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Hmmmm. 

A week has now passed since the GB commenced and not been able to start these as still finishing off other builds still. 
Plus doing some 1:1 painting on car stuff. 
Too much on and not enough time as always. 

Really enjoying the new academy build so may do some more of those for the GB instead rather than learning this new kit(s)...!?!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

A few hours clean up and starting to get a box full of cockpit, intake, wheel well and exhaust bits...
 

C8721-D59-2800-450-C-B88-E-EC48791-D1042


Here is a recast of the A Rio’s IP to get a ‘fishbowl’ for the D. 
No bombcat here!
Going to be an early D with a missile load out from the 90’s. 
Line jet, TPS and Pacific Fleet. 
With the help of a super hornet decal sheet I just may be able to piece it together. Any guesses? Not seen a 1/72 build in this scheme and I don’t think decals have ever been available. Not for a line jet anyways. 
D4256-D5-E-0611-4423-9649-07-BB36-C21253
 

The parts so far are very nice. 
More bits than the new academy kit, but not as many as the Finemolds. 
A good thing about this kit is hardly any visible ejection pin marks and clever attachment points is making clean up a breeze. Only some on floor of intake which may not be visible when built but filled anyways. Cockpit detail is very crisp on par with Finemolds. 
 

One of the pair, possibly the A with its early beavertail will be slats and flaps out for a splash of colour and maybe airbrakes open too with some crew in (canopy down) and engines on (both nozzles open and wing bladders inflated) depicted taxing somewhere. Or Airbrakes shut & nose gear compressed ready for launch? 

 

The D will then be all closed up so super drab with perhaps just the boarding steps & ladder out as you sometimes see them parked up like that. 
 

Opinions/suggestions? 

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13 hours ago, helios16v said:

Not sure how I missed this.  :whistle:

 

This is the pair that I recently acquired, so I'll be watching with great interest.


Get building them mate they’re very nice. Expensive but nice 👌🏽

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Edit:  I lie.  I'm not sure why I was thinking the Deltas never made it to the Pacific......  Looks like VF-213 received Deltas in 98 (NH).  http://www.gonavy.jp/CVW-NHf.html

CVW-14 (NK) & CVW-2 (NE) got them a lot earlier (VF-11, VF-31, and VF-2).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Small steps-


D Rio IP and a cast of the A one. 
031-F6-F49-9-AA9-4-B1-E-8-EF1-32-CD7474-
 

PTID removed from D, fishbowl cut out of A cast. 

E9-D2-A9-F3-54-EE-4-E32-B9-A3-A54-F53060

Fishbowl sanded thin 
67-C1-A212-9706-4-EFC-BF73-0-BA304-B6-FC


Combined. 
CECAA9-FD-1-DAE-43-C0-9-D73-60-A780-CFA8

Building up GE Nozzles. Quite unique & nice way of doing it in 1/72. The A’s TF30 ones are straight forward like other kits so no pics. 

9-F4-E0518-5-F6-A-43-C2-AB40-56192-B70-C

 

86-CC9-F95-AF39-4-FFA-875-C-B2-C8-B7-D18


BEB7-E167-2-E47-46-E5-98-DC-921-ECF21-C9


Again this kit has no decals for the rub area on the petals. So decided to make a pattern to use for masks. 
Can use the cut tape as either a positive or negative then. 
Going to cast these then have them in my finemolds A Plus/B conversion instead of trying to source decals. 
 

F256-F69-F-354-A-4-A63-B692-CFEE1-C8854-

83-B41797-B7-D7-41-D0-929-C-B4-B1-D62-BB


8563-C45-C-703-E-4-CC0-A8-A2-4-D89-AEDDD


CC963-B00-64-E0-4-B62-9-DE3-BF01-DBAC580

 

Loads of bits for the paintshop...

All cockpit, wheel wheel, gear doors, intake and exhaust parts so along with some dark gull grey will be a big white and metallics session. 


D0-DE63-F5-A28-C-4-BFA-8663-FE6-DAED76-C


Thanks for looking. 

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So these are going together very quickly, mainly because the parts are easy to clean up because most attachment points are on the edges or bottom of parts rather than on the sides. 
 

A word of warning- the instructions are a joke. Too many loose sheets and correction sheets. Plus some of the parts I believe aren’t orientated correctly in the pictures, mainly with the intake ramp struts. They dont have anywhere to locate against on the underside of the upper fuselage half, they just poke up into the void. 
Comparing to recent kits, the finemolds has the most accurate representation of this area and the most ‘positive location’ of the parts. But like this GWH kit most of it is wasted and unseen when built. Finemolds only has ramps up/open. GWH has the option of both. 
The academy kit has more simplified parts in this area but is quick and easy and sufficient for what you can actually really see when done. 
 

Of the two GWH kits, I’ve done one open and one closed. On the ‘closed’ build nothing can then be seen really of the back of the ramps so if I did one closed again I wouldn’t bother detailing in there. 


Intake painting. For ease of masking I do the Grey first, then tape off and do the white. Various stages of unmasking shown for the layup. 
A9121700-75-D8-4-D6-E-A74-C-07-A71500-E0

 

Done -

 

CEBE99-C0-D6-E5-4973-B0-D1-B3-E8298-EBD3


Back side of the ‘down’ ramps


D070-DBB4-ECBA-4-FD2-8-CC7-0-E4-D13513-A

 

View down the throat of ‘down’ ramps. 
 

99699766-6-E0-A-44-F2-A82-B-E36741-A3-C9

 

Cockpits next...

 

 

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So the cockpits were done differently,

the A had decals but the D was painted because of the kit decals not working with the changed RIO IP. 
 

A was sprayed in dark gull grey then the majority black IP/console decals added. Still had a wash and dry brush to bring out some of the details on the plain black areas. Circled in pic below. Decals settled well with gsi mr setter and softer (not the weak ‘neo’ ones). 
 

D was sprayed black then few dark gull areas were brushed by hand. The IP and consoles then had a dry brush and wash with some detail painting. The over all look of the pit is quite dark as majority black but those areas I left that will all be hidden. Actually found this a much more efficient way of painting a pit, especially for a closed canopy. Compared to black basing, dark gull grey then repainting consoles black again by brush... 
 

A pit 

 

FA880-BD8-EBC6-4760-A9-BA-4-DDF3-C326-F7

 

A IP’s 


826-C7-CC9-D1-ED-4-FE4-9-D38-0-E554-A20-

 

D pit 


E48495-B7-8595-4162-83-A4-7-EDBFC7-A5-F7
 

D IP’s

 

355-EBB9-F-8-D09-4380-9-C57-BFE5-A6-ED02


They have had some clear green in the screens now but that’s about it. 
 

Major assembly about done and then using as a jig for multiple part main gear assembly. 
 

0-CEBD3-F3-954-F-4826-BE23-49-F2-DA07011


7497-C672-EFB7-4-D2-F-AFDA-91-EE2-EE2-D8
 

Looking forward to getting some paint on these. Not sure what ‘style’ to use though. 


This kit has the most option for parts variations so far in terms of small details that most miss altogether - like two tiny inserts for the rain removal vents infront of the windshield. 
Also however there is a drain vent on the nacelles that was only present on A P&W engines so needs to be filled with superglue and sanded for a Aplus/B/D GE jet.

 

The build was pretty straight forward. Just deviated from instructions a bit in terms of sequence and parts to suit specific builds of jets I am hoping to depict. 
 

Like the D is a D(R) as in rebuit A so some features on it are legacy and weren’t changed. 

 

eg ‘New’ D

No wing glove vanes 

Clear windshield (proper hud)

Later single slot rain removal vent. 
 

Rebuilt D had the vanes locked shut and puttied over so sometimes a ghost panel line or sunken area was visible. Still would have the green front glass from the projector style A HUD as glass was difficult to change so normally only replaced if damaged. And then the early three bump rain removal vent remained. 
 

Waffle waffle waffle shut up now Tony. 

 

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Just about ready for a seam check spot prime. 

 

image.jpg
 

And all these bits good to go too. Wings, slats, flaps, pylons, tanks, doors, tailplanes, wing bladders, hooks, chinpods, small sticky out things  yadda yadda...

 

image.jpg

 

Not even touched the loadouts for these two yet. 16 missiles in all. Gulp. 

 

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Well a very expensive disaster today with a £45 1/72 Tomcat kit. 
 

Was putting the greys on the pair (more about them later) and a freak gust of wind blew into the shed. It was rather blustery today and the door had been pulled to on a latch. 
 

The D was on the side whilst the A was being worked on when the wind blew in. 
The D and all its wings and bits got launched all over the place. The jet did a summersault as smacked against my tool cabinet. 
 

When I picked it up after calming down I noticed that all that had happened was that the canopy had come off and presumably took the brunt of the impact. So far so good as no damage whatsoever to the airframe. 
 

2-F8013-CA-CC75-408-A-B123-F32-E8-DB35-E

 

When I went to re-attach it I noticed the masking was rucked up where it had took the hit. Note yellow of tape showing below. 
 

6814-F3-A0-8-D25-4637-A39-D-D408659623-A

 

I then peeled it back a touch to smooth it out and cover it over again and saw this - 


5-C85-C06-E-5-C6-F-427-C-B6-F3-728-F2-DA

 

From the inside - 

 

19-D404-F8-F872-4-DDB-88-EB-3-CC77-BBDDF

 

Completely knackered. 
 

So I spent the afternoon reading all the horror stories on the internet how GWH spares and/or customer services for spare parts is pretty much non existent. Yey! 
 

I still managed to progress with the A but had some trouble with the hataka orange line US greys. The paint is great to work with, but as noted with the red line in the thread I made below, their dark ghost grey is darker and bluer than their medium grey. The medium grey is great but there is defo something off with their dark ghost. Seems they have kept the same shades for the orange line. 
So spent alot of time reworking the colours to get it to look correct and most of the black basing effect is gone. 
 

Successful day in the office! 
 

 

 

 

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On 02/04/2020 at 23:29, Gremlin said:

ouch sh it happend...

 

maybe the rob taurus vacuform canopy for hasegawa worth it and save your problem?

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/RBT72075?result-token=SGQLf

 

spacer.png

 

cheers

 

 


Even better than that. 


Fortunately I have another few of these in the stash. So raided one for a canopy and that was polished up last night and getting on with painting today. 
 

Then what to do with that canopy-less kit?

 

I tried out a couple of other kit canopies to see if a spare from those would work due to the non availability of gwh spares. 
 

The new acad canopy is a touch too short length wise and too narrow across the sill. And looks a bit ‘flat’. No good. 


The finemolds one is a good fit, just slightly taller at the front so is proud of the windshield, however will work for an ‘open’ canopy. 

So managed to get from HLJ the last in stock of the 2015 September copy by modelgraphix magazine which came with the original finemolds kit. This issue came with the wings and canopy parts so that’s what will replace the missing canopy from the spare gwh kit. 
 

Expensive drama over. 

 

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So a bit of progress finally. 

Nothing groundbreaking really finish wise. 
 

The A had a pretty ‘solid’ paintjob as the reference pic shows quite a clean plane with minimal weathering. This will just have some subtle variation added to the finish at the end after decals with oil filters etc. 
The big thing for this scheme was lots of masking as all the red bits needed adding to the wings. A nice sharp finish is always quite satisfying when all tape is off.  Wings can now be assembled ready for glossing/decals/washes etc. 
 

 

698-B7307-3-A6-C-4-C75-AB83-4-F19410-A81


7-DE61-AE2-E766-4341-9-B12-6-F1-B90-D71-

D36-A2-B00-ABBA-4-D0-A-83-BD-FF3-FB2-F3-

 

The pic of the D I am working off of shows a more patchy and grubby finish with a  lighter/new radome. Again more tape. 
The paint was built up on this one alot more patchy and blotchy. Will perhaps add some maskol postshading for touch ups too after decals. 

11-E92-BC0-8-D62-4-C64-984-B-59-CB21-F43

 

Also out of interest-

 

Tried black basing using mottle masks to ‘speed up’ the process but too fiddly and messy for 1/72.  Takes longer in the end and wastes loads of paint. More gets on the mask than goes on the model. All that build ups ends up splattering through too. So you have to wipe down masks and clean them up with thinners after several passes to start again. Was ok on flat surfaces like wings but takes multiple passes with lots of angles to mix it up before the blend coat. Curves on fuselage were a nightmare as trying to hold it just off of the surface is tricky without touching or smearing the paint you have just applied or that is bleeding through. More hassle than it’s worth. 
Perhaps as a light ‘texture’ coat at the end but not from the beginning. 
 

This was the D pre canopy gate yesterday. What you see there took an hour 😢

 The mottle masks are 1/48 luftwaffe patterns. Won’t be doing this again will just stick to normal freehand marbling. 
 

AB47-AAE2-CBFB-4-BCC-8-F7-D-3554-F682674
 

Bye for now. 

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So last bit of painting on the pair before decals...

 

Doing some experimentation with the paintjobs. What looks good in pics is often too much in person... 

 

How the A looks now is very contrasty, but will tone down after weathering and look ‘right’ in photos but probably be too much in person still. 
 

The D looks ‘right’ now but then after toning down will probably look too plain in pictures but spot on in person (hopefully)

 

 

First the A - 

 

Wings were assembled after all that masking then some touch ups and grime added overall.  This was done based on the only photo I can find of this jet - the left side shows the lighter areas on radome joint and wing-glove, then darker areas in front of windshield, behind canopy and tiny bit at base of the tailfin next to the ‘194’. Also made a start on the grime around crew steps. The rest is artistic license. 
Again it’s quite strong now but should be ok-ish in the end. 
 

Actual jet, no real camo demarcations visible and paintjob has weathered to an overall dirty grey. 


https://www.flickr.com/photos/gerrit_kok_collection/34616485436

 


 

E8-BE8-DBF-778-D-4373-BEB8-1-ED49-AE9-A9
 

A1-A0-FA36-82-A2-4244-A4-F2-4366-F4068-F

9-F1-E24-BC-010-F-471-A-9857-F5-BDB25-C1

 

Next up - The D

 

Used a ‘softer’ approach, mostly done during the paintjob rather than added after at the end as above on the A. 
Can just make out the camo demarcation around the canopy and spine but most of the uppers are quite faded to the same shade as the tails. 
 

Couple of interesting points is the fresh radome and fresher tails with new artwork. Another (earlier?) picture shows this jet with the two tone grey and black boars head and 06 on the rudders. 
I believe this jet to be renumbered from 106 to 114. 
 

Real jet - a screenshot grabbed a year back from I can’t remember where. 
 

A6661-FD9-2644-471-A-A7-B4-326-BED7-B03-

 

5-BC893-E8-8-D7-D-46-D6-B28-B-6-E9690478


680897-BC-C2-CC-4-C32-8-CBB-ED6-EC195-E9


9824-DDC4-77-B5-4-D9-E-81-B4-B178-BB4-FF


 


 

A few other points- Masking removed from engine shrouds then glued properly on (were only tacked on with pva to ensure continuity of paint job on cowls. 
Also wing bladders have now been glued in before the gloss coat. 
 

Next job is decals for these which need to be pieced together and then get on to painting 2 lots of u/c & wheels along with 16 missiles! 
 

Cheers, Tony

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First try of piecing this scheme together. 
 

NK (printscale) is too big and the logo (revell f/a-18f) is too light. Balls. 
 

F90-B1-BDC-A4-D0-418-B-A918-F1-AA9-E02-C


There are some pics from this time of jets where the tail art had faded to a gunship grey after several months at sea. Also the exact location on the tail varied too.  Anyways working off of that picture I managed to cobble it together eventually but trying to make up non existent schemes is boring. Will post up later where what came from which sheets etc.  
Also the tps stencil data in the gwh as is in most kits with tps schemes is far too dark. Both these jets show very faded stencils. Had to use an old microscale sheet that was yellowed and some broke up. 

The vf194 jet’s decals by repliscale were thick and silvered badly. Also too bright, the lightning bolt on the tail along with the rest of it is more 36118 gunship than 36076 engine grey. And was misprinted on the white background so had to scalpel some away. May try and mask and spray it a bit darker but then won’t match the 204’s and 194 etc. (same too light gunship grey)

 

This pair is becoming a chore. 

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Decals done. Cobbled from spares/doubles or schemes I’m not going to use. 
 

So for the ripper - 

 

Almost black but slightly too small Logo from carpena sheet. NK & Carl vinson from DXM. 
BuNo made up from furball stencil sheet. Ventral fin VF-11 and tank markings from two bobs retro. Slanted 4’s from the 104 of two bobs vf2. 
Slanted 1’s cut from black stripe. 
 

0-FE46-CD2-C15-D-42-EA-8-A4-B-C46-BE02-C
 

6-A288401-AA0-A-45-EF-A721-A399-BE358-CD

 

All the black markings were oversprayed with a grey filter to knock them back a touch and to blend them together so all ‘black’ markings were the same as the tail badge/logo. Can see the difference between them done/not done below. 
2-D321093-B343-4-CB4-ABE7-DBBCEE4-C106-E

Here the NK has been toned down to match badge. VF-11 still to be done. 
B22-EAF89-0522-499-E-A359-7-F966-DB160-F


And here are all the markings blended and sealed. Now waiting for a panel wash then matt coat. 


58729991-7407-42-BE-9-EAC-9-A3-EDA8-F958

 

The other one - 

 

The A has had its panel wash (A lighter shade than I would normally do as trying something different.) Here it is still shiny top and bottom. 


8-D3-B6083-F72-F-400-E-AF82-5-B7-C6-FC96


54-B49-CB6-7-C71-4-D54-82-ED-5426-D60237

 

Then sealed in with matt varnish. Did a couple wet coats to soak everything in then did a dry dusty coat and it’s super flat. Ready for streaks and grime. Then will brush some klear over the shrouds and red bits to add a slight sheen back to them. 


FB017-A5-C-6-A92-4651-B809-00-FC7-F48-A2

 

That’s all for now. 

Ps missiles have been painted, detailed and glossed. Now waiting for decals. One AIM-54 has more decals than both these airframes are wearing together. Gulp. 

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