Peterpools

Ernie Unbelievable how poorly Infinity missed the marked on the details. By the time you are done, except for the outer skin, you've rebuilt and scratch built the entire interior. A massive amount of work and my money is riding on you.

Thanks Kev Glad you're on board and so far, the kit is about what I expected and no major issues at all

Gaz Congrats on your first sale. The amount doesn't matter as you made the sale and the best way to thin out the models that are giving up shelf space for newer builds. Thanks for sharing your shipping method - lots of work but surely safe and sound

Thanks Gaz So very much appreciated.

Some mighty good news

Rest in Peace as you Fly West

Carl Agreed, the extra work on the front office does look good and well worth the time and effort. What I always wonder, is why add all the extra details and spend the time on details that will never be seen when the model is closed up?

Thanks Paul, very much appreciated.

Hubert, very much appreciated

Thanks Dennis and I completely agree ... the Kit World Seatbelt set does leave a lot to be desired and on my next WWII RAF build, I'll be following your lead and using the Airscale Sutton sets. I just need to figure out which Sutton harness is what.

Thanks Martin, greatly appreciated and keep those pics comin

Thanks John Feels good to be making n ice progress and I just couldn't leave well enough alone and did a bit of house cleaning in the front office and then glues up the fuselage halves.

UNDERWAY AND MAKING PROGRESS Special Hobby step one was the front office, my usual kickoff point and a good way to get a feel for the kit in general. Remember the rules: This is a limited run kit and there will be challenges. Challenge One – getting use to the instructions. While they are reasonably nicely laid out and in color, there isn’t any getting around they are prone to be vague as to part location and how the parts actually go together. The best resource I found was the CAD photos on Special Hobby’s website and the photographs Martin and Dennis have posted - they do answer a lot of questions. Once I understood where the parts actually went, I noticed the detail parts weren’t crisp nor sharp. Careful brush painting helped bring out the details and overall, the final look was pretty good and did the part. On all the parts that had lightening holes represented by ‘dimples’, I went the extra mile and drilled everyone out as it made big difference in the overall look. Numerous times I questioned Special Hobby’s assembly sequence as the road they chose seemed to be more difficult then need be. Part of the assembly decisions was based on how the detail parts were designed and they are a bit over complicated and where the part could have been just one piece with the correct angles at the attachment points, SH made the part from at least two or more parts and the gluing angles needed a bit of luck added to the mix. One other confusion issue I ran into a number of times is which part to actually use, as two versions are included in the kit. If you refer to the instructions it shows a specific part and part number and yet when you look at the full sprue drawing, that particular part had a Red X crossing it out (?). I decided not to use any primer on the interior and went right to the main color: MRP RAF Interior Gray Green. I spent hours on end hand painting all the sub-assemblies and details with Model Air Paints about 95% of the time and the balance with Tamiya lacquer paints. As I had already discussed, the IP has raised details and is covered with a single Cartograf decal, that should have been a piece of cake. But after cutting the decal into three parts to help the decals sit down over the numerous lumps and bumps using Gunze Mr Setter and Mr Softer, I was amazed that the decals just wouldn’t soften, wouldn't sink into place nor conform very well. My normal and tested decal procedure for the past 40 years was useless. What seemed to work was to position the decal in place with Mr Setter and leave it alone until dry. Then start layer on top of layer, letting Mr Softer dry in between each coat. Eventually the decals began to soften and sink into place but not the way they should, I have no idea why and this is the very first time I have ever had any negative experiences with Cartograf decals. A few instrument decals are missing and I left it that way, just high lightening the gauge as so little can be seen. The cockpit details looked pretty good and I thought I would do a bit of weathering with some washes and I was very happy with the results. While the weathering was drying I built up the seat, again needing the CAD drawings to help put the puzzle together, following up with MRP Interior Gray Green for the frame and a tannish brown for the back cushion. Kit Worlds 3D Resin Seatbelt was installed and I was quite pleased with how they looked but I do agree with Carl they are simplified, a bit lacking in ‘heft’ and don’t seem to look the part. This is one kit, I wish Special Hobby would have offered an AM set to help with the front office details.

Carl Seatbelts and harnesses are looking mighty good - nice and busy.

Gaz Well used and worn and surely earning her money. Looking mighty good

Carl Nice work on the seats with the belts - they sure are looking mighty good. For the money, the Quinta seatbelts that come with their cockpit sets are fantastic - just wish they would sell them separately and offer other seatbelts sets that aren't offered with their cockpit sets. Yup, I feel as you, that the Kit Worlds seatbelts for the Whirlwind are a bit thin and simplified but they only game in town. Are the side console panels Eduard PE? After using the Quinta sets of late, I'm getting spoiled.

Welcome aboard and what a terrific project to join the party with. Will be following and enjoying the build.

Nice start to a very impressive model and build. The details are amazing and straight out of the box it a museum piece for sure. I'm front and center for the whole journey, start to finish.

Ernie Right with you and completely agree - nothing beats good, crisp, clear photos of the real deal for accuracy and guidance. Restored aircraft photos have their place but in the process of restoration, liberties and compromises are made as we are all searching for the same historic documentation. For me, it's part and color, with color being at the top of my list, as the B&W's of the period cannot portray the actual color.

Rob Holy Cow what a build and you surely didn't hold anything back on your re-entry in modeling. No question you advanced all the troops, and the Corsair looks fantastic. It took me quite a while to embrace digital photography as basically a film shooter from the mid fifties finding a new home with digital.

Thanks Rob and I'm planning on hopefully building a few more Corsairs this year: F4U-1A and the Birdcage. Just love those Tamiya kits and if you have any photographs of your Birdcage, love to see it.

Thanks Rob, so very much appreciate your kind words on my Spitfire build and new building style of tamiya aesque.

Thanks Ernie, I sure hope so.

Ernie The Helldiver, Buffalo and Corsair all underway and each pulling at you for bench time. I had a hard time just remembering where I was and what I was doing when I built the GT40 and Embraer at the same time and compared to your three projects, mine were as simple as they get. I still forget more times then I care to remember, what needed to be done on what and when. Talk about tension and pressure ... your triple build is way more then I could ever do at the same time and actually ever finish. .

Ernie No doubt you are winning the war of part fit, location and repair. The front office work and detailing looks tremendous and I know exactly what you mean by trying to figure out where the parts go, as the instructions on limited production kits leave a lot to be desired. I'm knee deep into putting the Whirlwind front office together and right with you in that part location is a cross between the vague instructions causing more frustration then guidance, spending hours gazing at 3D photos and just lucky guess work. I have to admit it's been a challenge but nowhere to the extent the Helldiver has taken you and I'm going nearly straight OOB - no resin just kit parts. Looking so good.