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

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Great work Rick, that is looking very sick. (my kids say that)

"what does it mean "

Great Dad!

Cheers Coolbox!

 

oh yeah, I'm well schooled on kid linguistics. 

 

I hope to continue better and more recovered, great work and interesting, I really liked the bays of the landing gear, pending further progress, kind regards.

Cheers Jorge.

 

That's looking Great Rick!!! 

Thanks Jonathan.  Progress in small steps. 

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To say I have a love hate relationship with photo etch is an understatement.  Using Eduard's interior the seat an belts are put together.  Textile belts, RB and HGW, have spoiled me so.

 

TRU_P40Seat.04.jpg

Seat bended, folded painted and some light weathering along with the lap belts.  Now to do some aggressive bending and secure with epoxy.

 

TRU_P40Seat.02.jpg

Belts bended and secured with epoxy.

 

TRU_P40Seat.01.jpg

Apologizes for crummy pics.  Some final touch up and weathering then on to final cockpit work.

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Guest DannyVM

I really like the way you working to improve the cockpit interior Rick. I'm a great fan of Eduard stuff, anytime someone use this stuff you really see the difference. Great pilot seat also. Same go's for me, working with pe, gives me sometimes shivers, but on the other hand, when the work is done, i'm a happy guy.

 

Can you tell me what kind of problems go's with this kit??

 

Greetz

 

Danny

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I really like the way you working to improve the cockpit interior Rick. I'm a great fan of Eduard stuff, anytime someone use this stuff you really see the difference. Great pilot seat also. Same go's for me, working with pe, gives me sometimes shivers, but on the other hand, when the work is done, i'm a happy guy.

 

Can you tell me what kind of problems go's with this kit??

 

Greetz

 

Danny

Danny,

 

I'll respond later.  I'm up to my ears with all things parenting, all good.  I have plenty to say so far...tail plane, wheels, cockpit.  Later....

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Kit came without N-2A gunsight so it's back to some scratchin'.

TRU_P40N-2A.02.JPG

2.4mm styrene tube with a .3mm x 2.0mm strip wrapped around top for lens.  Then a 2.5mm disc and 2.0mm disc are punched out of styrene card and placed on top of lens cover to replicate removable cap.  Cap strap created using a piece of flattened out .3mm lead wire.

A 1mm rod is slid inside the tube to serve as a mounting pin.

TRU_P40N-2A.01.JPG

TRU_P40N-2A.03.JPG

TRU_P40N-2A.04.JPG

Test fits looks good.  It's hard to see, trust me it's there, the lens cover cap is touched off with a secure nut punched out of styrene card.

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N-2A gunsight complete.

 

TRU_P40N-2A.07.jpg

Bottom is painted NATO Black and the removable cap is Alclad Duraluminum.  I added some cockpit stencils.  Assumption there was a "remove before flight" note on the cap.  Meh, close enough.

 

TRU_P40N-2A.06.jpg

Detail picked out with panel line wash.

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Gun Charger handles.

 

TRU_P40_GunChargers.04.jpg

The gnat size Eduard handles were just that...gnat size.  I made my own with some .5mm styrene rods.

 

TRU_P40_GunChargers.01.jpg

Painted NATO Black.

 

TRU_P40_GunChargers.02.jpg

Trim and install...wait for it.

 

TRU_P40_GunChargers.03.jpg

After I installed the handles I was feeling real proud of myself.  I opened my reference book to discover these handles were RED.  :BANGHEAD2:

 

They will remain NATO Black.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 2/21/2017 at 5:23 PM, DannyVM said:

I really like the way you working to improve the cockpit interior Rick. I'm a great fan of Eduard stuff, anytime someone use this stuff you really see the difference. Great pilot seat also. Same go's for me, working with pe, gives me sometimes shivers, but on the other hand, when the work is done, i'm a happy guy.

 

Can you tell me what kind of problems go's with this kit??

 

Greetz

 

Danny

So sorry for response delay Danny.  I got sidetracked and completely forgot.  Apologies, please.

The issues I have discovered to date:

  • Heavy riveting on the tail plane
  • Heavy opening for the formation lights
  • Cockpit depth is too short
  • Main wheels are a multi piece assembly nightmare

More details on issues when I bring this back to the bench.  I hope to resume on this and the A6M2b this summer.  Stay tuned.

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Now that my Mossie is complete I'm actually finding some bench time this summer.  Kids are now old enough to be shipped to overnight camps and day camps.  That means several things:  1) Conversations with my wife in complete sentences.  2) Several "date nights".  3) Bench time.  Noting, priority is #1 and #2.

 

Before I button up the fuselage I want to enhance the Formation Lights.  Abandoning the kit lights and will upgrade with MV lenses.

 

TRU_P40_FormationLights.04.jpg

I'm adding Formation Lights using MV Lenses #203 Blue Lens 2.2mm dia.

 

3cf188e9-7993-4661-810c-4571ff1f1225.jpg

Prior to filling the formation light opening.

 

TRU_P40_FormationLights.01.jpg

First, I filled the existing holes with putty.  Sanded and primed to clean any imperfections.

 

TRU_P40_FormationLights.02.jpg

 

TRU_P40_FormationLights.03.jpg

Using a #44 Drill the holes were carefully opened.

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  • 4 months later...

Finally making progress on this build.

Fuselages and wings glued.  Fuselage and wing edge seams cleaned.  Will address the wing root next.

TRU_P40_Front_Wng.Attach.jpg

TRU_P40_Fuselage.WingAttach.jpg

Black primer applied to find any offensive seams.

TRU_P40_PortPit_Detail.jpg

Scratchbuilt cockpit fits well.  I lighted this image to show inside detail so color is indeed off.

TRU_P40_StarboardPit_Detail.jpg

Port side of cockpit.  Seat not installed.  Stall buzzer on starboard real panel scratchbuilt with punched discs and some creative sanding.  Pilot armor back not glued, yet.  I have a plan.

 

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  • 3 months later...

Quite a few personal curve balls thrown my way these past few months.  i'm happy to resume some much needed bench time.

Roy launched the release of his P40B wheel set.  I was planning on using HAS P40 "smooth" wheels to replace the hideous TRU kit wheels.  The HAS wheels are good.  The Barracuda P40B wheels knock everything available out of the park.

I'll compare the Barracuda wheels with the TRU P40B kit wheels.

P40_Wheels.01.jpg

P40_Wheels.02.jpg

P40_Wheels.03.jpg

Mr. Color 1500 Black Primer applied.

P40_Wheels.04.jpg

Time to lay some paint.

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I'm a fan of Black Basing/Marbling technique.  It works well for me.  All paints are Mr. Color 306 Gray and 304 Olive Drab diluted 1:2 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.

P40_Paint.01.jpg

Mr. Color 306 Gray applied using my Mr. Color/Creos PS770 airbrush.

P40_Paint.02.jpg

Then Mr. Color 304 Olive Drab.

P40_Paint.03.jpg

Then a thinned 1:3 Mr. Color 306 Gray/Mr. Leveling Thinner on the lower and thinned 1:3 Mr. Color 304 Olive Drab/Mr. Leveling Thinner layered and blended on the appropriate marbled color.

P40_Paint.04.jpg

Thinned Tamiya Smoke has been applied aft of the cooling flaps.  This is phase one of weathering for this area.

P40_Paint.05.jpg

Exhaust NobleKraft NK3201 P40B resin exhausts replace kit multi piece nightmare.

P40_Paint.07.jpg

P40_Paint.06.jpg

Canopy masked inside and out then painted.

P40_Paint.08.Canopy.jpg

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Hi Rick, never tried black primer, but I like what I see from your experiences. Combined with that marbling effect you create a great depth to the following paintjob.
You can hit Homeruns even on Curveballs :D.

Cheers Rob

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Using Montex Masks the insignias and related markings are applied.  Colors used are Mr. Color 69 Off White, 326 Blue "Thunderbirds', 327 Red "Thunderbirds"  all thinned 1:2 paint/Mr Color Leveling Thinner.

The engine panel will be glued.  I gave the engine a quick paint as it can be seen through the exhaust and cooling flap openings.

P40_Mask.04.jpg

Start off with off white for ID number and national insignias.

P40_Mask.01.jpg

After 24 hour cure for the off white I begin adding the blue.

P40_Mask.03.jpg

P40_Mask.05.jpg

P40_Mask.06.jpg

P40_Mask.07.jpg

P40_Mask.08.jpg

Some lifting on the "S" will touch up later.  After cure will add red on insignias.

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Seeing red.  Red dot applied to the national insignia as well as tail stencil data.

P40_RedMask.01_1.jpg

Mr. Color 327 Red "Thunderbirds" thinned 1:2 paint/Mr Color Leveling Thinner.  I use multiple thin passes to prevent any bleeding through the mask.

P40_RedMask_2.jpgMasked removed.  Minor lifting to be addressed later.

P40_RedMask.09.jpg

Happy with results, now on to the tail stencil.

getPart-9.jpg

Mask applied to tail.

P40_RedMask.02.jpg

Tamiya NATO Black XF69 thinned with Mr Leveling Thinner 1:3 and...

P40_RedMask.06.jpg

Masked removed then Mr. Color 123 RLM 83 Dark Green to cover pursuit squadron number.  This method also applied to cover pursuit squadron number on inside wing.

P40_RedMask.08.jpg

Next is prep for panel line and washes.  Also give prop and landing gear some love too.

P40_Hawaii_White_300.jpg

P40B "White 300" at Bellows Field shows paint applied to cover pursuit squadron number and some mild weathering.

Interesting to note the surface of aircraft is super flat while the surface around the prop hub back just beyond exhaust stacks has a slight sheen.  Certainly from ground grew guys servicing engine and nose guns.  What's with those shiny tires?

The pre-war red dot not visible on fuselage national insignia.   If you look real close you can see the slight image of the red dot on the under wing national insignia.

Note the absence of the "iron sights" in front of windscreen.

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10 hours ago, rkranias said:

Seeing red.  Red dot applied to the national insignia as well as tail stencil data.

P40_RedMask.01_1.jpg

Mr. Color 327 Red "Thunderbirds" thinned 1:2 paint/Mr Color Leveling Thinner.  I use multiple thin passes to prevent any bleeding through the mask.

P40_RedMask_2.jpgMasked removed.  Minor lifting to be addressed later.

P40_RedMask.09.jpg

Happy with results, now on to the tail stencil.

getPart-9.jpg

Mask applied to tail.

P40_RedMask.02.jpg

Tamiya NATO Black XF69 thinned with Mr Leveling Thinner 1:3 and...

P40_RedMask.06.jpg

Masked removed then Mr. Color 123 RLM 83 Dark Green to cover pursuit squadron number.  This method also applied to cover pursuit squadron number on inside wing.

P40_RedMask.08.jpg

Next is prep for panel line and washes.  Also give prop and landing gear some love too.

P40_Hawaii_White_300.jpg

P40B "White 300" at Bellows Field shows paint applied to cover pursuit squadron number and some mild weathering.

Interesting to note the surface of aircraft is super flat while the surface around the prop hub back just beyond exhaust stacks has a slight sheen.  Certainly from ground grew guys servicing engine and nose guns.  What's with those shiny tires?

The pre-war red dot not visible on fuselage national insignia.   If you look real close you can see the slight image of the red dot on the under wing national insignia.

Note the absence of the "iron sights" in front of windscreen.

Probably done for a visit by a flag officer for an inspection.  We did these all the time, called a "dog and pony show" in AF lingo.

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