Peterpools Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 Well, the official start date is here and I'm finally able to start the Kingfisher, which I've had for quite some time. Just a few opening pics and I'm off and running. The Official Day and Time photograph 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark31 Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 nice have fun Peter 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 1, 2023 Author Share Posted January 1, 2023 Thanks Mark If I remember correctly, I built one in 1971 (model is long gone). 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark31 Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, Peterpools said: Thanks Mark If I remember correctly, I built one in 1971 (model is long gone). thats and old kit at that time i whas not even born so that could be a chalenge to build but in your master hands no problem Its a special looking plane Mark 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomber_County Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 Nice selection, another kit I coveted. Always loved the box art. When did they add the PE? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landlubber Mike Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 Great choice Peter! I really love this plane. I considered building the Kitty Hawk kit I bought from you last year but want to up my skills a bit more to do it justice. For now, I'll sit back and be inspired watching you work your magic! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 1, 2023 Author Share Posted January 1, 2023 Mark Much appreciated. I started test fitting and cleaning up the parts today and the detail is amazing. Molded into the wing is the manufacturing data: Monogram, 1967. The kit has been reissued a load of times and mine was molded in 1993, with updated decals and some PE. Going to be a fun build for sure. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 1, 2023 Author Share Posted January 1, 2023 Thank Phil While the kit is from 1967, the PE and updated decals are from 1993. Still look pretty nice and equal to a lot of kits being done today. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 1, 2023 Author Share Posted January 1, 2023 Much appreciated Mike. I thought long and hard before selling the KH Kingfisher but in the end, I knew I wasn't going to build it. Knowing your talented building skills, I'm looking forward to following your build when you dive into the kit. I've always been partial to the Monogram Kingfisher and knew that when I was ready, I would buy and build it again. Just worked out to be the perfect GB build for me. This morning I've cleaned up the major parts and without much work, the fit is quite good. I'm making a list of parts I'll need to add and replace and still deciding on which paint scheme to use. I was surprised to see yellow Wings Decals has closed up shop and finding a fresh decal sheet for the Kingfisher isn't in the cards, so I'm going with what is in the box. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landlubber Mike Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 Great to hear that the old kit looks so good. 1967 molds, wow! Can't wait to see your work! Ugh, didn't hear that about Yellow Wings Decals. All these small AM guys put out great products for a few years then close up shop. Really sad 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 1, 2023 Author Share Posted January 1, 2023 Mike Their site is down and so much of their decals are not available from my normal vendors. I guess, as we age and retire, small one man business fade away - what a shame. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 Peter, looking forward to this. To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of the Kingfisher. It wasn't until the KH kit came out and I looked into it a bit more that I got one. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnB Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 6 hours ago, Peterpools said: Well, the official start date is here and I'm finally able to start the Kingfisher, which I've had for quite some time. Just a few opening pics and I'm off and running. The Official Day and Time photograph Nice old kit. I think I still have the one I built many years ago long before any PE, etc was included in the kit. Looking forward to seeing the build. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I still love this aircraft. Can't wait to see what you do with this, Peter! We seem to be hitting the old Monogram kits for this build. The Cat has a fair bit of flash to deal with - ahh, just like the old days! Chris 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belugawhaleman Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I always wanted this kit.....I didn't know about the '93 reissue. Will be watching! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 This should be interesting. When I was a kid, I built a 1/72 scale Kingfisher. But only had one color of blue paint. It was horrible. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Carl Just the opposite - always thought the Kingfisher was a tough, reliable aircraft and served everywhere in the Navy. Had the KH kit and just never had the erg to build it - now, wish I did. The KH kit would be a great entry for the GB. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Thanks John Hard to imagine anyone into the hobby as long as us, not having at least one in the stash and also not having built one over the years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Chris Right with you and there is something about the old kits that keep drawing us back into their realm. Can't wait to see you work your magic on the Black Cat - an iconic airplane and kit for sure. I started the clean up last night as I want to finish the P-40 this week before diving into the Kingfisher headfirst. Flash, not too bad, raised panel lines and details are really good - just have to be extra careful to avoid sanding and removing them. Funny, how looking at basically hand drawn instructions back in the day, while sort of crude compared to today's offerings, are so easy to follow, clean and clear. With all the computer-generated instructions of today, I wonder if we really improved the instructions? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Thanks Paul and neither did I. I now make it a point before buying an older kit to look at its history on Stalemates to see what changes the kit has gone through and the correct kit number and box art for the latest version. I learned a valuable lesson when I bought the 1/12th Tamiya F1 Ferrari 312T. An expensive kit in the original boxing and after having started the kit, discovered the later releases had a lot of changes, extra details, PE and new and better decals. Lesson learned. Glad you will be along for the ride. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Gaz Still a memory and that's part of the hobby for me - remembering when. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinM Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Peter still got that built version of mine in the cabinet I think 20/25 years old probably looks pretty rough.I like to keep my builds shows your progression over time.I never new she came out with PE from Monogram I do have Gabreiski's P-47 issue with PE in the cabinet! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Kev Thats awesome and wish I did the same. But over the years, numerous moves and flipping between hobbies, most of the older build s have long vanished. Wish I still had them or even pics but times for me were different then. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 MONOGRAM VOUGHT KINGFISHR 1/48 SCALE, ORIGINALLY RELEASED 1967 Finally underway and the Kingfisher was a kit I actually first built in the early 1970’s and is proof positive our memories of the Good Old Days, surely aren’t what they actually were. Back then, the Kingfisher was the state of the art and nicely detailed, some injector pin marks and mold seams. Who worried or even cared back then, it was a cool model and I hadn’t yet discovered, The Squadron Shop (where I saw how models should be built and bought my first air brush), IPMS or even using filler. Looking back, the Good Old days, were just that, a happy time with fond memories but seeing what was state of the art then to now, OMG, how the hobby has changed for the better. My kit is a later release 1993, with new decals and a small PE fret to add some much needed details that were not in the kit at all. So far, I’ve been busy cleaning up and removing thin mold seams, injector pin marks, sink marks and surprising not much flash at all. Next up, I started adding a lot of the various PE details to the cockpit side walls, gunners MG mount and ignition harness – with a lot more to go. The instructions are hand drawn, easy to follow and crystal clear. I’m in the process of cleaning up the wings, including the fit as the right hand top and bottom wing parts were a bit off in size and match. Needed to add the pitot tube now and fingers crossed I don’t snap it off along the way. The IP is now PE and will use the kit IP decal for the instrument faces to be glued to the back of the PE panel. The rear gunner’s MG ring now has a PE front detail with all the lightening holes – nice touch for sure. Sink holes were taken care of and am getting ready for priming and painting the interior. After some research on the subject, the interior should be a little darker then Interior green; close to a Bronze Green. See how it goes. The kit has very finely done raised panel lines and details and extra care needs to be given not to remove too many. The Old Light Bulb has gone off as I realized there aren’t any masking sets available and the kit has a boatload of glass. So all the masking is going to be old school – oh what fun. Interior clean up, prep and the sidewall PE added Exterior fuselage halves cleaned up, exhausts and gun sight drilled out (mighty tricky for sure) Wing fit is being worked on and the fine raised panel lines look very good. Flap and ailerons were cleaned up a bit more with a Tamiya P Cutter. Interior parts and small sub-assemblies done. Some PE added and does look good. While the ignition lines and header aren't accurate, they do look good and add a lot of interest. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HubertB Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Your Kingfisher seems to have the Vought float, Peter (the telltale of the EDO float is that it is longer, with most of the extra length being aft of the rear float strut). For me, it would good news for the KH 1/32 Kingfisher, as I prefer yellow-wings schemes, but I do not know which scheme you are leaning on. Anyway, Vought floats could be found on the pre-war / early war Kingfishers, especially on BB squadrons, with silver fuselage and yellow wings. HTH Hubert PS edit: to be fair, the float looks like the illegitimate child of a Vought and EDO floats mating during a long cold night … Still, with the chin going steeply up, it’s more VOUGHT thaN EDO, whilst the rear of the float has taken a bit of both parents … 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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