mm pencil that I sanded to a fine point then ran along the panel lines. A few other areas like the top of the intaked I drew a line then smudged it with my finger. Really simple and any errors could just be rubbed out. The brush paint looks a bit heavy handed on the pod, but I was too lazy to break out the airbrush for it. Edited October 18, 2013 by Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 She`s looking very nice well done Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) Got her finished. A bit of silver on the cannon panels and some paint in the front of the canopy was the easy part. The dragon kit threw me one last challenge; with the wings swept they had so much diehedral the tips were almost half way up the fins!!! This could've been fixed with some sanding but I couldn't face doing that so with a bit of force and swearing they've ended up in the forward position (which I personally like the look of with a tomcat) then fuel tanks and lantirn on, CofG checked and hole drilled for the stand. I'll do pics for the gallery later. But thanks to all those who've commented and to Enzo for the tips with the mat coat. Merry Christmas. Edited October 21, 2013 by Neal 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Looks rather nice, simple yet effective. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Looks rather nice, simple yet effective. Well done. Thanks Jabba. Pics now in the gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 That's a beauty Neal - really nice! I'm starting to get a liking for 1/144 military kits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Smashing result. Just gotta love Santa on any plane:-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 That's a beauty Neal - really nice! I'm starting to get a liking for 1/144 military kits Thanks. Give it a try there's some great 144 kits out there. Smashing result. Just gotta love Santa on any plane:-D Mange Takk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 That looks really sweet, and it was done with the Dragon kit too! Those decals have come out a treat too, will be looking forward to using my versions A splendid build Neal as always Kind Regards, Dazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 (edited) That looks really sweet, and it was done with the Dragon kit too! Those decals have come out a treat too, will be looking forward to using my versions A splendid build Neal as always Kind Regards, Dazz Thanks Dazz, I do look at it sat in the shelf and wonder how it happened the dragon kit is ill thought of but it turned out pretty well, the overall shape captures the look of last USN fighter really well. Edited November 1, 2013 by Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts