My production line

Aldo wrote:

David wrote:3M Blue masking tape is available from Gauci Borda Marine Chandler Msida or Gzira.
D

Thanks David! Will check it out.

There are several types of 3M blue painters tape. The best one I have found is "Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape for Multi-Surfaces #2090"

The 262 and 234 are waiting the paint job - night fighter scheme.
The F-117 is the revell one in 1/48th, I agree same problem with the fit, a lot of filling and sanding.
The Bf108, still to make those cockpit curtains
The Do335, I used the tamiya kit, evreything just goes together. Got the monogram one as well.
The skyraider, I used the Tamiya kit with a true details seat.
Have got to do the F-104C in SEA camo, even though the bare metal markings are attractive, I agree with you on the SEA camo

Aldo wrote:

AdriaN wrote:Dont you hate it when they give you too many markings? and you cant choose one?

Good choice. im thinking of that too. i love the wrap around mouth & shields but dont like the WW in black! I like the 17th WWS but the mouth is ugly, but i like the cartoon & 'patience' on the intakes. I like the south vietnam.. but it has no mouth

Regarding paints: were on the same track. The Model Shop sadly didnt have the camo gray. For dark green i will be using revell 'raf dark green'. Dark tan looks a bit too dark dont you think?
The confusing part is I converted FS 34102 into MM and i got FS1713 Medium green AND FS1591 olive green Which is the right colour? they are both VERY different! to be safe i have both greens. The problem is both med green and dark green are dark colours. not very accurate. since the 2 shades on the F105 are pretty different.

Adrian, the FS code is in 5 numbers with the first number denoting gloss, semi or matt. The 2 MM numbers you quote are just catalog numbers not FS. For details on FS visit http://www.fed-std-595.com/FS-595-Paint-Spec.html.

You can find the Model Master paints on the Testors website (see link)

http://www.testors.com/category/135894/Enamel_Paints

The four colors you need for the Thud are Camoflage Gray, Dark Green, Medium Green and Dark Tan. If you local model shop has a MM paint display the colors are listed by their respective FS numbers and are easy to find.

Started this beast... Two complaints, the instruction are weak in painting instructions and the heavy sprue attachments to the pieces. The cockpit detail is weak in this kit, but that is to be expected due to the prototype stage this aircraft was canceled at.



the heavy sprue attachment...



this is going to be a big kit again... (here it is side by side with a 1/48 F-111 the 6" (15cm) ruler in between)



I do have one question.. is the color registrar correct on these decals? they seem faded to me. I expected a more vibrant blue and red on the roundels.

I never really liked airfix. but i have never tried their 'newer' kits.
Your F111 is looking better! did you just give it a panel wash or more??
The decal colour is correct. Probably since its a light & bright aircraft colour, the vibrant 3 colours would stand out too much, so the colours were lowered a bit.

http://www.knowledgerush.com/wiki_image/f/f4/Tsr2.duxford.arp.750pix.jpg

http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/mark_hayward/tsr-2/

http://www.google.com.mt/imgres?imgurl=http://www.stevebroadbent.net/images/TSR-2%2520219%2520transit%2520flight%2520lo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/TSR-2&usg=__5fgbvrM4HUG74wowV0TRiGh9v1w=&h=298&w=591&sz=18&hl=en&start=11&itbs=1&tbnid=wURFFOf46KCKCM:&tbnh=68&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBAC%2BTSR%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1

Thanks on the info, the pastel colors threw me...

All I have dome to the F-111 lately was let it collect dust to give at a weathered look...

Well I got the scribing done and most of the main construction is complete to be ready for painting. I have to mask the windows and rubber cement the landing gear doors on before painting. If all goes well it should make it to the paint booth tomorrow night.







There are two areas that I wasn't to wild about. The air intake looks horrible inside, but since it is made with half molded to the fuselage and half on the wings there is not much I can do about it (unless I was a dentist)



The other thing that needs work is the landing gear wells in the wings. there are some gaps in the final construction. I will admit I am not sure if it is the kit or the builder.



Over all it is looking OK though.

To be honest I never really cared for the white and strips paint job the X-29 had. So I am not doing it. I am doing a "What if".











The reason it is on the paint bottles is I have just glued on the wheels and was waiting for them to dry.

Now I have to drill out to gun holes in the nose and add sidewinders to the wing tips and do some touch up on the painting.

J.Fenech wrote:Nice selection of models on the production line, and interesting subjects. Since We are talking about production line, this is mine,

On the slow lane,
Me 262b-1
Me109 x 3
Arado Ar234B-2/N
Spitfire mkIXc
Seafire III
Blackburn Roc
SeaFury FB.11
Tempest mk.V
P-51D
Panther F9F-5
Avia B534
Bf-108
heinkel he-177*
Atlantic I*
Nimrod*
KC-97*
Harrier GR7
Transall*
F-117
F-101
F-106
Canberra B8
Blohn & Voss Bv222*
Mig-21
F-16C
B-29*
OV-1D Mohawk
Skyraider (USAF version)
EB-66*
those marked with * are in 1/72nd scale.

Current active projects,

Saab Draken
A-7D Corsair
P-47D
P-51B
Hellcat mk.1
F/A-18F
Do335
Tornado ADV
F-104G

Wow, those are some good lists of models you guys have going! What I currently have going is:

1/24 Unlimited Hydroplane from the mid-50s, completely scratch built out of balsa
AMT 18 inch Enterprise, things were going wrong with it so I put it off to the side, just recently pulled it back out and started working on it. Stripping off the detail pane which I am doing first to apply again for something like the sixth or seventh time
Polar Lights 1/1000 Enterprise being converted to a scout/destroyer, a few detail things to do and it's ready for paint
Revell 1/28 Sopwith Camel, a friend surprised me with both of the Wingnut Wings Albatros models, using the Camel to try some different ways of getting the wings together and especially to try some different rigging techniques
Revell 1/144 Saturn V rocket, just need some small parts put on each stage before painting
Revell 1/200 Space Shuttle, just trying to stand down on some filler that's harder than a rock in some hard to get areas and then it's ready for paint, have some great Papa Tango Decals for it
Monogram Wolfman, trying to get the seams filed smooth in all of that fur
Revell 1/32 P-51B Mustang converting to the air racer Begiune from 48/49, also have some great decals from it from Papa Tango Decals

Every once in awhile something else gets pulled out for a session or two before it gets put back.

The 105 is coming along nicely. The X Plane definitely looks better in camouflage.

I have masked off my canopies for the 105 now...

lots of little pieces around the edges then fill it in with larger pieces..






Taped all the gear doors to a piece of painters tape so i spray them as I spray the aircraft.



Built all the rest of the big stuff that hangs on the aircraft...



The plane is just about ready for the paint booth...



These are the MM paints I am using...

your making me want to start my 105! cant wait! is it a good kit? good fittings? or is it like a 20 yr old mold? besides the undercarriage & intake

your medium green is pretty light when compared to mine. is it 1713? ive hand mine for years.

AdriaN wrote: your making me want to start my 105! cant wait! is it a good kit? good fittings? or is it like a 20 yr old mold? besides the undercarriage & intake

your medium green is pretty light when compared to mine. is it 1713? ive hand mine for years.

Other than the intakes and wheel wells it has gone together very well. Only very very minor filling will be needed.

If you look at the bottles in the above pictures you will see the MM FS number on the bottle, in this case it is FS 34102. The flash from the camera may have washed out the color on the bottle bottoms. But in this case I am using the FS numbers that the USAF was using during the Vietam war on the camo'd aircraft.

I looked up the color 1713 on a paint conversion chart I have it appear that the 1713 is approx equivalent to the MM FS 34102.

I paint my models almost exclusively with Model Master paints (MM) as they have the FS series plus standard British, Russian, USAF, and a good amount of WW2 colors from both allied and axis sides. For most of the models I do with the MM paints I rarely have to mix a color.

wedfactory wrote:

AdriaN wrote: your making me want to start my 105! cant wait! is it a good kit? good fittings? or is it like a 20 yr old mold? besides the undercarriage & intake

your medium green is pretty light when compared to mine. is it 1713? ive hand mine for years.

Other than the intakes and wheel wells it has gone together very well. Only very very minor filling will be needed.

If you look at the bottles in the above pictures you will see the MM FS number on the bottle, in this case it is FS 34102. The flash from the camera may have washed out the color on the bottle bottoms. But in this case I am using the FS numbers that the USAF was using during the Vietam war on the camo'd aircraft.

I looked up the color 1713 on a paint conversion chart I have it appear that the 1713 is approx equivalent to the MM FS 34102.

I paint my models almost exclusively with Model Master paints (MM) as they have the FS series plus standard British, Russian, USAF, and a good amount of WW2 colors from both allied and axis sides. For most of the models I do with the MM paints I rarely have to mix a color.

I like using MM too. they are great! but i use revell more because their easier to find.
Have you ever used that horrible gray primer?? (the standard small tin)

Nope haven't used the gray primer, my base coat is usually aluminum.

The paint conversion chart I use can be downloaded here:

http://www.paint4models.com/

wedfactory wrote:Nope haven't used the gray primer, my base coat is usually aluminum.

The paint conversion chart I use can be downloaded here:

http://www.paint4models.com/

Yes thats the same site i use.
Primer: Dont use it.. its crap! it takes over a week to dry and even after it feels soft & sticky and you can scratch it off with your nail. Ive used 2 tins and their both the same. some people think its a defected batch.

I use aluminum as a base for several reasons, first it shows all flaws quickly, second it gaves a good color background for the color to go on top of, and third if I want to chip my models I can scratch down to the alum for a very good chipping effect.

I added two guns to the nose (as per the F-5E) and wingtip missiles. (Hope the Russians don't mind my using affids. I didn't have any 1/72 scale sidewinders, all I had was the affids or the heavy things the MIG-25 carries, hardly wingtip equipment)

I also have a coat of gloss coat for the decals, which I am trying to dig out of my spare parts box right now. HUMM don't thing the 1/48 scale nudie girl will fit on the nose of this aircraft... d*mn...

Added low-viz markings

Also got the base coat on the thud

Following the thud with interest

Well the Thud is camo'd now. There is some touch up to do where the airbrush got away from me.

Well the Thud has to head back out to the paint booth. Some of the paint was cracking. I figured I could just dry brush over it and all would be well. Dry brushing didn't work, neither did two coats of brushed on paint so strip off the bad areas and redo the painting.



To clean off the areas seen. I used a old tee shirt dipped in thinner. A few light strokes and the paint would begin to come off. Now while the Thud took a big step backwards I did see potential in this mishap. Looking at where I rubbed the paint off it gives a great worn look. I my try using that as a weathering technique on a future model. One coat of steel paint, one coat of alum, faded camo color(s) then the final true camo colors. Then when that is all dry use the above method the take off layers here and there. The alum being brighter would look like more recent weathering and the steel would have a more aged look. My have to play with this later (maybe on my robot!?)

Looking good
Ive never tried free hand camos before. my thud will be my first

Im guessing it cracked because there was too much thinning in paint so as it evaporated.. it cracked. OR greasy surface OR the silver doesnt let the paint stick??

The Thud looks great. I will look out for this, i love that plane and also the colour scheme you chose for it. Sometimes that just happens with paint. it always happens to me when i use the white. Funnily, it never happened with any other colour but white.