Jaguar XJR8-LM WIP #2

Well, I have decided to make a push on this build, it has been sitting there longer then the GT-R and there is minimal work to be done on it to finish the model. On Saturday afternoon, I got the base colour of Emerald Green sprayed and was very happy with the end colour. In my honest opinion, it looks just like a colour that could have been used on one of any Jaguar racing car back then. So I am glad I kept tht can of spray all these years!

After leaving the body to dry over night, I looked at the decal sheets for the Silk Cut scheme to work out what were in a condition good enough to use and which ones would work on the car. The original sheet that came with the kit looked like they are beyond use, you can see the cracks in the decals. So I took the replacement sheet and painted some Microscale Liquid Decal Film over the decals I was planning to use and hoped that they would not break up like the large one I had used from the sheet did a couple of years ago. To my relief, the first couple I tried held together and I continued with a few more until calling it a night.

Monday evening, I continued using these decals and also dig through my left over ones from other models. I had a Italeri truck accessory decal sheet which had some sport themed decals on, so a few were taken from that and added to the body. Next, I needed a couple of racing numbers. There was none in my folder, but on a sheet of left-overs from my 1/48th Hellcat, there was two large number 32's and four small ones. These were ideal for my plans so got added onto the body to finish it off. Once these were all dry, I gave the body a few coats of Halfords clear lacquer to finish off the nights work. Prior to writing this tonight, I checked out the body and the clear lacquer has really brought out the colour. The next update will be the finished model.

Jaguar XJR8-LM WIP #1

This is a project that has been sitting on the shelf for about 18 months now waiting for me to finish it off. So I decided a couple of days ago to get the box off the shelf this weekend and see what was to try and finish it off. The kit is a Hasegawa Jaguar XJR8 LM in the TWR Silk Cut colours of the cars raced in the Le Man 24 Hour of 1987. I was originally going to build this car as one of the Le Man cars, but the decals broke up as I used them. I managed to get hold of a replacement sheet, but that had the same problem to. So I chose to paint it in my own scheme instead.

This kit is a basic model and initially does not take long to build, the time consuming part of the build would be adding the decals. The chassis was completed when I first started to build this model a couple of years ago. This consist of the floor, four wheels, the cockpit, exhausts and a radiator, with no engine detail at all. The bodyshell is one piece with a choice of different vents depending on which model you are building. This at the minute is in white primer ready to be painted. I was thinking about painting it in a similar scheme to the TWR one that was on the Jaguar XJ-S racing cars, but I decided not to do this. After a bit of toying with different ideas, I have decided to go with a Metallic Green which my old Vauxhall Carlton I owned about ten years ago was in, I still have some aerosol of the touch-up paint left. 

I will see what decals from the sheet can be salvaged and try to use some of the Jaguar symbols and markings from them, or try and see if I can find any from the next show I am at. So here are some photos to wet your taste buds for now.

2007 Nissan R35 GT-R WIP #2

Guess what? Work has progressed on the GT-R since the last posting on this project. As you can see, the body colour of Tamiya's Metallic Blue has gone down on the body last week. I think this is a great colour for this car, at model shows you mainly see these in black and various shades of silver. I have seen one in a dark Metallic Red once and that look very nice.

This is waiting to be cleared at the minute, but when I painted the bonnet, two scratches and a mark appeared that were not visible when in just primer. I started to rub it down earlier today to find the mark, which is a curved line on the front left hand corner is in the plastic itself. So, the bonnet is being stripped at the minute to be re-primered and sprayed before clearing the whole car. Once the clear coat is finished, further detail painting can be done before final assembly.

"End Of An Era" Dio WIP #2

Sorry for the lack of posts, but due to a succession of last finishes at work, busy weekends and ModelKraft last weekend, any spare time has been spent on any modelling.

Now for an update on this project. I am not too far away from completing the "End Of An Era" diorama. The first two photos you will see below were taken when the base was in the early stages of painting. The concrete apron had been painted and the sections joints drawn out with the tarmac standing area to the rear painted to. The next stage to be done  was the taxing lines, general weathering and cracks in the concrete panels before painting the edge and adding the scenic scatter grass around the edges of the standing area. Even at this stage, the base was coming to life.

Following Sunday's first showing of this diorama at ModelKraft on the club stand at which it attracted a fair bit of interest, including one gentleman who use to be on of the ground crew for XH131 when the aircraft were retired. The feedback I was getting from visitors to the show was positive and they liked the idea of my display. I also picked up a RAF MD300 Tractor from Hannants to sit on the base to add more life to the scene.

Now onto Wednesday night. Due to the position I displayed the diorama on the club stand and the lighting there, the membership could not really see it properly, plus a few of the figures still needed painting. So I brought the display up on club night and set it up with the now painted figures. I am glad this was done in 1/72nd scale as the base is one metre long, just think how big it would have been in 1/48th scale! 

All of the figures and vehicles were placed on the base, including the MD300 Tractor which needs building and painting, I just pushed the white metal wheels into position on the resin body. I was surprised how big this tractor was when I first got it, my first thought was "It is 1/48th scale?", but no, it is 1/72nd scale. Once this is painted, I might add a few more figures to the base, the refueller needs a hose being carried by a figure to the aircraft. The generator also needs some cables lying around on the ground to. But these are just a few little details that can be added over the next month or two.

So, here are a few photos I took on Wednesday night with my phone. Sorry for the quality of them, but they were taken on the spur of the moment.

XH135

XH135

XH134

XH134

XH131

XH131

2007 Nissan R35 GT-R WIP #1

As it has been a couple of months since I finished the Chevrolet Blazer, I needed to do a quick car build to break up the spell of military modelling. Yes, there are a couple of other car projects on hold at the minute, but they are at the awkward stages that cannot be done in the wagon at work, or on the club stand, so a out of the box project was needed.

So after a short time looking through my car model list, I chose to start on the 2007 Nissan R35 GT-R with engine from Aoshima. Work started with assembling the main engine block, suspension and interior painting them as things progressed. The engine has been painted with Alclad Aluminium followed by matt black and burnt iron on detailing. The instructions say to use matt black on the entire interior, but as there is leather and plastic on this car, I opted to use semi-gloss black and use matt black for the carpets, etc. On other parts that have been painted so far, I have followed the instructions but change the silver on the exhaust for Mr.Metalcolor's Stainless. 

Now, choosing the body colour for the GT-R has been a torment, changing from one idea to another. First I was thinking about using Tamiya's Metallic Black with carbon fibre decal on the bonnet and skirts. Next is was dark red to metallic red and then satin black. Then one Saturday I was in Model Zone getting some supplies when I picked up a rattlecan of Tamiya's Metallic Blue. Bang! I have not seen a R35 GT-R model in Metallic Blue on any club stands during show visits. So this was my choice. To get an idea of the colour, look at my Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic model, that is the same colour.

So here are some photos I took tonight of the progress so far. I am still thinking about what to do with the wheels. Do I keep the stock ones? If I do, shall I paint them? Or shall I change them for another set of alloys? I will wait until the project is further down the line and there is some body colour on the car.

"End Of An Era" Dio WIP #1

Now I am heading into the final stages of this project that first raised its head two years ago. It started with the model of XH135 and the research I did whilst building it. From there, the idea developed to build all three aircraft in a display.

Now that the final aircraft has been built, work can be diverted onto the base for the aircraft for displaying at model shows. This has been routed out from a sheet of MDF and is 100cm long. I will paint the front to represent concrete sections of the taxiway and the standing area for the aircraft will be tarmac.  The back edge will have a grass border curving around one end of the base.

To finish the aircraft, XH135 needs to have the FOD Guard made up, painted and glued into position on her. XH134 and XH131 still need the ladders made for them along with two crew figures for XH134. A few more figures representing ground crew, etc. still need painting for placing on the base doing various jobs. Final detailing on the vehicles still need doing along with some cables and hoses lying around the aircraft.

Further photos will be posted as work progresses over the next couple of weeks, my target is to complete this before the club's show on the 21st April.

"End Of An Era" XH131 WIP #5

The end is nigh for XH131. Construction, painting and weathering has come to an end with only the pilots ladder left to be made and added to the model.

Final construction was the same as XH134, some extra weight added to the forward disused camera bay using some fishing weights. The weathering was done firstly with some oil paints for the streaked marks, followed by a light dusting with my dark dirt mix through the airbrush. The FOD Guards are from the etched ladder set from Flightpath, which contains two ladders for PR9's and B[I]8's, two steps for B2's and three FOD Guards sets to fit a PR9, B[I]8 and B2.

Now there are two PR9's, a B[I]8 and B2 all in 1/48th scale sitting in my stockpile waiting to be started at some point in time! Oh yes, and an old Matchbox PR9 (just re-released by Revell) in there to.

More photos of XH131 will now appear on the new postings under the heading of "End Of An Era" Dio.