CANicoll

Peter, another beautiful build, but your paint work, in particular, on the Spit is terrific. Flaps down or not - an excellent piece of work and it's not just because it's a Tamiya kit. Nicely done, my friend!

Scott, thanks for this. (I think... ). That is an amazing effect. I'm trying to think how I might use something like this. Your diorama is fantastic.

Looking great, John! Nice work on that nose join.

Closed up the landing gear openings and it is very clear Revell did not intend for these to be displayed shut. The nose gear door fit is ok, the main gear door fit is horrible. I paid more attention to the more visible nose doors than I am to the main door fit. Had to saw off the plumbing part of the main gear doors to get the doors to kind of fit closed. From the inside. Wrote the part numbers on the doors to make sure I put them in the correct locations. The notches are to clear the tabs for the bomb racks. There are no options to cover the entire length of the landing gear door. Might play around with some round Styrene rod to mock it up... Not that much of this will be seen once the engines and center tank are attached anyway. But it irks me... The centerline tank to the fuselage join is designed not to fit well: Attaching a flat surface to a curved one. Even in the 1990s this should not have been an issue. Thinking about the best way to handle this. Suggestions are welcomed! Working my way through the major assemblies and primer painting. I didn't know that the Hustlers carried external bombs? They go on racks on either side of the centerline tank. I can see that some seams are going to be a problem on the bombs... Bomb racks shown on either side of the centerline, extending onto where the tail will join later. The paint is Vallejo Primer Black. There are two options for the centerline tank - the top one is a fuel/bomb tank and the bottom one is just a fuel tank. I'm planning on using the top tank as I've not seen too many planes with the smaller tank. Still using the Vallejo Primer Black, which I really like for a semi-gloss black. It sprays on very smoothly. The engine intakes are sprayed with Model Master Jet Engine as well as the exhaust insides which you can't really see from the other photo. The three on the right have had a Black MIG wash applied. Several of the other bits. The intake cones are Vallejo Chrome. The tail has been sprayed with Vallejo Gloss Black primer which for some reason did not lay down well at all. Going to let this fully dry then take an 800-grit pad to it to smooth it out and respray with the Black primer or a Gloss Black to get ready for the tail decals. The white bit to the right is the pilots hatch. I still need to mask the canopy. Going with a white primer for the top-side surfaces as I am planning on pre-shading the raised panel lines in black- using a VERY fine needle - prior to applying the camo which I intend to do free-hand. The fuselage/wing join is going to take just a little bit of putty to close a few small gaps. But not as bad as I had expected. And here is my trusty helper.

Beautiful!!! Should have waited for the next GB as I'm sure it would have taken a prize!!

I didn't see the long grass as a problem - more that it was so long that it just flopped over, as grass will do. Looked fine to these eyes. The paint on the rocks, on the other hand, is another matter. It is just exquisite. I can't even THINK about replicating that look.

Rob, I grew up working at my dad's service station (Petrol station), back in the 70's. I loved working on cars so following your build, and the detail to which you are working is a sheer pleasure. Thanks for sharing your incredible work. I have to agree with Phil, but the great thing about build threads is that everything is there for everyone to see, forever! Simply beautiful work.

Mind boggling work just on the road surface. WOW. But the rocks and everything. I can't even imagine....

Whew, I'm trying! Nice this afternoon after that storm blew through. My youngest did Ice hockey so we didn't worry too much about the hot weather!

Scott, Gray aircraft are SO hard not to make monochrome, but you did a masterful job in weathering and shading an iconic aircraft. Really, beautifully done!

Mike, Catching up on your build. Wow! You are doing an amazing job getting the problems addressed, as you usually do! The detail work you are doing with the stringers and that front window (I think the big Catalina's also had a similar window in the nose of the bow) are really going to look terrific when all is said and done. Interesting subject, too!

Yeah, but it looks amazing!

John, thanks!! I'll do my best. 🙂 Carl - It does, but I really like the black undersides. Should be fun! Going to be 'in-flight' which means none of that very complicated landing gear and not doing the cockpit as you can't really see it if the cockpit isn't open. Kinda feel like I'm cheating, actually!

Great video! Thanks for posting, PW

I'm with you, Peter! Very tempting to do a finely polished B-58, in all of its metal splendor. Years ago I did do a 1/144 B-58. Tiny by comparison...

Decided to see if I can do this as a 'Quick' build. I have had this kit for a long time, and it is so old the instruction booklet is browning, and the decals, well, lets just say they have a patina to them. I thought the Tamiya 1/32 F-4EJ box was big... Ha ha ha! Taking off the top gives you this nice one-piece top of the fuselage. Lots of parts banging around. One of the belly tanks somehow got under the fuselage top. Individual Sprues The clear parts are actually very clear. These have not been touched yet, but I'm planning on blacking out the 'windows' anyway. The instruction booklet is so old it is no longer on white paper... Speaking of old, the decals are definitely taking on a yellow hue. Unfortunately, the only AM 1/48 B-58 decals I could find (on Ebay) are 21 years old!! And one set was going for $79!! Nope.... As much as I would like to have those SAC ribbon and shield decals, I have another idea for the scheme in mind. It is a 'what if' but I like it! Will see about doing the camo freehand - maybe!! Will see about paring it with my F-4 SEA Phantom II. The only problem is, the B-58 in 1/48 scale is larger than the F-4 in 1/32. Wow.

Looking good!

Beautiful work, John!!

Thanks Mike! How are you doing with all of our heat??

Completely agree.

Carl, How much were they asking for it? I've had mine for years. Need to find a decent set of masks or decals for it that are not older than I am! Maybe they make a set for a desert scheme?!!