Alan P Posted November 20, 2021 Author Share Posted November 20, 2021 Thanks guys ๐ unfortunately I managed to spoil the canopies so I'm just going to crack on and finish it, hopefully the seats will look nice enough to distract the eye from the lumpy spots of congealed Gauzy on the canopies ๐ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 21, 2021 Author Share Posted November 21, 2021 Canopy woes... You can see the little specks/blobs of congealed AK Gauzy. i suspect this was because I left it out in my shed during the recent sub-zero frosts and this has affected it ๐ญ I also probably didn't help by forgetting to bring them inside while they were drying. As long as they don't catch the light too much they might look okay. I'll pretend they just got washed or something. ย To be honest I'm through caring with this build and want to get on to something else pronto. It was fun at the beginning but my general resentment of the poor value of this kit and the amount of work you need to do to bring it up to snuff is just annoying now. ย Here are the seats, still only part way done: The Eduard set adds a lot of much needed and missing detail from the kit - but (and this may come back to bite me one day but I don't care) I am NEVER using aftermarket photoetch belts again EVER.ย I threw bits of seatbelt across my modelling room* so many times. I don't think I swore so much in one sitting in my life!ย The face curtain pull handles are done with decals from airscale. Again, they look better from a respectable distance like the rest of the model. ย I let my frustration with this build get the better of me today. But tomorrow it should be finished! ย Alan ย ย *Plus the added indignity of going back on hands and knees to look for them later 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Seats look great, nearly there mate! ย 3 hours ago, Alan P said: ย ย *Plus the added indignity of going back on hands and knees to look for them later We've all been there! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2lefthands Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 17 minutes ago, DaveJL said: Seats look great, nearly there mate! ย We've all been there! some of us more often than others 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 18 hours ago, Alan P said: You can see the little specks/blobs of congealed AK Gauzy Have you tried removing it? Maybe an experiment on a spare canopy? I did a little bit of googling and possibly isopropyl alcohol might remove it, then a re-dip in klear? ย 18 hours ago, Alan P said: To be honest I'm through caring with this build and want to get on to something else pronto I know just how you feel!ย ย 18 hours ago, Alan P said: The Eduard set adds a lot of much needed and missing detail from the kit - but (and this may come back to bite me one day but I don't care) I am NEVER using aftermarket photoetch belts again EVER. Again, having used Eduard etched belts for many years I can sympathise, but from your photos they look very good indeed, they would enhance any model. ย Nearly there! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 Thanks to @Johnsonย and @2lefthands I slept on it overnight and stripped back the Gauzy with Tamiya thinner, washed and dried and reapplied. Looks better already, thanks guys ๐๐๐ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Those seats look amazing!ย And I'm glad to hear the canopies stripped back OK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 Just the finishing touches now: The glass fibre/rubberised coating on the nose and the pitot need painting. The very effective masking solution is obvious Corrected antennae for the YKW era (also added the correct forward antennae under the nose) ย A lot of faffing around with the canopies, nav lights, canopy jettison handles and last-minute placards/RBF pins later and... Finally finished! It was way more work than the quick and easy build I expected, 2003 Tamiya is definitely NOT the same as 2021 Tamiya! Made life harder for myself by the choice of subject and other creative decisions, for now I'm just glad it's done. ย More photos tomorrow but that'll do for today! ย Thanks very much for all the help, support, encouragement, corrections and suggestions along the way. Thanks also to Paul @Danskย and Dave @DaveJLย for running a tight ship and to everyone else for the excellent builds - this must be one of the highest standard GBs I've been part of, well done to all ๐ ย EDIT: Sorry to @trickyrichย as GB mod, well done to you too! I just assumed @Danskย was also modding due to his hyperactive involvement ย All the best, ย Alanย ย 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Blimey Alan its amazing. Really something fantastic. ๐ itโs hard to find anything to fault. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Amazing Alan, that looks brilliant. Great finish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Hurrah!ย Looking forward to some more photos in due course but that is excellent work Alan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2lefthands Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Super, Alan! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Well done, a great result. Looks fine! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gidge Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Congrats for getting it over the line! It's been fun following this one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Stunning result, despite the hiccups along the way.ย ย 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony in NZ Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 I cant help but echo everyone elses comments above!ย Absolutely stunning mate, I think you were too hard on yourself, but I feel your frustration with PE mate!ย Fantastic result in the end and a pleasure to watch! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 On 11/21/2021 at 3:17 PM, 2lefthands said: some of us more often than others Every. Single. Time. At. The. Table...๐ฑ ย I'ma gonna echo here. Lovely job, even if the RIO didn't clean them canopies like he should have! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 23, 2021 Author Share Posted November 23, 2021 Thanks very much you guys โบ๏ธ just got home from a long day at work and this was great to come home to ๐ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 Finished shots now in the Gallery!ย ย Just heard the Revell SR-71 will not be released for another month, so I'll continue with the F-35I Adir (more Israeli Air Force stuff! I don't build any for 10ย years, then two come along at once!) ย Thanks everyone again...see you in the F/A-18 GB next year ย Alan 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfa1983 Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Awesome model! I think you made it look like an easy build.very deceiving I am sure! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony G Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 I was all set to give you 13 out of 10 but I cannot believe you forgot to add the standby compass calibration cards from the right side of the canopy frames, so it will have to be 12 ยฝ points out of 10. ย I joke, I am amazed by your talent and the quality of what you have produced. Well Done, just does not do this model justice 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 1 hour ago, Tony G said: I was all set to give you 13 out of 10 but I cannot believe you forgot to add the standby compass calibration cards from the right side of the canopy frames, so it will have to be 12 ยฝ points out of 10. Thanks very much Tony, I was looking for some suitable placards but never found any in the spares drawer. It also needs an AOA vane but 12.5/10 is good enough ๐ 1 hour ago, arfa1983 said: Awesome model! I think you made it look like an easy build.very deceiving I am sure! Thanks again, Tamiya has come a long way since this kit was produced so it's not snap-together Lego like their current kits ๐ the smaller parts and components (like the gun and landing gear) fit very well, but if I'd paid the full ยฃ125 retail price for this, I'd have been very disappointed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 As usual Alan a stunnng finish on a great build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 15 minutes ago, Jabba said: As usual Alan a stunnng finish on a great build. Thanks very much mate ๐ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 Just to cheer everyone up, here are the canopies as finished - not crystal clear (a little blurred ) but no lumps and much better than the original dip versions! ย ย 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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