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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

A29 Super Tucano US Marines LAS


rkranias

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It's been a crazy few months with another knee surgery, kids soccer and swim team ramping up.  All good.  However, bench time took a hit.

I binned the Ju88 Mistel 2, MDC Typhoon and FW190C conversions for the time being.  All that resin cleaning, hollowing and fitting was killing my mojo.  So I took a break and worked on 2 Eduard 1:144 Spitfires.  No WIP images as I just wanted to do a build and relax.  I feel much better now.

On the bench is Hobby Boss's EMB-314 Super Tucano which will be built as a fictitious USMC A-29 LAS aircraft based somewhere in Afghanistan.  3 tone Lo Vis gray camo FS(36) 495, 320, 375 will be applied with a load out of 4 GBU12's.

 

http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r555/rkranias/A-29%20Super%20Tucano/A29_BoxArt.jpg

Hobby Boss EMB-314 Super Tucano will be the base kit.  Test fit yields good fit with light panel lines.  The Hobby Boss trademark "seam" on the canopy is there.  Good news, on actual A29's based in Afghanistan there is some type of center seam on the canopy.  Is it an antenna?  Expansion joint to survive in the hot dessert conditions?  Not sure.

 

http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r555/rkranias/A-29%20Super%20Tucano/Scooter.jpg

Using Furball's Devil Dog Scooter decal sheet I am going to use the Lo Viz marking from VMA-311.  Obvious the intake warning, aircraft ID decals will not be used.  I will use a few of the kit decals for stencils, etc.  Serial number decals will be generated from my laser printer.

 

http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r555/rkranias/A-29%20Super%20Tucano/A29_AM03.jpg

AVM A29 Super Tucano LAS resin set will be used.  This set includes a FLIR, armor belts, centerline "wet"mount, chaff & flare dispensers, laser range finder and corrected underwing belly box.

 

http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r555/rkranias/A-29%20Super%20Tucano/A29_AM04.jpg

Usual Eduard goodies will be used.  I will only use landing gear and a few other PE exterior parts as the access doors and panels give the model clunky out of scale look.  The real A29 the access doors and panels are quite smooth. 

 

http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r555/rkranias/A-29%20Super%20Tucano/A29_AM01.jpg

Quickboost gun barrels and exhaust sets.

 

http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r555/rkranias/A-29%20Super%20Tucano/A29_AM02.jpg

Eduard Brassin GBU 12's will serve as the load out.  Great detail.  Started cleaning...add colorful metaphors here.  :)

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You crazy man!!

 

You bin 3 resin kits to start a new smaller scale build with.... RESIN!

 

 

OMG...

 

Following!

These resin parts fit quite well.  Belly Box will need some putty.

 

A far cry from the trimming, hollowing and making fit I've had to do with the Mistel, Tiffy and 190C.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 years later...

Eduard ordnance.  This step has been a double edged blade.  I've been looking forward to this step, then again I have dreaded this step.   Originally, I was going with GBU12 Paveways for the load-out.  Then after I saw pics of an A29 with AGM114 Hellfire load-out  I decided to go with the AGM's.

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Trim and clean the AGM's and rack.  The Laser Seeker Lens is a very nice clear resin offering.  My first thought is to paint the back silver.  Then...

 

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Using my Dispae cutter I cut  3.0mm disc of HUD film.  When positioned behind the Laser Seeker Lens the HUD film gives off a pretty cool effect depending on angle of light.

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HUD film installed and the clear lens glued.

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Laser Seeker Lens

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Lens masked then a coat of GUNZE 1200 Surfacer followed by GUNZE yellow-orange for the ID stripes.  Yup, not gonna use the transparent decals.

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Photo-etch fins added.  Time consuming is an understatement.  Then masked yellow with .75mm strips

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GUNZE NATO Black applied then masks removed.

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Varnished decals applied then varnish again for panel line wash with a semi gloss varnish.  Varnish is Tamiya Gloss and Semi-Gloss diluted with MLT 1:1.

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WIth majority of lens not covered with paint the HUD film does its thing with light.  Not sure if this will work when model is on the table.  Ok, one down three more to go.

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The AGM and GBU's will be use magnets for load-out change options.

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The AGM's masked and ready for NATO Black.  sThe 2 missile racks are in the upper right.  Magnets?

The AGM's have 12 pieces each, 10 photo-etch.  While the launch mounts have 8 pieces each, 6 photo-etch.

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The AGM's will be glued on the racks. Then the complete unit will me matched with the wing pylon with magnet installed.  NOTE:  That magnet is actually a 2mm dia, 1mm thick magnet.

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GBU12's with lots of work remaining.

The GBU's are a 7 piece each, 1 photo-etch affair.

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The GBU's will use same wing pylon as the AGM's.

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AGM114 Hellfire missiles done, finally.  What seems to be an eternity the AGM's are finally completed.  Each missile has over a dozen pieces each and the racks are 8 pieces each.  A lot of hours into these.

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Laser Seeker Eye lights up thank to HUD film placed underneath the lens.

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These missile racks drove me crazy.  Had I not put in so much time into the missiles I would have abandoned the AGM's as ordnance option.   Fidgety, difficult and uncooperative are best adjectives for these.

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Now on to the GBU12 Paveway's.   2 GBU's and a mere 7 parts each.

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After overall Gunze 1500 black primer the GBU 12's get some paint love.  Overall olive drab.

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Laser guidance tech housing masked and painted brown.

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GNU 12's decals, lots of them...9 each.  Hooray!

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Final varnish to seal decals then on to panel line wash.  A varnish of Tamiya FX86 flat clear 1:1 with MLT seals the panel wash.

On to the laser seeker head.  Using my DSPIAE cutter I cut 2mm dia circles of HUD film.

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Secured with HUD film Future.  I know you're wondering...HUD film placed correct side up.  :)

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To create the lens I carefully placed a dot of thick UV Acrylic glue on the tip of laser seeker.  Then cured with a shot of UV light.

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Color me happy.

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A little dusting with Olive Drab pigment on the bomb casing to come.  The end is near on these guys.

 

 

 

 

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More explodey things?  Eduard 648168 Mk.20 Rockeye II. 
 
Bonus is I'm getting a nice set of 1:48 ordnance complete (with mounting magnets) and will certainly put these to use when I break out my A7E Corsair. Think HAF livery with massive load out. I’ll just have to build the Mk.81’s
 
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Only 1 piece of pe each.  It's a beautiful thing.
 
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Over a dozen decals each, horray!  I fiddled around with those yellow stripe decals enough on these.  Moving forward will mask and paint, like I did on the AGM's. 
 
After a varnish some panel line wash is applied to bring out some detail.
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Tamiya FX86 Flat Clear with MLT 1:1 seals the panel line wash.
 
Ordnance now complete.
 
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On 5/23/2016 at 12:36 PM, JeroenPeters said:

You crazy man!!

 

You bin 3 resin kits to start a new smaller scale build with.... RESIN!

 

 

OMG...

 

Following!

Ha, you know I'm not a smart man.  :)

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LANTIRN Pod (Eduard 648548) completed.  Painted overall Gunze 305 Dark Grey (FS36118)  I'm considering this color for overall on aircraft in lieu of my original plan of 3 color camo.

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I cut a piece of HUD film to place over the laser seeker lens.  The silver base mask not the cleanest so I'll try a panel line wash around the lens.  Further, I placed the HUD film wrong side up so the effect is "less".  Then, I carefully spread Acrylic UV glue and gave it a shot of UV light to cure.  Not the effect I was hoping for due to incorrect placement of the HUD film.

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FICE!

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Ordnance, fuel tanks and FLIR complete!  This represents more time than I spent on the A29 kit to date.   Each has mini magnets for easy load out configuration.

Over 80 decals and over 50 pe parts.  Fun times!  I lost count how many colorful metaphors and "WTFFF-are you kidding me!" moments.

E8F45895-6957-4C52-9387-78EA39975A71_1_1

 

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Starting off with the cockpit the Martin Baker Mk.8 seats get some PE love.MartinBaker_Mk8.02.jpg

Each seat has 4 PE parts.

MartinBaker_Mk8.01.jpg

Parachute packs test fitted to top back of seats.  Rear seat IP dashboard coam gets some annealed PE attention.

Cockpit sidewalls added.

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Test fit with pit tub and rear IP coam.  Looks good.

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The Eduard PE gunsight looks awesome and the angst begins when it sits too high obstructing the fit of the windscreen.  I tried the kit supplied PE gunsight...same results.

So, time for some scratch building.  First had to reduce the top of dash coam so the gunsight will sit low enough.  Then with plastic card A mount is secured.

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Plastic card as viewed from inside dash coam.

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Test fit, looks good.

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Reducing top of dash coam I lost the access panel detail.  Eduard PE look like the best solution.  Meh, I just did not feel comfortable using PE for this tight spot.  So i opted for Archer resin decals.  I was pleased with the results and the security.

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Test fit cockpit details.  Lots of Eduard detail.

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That huge canopy looks tinted.

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The seam was removed on the canopy frame. Tamiya clears X19 Smoke with a touch of X26 Orange highly thinned with MLT.  A few passes then after full cure a dip in Future.

Some reference pics did show a faint seam on the canopy glazing.  After getting my hands on a close up image of the canopy the seam is actually a wire with no seam on the windscreen. :BANGHEAD2:    I will correct this.

IMG_3789.JPG

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Fuel tanks buttoned up.  I added about 40g of tungsten putty in the nose area before buttoning up the fuselage.  

Eduard PE and bake lines added to wheel wells. 

IMG_3781_(1).JPG

Always love a good weld.

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Stabilizer surface controls sanded to correct shape. 

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Wings and stabilizers secured.

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AVM resin "Belly Box", fuel tanks and wing racks "pylons" cleaned up.

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Test fit yields some putty, sand, repeat in my future.  Stabilizers secured.

IMG_3886.JPG

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1 hour ago, rkranias said:

Ordnance, fuel tanks and FLIR complete!  This represents more time than I spent on the A29 kit to date.   Each has mini magnets for easy load out configuration.

Over 80 decals and over 50 pe parts.  Fun times!  I lost count how many colorful metaphors and "WTFFF-are you kidding me!" moments.

E8F45895-6957-4C52-9387-78EA39975A71_1_1

 

Rick

Glad to see the Super Tucano back on the bench again and underway. Incredible work on the loads - 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, rkranias said:

Fuselage and fuel tanks buttoned up.  Eduard PE and bake lines added to wheel wells. 

IMG_3781_(1).JPG

Always love a good weld.

IMG_3661.JPG

Stabilizer surface controls sanded to correct shape. 

(edited)_IMG_3781.JPG

Wings and stabilizers secured.

IMG_3890.JPG

AVM resin "Belly Box", fuel tanks and wing racks "pylons" cleaned up.

IMG_3889.JPG

IMG_3892.JPG

Test fit yields some putty, sand, repeat in my future.  Stabilizers secured.

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IMG_3887.JPG

 

Rick

Some mighty nice work: details look so good. Nice to see the Super Tucano assembled and moving down the line. 

 

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43 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Rick

Glad to see the Super Tucano back on the bench again and underway. Incredible work on the loads - 

 

 

 

 

37 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Rick

Some mighty nice work: details look so good. Nice to see the Super Tucano assembled and moving down the line. 

 

Thanks Peter!

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Belly box is epoxied and after a few days cure 3M Acryl Glazing thinned with MLT is used to fill the gaps.

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Sanding for what seems to be an eternity.

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Primer is applied to discover any surface imperfections.

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After sanding all seams and filling access panels on belly box (speed brake is left alone) a final shot of primer is applied.  Archer resin decals will be used throughout to replace all access panels throughout the aircraft.

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Overall primer complete. 

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And it begins.  After looking at the Eduard PE offering for the Super Tucano I felt the access panels were slightly clunky looking and plentiful.  My biggest fear that one of the nearly 30 PE pieces would fall of from my clumsy handling long after the painting process.

I'm going in for Archer Decals.  Will be using a mix of mostly 1:48 and a few 1:32 access panels. 

Woody gave me some very much appreciated great coaching tips on applying these.

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Over 40 Archer resin decals applied.  I tried to match size with the Eduard PE pieces and came pretty close.  For me, I had to keep the water hot or the large resin pieces curled.  Also, do not trim the carrier film close to resin decal the carrier film is needed to allow the resin decal to nest on the surface properly.  Walthers decal setting solution was used, the film snuggled in quite nice.  After a day cure I hit all the decals with light coat of MLT, thanks for the tip Woody, and the film just blended in.

A few PE pieces to be annealed and glued into place then hit with primer.

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Primer base Gunze 1500 Black.  A few seams appeared and I dealt with them straight away.                                                    

Gave the canopy seam some love.  As in removal.   Starting with 3200 grit sanding sponge and progressing to 12000 grit I polished off the seam on the canopy and windscreen.

Will tint with Tamiya Smoke/Orange clear brew.

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8E9FB780-A49F-48BD-93E9-E2B3F8B26E42_1_1

 

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Armor belts (AVM Resin upgrade set) added. 

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Black primer applied to the armor belts.  Getting closer to painting.

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At first I thought the armor belts were clunky looking.  After seeing pics of real thing...my Prime Directive is activated, FICE.

A29_InFlight_ArmorBelts.jpg

Chaff/Flare dispenser test fitted using 5mm wire as locator pin.  These will need some work.

IMG_8602.JPG
 

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Before painting I'd have  some fun and give full display of the accordance for my A29.  All magnet mount so combinations are plenty.

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Left to center:

AGM 114 Hellfire misssles x2

Mk.20 Rockeye II

GBU 12

External fuel tank

LANTIRN - Low Altitude Navigation Targeting Infrared Night

Only 2 hard points each wing and center hard point.

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688054A3-EAB1-439F-BF7F-B0B6D772634B_1_2

Really anxious to see if the HUD Film shows up when model is on the table.

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Rick

The prep work looks perfect and I fully understand your reasons for deciding to replace the Eduard PE panels with the Archer's Resin Decal Panels - nothing like peace of mind and they do look mighty good. I have to admit I've never seen them used before and from your update, they apply much differently then the Quinta Resin Decals I use. Any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

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