jean Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 Hello happy campers, the time is nigh when I will try once more to finish a model I should have finished long ago. I have to finish the Heller Etendard IV M, not only because I feel bad towards @JOCKNEY who kindly sent it to the middle of nowhere, but also because it is a beautiful plane, like all aircraft designed by Marcel Dassault. This is now personal. Here is the original build thread, for those who my be interested: Have fun! JR 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 Hi JR Any progress with this one, or has all your focus been on the Zero ? Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 On 11/26/2021 at 4:36 PM, JOCKNEY said: Hi JR Any progress with this one, or has all your focus been on the Zero ? Cheers Pat Hi Pat, the Zero is on its way to completion. so I must stop multitasking (no idea what that word means, but it sounds good!) and focus on one model at the time. The Etendard is next, and should be completed before year end... I love dreaming! Have fun with your Jules Verne! JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 Hi everyone, now that my Zero is as finished as it can be for the time being, my focus is shifting to the Etendard IVM. Just a couple of seams at the fuselage-wing junctions to be dealt with CA, finish and fit the ejection seat, and then it will be time for primer. While I am waiting for something to dry, I will terminate at the same time my A-4B Skyhawk, that is 95% finished. A busy end of the year. Cheers everyone! JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Hi JR Is your A-4B Skyhawk in this GB as well ? Does that mean we will see you completing 3 builds in a single GB Blimey mate, I always suspected you as a secret over-achiever Cheers Pat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 Hi Pat, the A-4B is in WIP, where I fished it out of page 15.... That's not over-achieving, believe me. The goal is to finish the Skyhawk before year end, which will leave me plenty of time to finish the Etendard, which is about 70% complete. It can be done, but then of course the Matchbox GB starts soon.... And the vicious circle starts all over again! I will be doing the Etendard in the old paint scheme of dark blue over white, so much nicer than the more recent greys... Cheers mate. JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 (edited) Hi everyone, at long last the Etendard IV M is returning with a view to being completed before the next ice age. This should be music to @JOCKNEY ears, as he has a vested interest into this kit. So I lied, as I should have started again on this little beauty of a kit over one month ago... My A-4B has just been finished in WIP and entered in the RFI section, so nothing stop me from working on this Etendard. The cockpit and a couple of seams to treat with CA glue, and the primer should be sprayed. I will try to make the Etendard a priority, over the FW 190 in the Matchbox GB and the Airfix Hampden in the bomber GB... Promises...promises... See you all in a couple of days with some progress to show you. Cheers JR Edited January 27, 2022 by jean 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 Hi everyone, the momentum has been maintained and the seams on the Etendard are now sorted out, all filled with CA glue. A micromesh polishing is the only work left to do on the airframe. The left flap was too short and I had to add a shim of plasticard atthe root and file it to shape. Much more convincing now. The cockpit is next and I have started jazzing up the ejection seat, a bit barren as it is. I will only add the fuel tanks and keep the rocket launchers for the spares' box. All the photos I have seen of 59S Etendard only depicted the blue-tipped tanks. The wheels and front landing gear have been painted; the tires still need a matt varnish to stop them looking like brand new shoes. A lone photo to show the state of the model: So things are moving and I can't wait to start the painting. Hopefully not long now. Thanks for watching. JR 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfa1983 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 8 hours ago, jean said: A micromesh polishing is the only work left to do on the airframe Do you always micromesh your models or just this one? I never really do it but I'm wondering if I should be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 9 hours ago, arfa1983 said: Do you always micromesh your models or just this one? I never really do it but I'm wondering if I should be Hi, I try to do it if possible before gluing any breakable parts. I use 4000 micromesh and it gets rid of small defects. In the case of the Etendard, I re-scribed the raised panel lines, and micromeshing is very important after using Tamiya green top glue in the new panel lines. It smooths the surface beautifully. Because some lines had to be scribed again after using CA in the seams, I will need to use the micromesh again, so I decided to deal with the whole model, as I am sure I must have caused some scratches or other damages. Then a good rub with methylated spirit and the primer can be sprayed (Tamiya fine primer in a rattle can: great stuff!). I hope this helps. Have fun. JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted February 9, 2022 Author Share Posted February 9, 2022 Hi everyone, I was going to leave the air brakes open, as they do look good, hanging under the belly. Then I went through all my Etendard photos, only to realize that no such plane at the parking had the air brakes down... Only museum exhibits seem to have everything dangling! Disappointed, I glued them in place. A couple of arms are a bit under shot and will need some ultra-thin plastic shims. Here is a photo of these air brakes: Have fun! JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted February 13, 2022 Author Share Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) As mentioned earlier, the ejection seat was next. It involved a lot of sculpture, putty and thick paint for the seat cushion, etc. It actually does not look too bad compared to photos of the real one. Now all I need is to spend one hour or so with a thin paint brush, and I am sure it will look fine in the cockpit. It is now official: I cannot take a decent photo with a phone to save my life! But the following pic will give you an idea of the work done. Enjoy your builds! JR Edited February 13, 2022 by jean 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 Hi Jean, Not long left now - hope you manage to finish it. When I was making my Super Etendard a while ago I found an article on that plane whch also gave colour references for the Etendard but I seem to have lost it. What colours were you thinking of using on yours - I fancy the Gris Bleu Fonce over white if and when I build one but am not sure what to use for the former. Probably something a little lighter and bluer than RAF Extra Dark Sea Grey - I have seen references to FS *6118 which is called "Gunship Gray". Old Heller instructions seem to use either Hu 127 US Dark Grey, or on some of their kits they say Hu 77 Navy Blue! Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted February 26, 2022 Author Share Posted February 26, 2022 Hi Pete, of late too many things have intruded on modelling and as a result I haven't looked at a kit for quite a while. Whether I finish the Etendard on time or not, is not a cause for stress. All I know is that I am focusing solely on this kit until finished. So all is as it should be. Re the paint scheme, I want to finish it in the old scheme of dark blue over white. For that I plan to use Humbrol 104 with a micro dash of light grey. I did some tests and I am very happy with the result. The model will be varnished in semi gloss. The decals had yellowed pretty badly, but I stuck them on a window pane in the good old African sun last year for a couple of weeks, and they lost the jaundiced look, so all is well. I will be able to do some good tomorrow, and to be honest, I can't wait. Cheers JR 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 (edited) Thanks Jean, Just seen your Zero - I bought a set of Techmod decs from Hannants which had 3 Pearl Harbor planes on it. Pretty good but I seem to remember having problems with the fuselage bands not being quite right on my old Hasegawa kits. I guess it depends how the rear fuselage is moulded and that might vary a bit between manufacturers. There is also some debate about the exact shade of grey - greenish or brownish ( the so called "Ameiro") depending if made by Mitsubishi or Nakajima according to some sources. I see Jamie is still offering both versions in his Colourcoats paints. Pete Edited March 1, 2022 by PeterB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted March 18, 2022 Author Share Posted March 18, 2022 On 3/1/2022 at 2:07 PM, PeterB said: Thanks Jean, Just seen your Zero - I bought a set of Techmod decs from Hannants which had 3 Pearl Harbor planes on it. Pretty good but I seem to remember having problems with the fuselage bands not being quite right on my old Hasegawa kits. I guess it depends how the rear fuselage is moulded and that might vary a bit between manufacturers. There is also some debate about the exact shade of grey - greenish or brownish ( the so called "Ameiro") depending if made by Mitsubishi or Nakajima according to some sources. I see Jamie is still offering both versions in his Colourcoats paints. Pete Hi Pete, sorry I only saw your post now! I have a second Airfix Zero in the stash and I will do a Pearl Harbor one. Re the grey to use, I am no boffin! I am planning to buy a Tamiya spray can of IJN grey: no idea if it is correct, but I tell myself they are Japanese and should know what they are talking about... I guess it is one way of avoiding pangs of uncertainty about a color! Cheers mate. JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 (edited) 21 minutes ago, jean said: Hi Pete, I am planning to buy a Tamiya spray can of IJN grey: no idea if it is correct, but I tell myself they are Japanese and should know what they are talking about... I guess it is one way of avoiding pangs of uncertainty about a color! Cheers mate. JR Hi Jean, IJN Grey, like US OD and RFC PC.10 is one of those colours there has been a lot of debate about. If your spray is XF-12 then it should be fine - a pale slightly greenish grey. Eyewitness descriptions from the time of Pearl Harbor of the colour range from "white" to "orange/yellow" but probably are best ignored - white could be faded light grey and the orange may be down to the slightly yellow tint from the varnish according to some, though others say not. Are you finishing off the Etendard or leaving it perhaps for the next KUTA? Cheers Pete Edited March 18, 2022 by PeterB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted March 18, 2022 Author Share Posted March 18, 2022 56 minutes ago, PeterB said: Hi Jean, IJN Grey, like US OD and RFC PC.10 is one of those colours there has been a lot of debate about. If your spray is XF-12 then it should be fine - a pale slightly greenish grey. Eyewitness descriptions from the time of Pearl Harbor of the colour range from "white" to "orange/yellow" but probably are best ignored - white could be faded light grey and the orange may be down to the slightly yellow tint from the varnish according to some, though others say not. Are you finishing off the Etendard or leaving it perhaps for the next KUTA? Cheers Pete Hi Pete, The spray will be XF-12, and as I said, if you don't trust Tamiya on Japanese colors, who can you trust? We need to have a bit of faith from time to time. Re the Etendard, no it will be finished quite soon. My mojo took a nose dive and I realized I needed to build something that would not be part of any GB, etc. A kit I really wanted to build, and that I would build for myself, on the quiet. I am doing just that: I had been looking at my 1/72 Airfix FW 190 A-8 more and more frequently, so on an impulse I decided to build it there and then, dropping everything else. I am now close to spraying some primer and I am enjoying every minute of the build. My mojo is back and I will resume my Matchbox FW 190 and the Etendard as soon as I am through. Make no mistake: I understand why so many modelers have binned the Airfix 190. The fit is appalling in places, especially at the front of the fuselage. I have been wondering if Airfix was really behind this kit, so far off it is from the other Airfix "new toolings" I have built. But I am winning and it will look good! I will post it in the RFI section when the time comes. Well, now you know everything. Have fun with your builds. JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 Hi Mate Are you still wrestling with that FW190 or have you returned to this one ? Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 2 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Hi Mate Are you still wrestling with that FW190 or have you returned to this one ? Cheers Pat Hi Pat, long time!!! The Airfix FW 190 is in the paint shop, so I can resume other builds while the paint dries. In fairness, I am not wrestling this 190 any longer, now that the tricky build is over. That is when I am not being utterly clumsy... Your post is uncanny, as I was just going to post an update on the Hampden, even if it is ridiculously small. Go to the Hampden thread and all shall be revealed! Cheers mate. JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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