DocRob

Beautiful looking hard edge camo and the white markings are contrasting great. Good to hear, that the fit is so excellent. Cheers Rob

Again nice work on the Stug. I just saw, that there is a figure set out from das Werk for their Stug. Interestingly they don't mention it on their website neither does Scalemates. The usually well connected shop of Modellbau König has them listed and available. I thought I let you know. StuG III Crew & Infantry Set 1/16 (modellbau-koenig.de) Cheers Rob

I don't like using liquid mask for canopy masking. Some react with Future dipped clear plastic over time. If there is a Kabuki set available, I will buy one but not the vinyl stuff, which shrinks and doesn't follow the contours good enough. If there are no Kabuki sets available or no money to buy, I cut masks with cutting templates, if the framing isn't protruding well, If it does, I cut Kabuki tape directly onto the canopy, very carefully with a sharp blade. You see, I'm Kabuki addicted, it's precise, no color is running under, when pressed on with a wooden toothpick and no side effects with Futurized canopies. Cheers Rob

Great progress, with the tracks out of the way, there is no braking now until the finish . Cheers Rob

Very nice start of a very interesting plane , Peter. Having just received my -D, I make myself comfortable in your WIP-zone. The pit is looking great with the Quinta detail sets. The 3D effect is just more realistic than flat PE. Cheers Rob

Supercool. Great detail, love it. Cheers Rob

You didn't miss a beat Peter, I only started the Kai Phantom yesterday. I'm not at my best in the moment and have a bit of a hard time to force me to the bench. So I haven't planned on a WIP and I don't think, a 48 scale Phantom would raise much interest. That is where I am at the moment. I painted the tub and gloss coated everything for the superb kit decals, which still look glossy, as they are not sealed and still drying. I like the look, no need for a Quinta set and once coated, looking better than flat PE . Cheers Rob

Thanks Peter and yes, I couldn't build only planes or armor all the time. I like to pick my personal cherries in the modelling world. I would love to see you wip the Tomcat build, naturally with my new kid in stash, no matter mine is a -D. The Nieuport looks great in the box and rigging is not too bad on these planes. Actually, I like rigging. I've considered starting my huge WNW AEG night bomber as a winter project, but not sooner as new year. In the moment I started with the cockpit of the ZM Kai Phantom. Cheers Rob

Nice Peter, The red front is balancing the yellow tail, that looks tres cool. Since you've solved the bright color issues, there should be no more obstacles in finishing the Mustang. Painting yellow can be a nightmare. I tend to prime a thin white coat under yellow, at least, if there are different colored underlayers, like with your bird. Tamiya X and XF-Yellow are very translucent and on my first try, I liked the AK RC color yellow better for opacity. Cheers Rob

Thanks Carl, I browsed through the kits and yes, the Belkits instructions seem to be a bit confusing. I used a hair dryer on decals before, but never used hot dampened cloth. I may try that, as it sounds completely reasonable. Luckily the decals are printed by Cartograph. Cheers Rob

Black Friday killed my wallet , but would I happen to buy all these kits (and some colors) another day, I would file bankruptcy by now . The more I see (and have) of the Copper State Model kits, the more I love them. Plastic looks perfect, the subjects are right down my alley and the manuals are the best in business , even better than WNW ones. I read somewhere, that the Romfell looks like a Steam Punk Bat Mobile and it does. I'm not sure, I build it as a replica or go the Steam Punk way, which was my initial idea, when I saw it announced. Uhuuu, 48 scale, stone him. I couldn't resist, The Tomcat, the Romfell added with some RC colors and shipping was less than the Tomcat normally costs, I couldn't let this pass. Finally something else. A demanding car kit, with a simple paintjob (only base color), but delicate decals, which plaster the whole body, sometimes with multiple layers. Cheers Rob

In Berlin, I never had a dog, but on my island, a young Lobo Herreno, a very special breed of sheep dogs appeared one day in my garden. We had her, Nora, for six month and then she vanished. She was unbelievable intelligent and very special with these different colored eyes. And this is Lenny, our dog, we have since he was a puppy of four weeks. He is from the local animal shelter and with us for five years. Not as intelligent as Nora, but he's just cute and great fun. He may not look like, but he's tough as well, running for umpteen kilometers through the mountains with me, even doin some extra rounds.-. Cheers Rob

I have this one too and I'm really eager to built it, but the rigging... I also have among other goodies for the FE.2b these figures, which I plan to use, as they are the most dramatic duo in resin history . The Fighting Fees Pilot/Gunner for Fe.2b, Wings Cockpit Figures RFC07 B (scalemates.com) Cheers Rob

Thanks Phil, I build up residues with mud / earth washes, with added pigments in different earth shades. I start with the darkest and as a last step, everything got blended with mineral spirit. This way the impression of build up residues becomes more 'real', as it flows more into the corners and hidden places, where dirt will always accumulates. Well the figure, I have the feeling, I let the guy down, being well printed and all, but after all the eye issues, I'm eager to have the Tankette and driver off the bench. Cheers Rob

Very nice silver bird, Peter. The yellow tail looks very prominent now, but with the decals on, it will blend better. Cheers Rob

It's time to wave a good by to this project, in which I never was so much into, but can't really say why. I repainted some parts of the figure, specially around the eyes and I leave them as they are. As a homework, I will force myself to some bust painting soon. The clothes got matted and dusted a bit. The Tankette received several kinds of washes, streaks and deposits, oil and grease stains, mud washes and pigments in different earth colors, partly blended with mineral spirit. Then again some metal pigments and lastly, the tools. I will let everything dry till tomorrow and see if I have it in me to continue. Cheers Rob

It takes some effort, to make something new look believable old and used and you mastered that greatly Gus. There are lots of detail on that beast to catch the eye. Cheers Rob

There is a new Cobra in town. I'm absolutely not a heli guy, but when ICM release their Cobra kits, I was tempted. I didn't order immediately ant his proved to be a good decision. Special Hobby has lately release the AH-1G Cobra ‘Early Tails over Vietnam’ Hi-Tech Kit which is ICM plastic with lots of goodies added, like in- and outside masks, color PE for the pit, resin and 3D printed parts, mainly for the cockpit and trolley and new decals. I reserved mine as a preorder for lesser dineros than the original ICM boxing. Special Hobby - AH-1G Cobra ‘Early Tails over Vietnam’ Hi-Tech Kit - Plastic kits Cheers Rob

No probs at all. Cheers Rob

Since it seems that all the other parts of the tank, front, back and sides are already glued in place, you could leave the roof unglued and decide later. If the fit is as good as you say, there is no loss, doing it this way. Scratching and painting a complete interior with top access only would make me a bit nervous, though. I would likely add a figure or two and disguise the innards this way. Cheers Rob

I would have gone a similar way like you did with the masking, using the Kabuki ones, applying them after a coat of the first camo color. Naturally you get some areas with two color coats, that's why I would skip pre shading and do all modulation work afterwards. Like your approach, I like to spray more complicated patterns without too many details added to the build. What you did looks very convincing and I'm eager to see how your build progresses. Cheers Rob

Awesome beast so far, makes me wanting one. Cheers Rob

Nice build, painting and presentation, chapeau. Cheers Rob

Looks like a ton of work, but will pay off in the end Harv. Cheers Rob

Gracias Hombres, I know, the eyes suck. I had another go at them yesterday, but to no avail. I think I will perform some plastic surgery and cut the goggles from the leather cap . Cheers Rob