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EA-6B PROWLER - CAG VAQ -140 Patriots ## FINISHED ##


nimrod54

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Whilst having a rummage through the stash for some 1/144 RAF aircraft, I found this Dragon boxing of a pair of EA-6B's and thought that I would make one up for this GB. Here are the box and content shots, whilst some the parts are off the sprue the kit has not been started.

 

45578521394_b6e55d21ea_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr 

 

45389277375_58cdfb7e77_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

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  • 1 month later...

I am desperately pushing to try and finish this for Sunday, but with some home improvements planned for the not too distant future, Mrs N is making plans for me to utilise my recreation time in a more meaningful way later this week. I'll see what time I can grab to progress things in between, hopefully it will be there at the end. Meanwhile, I have closed up the fuselage halves and the wings are on, I just need to clean up the underside seam around the nose and then I can give it a layer or two of primer.

 

32064336927_eab7b3e93b_c.jpg

y John L, on Flickr

 

 

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Funny that, Mrs H has come up with some new planned jobs for me too!  Luckily I have a little break before the Trainers GB starts. 

 

Ps, nice work on the growler :yahoo:

Edited by Hockeyboy76
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19 minutes ago, Hockeyboy76 said:

Funny that, Mrs H has come up with some new planned jobs for me too!  Luckily I have a little break before the Trainers GB starts. 

 

Ps, nice work on the growler :yahoo:

 

Cheers buddy, if you fancy having a go at one of these, there is a spare kit in the box and you are more than welcome to it. If you want it, let me know I can sort it out for you over the half-term holiday.

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12 hours ago, nimrod54 said:

 

Cheers buddy, if you fancy having a go at one of these, there is a spare kit in the box and you are more than welcome to it. If you want it, let me know I can sort it out for you over the half-term holiday.

If you sure you won’t build the second, I will enjoy building it especially in our favoured 144 scale. Cheers good buddy. 

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10 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

After seeing yours at this stage I makes me want to keep going on my 1/72 build. I have to sort out a couple of other builds and then the technical cchallenges of fitting the resin cockpit correctly.

 

It would be good to see the finished result Ray, whenever you get round to it. Resin cockpits can be a challenge even when they are designed to fit the kit, I have a one of Neomega's reserved for the Buccaneer STGB that I am REALLY looking forward to fitting to the old 1/72 Airfix kit.  :winkgrin: Hopefully the new kit will be out by then. 🤞

 

49 minutes ago, Hockeyboy76 said:

If you sure you won’t build the second, I will enjoy building it especially in our favoured 144 scale. Cheers good buddy. 

That's OK mate, I'll get everything that is left packed up and sent off to you when I have finished this build.

 

 

Update time

 

I have fitted the canopies, but there is quite a nasty step along the lower edge of the rear one. They are some of the thinnest I have seen in this scale and at risk of cracking if not handled carefully. I have managed to get a 'best fit', I may be able to improve the appearance when I paint the frames, but I think that I may have to live with it for this one. After the canopies had set, I masked them off and sprayed on some Halfords Plastic Primer and I gave that a light rub down this morning in preparation for the top coats. But before I can start that I have to finish fitting the intakes which have had one of Citadel's white base layers applied to the inner faces and Insignia Red on the leading edges.

 

46291444724_7cc7694b5b_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

46291444194_d8597632b5_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

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I have been able to get the upper and lower colours brushed on over the last couple of days, Dark Compass Grey on the top surfaces and Light Compass Grey on the lower using Lifecolor Acrylics. The difference is barely discernible, and looks to be correct when compared to photos of this CAG bird. Once the lower colour was dry I masked off the upper section and brushed on the first coat of a near match to the decal colour, I also applied some to upper fin to cover any possible gap when the decals are applied there too. Both areas will need additional coats to achieve a good depth of colour.

 

47037734991_b3f9d4fb30_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

It is still looking touch and go for completion tomorrow, but I should certainly have everything wrapped up over the next few days. I will keep pushing on and we can see how close I can get.

 

 

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Very nice dude. 

On a slightly different note, have you got this months Airfix Model World? (Issue 100), if you look on page 39 where the builder is making a Gloster Meteor. A finish of yellow and silver is required. His choice of primer for the yellow looks very familiar. 

Just saying :yahoo::pilot:

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Sadly there is just a bit too much left to do on this to finish it before the deadline. I was able to fit the exhaust and undercarriage parts but still have to assemble and paint the small detail parts, re-mask and paint the canopy frames, and then I will be able to start the decals. I should have it completed in the next few days though.

 

33176249438_f8b4f3baca_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

 

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I've applied the first coats of paint to the detail parts (pylons, stores etc) today and then masked off the wing walkways in prep for paint.

 

46148953535_afdd83817f_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

46148953855_f3459508b9_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

I hope to get a second coat on the details later, I also want to do a search for a typical stores fit for the limited number of parts supplied in the kit, 

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1 hour ago, TEMPESTMK5 said:

Good evening John

Nice progresses .. you can relax and finish your build but unfortunately the Gallery is closed ..

 

Patrice

 

Thanks Patrice  I realise that the gallery is now closed, and so I will not be able to post there. I am still trying to push for a mid-week finish though, because the Trainers GB starts over the next weekend. :frantic::winkgrin:

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12 hours ago, nimrod54 said:

Thanks Patrice  I realise that the gallery is now closed, and so I will not be able to post there. I am still trying to push for a mid-week finish though, because the Trainers GB starts over the next weekend. :frantic::winkgrin:

Good morning John

 I am sorry that you can't post your build in the gallery once it will be completed but you can show it there and I will be happy to see it , I think you still have time before the start ot the Trainer Gb ..

Cheers

Patrice

 

Edited by TEMPESTMK5
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21 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Wow! nice scheme you picked John, it looks great

Thanks Ray, I have come across some interesting images of a couple of other Bu. No's with slight differences of this scheme, and one where the blue paint has flaked and peeled around the canopy and radome, but I have decided on a clean version for this one.

 

US Navy CAG VAQ-140

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 I have finally managed to do some more work on this, and after an acrylic matt coat this morning, I added the under wing stores and a fuel tank to the centre pylon. I drilled out the forward nosewheel door to accept a small lens for a light, this has been set aside, I'll cut it into the relevant parts when it is dry.. I should have it finished tomorrow, so I will post a couple of final photos here once completed.

 

47210393321_db64c8fecb_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

46487091654_af6726f452_c.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

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Lovely work, John and a very handsome finish on this Prowler. I was in New York last year and managed to sneak off for an hour to go round the USS Intrepid (moored on the West side) and I'm sure there was one of these on deck, not painted like this, though. I must check up to see if my powers of observation are still intact. This will be eye-catching on the display shelves. All the best. Mike.

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5 hours ago, Ventora3300 said:

Lovely work, John and a very handsome finish on this Prowler. I was in New York last year and managed to sneak off for an hour to go round the USS Intrepid (moored on the West side) and I'm sure there was one of these on deck, not painted like this, though. I must check up to see if my powers of observation are still intact. This will be eye-catching on the display shelves. All the best. Mike.

Thanks Mike. It's definitely a colourful looking Prowler and will be a nice addition to the cabinet once I have created some more display space - I need to add some extra shelves. Your New York trip sounds like it was interesting.

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This morning I split the nosewheel door into its constituent parts and added those, then I decided to scratch build the ram air turbines (not provided in the kit) on the underwing jamming pods, and finally added another coat of clear gold to the canopies to complete this one. Here are some final photos for this build. Thanks to all who have stuck with this one and for the comments along the way.

 

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by John L, on Flickr

 

46303989475_cd367700e4_b.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

46303990535_a2552a9105_b.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

46303990245_79342c2c2d_b.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

 

46303990015_8fdf8994b0_b.jpg

by John L, on Flickr

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