F-86F30 Sabre WIP #2

Now since the introduction to this project the other day, the main repairing to the damaged Alclad on the wing has been done. The first two photos were taken just after I had painted the undercarriage bays in interior green. I was asked on Facebook earlier what I used for the metal finishes on this model. The colours are as follows;

Airframe Aluminium, Stainless Steel, Aluminium, Magnesium, Duraluminium, Jet Exhaust, Burnt Iron and Pale Burnt Metal.

This is how I intend to pose the model once it is finished and the base is done. There is still a way to go now, some more detail painting is required in the undercarriage bays. The cockpit still has some detailing and painting left to do on it. The canopy needs painting and then assembly. Then it is onto the decals. I did not get any decals with this kit, so I brought a set by Aero Master Products. The set I got was the "Post Korean War Sabres pt3" which has the option for two aircraft markings. I am doing Sabre serial number 52-4781 "Violent Vim" which was piloted by Lt.B. B Huffman in Osan,  Korea in November 1955.

Below are some more photos that were taken today. The blue nose has been painted ready for the start of applying the decals to the model. Now all of the Alclad work is finished, there is just some detail painting to be finished on the fuselage first and the decal work can start.

 

F-86F30 Sabre WIP #1

Now that the MiG-31 has had a final bit of weathering done tonight to finish it off, it's onto what next to do.


Well I need to work though some of my on-hold projects sitting on the shelf, the choice has been to finish my F-86 Sabre. This project is being done with Alclad for a metal finish. Again, I am going to bring some humour into this model. The plan is that the aircraft is having some maintenance done to it. The scene will be the rear half of the fuselage sitting on the trolley separate from the front section. The pilot returns to take the Sabre out and the groundcrew are nowhere to be seen and a sign hangs on the nose saying "Gone To Lunch". I sometimes worry about my sanity, well, the wife does!


So back to the Sabre.


Work done so far, the fuselage is built and been painted with various Alclads. I had a little problem with one of the wings where there was some marks in the finish. So I last finished with trying to rectify this problem. A little more work needs to be done on this problem before I can continue with painting the various shades of Alclad. The tail section has been finished and is ready for some detail painting and decals followed by a little weathering.


Okay, that's a quick run down of this project, now for a first look at the model.

MiG-31B Foxhound Finished

The Foxhound is now finished, I added the final parts to it a couple of hours ago. I'll tell you now, for 1/72nd scale, she's a big bird and dwarfed the Airfix Hawk when I sat them next to each other.


After all of the little problems and niggles I had with the kit, the finished model does look okay in the end. But there is a gap in the market for a decent quality 1/72nd scale kit of this aircraft, maybe this is something that Hasegawa, Tamiya or Aoshima could do. Or even Airfix, with the quality of their new tooling on their new kits.


Now back to this model. I am not sure what markings they are that were supplied with the kit, but I will have to do some research to see what I can find out about it. The model was built straight out of the box without any extra detailing done to it. The painting was done following the instructions for the option that matched the box art and the decals were added following the box art too. The paints used on the model are as follows;


Xtracolor X629 Soviet Aircraft Interior Blue/Green = Interior
Xtracrylix XA1130 Gunship Grey = Fuselage Nose and Tail edges
Xtracrylix XA1136 Light Compass Grey = Fuselage main colour
Other various paints from Tamiya and Mr Hobby

MiG-31 Foxhound WIP #10

It's been a slow week on the modelling side for me again. There has not been much chance to do anything at work as I have not spent anytime waiting to be loaded or unloaded. In the evenings, other things have taken priority and modelling taken the back seat. But when I did have time, a little bit of progression was done on my two main projects.


Now as the MiG is closer to completion, I am going to concentrate on this  for the next few days. In the last update on this project, I was in the process of doing the panel lines on the fuselage. This was completed last night and I moved onto fitting the undercarriage into the bays. I don't know what it is with this kit, but nothing fits properly or looks like the parts in the instructions. It gives me the feeling that this is two different kits thrown together as one. The last model that frustrated like this was the Airfix 1/24th scale P-51D Mustang, and that was due to the age of the tooling.

Now back to this model. The undercarriage, and guess what? It didn't fit. The location holes in the bays for the main gear were too small for the gear supplied in the kit. I had to cut off the pins for the back location points and file the plates down to allow the struts to get into the bays. Even then they would not fit, so out with another file and a grove was filed into the main struts to clear the outer side of the bays. 

The front gear went together without any trouble. It was the ram for lowering and raising the gear that was too long to fit in the space. I must admit, the front gear does look a bit fragile for this aircraft. You think, this aircraft weighs over 50 tons and I'm surprised that the undercarriage takes the punishment from each landing of a plane this heavy!

There is so much weight to the rear of this fuselage. Even with the extra weight I put in the nose section, it still wants to lift up. So to try and counteract this, I have added some pieces of solder wire in two of the main gear wheels. And if this does not work, I will add some lead shot to the front ends of the external tanks which sit forwards of the main gear. Now back to doing some painting on this old girl.

ModelKraft 2012 Report

Well, Mother Nature tried her best on Sunday, but she did not stop the show from going ahead. This was the view outside my front door at 06:15 Sunday morning, about four inches of snow in the area and the driveway blocked by ploughed snow. I love a challenge.

So off I went, slipping and sliding on the side streets until I hit the main roads and motorway up to Milton Keynes to pick up Richard Thomas and then onto the show. When we got to the venue, a few of the other club members were already there, along with some traders and exhibitors unloading their vehicles. Soon we started to get the news that some of the visiting clubs and SIG's were cancelling, along with a couple of traders. So some changing around of the show layout was being done as the morning set up progressed and more cancellations came through.

The first visitors turned up just after 08:00, even though the opening time for the show was 10:00. But we allowed them in to save them from freezing outside in the cold, it did not seem to bother them that clubs, SIG's and traders were still arriving and setting up their stand and displays. More visitors turned up early, so in they came as well to keep warm and have a hot drink. By the opening time of the show, we had a few traders cancel and about a quarter to a third of the clubs and SIG's cancel. But there was also quite a few visitors already in the show having a look around too.


The morning progressed and a couple of late arrivals turned up to set up and the show was on. There was a slow, but steady stream of people turning up to visit. We knew from the start that because of the weather, there was not going to be the usual amount of visitors to the show. But they just kept coming and they were pleased that we did not cancel the show. One gentleman travelled all the way from Wales, just to visit the show and enter two models into the competition. Through out the day, I was chatting to visitors, traders and exhibitors. They were praising us for going ahead with the show and even with there being the cancellations from other clubs/SIG's, the show was still very enjoyable.


I would like to finish off on this final note. For you who are reading this blog of mine and were able to make it to our show though the difficult driving conditions, thank you very much. We love to put on this show to entertain you, allow fellow modellers to catch up with friends from other parts of the country. It was also great that we had two friends of the club from IPMS Brno in the Czech Republic travel over to do some demonstrations on their modelling techniques. And finally, to Mother Nature, you tried your best and it didn't work. The lure of plastic, paint and glue was greater then your snow to stop ModelKraft.


So onto next year. We hope to see you all at our show. For those who have never visited it, keep an eye out for future announcements for next years show and put the date in your diary. 


Mother Nature, give up now!

ModelKraft Sunday

The big day for the club is upon us, ModelKraft 2012 is tomorrow and guess what, we have snow overnight. It started a couple of hours ago and is only light at the minute, but it is meant to get a bit heavier later tonight. But the forecast for tomorrow is no more snow, which is a relief. The Met Office says it going to start misty in the morning, with a chance of sunshine about midday and then turning misty again in the evening.


So all of the models I'm taking are packed in their travel boxes and sitting downstairs ready for loading in the morning. Just got to pack some tools and glue for any repair work that needs to be done during the day. Then it's time to sit down with some wine and watch tonight's film. I'll save the panicking for the morning when I wake up and find there's two feet of snow outside.


So for those who plan to visit the show tomorrow, try and catch up with me to say hello. Just any of the club members to point you in the direction of Mick.

MiG-31 Foxhound WIP #9

Well, things are running a little slow at the minute on the modelling side. Work, DIY and ModelKraft have taken over my time recently, which can be a bit annoying at times. I was hoping to have the MiG basically finished by now, with the missiles, externals and undercarriage fitted only leaving me with detailing work to do.


So here is where I am now with this project. The main painting on the fuselage has been done now, leaving the detail painting left to do on it. I applied the decals to the fuselage a few days ago, the problem is, the ones in the box match the box artwork and not the instructions. There was only the main markings decals on the sheet, none of the stencil work was included which is a shame. As can be seen in the photos below, I have started to do the panel lines using "The Detailer" black wash. This product is mainly used in car modelling, but I sometimes use it in aircraft and armour modelling.


Once this little job is finished, I can assemble the undercarriage and paint it before fitting it to the fuselage. The missiles and external tanks still need to be painted and fitted in place before the final weathering can be done. At this current pace, I reckon it will be a couple of more weeks before this one is finished.

ModelKraft 2012

This weekend is ModelKraft 2012 which is held by Milton Keynes Scale Model Club that I am a member of. The show this years has over 90 clubs and SIG's displaying their models over two halls and three floors in the main hall. There is also two members from Brno Model Club in the Czech Republic visiting the show to give modelling demonstrations during the day. 


If you are after something to buy, we have in excess of thirty trade stands offering all you need for your model building. I always have to behave myself, there is too many temptations for me and get me in trouble with the wife.


Another attraction at the show, is some characters from the Star Wars movies walking around the halls collecting for local charities making their return. This years we have Darth Vader, a couple of Stormtroopers and I believe Princess Leah, Chewbacca and possibly C3-P0. 


So if you are at a loss this Sunday and not too far away from Milton Keynes, why not pop along to ModelKraft for a day out.


ModelKraft 2012 web link

Stug III WIP #8 Extra

After a quick look on Hannants website last night, I decided to order this diorama base for the StuG III. I thought this would be ideal for the model as the markings in the kit are for two StuG's on the Eastern Front in 1942. 


Now for the rest of the stuff I need. It will involve some walking around at ModelKraft this Sunday.