GusMac

Thanks Erik

Thanks Cees. I like them partly because they're relatively simple. The WNW kits look amazing but the thought of having to rig them scares me off. Got to keep trying to improve so maybe...

As well as lurking on here I have actually been doing some modelling recently amongst work, decorating the house and kids. So here is the progress to date. This is the kit, Tamiya's venerable F15C with various bits of AM - GT Resin seamless intakes and exhausts, Quickboost ACES II and Cutting Edge IDF Baz decals. Plan is to do it as this aircraft 840 Commando which shot down the Mig-23 I built last over the Bekaa Valley on 10th June 1982. It was flown on that occasion by Benny Zinker who shot down the first Mig-25, flew on the Osirak mission and retired as a Brigadier-General. The aircraft also claimed a Mig-21 the following day flown by Yiftak Schadmi and two Mig-23s in 1985 flown by Avner Nave who ended up as Air Force Chief-of-Staff. These are all the bits done so far. Everything was primed with Mister Surfacer 1500 black then airbrush and hand painting with Tamiya and Gunze acrylics, finally wash with a mix of Ammo's products. Some more detailed pics - apologies for some of the quality, I still can't get decent photos as I think I need a better lighting set-up. The serial number for this airframe was 80-0129 so in the absence of any exact pictures of the interior I've gone with the theory that all sent out the door after the end of 1979 had Bay 5 painted white rather than the preceding metallic turquoise-ish. If I'm wrong, tough it's staying! The Quickboost seat is very nice and I'm happier with the end result than I was with the PE seatbelts on the Mig. Painting them is definitely a test of my skills with a brush and of my eyesight! Thank god for the Optivisor. Just wish someone would come out with fabric belts for modern aircraft though. As usual comments, critiques, etc welcome. Gus

So sorry for your loss Nick and hope today was not too hard to get through. Remember all the good times, it's the only way to stay sane.

Wow Erik, that's a lot of photos, but some great stuff there. Not a huge fan of naval stuff but some beautiful examples there, especially the Graf Spee and cut-away U boat. Lovely Viggens - wish someone would do a 1/32 kit. Thanks again for posting, Gus

Very nice Wouter, lovely work on an interesting subject. The mottling is beautifully subtle. Never quite understood the rear-firing barbettes on these things - just seems like a good way to shoot your own tail off if you get it wrong! Gus

Thanks for posting Erik, some great stuff there. Like the Mig-27 myself but I'm a sucker for Soviet era jets.

Ooh, if you do start producing these bases, I think I might be in for a few.

I'm going with Ed as I've been thinning Tamiya acrylics with the Gunze self-levelling and never had any issues with the results. Only thing to watch is that the ideal paint/thinner ratio seems to vary with some colours but a quick bit of testing sorts it out.

Lovely result Jeroen. Really interesting to see the detail of how the wings attach like that. Hardly seems substantial enough but obviously did the job. The base really finishes it off.

Hi Tom, lovely work on a great subject. Used to see them a lot up here heading to and from Lossiemouth. Am I understanding you correctly that you're now going to cut the tail off again? I find it hard enough to assemble things once never mind chopping them off and re-attaching! Gus

Nice Cees, but won't you miss the dust?

Wow, those are some seriously psychedelic colour schemes there Fransisco. It would certainly be cool to see one of them done. I certainly never knew they used P47s as assembly ships. Think I'm off to google that book. Gus

Looks great Cees. You get a real impression of the scale in those images... and of the amount of dust you must have created to get to this point! Gus

That's pretty good, especially materials included. Bet the machine itself costs something eye-watering though.

Thanks for the clarification Jeroen. Pretty cool that it can even print in white. I hate to think what it costs. Gus

Wow, that looks amazing Jeroen. Presumably it works best on something with a very smooth surface like the MDF rather than natural timber? Does create lots of interesting possibilities though. Gus

Hope you didn't sneeze just after you took that last photo, Cees! That is an impressive pile of shavings. Can't imagine taking a plane to a model and ending up with such a neat result. Gus

Hi Woody, check you haven't hit the 'minimise' icon at the top right of the section which shuts the section and leaves the title text faintly visible. I only know that as I must have done it by accident and lost the WNW section. Gus

Sorry Cees, resin is out of my league at the moment. I'll leave that to you experts who've reached the exhalted heights of administration! Does look like an unusual subject though. Remember seeing Gannets at airshows as a kid - also an unusual beast. Gus

Lovely work Thomas and congratulations on the new addition. Hope she's sleeping well. Gus

Hi Cees, I'd agree with Wouter. I've only tried the rivetting a couple of times but the Dymo tape worked for me - not having a proper wheel or anything, being able to measure and mark the spacings on the tape with a pen was also a big help. Think you've put more effort into the tail of this beast than I have into some entire kits ! Certainly worth it though. Gus

Thanks for clearing that up Fab. How thick is the timber sheet? Surprised it has the strength to maintain the structural integrity in such a complex design. Not my thing, but looks very impressive. Gus

Hi Cees, the windows look great. I'm amazed you got such a good finish from CD box plastic, I would have thought it was too brittle. Gus

All that PE looks like a nightmare - very intimidating. I suppose if you screw it up you could always use it for draining pasta! Looks beyond my PE skills anyway. Gus