Landlubber Mike

Looks great! I actually have been moving away from Vallejo primer as I find it has a tendency to lift, at least if painted on metal (I like using it for things like the cockpit or interior where there is no masking). Mr. Surfacer primer has been my go to, but I might have to try Vallejo again given your words of support! You're right, it's very easy to use!

After seeing the ResKit rotors and other aftermarket a while back, I got a hankering to build a helicopter. Will be following this one for sure!

Wow, this is looking spectacular Ernie. Very nice job!!

Wow, looking really good Peter! You're moving along quickly!

Ha! It almost came to that!

Thanks guys for the positive vibes. I managed to get everything pretty much painted and assembled pre-clear coat/weathering over the weekend. Stayed up way too late last night to get to this point, but things were going well and I wanted to go with the good mojo. Looking back, I'm not sure that at my experience level hacking up a Special Hobby kit to add in half a dozen plus aftermarket items was a smart decision, but I'm pretty happy how this is turning out. It probably doesn't look like it, but getting the engine mounts, engine, cowl, bracket, etc. were hours of work! Lots of dry fitting, sanding, filling, etc. The CMK parts are very nice, but the instructions are not always the clearest at times. I almost cried when I accidentally snapped one of the V-shaped landing gears in half trying to drill in holes for the hydraulic cables, but somehow the modeling gods were with me and I managed to get it put back together without much trouble. Anyway, here are some pictures. Clear coat tonight, weathering later in the week, and hopefully done with this and the Wildcat by the end of the long weekend so I can start the group build. Thanks for looking in!

Looking great Hubert. That punch set looks fantastic. Good luck with the appointments

Great start Peter! By the way, I love how you include a picture of your current build in your signature line. That one looks really sweet, love that camo scheme (though, have a little soft spot for yellow wings as well).

Wow, you're right! lol

That diorama must be huge! Can't believe he did the conversion (scratch built the landing gear??), lighting, scratch extras, and diorama in only 3 1/2 months. Would take me 3 1/2 years!

Looks like your gutsy move paid off. Bravo!

Looks really good Ernie. You're really plugging along now, home stretch as Peter said!

Nice close-up pics of the 6A - thanks for sharing! Are you going to do the 6A, or stick with the 5A?

My dad used to work for Grumman up in Long Island. I remember as a kid going to their summer picnic and they had a bunch of their planes out for the employees and families to look at. Was really cool!

My daughters like to do these bigger complicated Lego kits. The instruction manuals are very well done, and they package the bricks in separate stage packets so you don't go crazy looking for a part in these huge kits. Expensive, but keeps the kids quiet for a few days while they work on them.

That paint work is really nice John, wow! I like the hint of the salmon primer underneath.

I was given a Speedmaster (the moon watch) by my uncle when I graduated high school many years ago. Had no clue how generous a gift it was until five years later when I went to a jewelry shop to have some of the band links taken out so I could wear it. Casually asked the cost and I immediately locked it up and didn't wear it until probably a decade later. Nice watches but pricey, especially if you have to get them cleaned out, springs replaced, etc.

Looking forward to this one!

Nice subject Bill, looking forward to your work on this one. I considered building it myself for the GB, looks like a very nice kit.

That's looking really sweet Ernie - excellent job!! Quite big too, I think I'll stick with my 1/48 Pro Modeler kits! I'm in negotiations with SWMBO as to what kind of display case I can buy, so smaller the model the better at this point (though the stash would look smaller if I worked on those in the biggest boxes first).

Nice job on the lights and paint! That yellow came out really nicely.

Good idea - now you don't have to choose Funny, I first added a Pro Modeler 1/48 Helldiver to the stash a while back, and then couldn't decide on the camo scheme. Then I found a second one on eBay for a great price pimped out with a ton of AM goodies (sold by someone 15 minutes away so I didn't have to pay for shipping), so I picked that one out as well so I can make one Atlantic, and one Pacific, and will do one closed up with folded wings also. Come to think of it, I ended up in the same boat with the 1/48 Accurate Miniatures Avenger and have two complete kits/AM sets for the two camo schemes - was going to start them after finishing my Wildcat and Buffalo, but they will move down the queue so I can work on the GB.

Great start Chris! That interior green looks really nice. Looking at the IP, I wonder why True Details even bothered? I have the TD pack for my kit, I should take a look to see what it looks like.

If you can't decide, just build two

Nice choice! Looking forward to this one!