old thumper Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) A Thunderbolt from my favorite kit manufacturer Matchbox, I already have an olive drab one of these in my collection so this will be the alternative part nmf option. The kit builds up easy enough, I shall quickly rescribe the fuselage, tone down the wing panel lines and paint. Edited March 30, 2016 by old thumper 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Nice to see the old Matchbox kit here. I will be watching this one. Cheers, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 ....and welcome aboard with your second one. I agree it's always nice to see a Matchbox model in a GB, for alot of us these model bring back fond memories! That is a different colour scheme and should look great. I think George Lucas got the idea of the trenches for the "Death Star" from a matchbox model! They weren't subtle with their panel lines back then!! Again good luck with this build and I do look forward to seeing her in the gallery as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) Matchbox as always a pleasure to build, hardly any filler on the joints and the panel lines reduced in size by partial filling. Olive drab anti-glare area also painted, the next job is complete the assembly of parts and spray with gloss black before alclad. Edited April 3, 2016 by old thumper 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) The trusty old Matchbox P-47 has now been spray painted with Alcad white aluminium over gloss black, I know Alclad recommend using grey primer but I prefer black. All is going to plan, invasion stripes are up next. Edited April 4, 2016 by old thumper 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 she looks great and the "trenches" are a lot less like trenches and more like panel lines as they should have been. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 5, 2016 Author Share Posted April 5, 2016 The panel lines differ between Matchbox kits, the Thunderbolt panel lines are pretty tame compared to the Beaufighter's for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 It's looking great OT. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 6, 2016 Author Share Posted April 6, 2016 (edited) I was going to spray the invasion stripes on but changed my mind and applied them by brush using a thinned down mixture of humbrol mattcote and weathering powders. And then with the tape removed after adding a coat of thinned humbrol mattcote mixed with Testors RAF dark green. I was looking for an imperfect finish with the lines showing through the green as in the original photo. I chose RAF green rather than o/d as it adds a little variation, it may have been either o/d or RAF green used on the original. Edited April 6, 2016 by old thumper 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg in OK Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 What did you fill the panel lines with? When I have used putty and tried to rescribe the panels it always seems to chip out and make a mess. Greg in OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 6, 2016 Author Share Posted April 6, 2016 (edited) What did you fill the panel lines with? When I have used putty and tried to rescribe the panels it always seems to chip out and make a mess. Greg in OK The panel lines are pretty fine by Matchbox standards on the Thunderbolt so I just gave them a spray with alclad microfiller and then sanded them down. On other Matchbox kits I use perfect plastic putty and wipe/wash off any filler outside of the panel lines before sanding down. The perfect plastic putty reduces the width and depth while the sanding takes the rounded edge off the top of the panel lines and sharpens them up, it doesn't take long to do this. I think I had to touch the wings up a little with a pin in places but that was about it. The fuselage had raised panel lines, all I do is use the raised panel lines as guides for scribing and then sand them off, easy peasy and it doesn't take long either. Edited April 6, 2016 by old thumper 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 arrr now I see what those "panels" were......nicely done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 9, 2016 Author Share Posted April 9, 2016 (edited) Finished! Well finished as far as the group build goes anyway, it just needs a little tidying up before being put behind glass for eternity. This little Matchbox Thunderbolt will never have the same level of detail as the modern day kits by such companies as Academy, but it still makes a very nice model for very little trouble. Edited April 9, 2016 by old thumper 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 nicely done, it's hard to tell for the photo that she was an old matchbox model, well done she looks great! Plus i do like the colour scheme, something a wee bit different. Well I'm glad you decided to join us for the GB even at such a late stage. It's a shame the other one wasn't to be but at least you got one nice one finished! I hope you enjoyed the build, it was a pleasure to have you along. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 9, 2016 Author Share Posted April 9, 2016 Thanks very much, it was a pleasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattheCat Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 A real shame. Now it's impossible to see it is was a matchbox kit! Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Another great looking model makes it into the gallery and a cracking result from the old Matchbox kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 9, 2016 Author Share Posted April 9, 2016 A real shame. Now it's impossible to see it is was a matchbox kit! Cheers. Thanks, I think a lot of people of a certain age would know this one anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted April 9, 2016 Author Share Posted April 9, 2016 (edited) And for good measure in case anyone goes searching for Matchbox on here, a photo of the olive drab option I built the other year, I didn't mess about too much with the panel lines on this one. Edited April 9, 2016 by old thumper 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 That's a great looking Thunderbolt! I like how you did the over-painted stripes. Very well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Really cool project OT, the scheme turned out great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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