johndon Posted May 4, 2022 Share Posted May 4, 2022 My usual modelling takes the form of railways in 1/76 scale and warships in 1/350 and 1/200 but I've felt the urge to build a 1/48 scale aircraft. Whilst I'd love to do a Phantom or Tomcat, as I've never actually built a 1/48 aircraft before, I figured it would be best to start with something a bit simpler so, after a trip to my local model shop I came home with a T38C Talon. I'm building it OOB in the colour scheme on the box art: Fuselage and wings, no glue yet... And the components for the cockpit which is almost complete. It's is all going together well so far although I was a bit concerned about the instrument panel decals settling down over the raised detail but a couple of coats of micro sol has it all sitting down flat as it should. Only thing I may not use are the PE seatbelts which I'll likely replace with home made ones. Only odd thing so far is in the painting instructions, while the rear of the aircraft is clearly a blue/grey and is described in the instructions as Medium Gunship Grey the Tamiya paint code is given as XF58 which turns out to be olive green so the instructions are clearly incorrect... John 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted May 6, 2022 Author Share Posted May 6, 2022 Cockpit is done although I just couldn't get the etched seat belts to behave so I've just used masking tape, not 100% correct but good enough to give an impression. Fuselage halves are together and seam work on that and the intakes is underway... John 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseNepal Posted May 6, 2022 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Wow that looks great! What is the colour scheme that's on the side of the box? The black and white one. Keep it up. / Jesse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted May 6, 2022 Author Share Posted May 6, 2022 1 hour ago, JesseNepal said: Wow that looks great! What is the colour scheme that's on the side of the box? The black and white one. Keep it up. / Jesse Cheers. It's a light grey/dark blue grey. Never have built an aircraft with an open canopy though I'm really concerned at being able to keep paint out of the cockpit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseNepal Posted May 6, 2022 Share Posted May 6, 2022 11 minutes ago, johndon said: Cheers. It's a light grey/dark blue grey. Never have built an aircraft with an open canopy though I'm really concerned at being able to keep paint out of the cockpit... Yeah I can see that being a problem.. Are you brushpainting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted May 6, 2022 Author Share Posted May 6, 2022 1 hour ago, JesseNepal said: Yeah I can see that being a problem.. Are you brushpainting? No, it will all be airbrushed, I'm conscious of how the airbrush always seems to find the smallest gaps in masking, easy enough to correct usually not so much in the confines of a fitted cockpit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseNepal Posted May 7, 2022 Share Posted May 7, 2022 11 hours ago, johndon said: No, it will all be airbrushed, I'm conscious of how the airbrush always seems to find the smallest gaps in masking, easy enough to correct usually not so much in the confines of a fitted cockpit. Yeah i can see that. I look forward to see how it goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted May 7, 2022 Share Posted May 7, 2022 By all accounts this is a nice kit John 👍 you've picked a good choice for your first 1/48. Interesting subject too 😊 This paint scheme is known as the Hill Grey scheme, a mix of FS36620 neutral grey and FS36118 gunship grey. If you're tied to using Tamiya paint the nearest codes (without mixing your own) are XF-83 Medium Sea Grey for the lighter colour and XF-24 Dark Grey for the darker one. Otherwise both colours are available in the Tamiya AS rattle can range under their FS colour names. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted May 7, 2022 Author Share Posted May 7, 2022 Thanks for that Alan. I’d been struggling to find a match for the darker colour as I got different results from colour charts depending on whether I started with the recommended Mr Hobby or Humbrol paint. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billthebattler Posted May 7, 2022 Share Posted May 7, 2022 Forgive me if I've missed something, but are the canopy and windscreen sections fixed in place, or just resting in position? If just resting, you could apply a thin bead of liquid masking to the cockpit frame and canopy to windscreen join, and that will hold it in place while you airbrush without letting paint in. If fixed in place, slightly dampened tissue paper lightly pressed into the cockpit will keep out unwanted spray. I'm sure you already know this, but thought it worth mentioning. Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted May 7, 2022 Author Share Posted May 7, 2022 Thanks Bill. The front section of the canopy is resting in place but will be glued before painting. The other sections unfortunately can’t be temporarily fixed as the arms that support them when open get in the way. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted May 10, 2022 Author Share Posted May 10, 2022 Seam removal is almost complete then it'll be primer and a re-scribe of missing panel lines. I've also been working on the undercarriage parts all of which have a coat of paint and some weathering on most of them with a couple still to do. Thoroughly enjoying what, for me at least, is turning in to a quick and relatively easy build a huge contrast to the time and effort it takes to build a 1/200 warship! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) Disaster this evening, I was removing the moulding seam from the front section of the canopy when the part snapped right down the centre, I was clearly holding on to the part a bit too tightly as I sanded. Whilst I could certainly glue the two halves back together as the crack goes all the way through, I'm obviously not going to able to sand the join out any more. Is there anyway I can recover the part or am I screwed? Edited June 7, 2022 by johndon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthViper Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 (edited) 7 hours ago, johndon said: Disaster this evening, I was removing the moulding seam from the front section of the canopy when the part snapped right down the centre, I was clearly holding on to the part a bit too tightly as I sanded. Whilst I could certainly glue the two halves back together as the crack goes all the way through, I'm obviously not going to able to sand the join out any more. Is there anyway I can recover the part or am I screwed? No, unfortunately there is no way to recover this windshield... Better call Saul, I mean, call some another F-5 fan an ask him an spare F-5 windshield ... Good Luck !! SouthViper from Brazil Edited June 8, 2022 by SouthViper 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share Posted June 8, 2022 4 hours ago, SouthViper said: No, unfortunately there is no way to recover this windshield... Better call Saul, I mean, call some another F-5 fan an ask him an spare F-5 windshield ... Good Luck !! SouthViper from Brazil Thank you, I figured that would be the case but thought there might be a clever way of sorting it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthViper Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 11 hours ago, johndon said: Thank you, I figured that would be the case but thought there might be a clever way of sorting it out. Well, This kind of windshield is very easy to copy in vaccum formed clear plastic. It is already lost... so fill the inner curved surface with Milliput, put an metalic axle in , let it dry and vac it . Sure you will do some trials. Other chance with vac is the Falcon Canopies for modern jets , sorry I can''t remember the respective Box Number . Good Luck SouthViper from Brazil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 After the disaster with the windshield, I benched the Talon for a while but, a couple of days ago, I dug it out and decided to complete it without the windshield just to get it done. If I come across another kit cheaply enough, I'll buy it for the one part. Painting is done (apart from the engine nozzles) and decals are on. Not my best work as the gloss didn't go down particularly well but it is what it is. Biggest problem is the decals which must be the thickest I've ever come across. lots of MicroSol and more to come has got me to this stage: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winded Penguin Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Phenominal build, topic and attitude to adversity on display here 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted September 19, 2022 Author Share Posted September 19, 2022 Almost finished the Talon. As mentioned, the decals were extremely thick and I didn't think the edges could be disguised. After a couple or coats of Tamiya X22 the edges of the carrier film were still obvious so, as a bit of 'hail mary' I did 2 coats of Humbrol matt varnish from a spray can and it worked. I've decided not to highlight the panel lines as they are so shallow there are a few places there they can't be felt if you run a finger nail over them so better, I think, not to highlight them at all rather than finding only some of them will take the wash. Loads of room for improvement and no where near as good as most aircraft I've seen on here but, as a first go in 1/48 scale, I'm pretty happy with it overall. Centre cockpit canopy to finish and then that'll be it, subject to obtaining a replacement windscreen... John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted September 25, 2022 Author Share Posted September 25, 2022 Well, it's finished, or as finished as it can be with the missing windshield... I decided to give the panel lines, on the grey parts at least, a panel wash with oils which, as I suspected highlighted some places where the lines aren't as deep as they should be but it was good practice. It's a VERY long from perfect but, as a first go at 1/48 scale, I'm happy enough with it and I've enjoyed the process of building it, it has been a radical change from 1/200 warships and 1/76 railways. I enjoyed it so much, that I've lined up another 1/48 aircraft before I go back to the USS Iowa, the 'Weekend Edition' Eduard Spitfire MK1a which will be, despite all the kits I've built over the years, my first go at a Spitfire. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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