Showtime... to Freelancer

[Thom216]

So, maybe gobbling up more than I can chomp on, but here's an entry for the Phantoms! And my first Phantom at that! While at the local hobby shop (three hour round trip away) I snagged Academy's 1/72 'Showtime 100.' It was a toss up between this one and the latest Jolly Roger boxing and seeing as that latter was a few bucks more, I paid up for Showtime. Not that I mind, as I actually like these markings better, and there is a bit more history behind them at that.

 

Some box art goodness.

 

And the plastic still carefully bagged up.

 

 

Gotta love the multi color plastic.

 

And that sexy one-piece! Mmmmm mmmmm!

 

And the decals. Only the one option but that's the one I wanted anyway!

 

Overall a nice looking kit with good surface detail. Only draw backs are the cockpit and maybe the gear wells. Compared to their Puking Dogs F-14A, the cockpit in this Phantom is pretty anemic and I don't see any decals in order to alleviate that. So, I will need a PE set for the 'pit, as well as resin wheels and maybe exhaust cans..? I'll have to take a closer look at those. 

And since I'm waiting for the PE and wheels, I'll probably start this by dressing up the wells.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

 

https://imgur.com/a/TLOqoMI

Edited November 16, 2021 by Thom216

[Thom216]

Okay, first bit of plastic work on Showtime is the engines. I'm awaiting the PE for the 'pit, so I'll be doing work where I can and the cans are coming first. Firstly, this is how Academy has done them. Complete one-piece assemblies that would slot right into the fuselage.

 

At first one would think that was alright, until you have to consider painting the details buried all the way into the back...

 

Yeah, that is way deep in there... That's opposed to their F-14 kit with the separate burner face which makes painting a breeze. Plus, to my eye anyway, the detail looks a little simplistic. And since I can't seem to leave well enough alone I started wondering what I could use to shift that up? One idea was a complete resin replacement, which would have the added benefit of some more detailed 'feathers.' But those dang things get a bit pricey for only a slight improvement (never mind waiting for them to arrive), and I figured the money was better spent on the PE. And the tires. And the canopy mask...

Plus, a little work with masking tape and paint and I think the details on the cans will pop out.

 

So, sticking with the kit parts, I decided I'm going to saw off the burner face - and replace it with the ones from F-14A variant.

 

But not without a little work of course. So to test it, I drilled a hole and then made it a little bigger.

 

And then stacked them.

 

With that in place. I pulled out the misc metal pipe department (id est bag'o'metal bits) and a cutter and cut two diameters of pipe to then sit over that.

 

Not too convincing in a side view, but we'll be looking at it straight on anyway.

 

So what do you think? Convincing enough?

 

Thom

Edited October 23, 2021 by Thom216

[Johnson]

Looks like a nice kit Thom, and good work on the cans!

[Thom216]

I refined the parts a little bit, cutting narrower rings. They're not entirely circular but painted up and buried into the cans and that'll be less obvious.

 

They were then glued together with 60Sec super glue. I'll start painting them this afternoon.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

[Thom216]

So the cans are almost done. Just needs a little extra painting/weathering around the feathers.

First, a pic of the new burners before they will barely ever be seen again!

 

And of the cans after a hit of Xtreme metal aluminum and then burnt iron

 

And then a series of shots that I manged to just barely get sight of the burners deep in there.

First the original.

 

And the news.

 

And last, I took a PE saw to the wings and cut out the ailerons. I've seen pics of them drooped, so I decided to do it. Was thinking about doing the flaps as well, but I didn't want to destroy the detail on there and the same pics showed them up, so there I go!

 

And in prep of doing some work in the wing bays, I sat the wings together and traced the opening into the inner surface of the upper wing halves.

I think I'm going to have to dummy some detail for those open holes...

 

 

Model on!

 

Thom

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by Thom216

[Thom216]

Just to keep moving, I painted up the engine fans, with Tamiya silver leaf, masked the hub and then hit it with burnt iron and them dark aluminum on the bracers. A panel liner hopefully deepens the recesses between the fans.

 

 

Model on!

 

Thom

[Thom216]

A few days since the last update, but I've been working on the gear wells. I thought I'd get them detailed up since I'm still waiting for the cockpit PE to even hit the Post on the other end...

I forgot to take pics of them before, but this is after a few days with stretched sprue, some misc styrene, a bit of metal rod - and one piece of a plastic tooth pick. You (pick) it out!

 

 

Main gear bays. I tried my best to match the cables running across the roof of the wells to some of those going along the sides.Had to reposition a few and hit the open spots with some cut-down sanding sticks.

 

Then the nose gear bay. Same as the others, mostly stretched sprue and some pieces of styrene. the only holes I drilled - other than the one now covered up - was for the metal pipe along the side.

 

And next up I'll do the auxiliary bays under the fuselage.

 

Should be able to see some of the engine workings in there. And happily I have the replaced inlets from my F-14D build that will serve as a basis quite nicely.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

Edited October 31, 2021 by Thom216

[Johnson]

Great detailing!

[Thom216]

Lil more than a week to go and I may not make it... Oh well!!😆

 

I went back and redid the front of the main gear well. starting with a plank piece of styrene fitted into place.

 

I have this PE fret for naval watertight doors and I think those will do just fine.

 

And in place.

 

And the PE came in! Huzzah! It is for the Hasegawa kit but I'm pretty sure I can make them fit for this.

 

With that arrived, I moved onto the cockpit, firstly sanding off the details that are now in the way.

 

And while putting the right side panel on, it fowled the lip of the canopy during a test fit. Probably mine own fault, so I sanded off its thick mounting tab and kicked the bottom end outward more, which left a little shelf that was then detailed with some styrene scrap.

 

I also put some scrap detail along the inside walls of the cockpits, making sure they didn't end up fowling the kit parts waiting to go in.

 

Then I opened up a bottle of Model Master Light Ghost Gray and hit the interior, after a preshade of nato black.

 

 

For the cockpit tub, the part for the yoke and pedals is a separate part that is just taped in so I can drop it out and better paint them. And there is a bit of tape in the RIO's 'pit covering a bit of the PE already in place. The printed gray color already on it would not match the paint I chose. I'll touch up the other parts with a brush.

 

I also hit the seats, the frames with nato black,

 

And the cushions with a misc mix of green.

 

And that's it for the moment! Now to get the PE fitted to the consoles...

 

Model on!

 

Thom

 

P.S.

And this came in today!!

 

No plans as yet other than to get some Colonial Navy decals for it, that at the moment are quite scarce! 😬

 

 

 

[helios16v]

You got about 2.5 weeks (Nov 21).  You got this!  

 

I would need to be complete and starting stenciling at this point to make the deadline.  

[Thom216]

34 minutes ago, helios16v said:

You got about 2.5 weeks (Nov 21).  You got this!  

 

I would need to be complete and starting stenciling at this point to make the deadline.  

Thanks! I was flipping the numbers. 2.5 weeks is doable!!

 

As for stencils, I think I heard that many would be painted over while in the field.(?)

[helios16v]

6 minutes ago, Thom216 said:

As for stencils, I think I heard that many would be painted over while in the field.(?)

 

I can't speak to yours.  I was referring to the EJ Kai (Oceanic Camo) that I'm building.  There are stencils splattered all over that thing.  

[Thom216]

Alright, after a days work I'm calling the cockpit - minus seats at the moment - done! The Hasegawa PE parts had to be snipped and tucked a little here and there, and a few fits had to be undertaken, but it tucks in well enough now that I think I'll only need a little bit of clamping when I glue it in. The gray is Model Master Light Ghost Gray with Tamiya Nato Black and then a black panel line wash to give it a little dirty look.

 

On the RIO's right side is some misc styrene squares and a PE piece from a /72 B-17 cockpit set. Have to get the seats finished as well as the inserts for the aux air inlets on the bottom side, but I think I'll be closing it up soon!

 

Model on!

 

Thom

[Vultures1]

Cockpit is looking good Thom!  The PE parts worked well, I think

 

Chris

[Retired Bob]

Some nice modelling touches in the cockpit and undercarriage bays Thom, it will look great when it all comes together. 

[Robertone139]

Those painted photoetched details are awesome, keep the excellent detail work going.

[Thom216]

Thanks a lot guys!😀

 

On that note, I turned to the aux inlets on the bottom. For those I needed curved pieces to stand in the for the engine housings and I raided the unused air intakes from my Academy F-14D build in the other GB. They even have some nice ribbed detail on them that were supposed to be part of the gear wells. So those were brought to this one and I used some misc styrene to box them in.

 

Then like the gear bays, I used misc stryene, stretched sprue, a little wire and some metal 'piping,' to busy it up. Not exact certainly!

 

And in place...

 

I know I wont see most of that when the doors are in place but I had fun doing it. I'll paint them up with extreme metal aluminum tomorrow, detail paint a little more and then hit them with a panel line wash to put it in 'use.'

 

And to go back to the nose gear, I had made a 'crude' gear hook, used in closing the bay door when the gear leg retracted against it...

 

Turns out there is one in the kit! Part E16.

 

And it only shows up in the instructions on the overview of the parts trees, in which it is mislabeled as F. I looked through the ins thrice and can't see where it is mentioned during assembly.  Nice I saw it though, as I'll use it instead when I get the gear legs and doors in place.

 

All for tonight, Actually morning...

 

Model on!

Thom

 

[Thom216]

(EDIT - Everything past the aux air intakes, completely ignore!))

 

Another midnight upload! Ugh! 😆

 

I finished the detail inside the aux air intakes then painted them with extreme metal aluminum. After that I touched it up with different shades of silver, burnt iron etc, and then washed it all out with a black panel line wash.

 

Then I mounted them in.

 

I hope even half of that will be seen once the doors are in place...🤔

 

And then I made my way back to the cockpit. Testing showed a good fit, but I was also thinking about wiring the RIO's panel. Yeah, give me a hammer for my head please...

First I thought it would be easy enough to drill tiny little holes and feed tiny little bends of wire into there - which didn't make it past the little tiny drill bit bending from as gentle a pressure as a fart's... Then I wondered if I could get a little spring and lay it behind the panel so all you see are the upper curves which could look like bent wires. No. No spring small enough and you could tell it was a spring anyway. Third idea, roll some thin wire around a drill bit (not the bent one) and make a spring... Yeah, back around again. But this one I could cut into the tiny little arcs of metal wire and then super glue into place!

Verdict? Doable.

Easy? Not so much.

Frustration level? Exercise in patience and going through my entire vocabulary of choice phrases...

But done. I will not however go into how often the tiny little arcs of wire sprung into the Nothingness, or didn't stick down after I had juggled all three of my hands to hold the wire in tweezers, while using a brush to apply accelerator to the piece and then lightly touch the wire to the super glue applicator, before bringing it to the rapidly evaporating pool of accelerator - only for it not to stick. Well okay, I guess I did get into it.

What was easier was just leaving a pool of super glue on a card and dipping the bent wire into it and forgoing the accelerator. It worked though.🥴

 

I just hope it looks okay. I still need to paint them.

 

 

Maybe I did too many..? 😒 Hell, if it looks terrible just let me know. I can scrape them all out of there with a manic grin!

 

And if you can imagine, once I test-fitted it into there I dared not remove it again! I just know I would have scraped all of them off if I tried! So the tub was fully glued it at this point, which is fine. It was time anyway.

 

More fun tomorrow my fellow bedlamites!🤪 Good night and model on!

 

Thom

 

Edited November 6, 2021 by Thom216

[Thom216]

... and at 1:30 in the morning, while trying to get to sleep, another idea struck. Something simpler and drop in. I'll try it out when I get home after work.

[Thom216]

And everything I did, while apparently sleep-deprived (although the real solution came as I was trying to force myself to sleep) completely ignore!😅

 

I ended up taking some 2.5mm L stock and drilling several holes into it, back and bottom. Corresponding, of course. Then I took some stretched sprue and started threading it through.

 

I needed to keep some weight on the line to keep it taught. But not too taught as I wanted to keep that twist it developed as it was being pulled through.

 

And done. And in one/fifyith the time it took for me to be bumbling about last night with metal wire, CA and accelerating, my third hand (which only comes in useful at rare occasions) and sleep-deprivation.

 

Now I'll clean that up, spray it and then trim off the excess L-stock and replace the Horror From the Time Before!

 

Model on!

 

Thom

[Thom216]

Yes, liking this much better! That goes into the Toolbox!😁

 

 

Detail paint that and that'll be done. Whew!

 

And the paints arrived, Yay!

 

Model on!

 

Thom

Edited November 7, 2021 by Thom216

[Thom216]

And I finally gave the upper and lower fuse going together. I left out the engines as they can slip in after painting, though I did glue on the rear as I think it would be just as easy masking those mostly straight lines than painting it off the model and maybe smearing it with glue afterward. The nose is just pressed on. I was hoping for a tighter fit to help squeezing the upper/lower halves while drying but it's not that tight.

 

Beginning to look like a Fantum!

 

Model on!

 

Thom

[Dansk]

Awesome work Thom 🙌

The detailing you’ve done is amazing particularly at 1/72, wow.
Love the work seen through those auxiliary door things between the main gear on the underside, amazing.

I used those AK paints too and I love them. I used AKs thinner with mine and they sprayed better than Tamiya acrylics.

 

[Thom216]

Lil update. I got the intakes in place, after prespraying the white on the trunking and the light gull gray on the inside of the intake itself.

 

Sad to say the fit was not good on those pieces. Before they went into the fuselage, I could see the seam line on the top and bottom and it looked uneven even though it wasn't on the outside.

Good thing is that I can barely see it now with them in place. The angle isn't the best to see it!😆

 

Another fit problem is the seam down the side...

 

Calling the PPP!! I think if I do another of these Academy kits, I'll see about putting the trunking in before the bottom of the fuselage is added.

 

But that aside, I went to the upper wings next.

 

They have a nice positive attachment at the wing root and those spots were hit with the thick glue. Once set, I'll run the Tamiya Extra Thin along the edges and then hit those seams - and see how the wing roots look.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

 

[Alan P]

Going together with precision. That instrument panel fix is genius, will definitely be nicking that idea 👍👍👍