Thom216 Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 I really shouldn't. I really, really shouldn't. I'm already in the Bomber/Strike/Group Attack GB with my Arado Ar(E)555 (updates will be coming along...) But anyone who has followed me at all, knows I have only finished one GB in my history here, so this is asking for trouble! But, I have been inspired by both @Milo VF-1s and @Dazzio Nadesico - and the empty space on my shelf where my first Yamato build once resided - I have decided that I can't not scratch this itch. So, here.. we... go! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 Ooooh Im definitely going to follow this one. I want to both build one of these and modify an older Japanese ship design to do a predecessor type WHIF. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted April 27, 2022 Author Share Posted April 27, 2022 (edited) @Corsairfoxfouruncle It is an intriguing idea. I know I've bopped around the idea a time or two about making an 'Arizona' version, and there's even a fan-art that was done that I could use as a guide. And I do have that one hull from the Ginga kit...🤔 But for now, it is amazing how fast these kits go together. I opened the box, and almost the whole bow fell together before I could even grab the camera! There are nine parts in there! Almost all the gluing can be done on the interior. Although, that doesn't account for human error... Yup, a little bleed through with the glue and my fat fingers went right to it as though it was a homing pigeon! Oh well, let it dry and I'll sand it out. And here's were I got a little over zealous with the hobby knife. thankfully, this time, it was not my finger that got sliced! I'll fix that once the area is glued up and secure. On to the stern, there is an option for an opening section to reveal the fighter bay, but I'll be leaving that out. Sorry. Internal bracer, and the front bulkhead of the fighter bay area. While that dries, I'll skip ahead to the stern keel and the launch bay door. There's another gimmick so that it can open, but I'll be gluing it shut. It is also a little gappy, so I butted the far edge against the hull, leaving a big gap at the hinge area, where the blue clamp is at the moment. Once dry, I'll glue a wedge of plastic into there to close it up. Moving right along! Thom Edited April 27, 2022 by Thom216 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted April 27, 2022 Author Share Posted April 27, 2022 (edited) Stern keel now in place. And you can see how gappy it is at the hinge point. Then there's the keel area with the bulge/hangar on either side. The corrugated sections are roll up doors. The first kit I did of this, and the top of the door just blended right into the flank. I ended up cutting out the whole area and replacing with the corrugated styrene. I think they've improved it, but the top of the door is still a little indistinct, so out came the dymo tape and a scriber. Simple but effective, IMO. And glued in place. Now, before any more, I need to consider mounting. It comes with its own stand, but the model sits too loose on it and is sure to fall over. There is also a side mount, a piece that slips into the starboard side wing area with a mounting bracket, but I glued in the blanking piece instead. I prefer a mounting rod going into the belly, and the last one I did was drilled in just in front of the fighter launch bay door. So, I'll have to make a stop at the local hardware store (aka work) and see what rods they have that will support the weight. ToBeCont. Thom Edited April 27, 2022 by Thom216 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 This is certainly different - a whole new genre for me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 Nice start. Great to see more of this type of subject too. Maybe this will help motivate me to drag out the Yuki Kei Space Wolf and finish it up. IIRC, it's mostly assembled...almost at the paint stage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 welcome along, am sooo glad to see one of these in the build. I have been wanting to build one of these for ages....... well lusting for the special 1/350th version, but $1k is a wee bit much for a model!! It looks to be a nice fun build as well. Good luck with her, there is a good chance you'll break you record with this build as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wings unlevel Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 Brilliant! Loved Star Blazers as a kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted April 28, 2022 Author Share Posted April 28, 2022 (edited) Give it a try @CliffB you won't be disappointed. And with the newest iteration in the series coming out, the best time to buy is when they're producing kits.😉 @helios16v That build would be cool to see. Toss it up in the sci fi section! With plenty of time before this GB ends, @trickyrich, the only way I could miss it is if I stopped entirely!🙃 I would like to get a 1/350 also, but the prices are horrendous. However there are far more kits in the 1k range, and even at that scale they are not small kits. @Wings unlevel Me too! Though I barely remember seeing it then, which is why I am so glad they rebooted the series. It was great before, but it is awesome now! Onto the build, I was worried about paint. When I first build one of these, I had the Mr Color Yamato paint set, which matched all the shades perfectly, if being a bit smelly. Now I don't and I was worried I would have to start mixing paints to get something 'close enough,' Happily though, looking through the paint stock, I find that Tamiya's XF-18 and XF-7, are almost perfect matches already! The red is just short of perfect. Just a matt instead of a gloss. The blue I might try to lighten just slightly, but even as-is, it looks good to go as well. Weight off of me mind! Till next Thom Edited April 28, 2022 by Thom216 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 Oo nice a Yamato. I have one of these but it's the tiny tiny mecha collection one. I like the fighter bay gimmick, might have to acquire one just for that option. I am a bigger fan of the Andromeda-class wonder if they do one of those in the same scale? hhmm... Good trick to know about the XF-18 and XF-7, I might get around to finishing mine now. Really looking forward to how this one turns out. Nice to know I have been a bad influence again. Kind regards, Darren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted April 28, 2022 Author Share Posted April 28, 2022 Naughty @Dazzio! As for the Andromeda in 1k scale, they have them, though they be 'pensive! There is one or two that are ship specific, but then there is a later kit that is all-in-one, standard and carrier versions. Cheers! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 Now you are the bad influence @Thom216! Know what I will be spending my birthday pennies now. That Apollo Norm does look epic and mean as hell. Kind regards, Dazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 (edited) 10 hours ago, trickyrich said: I have been wanting to build one of these for ages....... well lusting for the special 1/350th version, but $1k is a wee bit much for a model!! Hmmm with as many Resin kits that you have, I wouldn't think thats too far out from your most expensive resin kit. Maybe a goal to set save up for a year and treat yourself. Edited April 28, 2022 by Corsairfoxfouruncle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 those paints look to be spot-on, they may change a wee bit once on, but that just help to break the flatness of solid colours. Gosh I can now really see myself falling down this rabbit hole and the stash shelves straining even more!!!! Yeah the $1k is a wee bit scary price for a model..... but I have to remember that some of my resin stuff in the stash is now pushing the $500-600USD range!! Though I could never part with those!!! 🥰 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 There is the 1/500 scale model. (wink) So I've moved onto mounting. I don't like the loose way it sits on the stand and prefer to mount with a rod, so I got two diameter rod and a styrene sheath. This was then glued in place, and the top crimped to keep the mounting rod from going any further. Testy! Then there are some big gaps on the side bulges, so I squeezed some thin styrene into those. I'll trim and sand those up, but while that was drying I started to think again about the aux bay doors on the sides, and decided to do as I did on the first Yamato I built. So I took the belly off, which didn't result in too much damage, thankfully! I'll sand those bulges a little smoother, cut out the molded doors and replace them with ribbed styrene that will go all the way up to where the main hull meets the bulge. I have already cut them out, though pics not posted yet and the ribbed styrene is just awaitin! Thom 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 some of that red sprue may have done the trick nicely as well. 28 minutes ago, Thom216 said: There is the 1/500 scale model. (wink) yeah I have been looking at those! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted May 2, 2022 Author Share Posted May 2, 2022 A quick work with a saw cut out the old doors. They will be retained, to act as formers for the styrene to be wrapped over, thus keeping the curvature. I used Car Siding Evergreen sheet for this, as it was what I have in stock, and the spacing looks correct on it. It was a little more involved than just wrapping the old parts. I had to cut down the inner side and use a smaller diameter round rod to tighten the curvature to better match the bulges. Not prefect, but I think certainly better. And done with that. The next in the instructions is the decking, although the front deck section on A9 will have to be 'adjusted' next. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted May 3, 2022 Share Posted May 3, 2022 Neat! Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted May 3, 2022 Author Share Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) The part for the rear decking, A9, is angled up as it goes under the above deck. To continue it further forward, the 'ramp' was snipped off and grooved styrene used to add decking and walls to the rear deck house. (mind the dust) I admit, not the cleanest job, but most of that will be under the deck above anyway. And in-situ. That's being glued down now. So, what's next... Edited May 3, 2022 by Thom216 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 4, 2022 Share Posted May 4, 2022 that correction work looks great, especially the new roller doors! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted May 24, 2022 Author Share Posted May 24, 2022 Been away from the able for a week or two. No problems, just lack of mo and jo. One of the worst seam lines goes right through the paired bulges on either side of the hull. But after some filler and sanding, and some filler, CA and sanding, and some paint filler and sanding, I think I got it licked. And without distorting those bulges, so that's a plus! Need to sand again to clean the surface up, but I'm calling those good. Makes me wish Bandai had made that section as a separate, single piece, as it would certainly makes things go quicker. Thom 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfa1983 Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 I was looking at it thinking, what seam line? Nice work on that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 yes very nicely done. ..and yes I am having similar issues with Mo & Jo as well, though hoping I might come out of it tomorrow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 Thanks @arfa1983. Went over them again, and I think I got it licked! @trickyrich Yes, it seems to effect me more often of late. But sometimes the best 'cure' is to just sit at the table and play with plastic and glue. No sniffing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 A slight update. With the seam over the bulges taken care or, it was onto the top deck. A little clamping here and there required. And a little over spray to take care of, after a final check of those troublesome seams. All the white on the lower hull and the bow is PPP. More to come! Thom 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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