GusMac

Okay, all primed up and ready to progress. Learning so much as I go forward with this. Firstly, how hard it is to take pictures with any sort of decent contrast of a black aircraft under artificial light! Now I see why people invest so much in their photographic set-ups. Everything is primed in Mr Surfacer 1500 which went on nicely but it was a bit of a shock how long it took to do this with the airbrush, even with the 0.5mm needle. Pretty happy with how the joints have come up after all the prep - not up to the standard of most of you on here, but a million miles better than anything I've managed before. However, my scribing skills definitely need a bit of work. There are a couple of rescribed panel lines, especially on the topside where the forward two fuselage sections join, that look as though I've done them with a trenching tool!! Think a bit of Vallejo filler wiped down with alcohol should hopefully fill them a bit but still leave enough detail to show as a reasonable panel line. Anyway, next step is work on the landing gear then onto the main painting. All comments, suggestions, etc welcomed. Cheers, Gus

Echo the sentiments that it's great to see another 32nd scale release but personally I'm waiting with anticipation for the Mirage IIIC release coming from Italeri. I know the IIIE is what most folk want to see but l just want to do a 6 Day War lDF one.

Hi Alexandr, Thanks for that. I hadn't realised they did one. The price looks similar here to the OptiVisor but it looks lighter to wear, so I'll have a look at that. Regards, Gus

Hi all, needing a bit of advice from my fellow myopics! Whilst slogging through the sanding,filling,scribing stage on my Flogger I've realised I need a decent magnifier system as the little stand based one I have is no use in many situations. Looking around the OptiVisor seems popular and reasonably priced - my question though is can it be worn with glasses? I've also seen the eye glasses style loupes which look ok but most seem to have very high magnification which I'd have thought would lead to issues with focal length and depth. Any advice welcome. Thanks, Gus

Great product. I just wish Jan, or some of the others, would consider doing something similar for more modern aircraft.

Quick query for Paulo, or anyone else who's built one of these. The tail has a virtually flat bottom edge which doesn't conform at all with the profile of the upper fuselage - large gap which is going to need filling and give a weaker join than I would prefer. Have I done something wrong or is this a known issue? Thanks, Gus

No photos this time as currently progressing through the purgatory that is filling, sanding, rescribing, repeat ad infinitum!! Got the 3 main fuselage sections joined and although the rear sections don't need much work the front sections definitely do. There's a 'step' in the sidewalls of the intakes where the two sections join which is a pita. May just be the way I've put it together as I don't remember too many others commenting on this. Now it's all together get a better idea of the scale - it's actually slightly smaller than the Revell Ju-88A1 so should be able to get it on the shelf as long as I keep the wings swept back. Pics to follow once I've got her in a condition to prime. Cheers, Gus

Superb weathering there, Jim. Kit looks lovely. Will have to get saving the pennies but like Matt I'd love to wait for the FB if I have the patience!

Evening all, a bit more progress. Got most of the sub-assemblies completed and got the engine painted and installed. Apologies for the quality of the photos, don't have a fancy set up, just my phone. The green isn't quite as vivid in reality as it appears here but it's a bit heavier than I was hoping for. I'm still getting the hang of the best settings on the airbrush set-up and think I'm spraying with too high a psi a lot of the time. I've also just got a couple of the cheap knock-offs from pleasedshop which Doogs recommended, so I don't think the trigger action is as good as I'd get with a decent brush. Plan is to play around with these two a bit more then buy the 'proper' version. At the moment the H&S Ultra seems the better of the two if these are any guide at all.

Looks great Arno. Those metallic powders look excellent - must investigate! Cheers

Looking forward to this Jeroen. Have always had a soft spot for the Mossie since reading the 633 Squadron books as a kid. Really hope they do the fighter-bomber as well. Gus

Thanks guys. Certainly having fun with this but painting the engine will be a test as I've never airbrushed anything like that. I'm also only realising now just quite how big this is. I know the measurements given are correct but it doesn't seem quite so big until you actually have it in your hand(s)! Might need to clear a few things to have room to display this. Cheers, Gus

A bit more progress to show. Only get limited bench time with work, two dogs to walk and two teenagers to ferry around so things take time. Anyway, got the front section sealed up. Have to say I'm loving the Tamiya Extra Thin to fuse the plastic as it gives an excellent join for sanding down, etc without filler. Think my rescribing skills need a bit more work but I'm happy with the outcome and it's certainly pushing my skills along. Got the main gear bays painted and weathered. Happier with the finish, I definitely think less is more with the enamel washes. Got the centre section with the wing mechanism done and the top of the gear bays finished. Also filled the holes in the wings for the transport tanks and have prepped and primed the next set of sub-assemblies - engine pipe, afterburner ring, splitters and intakes. Not much detail out there on the colour of the intake interior so I'm going with RLM Grey (Tamiya XF-22) as it looks close enough to me. One question I have is that I've got some Mr Surfacer 1500 that I'm hoping to airbrush but how much, if any, thinning does it need? I use Mr Levelling Thinner if that's of significance. Thanks for any suggestions, Gus

Great finish Tim, especially like the faded out effect on the tail. Cheers Gus

Finally got the seat to a point where I'm reasonably happy with it. Still not entirely happy with the pe belts but they're as good as I can get them with my skillset. I did try using masking tape to manufacture a set and just use the buckles from the pe but they looked even worse. First time I've used the Mig washes on this kit and I think I'm being a bit heavy handed with them. It certainly looks worse in the pictures but even to my eye they look a little OTT. Possibly need more of a gloss coat before I apply them but I gues trial and error will improve things with time. Lastly for this update, got a nice big hunk of lead in the nose which should be enough to keep it on all three wheels. Next is joining the halves of this forward section. This will be my first attempt at using the Tamiya Extra Thin to 'fuse' the plastic so fingers crossed it goes well. Any comments, advice, etc welcome. Gus

Prize to any manufacturer who comes up with fabric seatbelts for modern aircraft! Boy, I hate the pe seatbelts. Maybe I need a better magnifier and proper bending tools but these are just such a chore. I've only used the fabric ones a couple of times but just soooo much easier. I realise that modern belts would be considerably more complex than the WWII ones that are available but surely there would be a market for them. Anyhoo, I'll have something to post once I've stopped cursing at these and got something which looks vaguely presentable to attach to the seat. Gus

Thanks for the comments guys. Just one quick question Paulo - does it need any weight in the nose for balance? Never built anything this big with a tricycle undercarriage so not sure how to determine if it does and haven't found anything online. Just remember too many tailsitters from when I built 1/72 stuff as a kid, including an Airfix Mig-27. Cheers, Gus

Hi All, two firsts here - my first WIP post to a forum and my first kit painted with an airbrush, so a bit nervous but on we go. First here's the kit. Will be done with Aires cockpit set and Linden Hill decals. Plan is to do it as a Syrian aircraft which was shot down over the Bekaa Valley on 9th June 1982 as part of Operation Mole Cricket. I was 15 then and fascinated with air tactics and this followed on very quickly after the Falklands conflict. Remember being amazed at how the suppression of the SAM sites was done. Started on the Aires cockpit. Relatively straightforward to work out the fit and position of the sidewall pieces. Not entirely happy with colour of the tub as it's too blue to my eye but I haven't worked out a method I'm happy with for consistently mixing colours for airbrushing. Went with out of the bottle Citadel Temple Guard Blue - saw comments saying their Hawk Turquoise was a good approximation to SBT but it's discontinued and this was said to be the closest current colour. Doesn't look too close to me but too late it's staying now. Details painted with Tamiya acrylics then gloss coat, MIG dark wash and matt coat. Next step is the seat so more fun with the pe seatbelts. All comments and advice welcome, Thanks, Gus

Thanks for the advice guys. Can I just confirm that what is marketed as Future in the US, etc is the SC Johnson product known as Klear floor wax in the UK? I've also found a jar of something called Humbrol Clearfix in a box of stuff I got from a neighbour who used to model, would that also work? Thanks Gus

Hi All Sorry for another newbie type question, but I'm getting on with the cockpit for my Syrian Mig-23 MF and I've reached a bit of conundrum. It's the first time I've used an Aires resin cockpit and I'm unsure about the best adhesive to use for bonding the film to the photo-etch and then this assembly to the resin. I was thinking of using PVA type adhesive for the film/photo-etch bond but not sure if that has enough hold? All advice gratefully received. If I get this solved I should have enough to start some WIP photos. Regards Gus

Hi Paolo Thanks very much for that. Great to see what you've done with the kit exhaust without adding the expense of the Aires set. Regards Gus

Looking great Paolo. Can I ask what Tamiya colours you mainly used for the KM-1 seat? I'm just starting the Trumpy 23MF and I'm having a bit of trouble deciding the best match for the light duck egg type colour - some say FS35622, but doesn't seem to be agreement. If my cockpit ends up looking half as good as yours I'll be a happy man. Thanks Gus

Thanks James. That is very useful. Everything is an adventure at the moment as this is my first full build since purchasing an airbrush. It's always hard to judge just how far to push the shading before it looks unrealistic. This is what I love about this forum - all queries or requests get helpful, considered responses. Gus

If I remember correctly it was a Bf 109 but I can't remember if it was the E, F or K, all of which have been popular on here recently. I'm just looking for some ideas before I start my Mig-23, but given it's in the old Soviet Barf Turquoise I'm not sure anything too subtle would be visible anyway. Thanks Gus

Hi all, I have a memory that someone fairly recently posted a nice little review of their cockpit painting technique in their work in progress. I didn't think to bookmark it at the time and now I can't find it despite a number of searches. Would anyone happen to remember where it was located? Thanks Gus