denders

Okay, Z-M/RedFox 3D printed IP parts installed. First off, I had picked this up some time ago and this is what I used to glue the IP pieces. All the pieces are installed except one. The WSO radar scope comes in two versions. One is if you want the scope visible, the other is for use if you're going to use the scope shroud. I decided to have the scope visible. Don't worry, the black piece isn't glued. There are two items of note. The red mark is for the pilot's IP. The piece with the red circle is attached to the rest of the IP on the backing card and comes off with the main IP. It is printed to be able to snap out of location and be placed as shown. The Yellow mark, this piece has extra gray material which appears to be for the 'step' there, except it isn't made to snap off and I tried using my decal scissors to cut it off. As noted in the instructions, these items are very brittle. If you look at the upper left corner, some of it broke off. I'm not sure what holds the pieces onto the backing card, but flexing the backing a little will allow a tweezer to go under the piece to lift it off the card. So, I'll let these set for a day or so to let the glue cure. The next thing I want to do is spray some primer onto the pilot figures. Dave

Still working away at the PE. The main mast and all its PE to go.

I went looking on Hannant's for something for the F-4E and decided to add these for the Bf-110. I guess it's about time to get started.

I've added to the AM pile. Should be interesting.

Pilots on a stick. Hmmmm. By the Z-M instructions, the WSO is on the left and the Pilot is on the right. I'm not sure why the pilot needs both hands on the stick. Or at least it seems that way.

All that nice molded in detail. Gone!

Thanks, guys. Nose wheel well assembled. Cockpit area is next.

Seats painted and assembled. I'll need to add some weathering to them. And these guys too. Painting them will be a challenge but I guess it'll reduce the amount of actual weathering on the seats.

I don’t remember the designations, even after having read about them in a Ju-88 book a couple months ago, but the different radar antenna are different radar equipment. The radar range is different. The first iteration of this model had the antenna elements vertical. Then the Brits introduced “Window”, dropped aluminum strips. The Germans then found that rotating the elements 45 degrees, like in the second picture, lessened the effect of “Window”.

Time to get started. I have some additional AM pieces on order. These probably won't get any paint 'til this evening because the 4 1/2 year old grandson only has a half day today and he'll be here this afternoon. Fun time, he has quite the imagination while playing.

Now for the AM that I've collected. Decals Quinta cockpit set. Other wheels Eduard stuff. I used a set of the rudder pedals on the Fw190 that I built.

I thought I'd do this since some of us, including me, hasn't built one of these. I seem to recall seeing some comments that the Dragon instructions aren't all that clear in some areas. I guess I'll find out. I've also downloaded the Revell instructions for reference too. First, the clear parts which I thought I was missing some of them, but the one set had fallen onto the floor and was 'hiding'. Other parts. There are two of each of these sprues. While preparing the first photo for upload, I noticed the exhaust ports look kinda rectangular. I'm not sure that's correct. I'll have to look into it. Decals and other bits that come with the kit. If you look closely at the area of the brass seat belts, you'll notice small bits of wire which appear to be substitutes for the plastic radar antenna elements. I haven't looked into it on the instructions yet. Although, the aircraft that I'm planning on building doesn't have radar. Dave

Peter, get started! I usually prefer the Quinta stuff because they usually have seatbelts with them and Red Fox usually doesn't, but Red Fox is what Z-M has. So, I'll try them out. Chris, I have a Z-M C, D, J, S, and the early E in the stash along with a Tamiya B, a Hasegawa S, an Academy B/N, and a Hasegawa RF-4B. I was collecting US flown types. I don't have an RF-4C though. There's a couple old AMT C/Ds too. I picked up the Z-M C and D when the very rare occasion that SB had Z-M stuff in the weekend special. I couldn't resist. I also picked up Z-M's Concept Notes book for the J/S too. It's an interesting little book. It points out information about the aircraft. That's as far as I've gotten so far. I haven't gotten into the kit part of the book yet. I'm not any sort of an expert to disagree with their notes.

These are the Z-M Pilot figures (AM). These are the 3D printed Z-M 'flattened' tires AM. This is the Z-M/Red Fox 3D printed IP (AM). Note that some of the pieces are already loose from the backing. These are the GT Resin Landing Gear and Wheels (AM). Obviously the landing gear is 3D printed. And these are the GT Resin intake ducting for Z-M F-4 kits.

For those who are interested.

Thanks, guys!

This model was at NATS, so I took a photo for inspiration. It's a sister ship to the one I'm building. We were visiting with our friends a couple of weekends ago and I showed him the photo. He asked, 'what's that at the back?' and I replied, 'a CIWS'. He then told they didn't have one when he was on the Pharris, so scratch the CIWS. His comment also made me revisit the reference photos that I've found on the 'net. In some of the photos without a CIWS, the main mast had a different arrangement too. Onward, still working on those little bits of brass. I've actually been enjoying the concentration of those 'little bits of brass' and bought a 1/350 resin kit (at NATS) of DE413 the Samuel B. Roberts. Dave

After being at NATS, I've got the itch to start several things. This is one of them. I had purchased this kit from Dennis a while back and after reading the Eagle Editions Autobiography by Wolfgang Falck, this would be used for one of his aircraft. I'm leaning toward Aircraft No. 4. The only other possibility would be Aircraft No. 3. Dave

Thanks, Carl.

First off, I was really lucky and won the kit in the Z-M raffle at NATS. I never have that sort of luck. I was planning on buying one but waited 'til after the raffle. Glad I did. I figured that I'd get it started and if it works out, I'll put it on the contest table next year. I've been itching to build a Phantom anyway. I'm not sure I'll put the '30 years' decal on, but I'll do it in this paint scheme. After I won the kit, I picked up some A-M stuff to use with it. The IP is in Z-M packaging, but it also says Red Fox on the other side. I didn't have any of these colors in MRP paint and SB were out of stock on several of them, so I decided that I would try out some AK RC. They're in the new dropper bottles. I've not built a Z-M kit as of yet and I've not used AK RC paint yet. I bought some of their thinner and I have some Mr. Color Leveling Thinner too. Dave

I saw one of these at NATS. (Or at least I think it was this kit, wish I'd taken a photo of it.) All silver, it looked really good.

I had my 1/32 Ki-100 Alleycat conversion along, but I should have put it in the conversions instead of the prop aircraft category.

I would have to doublecheck the categories, my impression was there were few helicopters in total, scale independent. These photographed were the ones that were 1/35 or 1/32. Another impression, in 1/48 jets, I looked through the F-4 models. From what I could see, there was one F-4C/D which listed that it was from an Academy kit. There was one F-4E which didn't list on the exposed paperwork who the kit manufacturer was. I'm assuming perhaps Z-M. All the other F-4 models were F-4Bs which I assume were the Tamiya kit.

I think I forgot this one with the WWII aircraft too. Helicopters, there weren't many. These are some other interesting items. Vac kits This was "Best Aircraft" 1/48 Vac Buccaneer Doolittle Raid B-25s The 1/48 P-47 group that Dennis was involved with. That's all for me. I saw a FB post about 2,9XX models on the contest table. So, there were easily over 3000 models on site.

More coming.