Peterpools

Very nice progress on the Big Cat, will be following. Just a suggestion, you could ask martin to move your build thread to the 1/48th scale forum, as most of the members more frequently look there.

Oliver Keeping it simple: looking mighty good as always. Just a pleasure to follow your progress.

Ralph Looks a very rusty yellow here as well. Looking at the Tamiya paint bottle covers, they seem to be the right colors, so the white balance isn't the issue. Just thinking the Model Air might have been too thin and the black/gray primer is cause.

Just like Shermans as they all are on my top ten list. 👍

John Movin' along at a nice pace as the Birdcage is looking good as always in your hands. Glad to see the forum is doig what it does best: everyone, helping each other out.

Rob Looking so good. No question WNW kit fit is the equal to Tamiya in every way but so much is left up to the builder in managing how all the parts and assemblies come together; a job so very well done. 🏆

I remember the original TV and watching it with my son. I'm kind of old these days and happy to report, still getting older.

Dave Looking mighty good and absolutely s good use of aluminum paint; as it doesn't matter the model, they just don't go very far.

Ernie I'm voting for you and Carl for the "most Clutter Bench Award"🏆🏆

Rob You're right on the button, not only doesn't the windscreen come close to fitting, but it's also too wide. I'm also going to follow your suggestion and cut it apart, so I can narrow it up a bit and hopefully that will solve canopy problem #2.

Thanks PW, exactly what I now plan on doing.

Mike, very much appreciated and it's uncanny that the do kits look a bit alike and we're about the same stage of construction. Very much appreciated the photograph as it shows exactly what Kev is explaining and the course, I'm going to take this week.

Thanks Jeff, For your confidence in my modeling abilities. It's one of those kits that somehow just finds a way to keep getting under your skin. Being marketed under the Squadron banner, surely the instructions could have been greatly improved to help the builder, but it wasn't. I'm taking Kev's advice and keep moving forward and see what happens.

Thanks Kev Going to follow your advice as I'm almost ready to tackle the windscreen. Just felt that a kit being marketed under the Squadron Label would be better then a limited production, especially with the instructions. yes, the resin is good - not great and the decals are Cartograf but just not what I was expecting.

Rob Right with Martin ... brilliant. Very much appreciated the reason for the cammo decals on the interior, as it now makes sense. I'm sure landings at night and even in the daylight, weren't an easy task, given the technology of the day and stability. Just ask Ernie who has logged a zillion hours in C-26's. All my taildragger hours were in J3 Cubs.

The F4 looks mighty good

WHAT A DISSAPOINTMENT Additional bench time was needed to remove a good deal more of flash, mold seams and finish cleaning up parts. Finally, time for priming; MRP Black Primer was used and then the interior colors were applied; Tamiya acrylics. So far, the Songbird has been a huge disappointment and a letdown. As a limited production kit, I was prepared for the sloppy part fit but it was worse then I anticipated. As I struggled to assemble the cabin, trying to locate where parts belong, it became a guessing game, as the instructions are vague as to part location and orientation, everything being hit or miss. were hit or miss. Once the interior was glued in place, it became so obvious that the relationship in size, orientation and placement of the parts wasn’t close to what it should have been. The cabin windows were added, fit was poor, as expected and what it is, it is. A mask set for all the windows and front windscreen would have been a nice touch and there was none included. I decided to go with the fuselage door closed (all clear plastic here), as looking inside just wouldn’t do. There is an injected molded gray plastic door included but the clear window was not included on the fret; very strange indeed. Of course, getting the door to actually close was an exercise in frustration but finally I was close enough. And of course, when gluing the two fuselage halves together, mine were warped: par for the course. Once I sanded all the seams and started working on the horizontal stabilizer, I thought why not test the two part canopy and as you can see, the fit is awful and I just can’t imagine how much additional work this is going to take to correct. At this point, even being the Songbird, I'm starting to question my sanity for moving forward and banging my head against the wall. Black CCA used to fill in a few seams for added strength. The canopy fit. The top portion on the Songbird was painted over in the fuselage color but there are still more fit issues to deal with.

Martin Going to be a great build and it's on my list.

Martin Looking mighty good and that surely is the best way to deal with offending AB's that no longer want to cooperate and be part of the team.

Carl Nice work on the nacelle fairings - looking mighty good. I think it's more of a case you wore Jimmy out with all the rework.

Looking mighty good - just love those Quinta detail sets.

Scott Nice work on returning the bottom of the fuselage to 'roundness' shape. Agreed, she sure is going to be one huge model when done and in the display case. I completely agree, manufacturers try to make the models look better then the actual aircraft were with badly fitting parts in some places. If they reproduce it that way or don't succeed perfectly in correcting it, we take them to task for it. Just one of those situations they can't win.

Dave Looking mighty good in black primer.

Rob Much appreciate the short bio on how the pilot lands his plane - sure he hasn't much faith in his aircraft. Interior cammo decals look good but not sure why they would go to that extent? Glad you decided to go with the HGW bets - they surely look mighty good.

Ernie Nice progress and a good work around the glue issue. I've seen videos and some discussions that some of the newer kit's plastic doesn't respond well or even glue-up when using some of the solvent based cements such as Extra Thin but does work with Fast Drying Extra Thin(?). I've avoided the entire issue and with the slightest hint of an issue, jump right on the case with Revell Contacta Professional Glue (blue applicator). Works like a charm. Matter of fact, I've been using it more and more in all my builds - great stuff for sure. Almost like the old days when Revell tube glue was the glue of choice.