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IdolM@ster Rafale M "lori Minase"


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I really had good intentions of working on the Avenger and 109 projects today, but have you ever had something hit you as you pass by the stash, and you grab a kit and say, “Why not!”  Yeah, that happened to me today.  I think I just need a relaxing, easy build without any prodding to scratch an interior/engine.  So, I picked this kit.  It is the 1/48 Hasegawa reboxing of the Revell Rafale M with custom decals to do one of the planes in Hasegawa’s IdolM@ster series.

 

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I have built of few of the kits in this series, so I know what to expect.  The focus is on getting a good base for the decals as they are the showcase for the kit.  Hasegawa’s IdolM@ster series is based upon an anime story that has expanded to books, videos games, DVDs, skins for combat simulation games, etc.  I have never watched or read anything from the anime series.  I picked up a batch of these kits from Hobby Link when they were on sale as they looked really different.  So far, I have done the F-117 F-117, F-22 F-22, F-2a F 2a and Typhoon Typhoon

The contents are very pink!

 

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The decal sheet, of course, is massive!

 

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Most of the instruction sheet is devoted to just the decal application.

 

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There are lots of little hearts and kitty-cats to put on the plane

 

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So, this is supposed to be my relaxing, non-stressful build to allow me to better concentrate on my other builds that are a bit more involved.   As always, all comments are welcome.

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Cor, it's a bit pink, ain't it.

Fluffy kitten and heart decals, whatever next?

Hope you have the right shade of pink, for post priming. Going into my local model shop and asking to look at their range of pink paints is not a conversation I would enjoy. 

 

Matt 

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4 hours ago, S5 modeller said:

Cor, it's a bit pink, ain't it.

Fluffy kitten and heart decals, whatever next?

Hope you have the right shade of pink, for post priming. Going into my local model shop and asking to look at their range of pink paints is not a conversation I would enjoy. 

 

Matt 

Matt,

I sometimes forget I'm in Texas, sometimes forget what I'm wearing, and then wonder why I get some weird looks in stores.  I did get some strange stares in my local hobby shop when instead of camo colors, I purchased some pink range of colors and sprays.  On my way home, I stop at the grocery store so there will be something to eat tonight and get more than my shares of glances.  Now, I would like to think it is because of my rugged, virile, cowboy good looks.  Nope, people are wondering what on earth that guy is doing wearing a turquoise shirt that loudly and happily proclaims that I am a bunny fighter!  In my part of the country, people understand steer wrestling, cow-punching and horse wrangling.  Bunny fighting really doesn't make sense.   

18 minutes ago, rockpopandchips said:

Thats great, you have to keep it pink! Don't the Japanese air force have some real aircraft painted up like this or very similar?

I don't think the Japanese have used one of these schemes, but there are several online flight simulators/flight games where you can download the IdolM@ster skins.

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4 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

How many pink hearts and bunnies does it take to fill the Albert Hall?

 

Watching with a sense of bemusement 🙃

 

Trevor Pepper

Depends on if they are the Playboy variety or just grey, garden variety of bunnies!

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Just now, georgeusa said:

Depends on if they are the Playboy variety or just grey, garden variety of bunnies!

This is a family friendly site.

 

I know not of these 'Playboy variety' of which you speak.......

 

Trevor

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Update 1:  the construction begins with the cockpit area. 

 

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I put the cockpit parts together in little sub-assemblies to paint.  Now, this is what they look like with the kit instructions for painting. 

 

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However, this kit really has some nice detail to the cockpit that just begs to be brought out.  (UH OH, my simple build, no complications, just relaxing, seems to be headed in a different direction now!)  So, some detailing is made, dry brushing, and a bit of weathering is next up to see what can be done OOB.  I have run out of modeling time and chores now have to be done.  As always, all comments are welcome.

 

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3 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

This is a family friendly site.

 

I know not of these 'Playboy variety' of which you speak.......

 

Trevor

They help young men become motivated to become more oriented to the idea of ways they might can create a family.  And before Mike gets nervous, that is the last on this topic of conversation!  Back to pink bunnies and hearts.

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4 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

What could possibly go wrong?

 

Max really should get out more.

I just have to keep reminding myself that, in each instance, my heart is in the right place!  (You can groan now.) 

 

I think maybe Trevor is pulling a Pinocchio and his nose is growing as we speak!

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16 minutes ago, georgeusa said:

 

I think maybe Trevor is pulling a Pinocchio and his nose is growing as we speak!

I cannot tell a lie.

 

I'm sorry was that your cherry tree?

 

Trevor 😄

 

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Liking what you've done so far George. 

I've followed your other builds of these kits, nice to see you're not scared to release your gentler side, especially as you're in texas!

You're making me fancy one of these kits, but alas, they seem in short supply in good old blighty. 

I did find this hasegawa offering in my local hobby shop though.

 

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Not quite as cute and fluffy as yours.

 

Matt

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2 hours ago, S5 modeller said:

Liking what you've done so far George. 

I've followed your other builds of these kits, nice to see you're not scared to release your gentler side, especially as you're in texas!

You're making me fancy one of these kits, but alas, they seem in short supply in good old blighty. 

I did find this hasegawa offering in my local hobby shop though.

 

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Not quite as cute and fluffy as yours.

 

Matt

I bought all of mine from Hobbylink Japan. They have both 1/72 and 1/48 kits. The 1/48 kits were under $20.00 and with freight averaged around $25.00 each as I bought them all at once. For a 1/48 kit I thought it was a pretty good price.  I have never seen these kits in any local hobby shop and I think they were Japan release only. 

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15 hours ago, Bigdave22014 said:

I think this thread should be moved to Aircraft WIP, just to see how much coffee is spat out!

I think all the prior builds were done in the Aircraft WIP.  I do know I offered to build one of these in some group build, but was told politely it really didn't qualify.  Just decided to do this one in the Sci-Fi section as the theme of the aircraft fits this section more.

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I just couldn’t leave well enough alone and had to go differing from the kit color callouts for the interior.  I redid the seat and seat back, IP, cockpit tub and the tank looking thing at the back of the cockpit. 

 

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There is some nice detail in this model.  Shame it will be wasted though.  More on that later in this update.

 

The cockpit tub and different assemblies were place inside the top fuselage halve.

 

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As you can tell, even with the canopy open, there will be hardly any of the cockpit detail that will show.  Most of the detail is hidden from view by the cockpit cowl coaming

Lastly, the fuselage halves, top and bottom are joined, taped and set aside to let the glue set.

 

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And that is the stopping point for today.  As always, all comments are welcome.

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Shame all the details are lost, you did a great job on the painting. 

I think this build is in the right section too, definitely sci-fi, also means you can go nuts on the interior colours. Who said it needs to be correct?  Maybe a pink fluffy booster cushion on the seat? Can't imagine the cute little girls seeing over the instrument panel if not.

Shame hasegawa don't supply the female pilots like on the box.

 

Keep up the good work mate, looking forward to the next installment. 

 

Matt

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1 hour ago, S5 modeller said:

Shame all the details are lost, you did a great job on the painting. 

I think this build is in the right section too, definitely sci-fi, also means you can go nuts on the interior colours. Who said it needs to be correct?  Maybe a pink fluffy booster cushion on the seat? Can't imagine the cute little girls seeing over the instrument panel if not.

Shame hasegawa don't supply the female pilots like on the box.

 

Keep up the good work mate, looking forward to the next installment. 

 

Matt

After I finished painting the cockpit interior, I realized the color call outs were probably for a normal Rafale interior.  I may redo what is visible in a more suitable spoiled rich girl's motif as the character who flies this plane is precisely that according to her Wikipedia profile. We will see. In the meantime, I have fixed any joint problems from the mating of the fuselage halves. I just love to sand and fill, plus going to dentists for root canals without Novocain!

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Almost ready to paint update.  Trying to get this bird ready for its pink paint job.  I picked this up at the local hobby shop.

 

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You would be surprised how limited the pink camo paint selection is at your local hobby shop!  But, I think the electric pink will work out just fine.  I added the tail section to the fuselage, along with some bits and bobs that go on the body.

 

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I did have a slight problem trying to find this nose section part 97

 

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That’s because it is really part number 77!

 

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Next up were the wings and exhausts.

 

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I left the exhausts off to make painting and decaling a bit easier.  The next items to add were the  intakes for each side

 

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As you can see from the pictures, the intakes either have gaps or steps that have to be dealt with.  There are also some minor seam problems along the top and bottom of each wing to fuselage join.  Whether it is my fault (most probably) or the kit has some slight misalignment putty was used and then sanded

 

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The nose cone was stuffed with some lead fishing weights as was the space in the fuselage where the nose cone joins.  I think there was enough weight added.  So, the nose cone was glued on with a high tech, very complicated structure to insure the nose dried in place properly.

 

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The next step is to mask the canopy and put that on as the cockpit will be closed.  Don’t ‘know whether to try and create a female looking pilot or just leave the cockpit empty.  Decisions, decisions.  Once the canopy is in place, it will be paint time and then the best part, application of the decals.  As always, all comments are welcome.

 

 

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