DocRob

Great start with your Camel and like Carl said, the IP is looking very nice. As I only have a Snipe in my stash, I'm out of your maybe GB, but I will keep buckled in, to see your Camel progress. Cheers Rob

After a long test fitting session, there is definitely the first problem area of the build. The problem zone is, when you add the front fuselage to the back fuselage part. There is a gap in the lower connection as can be seen in the upper picture. It seems to be caused by the connection tabs of the back fuselage by not slipping under the front fuselage tub, even with force applied. Another possible reason might be, that the wheel well is a fraction too wide, I have to dig deeper here before grinding and filling. I tried to find the optimal sequence of construction and it proved best to first fit the front tub into the back fuselage, then add the air intakes (no problem here) and add the upper fuselage with wings last. But even so there is still a gap. Cheers Rob

Amazing detail work and soldering Cheers Rob

Molto bene, like the Italians say, the engine and the cockpit look exceptional and I think it will be very visible when finished. Cheers Rob

Smooth looking Eddie Spit . Cheers Rob

If you want to avoid a gruesome cleaning session of your airbrush, test mixing with retarding thinner in a jar first. All my tests with Valejo Air and Mr. Leveling thinner went into a tar like lump. The thinner worked with some AK acrylics but there were others which were unusable. Cheers Rob

Is that effected by the thinner . Can't wait to see the resulting paintjob. Your Gotha will look great in that Loz… er, polygon look. Cheers Rob

Very nice and clean build, congratulations, Your display case is also impressive. Cheers Rob

Today I used a black wash for the wheel wells and the cockpit panels. The wheel wells where then added to the under fuselage along the engines. Fit again was perfect. I weathered the metal front wheel struts and inserted them. The metal struts are made of two parts against a four part plastic version, much better. I test fitted the cockpit with the side panels all glued on. you push the cockpit tube into the front fuselage, nice engineering again. The only problem I ran in was test fitting the front fuselage with the equipped back fuselage. fit seems tight or even overtight around the front wheel well, lets see. Cheers Rob

This is maybe my next project, as I'm eager to do my first Lozenge build. The kit is Micro Mirs Fokker E.V/D.VIII. I added a resin cowling, seat and some PE by Aviattic and an Oberursel Engine made by Copper State (hope this will fit). Decals will be a combination of Aviattic cookie cut Lozenge and Pheon Decals for markings. As the wingstruts seem pathetically fragile, I ordered some Albion brass tubes and connectors for soldering the struts. I will try to flatten the tubes to a correct shape. This project will be lots of work and some scratching, but at least, minimal rigging. Cheers Rob

I second that, good luck with the Lozenge. Cheers Rob

Pity, maybe you get some effect by thoroughly rubbing pigments in. Cheers Rob

My next build will probably be the Fokker E.V/D.VIII. I bought the Micro Mir kit along with a Copper State Oberursel engine, Aviattic resin for seat and cowling, Lozenge from Aviattic and Decals from Pheon. This will be an interesting project, where I will solder the fragile struts from brass tube with Albion connectors. For later I have a Wingnut Wings D.VII F along with lots of bits and pieces and this will be a bit more relaxing than the former mentioned D.VIII. Speaking about Micro Mir, I may buy their Fokker G-1a kit, but that is not LS. Cheers Rob

I'm sure you are right here , due to my time in university and as as a former engineer, I now a lot about metals but unfortunately mostly in German language . Cheers Rob

I like to use metal Colours first, depending on the area of the jet, aluminum, jet exhaust, titanium or others. Last week I sprayed the burner cans of my Mig-31 and used Jet exhaust as a base, pale burnt metal foe highlighting (AK-Extreme Metal) and then some Clear dark blue (also AK) to get the tint. There will be further treatment with washes and pigments but this method works for me. BTW:: These Colours are an Indicator of the amount of heat, depending on the used metal. They spread from yellow to blue-black depending on the temperature on the given spot. I think the English word for this effect is annealing Colours, but I'm not sure. Cheers Rob

I like them both, nice job on the weathering. Actually I liked the AK weathering pencils a lot when I tried them with my RSO build, not so much plain dry, but with a dampened tip or moist surface is where they work best for me. Cheers Rob

Amazing result, your painting and weathering is spot on. I love the tint of the canopy. Cheers Rob

Thanks Ryan, it's far from perfect, but it is ok in life size. Not that much will be seen through the tinted canopies with these pinkish seals on. I may even use some Aires Pilots. Cheers Rob

Thanks Gaz, I have a very tensed relation with decals, but wit the pit it worked. For the stencils I helped myself to a set of HGW wet transfers. The MIG will be my testbed for those. I heard there is no residue around the print and no silvering, let's see. In my personal built plastic rating the AMK MIG went straight to first place (temporary, it's not finished), closely followed by the Tamiya Corsair. A kit where you can dry fit the main components without tape oozes awesomeness out of every sprue. Even the often critical jet intakes seem to fit near seamless. Normally I start a build, because somehow I'm fascinated by the subject, here it was more, because after opening the box; I was hooked. Some influence though came through your MIG-25 build. Cheers Rob

The GWH offering isn't bad either, yes, it's 1/48 but it is available . Cheers Rob

I couldn't imagine either, but since last September it was impossible to get the stuff shipped here and there are no hobby shops around. That's the (little) price you have to pay living on a remote island and I will not go back to the big city, not for all the rattle can primer in the world . Cheers Rob

Nice progress with your Panther and yes, I remember the tube was the most annoying part of my build many years ago. It was the first time I thought about soldering PE. Cheers Rob

Very nice, I like the cast texture and the little baggage extras catch the eye. Cheers Rob

I made some small progresses with the cockpit tub. I decaled the Ip's, which is a first to me. Normally I hate decals and they hate me equally , but to my astonishment the provided panels went on ok, with a heva dose of Set and Sol. Next were some detail works in the wheel wells and after everything is dry I will seal it with a coat of future and apply a wash and do some highlighting. Cheers Rob

I'm a happy guy today, to you it might be nothing special, but today I received three rattle cans of Tamiya fine primer. Since last year it has been simply impossible to let the stuff being sent to my little island, due to security changes in our small airplanes the mail uses. Somehow these three cans made it through, via ship. It would be easy If you could tell in advance, that spray cans should be shipped, but there is no way of choosing. Cheers Rob