Airfix 1:72 F-84F Thunderstreak

[RudyBob]

I am going to attempt a build log here. I have much to do seeing as I am retired and modeling maybe gets an hour of two a day on occasion. 

 

I began washing the pieces. I haven't always done so but reading suggests I should. On this brand it was the right move. The difference in plastic feel was marked from pre to post. I just used dish soap in the sink and rubbed with my fingers. I heat with wood so everything drys fast. I have no intent on buying Humbrol paints to follow their number scheme but getting the colors asked for was EZ breezy. I will use what I have in the closet (Testor-enamel) and substitute. The color scheme on the box is gaudy as heck IMO so I intend to paint like the one in the posted picture. I do not have room for a dedicated hobby room (well I do but like my room like it is) so since it's winter I will be painting by hand. I use cans of paint in the summer outside in my dedicated painting booth ( where I store my winter wood 🙂 ). I have never air brushed and can't see it happening. I know results could be more professional but my concerns are more along the lines of doing better then last time using what I have learned from myself by doing. 

 

I painted up the cockpit and got the pilot started. I will post some pix next entry.  

 

[RudyBob]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was forecast to rain all day which meant I could model with impunity. It was a successful day. I was able to use, for the first time, my new Xuron 410 micro shears and my new set of fine point paintbrushes. Buying the Xuron's was a pain in the sense one guy writes....GREAT another guy writes...SUCK. I had been using surgical scissors which worked quite well. That's about it for the good. This Airfix kit is without a doubt the worst injected kit I have seen. I don't mind the over flash but I do mind the inconsistency of the fuselage thickness. It appears OK on the outside which is good but on the inner side there is obvious blob. Dry fitting revealed the fuselage is going to need filler and sanding. I have tried commercial filler did not appreciate it.  I recently tried the super glue/baking soda method which I  liked and will use on the Airfix. I have the cockpit mostly painted and hope to get the fuselage glued tomorrow. The pieces all dry fit it fine. I promised a pic so here that is. I am having fun painting the pilot. It's nice to see handicapped jet pilots 🙂 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RudyBob]

I had hoped for more progress today but I spent more time then I thought working on cleaning up the pieces of my Hairfix F-84F (which is my new name for Airfix) . Everywhere there is something that needs improvement. I did get the pilot glued to his seat, the dash painted and glued on. One of the cockpit rear windows is a fine fit the other is very bad. I glued them in also. Time will tell me if I have to take out the crum one. I painted the pilot's helmet white, sanded and painted it silver then sanded again. I am going to put dry brushed bronze over all that. The pilot has an expression which is cool. I used tan on his face.  I asked my wife if jet pilots from the 50's wore gloves she said NO so I did his hands tan also. I painted his suit Testor's Interior Green. Have to paint the belts or hoses. The goggles are black..I thought of doing those bronze but naw. The picture is cool as it shows me where more paint is needed. Maybe a scarf? 🙂 Green like Mickey Rooney wore in "The Bridges at Toko-Ri".  

I looked at pilots and cockpits online. MAN! Some guys do great work. Has anyone ever put out just a cockpit model...That would be cool.

 

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Esci used to do cockpit models in 1/12th scale if memory serves. I think they did the F-104. Not sure if there were others. 

[RidgeRunner]

Very interesting, Rudybob. I tackled one of these - my third or fourth over time - and had fun with the build.  I still have a couple in the pile but I M hoping Sword will bring a new one out. The RFI of my latest is on BM. Good luck!

 

Martin

Edited November 26, 2018 by RidgeRunner

[pinky coffeeboat]

1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Esci used to do cockpit models in 1/12th scale if memory serves. I think they did the F-104. Not sure if there were others. 

They did an F-16 cockpit, recently (well, in the last few years) released by Italeri again.

[RudyBob]

Have you ever set out to make sure you didn't do something but did it anyhow? I did today. I was putting finish paint on the pilots head and got just a dab of tan on the black. So, I got out more black and made it too dark. I stopped and said...it will have to do.

 

I have been filling seams and sanding the last couple days. I use the super glue baking powder method because it's inexpensive and works real well. I learned to use it on my 737 model which I use for all practice. I was also able to use my new Tamiya sand paper. I had been using 800 I bought at the big box. It worked OK but I wanted more. The Tamiya paper works real nice. Today I used 600 and 1000. The problem with this Hairfix model is soft plastic...softest I ever did see but ya learn to work with it.  Here are a couple more snaps. My wife said no about knitting the pilot a scarf. I did give him an arm patch though. Those windows look really bad. I dry brushed some brass paint on his helmet and some on the dash but it can't be seen

 

Edited November 28, 2018 by RudyBob
typo

[VT Red Sox Fan]

This is coming together really well--look fwd to the next update! 

[RudyBob]

I been thinking. The paint companies have been jobbing us. Paint costs are to high.
I have several bottles of acrylic on my shelf that I use for other art and I have read where some guys use inexpensive craft acrylic.
I can spend 6-8 bucks on a bottle of Tamiya acrylic and I can spend 1.50 for big box craft acrylic. 
 
This past week I have been sanding and painting using budget acrylic's. I worked with two shades of grey, one flat and light and one semi-gloss and a bit darker.

I am not sure if I am going to install the bombs on the F-84F so what better subject to test paints on. 

I have also been reading up on sanding. I id not think the budget acrylic would stick well to this plastic. I might have primed but I have no primer
and did not want any at this time. I scuffed up some bombs to see if paint would adhere better. I can't say that it did but I can't say that it didn't.

I was not at all happy with the paints straight out the bottle. They were both too thick and with the speed that acrylics dry smoothing was an issue. 
When diluted streaking can be an issue. 

I sanded after painting. I could smooth but the paint came off easy, so pressure needed for sanding  was equal to the pressure needed for paint removal. 
Disappointing.

I then thinned both paints. The bombs came in pairs and I had only painted one bomb of each type. The second bombs received thinned paint. The semi gloss thinned very nice with 91% isopropyl.
The flat paint turned into thick muddy granular glop that I did not even consider using. I thinned it with water and I was good to go. 

Long even strokes is the goal and the thinned paint allowed for this easier then non thinned. I painted a couple bombs let them dry an hour and gave a second coat. I was much happier.

I used the method for painting wheels as outlined here. Very nifty.

 

 

TOP: Non thinned sanded light grey  Bottom: Raw

 

 

Sanded. I see a possibility here. An undercoat of an enamel followed by a sanded acrylic could be cool 

 

 

This is to show how I cover paints in my easel. Packing tape. Good for days or hours and what I use to measure fluids

 

 

Both bombs. Top, two coats of thinned. Bottom, Sanded like heck and two coats of thinned

 

 

 

Two coats unthinned  then sanded down completely and recovered with two coats thinned

 

 

 

Top: Two coats isopropyl thinned Bottom Two coats straight then sanded down and two coats thinned

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow I have some Testors acrylic coming. I will work with that in spots where it won't be seen in the finished product to determine if it performs better (producing more of the desired effect) then the inexpensive big box stuff. Would I paint a model with budget acrylic? I can't say til I see what the Testor's is like. I have some Tamiya acrylic but it's green and that stuff is too expensive to buy other colors for this model

[Jinxman]

Very interesting experimentation - I don't use acrylics too much as I prefer enamels for most jobs.

[RudyBob]

One last word on the paint. The Testors acrylic did indeed arrive today. It is thinner then I thought it would be. It is designed for spraying. It is thinner then the Tamiya I have. 

The kit has seven .25 oz bottles. Four grey, a white, a tan, a green.  Whatever, eh?

 

My inclination was to further thin my flat grey big box craft acrylic to match the consistency of the Testors.  I did so.

 

 

The right wing is my home brew and the left wing is the Testors. Both with two coats. I much prefer the Testors wing

 

 

 

 

This is my test model. A 737. The better (producing more of the desired effect) coverage on the right using Testors over a grey paint is quite evident. The left in the home brew

 

 

 

I painted over all my light grey bombs with the Testors. They look better but still clunky due to so much paint. I ain't sanding them down again.  They will need one more coat. I also ran a couple coats done the underneath center line of the F-84 just for kicks.

 

Lastly, I have read that Rust-Oleum puts out a nice aluminum paint. I've used a lot of silver lately and I got this container for about $6 at Menards

 

 

 

I took it out to the garage to mix and syringe some over to a small bottle . There was a lot of glop needed stirring in. It is a great color and a small amount goes a long way. I painted up some landing gear. I am also going to see what other colors and at what price I can get of this product.  I like this very much

 

 

No I would not paint a model with the flat budget acrylic. I might however with the semi-gloss. I will buy another semi- gloss color next time I need to big box it. Thanks for reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RudyBob]

I'm finished. It was a level 2 build which meant not many pieces. It turned out OK and I am happy with much and not happy with much.  I filled the bottom of the wings with super glue and baking powder. I would like to have thinner super glue. I see it is available but at a cost so I doubt it anywhere near the top of my to get list. I filled and sanded several times. Again this plastic is softer then... well never mind

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I was drilling three holes for the stand I cracked the seam. It was an OK seam. I may mount the the F84 on a stand 

 

 

 

The seam is not good but better then any I have done thus far

 

 

 

 

 

The wings did not go together like most. If they had I could have achieved a finer painted leading edge. The lower portion fit into not together with the top

 

 

I did not center the front wheel well or was it not centered for me?  Both, I could have centered it by cutting plastic but I did not think it would be so badly formed when I glued the halves

 

I decided against attaching all the bombs. Two of them were too large for my liking and even if they were made for the F84 I think they were large and clunky, distracting from my model. The entire undercarriage I did grey.  Except the bomb tips which I dabbed yellow.

 

I like to paint by hand. I have no intention of ever spending my time learning mask techniques, maybe a few, but I would much prefer learning to paint. I paint landscapes, pets, leaves, etc. Painting means paints, brushes, techniques, etc. For me is the most fun part of modeling. I make no claims to having talent, just desire.

 

I decided on three colors for the camo. Green, lighter green and sand. I made the lighter green and sand by simple dilution.  I had guidance for my paint from the F84 down the road but ultimately I free formed my scheme. It's important to get this right the first time as I have learned from previous models I don't want to correct bad edges...it merely looks like a build up of paint. Of course, I had some touch up to do. I have found that looking at enlarged pictures of the model reveals flaws I don't see even with my magno glasses.

 

 

 

 

 

As mentioned the decals that came with the F84 are gaudy (UGLY) so I used some leftovers from a Corsair. I may add some nose art. I have the decals I'm just mulling it over. I am new to Micro Sol and Micro Set. It has advantages.  Look at the lousy fit of that side panel. PU

 

The model is bottom heavy so I have part of a cotter pin shoved in it's nose

 

 

I did the red with a red sharpie. I think green and blue sharpies will make it on the list of things to get. They are cheap compared with clear paint. I added some black dry brush at the nose. Doing the canopy was fun. I used my finest brush and gave it two coats...it's pretty straight 🙂

 

I have yet to attach the front wheel well covers. I may end up adding weights in there if I don't mount it...still mulling that over as well. For now it on the shelf with some other recent and old models. I am going to finish my Pilot Boat next. I have a weekend work to do on that then I will post some pics in the ship forum.  

 

 

 

Comments are always welcome and appreciated

[Jinxman]

I like the idea with the pens - quick to apply and no cleaning up.

[AMB]

Since when did the NAVY operate F-84Fs?  Never seen  a photo of one!

[RudyBob]

4 hours ago, AMB said:

Since when did the NAVY operate F-84Fs?  Never seen  a photo of one!

Doesn't matter to me if they did or didn't 🙂 I am no purist

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Interesting What-if ? 

[Ratch]

Just doing one of these myself. Looks like you had fun 😎

[mdauben]

Sounds like a fun build!