GusMac Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 So, just something to prove I have actually being doing some building recently and not just commenting on everyone else's. I'm not very good at WIPs as my bench time tends to be sporadic and I'm a crap photographer but anyway here's where we are. Everyone knows the kit and it's faults. I'm correcting some and ignoring some as it'll only be going in my cabinet and no-one else who's likely to see it would even have the foggiest what a SLUF is meant to look like. In terms of AM, I'm going with the following Fox Two books A7E/H in Hellenic Service which is great. Some lovely pics and inspiration. Aires cockpit set for the late A-7E Zacto correction set for the intake Videoaviation Mk82s which look stunning. I'm going for the full 'bomb truck' look so I hope I can do them justice. Eduard Brassin MERs AMS Resin wheels Icarus Decals HAF Corsairs set Eduard cockpit masks So here's the main components so far Joined the inner and outer wing halves before joining the upper and lower as every recommends. Cockpit and seat assembled and painted. The grey wash looks overdone with the flash but isn't so obvious to the naked eye. Zacto intake correction attached for the inner section and filed and sanded back doing my best not to damage the resin. At least the Greek birds have a mid green intake which should help to hide any issues better than the white of the USN aircraft. Some of the corrections I've made. These ones are just to have a try at using sheet and rod sytrene to adapt things. Added the ventilation system exhaust and opened up some of the grills on the avionics doors. Also added the exhausts, etc at the back for the starter and other things? Looking at the photos, I just realised that adding the PE for the chaff/flare dispensers now was stupid as it's going to make cleaning up the fuselage join a lot harder. Doh! Anyway, that's the next step. Shoehorn everything into the fuselage and get it joined up. Clamping up the front around the Zacto ring is what's worrying me but I'm hoping two part epoxy and a good 24 hr cure should do it. We'll see... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Fine WIP. You're doing great and it's looking good! Gaz 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Fantastic start of one of my favourite aeroplane. Pulling out my proverbial chair ....comfy chair 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted December 8, 2018 Author Share Posted December 8, 2018 Yeah that's a nice scheme Martin as is the 'tiger' one also used for airshows but I'm going for a worn beat-up airframe to try and test my painting skills. Not sure exactly which yet but the Fox Two book has plenty of ideas. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Sweet, that would be my choice as well. Majority of Greek jets are beaten by the element. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted December 8, 2018 Author Share Posted December 8, 2018 That's the sort of idea I'm after. Not sure how exactly I'm going to do it but it'll be fun trying. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Nice pics, Martin! If I was gonna do this bird... I would have to go Hellenic just to enjoy trying to weather it. Gaz 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmperorKai Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Nice start GusMac! I like the really weathered ones too. Kai 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas_H Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 FWR, the A-7 has always appealed to me. A late 50's design with a giant intake & jet engine. Your work is outstanding. No apology necessary in the least 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grunhertz Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Great start loving the work with the intake 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomber_County Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Great start, looking really good. I am the same rare benchtime, bad photographer etc etc etc.... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HubertB Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Will you correct the wrong windscreen / canopy ? It’s really one of the inaccuracies that spoil the look of this kit, whether poeple looking at it are kowledgeable or not about things aircraft Hubert 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 Hi Gus, great start to your WIP. I always liked the A7, another iconic design and It's great seeing you tackle it. As a teaser and heavy weathering guide I have some photos of a not too well maintained example in Chino California. Cheers Rob 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DannyVM Posted December 9, 2018 Share Posted December 9, 2018 I got this kit also in my stash, and i'm gonna make also a Greek bird, so this topic i will follow with great interest. The Zacto intake is the only thing i still need to get. Succes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted December 9, 2018 Author Share Posted December 9, 2018 Thanks gents. Rob, that looks even more 'distressed' than most of the greek schemes! Hubert, I'd like to correct it but I'm not prepared to pay more than the cost of the kit for the Zacto correction set off eBay. If he reissued it I'd be right there but there seem to be insurmountable issues with casting the canopies. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis.E Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 Good Evening Gus, beautiful work in the cockpit; grey hues really do set off all that detail Aires provides in their products. ..And don't worry about the chaff dispensers my friend; mask them off when you put the 2 fuselage halves together and use a good water based putty...no sanding! (All you need is a wet finger, and don't mention that to anyone else either!). While I'm here Gus...how do you upload images for your articles? I would really like to put something together early in the new year when work settles down and the Christmas season is over... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis.E Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 -Sorry Gus for wasting your time...I have figured it out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 Thanks Dennis. The Aires tub has excellent detail and seems to fit ok but the nature of the fixed sides does make some of the painting a little awkward just to reach stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 Very nice start and the front office: WOW! Keep 'em comin Peter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted December 17, 2018 Author Share Posted December 17, 2018 Thanks Peter. Progress has been made as fuselage is together and wings are complete. Just working on the hideous fit of the airbrake, etc at the moment. Will post some pics once everything is tidied up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusMac Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Quick post-holidays update on progress... Everything went together remarkably easily. I know the Aires sets have 'variable' fit but this one just dropped in with minimal effort. The front of the pit has to be trimmed slightly to accommodate the top of the Zacto inner intake ring but it's easily done. The outer ring then went on and the fuselage halves were fairly easily clamped to shape. 2 part epoxy, a couple of 10mm clamps and overnight to set and all was well. Bit of work required with some Milliput to flush in the intake lip and the front of the canopy but sands down nicely. Windscreen has had a light coat of clear green on the centre panel and the putty lines done in light grey before final masking. Bit more work needed on the underside as the air-brake area fits poorly but some plasticard sorted it out. Similar fix required for the underside of the flaps which have a weirdly engineered 'trench' where they just don't even come close to joining up correctly. Next step is priming with Mr Surfacer 1500 which I'll do when my wife is out of the house as she doesn't appreciate the aroma!!! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Nice job smoothing the tiny edges of the kit. Your A-7 looks pretty good and nice work on the resin, all blends in perfectly. Cheers Rob 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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