Peterpools

Thanks carl Just find it fascinating how things were done in the past as compared to now. Almost a complete skill discipline is gone.

Mark Looking fantastic - panel wash really brings out the details

Chris Thanks for the link - terrific detail photos.

Ernie It's always something but the most important person to please is yourself. With all the hard work you lavished on the Helldiver, she has to meet your expectations. Glad you chose to redo the turtledeck as it would always irk you down the line. As they say: a gutsy move but well worth it.

Awesome progress and I had to go back and read Robs comments to figure out what you guys were referring to. Once the lightbulb went off, it's amazing how they incorporated parts from other kits as details on the Falcon.

Phil Same here.

Thanks Chris so very much appreciated. So happy my build might inspire others to build the same model - a wonderful compliment for sure. I'm a Quinta guy and while I haven't tried Red Fox or Look yet, just can't see how they could be any better - I'm just so pleased with the results I get. Going to take you up on the Molotow Pens in a while, especially the Black which seems to have a lot of possibilities.

Dennis - now that's surely something and a terrific compliment for sure

Thanks Phil, much appreciated. Just a few bits and pieces today and the P-40 will be crossing the finish line. In the end, she does look the part rather well.

Mark They sure do look very good

Thanks Kev Very much appreciated

Oliver A masterpiece in the works. Absolutely brilliant detailing and your abilities are out of this world for sure. Don't miss your club meeting and bring the H-34, your club members will be amazed and in for a treat.

Chris I'm squally in the Quinta camp. I've been using their cockpit 3D sets since they first came out and just love them. For the P-40 I bought both the Quinta set and the Eduard PE set and it was close, but the Quinta set had the edge and that's what I used. I also appreciate that Quinta includes a nice set of seatbelts and harnesses with their sets and they look really good and are so much easier to apply then PE harnesses. I have a few Eduard Look sets but haven't used them yet.

Ernie Surely is looking like a Big Bad Helldiver. Decals, makings and the paint finish look spot on and so good. You're in the home stretch now.

Mike, back in the days, it seemed as if everyone had someone in their family that worked for Grumman, Republic or Sperry. All had family days and I once was invited to a family day at Republic when they were building A-10's. All are gone now and just part of our history here as the Cradle of Aviation.

Ernie I'm right with you ... I grew up less then 15-30 minutes from the Bethpage factory. Budget cuts was a prime reason Grumman merged with Northrop but another 'killer' was the rapid increase in population in Nassau County and around the Bethpage factory. The runway was too small for big jets and I'm sure there was lots of community complaints about flying jets (noise) into Bethpage. Final assembly for the Tomcats and Intruders were at Calverton and that's a good trip on the LIE out east. If you have ever seen photographs of Grumman or Republic before WWII, it was all country and empty spaces. Today, it's jammed packed suburbia and traffic. I can remember growing up and seeing Trackers and Mohawks flying low overhead on approach to Bethpage - so sad to see those days disappear into history.

Rog Nice additions to the stash. Surely you are a ZM fan and I have a few in my stash as well.

Mark Surely some mighty nice progress

Mark Can't wait to follow this epic build. I never saw a Lego kit being built and a mere 6785 pieces - OMG!

Thanks Huber for the compliments - very much appreciated. Just one work session at the bench to go and she will be across the line. Not an easy kit for sure - a bit over engineered and the instructions caused some frustrating issues but, in the end, a nice kit and well worth the effort.

Carl Very much appreciated and I'm starting to get the feeling the Molotow Chrome pens aren't the way to go.

Thanks Oliver, much appreciated A few more hours tomorrow morning and she will be done.

Jbert - thank you for the nice comments on the P-40. Looking back at the build, there are alternatives to approaching the build and the final presentation, including displaying it with the full Allision visible and the detailed flaps with PE down as well. It's a bit pricy but offers a lot and now almost done, I would recommend the kit - just beware of the instructions - they look so good but are confusing.

Thanks Rob Glass came out well, just a lot of work double asking. I completely missed seeing the out of alignment of those two exhaust stacks and just added them to the fix list for the next and last build session. Part of the problem is the way GWH designed the stacks - they are too small for the opening and there is no positive fit location - they move all over the place. Appreciate the thoughts and experiences with using the Molotow Chrome Pens - I'm now starting to have some hesitations about spending another $7.95 to do additional testing. The Quina 3D decal adds a lot of interest to the hatch and that's the only tiny opening to see all the detailing and work that went into the interior. Just wasn't worth the effort and time I spent.

Thanks Harv Much appreciative. Just a few bits and pieces and light weathering and the P-40 will be across the line and in the display case.