.

[fewr9fkr9595]

9 minutes ago, trickyrich said:

 

Just wondering if you had the equivalent of the $2 shop there, as I'm think they might have something with the mirrored plastic you're after for the visors in some toy or something? If it was thin plastic then you might be able to use that, maybe even carefully heat it up and shape it as required?

 

Hmmm interesting... Don’t think something like that on a toy would be thin enough. Plus any heat may flake off the coating(?) To make the visor I sanded that plastic card to about paper thickness before applying it. So don’t want to bulk it up at all any more if possible. 

 

My current idea to finish the visors is to use some chrome bare metal foil and paint it with a few coats of clear blue once on. Should prove ideal - adhesive, practically zero thickness, easy to apply and trim it off and a mirror finish better that sliver paint  

 

[fewr9fkr9595]

Update on a few details. 

 

Made some ‘empty’ rails from the parts in the finemolds A & D kits. Used etch pieces & scratchwork to enhance them. 

 

The gull reaper doesnt need any (just has upper parts of glove pylons) however the tps vx9 bird will. 

Did the lau-7’s too though not needed for these builds. However when you are in the zone of mastering and mould making it pays off to do a couple bits at once. Have some planned finemolds cats that could use empty lau-7’s if I live long enough. All primed with beloved stynylrez. 

 

So here is the start of the Lau-7. 

Etch added. Some tiny plastic shavings too. Also made a hole and rescribed a line across (circled) 

 

 

The above primed to check & smooth out front area and mounted on its plastic card pour stub. 

This was cast as it is then that part used as a new master - worked on it to remove the step between the etch and edge (circled) As trying to fill & sand or reprofile it now would 99% damage or rip the etch strip off. 

 

Here is the second master finished and primed. This was then used to make a ‘production’ mould. With original plastic part for comparison. 

Who needs sidewinders now?  

 

The lau-138’s were a bit easier, just needed the etch adding. Was a good fit across the width of the rail so didn’t need to use a two stage process as above. 

 

And here are some of my cast ‘empty’ bits fitted to the pylons of the tps build

 

Blue grey upper glove pylons are plastic finemolds kit parts.

White plastic lantirn rail is from the finemolds weapon set.

Creamy grey bits are my resin parts - the 138’s and the sparrow pylon. As above was a straight master with the etch added. (Not shown) 

Quite pleased. Hopefully @Andrew will be too. 

 

 

 

Started to clean up the canopies too. Needed due to a two part mould to get correct bubble cross section. 

No scapel or regular sandpaper because the ridge is quite fine. First they were micromeshed from 2400-12000 then had three stage tamiya compound. No dipping needed. 

Right one is done, left as it comes. 

 

 

 

Lastly - used finemolds own plastic seatbelts on stock plastic kit seats for the ‘open/maintenance’ tps vx9 bird. They are a slightly rubbery plastic. I suppose it makes them a bit stronger yet flexible and stops them disintegrating when you glue them because they are paper thin. Gleaming. 

 

 

Thanks for looking. 

 

[Andrew]

2 hours ago, Tony Oliver said:

Hopefully @Andrew will be too. 

Knowing the quality of your masters and copies, I think you've just entered Understatement of the Year territory... Keep up the great work! Ooooh, dat canopy, so clear and shiny!

[Parabat]

Simply phenomenal, quite astounding in 1/72 as well. 

[Sting67]

Tony,

 

looks like you already have a solution for the right pilot figures and ejection seats for the F-14 you are building and maybe this comes a bit late. But here's something I found and could be of use to you for a future build. Aerobonus (which belongs to Aires) has a set of two F-14 pilots on their seats, no mask on, hands free. The only detail to be scratchbuild is the visor. Aerobonus says that the figures are for the F-14A and B. (At the moment I don't know if it's the same seat used in F-14Ds). The link goes to a German modelling shop (ignore that). I took that one as it shows more details of the pilots/seats. On the Aires website they only have one pic of the set which does not show much. This set should be available everywhere where Aires products are sold (like Hannant's).

 

Ramon

[fewr9fkr9595]

 

 

@Sting67

 

Those are the actual pilots and seats I am using mate. 

 

I have cut the A\B seats away from the dudes and then put them on D seats. 

 

I have modified one of the heads by reshaping the helmet & adding a plastic card visor. 

 

Tony

[Sting67]

On 18/05/2018 at 13:09, Tony Oliver said:

 

 

@Sting67

 

Those are the actual pilots and seats I am using mate. 

 

I have cut the A\B seats away from the dudes and then put them on D seats. 

 

I have modified one of the heads by reshaping the helmet & adding a plastic card visor. 

 

Tony

Ah, ok. A/B = Aerobonus . I read something about Quickboost and thought there was another set. Anyway, excellent surgery!

 

One question (and I hope it has not yet been mentioned somewhere), what liquid resin did you use for the casting of intakes and exhaust nozzles? Is it a 5 Minute resin or have you got more time till it hardens? And, is it very liquid?

 

Ramon

[fewr9fkr9595]

@Sting67

 

No worries mate about the confusion.

 

As to the resin - I have used a different one to cast them this time. It has a 7 minute potlife, so plenty of time to de gas in the chamber. Also once it goes off and I demould after an hour it it still slightly flexible & rubbery so comes out easier without breaking. As a result my casts have been alot better. 

 

The last resin I used had a shorter potlife and set solid faster so most parts still had a bubble or two & some fragile parts would break when trying to remove them. 

 

Tony

[trickyrich]

Fantastic work on those rails! The detail you managed to get was superb, well done.

 

I was wondering about the resin you use. I'm currently using quick setting stuff, and it take careful mixing to keep the bubbles down. I don't get surface bubbles unless I'm doing a really odd shape. I may have a try at using some longer setting stuff. Am I right in assuming you have a vacuum chamber (or similar)? If I ever get really serious about casting that's something I want.

 

As usual I'm in awe of you work, well done! 

[fewr9fkr9595]

On 20/05/2018 at 00:41, trickyrich said:

Fantastic work on those rails! The detail you managed to get was superb, well done.

 

I was wondering about the resin you use. I'm currently using quick setting stuff, and it take careful mixing to keep the bubbles down. I don't get surface bubbles unless I'm doing a really odd shape. I may have a try at using some longer setting stuff. Am I right in assuming you have a vacuum chamber (or similar)? If I ever get really serious about casting that's something I want.

 

As usual I'm in awe of you work, well done! 

Hi Rich, the bubbles I am on about aren’t from the mixing. They are from undercut details inside the mold when the resin doesn’t get into all the corners. Slower resin equals longer vacuum time to reduce this from happening  

Most of my bubbles may be on top now but thats the pour stub anyways. Just the odd one here and there from where that bit of the cast was deep down in the mould around several corners. 

Sometimes have to be clever when making masters and position parts at angles to give a more direct/vertical path for the air to evacuate...

 

I have been busy doing just that with alot of the parts from these two builds, so alot of this work improving and/or ejection/sink mark filling doesn’t end up being one offs. That way I can use them on other finemolds builds or even other lesser kits, like pylons, u/c doors, seats/pilots, exhaust parts, chin pods etc etc. 

 

All this may delay the builds somewhat however. 

 

‘I love deadlines, especially the whooshing sound they make as they go by...’

 

Some pictures of said faffing about - 

 

Sink marks on outside of doors. 

 

Building up the base for my combined pilot and seat. Scrap resin and plastic card. First stage triangular wedge between boot heel/calf and front edge of seat already in and primed. Was too complicated a shape to try and cut out that was required to fill the gap and ‘build down’ with one piece. 

 

Various bits. U/c doors and naca panel in grey SNR, pylons and chinpod in black SNR. 

 

Some bigger bits started to get a light dusting/spot check prime before canopy goes on and the black is built up solid. This is the retro reaper and all its bits. TPS airframe is still in sub assemblies. 

 

Couldn't resist starting the white on its fins though... 

 

Tony

[trickyrich]

nice!

 

Arr those bubbles, I know exactly what you mean, I had them of the Recon door for my RF-111C, took me three casts and a couple of modifications to the mould (including making another) to get it right! Slow setting resin would have definitely helped then.

[Cookenbacher]

That's some great work Tony, looking forward to paint!

[fewr9fkr9595]

On 12/05/2018 at 00:45, Gekko_1 said:

Does the decal have a white background or is it just light blue/grey ink only? (after you've soaked the decal off the sheet have a look under the decal to see if what was printed first.

The 'star n bar' you applied to the 36320 looks to be a lightened version of 36375. Or possibly a dark version of 36495?

There's a chance the decal doesn't have a white background and therefore the ink used won't have enough density, making it slightly translucent which is just adding to the issue. Cartograf's decals are printed with the best inks available and do not need white to be printed first, most others do though. So if DXM have left out this step it may explain what you're experiencing?

VF's decals look to be printed in a 'guesswork' grey and look completely wrong to my eye.

 

More decal sacrifice in the name of research. 

 

To answer your question - there is no white on the back of the DXM markings. 

 

 

Another interesting discovery - 

 

I manged to acquire a portion of the vf sheet in 1/48 (hello tamiya D) and they have printed the markings differently to their own 1/72 sheet. 

Whereas that was all one middle shade of grey, the 48th one has 3 colours  - black for modex and vf101’s. A dark gunship grey for tail art and codes (but not the ‘grim reapers’?), with the remainder being in a more fs35237 type shade. 

 

 

Oh well. 

 

 

 

[Gekko_1]

On ‎5‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 2:49 PM, Tony Oliver said:

 

More decal sacrifice in the name of research. 

 

To answer your question - there is no white on the back of the DXM markings. 

 

Another interesting discovery - 

 

I manged to acquire a portion of the vf sheet in 1/48 (hello tamiya D) and they have printed the markings differently to their own 1/72 sheet. 

Whereas that was all one middle shade of grey, the 48th one has 3 colours  - black for modex and vf101’s. A dark gunship grey for tail art and codes (but not the ‘grim reapers’?), with the remainder being in a more fs35237 type shade. 

 

 

Thanks Tony,

ah good, no white as I suspected being Cartograf decals. Apparently their inks are so good that there is no need for a white background, unlike every other decal manufacturer that I know of who insist on a white background. Handy to know, and confirm. Cheers!

As for the VF sheets being different between 72nd and 48th. That is just bizarre! Nothing like consistency! As for "the remainder". Cartograf can print specific Federal Standard colours very accurately so I can't help but wonder what VF asked Cartograf to print them in? Personally I think they should be FS. 35237, but that doesn't look like it to me? But I can't see them 'in the flesh' so in reality its hard to be 100% sure?

It'll be interesting to see what AMK do with their Grim Reapers markings as I believe Geoff at Furball Aero-Design has designed them and I really like his research capabilities so they should be spot on. The profile looks good to me too.

Edited May 28, 2018 by Gekko_1

[fewr9fkr9595]

5 hours ago, Gekko_1 said:

I can't help but wonder what VF asked Cartograf to print them in?

 

The DXM sheet is cartograph mate however not sure who did the two different 72nd & 48th VF ones? Doesn’t have cartograph on the bottom of the sheet like DXM does. 

 

Yeah the AMK profile looks good, all stencils, markings & mouth in 35237 with tail stuff in 36081. The sides of the radome are in 36375 too which helps the mouth contrast more.  Looks like they went with black for the modex and vf101 on the ventrals? Hard to make out in that artwork on a phone screen. 

 

Opening another can of worms - I’m sure I’ve seen CAG 100 I love new york with blue details. As in insignia blue for modex, lion and fincap. Although insignia blue can look like black most of the times, so again may be just my eyes/screen. 

[Gekko_1]

19 hours ago, Tony Oliver said:

 

The DXM sheet is cartograph mate however not sure who did the two different 72nd & 48th VF ones? Doesn’t have cartograph on the bottom of the sheet like DXM does. 

 

Yeah the AMK profile looks good, all stencils, markings & mouth in 35237 with tail stuff in 36081. The sides of the radome are in 36375 too which helps the mouth contrast more.  Looks like they went with black for the modex and vf101 on the ventrals? Hard to make out in that artwork on a phone screen. 

 

Opening another can of worms - I’m sure I’ve seen CAG 100 I love new york with blue details. As in insignia blue for modex, lion and fincap. Although insignia blue can look like black most of the times, so again may be just my eyes/screen. 

 

 

Ah yes, you're right. I got confused.   DXM = Cartograf.  VF + ?

If it is Geoff's (Furball) research then yes I'm confident that the decals for the VF-213 jet will be insignia blue.

[fewr9fkr9595]

Hello!

Some paint going on. Nothing thrilling just proof of progress. 

 

This real jet is quite clean generally, as its a fresh commemorative paintjob. So went for a black base approach just to add some interest to the finish. There are some touch ups on the rear upper surfaces though. I will add these with the maskol post shade technique along with some grubbiness here and there. The white belly will have washes to dirty it up a bit as it does seem that way from the airborne pics. 

Not going to waste time and effort airbrushing and post shading the belly as this will be fixed to a base in the future so a bit pointless to go to town on it. 

 

White started. Tedious. 

 

Gull grey. 1st pass of squiggles. 

 

2nd pass. 

 

Blended. The harsh bench desk light really brings out the contrast of the black basing, however in normal light is isn’t as noticeable. 

 

Side demarcation. 

Did the border first then built up in same way. 

 

 

Same with uppers. However too much to squiggle in one go. Too boring. So do a bit then go back over and then blend etc. 

 

Rudders masked off and fins done too. 

 

About done, just needs some tidying up here and there. Wheel wells needed masking off next. 

 

 

Then there are oodles of small bits like u/c legs and doors which all need doing too. Also metals- wing leading edges & exhaust nozzles too. 

 

Workbench at minute - this with the neglected finemolds tps lurking and the revival of the hobbyboss saga in the foreground. 

 

Thanks for looking. Tony

[trickyrich]

very nice bit of painting there!  I've seen that technique done before and it does produce a really nice "uneven" finish, great for those huge expanses of single colour.

 

Lights and cameras are not the best way to the subtlety of the finish I know. You must be happy to have some paint on her finally.

[fewr9fkr9595]

Update- 

 

wing leading edges done - ak metals as is going to be used for this build. Will be focusing on exhausts soon. 

 

 

 

Next is the start of the weathering process, trying to get that corrosion control touched up paint job, or just where dirt has been rubbed off from handling panels during maintenance. 

 

1st - maskol applied with a toothpick and swab to areas that will be ‘clean/fresh’ I tried to match some of patterns/patches on the real jet. 

 

Next a dirty brown grey is post-shaded on. Doesn’t look much does it? 

 

 

 

 

Then the maskol is rubbed off. I use a blob of whitetac rolled across surface. Then you have this - 

 

Left with a nice patchy black based finish, with some grime and dirt from the post shade, and then bits of fresh paint or where finish has been ‘cleaned’ from handling. 

 

However went a bit too bold with the back of the jet. 

Hard to judge against the maskol sometimes. However having used this technique a few time before you can bring it back with a blending coat. 

 

Below the blending coat has been applied.  Used to smooth out the effect if too much - I used a lightened base colour to reduce it and do some fading concurrently. Again you can mix up the finish by spraying only certain areas so some some parts remain dirtier than others, or do thin misting coats to keep it all uniform. 

 

Fitted wings and tail stabs to check consistency. Quite pleased. 

Sheen of the paint makes it difficult to see effect in all areas. 

 

 

Undersides had similar but not as intense treatment. 

 

 

 

 

A reminder of how this real jet looked :

 

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/5615347

 

Thanks for stopping by. 

[fewr9fkr9595]

PS

here is the one of the most extreme types of this finish for real, where the initial effect on the back of mine wouldn’t look out of place on the belly of this - 

 

The undersides of it are incredible!

 

 

Some filters to do some colour variation to the raw effect and then some washes/streaks and you would be about there...

 

Bye for now. 

 

[trickyrich]

that's a clever effect. Those photos are great, just when you think you may have gone too far a look at the real thing shows it could even be more extreme.

 

Grey paint is a shocker for showing makes and grime and really hard to keen clean.

[Parabat]

Very impressive, that's very effective to replicate the touch ups and dirt.

[fewr9fkr9595]

Next bit crucial to look of the plane - the anti glare panel. 

 

Did a black one similar on my hobbyboss slugger but that was more squared off and followed panel lines, with just the end bit having a curve. 

 

This Reapers one is a kinda a constant curve from what I can make out from the pics and doesn’t reach down the sides as far & comes to a point sooner. Also there is the windshield framing still in gull too. 

 

Pics - 

 

Starting the layout

 

Added end curve from a few bits cut out from a circle. 

 

More surrounds masking off and then the black applied. Spraying away/over the top of the tape edge, not towards it to avoid bleeding as the paint is thin. I went solid black as this is super clean on real jet. Can mess around with pigments on it when finished possibly. 

 

Missed a bit - also note panel line parallel & below black edge that it doesn’t touch. 

 

So...

 

 

All done, about as good as I can get it. Looks ok & symmetrical enough I think. What you guys reckon? 

 

 

 

The real deal - can just make out where it kicks away and doesn’t reach panel line. Yaw string quite long & prominent too. 

 

 

Other points above - note gull, not white chin pod. Also a very dark & dirty ‘radome tan’ ecm blister. 

 

Something else I have only just noticed about the kit, when brushing in the gun blast panel on it - 

Finemolds have covered it in rivets, which I have never seen before, they are always smooth bare metal. They also neglected to add the characteristic ‘notch’ in the lower corner too. Frustrating. 

 

Two coats of brushed dark alu by mmp. Went on lovely and smooth. Pity about those incorrect details. Must remember to fill and scribe on future builds. 

 

Thanks for looking. 

[Procopius]

Nothing harder than getting the subtle curves of an antiglare panel right (well, maybe achieving lasting peace in the Middle East), but it looks like you've made a good job of it here.

[trickyrich]

those are super smooth curves they look spot on and even....that is hard to do! Well done.

 

Are you going to "remove" those rivets? I might be easiest to mask that area off, drill out the rivets and fill with plastic rod, less chance of having an accident with filler on the wonderful paint job. If you use tapered plastic rod then no liquid glue!