Lightningboy2000 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Here's my first entry. Something I've wanted to do for many years, is build a half decent kit of one of the Shepherds Grove Thunderstreaks. A base which is quite close geographically to me & the nearest base that had Thunderstreaks so it has to be this historically popular subject, 52-6675 of the 78th FBS 81st FBW. So this is it, the Microscale sheet which I really hope has survived & doesn't disintigrate into a million specs when I get to apply it. I've got a collection of Sword kits but will be starting off with the fantastic new Special Hobby kit. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 I'm using this same set of Microscale decals, they look great, but do they have a reputation for disintegrating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted January 28 Author Share Posted January 28 10 minutes ago, danbuoy said: I'm using this same set of Microscale decals, they look great, but do they have a reputation for disintegrating? I have used their F-5 aggressors sheet & it wasn't a happy experience so I think I will be using some microscale liquid decal film on them first then hope for the best. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Martin, Welcome to the GB, good to see some USAFE Streaks too. Good luck with your build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 Made a start. A relief to know that a kit can go together nice & easy. Some sub assemblies stuck together & primed. I am building two of these together so pics will likely show the build stages in pairs. Simples...unlike my other attempts airfix/Italeri/frankenstein kit bashes which came to nothing! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Like the other a god start and I'll be watching from afar! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 14 hours ago, RidgeRunner said: Like the other a god start and I'll be watching from afar! Cheers Martin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 Painted up everything that requires the zinc chromate green in preperation to putting together the main subassemblies. All dry brushed with aluminium. And something else that needs priming that got in the way! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 3! Who's a busy boy! Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted March 31 Author Share Posted March 31 Here's some progress with this other Special Hobby kit. So, since I'm using the Microscale decals for this kit, obviously I'm having to make some changes as the decals are designed for the Italeri kit. This means that the nose & wing markings are too large to fit the kit. I think it was slightly too overscale in comparison with the more accurate Airfix kit. The red nose sash was masked using Tamiya flexible masking strip & i've ordered some black pin stripe decals from Fantasy Printshop which will provide the black line bordering. Every red marking on this aircraft (most of the 78th) had black bordering. I might even mask up the red fuselage stripes & the tail markings. I'll just see how it goes. I'm likely to do the same when I go back to painting the Sword kit which will be one of the Blue Streaks of the 91st. I've already sorted out the blue paint, but there's the tricky part of masking for the yellow edging as well. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 Nice and colourful! Cheers, Andre 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 5 hours ago, Hook said: Nice and colourful! Cheers, Andre They are thanks Andre. Love this era of USAFE jets in the UK. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Always nice to see some colour on these bright aircraft. Looking good. Stuart 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 11 Author Share Posted April 11 Finished with the decals on the "20th" Wethersfield jet & now onto this one. Succesfully applied one of the Microscale decals. I now know that i'll have to liberally apply liquid decal film to the sheet now as I know the rest of them will be a nightmare. Started using the black pinstripes from Fantasy Printshop & added the OD nose. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 Just a little more progress today before I left for work. Applied a few of the Special Hobby stencils. The Stars & Bars are from the Xtradecal sheet & the tail markings from the Microscale sheet had been coated in liquid decal film. They went on well, but I have to be careful with anything too strong decal setting wise or the setter will react with the silver paint. Always a pain when you get that milky ghosting effect. That'l learn me for not applying a clear gloss before applying decals! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 Nice. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 13 Author Share Posted April 13 57 minutes ago, Courageous said: Nice. Stuart 👍😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 16 Author Share Posted April 16 Just a few pics now I'm back home from work. Made a little bit of progress this morning. So the design of the SH tail planes has two stubs that line up with a hole & an indentation on the tail fin. I thought I'd redsign the fitting, cut off the forward stub & drill a hole for some brass rod. This will make for a stronger fitting & will go straight through the wing into the other tailplane. Better than a potentially messy butt fitting. 🙈 Drilled through the forward indent. Starboard side fitted.. That's done, now to do the same to the 20th (Wethersfield airframe) & will likely do the same to the Sword kit, when I get round to it. The other thing is I had a temporary aaarrrgh moment, when the front wheel mounting snapped off. It is really well moulded on the kit but it is very flexible due to the nature of the plastic & I don't think it would have lasted being transited around shows. So I would have drilled & pinned it but there's barely any plastic to drill through. I never throw away used etch metal frames & I just cut a couple of strips of brass & attached both sides where the break is & used some thick CA. Fixed & seems slightly stronger than before. Now all the decals are on; Special Hobby stencils, Microscale main markings, Extradecal stars & bars from sheet 72-112 & black pin stripe to border the red painted areas from Fantasy Printshop. Next will be a gloss coat to seal everything in & then a panel line wash. Jobs left to do; Decals for the tanks & wing pylons, paint the wheels & almost there. Attach all the sticky outy bits like canopy, gear doors, pitot etc then all that to the other SH kit on the go. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 (edited) How did you find the Microscale decals? Mine's getting very close to decal stage. I'm going to read up about liquid decal film, as I've never used it before. Also noticed you've painted the tips of the horizontal stabilisers. Did they all have this, as I've found pictures with and without? Edited April 17 by danbuoy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 17 Author Share Posted April 17 4 hours ago, danbuoy said: How did you find the Microscale decals? Mine's getting very close to decal stage. I'm going to read up about liquid decal film, as I've never used it before. Also noticed you've painted the tips of the horizontal stabilisers. Did they all have this, as I've found pictures with and without? Tried them without the liquid decal film & they're really sketchy, but worked fine after a couple of coats with a wide flat brush onto the decal sheet. I think it is a must with these old Microscale sheets. I've seen pics with & without, but just copying what would have been provided on the decal sheet. In fact I haven't found any actual photos of 675 to reference it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbuoy Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 9 hours ago, Lightningboy2000 said: Tried them without the liquid decal film & they're really sketchy, but worked fine after a couple of coats with a wide flat brush onto the decal sheet. I think it is a must with these old Microscale sheets. I've seen pics with & without, but just copying what would have been provided on the decal sheet. In fact I haven't found any actual photos of 675 to reference it. Thanks, think I'll paint the tips of the horizontal stabilisers on mine, as it does look better. I'll get some decal film ordered too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Nice work Martin, very colourful. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 20 Author Share Posted April 20 2 hours ago, Courageous said: Nice work Martin, very colourful. Stuart Thanks Stuart, will hopefully be finishing the 81st Blue Streak airframe as well which will be just as colourful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 Almost done.. Panel line wash has been cleaned up on this one. Left it quite subtle & thankfully worked out how I want it. Now I've just got to decide on which gloss coat to apply to it. All the sticky outy bits are gathered together waiting to be stuck on. Oh & mustn't forget the JATO pack! Looks like I might actually get something completed for the end of this group build. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted Wednesday at 21:46 Author Share Posted Wednesday at 21:46 Tada!!!! I'm calling two of these builds done at last! The Sword kit will have to wait for another time (along with the PJ kit). Special Hobby 1/72 Republic F-84F Thunderstreak 52-6675 81st FBW - 78th FBS Shepherds Grove 1958 With this 78th Shepherds Grover I used the following.. Microscale sheet 72-330 tail markings & waist sashes. Masked & painted the nose & wing tips. Fantasy printshop FP525 Black pinstripes - 0.25mm Xtradecal 1/72 72-112 USAF Stars & Bars. And the kit decals - what a load of poop they are! Ended up having to completely lift the red upper wing markings & airbrushing them on. Lifted a few bits of decal in the process which was then touched up. Don't look too closely! Paint; Ammo MiG A-Stand Aluminium laquer A.MIG-2300. Vallejo Model Air Red Ammo Mig acrylic zinc chromate green & olive drab for the nose. A few pics... Thanks for looking in! Martin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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