ScottsGT Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 Waited a while on building this one, but when the Air Force announced the splinter paint job, I knew that was a must have. Took a while, but aftermarket caught up. I bought the Kopecky exhaust back in 2020. No instructions included, but digging through the original post on LSP, I found where Jan posted them. Im building this one clean. No open missile bays, etc. Gear down of course. Here’s the bare cockpit in progress before the Quinta set applied. Engine modded for the aftermarket exhaust All the gear bays with the white applied, struts built. Now I’ve got to paint all the many hydraulic lines and wiring running everywhere. 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnie Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Awesome paintscheme! Looking forward to this one! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Now I see why Kopeckey makes replacements for all these parts. PITA with the seam locations. taped off one line at a time and filled with sprue goo. 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 That's a bit annoying with the way they placed it. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Ugh….more gaps. But once again, sprue goo to the rescue! I should have stole this idea and had it patented. 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 But starting to look like something other than a pile of parts. 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Looking mighty good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Such an ugly duckling of a plane, but at the same time really cool, especially that splinter scheme. Looking really good Scott. 👍 Edit: check out the F-22 in the background, it looks like it has some super dark haveglass gunshipgray going on there 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 15, 2023 Author Share Posted October 15, 2023 I’m at that “snails pace” of progress now. Filling, seams, sanding, refilling, gap work, sunk in areas, etc… Nothing exciting going on here. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 16, 2023 Author Share Posted October 16, 2023 I will add, I softened the RAM lines a little using various grits of sanding sticks. Discovered not only are they raised, but also have a higher center or bulged very slightly. Hoping this makes them a little less obvious. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Looking all business already. Me likey 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Looks good Scott. I still don't get why everyone does them as raised panels. They're worse than the BDR patches on Tamiya F-4 kits that everyone complains about. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 Scott Coming along very nicely. Completely agree with Carl, the RAM are basically a special tape to cover seams and gaps that would reflect radar signals and not raised surfaces as every model manufacturer depicts them. Decals or paint flat on the model is the way to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 This thing is wearing me down! Back many, many moons ago (1980’s) I was a paint and bodyman. We had a terminology we used in the body shop business. If a car was getting an all over paint job and the customer wanted it right, we removed all dings and dents. The bodyman was told to do a “walk around” which meant if you saw it, you fixed it before sending off to paint. You walked around every square inch inspecting and repairing. If it came back to you from paint with spots of masking tape revealing areas you missed, the boss wasn’t happy. I’ve walked around this damned F-35 three times now and I keep finding tiny boogers I missed over and over. But hey, we keep pressing on. Right? I thought this was a really nice kit when I opened the box the first time. It’s not too bad, but it’s no shake and bake kit for sure. Tires are a friggin’ joke. Looks like someone let the air out to piss off the pilot. Reskit replacements are on the way now. I looked online at real F-35 tires. These are so far off it’s unbelievable. Just too flat looking. 2 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 You sure someone didn't just cut the sidewall on that tire? The rest looks to be coming along, small touch ups notwithstanding. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 Okay, it just got real. One tiny spot where the yellow tape is at to cure then sand and it’s primer time! Well, after more taping things off. Close up of where I’ve sanded the RAM panels flatter. I did a lot of image searching today and found a pretty good one that showed the tape sitting a little proud of the surface along with all the gaps and what look like rivet holes. I guess fasteners of some kind. Once I prime and sand a few time they will be a little less obvious. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted November 2, 2023 Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 It’s been a while since I’ve been at my bench due to the wife having a 9 day stretch off from work. Trips everywhere and then has me wrapped up in her little projects. But got a few good primer coats laid down and the low spots from sink marks started showing up everywhere. I got the ResKit wheels and tires painted as well. I’m starting to see why this kit wasn’t a big seller even though it was the only game in town forever. The weapons bay doors are horrible. And almost impossible to fill due to the raised edging. Only way I could see doing them is sand off all the detail, flatten out the low spots and use Evergreen stock to rebuild them. Those are a lot deeper than they look in the pic. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Unintended oil canning effect? At least they look like they fit in the closed position. What about after filling and sanding them, you mask the perimeter and use a coat (or two) of Mr Surfacer to replace the RAM tape? Might be more subtle. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 11 minutes ago, BlrwestSiR said: Unintended oil canning effect? At least they look like they fit in the closed position. What about after filling and sanding them, you mask the perimeter and use a coat (or two) of Mr Surfacer to replace the RAM tape? Might be more subtle. Not trying to turn this model into a career project! There’s probably a 100 ways to skin a cat with this thing, but I just want to get along with my life and put a dent in those 300 other kits in the garage. As far as the doors fitting, pretty darned close. I had a few obvious gaps that I taped off and then loaded up with sprue goo to fill them in. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Scott Italeri strikes again. I bought the kit when it first was released, still in the stash and most likely will not be a bench project - way too much hard work to get everything aligned and looking right. Enjoying following your progress and seeing all the hard work you needed to do, I'm sure mine will remain in the box - shrink wrap is still on as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 57 minutes ago, Peterpools said: Scott Italeri strikes again. I bought the kit when it first was released, still in the stash and most likely will not be a bench project - way too much hard work to get everything aligned and looking right. Enjoying following your progress and seeing all the hard work you needed to do, I'm sure mine will remain in the box - shrink wrap is still on as well. Chicken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottsGT Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 Starting to get there. Sanded out the filler this am and now I’m laying down more primer. Looks like I caught the majority of the sink holes. I did pull the gear doors out of the sprue drawer and primed them as well. Front doors have some nasty sink hole I don’t think I can ignore. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 1 hour ago, ScottsGT said: Chicken! 🐔🐔🐔, yup, have to agree. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Scot Primer looks might good and smooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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