Peterpools

Chris Cammo work looks awesome and your painting skills are top of the line.

Chris Nice progress on those offending - panel lines? Mr Surfacer always needs a number of applications after the extra is removed no matter which method, as it does shrink when drying. The real value of the Q-tip method is you can remove the Mr Surfacer and never loses a single rivet or bit of detail. For the tail gap, I might have used some epoxy or Milliput, as it was pretty nasty and will still help fill in those nasty gaps. You're making nice progress and almost there. 👍

Rob WOW, your progress is amazing and your skills with PE is extraordinary. Your idea for the diorama sounds perfect and the way to go - no doubt the' How To's' are gather idea after idea as you consider all the possibilities and choices.

John Awesome build and the finish is meticulous and perfect. I find it amazing how you create the decals on your pc (way beyond my abilities) and the high level you continue to work, at the pace you do. Best of all is the fixes you shared with us regarding the major issue of the Revell kit. Beautifully done .

John Amazing work as always and heading over to see your finished Mustang.

Mark Nice progress and like your choice of markings. Seabelts work for me!

Chris I use mt Surfacer all the time. Leave the sanding sticks on the work bench. Pull out a jar of Mr Color Self Leveling Thinners (No other thinner works without meshing up the plastic or resin) and with a damp Q Tip, wipe across the panel lines. It will dissolve and remove the Mr Surfacer. Then apply another coat. Wait a few hours and repeat. Each time, you will be filling in and leveling. There is no need to sand Mr Surfacer. Llast coat, let dry a good 24 hrs and then the Q Tip act again - works perfectly and never removes any detail. Maybe wear a mask for the smell and fumes but no dust or sanding marks at all.

Chris Fingers crossed ... Mr Surfacer always does the trick

Thanks Kev, much appreciated. Just love the time period between the wars - so colorful and classic.

My SOD doom is small and very unforgiving. New members push older ones off the edge and they land in the Yaphank Landfill. As I keep getting older (thank Goodness for that), reality set in, knowing I will never, ever get around to attempting to finishing them and the decision to their fate has been made. A hard choice but a necessity for me. I also realized after all these years, I'm absolutely incapable of working on two builds at one time, as I tend to lose interest on one or the other. My motto now is start it - finish it.

Neil Very nice progress on the Yak - looking mighty good.

Hubert Yup, life surely has a way of changing our best plans. Looking forward to the Tram after the Cutlass.

Thanks Rob I did get lucky find a kit on eBay so quickly and it was delivered in only a few days from purchase. Exact same box, factory sealed and I was surprised to find what might be a small mask sheet that wasn't in the first kit. Absolutely no mention of it in the instructions and if it is, how would I go about figuring out which mask goes where with no instructions or breakdown and so many tiny glass panes to mask? Always seems to be something for sure. If needed, I now have a second sets of canopies to use just in case 🤞

Thanks Chris I was lucky to have found another seal kit as a donor for the outrigger floats and at the beginning just never realized how delicate the struct attachment points actually were. Through yesterday, the outrigger floats assemblies are both finished, primed and I have been treating then a fine china. You're so right, the canopies were in a major PITA and now I have at least a second set if I need to fall back on and redo them if they come out looking terrible. See how it goes. Later this week, I'll be ready for another update as I've started the color coats with the wings.

Rob Starting with the superstructure was an excellent decision as you explained in Carl's post. I watch and follow a few ship builds (1/200) on a regular basis and wooden deck preparation is ever so demanding. Steve, a brilliant modeler (The Model Shed) does test fit the wooden decks and if need be, has cut them in strategic spots for fit and orientation. It's surely a major step in a build, demanding of the greatest concentration and precision. I can appreciate all the pre-installation decisions you need to make and painting is another issue all unto itself. Acrylic paints are a bit thicker then lacquers and should work in your favor with hiding some of the flaws of the propellers, shafts and rudders. With all the PE that came with the kit, for a few dollars more, brass propellers and shafts would have been so welcome. My money is riding with you, pulling it off and looking so good when all is done.

Gaz Nice research and the mod surely looks good.

Ernie Yikes, your SOD is surely full of some mighty impressive kits. Have no fears, your never doomed, just need to start building 24/7 and do your best to hold off starting anything new. Of course, we're all waiting for the Peacemaker to kit the bench and work her way towards completion under your watchful eye and hands.

Chris Where in the world did they come up with those panel lines? I'm in for using Mr Surfacer, apply, sand and apply more. It's going to take a number of layers and it will do the job. Mr Surfacer can be removed with Self Leveling Thinners and a Q Tip, as it doesn't attack plastic or resin. Of course, always rub across the panel line so you won't remove Mr Surfacer from the offending panel lines or whatever they are. Nothing ever seems to be easy.

Thanks John I started with the three color cammo scheme in mind but I quickly decided to go pre-war and just love those gorgeous yellow wing paint schemes and the aircraft of course, were all meticulously maintained.

Thanks Carl The Kingfisher is surely turning out to be a trip back down memory lane. Thank goodness the kits aren't expensive. As of this afternoon, the new outrigger floats are finished and primed and of course, I still needed to buy two additional decal sheets for the markings as I'm shooting for a Kingfisher aboard the USS Arizona - yellow wings and all.

As David Brenner use to say: /// it's always in the last place you look. Glad you found them.

Rob Amazing work - My hands just shake thinking about how steady you need to be working with such small and delicate parts. I'm sure all the parts will mesh together flawlessly as you keep moving forward. Amazing work.

Harv Huge doesn't even come close❗

😉

Chris I tend to get the same 'splotchiness at times, especially when using a .2 tip and needle and to redo those areas to smooth out the color. The other way to look at it, it's almost instant weathering as the Voodoo knows where you are headed and just wants to help.