CANicoll

Started on the free-hand camo last night. What I learned is, I should have started on a 1/48 scale fighter like a P-40 or Spitfire! Using my Grex Tritium because I really like the control with the trigger and a .2 needle. VERY hard to do such long lines and not over do the paint in one part and under in another. The 'fill-in' I should have done with my Iwata HP-CS and the .3 needle which covers a much wider area. Will take a look at the overall effect later and see if I need to go over anything again. Using the MRP paints and spraying at about 10psi. Next up, is dark green. Here is the idea: While the paint was drying, added the centerline tank and the fit is better than I expected. Used Testors Cement on the length, and CA gel on the alignment pins. Especially on the rear fin - that is a very large pin and the hole it goes into is even larger so not a tight fit. The CA holds it securely as there is some tension on that join. That Hustler look is shaping up And had to try a dry-fit just to see how it is all coming together. The fit, surprisingly, is pretty good. I might respray the engine nacelles to match the camo. Have not decided yet... And noticed some gaps that needed a bit of filler...

Hey Kevin, I do have access to a nice woodshop... hmmmmm. Looking forward to seeing your build.

The Internet is an amazing place sometimes... Found this picture of the bomb pylons and the B-43 Thermonuclear bombs, as well as the larger under belly tank. Also found out that in 1967 the Hustler was proposed to be moved from the SAC inventory and be redesignated as a Tactical Bomber to take over from the poor performing F-104 and F-4 Fighter Bombers. This did not come to be, however. For those interested in the bombs, here is the Wikipedia page: B43 nuclear bomb - Wikipedia.

Have you tried a web search on "7U Cutlass blueprints"? I saw a lot of drawings, but not sure if any of those would be helpful to you?

I have the 1/48 F-4C from ZM so will be following along closely. Nice win!!!

Nice work and on the research as well... Can't imagine there are that many surviving Cutlass's out there for reference...

Making progress on the underside. Found that some of the sprue for the kit was as close to the right size as I expected to find. Plus it was handy and free! The focus won't be on the underside, but I didn't like leaving the doors the way they were. This is marginally better. Before painting with some putty on the joins: After with a coat of paint. Still not great, but maintains the profile, anyway. Attached the engine pods to the underside of the wing. The joins are two small pins which are far undersized for the holes they go into in the wing. Attached with a combination of Tamiya Extra thin, CA, and Testors cement (at various stages, not combined!). At least they are not resin so not very heavy and don't have to worry about this being a tail-sitter either. Vallejo Black Primer on the underside.

Thanks Carl. I was thinking of cutting out the middle of the tank pylon, leaving the edges, but that actually would not work very well with the points on both ends of the tank pylon. The gaps on both sides are pretty big. Might just build it up the sides with some sheet styrene to cover the gap and add more stability.

Taking advantage of the extra time, I decided I needed to address the underside with some washes and touch up. The underside was really stark so it needed the attention. Starting off with some cockpit pics which I neglected to add the first time around. Noticed in the photograph that Little Chris has a NMF leading edge to the left side intake. So used a Molotov Chrome paint pen for the touch-up work. Really needed to address how clean the underside was, so used the MIG Natural Wash ( light gray ) to dirty things up a bit. And finally did more of the panel lines on the underside including the drop tanks I only knocked off ONE of the Sidewinder fins in the process!

Thanks Peter and Hubert. Definitely an interesting project with the main objective to get to the camo painting. Also, "In-Flight" means I can put it on a stand and still have other models under it. My display case is getting fuller and fuller. Between the 1/48 Catalina, all of the 1/32 Mustangs, and now the 1/32 F-4E. Whew!!

I've always had issues getting the HGW belts together. Sometimes with good results, sometimes not. Nice work on yours, sir!

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