bar side Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 Gave the steps a quick coat of grey primer and then started on painting the canopies So cockpit & seats to finish off & pitot tube on the nose (always the last job or I will end up breaking it!). More to do on the start cart as well while I wait for the Caracal decals to come in to stock 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 The steps look great. Now you have me thinking about making a set for my 1/72 Blackbird. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 Cheers @billn53 not sure thegrey is quite right but it gives me something to work from Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted December 31, 2021 Author Share Posted December 31, 2021 I think today I can call the Habu done until I get decals. Pitot attached and front screen attached Seats are painted And installed A couple more So back on the start cart now while waiting for decals, then the whole lot can be put together with the shed . Happy New Year everyone! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 I like that Bar side. And I don't like nothin' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted December 31, 2021 Author Share Posted December 31, 2021 Cheers @LorenSharp. Sometimes you need decals to make a build come to life. To me, I barely noticed the markings on a late model Blackbird so she looks about right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted December 31, 2021 Author Share Posted December 31, 2021 I was just thinking about next steps with this build & realised that I haven’t included a link to my shed. You will get an idea from this link how I plan to display the Blackbird 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 1, 2022 Author Share Posted January 1, 2022 So with the Blackbird done pending decals, steps built and shed done, that just leaves the start cart to keep me busy. Now I have the basic shape done, but sitting on some not so great wheels. I find wheels a tough part of any scratch build trolley. So I use the wheels from an unbuilt Hasegawa GPU and cast from them. Now I am no expert so this is how I do it using two part resin & Blu-tac! So lightly oiled wheel pressed repeated into a big blob of blu-tac The two part resin I got from eBay. It’s old but still works Mixed 50/50 and stirred for a minute or so then poured in Leave them to cure and pop them out. Downside is that the back is blank Then trimmed up & sanded down. I did 6 so that there would hopefully be 4 usable Centres drilled out and mounted on an axel So they are done, painted green and next I will paint the tyres. Until then I have marked up the panels on the start cart, and scribed in the louvres on the sides So more detail to go on the start cart body, need some dials for the control panel and then it will be getting somewhere. Still managed to get out to the seaside today. Threatening skies but quite warm for the time of year. Hope you had a good start to the new year 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 4, 2022 Author Share Posted January 4, 2022 Cracking on with the start cart today. Finished off the details and got it painted. Checking the height during painting So that leaves the tow bar to fit and the reflector strips on the edges It’s not perfect but generally when in use half is hidden under the wing of the Blackbird So with some of the other ground gear Now the trolley is another idea I have. My kit had a spare nose from another kit, and as these were interchangeable I have left the spare one with a glass panel in it. Going to scratch a bit of the interior & pose it in the shed on a trolley. Not sure if this really happened but it may well do in kit shed! Now just need those Caracal decals….. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 5, 2022 Author Share Posted January 5, 2022 More to do on the spare nose, but I couldn’t resist a look at how things will go when I put the whole thing together. I got a half shed (the half with the lights) and the un-decalled Blackbird and tried out a few shots When all the bits are done I will get the full, open at both ends shed set up. Might need a new base as this is sitting on the HAS base at the moment 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 That's now in the 'is it really a model' class, excellent work all round 👏👏👏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
March Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 (edited) The only things lacking now are some dry ice, a figure with curly hair to represent a mid 90’s Jeremy Clarkson and a recording of him saying “This is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. It is the fastest jet in the world…”, on repeat. Edited January 6, 2022 by March 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 I can’t find the words to describe how great that look, with the shed and all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 Cheers guys, it the kind of look I want to get to when it’s all done. With the full shed I can fit her in - as you can see that was about as far as she would go in the half shed. Plus I can add some extra trolleys & bits behind. And I can do a daylight shot with the back door open. Like the dry ice idea @March! Maybe some faded 70s rock track playing in the background while panning around the scene…. Cheers @billn53 its getting there. I was looking at your build @Alan P considering what tail code to do mine. Turns out the Caracal set includes 974 Ichi Ban herself in low viz red markings. And she was the very display jet I watched at Mildenhall in 84. So the older kit might become the newer version of 974. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 Been building a frame to hold the spare nose tonight. Made with evergreen strip, it’s a bit saggy at the moment until it dries overnight. it’s based loosely on one of these stands This is how it looks so far It’s just going to be hangar dressing but it seemed daft to leave a spare nose in the box 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 7, 2022 Author Share Posted January 7, 2022 Some paint on the nose & frame. I just need to add the reflective tape to the edges as per the frame in the photo above. It seems to be sitting a lot better having had 24 hrs to dry Like I said I think it will add something to the shed scene 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 8, 2022 Author Share Posted January 8, 2022 You know when you finish building a kit & have parts left over? Just a few…. Pretty much two complete engine & outer wing sections, a bit of body, about 4 kit seats and I forgot to include a full second set of canopies plus two for the twin seater option. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 Enough bits left over to scratchbuild a Star Wars ship! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 Looks good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Right so a last run through of the bits for the diorama that I will use to display her. Obviously first is the complete Blackbird minus decals Couple of vehicles - pilot transport step van & pickup / Follow Me truck Start cart, spare nose on Fram & trolley and covered trolley. New access ladder and the old steps And a range of ground support kit So anything missing? I have a fuel tanker, chocks, people & other bits, but anything else? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 This work is outstanding. I have dreamed of doing something like this in 1/48 and with the Revell kit I can. But the Blackbird itself is only one part of the story. I love your "old school" fabrication solutions for the carts and ladders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Cheers @JMChladek I quite enjoy researching & scratch building. But if I find a kit at a good price I could always upgrade the start cart or the ladder in the future. I do like what Serkan Sen is doing with his 3D printing too. Perhaps a mix of print & scratch build & resin cast one day 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 Ever wondered how a Blackbird compares size size to a TSR-2? Wonder no more… And in the barn with the end open 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Have been filling in time until Hannants get the decals in stock by watching Brian Shul talking about his time flying Blackbirds. Great recording on YouTube Shame his books are so expensive, but the pictures are very cool 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolfocaetanonetto Posted January 20, 2022 Share Posted January 20, 2022 Awesome! And I think that its possible build another model with the parts left! Or, maybe a crash... On 08/01/2022 at 11:47, bar side said: You know when you finish building a kit & have parts left over? Just a few…. Pretty much two complete engine & outer wing sections, a bit of body, about 4 kit seats and I forgot to include a full second set of canopies plus two for the twin seater option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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