Clunkmeister

My next build will be a Curtiss Hawk.

One other thing in defense of this Helldiver kit. The main airframe parts on this kit fit absolutely beautifully! That alone is half the battle. It’s MUCH easier to make interiors fit decent exterior parts than getting the exterior parts to fit in the first place. I WILL build another one of these. With folded wings.

It’s really not that bad. It’s just a matter of scale. Here, there’s just more of everything. Instead of Tamiya White, you go to Evergreen card stock and/or CA plus Milliput. You’re doing the same thing, in the same spots, but on a much larger area. Im no world class expert builder. I just don’t give up. That is a downfall as well. I can’t build something I don’t like because I can’t get the enthusiasm which means I won’t stick with it.

John, one thing to bear in mind: I’m blasting through this build because people like yourself built the model before me and documented the issues and potential pitfalls on this kit. When I started, I followed your build thread and an LSP build by a member who is also here. Those two builds allowed me to concentrate more on the plastic instead of fighting it and as a result, I was able to incorporate more AM without worrying about potential fit issues. My build as well has found a couple more issues and potential workarounds, and I hope that when all is lumped together, we’ll see many more built, and built quickly.

The PE exterior panels are a nice touch. It’s an easy way to emphasize access panels that stand slightly proud of the surface

Thanks, I’m exactly the same. Scribing is crazy tedious for me, Radu’s rivet wheel is the only way I can do rivets, and Milliput and I are on a first name basis. I have a tiny amount of an advantage when it comes to PE because I’ve built HO scale steam locomotives, tenders, and crummies from PE flat kits. Hopefully I don’t Bork it up bad. But if I do, I still have the plastic kit pieces.

There is no right way wrong Way, John. And if I could’ve figured out a way to sharpen up the trailing edge serrations and drill out hundreds of double layered holes I’d hAve done it. in my opinion there’s no right way and there’s no wrong way to build a model. Deciding to build those PE flaps is going to come very very close to making me want to start smoking and drinking 40 ounces of whiskey every day. But it’s a personal decision and I decided to try it.

Brilliant work as usual, Sir. I never did understand the “Here is a convenient bullseye” markings used by the British, and the similar “X marks the spot” scheme used by the Germans. Seems counterproductive to me. Didn’t the Germans move the National Markings rearward for exactly that reason?

Also, late last night, we started on the PE flaps. I want, at all cost, to avoid those kit flaps. They’re OK, but the PE parts will look so, so much better in the end. The fine detail needed just can’t be replicated with IM.

Getting close to paint time. Elevators are on now, as are the wing guns. Clear parts got a Future bath last night. Tonight we’ll detail and Mount the gunsight, finish the dinghy container and mount all fixed position clear parts.

Oh man, that looks GREAT, Peter. It’s awesome to finally have an ACCURATE early Curtiss Hawk in our scale. I’ve built Hasegawa P-40s and SH Radial engine Hawks, aand this will perfectly fill that gap.

I stay far away from casinos. The women flock to me. I actually thought I was good looking until I figured out they were coin operated women just like the coin operated slot machines. Ahem.

I’m hurt, traumatized, offended, and anything else that applies. 🤣

I’m offended! Morally outraged! Hurt! Scarred for life! Where’s my safe space?

No I haven’t. So far, it’s pretty straight forward. The Air Boss asked both streams to cross each other, with the fighters passing in front of the bombers. The P-63 pilot lost situational awareness and never saw the B-17. That’s what the prelim reports say, at least. Hopefully there isn’t a leap to drastic and draconian rule making. In my personal opinion, there were way too many airplanes in way too small a space. When you add in showlines, and mix different performance levels of aircraft, it’s a recipe for the unexpected.

TR is destroyed. They’ll source another, but from where, I have no idea. Most likely an old firebomber airframe, but even they are getting tougher to find.

Hard to say. I saw that as well, and the consensus is that the P-63 somehow got too far behind the Mustangs and was trying to catch up. Hence his blistering speed. I was a always under the impression that bombers stayed AAF 500 ft, and fighters stayed at 1000 ft. As far as how the P-63 got so badly out of position, we’ll never know now, unless the Air Boss told him to step on it to get back in formation. That’ll come out soon enough I expect. Hindsight is always 20/20, and like you said, fingers are pointing everywhere. As for us here in Texas, we lost a State Treasure in Texas Raiders. Several of us have committed long term to the refurbishment of another Fort, and it’s going to be needed. The fighters might be the cool draw for many, but the bombers pay the bills with their goodwill tours, school walk through, and ride programs. Without the bombers running, CAF would never be able to afford what it does.

That’s why I didn’t take action. The smack down is the last resort, and I refuse to go there unless absolutely needed. But in the heart of LSM, let’s self moderate. Makes my job easier. 🤣

Remember, another option is to purchase the kit in the winner’s Economic Zone. Shipping is cheaper, and it’d avoid all import taxes, duties, and “just because we can” add-on fees.

Guys… Please. NO MORE! I hid the political post and others that quoted it. Let’s have this a onetime thing. Thanks again!

All Mods can participate. I don’t because I run it and do the drawing. Appearances and all….

Your a mean one, Mr Gri, I mean Scott. The kit is actually pretty decent, IF you take your time. I’m actually in the middle of a 3 Mustang build comparison that’ll eventually be a feature. Revell, ZM, and Tamiya, and all three have their warts.

She’s starting to excite me in a lot of ways, now. Details being applied, and it’s getting nicer and nicer as we go along. The slats are now more or less scale size and thickness, and actually fit the wings now. I also slimmed the crap out of the blocks of plastic they give you to Mount the slats on. Milliput is my friend, here.

Yes, we’re gonna start on the first day of 2023, Jan 1. We pushed the start date back 1 month. Get Christmas out of the way first, and bring in the New Year with some fun. I’ll be doing a Lukgraph floatplane.

It’s certainly a “one step at a time” situation, Peter. The easy way is to assemble the kit, throw on a killer paint job, put it in the display case, and squint every time you look at it. But for as big as this model is, it’s a little thing compared to Grumman’s Big Turkey.