jean Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Will send you a couple of pics when I have finished cooking dinner.... No way to escape!!! JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 29 minutes ago, planecrazee said: do you mean in the very centre of the nose or elsewhere? Now this one I do know the answer to, and yes it is in the centre of the nose. I'm sure Jean will show you some nice clear pictures but I think there is a good picture of it in this article; http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-airfix-172-4b4p-modeling-notes.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 Thanks very much Jean - yeah make sure you get your dinner - that's the most important bit Kris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 Thanks very much for providing that link Craig - much appreciated. That's brilliant and as you say, there's no disputing it clearly shows the hole in the very centre of the nose - that's cleared that one up Kris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Hi Kris, the dinner is not for me only, otherwise I would have sent you something much earlier... Such is life. Re the corrections, MM has sent you a very good article I should have remembered... Everything is in there, but no need to implement all the possible improvements. Remember this is a great kit, and looking at it through a microscope won't make it much better. Have a lot of fun! JR 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 Thanks again JR - very much appreciated. I've picked up on a few other small changes to make from the article so will incorporate those and then leave it at that. I'll definitely be using this article for the rest of the build too as there's a wealth of information and reference material so will really come in handy. Kind regards Kris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Hi folks, Hope you're all well and keeping busy with your builds I've been busy working away on the Skyhawk today as I managed to get a day off work - yayyyy - more bench time So before I get into a few bits of the nitty gritty - here's a few overall shots of where she is now. She's been primed and fettled, primed and fettled, primed and fettled (you'll see why below) - and then given a pre-shade in readiness for the next step which will be getting the top coat colours on to her. Before I do this the only other thing I need to add is the refuelling probe. So here's today's state of play: So to explain a bit further as to why I've been beavering away in a prime and sand loop, it follows on from the great advice and feedback I was given from @jean and @modelling minion with regards to some small alterations to be made to try and make the Skyhawk a slightly more accurate A-4B version. Both JR and Craig provided me with the link to a fantastic resource for the Skyhawk with some superb articles relating to (amongst other things) how to make the Airfix kit that bit more accurate. If you're interested, this is the link given by Craig earlier in the build thread http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-airfix-172-4b4p-modeling-notes.html So taking the advice of JR on board to make some of the more pertinent changes, I've now completed these and you can see in the pics below what's been done. Here you can see by the addition of my red pen, that the hole for the avionics cooling intake has been added to the nose: In this pic, you can see on the starboard side of the fuselage that the raised 3D feature has been sanded away which is representative of the earlier Skyhawk versions... … and then lastly in this pic of the front of the starboard fuselage - 3 changes have been made: Firstly, the avionics access door has been removed from the nose as this only features on the port side of the aircraft. Secondly, on the fuselage under the cockpit, the round cockpit flood valve has been removed as again this only features on the port side of the aircraft and thirdly there is no air conditioning intake and exhaust so this has also been removed. That's basically all I've done as you could keep going and keep going but on a 1/72 scale aircraft I think there's no need to go overboard. However, I'm really grateful to JR for drawing my attention to these and hopefully they do add to the overall accuracy of the finished model so big thanks to @jean So as I said earlier, just need to get the refuelling probe on and then she's off into the paint shop to get her top coat and then hopefully she'll start resembling something close to a Skyhawk. Hope to have the next update for you very soon All the best Kris 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thanks for highlighting those little details. They make all the difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thanks Smudge - I've just done a couple of things as you can see and all thanks to JR for highlighting to me too. I think it shows that in some instances like this kit from Airfix - rather than look at an aircraft and see what differences there can be from one side to another - they obviously just moulded one side and copied it like for like on the other. Kris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Looking really nice Kris. Highlighting the alterations you have made makes it much easier for us all to understand what you have done and where. There is so much information in that link that it is easy to get a bit overloaded. Nice job on the pre-shading too, looking forward to seeing the top coat of paint going on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thanks very much Craig - really appreciate your comments. I thought showing everyone what I'd done would be the best way as a visual can usual save on a lot of explaining. Yes the link is absolutely packed with info so thought it best to only do a bare minimum of alterations. Looking forward to showing you how she looks with her paint job completed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 I'm liking the look of this, & loving the tips on improvements. I'm keen to give one of these a crack in this GB so they'll be really helpful. Steve. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 13 minutes ago, stevehnz said: I'm keen to give one of these a crack in this GB And you will be made most welcome Steve. 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thanks very much Steve and yes you should definitely join in the GB with one of these kits - I'm sure you'll really enjoy it 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Hi Kris, the fact that I am so busy at the moment makes me not pay sufficient attention to modelling... Terrible! I should have told you sooner about it, but it may not be too late. On the port side of the fuselage, you will see on photos of the A-4B that there is quite a prominent hole: this is the used oil vent. You should drill it (about 2 mm diameter). If you look, out of it comes a black oily stain that ends up around the port air brake. That is quite obvious and catching, plus it would look good on a model. Ideally it should be drilled before the wing is attached to the fuselage, but it does not really matters. Anyway, it is your decision. Sorry for not mentioning it earlier. Have fun! JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 Hi JR, Great to hear from you as always. Don't you apologise for anything, you're just offering advice and guidance where you can - and I'm very grateful. You know, I did see that in the photos on the link Craig sent and wondered whether or not to do that but as you say with it being another pertinent feature it would no doubt benefit the model to be added. Fortunately, it's not too late so I'll get this added before she goes off to paint at which point I'll definitely be calling it a day as far as the fuselage is concerned. Thank you once again - really really appreciate all your advice and guidance so far Kris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 Just a quick update with no pics sorry The oil vent is now in situ @jean and I've also attached the refuelling probe as discussed yesterday. Then it will just be a case of into the paint shop so I'll get some more pics up for you once this has been completed. Best wishes Kris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basket Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Your work is very nice , painting and detailling as well . I really love the red headrest of the early Skyhawks which are too rarely seen . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 Thank you very much indeed @basket for your very kind feedback. I completely agree the red headrest really helps to add a bit of colour to the cockpit and make it 'pop' a little more. Kris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted April 30, 2021 Author Share Posted April 30, 2021 Hi folks, Hope everyone is well and enjoying their builds. I've been making progress with the painting of mine and will hopefully have some update pics for you at the weekend at which point I'm hoping to get on with getting all the decals sorted too. In the meantime though, I'm hoping I can lean on the knowledge and experience of my fellow BMers to ask if you can clear something up for me. With regards to the anti-glare colour painted on top of the nose of my particular Skyhawk, does anyone know what colour it should be. Some references I've seen refer to it as 'black' and some seem to elude to a dark grey. Airfix's instructions state Dark Sea Grey. If anyone can point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful before I commit to any painting. Very best wishes Kris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 Good to hear that you are getting some work in on your model Kris, saves me having to get the poking stick out . For the anti glare panel I would go with black, they can fade but they start out as black. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted April 30, 2021 Author Share Posted April 30, 2021 Thanks for that Craig - really appreciated - answers my question nicely If the suggestion was going to be black - I thought I'd go for Anthracite which is an 'off black' which might give it a bit more of a scale effect. Yes, I've been beavering away today - had a day off work so was using my time wisely as I needed to get a session in the spray booth so this worked out perfectly. Once I've got the anti-glare sorted and a gloss coat I can get the decaling done and then things should start to progress nicely from there. Trying to get her moved on as I've currently got a build in the Unarmed GB as well as going to have one in the Bf109 GB in May so it's all go at the minute in the modelling world Kris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 1 minute ago, planecrazee said: I thought I'd go for Anthracite Revell's Anthracite is my go to colour for this kind of thing as it gives a very nice faded black look. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planecrazee Posted April 30, 2021 Author Share Posted April 30, 2021 Must be great minds think alike Craig as that's the paint I use too . It's probably the 1 colour that I seem to use at least once on all my builds as it's such a versatile colour 👍 Kris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 I was going to suggest NATO Black for that faded flat black look...but looks like you guys are already on it. Bit late to the party as usual. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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