Sturmovik Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 I like your work with the flaps, they give your model character. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Earlier today I ordered this kit — I really love what you’ve done with the flaps and intend to follow your tutorial when I do mine. - Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 14, 2019 Author Share Posted December 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, billn53 said: Earlier today I ordered this kit — I really love what you’ve done with the flaps and intend to follow your tutorial when I do mine. - Bill Awesome!! I found it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, just a little labor intensive with all the cutting and thinning. This one is for someone else, but I'm definitely going to buy another for myself to do again!😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 Terrific work on those flaps and the horizontal stabilizers! It is going to look fantastic when its done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 8 hours ago, Thom216 said: Awesome!! I found it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, just a little labor intensive with all the cutting and thinning. This one is for someone else, but I'm definitely going to buy another for myself to do again!😉 Ah, that's why you're on a time constraint. When you build yours, will you be doing the same livery? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 14, 2019 Author Share Posted December 14, 2019 2 hours ago, Fulcrum Guy said: Ah, that's why you're on a time constraint. When you build yours, will you be doing the same livery? Yes, I love them Bones! I think it has to do with watching the anime Macross as a kid. The main squadron is Skull Squadron which has the same skull and crossbones. I do see now that I goofed just a little bit. Nothing major and no reason to tear anything apart, but the airfoils are only depressed to 50 percent. I have a whole bunch of reference pics, but decided not to look at any when putting them on.The top edge of the airfoil should be even with the bottom edge of where the wing joins the fuselage. Oops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 17 minutes ago, Thom216 said: The top edge of the airfoil should be even with the bottom edge of where the wing joins the fuselage. I’m not sure I understand. Can you show a pic? - Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 14, 2019 Author Share Posted December 14, 2019 1 hour ago, billn53 said: I’m not sure I understand. Can you show a pic? - Bill Here's a good pic of it. See how the airfoil and flaps are in one continuous curve going down, and the trailing edge of the airfoil is exactly even with the bottom side of the wing's cross section? Mine is only half way. Not bad though, as I've seen some pics with the flaps and airfoils only part way down. I'll just have to refine that when I do it the next time! Thom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 14, 2019 Share Posted December 14, 2019 6 hours ago, Thom216 said: Yes, I love them Bones! Check out this new decal sheet from DXM. I’m especially tempted by the “75-Year” anniversary markings on the first aircraft. https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/dxm91-7133.htm https://images.app.goo.gl/Ry3J3ejby3B7xVZFA - Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 14, 2019 Author Share Posted December 14, 2019 (edited) 31 minutes ago, billn53 said: Check out this new decal sheet from DXM. I’m especially tempted by the “75-Year” anniversary markings on the first aircraft. https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/dxm91-7133.htm https://images.app.goo.gl/Ry3J3ejby3B7xVZFA - Bill THANK YOU! I saw that pic and was thinking of that anniversary livery. Now Sprue Brothers is going to be getting some money from me! Edited December 14, 2019 by Thom216 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 At lease you caught it before it went into the paint barn. Hopefully an easy, or at least straightforward fix. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 On 12/15/2019 at 5:21 AM, Fulcrum Guy said: At lease you caught it before it went into the paint barn. Hopefully an easy, or at least straightforward fix. Not so difficult a fix. They came off after a little persuasion, though I had to fix one outer airfoil. So now they are dropped all the way, and HUZZAH, I am onto paint!!😁 So far just a preshade, though I did fully paint the already black fins as well as the area around the cockpit and spine that will be masked and left as the black color. Pylons also got some shadows to help break up the coming final coat. I'll let this dry overnight, then mask and lightly sand the roughness out of the paint before starting the bottom color. Until then, model on! Thom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Hot diggity dang!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 18, 2019 Author Share Posted December 18, 2019 (edited) 12 hours ago, Fulcrum Guy said: Hot diggity dang!!! 😁 Wish the next half of painting went as 'diggity' but the ends justify in this case! Had a little trouble spraying the decanted Dark Ghost Gray, namely the paint drying on the needle and transfering some little paint spatter and 'dust.' Was getting frustrated, I tell yah... Just on a whim I gave the paint a shot of Tamiya thinner, which actually seems to have worked. Weird thing is, the decanted paint works only with lacquer thinner...🤨 Oh well. I rubbed the first coat down with a fine sanding sponge and a small coffee filter and resprayed for far better results the second time around. Next time the tailhook goes on last. Got a little bent in handling... Phew! Glad that is done. And while it dried, I turned my attentions to the burner cans. The ins suggest steel and burnt iron, but the pics I have show a more similar shade and that is not steel. In the end I decided on Citadel Boltgun Metal as a better match for the pic reference. First though, I sprayed silver leaf onto the inner burners and then added some burnt iron on top of that, which was then burnished with a Q-tip. Then the Boltgun Metal for the cans. This is one part that I wish Academy had made as two separate pieces, as painting the fuselage color in between was a little hassle. The direct lighting is making it more of a light silver than it really is. And that's it for now. The wing tanks and pylons have been painted, an the missiles and bombs have been started and the center line tank has received a black coat in prep for gloss and decals, which I really hope to be starting in a day or so. Time is running out!! Model on! Thom Edited December 18, 2019 by Thom216 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 Looking good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 (edited) Pretty bird! One thing, and hopefully you don't have the cans attached yet: I thought, and asked a co-worker who was an engine mechanic in the USAF to verify, that the inner surface of the burner cans was heat-resistant ceramic, hence why almost all modern inner surfaces have that off-white look to them. Maybe the super bug is different, and I will gladly eat my slice of humble pie! Edited December 18, 2019 by Fulcrum Guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 An enjoyable thread, excellent work on the flaps especially. Picking up what has been mentioned above regarding the interior of the exhaust nozzles, they are indeed an off-white ceramic. I've attached a couple of images that hopefully show this... Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet 168930 US Navy RAF Fairford 09/07/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet 168930 US Navy RAF Fairford 10/07/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Shaun 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 18, 2019 Author Share Posted December 18, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, Fulcrum Guy said: Pretty bird! One thing, and hopefully you don't have the cans attached yet... 6 hours ago, Seamus said: An enjoyable thread, excellent work on the flaps especially. Picking up what has been mentioned above regarding the interior of the exhaust nozzles, they are indeed an off-white ceramic. I've attached a couple of images that hopefully show this...Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet 168930 US Navy RAF Fairford 09/07/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet 168930 US Navy RAF Fairford 10/07/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Shaun Thanks for the info. I will keep that in mind for the next one. Unfortunately, the cans are already on, which I was already bemoaning myself about because now I can't use those holes for a prop stick! A big AAARGH moment this morning though. I already make enough self-inflicted wounds without Fickle Fate adding to the stinky pile! Fins were painted black as well as the belly tank and all major paint was done, so I hit it with my usual Krylon high gloss in prep for decals, planning on starting to decal those tonight and feeling good about myself... And it ate the paint. That's the only way to describe it. I noticed it with the belly tank first, wondering why it looked faintly rippled and pale. Then I realized I was seeing the actual plastic color showing through! I wondered why I wasn't seeing the same on the fins, until I remembered I was using the precolored fins that were black already, and now I can see the faint distortions in the plastic again as though they had not been painted at all. And the kicker is this has never happened before with that clear gloss, so I'm flustered. The belly tank will be fine, The kit comes with two so the other is already masked up and ready for more black. Same with the fins, all they need is another shot of black paint - the problem is the belly of the fighter, cause I hit that too. Now all the preshades are showing starkly and it will need another coat of paint, which means probably remasking the whole thing, unless I just want to hit the preshading and see how that looks. But damnit, time is already running short and I didn't need a problem with the paint now! Edited December 18, 2019 by Thom216 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 I’ve learned that paints can be fickle things and even the most well behaved will sometimes turn on you for no discernible reason. I’ve become quite good at stripping paint in order to redo my work, and that’s not a skill I ever aspired to 😠 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 19, 2019 Share Posted December 19, 2019 Ouch...hope the repairs go quickly for you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 20, 2019 Author Share Posted December 20, 2019 Those repairs went quickly. The problem is me leaving little bombs that come back to bite me besides just fickle paint... I was getting all happy and applying some clear (from Testors this time) when black blooms appeared on both flaps right where they are joined with the smaller outer flaps. To understand where those came from, you have to know that I (until NOW) would check the joins before paint with black marker (he says, cringing from the anticipated backlash) and it has worked fine until now. Well somehow, the Testors clear pulled that up through two layers of paint and superglue and made it part of the top coat.😫 Never again... Then of course, I'm thinking I used that same 'technique' with the slats and airfoils and the nose cone. Thankfully I don't think I used enough clear on the nose to do the same, but the port slat was sporting a bit of extra 'shading' we'll call it. So, all parts went back to the paint booth and finally came out looking good, though I feel like this now >🙃. I really hope that is the end of my woes. Trying to look up now and be hopeful, I finally got this started! Gotta keep positive!😀 Model-ing one! Thom 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Keep trucking on, brotha. You're in the home stretch now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted December 21, 2019 Author Share Posted December 21, 2019 17 hours ago, Fulcrum Guy said: Keep trucking on, brotha. You're in the home stretch now Truckin along with a final side-swipe!🤪 As you say, the only thing to do is push on, and so I have. Almost all painting is done and I'll point that out later, as well as the final 'side'swipe.' Here are some progress pics. You'll note the side flash is going too high into the black. I did to, after a little bit of wondering what looked off. Tomorrow I'll gently mask and spray some black over the top to cut it down. The decals worked wonderfully on this, despite the warning. They bedded right down with some micro sol. I did damage the yellow flash on the fin, and had to use an unused yellow decals for the repair. Almost can't see it... A shot down the 'throat.' Some gear and flaps and the center line tanks... And some ordnance... And now for the final 'side swipe' that has been plaguing me ever since paint started. I gathered all together and brought them upstairs for a shot of Tamiya flat clear. I had tested it on the flaps to see if the same bloom of black would appear through the paint and all looked fine, so ahead I went... And... TaDa!! Gobsmackit!! My plans for tomorrow, one day short of the delivery, was to fix that flash and assemble the model and then hit it all with a flat coat. Now, my plans is to do that as well as mask some of the nose and reshoot the light ghost gray to try and minimize that as much as possible. In fact I may do that thin strip of dark ghost gray as well with the pilot's name on it and replace it with Capt D Little, DCAG's decal...🤔 I tell yah, I've never had a model have to go back to the paint booth so many darn times! I don't know if it was a combination of my using a marker to check pane lines (which won't be happening again!) or if the Tamiya rattle can paints are just too fragile? Gloss from two different manufacturers and flat clear from a third all had the same effect. Well. whatever the cause all I can do is push forward. It's going to be a busy evening tomorrow that's for sure! Model on! Thom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 OMG I feel your pain. Good luck with the recovery efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulcrum Guy Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Weird that it only burns through on certain spots...other than that, amazing work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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