denders

I celebrated another trip around the glowing orb, a few weeks back. My wife gifted this. I've used it and like it very much. Using the 0.28mm nozzle/needle set. One of my sons sent an Amazon gift card, so it went for this and some other items. The other son gifted this 0.5mm fan cap for the Grex airbrush that I bought at last year's NATS. I had previously purchased the 0.3mm fan cap for painting cars and it worked well and I wanted to try out the 0.5mm. I already had the correct needle/nozzle set. These things are expensive. And of course, I bought the vacuum machine that I used for the Spitfire model.

Okay, it's a while since I posted an update. I bought one of these to use with the buck I made for the rear canopy section. I bought various plastics to use and experiment with. This is noted for use making clear plastic dental retainers, so I bought a pack of plastic for that too, 5 pieces. These are some of the results. The machine comes with a baggy of steel balls, I guess to fill up the space around the buck. These are various tests with different materials. The one on the left might be like that because I didn't heat it long enough or perhaps was too slow in pulling it down and turning on the vacuum. I found that the plastic was pulled down so well that I had to partially cut out the canopy piece to get the buck out. The second from right is the dental plastic. (black lettering). The one o the right is without the steel balls, it is 0.020" PETG and the one I used. While I saw at it. I polished out the mold line on the top of the sliding canopy part. Windscreen in place but I keep trying to mess things up. I forgot to take the inside masking off before I put it in place. That jig that I had built was very handy in holding the model in awkward positions while removing the inside masking. and I probably should have put the gunsight in place before the windscreen too. Ah well.

I agree with Hubert. I haven't had that much 3D printed stuff to use it on, but it did make life easier.

Nice, I picked up a Tamiya VIII kit at a show, it had a bunch of AM in it, but no mouse pad.

I saw that in your build thread. That's why I kneaded up some milliput for under it. That is the first I've ever used milliput. I've ordered one of those vacuum forming machines from Amazon to try out. The thickness of plastic sheet may be an issue. A long time ago I had one of the ancient Mattel machines. I wish I had kept it. I don't remember if I still have plastic sheet like was used in the Mattel machine. I'll have to look. There are only one or two places it could be. Hmmm. EDIT: Found the sheets, first place I looked.

Well, I kneaded some Milliput and placed what I call the canopy master on it to make a buck. I'm going to try vacuum forming over it. it is made with the clear piece with the pieces of the fuselage that I cut off. I've thought about getting RTV mold material and resin to create a buck to use instead of this piece. Anyone have thoughts?

Pre-shading done and the exhaust stubs are ready for painting. Hopefully none of them 'ping' off to neverland.

Some more progress. The engine is not permanently installed.

Thanks, Rob! The kit actually comes with two seats, one with and one without seatbelts. I wanted to try the HGW seat belts.

It's finished RFI post is here.

This one is done. The build log is here: Paint is MRP lacquer line. I used MRP402 because MRP doesn't make an RLM77 in the lacquer line. All national markings were masked and painted. Small stencils and aircraft specific markings are decals. The aircraft specific markings are from the AIMS decal sheet 32D043. Wheels are from Reskit. Seat belts are HGW. MG barrels are from Master. There are several options to choose from while building, outer gear doors, extended or retracted wing slats, extended flaps. I did add some stretched sprue to the air intake. The radio antenna is fishing line, and the canopy hold wire is from 5/0 SS surgical wire bought decades ago to rig smaller scale biplanes. Hope you like it. I thought it would be a colorful addition to the shelf. I do want to build another K-4 with some items that I learned while building this one.

I'm going to call this one done. I'll take some better photos once I can get the wife to remove her knitting stuff from the table that I usually use for photos.

The fuselage is closed up and the tail surfaces are attached. The wing is being assembled. And I've decided not to use the PE flaps and the flaps will be 'up'. Onward!

Hi Mike, I’m all signed up for NATS.

Ready to close up the fuselage. Onward!

Back at this for a bit. I just need to add the shoulder harness belts and a few other items then the fuselage can be closed up.

Just in case that anyone interested has missed it. The NATS are in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, August 5 - 8, 2026. Registration is supposed to be open at 10 AM, March 1, 2026. Yes, I'm planning on being there. I already have hotel reservations. I'm not sure which model that I'm taking, but it should be fun anyway. I hope to meet some other folks while there. I'm also hoping Eduard releases their P-51B and Z-M releases their Ki-100 and those kits are available there. The wife is already planning on attending at least one Ft. Wayne Tincaps baseball game.

Yes, it needed a little bit of sanding to make sure the wing fillet didn't stick out from the mating surface too much. I did need a little bit of styrene on the right, underside of the horizontal tail surfaces.

Working on the bits and weathering. Panel lines are done.

More progress.

Okay, back to this one while I'm waiting for the clear on the 109 build to cure. I wondered how things would go, seemed like the cockpit pieces might end up a little fiddly and I might struggle to get it to fit in the fuselage pieces. Nope. I glued it carefully and it fit right into the fuselage pieces. Ready to be glued. There is something to be aware of if you're going to add all the internals. The red circled tab is supposed to fit behind the yellow circled black box. I tried it when the fuselage section was the only piece in place and it seemed to flex into place. But one all the other connections were glued it wouldn't flex into place, so I just cut out the tab and a little of the fuselage section out. Onward!

Decals are on. I used the stencil decals from the kit. I'll save the 1manarmy stencils for another build. Another clear coat then some weathering. Canopy needs assembly and painting. Landing gear needs assembly. MGs and antennas need painting and assembly. Seat belts.

Working on the prop and spinner and Landing Gear.

Well, whatever the problem is, I used a couple of post-it-notes to protect the surrounding area while I fixed the spot on the wing and one of the post-its lifted a small bit of paint too. At least I still had paint in the airbrush and fixed that one right away.

Yeah, I'm not sure what it is. I'm using MRP Lacquer.