Bad Kitty?? - NO...bad Modeller.

[Dr. Quack]

I hesitate to call myself a modeller - more of a two-left-hands-composed-entirely-of-thumbs plastic mangler.

But it is a bit of fun!

 

Soooo.......time to sharpen the knives and set the ovens to 160 - here comes Quaaaack!

 

As a reminder, my first build was a Bae hawk in beautiful orange-peel black

 

Time to look for my next build - my errr... second

 

After a bit of a struggle with the learning curve on the last one, I decided to try harder to learn new stuff and try handling some of these new-fangled etchy resiny bits. Might as well stretch myself, though it may all end in tears (or the bin!)

 

Starting point is a Revell 1/48 Jaguar GR1.  No box shot cos the box was recycled months ago, and no sprue shots as everybody knows what sprues look like. Hopefully one day I'll persuade it to look vaguely like a Granby Kitty.

Kicking off with the Neomega resin cockpit - This was my first time trying to surgically insert resin into reluctant plastic. Rear cockpit bulkhead removed and side walls stuck in after a lot of dry-fitting.

 

The nose wheel well appears to have a short-shot issue with an absent side wall but I'm really not too bothered by this as the build is really all about trying things out. After the build is complete, I doubt I'll ever look down there anyway....

 

Next - tried painting the cockpit - initially seemed ok until I checked the photo -----aaaaaarrrrrgh 

 

Its 'Orrible.

 

A bit more poking with hairy sticks and it's marginally better. No doubt I'll tinker with it later.

 

 

Seat painting slightly more successful.

 

 

I'm actually half pleased with this - taking into account my shaky hands and rubbish eyesight. I'll fiddle more with that later.

 

Panel assembled and painted.

 

Next I had a look at the rear end and the rather unconvincing fuel dump arrangement

 

I thought it might be relatively straight-forward to ream this out to leave a recess, then replace the jettison pipe with brass rod, filling the void with a plug of mlliput....Adventurous Quack!

 

One half done.

 

Both sides opened and some milliput to avoid the see-through effect.

 

Photo-etch next - trying to roll awkward bits into vaguely exhaust-like shapes - bit hamfisted but hey it's all experience!

 

Problems arose trying to fit the fuselage halves with really don't want to align at all (Just my kit? Just my luck? Just my two left hands?)

I ended up gluing several plastic card shims at strategic points along the join lines to try to persuade them to align without enormous steps...

 

Fuselage closed up now with some primer to show me where the seams need work - no matter how much I sand they seem to show up! At this rate I'll end up oversanding the contours.......

 

 

The large inlet on the spine for the primary heat exchanger has been carved away and re-floored with a bit of plastic card - another first for Quack.

The openings for the smaller heat exchanger behind the cockpit have also been opened to try to make them look a bit more (ahem!) realistic. There's a plug of milliput in there too to avoid a see-through effect.

 

I've tried replacing the intakes as the kit parts show the auxiliary doors open, which I believe would only occur when engine running on the ground. I used resin replacements and after bodging a bit, thought I might get away with a line here - unfortunately photos show that this is really a smooth blended curve without a clear panel line so more sanding and filling and sanding required. Yes I know I said sanding twice.....I've been doing a lot of flipping sanding and filling and blending....and swearing.

 

And now I think I'll leave it alone - probably as good as I'll get it.

 

Right - that's enough for now. If can keep this out of the bin I'll post up some more soon. Maybe Christmas. I'm a slow builder.

Happy to receive any advice - keep it noob-appropriate as I'm still really just on my second build. One of the reasons for posting this as a WIP is to receive the wisdom of my fellow BM'ers. All tips gratefully received - though please don't get upset if I make an almighty @rse of it all.

Happy plastic-mangling everybody!

Quack 

[Mattlow]

Nice work on what isn't the most co-operative of kits...

 

Matt

[bar side]

Nice work on the kitty.  Especially the seat & the exhausts.  Done a couple of Airfix versions of this kit so looking forward to seeing how yours turns out.  What’s it going to be? Grey green? Grey? Enquiring minds want to know

[Dr. Quack]

Pink of course!!!

 Thanks. Feeling encouraged

 

Optimistic Quack.

 

[exdraken]

Nice start!

You will surely overcome the slight trouble!