ScottsGT

Y’all need to do Paul a solid favor and build those kits! I’ve got three different Fishers, going to try and do one a year or every other year.

I’m gonna call the weathering done! Now on to the fiddly bits on the bottom.

This! Even better, sounds like his health has made a great comeback. When he signed off he made it sound terminal. obligatory Zotz decal build photo…..

I thought Hanoi Jane was a certain actress that cuddled up with the enemy and ratted out POW’s that slipped her notes?

I must retract this statement. I misread the thread title. I didn’t catch the GREAT part. We have grand baby #3 on the way. We a long way off for greats!

It’s back with a vengeance here. Can hardly see across the lake. Charlotte air quality is critical.

I have literally spent all day scouring the internet for weathering ideas and watched the dogfight scene yet again two or four times today to see what condition these birds were in during filming. Not sure if it’s a low resolution video thing, or were these aircraft really clean for this movie? Honestly, everything I could find of the A model around the time of these paint colors seems to be pretty clean. Just a few hydraulic leaks here and there on flap and aileron hinge points, little nasty behind drop tanks and the winglets that hang down. But this build isn’t getting the drop tanks. Hopefully I won’t have to spend too much time making it look used.

Laying down the semi-flat clear over everything to prep for weathering! FWIW, I’m using the Dupli-Color Paint Shop automotive clear I mentioned in the tips and techniques section on saving money. Highly thinned with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. I used Mr. Color flat base to mix these up. And considering I really had to thin it out a LOT, a quart will be more than a lifetime supply of clear.

I tried going to his old website that still on his Sig line on LSP. Got all kinds of crap not associated with it. Anyone else try it yet?

And FWIW, I clipped off the edge of mine and soaked it to verify it’s not a decal.

Mike, I just pulled my kit out and did not even see that covered with the instructions. I remember when I built my fat face there was an online build article done by Paul, but I cannot find it now. I showed a lot of things the instructions didn’t. Might be an article on LSP? I was going to dig out my donor kit, but it’s buried deep in my garage loft. But I’m thinking you use the decals from it on the backer behind the gauge panel? Forget all that. I just figured it all out once my printed gauge face fell out of the decal bag. It’s a photo print that you trim and glue to the back of the instrument panel once you have it painted the way you want it. you can drip some clear epoxy into the gauge openings to look like glass lenses.

Congrats! #3 on the way for us.

Did you get the real glass globe for the top of B9? Yet another I have in the stash! Lighting and sound kit is a must for this one, but you better did real deep into your pockets. It ain’t cheap! I still have to buy that.

It’s looking great!

Tim, you should have gone and kissed your wife.

Been decaling all morning. Took a break to go to lunch with the old farts club in my area. Sitting there chatting afterwards and felt like something was stuck in the back of my throat. I did have shrimp, maybe a piece of shell? Coughed it up and it was a very tiny piece of the decal backing paper from my Tomcat project. I even know exactly what decal it was for. But for the life of me, I have no idea how I ingested it or if it had been there since early this morning. I swear, if I find something I thought the carpet monster grabbed looking up at me from the bottom of the toilet, I’m selling it all off and taking up a hobby with parts big enough for a 2 yo to play with. Like giant Lego blocks or those big wooden puzzles.

Progress!! Woo Hoooo!!! I feel like I’m seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope it’s not a train. 🥴 But started decals after reshooting the stabilizer.

Oh boy. Here we go again. Already this hot at 11:30

I cannot stand wearing gloves. Unless it’s cold out or using yard tools/work. Even the latex mechanics gloves. By the time I pull them off, half filled with sweat. 🤮 Maybe I should get some finger cots for decaling.

Yea, I’ve never tried cleaning lacquer paints with IPO before. Even in the auto painting I did at one time. It’s a new one on me. The fresh paint was picking up my oils on my fingers and was obvious on the high gloss black, so I wanted to get that off before applying the silver. Not sure how good distilled water would do on removing oils from my fingers. Maybe a little mild glass cleaner?

My vertical stabilizers are kicking my butt. I went to wipe down the LE to spray the silver. And who knew (or rather who didn’t know) alcohol melts Mr. Color lacquer paint? Got under the tape and ate into the paint. Slow fix. Between the wings being upside down and my paint issues I’m about to lose patience with this build. Nope. Not setting it aside. I’ll continue on…..

Well, this is as close as I can get it… they’re just sitting in place right now. They’ll tighten up one I put some grunt behind shoving them in place.

Keep us posted. I have the kit for “one day” as well.