DaveJL Posted June 13, 2022 Author Share Posted June 13, 2022 51 minutes ago, Sam said: It‘s very satisfying when one can create modifications and bugfixes with stored spare parts! Certainly one of my favourite events when assembling a kit! Your description nicely brought out that feeling 👍🏽 I agree! Though saying that, this was a fairly simple one, so easy enough for even me to accomplish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 Good grief Kinetic, when did you start making kits like this? The fuselage has pretty much just fallen together, just a seam on each side of the nose cone and one on the lower rear fuselage that needed cleaned up. The airbrakes were a bit snug so I lightly sanded the edges to get them to fit. Quite a long machine! One thing I have noticed is the colour of the upper nose cone decal. It looks a bit grey: The below photograph would suggest it's a bit darker and stretches up to the windscreen, not just the nose cone as per the instructions. Kinetic also suggest the coaming is black, but looking at the photo and using the reference page linked previously, it looks like the cockpit colour? Also, does anyone know what the yellow-ish panel is aft of the cockpit? I'm looking at you @Giorgio N Hoping to get a squirt of paint on the insides of the intakes tomorrow and possibly get the wings on. I'm enjoying this kit, so much so I'm considering getting another, albeit a different boxing 😇 More soon and stay safe Dave 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Superb work Dave, making me want to start one of my own, not something normally said about Kinetic kits. I agree about the nose cone decal, its too light and doesn't go back far enough, do you get the white stenciling separately or just on the decal? The coaming is actually a fabric cover and they can vary in colour, most of the ones I have seen are an olive green colour but the one in your picture id most definitely grey, but you can see that it is fabric. The panel behind the cockpit is a fibreglass one and is that colour on all F-104's as far as I know, can't remember off hand what it covers. Hope this helps mate. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 The fibreglass panel behind the canopy covers the uhf(main square section) and iff (front triangularsection) antennas. If you look closely there's an anti-collision light right in the middle of the square section of the panel 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 1 hour ago, modelling minion said: Superb work Dave, making me want to start one of my own, not something normally said about Kinetic kits. I agree about the nose cone decal, its too light and doesn't go back far enough, do you get the white stenciling separately or just on the decal? The coaming is actually a fabric cover and they can vary in colour, most of the ones I have seen are an olive green colour but the one in your picture id most definitely grey, but you can see that it is fabric. The panel behind the cockpit is a fibreglass one and is that colour on all F-104's as far as I know, can't remember off hand what it covers. Hope this helps mate. 🇺🇦 Thanks Craig, it's a lovely kit, something I didn't think I'd say given my recent experiences with Kinetic! The stencilling is on the decal only, unless I can find stencils, I think my plan of attack will be to try and match the colour to paint up to the windscreen and then try and darken the it down with some weathering. 41 minutes ago, Giorgio N said: The fibreglass panel behind the canopy covers the uhf(main square section) and iff (front triangularsection) antennas. If you look closely there's an anti-collision light right in the middle of the square section of the panel Thanks Giorgio. What would be the best colour match for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 The fibreglass panels can vary in colour due to weathering/fading but the example in the link below is a pretty good one, its a kind of buff colour. https://b-domke.de/AviationImages/Starfighter/5977.html 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 22 minutes ago, modelling minion said: The fibreglass panels can vary in colour due to weathering/fading but the example in the link below is a pretty good one, its a kind of buff colour. https://b-domke.de/AviationImages/Starfighter/5977.html 🇺🇦 Perfect, cheers Craig, looks like Tamiya XF-57 will suffice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 This one is going together so well I think I need to slow down! Though, admittedly, I ran into my first fit issue today. Part B18, which covers the avionics equipment aft of the cockpit did not sit very well. As I'm closing it up, I sanded down the avionic-y bits and didn't fit parts B12 or B42 to the inside of B18. Still had a bit of a gap and small step, which was easily sorted with some Mr Dissolved putty and some sanding respectively. The ASA-M also had a GPS dome fitted here, and looking at the references, there's a wire running from it aft to the fuselage so this was added from some copper wire. Any small gaps are on a panel line a la Tamiya (though admittedly not as refined) so everyone is a winner here! The intakes went on after I sprayed the interiors aluminium and the shock cones black. Shouldn't have wasted the paint as none of the former can be seen. Ah well, makes painting later on a lot easier. Once they were set, on went the stubby little wings. Amazingly, once I fit the wing tanks and a few little bits here and there, the construction is mainly completed. A lovely kit I must say. Great balls of fire, Kinetic! More soon and stay safe Dave 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 This one really is flying together isn't it Dave, such a pity the rest of their kits aren't the same quality. By the looks of things she will be off to the paint shop very soon. Nice catch with the wire from the GPS dome, little things like that make a big difference. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 3 minutes ago, modelling minion said: This one really is flying together isn't it Dave, such a pity the rest of their kits aren't the same quality. By the looks of things she will be off to the paint shop very soon. Nice catch with the wire from the GPS dome, little things like that make a big difference. 🇺🇦 Cheers Craig, I'm enjoying it. Other than a few seams on the fuselage and on, what is my pet peeve, the fuel tanks, there's not much filling or sanding to be done at all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Great work Dave. It is a beauty of a kit. As you said ‘great balls of fire’! Look forward to seeing it with some primer on soon. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 1 hour ago, franky boy said: Great work Dave. It is a beauty of a kit. As you said ‘great balls of fire’! Look forward to seeing it with some primer on soon. James Cheers James! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 A little more done, and construction is pretty much complete! Popped on the wing tip tanks, though I will need to clean up those damned seam lines! Fuel tanks are rapidly becoming my number one bane (in a modelling sense anyway ) Just need to tidy up those seams, paint the coaming and aft cockpit then fit and mask the clear parts. More soon and stay safe Dave 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 looking good dave. but just checking - on the bottom photo: the outboard winglet on the port wingtank looks to be fitted back to front? might be an optical illusion though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 1 hour ago, DaveJL said: Fuel tanks are rapidly becoming my number one bane I agree. Some joint lines on the fuel tanks can be verrry irritating. I put some extra effort in them now, as it does make a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Nice work Dave. I agree about tank seams, for some reason they seem to be far more of a problem than fuselage seams. I agree with Paul that it looks like one of the fins on the port tank is the wrong way round. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Dansk said: looking good dave. but just checking - on the bottom photo: the outboard winglet on the port wingtank looks to be fitted back to front? might be an optical illusion though. Cheers Paul and, yes good call, one of the fins is back to front. Tank nearest the bottom of the photo? (Just to be clear ) 1 hour ago, Sam said: I agree. Some joint lines on the fuel tanks can be verrry irritating. I put some extra effort in them now, as it does make a difference. Seems to be every build for me! 1 hour ago, modelling minion said: Nice work Dave. I agree about tank seams, for some reason they seem to be far more of a problem than fuselage seams. I agree with Paul that it looks like one of the fins on the port tank is the wrong way round. 🇺🇦 Cheers Craig! Yes one is backside about face! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 2 minutes ago, DaveJL said: Cheers Paul and, yes good call, one of the fins is back to front. Tank nearest the bottom of the photo? (Just to be clear ) yes, great you get it now before paint dave 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 1 minute ago, Dansk said: yes, great you get it now before paint dave 👍 Cheers Paul, I'll get that fixed tomorrow! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Nice progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 25, 2022 Author Share Posted June 25, 2022 1 hour ago, exdraken said: Nice progress Thanks Werner! Should be back at it tomorrow for a few hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 26, 2022 Author Share Posted June 26, 2022 A little more done and we're now ready for primer. Firstly, I had to remove the intakes as I noticed the inner splitter plates were not sitting flush with the intake trunking so that was a bit of a faff. Anyway, once corrected, I was then able to spray the coaming and rear part of the cockpit. After looking at various pictures, I just went with Dark Gull Grey, added some weathering and fitted the HUD (forgot to take pictures prior to the canopies and masks going on!). Canopies then sprayed and all the lights fitted and masked from the excellent New Ware set. Hope to get it primed over the next few days. I'm expecting one or two seam lines (fuel tanks) to haunt me but hopefully nothing major. I'd also noticed a lack of stencils provided in the kit. Being fairly prominent on the real thing, I ordered a comprehensive set directly from Tauro Model. Thanks to @Giorgio N for the heads up! Includes the all important stencils for the dark grey section of the nose (as was discussed earlier) so I'll be able to mask and spray up the the windscreen. Just need to work out the correct colour now! More soon and stay safe Dave 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted June 26, 2022 Share Posted June 26, 2022 looking ace dave. nice work mate. those stencils will add a super level of detail to the overall look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 She looks great Dave. The aftermarket stencil sheet certainly looks to be very comprehensive and it should keep you busy for a while, good that it has the white markings for the nose, makes things much easier for you in that respect. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 27, 2022 Author Share Posted June 27, 2022 23 hours ago, Dansk said: looking ace dave. nice work mate. those stencils will add a super level of detail to the overall look. Cheers Paul. The stencils were a must after looking at serval references of the ASA-M. They're pretty clear on most images! 11 hours ago, modelling minion said: She looks great Dave. The aftermarket stencil sheet certainly looks to be very comprehensive and it should keep you busy for a while, good that it has the white markings for the nose, makes things much easier for you in that respect. 🇺🇦 Cheers Craig. The stencils for the nose will help no end, looks like it's either a very dark grey or a pale black for the upper nose to windscreen colour. Tamiya NATO black could look bang on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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