Peterpools

Gaz I was just too bull-headed and should have done just that, but I kept on plowing ahead, trying to resolve issue after issue - some caused strictly by me and others by the kit. Unfortunately, the undoing was the gear assembly and gear doors, which couldn't be test fitted until after painting and then it was too late - I was committed and paid the price. I've learned my lesson and moving on.

Thanks Martin, you hit it right on the head. I should have been a lot smarter and realized that when the enjoyment and fun evaporated, I should have just packed up the Whirlwind and moved on - struggling and fighting the kit was completely opposite of why I look forward to building. I've had enough frustration and issues to deal with these past few years and surely didn't need a model kit to add to it. Lesson learned.

Thanks Kev and I'm right with you and hope the same.

Thanks Scott For what the Cougar cost and the fact there aren't any around, you made the right choice. The Whirlwind was halfway to the bin but when I spilled the extra thin on two of the gear doors, that all it took to push me over the edge. I do feel a lot better today and once the recyclables are picked up on Wednesday, I'm sure I'll start to feel the juices retuning.

Thanks Phil, I will but I need time to get the mojo flowing and the desire to sit at the bench. Right now, I have neither

Thanks Carl, much appreciated. I should have been smart enough to realize this much earlier in the build and for me to just stop pushing that preverbal snowball up hill. Lesson learned.

Thanks Gaz, glad you understand. I'm absolutely taking a break and just need time for the built-up frustration to dissipate before even thinking of starting another project.

Thanks Dennis For me, there is a line in the sand I won't cross and when I do, frustration and aggravation has surpassed enjoyment and relaxation. Working on a kit with zero enjoyment and problems still piling up, I know that no matter what stage it's at, I'll never go back to it; re as it is, it's off to the bin. Lesson learned and hopefully time to move on.

END OF THE ROAD BINNED AND ON IT’S WAY TO THE LANDFILL RECYCLING FACILITY I’ve struggled and fought this kit since almost the very beginning – terrible instructions, vague part location and sloppy fitting parts. Except for the decaling which was a pleasure as it was a Cartograf gem, the kit was without question one of the worst models I’ve tried to build since returning to the hobby nearly ten years ago. I gave it my best and failed. Well over a week ago, I started on the last assembly: the landing gear and it was the same frustrations, day after day. It didn’t take very long to lose any desire to even sit at the bench. Finally, after using a lot of poetic license and John's cuss factor, I had the gear in place. The gear doors were painted and ready to go and after snapping two of the small door hinges, which was my fault, I just couldn’t for the life of me get the doors on. Then, I spilled some Extra Thin on two of the doors and knew I would have to strip and repaint them. That was it, I flipped out. Frustration, anger and a total dislike of the kit, overcame me. I completely lost it, tossed the kit into the bin with such force, it snapped and broke into a zillion pieces. I actually felt relief knowing I would never have to touch or look at it again. Nothing will ever tempt me to buy another Special Hobby kit. For whatever the reasons, I guess my skills at nearly 75 just aren’t there to deal with this type of kit. Being plastic, our plastic recycling day is every other Wednesday morning and the Whirlwind is now in our recycling bin and will be gone for good. My nerves are shot and my mojo completely gone. I was looking forward to starting the P-40 but I just need to walk away for a good while, as I have no erg or desire to sit at the bench and build at all right now.

YES!!!!!!!

Ernie Thanks for the info and I'll be ordering a set of each. I should be finishing up the Whirlwind by Wednesday - gear is now on and update tomorrow. The balance of the small parts and finish Tuesday and Wednesday and it should be done - thank goodness. Finally found the Quinta set at Hobby-Zone USA and ordered it. I'll start with the engine first, so I won't be waiting for the Quinta set to arrive.

Gaz How true. Today after a week of struggling, more cuss words then I knew I had, the gear was on. Thank goodness maybe only one more day and the Whirlwind is done and then I'm onto the P-40

Jerry Awesome lookingP-47 .. so very well done. Agree. adding in all the 'never to be seen' assemblies just doesn't make sense. l

John The gloss white looks mighty good and I would think it close to impossible for you to 'screw up ' adding the screws. But if it was me doing it, there is a good chance, I could have gone down the wrong path. 🙃

Gaz ZM, like Tamiya solved the issue of positional flying surfaces with either separate parts or parts with multiple hinges - a very nice touch. But why in the world did ZM choose go with a textured finish on all the plastic parts? Is it a cost saving measure by not polishing the molds as much as need be? Who knows, surely not me.

Gaz Looking perfect and you're all set .. now if only Kotare would let their Spitfire fly!

John Looking so good and mighty smooth. Looking forward to seeing Miss Bardahl in her marks .. has the decals been shipped yet?

Enjoy!

Phil Looking mighty good. Alway a good feeling to reach the paint booth stage in a build, as for me, it's the mid point and you're now on the back stretch and time to start thinking about the next build possibilities.

Phil Looks mighty good and keep going❗

Phil That darn black cloud keeps following us were ever we are in our builds. I suffered through cracking decals on two of my last four builds and feel your pain. Seems older kits, decals have suffered way too many heat/cold cycles while on the shelves, taking its toll and the hardest yet; a double compound curves surface - a tough combination. A "patch' that might work is using a stronger setting and softner solution such as Mr Setter and Mr Setter and very warm soak water. Other then that, I would consider a paint mask set which would handle the situation a lot better and hopefully save you from stripping the Wildcat back to bare plastic.

Thanks Paul, much appreciated. Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.

Thanks John Fun part is over - painting and decaling and now it's back to the grind. The biggest plus, I can finally see the finish line.

Hi Rick Thanks for checking in. SH's Whirlwind sure has been a test of will and even considering it's a limited run kit, it's just so hard to understand why they seem to over complicate the things. I've been frustrating myself to no ends working on the landing gear (the last assembly hurdle) and after reading how much the Tempest gear was a mojo killer, seems the same set of designers/engineers figured out how to do the same with the Whirlwind. They just seem to have a knack over overly complicating assembly steps. After you finish the He100, would be a treat to see you tackle the Whirlwind ... I'll surely be on board for the journey.

Thanks Phil, very much appreciated. I'm not really a weathering guy but I am planning on doing a bit of bleaching and maybe some grime in the panel lines. Right now I'm struggling with the landing gear as I feared - just way to finicky and it could have been designed to be installed a lot easier. Hopefully by Friday I'll be adding all the small, end of build parts and ready to move on.