Peterpools

Scott3 Nice progress on the Big Cat - looking mighty good

Oliver - looking mighty good and the weathering has the perfect touch.

Some mighty nice cammo work - looking real good.

Thanks John Sure hope so and should be a fun build for sure.

Thanks Hubert - I remember the kit and have found memories as well. Not too far down the road, I'm planning on building the Monogram '67 427 Convertible: Sunflower Yellow, Black Hood Stripe and a pleather interior. Those sure were the days.

Rob Awesome and completely agree. Hoping you will be doing a build thread for all of us to enjoy and be on the build journey with you.

Scott Welcome aboard and glad you will be living vicariously through me on the build. Always loved cars as well but never had the time, space or talent to become a 'car guy'.

FORD 1956 THUNDERBIRD AMT/ERTL 1/25 SCALE PT 1 The Chassis I decided to break up my years of constant aircraft builds (except last year’s Meng GT40) and try keeping my mojo going with the cars I love and drool over. The kickoff build is the gorgeous 1956 Ford Thunderbird in factory correct Ford Raven Black (Gravity of Spain Lacquer) and a two-tone B&W interior. My POA as always is basically OOB, no plans to even wire up the engine, just concentrate on the finish. The instructions reflect the era and absent are any color callouts at all. I did purchase a PE set of mostly the small exterior details to replace the softly molded-on one’s. All the chrome parts have been dechromed (which took forever) and the plan is for either Alclad or AK Chrome to be the replacement. The first release of the kit dates back to around 1962 and I’m sure it was the state of the art 61 years ago, just not what I remembered. My kit is a re-release in the American Graffiti boxing of 2002 (?). Details are soft, injector pin marks are big and almost everywhere. Part fit for the era must have been great, by today’s standards, not so good. With construction underway, a lot of time was devoted to cleaning up and removing mold lines from the body shell, every part and filling in injector pin marks, with the worst offenders being the five under the hood (yup, on our side of the pond, it’s a hood and not a bonnet). The engine also required a lot of clean up and some tweaking, being a 292 V8. After all the work, fit is OK but not great. Research showed I will be using the included Connie Kit, as it was standard on the ’56 model, allowing more useable trunk room. First up the underside of the chassis, which was primed in MRP Black and the final color coat being Tamiya Semi Gloss Black Lacquer. I decided against dry brushing to bring out a lot of the details, as I wanted my T Bird to look showroom new, as delivered. Exhausts were primed, piping air brushed with Alclad Burnt Metal and the mufflers Tamiya Aluminum Lacquer. Prominently missing are the shocks and being OOB, they will remain missing. The gas tank was finished in AK Aluminum and the creases highlighted with Tamiya Dark Brown Panel Line Wash.

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No question, you will have her across the line today.

Mark Terrific build and a great save from the SOD!

Oliver Nice work on the dash - looks mighty good.

Phil Nice work on the Merlin's - they are looking superb.

Dave Some very nice work. Looking so good.

John Looking so good and the decaling is superb.

Dave Right with Rob, your Corsair is looking mighty good.

Kev Awesome build and she looks fantastic. Thank you so much for all the detail photographs and 'how to' explanations that will surely come into play down the road.

Nice work on the wings - looking good.

Rob Absolutely a stellar build. The rivet work is perfectly done and compliments the canopy with just the right touch of detailing. Awesome project and kudos on an incredible build and journey. So glad I was along for the full ride.

Martin Some mighty good looking 3D Printing AM for a P-51.

Dave WOW - the PE work is looking amazing and way beyond my talents.

John Some mighty nice progress and in the day or so I was out, about and not on the forum, you worked your magic on the XF-120 (XB-51). Fully appreciate all the work and effort that has gone into building an Anigrand kit and yours is looking fantastic. Kudos' on the NMF - looks perfect. I actually do remember a s kid seeing photographs of the XB-51 in a few flying periodicals in the school library (no internet or even computers and the only way of learning and seeing what was going on) and always though it was a bit on the unconventional side in at least it's looks. Not too many years after the Northrop XB-49 Flying Wing and while these types of aircraft looked pretty cool, none seemed to ever go into production. Even the NA F-107 was here and gone.

Gaz Awesome work on the riveting and congrats on finally competing a very tedious part of the detail/build.

Martin Awesome progress on your Gooney Bird. Some mighty nice detailing and corrective work, fixing Trumpeters not so detailed oriented eye.

Looking mighty good