1/48 Meng ME-410b/U4- The Hornet- let's get this baby finished!!

[Uncle Uncool]

Ant, mate!

There was SUCH an epic build I recall regarding this aircraft (same scale, different manufacturer and version) 10 years ago by a modeller going by the name Chuck (top-bloke; one of the greatest modellers I've seen on ARC). He would share his outstanding techniques with us (still does, I guess?), and his posts were quite out of the normal.

I've found that thread for you - although a bit extensive, think it might be of use to you.

Me410 A-1: To The Finish!

Piccies still working. Enjoy!

Cheers,

 

Unc² 

[Antb]

@Uncle Uncool thanks for the link.

 

Certainly an interesting way of doing things and very extensive! 

 

 

[Antb]

Managed to get a bit more done last night. Doesn't feel like I did much but actually it's really moved forward now. 

 

After completing the cockpit including the oil washes it was time for a dry fit in the fuselage. These fit great and the fuselage halves fit together so it was glue time. 

 

 

 

 

 

The control and gun sight for the rear guns was an absolute nightmare to get in. It had to be fed under the top panel and held in whilst the glue set. But it didn't want to set and kept dropping out. I was racing the carpet monster on a few occasions but thankfully he was pre occupied and I managed to retrieve it! 

 

You know when I said everything fit nicely at dry fit... 

 

 

It's the same old story. It will get to the front glass section but needs some serious brute strength, this is where SWMBO comes in 🤣 actually best not say that she will find out. 

 

I've pegged it all together and will spend a bit of time gluing and clamping to get it to sit right. It should be ok, hopefully. 

 

And these where were up to. 

 

The pit looks alright actually, looking forward to getting more done. 

 

[Niknak]

Hi Antb,if you are using the aires side walls .i would thin the kit side walls . this will make closing fusalarge easier. Great work so far.nick

[Antb]

7 hours ago, Niknak said:

Hi Antb,if you are using the aires side walls .i would thin the kit side walls . this will make closing fusalarge easier. Great work so far.nick

Thanks Nick, 

 

I've spent some time this morning doing just that. Starting to look a little better 

[Antb]

Good evening everyone, 

 

Busy old day today, went down to the ModelKraft show which was fantastic. Haven't ever been before, took the family and it was great. 

 

Now, I'm normally a builder of aircraft with a propeller but recently I've been tempted by something different and going to try jets. I've been nervous of jets because the paint jobs I've seen involve airbrushed which I don't have. Being a brush painter I've steered clear as I wasn't sure id be up to the task. But after today I've decided to take the plunge and picked up these little beauties: 

 

 

 

Seems 48th scale jets are far and away bigger than I imagined 😂 the Su35 is gorgeous but man it's massive. 

 

Going to have fun with these when I get around to them. 

 

So, back to the build. 

 

I managed to sand down some of the cockpit walls and sides and got the fit almost there. There were some gaps though along the edge of the clear part and the fuselage section so used a touch of filler and sanded smooth. 

 

 

 

Having that clear part seperate the two mating halves i found to be a bit tricky. The photos make it look worse than it is. 

 

Here's the cockpit in place. I'm pretty happy with it even though there's a touch of a gap along the edges where it meets the fuselage. I'm leaving this until I get to the canopy and seeing what the fits like. I'm hoping to get away without needing to do any work and that the canopy sits and covers everything up but we shall see. 

 

 

The main fuselage went together really nicely and no filler was needed just sanded away the join line which lost the rivet and panel lines as is usual. 

 

Now, the reinstatement of these has never been a strong suit of mine. I do have a rescriber but getting to grips has been tricky so this time it was a case of taking my time. Adding rivets just didn't happen as I never bought a rivet tool but now I have one and this is a first for me. 

 

Here's the fuselage just sanded smooth 

 

 

And the bottom 

 

 

I cut some tamiya tape into 2cm strips and placed these either side of the panel line to give me something to work with: 

 

 

That was done both top and bottom. I am aware of better ways of doing this but I like this way and it works for me. 

 

Et voila 

 

 

Now the scary but, rivets. A bit of practice and I was ready to take the plunge. 

 

 

Perfect? Not by any means. Alright for a first go, I think so. See how they look with some paint on. 

 

Right, I'm off to research some SU35 stuff, need to brush up 😊

 

If anyone has any suggestions or learning for me please chip in. I want to learn and expand my skills and I can only do that with feedback. 

 

Until next time, happy modelling folks 

 

🐜

 

 

[Niknak]

Errrr antb, I have some bad news for you the me 410 had a panel line down the center of the fuselage top and bottom like the bf 109 & me 110 & me 262. The su 35 is a great looking aircraft. I always liked the su 27 family. Nick

 

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by Niknak

[Antb]

Oh 🤬

 

Should have checked. Looks like I'll have to add one in. 

[Mike]

20 minutes ago, Antb said:

Should have checked. Looks like I'll have to add one in. 

Don't be too hard on yourself - we've all done it!

[Antb]

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Don't be too hard on yourself - we've all done it!

Cheers Mike. 

 

I've added the lines back in so nothing major, just frustrating but I will take more care from now on in. 

 

 

[Antb]

Good evening fellas and fellettes (I don't actually think that's a word but I like it) 

 

A bit of progress has been made since my last post. I don't have many "in work" photos more of stuff that's happened. 

 

I am really new to the whole rescribing thing so please forgive my attempt. 

 

 

Under a coat of primer I think it will look quite decent. 

 

As you can see the rudder and tail planes are on. They're quite sizeable and makes the rear end of the plan quite substantial. Can't wait to see the wings on and see how big she is. 

 

The cannon and "tray" was inserted. This wasn't the best fit and required a touch of filler to make everything blend in. Don't think this was the kits fault. 

 

 

 

It was actually a bit of a nightmare getting it to line up as there are hardly any areas to fit everything into. 

 

That amazing canopy was fitted together. 4 pieces in total and again hardly an areas for fixing. No tabs or shelving to speak of so it was quick set glue to the rescue. 

I left it to dry overnight then had a test fit over the cockpit.... 

 

 

 

Can't quite understand why the rear gun sight has caused this issue. Most of its the kit part, so must be something I've done again. 

Need to figure out a solution but the canopy glazing does look nice. 

 

I've built the engines tonight, these insert into the wings before being joined together which isn't ideal but there's no way of getting them in once the wings have been glued together. 

 

EDIT no idea why the photos won't show!!! Any ideas please guys? 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Antb

[Mike]

Picture problems?  You need to select the "direct link" to get a proper .jpg file like this:

 

 

Which then makes me look stupid because it works in preview, but not when you post.  This was an issue we had briefly on Monday, but is it making a reappearance?  I'll have to speak to Support in the morning

 

Let me test a review photo from this avo, and see if that works:

 

[Antb]

@Mike thanks for the input. Glad it's not anything I've done. 

 

I can see the second pic just fine but the first I can't. 

 

I'll wait and see what happens, cheers again 

 

 

 

[Mike]

Seems to have cleared itself up with no help from us Support now think we're imagining things!

[Antb]

6 hours ago, Mike said:

Seems to have cleared itself up with no help from us Support now think we're imagining things!

Sometimes it's just the threat of calling support that does the trick 🤣

 

Whatever it is thanks for sorting Mike 

[Antb]

Good evening everyone, 

 

Hope we have all enjoyed the bank holiday weekend. 

 

I've done some work on the build since the last update, haven't taken many photos as have been plodding on. I'm finding the build really frustrating as there are things not right and it's really annoying. 

 

I don't honestly think it's the kits fault but other than the Aires cockpit debacle I'm not entirely sure where, or why, things have gone wrong. 

 

Here are the update photos I have. 

 

Engines. Completely out of box. Quite nice but wasted if the engine covers are used which they have to be to get the exhausts in. I'm leaving the covers off so I'm good on that score 

 

 

 

Sadly the engines have to go in before joining the upper and lower wings. I did try to mate the wing joints and then add the engine after but it's not possible. 

 

 

 

The peg on the engine was to hold it in place whilst the glue set. It kept lifting up. 

 

Clear parts built up and time to work on that rear sight. 

 

 

Loads of chopping, swearing and glue later I had this. Not perfect but it works and should look ok through the canopy. 

 

 

This was fitted in, the glass test fitted and has done the trick. 

 

Wings next. Problems. Of my own making? Perhaps. 

 

 

 

And the under side. 

 

 

The more I sanded the worse the gap got. So I cut my losses and got the filler out. 

 

 

 

And a view of the rear pit with the gun sight once the glue had cured. 

 

 

The dry fit of the clear parts went well apart from a ridge at the top where it net the fuselage. Sanded off the top of the cockpit and some off of the underside of the glass but we were getting close to the glazing so settled with how it was. I decided I'd blend it in with some filler. 

 

Glued the rear canopy section in and the front doesn't fit. It overhangs somewhat. Not only that there were gaps between the canopy and the fuselage that weren't there before so drastic times. Filler. I'm Not sure if this is the best solution but I think once sanded down it should work ok. 

 

The front of the canopy overhangs massively (which it didn't during dry fit) So had to sand some off of that too. Again, we were getting too close to the glazing and the framing started to disappear so left it with what I had. 

 

I'll try and blend the front it. Somehow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am really dejected with this build. As I've said, I'm not sure what's gone wrong and can only put it down to me. 

 

I'll keep going but I'm not happy. 

 

 

[Getting Old]

I don't think it's all your fault matey, that kit looks a bit of a cow 

[Niknak]

Hi antb, it's fighting you all the way. It could be the kit when I joined the starboard Wing the bottom seamed longer than the top.! I think I would be tempted to split the fuselarge at the nose and have the canopie fit the top of the fuselage and use plastic card down the sides of the nose glazing and blend it in. Could be easier than blending the canopie into the fuselarge. Nick

Edited May 7, 2019 by Niknak

[Duckwizard]

These gaps do not look at all like they are your fault.

[Antb]

23 hours ago, Getting Old said:

I don't think it's all your fault matey, that kit looks a bit of a cow 

 

23 hours ago, Niknak said:

Hi antb, it's fighting you all the way. It could be the kit when I joined the starboard Wing the bottom seamed longer than the top.! I think I would be tempted to split the fuselarge at the nose and have the canopie fit the top of the fuselage and use plastic card down the sides of the nose glazing and blend it in. Could be easier than blending the canopie into the fuselarge. Nick

 

20 hours ago, Duckwizard said:

These gaps do not look at all like they are your fault.

 

Thanks chaps. I've took a step back and now I've almost got over the disappointment am cracking on with trying to rectify the issue. 

 

It a going to take some time and work but I'm hoping I can sort it so it looks half decent. 

[Antb]

Gooood evening 

 

So, works ongoing but primer is on 😊

 

Here's some photos of the progress and after the first coat of primer. Didn't turn out too bad I don't think for a first round of filling and sanding. 

 

 

 

And after a good rubbing down 

 

 

 

 

Dropped some super glue on to firm up a few spots that appeared when sanding 

 

 

 

I know it looks rough and probs my isn't the best way to sort this issue out but I'm learning as I go. 

 

Here's with the first coat of primer on. 

 

 

 

 

A few corrections needed, so off to sand. 

 

[Getting Old]

definitely proving to be a learning experience, keep up the hard work  

[Antb]

On 08/05/2019 at 21:08, Getting Old said:

definitely proving to be a learning experience, keep up the hard work  

Thanks. Learning indeed. 

 

So, work has continued. Sanding completed to a stage I'm happy with and the primer was reapplied to areas that had work done. 

 

I've made a massive error though, forgot to paint the canopy with the internal colour before spraying the primer 😡. School boy error. 

Might be able to get a brush inside and paint the internal framing but I'm a bit peeved with myself. 

 

Here's a few photos. The RLM76 is going on with a brush and it's hard work to be honest. For some reason I can't get it thin enough so it's either slightly too thick or too runny. So it's paint and sand paint and sand. 

 

I'll get there. 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure how in going to tackle the mottle on the upper surfaces yet using the brush it could be tricky. 

 

 

 

 

[Niknak]

27 minutes ago, Antb said:

Thanks. Learning indeed. 

 

So, work has continued. Sanding completed to a stage I'm happy with and the primer was reapplied to areas that had work done. 

 

I've made a massive error though, forgot to paint the canopy with the internal colour before spraying the primer 😡. School boy error. 

Might be able to get a brush inside and paint the internal framing but I'm a bit peeved with myself. 

 

Here's a few photos. The RLM76 is going on with a brush and it's hard work to be honest. For some reason I can't get it thin enough so it's either slightly too thick or too runny. So it's paint and sand paint and sand. 

 

I'll get there. 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure how in going to tackle the mottle on the upper surfaces yet using the brush it could be tricky. 

 

 

 

 

Hi Antb, if you have used enamel paint you could try using thinners to remove the paint from the frame. when I used to paint using the hairy stick. for mottling I used brushes with the brissels cut down and used the dry brushing technic (by dabbing the brush on paper to remove most of the paint before dabbing the brush onto the aircraft) .

 

I still use them for weathering. Nick

Edited May 11, 2019 by Niknak

[Antb]

Thanks for the tip for the mottle nik. I do have enamel thinners but didn't want to use them on the canopy as wasn't sure if it would cause any damage. 

 

I'll give it a try. Thanks again