Russmeister 101 Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 8 hours ago, VT Red Sox Fan said: Russ, looking good—I really like how you drilled out the tail gear holes—following your work with interest—best, Erwin Thank you Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 Soooo... When we last looked in on my fevered ravings, the horizontal stabilisers were setting up in place... What I hadn't accounted for was the rather large gap on the ventral side.... 😲 However, the Perfect Plastic Putty was still within reach of my grubby mitts... so out came some Tamiya tape and a cocktail stick... Starboard side Port side Starboard side tidied up. Port side tidied up With this taken care of, I was free to start looking at the wings... On first inspection, they are ok.. with only a little flash around the cartridge ejector ports on the ventral side... Only 4 parts make up the construction... Ventral surface of the wing, wheel well roof, guns* and dorsal surface. (*see later rant) Other areas I'm working on are the prop and engine... Engine and gearing housing primed (I would later have to remove the magnetos from the gear housing... as I got sent a nice shiny new prop by a friend in the USA, who is something of an authority on the Hellcat, and denounces the kit prop as woefully inadequate in shape).... Replacement prop, and the beginnings of scratch built guns... and ailerons... I can't be bothered with all the work that will be required to fill in the sink marks... so they will just have to do! Starting to rough out barrel lengths for the guns... a simple 18gauge needle is so versatile... who knew? Nearly there... Just need to let the wings dry so I can make seam free and then I can stick in the guns and get them lined up properly... Now - the promised rant from earlier.... If this is a Profipack, with loads of added goodies to enhance the look of a kit... why OH WHY have Eduard elected to use mis-shaped lumps of plastic to represent an integral part of the kit... i.e. GUNS... Surely the price wouldn't increase by that much to have a half decent set of resin gun barrels included in the kit....? Rant over. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.au Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 So far so good! I reckon that somehow you’ve ended up with a duff kit, my Eduard Hellcat from last year fit so well that I was able to paint it before attaching the wings and tail, they were a perfect fit, and I don’t recall any sink marks, either. Nonetheless, you’re making a very nice go of it so far. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 Crikey thus is putting up a bit of a fight, you're doing well though , great work so far. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 12 hours ago, mark.au said: So far so good! I reckon that somehow you’ve ended up with a duff kit, my Eduard Hellcat from last year fit so well that I was able to paint it before attaching the wings and tail, they were a perfect fit, and I don’t recall any sink marks, either. Nonetheless, you’re making a very nice go of it so far. Thank you kindly It is proving to be not quite the shake and bake affair that I have been led to believe it should be... Ah well... What doesn't kill us usually leaves us incapacitated and lying in the foetal position crying for mummy.... I'm certain that I will whip it into shape.... eventually 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 11 hours ago, bigbadbadge said: Crikey thus is putting up a bit of a fight, you're doing well though , great work so far. Chris Thank you kindly. If it's of any interest I take a large boxing glove.... at least with one of those I'd be better able to hold onto the photo-etched parts... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 Another day brings another bash at fettling away at my Hellcat... Sooooooo.... Today I've... Built, primed and put a metal coat onto the Cutting Edge resin prop that was so kindly donated to me from a friend in 'Murica 🇬🇧 🇺🇸. While I had the primer and AK Extreme Metal out - painted the Wright R-2800-W10 - both prop and engine have been given a coat of Alclad Aquagloss in preparation for the inevitable rounds of chipping that will ensue... . Made sure the glue had gone off in my wings before sanding the seam out of the leading edges. Sanded the fuselage a little more, trying to get it level. Rescribed a few panel lines on the wings around the leading edges and gun ports CA'd in the replacement gun barrels. They are in no way meant to be accurate - but, considering the mis-shaped lumps of styrene I was provided with - they are a vast improvement! Here's some eye candy 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tentacles Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Watching with great interest. I was given the Hellcat Mark I/II Combo boxing of this kit some time ago - and while it's a lovely package, frankly the amount of etch has scared me off so far. (And it seems huge to someone who's more used to 1/72!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Tentacles said: Watching with great interest. I was given the Hellcat Mark I/II Combo boxing of this kit some time ago - and while it's a lovely package, frankly the amount of etch has scared me off so far. (And it seems huge to someone who's more used to 1/72!) The beauty of etch is, you don't have to use it if you don't want to. It’s a large hunk of aeroplane, that is for certain… and I usually build 1:48 Spits 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 It's starting to look a bit like a Hellcat now I've got the wings nailed on and a bit of a wash on the engine I have to say that following the fuselage fit issue... this wing join is a welcome respite from filling and sanding Have to admit that I'm happy that everything appears to be OK with all the geometry so far... Hello, I'm a Hellcat - how are you? The engine doesn't look half bad either with a quick Tamiya Dark Brown panel line wash on... I'll let this cure for a day or two before painting the push rods and attaching the photoetch ignition harness. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruudster Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 She's coming along great. Nice work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 32 minutes ago, ruudster said: She's coming along great. Nice work! Thank you kindly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 28, 2022 Author Share Posted August 28, 2022 Not been idle - but, not been pushing myself either... The gearing housing has been chipped and added to the engine. (I also have painted the push rods... but forgot to photograph them...) I'm also debating whether to use the etch ignition harness... Still feeling a bit traumatised with losing so many levers to the carpet monster.... Front cowlings have been fettled with and prepared. I have a friend in the U.S.A. that is something of an authority on WWII USN aircraft, and is sure in his assertions that the inside of the cowlings were black for this mark of airframe. So, black it is, not the interior green that Eduard have called out for. (Didn't take photos of that either... I really should fire the chief photog shouldn't I...? ) Final seam check has been performed, and a few minor gaps filled with Perfect Plastic Putty... I reckon she's about ready for primer?? 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 29, 2022 Author Share Posted August 29, 2022 How's everyone's bank holibobs going? I've just about completed all the major works on the Hellcat. Just the undercarriage oleos to build (that will be fun with my myopic peepers... ) Prop is all painted and glossed - ready for decals - only took me 3 attempts to get it to where I was happy with it... I must be improving!! ) Engine installed and cowling nailed on. Internal wheel bay parts installed. Glazing is installed firmly in the closed position and masked accordingly. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 The modelling gods are laughing at my folly... I've been meaning to order a replacement colour-cup cap for my H&S Evolution... But with several builds under my belt, and many successful paint jobs... complacency set in.... Surely, I could continue to cheat the gods.... and fate... Today, my A$$ has been royally chomped on.... Still nothing that can't be fixed..... Sigh...... It was all going so well, too..... Spot of Molotow Liquid Chrome for the nav light reflectors Ready for paint.... Shame about the ugly bag of mostly water wielding the airbrush loaded with lacquer paints..... I wafted a little too enthusiastically.... "Pardon me Boy, is this the splatteroony choo-choo?".... It doesn't look too bad on first glance.... then you remember that gravity is a thing..... I'll give it a couple of days to cure, then strip it off and start again.... Ho hum.... 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 sigh...I may or may not have stripped and restarted painting on a couple of models, too. Well, better at the start than the finish. Perhaps some plastic cling wrap will do for the time being. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 1, 2022 Author Share Posted September 1, 2022 On 8/31/2022 at 9:25 PM, dnl42 said: sigh...I may or may not have stripped and restarted painting on a couple of models, too. Well, better at the start than the finish. Perhaps some plastic cling wrap will do for the time being. I've a very good friend that, like me - loses things... Only he is prepared and a replacement CC is on the way to me as we speak. Gotta love friends, eh? In other news - a swift sanding with p800 then p1800 yields the following results.... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 2, 2022 Author Share Posted September 2, 2022 Right... sulk over Repaired the paint damage, re-primed and re-painted.... happy camper... I've selected Mr. Hobby Colour Aqueous H55 Midnight Blue and H57 Aircraft Grey to be my specular lowlight and highlight respectively. Of course, I'll need to give a top coat of H54 Navy Blue after the fact, but, for now... here where my current project is... I've used Ushi van der Rosten spatter templates in anger for the first time. I selected pattern C - as I felt it most closely represented the scale for tonal variations in the paintwork. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 Excellent recovery. I'm quite interested in your results with that spray template. Weathering is Real Hard(TM) for me, so I usually avoid it. Perhaps some tools may help me master that craft... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 2, 2022 Author Share Posted September 2, 2022 3 minutes ago, dnl42 said: Excellent recovery. I'm quite interested in your results with that spray template. Weathering is Real Hard(TM) for me, so I usually avoid it. Perhaps some tools may help me master that craft... Thank you. I must admit to being curious myself. My usual technique is to black-base... then use a light grey or tan to colour each panel (I'm certain you're familiar with the technique... there are loads of YT modellers that do this) then mist over the "final colour".... Just looking at it now... looks like it's been salt-weathered to within an inch of being airworthy..... I kinda like it as-is..... 😲 Of course - it WILL get the Navy Blue top-coat.... so I'm itching for this Gunze gloss paint to cure.... it takes forever!!!! 🤬 Thanks for following the build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 3, 2022 Author Share Posted September 3, 2022 Bit of a long update this one.... please bear with me. I'll start with lessons learned.... @dnl42 Hope this help you in some way TAKE YOUR TIME with spatter masks. Make sure you keep consistent distances (where possible) to avoid changes in definition (see port wing with dark lowlight about the mid section for example) DONT USE GLOSS COATS for your high/lowlights... a world of pain can be avoided... especially in paint drying times... ENSURE YOUR AIR PRESSURE IS SUFFICIENT. You'll notice that the highlights colour has spattered in several places... leading to lumps of paint that have had to be sanded back to plastic to remove... Joy! BE SELECTIVE with the areas you use the templates on... Wing leading edges, upper and the same for the tail. (Ventral surfaces receive no where near as much sun bleaching as the dorsal surfaces for instance) IF using multiple colours for creating effects, maybe not the best idea to go for opposite ends of the spectrum... I feel I would have been much better served with a light and medium grey... Here we are at the moment... I'll start with the pictures that show a top-coat over the high/lowlights.... In this picture in particular, you can see the result of holding the mask too close to the surface.... looks awful!!! Now this is what it looks like having let the top coat cure for a day... (I used MLT neat to try to get the paintwork to level off... didn't work! This left the paint very soft so I didn't want to create more work by sanding soft paint) The spatters are clearly visible... THIN YOUR PAINT AND ENSURE SUFFICIENT PSI!!! In other news - I'll now need to scratch build the catapult hooks for the underwings, as my vigorous sanding resulting in blunt force trauma to the parts.... I'll give this a fairly heavy coat of Navy Blue and see where we stand.... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 3, 2022 Author Share Posted September 3, 2022 Nope.... Didn't work... But I did scratch build the representation of catapult hooks at least.... so that's a win? Scratch built catapult hooks... (Don't tell Mrs Russmeister... I stole one of her jewellery hook pins, for.... experimentation purposes... SOOOOOOO - It's been sanded back to plastic and resprayed.... again.... But, now I've scratched the bloody plastic to the point of being obvious.... So I'm going to strip the whole airframe, polish the plastic properly... re-prime and repaint. Am I going to use the spatter masks... possibly, as I know now where I erred... I do know one thing.... All this is going to be a week or so in the future.... as I'm really REALLY close to seeing how aerodynamically accurate this Eduard kit is..... Here is where she is, pending paint strip and complete body overhaul..... I resprayed with a fairly heavy coat of navy Blue... not realising that the underlying problem hadn't been cured. Realising the underlying issue was still present - I had to resort to using my scalpel to pry off the little pimples of dried paint that the airbrush spattering had caused... Had I realised this before hand... I would have sanded the bloody things sooner!!!! Ah well... lesson learned... AND I remember why I don't like spraying gloss coats... lol. Because you get lots of little pimples to pop off with my scalpel... Do you think TLC UK will give me my own TV show?.... Following a respray.. the scratched plastic is obvious.... So... see you in a week or so... assuming I've both calmed myself down AND got past the crushing embarrassment I'm feeling presently.... TTYNW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winded Penguin Posted September 3, 2022 Share Posted September 3, 2022 The good thing about modelling is the value of £ per hour spent on the hobby. In this case I can see you are getting tremendous value for money with this kit 😜 Seriously, it looks a 'hell of a kit' TM) to build - as in the amazing level of detail - and in the end I've no doubt you will get to show it who's boss. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 3, 2022 Author Share Posted September 3, 2022 16 minutes ago, Winded Penguin said: The good thing about modelling is the value of £ per hour spent on the hobby. In this case I can see you are getting tremendous value for money with this kit 😜 Seriously, it looks a 'hell of a kit' TM) to build - as in the amazing level of detail - and in the end I've no doubt you will get to show it who's boss. lol!! I am certain that I will whip her into shape.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted September 5, 2022 Author Share Posted September 5, 2022 Damned thing is gonna fight me all the way... The carpet monster just snagged himself (or herself... or itself... whatever....) parts from my undercarriage. Seeing as I don't do "in flight" poses.... (Personal preference, as I don't do figures) this is being boxed indefinitely... I'll contact Eduard and see if I can grab an overtree, if they've any left. PPO'd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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