ScottsGT Posted July 7, 2023 Author Share Posted July 7, 2023 Yea, I’m sitting here now killing time between primer coats and sanding it. I’m quite pleased with myself with my fix. Not quite the FUBAR I thought it was going to be. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 9, 2023 Author Share Posted July 9, 2023 Movin’ on! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 9, 2023 Author Share Posted July 9, 2023 Got a few fuzzy edges to fix from tape not seated at panel lines. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 Scott3 Nice progress on the Big Cat - looking mighty good 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 Looking good there Scott. Want a crack at a Tamiya one? Don't think I'll do a third one. Lol. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 On 7/10/2023 at 6:44 PM, BlrwestSiR said: Looking good there Scott. Want a crack at a Tamiya one? Don't think I'll do a third one. Lol. I’m done too! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 Well, this is as close as I can get it… they’re just sitting in place right now. They’ll tighten up one I put some grunt behind shoving them in place. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Looks good Scott. I'm getting close to engine install too. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 My vertical stabilizers are kicking my butt. I went to wipe down the LE to spray the silver. And who knew (or rather who didn’t know) alcohol melts Mr. Color lacquer paint? Got under the tape and ate into the paint. Slow fix. Between the wings being upside down and my paint issues I’m about to lose patience with this build. Nope. Not setting it aside. I’ll continue on….. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 That's definitely an odd one there Scott. I haven't come across that issue before. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Hard to imagine, how you accomplished the great progress and bug hunting with the Tomcat given the lawn issues you had . Our huge garden is more like a jungle, needs a lot of work too, but you can hide a lot and our grass part isn't anywhere near a golf lawn, but a paradise for our dog. Cheers Rob 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Scott, Yikes - not good news on the paint issue and fingers crossed the repair work will go well. 🤞 I always try to follow a general rule: after the final cleaning with alcohol or Self Leveling Thinners and once the painting process is underway, if my Tamiya anti static brush doesn't do the trick, distilled water is the cleaner of choice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 58 minutes ago, Peterpools said: Scott, Yikes - not good news on the paint issue and fingers crossed the repair work will go well. 🤞 I always try to follow a general rule: after the final cleaning with alcohol or Self Leveling Thinners and once the painting process is underway, if my Tamiya anti static brush doesn't do the trick, distilled water is the cleaner of choice. Yea, I’ve never tried cleaning lacquer paints with IPO before. Even in the auto painting I did at one time. It’s a new one on me. The fresh paint was picking up my oils on my fingers and was obvious on the high gloss black, so I wanted to get that off before applying the silver. Not sure how good distilled water would do on removing oils from my fingers. Maybe a little mild glass cleaner? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Scott Not sure either and I've been pretty lucky and only a few times over the years, needed to deal with fingerprints in the painting stage. I always try to wear gloves (latex and when decaling cotton) to help prevent fingerprints. A few times, I've rushed it, forgot the gloves and yup, paid the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 I cannot stand wearing gloves. Unless it’s cold out or using yard tools/work. Even the latex mechanics gloves. By the time I pull them off, half filled with sweat. 🤮 Maybe I should get some finger cots for decaling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 Progress!! Woo Hoooo!!! I feel like I’m seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope it’s not a train. 🥴 But started decals after reshooting the stabilizer. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Scott Nice work on the decals - they are looking real good and proof positive, you're on the final stretch to cross the finish line. I know how you feel about wearing gloves as it is a real pain but for me, it's my best offense. against fingerprints once I reached the painting stages. Sometime, more and more these days, I'll just use a microfiber cloth to pick up and handle a model when decaling and adding the finishing parts, repositioning it in a model stand. And of course, there are times I just plain old forget. 😉 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 Laying down the semi-flat clear over everything to prep for weathering! FWIW, I’m using the Dupli-Color Paint Shop automotive clear I mentioned in the tips and techniques section on saving money. Highly thinned with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. I used Mr. Color flat base to mix these up. And considering I really had to thin it out a LOT, a quart will be more than a lifetime supply of clear. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Purty 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 I have literally spent all day scouring the internet for weathering ideas and watched the dogfight scene yet again two or four times today to see what condition these birds were in during filming. Not sure if it’s a low resolution video thing, or were these aircraft really clean for this movie? Honestly, everything I could find of the A model around the time of these paint colors seems to be pretty clean. Just a few hydraulic leaks here and there on flap and aileron hinge points, little nasty behind drop tanks and the winglets that hang down. But this build isn’t getting the drop tanks. Hopefully I won’t have to spend too much time making it look used. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HubertB Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 17 hours ago, ScottsGT said: I have literally spent all day scouring the internet for weathering ideas and watched the dogfight scene yet again two or four times today to see what condition these birds were in during filming. Not sure if it’s a low resolution video thing, or were these aircraft really clean for this movie? Honestly, everything I could find of the A model around the time of these paint colors seems to be pretty clean. Just a few hydraulic leaks here and there on flap and aileron hinge points, little nasty behind drop tanks and the winglets that hang down. But this build isn’t getting the drop tanks. Hopefully I won’t have to spend too much time making it look used. The general rule is that US Navy aircrafts take a lot of beating, and weather rapidly (but then the paint is patched-up by maintenance crews as allowing corrosion is a no-go, hence the quilted effect which, for once, is justified). This said, the weathering was a lot heavier on the Forrestal-class CVs than the CVNs, because of the fuel exhaust soot from the boilers. And, most likely, the US Navy wanted their Tomcats to look pristine for the Hollywood guys … So, I’d say little weathering is the best option for this specific model … Hubert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Scott, if you get the chance check out the credits for the movie. There's more inflight footage as well as cat shots of various planes. The planes are fairly clean throughout the film with a bit of grime along the bellies. I'll be leaving mine mostly clean. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted July 21, 2023 Author Share Posted July 21, 2023 I’m gonna call the weathering done! Now on to the fiddly bits on the bottom. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Scott Looking mighty good and in the movie, the Big Cats seemed to be White Glove Inspection Clean. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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